WEB PAGE NO. 2822 2nd October 2021 Firstly I was sad to hear of the death of Alan Hartley one time Head Boy of Manor Court School. He often came with us to the George.May he rest in peace.

1ST PICTURE: Meccano Catalogue

2nd PICTURE; CENTENARY 2001

3RD PICTURE; Meccano Magazine

4TH PICTURE: Frank Hornby Meccano Meccano was and is a model construction system created in 1898 by Frank Hornby in Liverpool. The system consists of reusable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, and plastic parts that are connected using nuts and bolts. It enables the building of working models and mechanical devices. In 1913, a very similar construction set was introduced in the United States under the brand name Erector. In 2000, Meccano bought the Erector brand and unified its presence on all continents. In 2013, the Meccano brand was acquired by the Canadian toy company Spin Master. Meccano maintains a manufacturing facility in Calais, France. In 1901 Frank Hornby, a clerk from Liverpool invented and patented a new toy called "Mechanics Made Easy" that was based on the principles of mechanical engineering. It was a model construction kit consisting of perforated metal strips, plates and girders, with wheels, pulleys, gears, shaft collars and axles for mechanisms and motion, and nuts and bolts and set screws to connect the pieces. The perforations were at a standard ½ inch spacing, the axles were 8-gauge, and the nuts and bolts used 5/32 inch BSW threads. The only tools required to assemble models were a screwdriver and spanners . It was more than just a toy: it was educational, teaching basic mechanical principles like levers and gearing. The parts for Hornby's new construction kit were initially supplied by outside manufacturers, but as demand began to exceed supply, Hornby set up his own factory in Duke Street, Liverpool. As the construction kits gained in popularity, they soon became known as Meccano and went on sale across the world. In September 1907, Hornby registered the Meccano trade mark, and in May 1908, he formed Meccano Ltd. To keep pace with demand, a new Meccano factory was built in Liverpool in 1914, which became Meccano Ltd's headquarters for the next 60 years. Hornby also established Meccano factories in France, Spain and Argentina. The word "Meccano" was thought to have been derived from the phrase "Make and Know". The first construction sets had parts that were rather crudely made: the metal strips and plates had a tinplate finish, were not rounded at the ends and were not very sturdy. But manufacturing methods were improving all the time and by 1907 the quality and appearance had improved considerably: the metal strips were now made of thicker steel with rounded ends and were nickel-plated, while the wheels and gears were machined from brass. The first sets under the new Meccano name were numbered 1 to 6. In 1922 the No. 7 Meccano Outfit was introduced, which was the largest set of its day, and the most sought after because of its model building capabilities and prestige. In 1926, to mark the 25th anniversary of his patent, Hornby introduced "Meccano in Colours" with the familiar red and green coloured Meccano pieces. Initially plates were a light red and items like the braced girders were a pea-green. However, the following year strips and girders were painted dark green, the plates Burgundy red, while the wheels and gears remained brass. In 1934 the Meccano pieces changed colour again: the strips and girders became gold while the plates were changed to blue with gold criss-cross lines on them, but only on one side, the reverse remaining plain blue. This new colour scheme was only available in the United Kingdom until the end of the Second World War in 1945. The old red and green sets were still produced for the export market and were re-introduced in the UK after the war. In 1958 the colours were changed slightly to light red and green but this a short lifespan as the colours changed dramatically in 1964 to the black and yellow colour scheme. However, this light red and green period did see the introduction of about 90 new parts, more modern packaging, a new cabinet was introduced for the number 10 set, the first plastic parts were introduced, and the "exploded diagram" instructions made their début. World War II interrupted the production of Meccano in England when the Binns Road factory converted to manufacturing for the war effort. The Korean War in 1950 also disrupted production due to a metal shortage and it was not until the mid-1950s that Meccano production returned to normal with new parts being added to all the sets. In the early 1960s Meccano Ltd experienced financial problems and was purchased by Lines Bros Ltd (who operated under the brand name "Tri-ang"). In an attempt to redefine Meccano's image, the colour scheme was changed again, this time to yellow