One 2 Three
Patrick Sherring
Mick Hedges has been volunteer at Warley Place nature reserve, CM 13 3HU for 18 years, the last 8 as warden. He said the best time to visit is between February and June. The 25 acre site is open every day during daylight hours. The Wilmotts bought a house on the site in 1870. When the daughter Ellen inherited the house, she followed her passion to develop the gardens. At one point she employed 100 gardeners. Many famous people who came to see the gardens. Ellen even employed a plant hunter to bring back exotic species for cultivation. Many plants were cultivated at gardens with species containing either Wilmott or Warley in the name. Ellen went bankrupt and died in 1934. She was buried in Bentwood cathedral. The house was sold to developers and demolished just before the outbreak of world war two. The walls of the conservatory still stand. After the war, Brentwood council prevented development and Paul Carter asked the Essex Wildlife Trust to maintain the site in 1977. It is particularly notable for spring flowers including snowdrops, daffodils, bluebells, foxgloves and rhododendrons.
For more information visit
https://www.essexwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/warley-place
Playlist
Van Morrison – Down to joy – from the album – Remembering now – to be release on 13th of June.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Watching the detective – 1977 UK no 15 No 363 Rolling Stone 500 Greatest songs of all time. One of the tracks chosen for us last week by studio guest Frazer. He is one of the team of volunteers who every Wednesday evening between 6 – 7.30 give out food, toiletries, clothes and other items to rough sleepers in Chelmsford. For more information check out the recording of last week’s show.
America – Horse with no name – No 1 USA & 2 more more countries. UK no 3. Top 10 in 4 more countries. Mick saw the band live when they publicly first played this track.
Sting – Fields of gold – 1993 Canada no 3, UK no 16 USA no 23 From the album – Ten Summer’s tales – nominated for 6 Grammy awards, winner of four. SAles of over 3 million in USA. Mick said the daffodils are Warley Place are fields of gold.
Beatles – Blackbird – 1968 from – White album – Global sales of 24 million. As Mick said, “who doesn’t love the Beatles?”
Birthdays competition
Herb Alpert – Spanish flea – 1966 UK no 3. Top 10 in Argentina and Canada. USA no 27. Featured in numerous films. Herb, who is still performing live, celebrated his 90th birthday at the end of March.
Adele – Skyfall – 2012 No 1 in 14 countries. UK no 2, USA no 8. Academy award for best original song for a film. Adele is 37 years old.
Mary Hopkin – Those were the days – 1968 UK no 1 & in17 more countries. USA no 2. Mary is 75 years old.
Thanks to Chris and Bob in Harlow, Chris in Guildford, Mick in the studio and Patrick in Ingatestone for taking par today. The join winners each with 3 points were mick, Patrick and Chris in Guildford who each got one age correct.
Turtles – Happy together – 1967 USA no 1 selling 2 million 45 rpm singles. UK no 2, Top 10 in 6 more countries. Patrick in Ingatestone felt this was appropriate for VE day 80.
Liz Bown spent her childhood in Gidea Park. She spoke of her memories of growing up during the World War 2, the celebrations to mark the end of the war and the adjustments needed in the early post war years. With her father as a firewatcher seeking to extinguish incendiary bombs, Liz recalled the fear every night seeing him leave the the house and praying for his return. She started school at the age of 7 years and many hour of schooling were spent in air raid shelters at the school. Here the girls were taught to knit. Liz found it rewarding knitting items for pilots that covered shoulders and went up the neck. She still loves knitting today. On VE day there was a huge bonfire in the street with everyone bringing out wood. The men and boys jumped over the embers. Her father lost a silver propelling pencil in the evening. He found it in the embers unscathed next morning where there was a deep hole in the tarmac caused by the bonfire. One of the most memorable changes after VE day was there were no more blackouts and no-one had to worry about showing lights. She recalls celebrations after VJ day, marking the end of the war in Japan and all hostilities. There was also sadness around the loss of men who did not return and those who had died in bombing at home.
Vera Lynn – We’ll meet again. Released 1939.
Andrews sisters – Boogie woogie bugle boy. 1941 from the soundtrack of Buck Pirates starring Abbott and Costello. It was the first film based on the peacetime military conscription in USA.
Glenn Miller – In the mood. 1939 release.
Vera Lynn – There will be blue birds over the white cliffs of Dover. Written by Americans Walter Kent and Nat Burton in 1941 and released by Vera Lynn in 1942.
Join me next week for two hours of good music and chat.
