Just to add a sombre note, some of us who are British are not exactly proud of that right now, given the moral turpitude of our present government. We could do with a saint or two to get rid of them, never mind inoffensive dragons...
St George was celebrated at Our Place yesterday, and will be so again on Sunday. A special *St George's Hymn* is programmed for the final hymn at the morning Mass, and there is a St George's-tide Masonic Service in church in the afternoon.
This chap, however, is England's true patron saint:
There's been remarkably little enthusiasm across social media and a lot of snide remarks. I was hoping people might focus on some of the better aspects of England for once. St George's Day doesn't have to be the preserve of thugs draped in Engerland flags - reclaim the national day.
I'd like to mention cream teas, the Cotswolds, the sense of history, some of the great names of literature, the NHS, free secondary education, David Attenborough, Doctor Who and some great actors. Anything else?
If we wanted to go looking for specifically English saints - or Romano-British I suppose - we could do worse than St Patrick... Half the stories have him coming from Ravenglass, there's been a (relatively) late effort to claim him for Wales, but I favour the Northamptonshire claim, not least because the location of Bannaventa is just up the road from me and I could make a killing in trinkets/shrine relics.
'Cry St Patrick for England' - can't see a problem there.
I'd like to mention cream teas, the Cotswolds, the sense of history, some of the great names of literature, the NHS, free secondary education, David Attenborough, Doctor Who and some great actors. Anything else?
Real ale
village cricket
Cox's Orange Pippin
Westmorland Services
This is beginning to sound like John Major's speech in 1993: "Fifty years on from now, Britain will still be the country of long shadows on county [cricket] grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers, and—as George Orwell said—old maids bicycling to Holy Communion through the morning mist".
Ah, the the country of long maids in suburbs, warm Holy Communion, invincible green beer, dog lovers, and— old shadows bicycling to county grounds through the morning mist.
This is beginning to sound like John Major's speech in 1993: "Fifty years on from now, Britain will still be the country of long shadows on county [cricket] grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers, and—as George Orwell said—old maids bicycling to Holy Communion through the morning mist".
I was going to say trains but I see they were invented in Wales. The London Tube wasn't, though.
Well, the first public railway to carry passengers was in Wales (1807).
It later became the Swansea & Mumbles, though it was left to England to build the first *inter-city* line, with all trains - passenger and freight - steam-hauled, the Liverpool & Manchester (1830).
I think the first railway to publicly carry goods (as opposed to lines built purely to serve an industry) was the Surrey Iron Railway (1802-03).
So yes, passenger-carrying steam railways are another English achievement!
There's been remarkably little enthusiasm across social media and a lot of snide remarks. I was hoping people might focus on some of the better aspects of England for once. St George's Day doesn't have to be the preserve of thugs draped in Engerland flags - reclaim the national day.
I'd like to mention cream teas, the Cotswolds, the sense of history, some of the great names of literature, the NHS, free secondary education, David Attenborough, Doctor Who and some great actors. Anything else?
Not to mention the absolute flower of church music:
Tallis
Byrd
Weelkes
Gibbons
Howells
Vaughan Williams
... and rock music:
Queen
Genesis
The Beatles ...
I could go on. And England, bless its heart, provided me with the best husband I could possibly have wished for ...
If it's any comfort, St Patrick wasn't Irish and St Andrew wasn't Scottish either.
To all who celebrated*, I hope you had a good day!
* except those who celebrated because they were unpleasant racist thugs, but that wouldn't include anybody here.
Thanks @Doublethink . @Sandemaniac just looked over my shoulder and said "Yes, perfect". He also passed comment that he shouldn't be let loose to post on a phone...
There's been remarkably little enthusiasm across social media and a lot of snide remarks. I was hoping people might focus on some of the better aspects of England for once. St George's Day doesn't have to be the preserve of thugs draped in Engerland flags - reclaim the national day.
I'd like to mention cream teas, the Cotswolds, the sense of history, some of the great names of literature, the NHS, free secondary education, David Attenborough, Doctor Who and some great actors. Anything else?
Comments
I'm also a Christian who is Jewish by blood, but I'm not much concerned with the saints.
St George was celebrated at Our Place yesterday, and will be so again on Sunday. A special *St George's Hymn* is programmed for the final hymn at the morning Mass, and there is a St George's-tide Masonic Service in church in the afternoon.
This chap, however, is England's true patron saint:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_the_Martyr
I'd like to mention cream teas, the Cotswolds, the sense of history, some of the great names of literature, the NHS, free secondary education, David Attenborough, Doctor Who and some great actors. Anything else?
If we wanted to go looking for specifically English saints - or Romano-British I suppose - we could do worse than St Patrick... Half the stories have him coming from Ravenglass, there's been a (relatively) late effort to claim him for Wales, but I favour the Northamptonshire claim, not least because the location of Bannaventa is just up the road from me and I could make a killing in trinkets/shrine relics.
'Cry St Patrick for England' - can't see a problem there.
Real ale
village cricket
Cox's Orange Pippin
Westmorland Services
snap
Well, the first public railway to carry passengers was in Wales (1807).
It later became the Swansea & Mumbles, though it was left to England to build the first *inter-city* line, with all trains - passenger and freight - steam-hauled, the Liverpool & Manchester (1830).
I think the first railway to publicly carry goods (as opposed to lines built purely to serve an industry) was the Surrey Iron Railway (1802-03).
So yes, passenger-carrying steam railways are another English achievement!
Not to mention the absolute flower of church music:
Tallis
Byrd
Weelkes
Gibbons
Howells
Vaughan Williams
... and rock music:
Queen
Genesis
The Beatles ...
I could go on. And England, bless its heart, provided me with the best husband I could possibly have wished for ...
If it's any comfort, St Patrick wasn't Irish and St Andrew wasn't Scottish either.
To all who celebrated*, I hope you had a good day!
* except those who celebrated because they were unpleasant racist thugs, but that wouldn't include anybody here.
*true, he won a prize at the Eisteddfod for best poem by a new speaker of Welsh
(Fixed quoting - I think … DT, Passing crew)
Thanks @Doublethink . @Sandemaniac just looked over my shoulder and said "Yes, perfect". He also passed comment that he shouldn't be let loose to post on a phone...
LMAO!
PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL. ❤️
https://youtu.be/FkF_XpA5P48?si=4bxwPzYJr8BVbwDr