and black plates, with silver strips and girders. In 1970 electronic parts were introduced, and the current black-coloured plates were changed to blue. Lines Brothers went into voluntary liquidation in 1971 and Airfix Industries purchased the Meccano business in the UK and General Mills of the US purchased the French business. The French company was known as Miro Meccano. In 1978 the range of Meccano sets was reduced d. While some Airfix divisions were profitable, particularly their model kits, they needed to save money. With unions threatening industrial action if there were any job losses, Airfix shut down the Binns Road factory, bringing to an end the manufacture of Meccano in England. Meccano still continued to be manufactured in France, as the British and French businesses had different owners. At the time in the seventies Meccano France SA launched and produced their brand new dark blue MECCANO Construction Kits In 1981, General Mills bought Airfix Products and with it what was left of Meccano Ltd UK, giving it complete control of the Meccano franchise. All the existing Meccano sets were scrapped and a totally new range of sets were designed for production in Calais, France called "Meccano Junior", a new product range consisting of plastic construction kits with tools included, although these new sets would only allow the young builder to make small models. In 1985 General Mills left the toy business completely, selling off their toy divisions. Meccano was sold out to a French accountant and, once again, all existing Meccano sets were scrapped. In 1989 the accountant sold what remained of Meccano to Dominique Duvauchelle. Allen head zinc plated steel bolts replaced the original slot-headed brass-plated bolts and the "Plastic Meccano Junior" sets were brought back. In 1994 additional theme sets were introduced and a pull-back friction motor was added to the Plastic Meccano System. In 2000 Nikko, a Japanese toy manufacturer, purchased 49 per cent of Meccano and took on its marketing internationally. Development and design remained with Meccano based in Calais. Meccano today is very different from its. The target market of youngsters has not changed significantly In 2013, Meccano launched "Meccano Evolution", a new "back to basics" Meccano, which allowed smaller and more detailed models to be built using simpler and more "functional" parts. In late 2013, the company also opened a public "Meccano Lab" play space and centre, in Calais. In 2015 Spin Master launched Meccanoids, Meccano modular robots. The current range of Meccano electric motors are small DC types designed to run on domestic batteries. These are low-torque high-speed motors. These are inexpensive and suitable for small models that a child might construct from the standard range of sets. For many years, live steam engines were made and sold under the Meccano brand, although they were not made by Meccano. Earlier examples were vertical steam engines the first to be specially designed for Meccano was introduced in 1929. From 1965 to 1976, Mamod made a steam engine for Meccano, the design of which was based on the 1929 version. With a Meccano set there was a wide range of models that could be built. The instructions sometimes contained errors, which caused difficulty for small children. In 1990 Meccano built a giant Ferris wheel in France. It was modelled after the original 1893 Ferris Wheel built by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. at the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago. The model, the largest at the time, was 6.5 metres (21.3 ft) high, weighs 544 kilograms (1,200 pounds), was made from 19,507 pieces, 50,560 nuts and bolts, and took 1,239 hours to construct. A large model, weighing approximately 500 kg and 23 m long, was built in September 2009 by TV presenter James May and a team of volunteers who created a Meccano bridge spanning the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. A contender for the largest model on record was built in 2014 by Graham Shepherd of Grahamstown, South Africa. The fully motorised Krupp 288 Bucket Wheel Excavator (as used on large opencast mining) is complete with auxiliary conveyors. Frank Hornby had launched the Meccano Guild in 1919, to encourage boys of all ages—as well as early clubs—to become part of a central organisation, which oversaw club formation, and set guidelines for club proceedings. The Meccano Magazine was used as a means to keep Guild clubs informed of each other's activities (as well as encourage the sales of Meccano). The International Society of Meccanomen was founded in 1989 in England, nine years after the Liverpool factory closed. Today, over one hundred years since its inception, there are thousands of Meccano enthusiasts worldwide there are annual Meccano exhibitions around the world, notably in France and at Skegness.

