WELL HERE WE ARE AGAIN with the summer issue of The Merry Mawkin, Number 29, and, as usual, packed full of interesting articles for members of Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND). Though whether summer is really here is open to some debate, following a week or so of chilly north-east winds and rain, but let's just hope a read through the pages of the Mawkin will brighten up your day!
As in the previous edition, Number 29 also runs to 24 pages, with several pages devoted to the memory of Sidney Grapes, (of the Boy John letters fame) who died in April, fifty years ago.
In fact, we start by a look at the front cover on which is a picture of Sidney and Ella Grapes outside his garage and shop in Potter Heigham.
Page 2: Our Editor recently bought an old school desk, he tells us, which inspired him to reminisce about his schooldays and summer holidays spent under a wide blue Norfolk sky. The beginning of a second childhood perhaps? Let's hope not!
Page 3: Our Chairman, Colin Burleigh, tells us the Boy John Celebration at Potter Heigham Village Hall on 30 March was a great success. On 29 April, Colin became adjudicator at the Cromer and North Norfolk Dialect Festival for the first time - and looks forward to the event again next year!
Also on page 3: John Austrin relates, in some detail, the FOND Tribute to Sidney Grapes held at Potter Heigham on 30 March.
Page 4: Sid Kipper has us all in stitches again, as he explains the many meanings behind the Rare Norfolk Word 'Maid'! He starts and finishes, eventually, with a liberal coating of hilarity in between, and explains that an 'old maid' may be one that's been left on the shelf, next to the binder twine, toast racks and summonses (?) - and continues to stray beyond his briefs! But wouldn't anyone from St Just-near-Trunch?
Also on page 4: Dates For Your Diary, a reminder of events to come and not to be missed!
Page 5: Brenda Bizzell gives us another of her excellent Wordsearch Puzzles, this time featuring Coastal Places - whilst the Editor dips his toes the nostalgic briny and visits Hunstanton Pier, made 'famous' by Alec Guinness in 1957!
Page 6: Thornham, just down the coast road from Old Hunston, is given the 'Then and Now' treatment, with a visit to the village shop and local pub of a great many years ago. But did 'Zebo' really make fireplaces shine?
Page 7: Norfolk is still a Poetic County - with another poetic offering from Lil Landimore, plus 'spot the placename' - whilst the Boy Colin gets us 'a-thinkin agin' with his Norfolk Quiz! But how many will you get right, I wonder?
Page 8: Peter Brooks reviews several books in his feature Norfolk: In Words and Pictures, including Nasty Norfolk, Over a Hot Stove and Listen to the Locals, the latter about weather prediction: 'A fly on your nose, you'll slap and it goes - if it comes again, it'll bring good rain!'
Page 10: Hev a laugh alonga me! by Canon Peter Nicholson, originally a Catfield lad, tells us the best place to find 'Garmany', the problems of a farm worker, and of the girl 'hew's gorn abroard'!
Page 11: A Study in County Characteristics, a delightful poetic look at Norfolk by Charles Larcom Graves taken from Norfolk Resorts, a guidebook published in 1935.
Page 12: Pauline Dodd, Webmaster of www.norfolkdialect.com, reveals some of the comments received from visitors to the FOND Website via the Guestbook, with total 'hits' to date being over 65,000! To all those of you visiting our website, please do consider making an entry in our Guestbook, as it makes it all so worthwhile, besides, we would love to hear from you!
Page 13: Uncle Sam ent a bad ow boy, or so The Boy Colin would have us believe - an account of his most recent 'haardly' to the United States, where he pays his respects to 'Satchmo'! Boy Colin even found the time to do a bit of entertaining the locals with some of his squit - "an' they hoolly laughed," he told us!
Page 14: Tina Chamberlain decides it's time 'fur har res'dence tuh hev a sprooce up'! But will she get it done before the fine weather arrives? Find out in Decoreartun the Bedroom!
Also on page 14: some more dialect poetry From Our Young Mawkins.
Page 15: Broad Norfolk 1949; Pauline Dodd treats us to some anecdotes written by readers of the Eastern Daily Press in the late '40s. Editor's favourite? It has to be: "She don't do as she oughter do - do she wouldn't do as she do do!"
Page 16: A Country Funeral by Jonathan Mardle (Eric Fowler). A tribute to Sidney Grapes, which appeared in the Eastern Daily Press in April 1958.
Page 18: The membership has its say in News and Chatter. Letters and emails to the Editor, on a variety of subjects including: calling time on 'Clay' versus 'Cley', Norfolk Mystery plays, and memories of Sidney Grapes, who, when a local petition was drawn up to oppose the selling of spirits in the local, he voted 'yes' and 'no' - just to be on the right side!
Page 20: An account by Derek Paul of the Annual Celebration of Norfolk Dialect, held in Cromer on 29 April, which, by all accounts, was a truly memorable gathering.
Also on page 20: Answers to the Wordsearch and Boy Colin's Quiz.
Page 21: Albie of Windum tells us of his Grandfather's Garden, overlooking the Runton clifftops, where his elderly granddad hadplanned to build a little bungalow by the sea - denied him by the local parish council - but was a furriner to those parts to have better luck?
Page 23: Do you have Something To Say? If so, Why not put pen to paper? Now's your chance to submit an article, letter, email, or photograph, for publication in a future issue of The Merry Mawkin. All supplied photographs will be returned so please remember to include you address. Any scanned images supplied must be 300 dpi and of a reasonable size to be considered for publication. For further information please contact the Editor, by email if possible:merrymawkin@ashleygray.waitrose.com
Page 24: List of FOND Officers and Friends of Norfolk Dialect Membership Application Form.
THE MERRY MAWKIN
The Merry Mawkin The Newsletter of Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND) is free to members, so to be sure of your copy - and to avoid bitter disappointment - why not become a member today?
Just download the Membership Application Form and, upon receipt of your subscription, the latest copy of The Merry Mawkin will be sent to you, with subsequent issues mailed when published.
Dew yew moind how yew go, tergether - dew yew dun't, dun't dew nourthin' Oi wun't dew!
Best regards to you all
Ashley Gray Editor 23/06/2008
PS: Don't forget to follow The Adventures of Albie - a Sheringham lad online now at: www.albiestales.co.uk
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