Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Coach Trip to Cambridge

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:39:14 GMT

I went as a passenger on a Coach Trip, run by Woods Coaches of Leicester, to Cambridge recently.

People who see me on Coach Trips sometimes do a quick double take, and ask why I am going as a passenger. The reply is that I enjoy going to nice places, and being taken, as opposed to doing the taking, is a different but enjoyable experience.

Cambridge is a splendid university city, and I duly had a decent look round. I visited Great St. Mary`s Church and had a coffee and a scone at the excellent Auntie`s teashop opposite.

I haven`t run my own trip to Cambridge yet, but it`s on my list to be undertaken before too long. In case you`re wondering, my next one will be to the noble old city of Lancaster.

Confex 2010

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:25:37 GMT

Earls Court in London was the scene of another trade show which I attended recently.

Confex is an annual show at which there are exhibitors involved in the conference and meetings industry. These include hotels, of course, but also major halls, universities, race courses and football grounds, for example.

There are also suppliers of various sorts, including entertainers. It was nice to see again and chat to the very talented Vernon Sisters.

Confex is perhaps not quite so relevant to me as the tourism shows. But it is still relevant, not least because as a Blue Badge Guide I can enhance a conference by showing delegates around the area that they have come to.

So I make sure that I attend Confex every year.

Who Are All These Kings?: Jane

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:41:43 GMT

Jane was the short lived Queen of England for a very short spell in 1553.

Usually known as Lady Jane Grey, she was proclaimed Queen after the death of Edward VI, but was supplanted by Mary I, who was clearly the rightful monarch, after a mere nine days. She was the original nine days` wonder.

Jane was born at Bradgate House in Leicestershire in 1537. This red brick house had been recently built, and its ruins are now a pleasant focal point of Bradgate Park.

She was the granddaughter of Henry VIII`s sister Mary. Although Henry had decreed that Mary`s children had the right of succession only after the deaths of his own children and their heirs, Edward VI amended his father`s will and nominated Jane as his heir, to ensure that the Protestant cause would be continued.

He had been encouraged to do this by his adviser the Duke of Northumberland, who realised that it would give him even more power as he recently married his son Guildford Dudley to Jane. They were married at Ely Place in Holborn.

On Edward`s death in 1553, the well mannered and well educated Jane, against her better judgement, was proclaimed Queen. Much of the nobility, however, were appalled by Northumberland`s scheming and there was overwhelming public support for the Catholic Mary.

Mary, who had been staying at Framlingham Castle at the time, raised an army which defeated Northumberland, and he was promptly beheaded.

Jane and her young husband were imprisoned in the Tower of London, although Mary realised that Jane had been merely a puppet and decided not to have them executed.

However, when the following year Jane`s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, became involved in Sir Thomas Wyatt`s rebellion, May felt that she had no choice, and Jane and her husband were beheaded.

Jane was buried in the chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula in the Tower.

Travel Fair at Milestones

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:34:48 GMT

I went to another travel trade fair run by Tourism South East recently, this time at Milestones.

Milestones is a museum of bygones in the Hampshire town of Basingstoke, although it is not actually in the town, being a couple of miles out in the middle of what is known as the Leisure Park.

When I arrived at Basingstoke on the train, I began asking people where to catch a bus for Milestones, and was sent to the Bus Station before being sent back to the railway station. I asked ten people, three of whom were bus drivers (who all replied "it`s not one of ours"). Most had not heard of Milestones, but the eleventh person, a lady of mature years, was able to give me precise and correct information. I`m glad I found her.

There are in fact brown tourist signs for Milestones, within the Leisure Park, so once I was in the park there was no problem.

I was able to chat to people representing atractions from a wide area, including Faversham and Blenheim.

I`m glad I have been to Milestones, which has a number of interesting exhibits.

Free Mystery Tour Was a Hit Once Again

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:00:52 GMT

The Free Mystery Tour took place again recently. This annual event, which I have been running since 1995, is organised to celebrate International Year of the Tourist Guide, which aims to show that, wherever you go, you are always better off to be shown around by a Blue Badge Guide.

Some Guides organise Free Guided Walks, but all my career I have tended to do things a little differently, and what I organise is a Free Coach Tour.

As always, the coach left St. Margarets Bus Station in Leicester with lots of people on board. We travelled Southwards, skirting Lutterworth and Hinckley, and made our coffee stop at Cattows Farm at Heather, which boasts a farm shop and fine tea room.

We returned to Leicester by way of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Charnwood Forest.

My Visitors` Book attracted comments such as "very interesting tour of Leicestershire", "I`ll look forward to next trip", "most enjoyable and informative", "must check diary and book more trips" and "very enjoyable day - very pleasant stop".

Top Twenty Visits of 2009

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:58:23 GMT

As a Blue Badge Guide, I visit lots of places. A year ago, it occurred to me that it might be fun to rate the places I had been to during the previous year.

So I compiled a list of the Top Twenty. I deliberately left out places in Leicestershire and Rutland, and the surrounding area, as this is where I operate normally anyway, so visits there wouldn`t be "visits" in quite the same way.

Here is the list of the Top Twenty for 2009. It`s not compiled in any scientific way, but inclusion means that the visit was enjoyable, useful, interesting or successful.

1. Winchester. This was the destination for one of my Coach Trips, and as always it was very successful. It was the third time I had taken a party here, and as previously I incorporated my Guided Walk. I attended a Travel Fair in Winchester Cathedral.

2. Norwich. Another very successful Coach Trip, incorporating my Guided Walk. It was the second time I had taken a group here.

3. Colchester. The oldest town in the country, this is one of the places visited on one of the familiarisation days organised by Carol Jolly of Essex Tourism Association. A local Blue Badge Guide gave us a quick tour of Colchester Castle.