Pam Writes:- Such coincidence that Griff has mentioned if anyone remembers Ken Ashbee. Unfortunately he was killed in Singapore in 1967 aged just 23. He was in the RAF so I don't know if it was a plane accident. I remember he was part of 'our gang' that used to meet in the evenings at the field opposite Sainsburys. I'm sure he lived in Second Avenue, Farlington. He married Marilyn Garland in 1966. I only found this out quite recently when I was at the church at Warblington and when walking round the graveyard saw a memorial stone for him. Really tragic, I wonder what happened to Marilyn. Also, I think that Alan Hartley died recently. He was Head Boy when Pauline Bugg was Head Girl, how strange that they should die so close to each other. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

WEB PAGE NO. 2820 25th September 2021 1ST PICTURE: A Bar of Sunlight soap

2nd PICTURE; WW1 Sunlight poster

3RD PICTURE; Sunlight Washing Up Liquid

4TH PICTURE; Port Sunlight

Sunlight Soap We must all remember Sunlight household soap, every home, when we were kids used it. It was introduced by the British company Lever Brothers in 1884 and it was the world's first packaged, branded laundry soap. Designed for washing clothes and for general household use, the success of the product led to the name for the company's village for its workers, Port Sunlight. The soap formula was invented by a Bolton chemist named William Hough Watson, who also became an early business partner. Watson's process created a new soap, using glycerin and vegetable oils such as palm oil rather than tallow which were animal fats. William Lever and his brother James Darcy Lever invested in Watson's soap invention and its initial success came from offering bars of cut, wrapped, and branded soap in his father's grocery shop. This was an early labour-saving device for the housewife as prior to this, commercially made soap was bought in long bars. Sunlight soap was eventually supplanted by modern products made from synthetically produced detergents rather than naturally derived soaps. In 1971, the company rebranded Sunlight as a washing-up liquid in the UK. The new packaging for Sunlight Lemon Liquid had a large picture of a lemon, and only featured the words "washing up liquid" in small letters. There were complaints that children might mistake the product for lemon squash and drink it. The matter was discussed in the House of Lords. The company responded by changing its packaging. In several markets (e.g., Belgium and the Netherlands) Sunlight soap has survived as a personal wash product rather than a laundry detergent. Sunlight is still used in some markets as a brand by Unilever (the successor of Lever Brothers). In Sri Lanka, Sunlight laundry soap has a market share of more than 75%, and won the “brand of the year” award in 2004. In South Africa, the brand is used for bath soap, dishwashing liquid, washing powder and fabric conditioner. The brand was also used in the Philippines during the 1990s as detergents. It was discontinued until it was revived in 2015 as a liquid dish-washing detergent traded alongside the Surf line. However, production for Ireland and the UK ceased in 2009 due to low demand; it is available only as an import. In Norway it was taken over by Lilleborg in 1930. In 2003, exclusive licensing rights to the Sunlight brand for dishwashing detergents in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico were sold along with several Unilever brands to Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking Group, which established Phoenix Brands LLC for the purpose. In 2008, the North American trademark rights to Unilever laundry brands including Sunlight were acquired by Sun Products Corporation. In early 2010, Sun Products acquired the American and Canadian business rights to the Sunlight brand. Sun Products was itself acquired by Henkel North American Consumer Goods in 2016. The Sunlight brand was used by Johnson Diversey Professional Products in Canada and the USA in 2011. In Turkey in the summer of 2010, washing-up liquids produced under the brand Cif began marketing with the new compound brand Sunlight Cif. As well as the regular liquid, a concentrated washing-up liquid was introduced in three varieties (lime, lemon and orange); when it comes into contact with water, it turns into a gel which remains in the sponge longer than regular washing-up liquid. However I am sure that we all remember the alternative version of the carol Whilst Shepherds watched their flocks by night ie….. While Shepherds washed their socks by night, All seated round the tub, A bar of Sunlight soap came down, And they began to scrub. And when their socks were squeaky clean, And sparkling like a gem, The Sheppard's put them on again, And walked to Bethlehem. And when they got to Bethlehem, All looking nice and neat, The Christ child said you've got nice socks, But next time wash your feet. You Write: This is a longshot request: Does anyone reading Peter's MC webpage remember Ken Ashbee? I believe he lived in the Drayton / Farlington / Cosham area. If you do please let me know. Ken was married to a local girl called Marilyn I believe. Also Roger ??? who wrote on the webpages last week and will be reading this, was Robert (Bob) Heyhoe a name you remember from your time at Northern Grammar School? Cheers Everyone Melvyn (Griff) Griffiths Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

WEB PAGE NO. 2818 18th September 2021 Sam Kydd 1ST PICTURE: Sams typical character

