TinnerStreet

Herbert Chapman:

Herbert Chapman was born in Kiveton on 19th January 1878, and died in 1934, while Managing Arsenal Football Club. But how did this local lad go from Kiveton Park to end up as Manager of one of the World's best known soccer clubs? Naturally, he played first for his local club, and then moved to play, and then manage, a number of Football League clubs, always moving higher in the divisions. He played for and then managed Huddersfield Town during its heyday, and during that period, when you could almost say that the world was at his feet, he moved from a club having a great amount of success to one which was, to put it mildly, struggling. He also did another strange thing. He moved from Huddersfield, in his native Yorkshire, to a City which many at that time would only have dreamed of - London. Now why would a Yorkshireman do a silly thing like that?

It is a fact that his reputation with Arsenal, with the players and fans, was first class, and he turned the side from an average one to a very successful one.

A book has been written about him, but don't take my word for it, go to www.J31.co.uk , where you can order the book yourself from W H Smith.

J31:

The Links page gives a little information on what J31 does, but it certainly doesn't go far enough (The links introduction, not J31!). I found J31 in a strange way. I had talked about Kiveton Pit (Colliery to those ignoramuses who don't know what a pit is) to my daughter Wendy, - my dad had worked down the pit for 40 years before coming to Australia - and just shortly after, in an internet forum, one correspondent told her that he had seen a history of Kiveton Park Colliery, and gave her the link to it. A few days later, I decided that I would have a look at this history, and read it closely, but found that it was only a part of a mini site (Kiveton Park - Wales) of a great website, J31!

The west facade of Kiveton Hall, used with permission of J31.co.uk

Well, first of all, I read the print off the Kiveton Park - Wales pages, looked at all the old photos, made friends again with street names, churches, history, and neighbouring villages. Then I carefully read all about those neighbouring villages, looked at old photos, and made more new friends. It is amazing that for one who was born in Kiveton Park, lived there for 22 years, explored every nook and cranny in and around the village, I still found such a lot to learn. By a strange twist of fate, I also "met up with" another Kiveton Park lad who had moved to Australia a few years after we did, and also, until the year 2000 when we moved to Queensland, lived in the same capital city, Melbourne, yet we had never met, until I posted a message on J31, and he emailed me. Since then, we have emailed regularly (more than once a week!), and talked about KP, discussed what we remember, and what we have forgotten. This has all been made possible by us both spending time on J31, catching up with old times, as it were, for us, even though my old times are ten years older than Ken's.

Chesterfield Canal Trust - Official Site:

Then, through J31, I found the Chesterfield Canal Trust. Now here is a strange thing, and one I cannot work out. I have always had a great affinity with water. That is, waterways of all sorts, rivers, canals, lakes, inlets, and the sea. I have been in canoes, half cabin motor boats, outboard motor boats, once in a yacht even, and I love them all. But. And it is a big But: I cannot swim.

I don't think my introduction on the links page really says it all. In fact, I say that the Trust has browbeaten Government agencies, etc to perform work on the canal, but that only tells half the story. Members of the Trust have performed miracles in their own right, donating countless hours in labour on various physical aspects of the restoration of the canal. Board members have also spent countless hours in consultation with the various bodies who have important input to restoration, ensuring that the wishes of those most involved are heard by those bodies. The way hasn't been smooth, yet it has been successful.

I recall aspects of the canal from pre-1963, from walks along its banks, and then on holiday in 1982, walked from Dog Kennel Bridge to Turnerwood, enjoyed it immensely, yet was saddened by the state I found it in. Restoration work had commenced in some parts by then, but there was little evidence on my walk of much success. I did see, though, the Norwood Packet moored just down from Dog Kennel Bridge, which I am now very pleased about, as it fits into my little piece of history. From Australia, I cannot just wander down to the canal to see what is happening, so a memory like that is of double importance.

      

Above, two views from Dog Kennel Bridge, by Kiveton Park station, looking towards Norwood Tunnel. The one on the left, 1989, is of the first C.C.T. working party on B.W. property. On the right, the same view after dredging in 1997. Photographs by kind permission of Chesterfield Canal Trust Ltd.

The Trust can be truly happy in progress to date, yet the next stages will probably have the greatest effect. Mind you, by saying that, I am perhaps lessening the importance of present progress, but I shouldn't, as it is the basis of the next stage. Without it, that next stage, the opening up of the Norwood Tunnel, would not be able to be considered.

This will be a very costly one, one which will need some very fancy financial footwork (I like that!), but one which I am sure the Board will overcome. It will take some time to complete this stage, but at least it will take place wholly within in Yorkshire, while the next large stage, the re-routing of the canal through Killamarsh, will take place wholly within Derbyshire.

I am so interested in the restorations that I have joined the Trust, and offered to pop across for any working parties, for just the cost of the airfare. That's fair, isn't it?

VMRAQ:

This is the website of the Volunteer Marine Rescue Association of Queensland. And that Association is the state body of VMR in Queensland. I first became aware of the body when I joined Volunteer Marine Rescue Southport, one of four squadrons on the Gold Coast. I joined in response to an article in the local paper, which pointed out that VMR Southport conducted courses in Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency, the qualification required to be able to join the squadron. Once gaining the Certificate, candidates (no previous experience required – good that sounds just like me) would be trained by Southport to serve as a Radio Operator, the article said. So I took the course, passed the Government sponsored examination, was trained as a Radio Operator, and have not looked back.

VMR Southport is a very successful squadron; well for a start, it is the largest in Queensland, although there is little to link large and successful. Training is ongoing, and is an important part of the life of the squadron, and its members have a real commitment to saving lives and vessels on the water, be it inshore or offshore. Fundraising is also an ongoing thing with all VMR units, as the Queensland government provides an annual grant, but only of about 10% of funds required; the rest, we have to raise ourselves. With Southport's operating costs running at between $200,000 and $240,000, that gives plenty of scope for members to shine as fundraisers.




'Apex 3', Southport's secondary rescue vessel.

I find that I am at Southport for about 30 hours each month. And I enjoy every minute of it. Radios at the base are manned 24 hours every day, 365 days every year, and every weekend, crews are in 24 hour attendance, with vessels on the water, ready to go. Midweek, duty crews are called out as required, and we are proud of the fact that our response time is very good.

In my mind, recent changes to the Association website have placed too much importance on the state body, and not enough on the individual squadrons. The previous VMR Southport, www.vmrsouthport.com had much more information about the squadron and the local area, whereas the present system explains that there are no events in Southport for the next six months. No events? I think not!