4. Liverpool. My wife Anne and I visited here on a Mystery Weekend run by Woods Coaches of Leicester. A local Blue Badge Guide took us on the memorable Magical Mystery Tour around places associated with the Beatles. Afterwards we visted the Tate Liverpool and the new Slavery Museum.

5. Bath. This was the destination for another very successful Coach Trip, with my Guided Walk. It was the third time I had taken a party here.

6. Southend. My home town. I visited here several times to see my mother, and my eldest daughter Theresa and her family, as well as distributing posters and leaflets. I also led my "Southend High Street" Guided Walk. Southend was also featured in another of the Essex Tourism Association`s familiarisation days, when we visited Adventure Island and the Sea Life Adventure, and had fish and chips at the Three Shells restaurant.

7. Shrewsbury. Another of my successful Coach Trips. This was the third time I had taken a group here, and as always it included my Guided Walk.

8. Cambridge. I visited this great University city as a passenger on one of Woods Coaches` trips.

9. Durham. My visit here was as a passenger, as part of a tour organised by Woods Coaches. I paid another visit to Durham Cathedral.

10. London. Several visits, including leading a number of my Guided Walks, "Royal London", "Crime and Punishment", "London`s Lost Riverside" and "Alleyways of London". I also went to several Trade Shows, and paid a quick visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

11. Chester. Anne and I visited here briefly as part of a Woods Coaches` Mystery Weekend. We visited the impressive St. Johns Church.

12. Lavenham. Anne and spent two nights at the Swan Inn in this wonderful old town. We visited the Guildhall and St. Peter and St. Paul Church.

13. Southwold. I took a Coach Trip to this fine seaside town, incorporating my Guided Walk. It was the third time I had taken a party there.

14. Torquay. Anne and I spent two nights here at the TLH resort. We visited Torre Abbey and followed the Agatha Christie trail along the seafront.

15. Llangollen. Anne and I spent two nights here at the Wild Pheasant Hotel on the edge of the town. We visited Plas Newydd, and had a ride on the steam railway, as well as a boat trip over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and a gentle horse drawn canal boat trip.

16. Aldeburgh. Anne and I had a two night stay here, at the Brudenell Hotel, with a room overlooking the sea.

17. Morecambe. Anne and I stayed for one night here, at the recently renovated Midland Hotel beside Morecambe Bay.

18. Great Yarmouth. Anne and I, and our youngest son Robin, stayed at a guest house here for three nights. We visited the impressive St. Nicholas Priory Church, where we also attended a service, and had our first taste of fish and chips at a Harry Ramsden restaurant.

19. Cheltenham. Anne and I spent three nights here, with several friends, under canvas at Cheltenham Racecourse for the excellent Green Belt Festival.

20. St. Albans. Anne and I visited St. Albans, with a group from local churches, for the annual St. Albans Festival, involving a procession and services in St. Albans Abbey.

An Afternoon in Cambridge

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:45:42 GMT

I spent the afternoon in the historic university of Cambridge recently.

How it came about was that Anne, my wife, went to visit a friend who is studying at Westcott House the day before, and spent the night at the college.

She suggested that I catch the train to Cambridge the next day, so that we could have a bit of a look round together, before she had to go back to Leicester for a meeting.

I know Cambridge quite well, but Anne had never been there before. Although she had done a bit of sightseeing the previous day, I was able to show her a fair amount more in the limited time.

And the afternoon included going to one of my favourite tea shops, Auntie`s, opposite Great St. Mary`s Church, for coffee and a scone.

Excellent.

Vista Group Hear About Church Dedications

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:40:26 GMT

I gave a talk recently to the Loughborough group run by Vista, who provide services to blind and visually impaired people.

I did this at short notice, when the speaker who had been originally booked had to cry off. The meeting was held at the Salvation Army in the town.

The talk I gave this time was "Dionysius, Hardulph and Egelwin", looking at the dedications of Anglican churches in Leicestershire and Rutland, and at the identities of the relevant saints, together with an explanation of what makes each one interesting.

And in case you are wondering, St. Dionysius is the parish church of Market Harborough, St. Hardulph features at Breedon-on-the-Hill (it`s St. Mary and St. Hardulph) and St. Egelwin is the parish church of Scalford.

If you would like me to give this talk (or any other, for that matter) to your group, feel free to get in touch.

Working in Northampton

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:15:11 GMT

Northampton is another of the places where I worked briefly during my long career managing cinemas and theatres.

In the early 1980s, I had been out of the business for a while, and was managing a scheme to find work for unemployed people living in Rugby.

Thorn-EMI, who ran the famous ABC Cinemas, got in touch and asked if I could turn around the business for their Empire Cinema at Havant. Under normal commercial considerations, the cinema would have closed, but the company had a factory nearby and did not want to lose face with thir local employees.

The upshot was that I accepted the challenge.

However, although I had many years experience, I had not worked for that company before, so spent two or three days at the ABC at Northampton, not too far from where I was living at Rugby, getting to know the company paperwork before actually taking over at Havant.

The Northampton cinema is still there, but now operates as a church.

St. Clare`s Children Learn About Coalville

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:59:16 GMT

I led a private Guided Walk recently for Year 6 pupils (9 - 10 year olds) of St. Clare`s Catholic Primary School at Coalville.

I had been asked to do this by Caroline Palmer, a teacher at the school.

The children have been learning about the history of their town, and she felt it would be helpful if they were to get out and actually see the places that they were learning about.

We met at the town`s impressive Clock Tower, and I showed and discussed various aspects of Coalville`s industrial history, with particular emphasis on coalmining and the railways.

It was a pleasure for me as well as interesting for the children and their teacher.

Any other school wishing to do something like this can get in touch with me. I will be pleased to hear from you!