2nd PICTURE; This is Your Life

3RD PICTURE; With son Jonathan and wife Pinkie

4TH PICTURE; Locally made film in which he appeared

Sam Kydd was one of those faces that kept turning up in small parts in TV productions and over 200 films more than any other British actor. He was born Samuel John Kydd on 15th February 1915 and was an Irish-born British actor.[ His best-known roles were in two major British television series of the 1960s, as the smuggler Orlando O'Connor in Crane and its sequel Orlando, and as a recurring character in Coronation Street. He was an army officer's son born in Belfast and moved to London as a child and attended Dunstable school in Bedfordshire. During the mid-1930s he was an MC for the Oscar Rabin Band and one of his "Hot Shots". He would warm up audiences with jokes and impressions (Maurice Chevalier was a favourite) and even some tap dance routines then introduce the other singers and attractions on the bill. During the late 1930s he had joined the Territorial Army serving with the Queen Victoria's Rifles and when war broke out he was called up for active service. Early in the Second World War, he went to France with the British Expeditionary Force but was quickly captured, spending the rest of the war in Stalag XX-A, a camp in German-occupied western Poland. He later wrote of his experiences as a POW in his autobiographical book For You the War Is Over. During his internment where he remained for the next five years, he took command of the camp's theatrical activities - devising and staging plays. He felt so strongly about his work there that, when he was offered repatriation after three years, he turned it down to continue with his theatrical work. In recognition of his valuable services during these years he was awarded a pair of drama masks, made by the Red Cross . Returning to Britain he applied for the film The Captive Heart, which was about life in a prison camp, and as this was an area where he had much experience, he got a part. He went on to appear in more than 240 films and 1,000 TV plays and series, including such films as The Blue Lamp, Father Brown, The 39 Steps and I'm All Right Jack. He often played the part of a strong and resilient cockney. In 1963, he appeared as the lovable smuggler Orlando O'Connor in Crane starring Patrick Allen. The programme ran for 39 episodes and was watched each week by over 16 million viewers. Sam's character was so popular that when Crane finished he was given his own programme, Orlando, a children's adventure series which ran for 76 episodes. He also appeared on TV in The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Pickwick Papers, Mess Mates, Arthur Askey, Benny Hill, Charlie Drake, Harry Worth, The Expert, Dixon of Dock Green, Fossett Saga, Curry and Chips, The Tony Hancock Show, Minder, Crossroads, Coronation Street (playing the part of Mike Baldwin's father, Frankie), The Eric Sykes Show, and Follyfoot. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1974. He married Pinkie Barnes, an ex-international table tennis champion (she was World Doubles Finalist in 1948) and one of Britain's first women advertising copywriters. Their son, Jonathan Kydd, followed his father into the acting profession. Sam Kydd died of emphysema in 1982 aged 67. You Write: Letter from Roger Hello Peter, It’s been a long time since I last was in touch; hope that you are still keeping well and I still enjoy reading your updates. To remind you? I was never a fellow pupil of you all, but was at Northern Grammar School September 1956 to July 1961 and was interested to read in your Page 2800, of 10th July, this year, that you held your Speech Day there in the October of ’61. I also read through the list of Members of the Choral Society, not that I ever expected to find reference to any one who I would know, and you asked if anyone might know of the whereabouts of any those “lost” members. It was with some surprise, and pleasure, that at number eight in the list of Contraltos I saw Diane Ledgers’ name. I met her, and her family, after she left the school and we both worked for the Co-op shoe department, she at Melanies, North End, and myself at Co-op House in Fratton Road, in 1962/63. We went out together steadily and then I joined the Royal Navy in 1963 and she and her family emigrated to Perth W. Australia in 1964/65. I was able to meet up with her in Geraldton, Western Australia, Christmas/New Year 1965 when the ship I was on, HMS EURYALUS, visited as part of our Australia tour. I last saw her in Portsmouth and Plymouth, for several days, when she visited England in the mid 2000’s. We still keep in touch and she still lives in Western Australia, albeit some distance from Perth in the “sticks”. I cannot be certain but she COULD be the girl in the photograph, looking at the picture, sitting 5th in from the left side, in the second row from the front. I know it is a bit late for me to be getting back to you from the date you published the item, but I often read back to previous issues and find things which I missed the first time round. With every good wish and thanks you for your, always, interesting reminders of the past. Best wishes and regards, Ray Johnson (Ex Copnor Juniors and N.G.S.B)

