I was joined today by our old friend and regular contributor, BRIAN HUGHES.
Now usually Brian stops by to impart various legal tips, but today Brian was here to tell us all about the celebrations taking place in Billericay to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the “May Flower” – the vessel which took the Founding Fathers to the New World.
The connection with Billericay is largely due to the activities of Billericay resident and prosperous merchant, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN who had become the ship’s Governor.
Being a bit of a wheeler dealer he had persuaded the London Merchant Adventurer’s Company to let him provision “May Flower” and they provided the finance for him to do so – money for beer, wine, hard tack, salted beef and pork, dried peas, oatmeal (probably milled in Billericay), fishing supplies, muskets, ordnance, clothing, tools and trade goods for the Indians.
Accompanied by his wife, Mary, step son Soloman Prower and manservant, John Langemore, he sailed with the ship, confident that he could do well for himself in America.
Sadly this was not to be as he and his party all perished as a result of a disease contracted during the winter following their arrival, but not before he had signed the MAY FLOWER COMPACT, one of the three documents underpinning the constitution of the United States.
As a result of this document the signatories were called the Founding Fathers and the thanksgiving feast after the survivors had their first successful harvest in November, has been incorporated into American culture as the festival of Thanksgiving Day which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, which this year falls on the 26th.
The celebratory events planned for BILLERICAY this year have already begun and include a food quiz on the 7th March – that’s this coming Saturday – THE TASTE OF AMERICA – which takes place at Emmanuel Hall, Laindon Rd., from 7pm for 7.30 start. Tickets priced at £18.50 p.p. are available from 03458 339849 or America@billericaylions.com, or on Saturday morning outside Poundland in the High Street.
Other planned events include a competition for the best dressed shop window, a floral display in Lake Meadows, Jazz in the Park, concerts featuring American Music, an American film week, School Competitions, a Cater Museum Historical re-enactment, a Merrie England Barn Dance, Morris Dancing, American Square dancing, talks, lectures and so on throughout the rest of the year.
A full printed programme has been published and details will appear at regular intervals in forthcoming magazines, newsletters and on a number of notice boards throughout the Town. They also appear on Facebook: Billericay Mayflower 2020 and on the Billericay twinning website – https://billericaytwinning.org.uk/mayflower-2020/.
Listen again here to all that Brian had to say on this subject today: –
In the second hour of today’s programme, we reported on the Welsh teenager who has found a way of making a fortune for minimum effort.
On the day he discovered that he’d failed all his GCSE’s, 19-year old Ashley Richards decided that his fate was in his own hands and so embarked on a course of trading on the Foreign Exchange Markets on line.
First off he downloaded about 400 eBooks which explained the methods he needed to employ and now, apparently successfully, he buys a currency at one price and then sells it at a higher price.
On one occasion he made a whopping £2000 profit in just 30 seconds.
Although some days he may find himself sat in front of the computer screen for a straight 12 hours he routinely works for just 2-3 hours per week.
It all depends on a variety of factors like interest rates, bank decisions and political factors, explained Ashley, who is now able to fund a lifestyle of designer goods, expensive watches and is already the proud owner of a £120,000 car.
Whilst he hopes to retire early, there is a downside as working from his “at home” office, he admits that it does get lonely!
So now you know the secret of success.
Think it’s too late for me to change now, so I’ll see you again tomorrow,
Scott
