Author: Tim Dracup
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. I went downstairs in a bungalow I went upstairs in a flat I went outside my prison I trod upon a cat. . The cat climbed up a tree The tree grew tall from roots The roots thrust in the earth The earth gave up its ghosts. . The ghosts were spooking me The…
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. As our partners trace their graceful arabesques above They pause; stoop down to guide our own more rustic figure And thus we weave the skeins of new-found love. . Emerging from our past lives’ wreckage, our fondest dreams stove In; what should we do but grow love from grief? How else endure As our…
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This is the story of Abraham Dracup (1805-72), an ordinary working man whose otherwise very ordinary life was marked by three life-changing experiences. It describes the rise and fall of a small dynasty of Bradford cloggers, headed by Abraham and encompassing his brothers, sons and nephews. Abraham was a contemporary of his slightly older…
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This post tells the desperately sad story of father Amos Dracup (1818-1869) and son Richard Dracup (1854-1871) who both lived in Great Horton, Bradford and whose untimely deaths – within two years of each other – were causally connected. Amos was born in 1818, the fourth child and first son of Richard Dracup senior (1788-1853)…
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. We have decided to walk the 184 miles of the Thames Path, alongside our parallel and much longer project: the South-West Coast Path. Our journey began on a cloudy August morning, travelling by train and tube into Paddington to catch the 12:45 GWR departure for Swansea – and alighting at Swindon less than an hour…
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We returned to the Coast Path towards the end of June 2019, intending to walk from Barnstaple to Westward Ho! – and potentially beyond. We had also returned to our customary pattern with a four-night Monday to Friday, schedule. On the way down on Monday – departing out of Paddington and arriving via the Tarka…
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. In March 2019, some six months after the last foreshortened leg, I judged myself healthy enough to resume our journey round the South-West Coast Path. This expedition spanned Friday to Tuesday rather than our more customary Monday to Friday routine. We took the usual route down, though this time arriving at Exeter St Davids…
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This ill-fated expedition took place in September 2018. Our original plan had been to walk through to Woolacombe, but the programme was curtailed following the sudden death of my father. My own poor physical condition also prevented progress beyond Ilfracombe: I was struggling with depression-induced fatigue. A GP appointment was completed in time for…
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. We undertook the third stage of the South-West Coast Path during the heatwave conditions of late June 2018. On completing this strenuous walk of some 13.3 miles, we were told that the afternoon temperature in Combe Martin had reached 32 degrees in the shade. I find very hot, sunny conditions difficult and had also…
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. In Autumn 2017 I began a long-term project to walk the South-West Coast Path end-to-end, starting from Minehead. I plan to take my time, fitting in the different stages as and when other priorities permit. I have already recounted the story of the first stage, from Minehead to Porlock Weir. This short post describes…
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I was one of six friends, all recently bereaved, who in May 2019 shared a four-day walking holiday in Northern Snowdonia. The holiday was organised by HF Holidays. HF (Holiday Fellowship) has an honourable history dating back to 1913, advertising itself as ‘the UK’s only co-operative holiday provider’. Booking the holiday was problematic. An initial…
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. Nonsuch Place, Ewell Road, Sutton SM3 8AL . Nonsuch Pantry is slightly outside our normal area. We visited on the occasion of the rescheduled Marsden March, which was routed alongside Nonsuch Park. The Pantry is located towards the east of the Park, tucked behind Nonsuch Mansion. It has its own basic website and a…
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. The King’s Field, Church Grove, Hampton Wick, KT1 4ET . Tucked away at the corner of Bushy Park, just over on the far side of Kingston Bridge, Pistachio in the Park is slightly off the beaten track, yet still within easy reach of Kingston’s town centre. It is one of a small chain, presently…
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. 51 Kingston Hill, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 7PS . Situated on Kingston Hill, opposite Kingston Hospital, Lizzie’s is clearly a popular eatery for staff and visitors alike. Although out of reach of the town centre, it is handily placed for those returning from Richmond Park through the Kingston Gate. Opening hours are given as…
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. This post investigates the Government’s latest efforts to establish a national network of university-sponsored specialist mathematics free schools for 16-19 year-olds. It: Recapitulates the difficult history of this policy since it was first announced in 2011 Reviews in more detail developments in the nine months since my last post on this topic Analyses the…
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. When my wife Kate was still alive I published three posts dedicated to exploring whether I might qualify as borderline Aspergers. Kate had become convinced that this explained the difference between her personality and mine – and the difficulty I experienced in understanding and responding to her emotional needs. She read several books on…
Eponymous 