WEB PAGE NO. 2818 11th September 2021 1ST PICTURE: Young Russ Conway

2nd PICTURE; Royal Navy ID picture

3RD PICTURE; This is Your Life

4TH PICTURE; With Billy Cotton and Cliff Richard

The Twinkling Smile of Russ Conway Russ Conway, DSM was born Trevor Herbert Stanford on 2nd September 1925 and died on 16th November 2000 and had 20 piano instrumentals in the UK Singles Chart between 1957 and 1963, including two number one hits. He was born in Bristol and won a scholarship to Bristol Cathedral Choir School and, after leaving school at 14. He taught himself the piano during a three-year term in a borstal detention centre for stealing from his employers. During the Second World War, he was conscripted into the Royal Navy and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal as signalman in a minesweeping flotilla "for distinguished service, efficiency and zeal" in clearance of mines in the Aegean and operations during the relief of Greece 1944–45. During his Navy service, he lost the tip of the third finger of his right hand while using a bread slicer. At the end of the war, he chose to remain in the Navy, but was discharged in 1948 because of a stomach ulcer. He joined the Merchant Navy as a baggage steward with P&O, but left after a recurrence of the complaint. In 1955, he was talent-spotted while playing in a London club, and was signed to EMI's Columbia label. At Columbia, he worked with Norman Newell, who suggested he adopt the stage name of Russ Conway ('Conway' from Newell's early recording association with the singer Steve Conway, and 'Russ' from the Russ Henderson Steel Band). He then spent the mid-1950s providing backing for artists on their roster, including Gracie Fields and Joan Regan. He recorded his first solo single "Party Pops" in 1957, a "medley of standard songs" which included "Roll the Carpet Up" and "The Westminster Waltz". Between 1957 and 1963, he had 20 UK chart hits, and in 1959 alone he achieved a cumulative total of 83 weeks on the UK Singles Chart. This included two self-penned number one instrumentals, "Side Saddle" and "Roulette", the latter deposing Elvis Presley's "A Fool Such As I". He appeared frequently on light entertainment TV shows and radio for many years afterwards, performing at the London Palladium on a number of occasions and becoming a regular on the Billy Cotton Band Show for several seasons. He also made recordings as a vocalist. Many of his hits feature accompaniment directed by Geoff Love. In 1958 he (as "Trevor H. Stanford") composed, with Norman Newell, the music for the flop musical Mister Venus, which starred Frankie Howerd and Anton Diffring, The show, with book by Ray Galton and Johnny Speight, opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 23rd October 1958 but closed after just sixteen performances. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1959, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews during a recording session at the BBC's Studio 1 at 201 Piccadilly, London. His career was blighted by ill health, including a nervous breakdown and subsequently a stroke, which prevented him from performing between 1968 and 1971. He also, at times, drank heavily and smoked up to 80 cigarettes a day. He was prescribed anti-depressants and had periods of severe self-doubt, but he kept up playing. Having been diagnosed with stomach cancer in the late 1980s, in 1990 he founded the Russ Conway Cancer Fund with his friend, writer and broadcaster Richard Hope-Hawkins, and they staged charity gala shows in major theatres that raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities. He appeared as himself in French and Saunders' 1994 Christmas special, playing "Side Saddle". In the documentary Frankie Howerd: The Lost Tapes, Barry Cryer, commenting on Frankie Howerd not coming out as gay, also said that Russ Conway did not either, as in 'those days' it would have been career suicide. Russ himself said in 1995 that he was unsure about his sexuality: "I haven't the faintest idea what it is....I was certainly no angel in my younger days and I have tried everything there is to try." He never married, died just two weeks after his last public performance. You Write: Colin wites that Winnie the Pooh is banned in China because the Disney Pooh looks too much like their President! Mary Writes: I was lucky enough to live in South Devon for 12 years and a nice run out was to Dartmouth. AA Milne`s son ran the bookshop there and I did visit , like many of the tourists. He was quite a shy man, but very courteous, kind and helpful. He knew of course that many people came in to see him. Years later I was at a book signing at Portsmouth Grammar School where Gyles Brandreth was the speaker, and he said he was his friend & how pleasant he was. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

Firstly it was great to see you at the Churchillian and here is a picture of Bett in her Manor Court tshirt

WEB PAGE NO. 2816 Winnie the Poh 4th September 2021 1ST PICTURE: Pooh and Piglet

2nd PICTURE; Pooh and Christopher Robin

3RD PICTURE; AA Milne with Christopher Robin

4TH PICTURE; My favourite Eeyore

Here I must admit to a lifelong devotion to Winnie the Pooh. I have just found these Winnie the Pooh quotes on life... "You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." "Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the forest that was left out by mistake." “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” “Just because an animal is large, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo.” "When you first wake up in the morning, Pooh," Piglet said at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?" "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said. “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day." "People say that nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day." "Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved." "When all else fails, take a nap." "'What day is it?' asked Pooh. 'It's today,' squeaked Piglet. 'My favourite day,' said Pooh." "When life throws you a rainy day, play in the puddles." "The sun still shines, even when it's hiding." Winnie the Pooh quotes on friendship... "A friend is one of the best things you can have, and one of the best things you can be." "A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside." "If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, There is something you must always remember, You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think, But the most important thing is, even if we are apart, I'll always be with you." "Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." "A day without laughter is a day wasted." "'We'll be friends forever won't we, Pooh?' 'Even longer.'" "Any day spent with you is my favourite day. So, today is my new favourite day." "We didn't realise we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun." "As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen." "'I don't feel very much like Pooh today,' said Pooh. 'There, there,' said Piglet. 'I'll bring you tea and honey until you do.'" "Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Winnie the Pooh quotes on being yourself... "The things that make me different are the things that make me." Winnie the Pooh quotes on love... "Piglet: 'How do you spell love?' Pooh: 'You don't spell it, you feel it'." "A hug," said Pooh, "is always the right size!" Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com