Bellamy defends Wales commitment

West Ham United's Craig Bellamy has attempted to explain why he has not joined up with the Wales squad for World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Russia after his initial selection left managers Alan Curbishley and John Toshack in conflict.

Bellamy played just nine games for Hammers last season after his £7m move from Liverpool because of a groin injury that eventually needed surgery.

And he missed the start of the current campaign with hamstring damage before appearing as a 68th-minute substitute and scoring to clinch West Ham's 4-1 win over Blackburn.

He was then called up by Wales boss Toshack but Hammers' chief Curbishley said: "There's no way Craig is fit for international football yet – not after just 20 minutes back."

Now Bellamy has told West Ham's official website: "Me and West Ham and Wales all decided it was in everybody's best interests if I stayed at the club and continued my rehab after the hamstring injury.

"It was a bit tight even before I went on against Blackburn on Saturday and a bit tight, too, since then. Naturally I hate missing two important games for my country but I don't think my commitment to Wales has ever been in question. Hopefully I can get fully fit now and be available for West Ham and also the next round of (World Cup qualifying) matches in October."

Kirk Broadfoot has received a surprise call-up for Scotland as manager George Burley was faced with further withdrawals ahead of the World Cup qualifying double-header against Macedonia and Iceland.

The 24-year-old defender, who can play at full-back or centre-half, could now make his international debut when the Scots open their campaign in Macedonia on Saturday.

Aberdeen goalkeeper Jamie Langfield has also been added to the squad as back-up for Craig Gordon and Allan McGregor after Norwich keeper David Marshall pulled out injured.

Rangers defender David Weir and Birmingham forward Garry O'Connor have also been forced to withdraw.

Burley has been given support from by John Wark who insists his old team-mate is still the right man for the job on the eve of their World Cup qualifying campaign. "He was always the type who wanted to do coaching and learn things at an early age," said Wark. "Even in the first team, he was always listening, and I always thought he would be a coach or a manager.

"He was great at Ipswich, he did a good job at Derby in the circumstances, and what he did in Scotland at Hearts was incredible. As long as he gets them all fit, he has a chance, because he plays the game in the right way."

Kyle Lafferty has been forced to withdraw from the Northern Ireland squad for the opening World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on Saturday because of a back injury.

The 20-year-old Rangers striker met up with the team at their London hotel but is now returning to his club. Manager Nigel Worthington will monitor the situation over the weekend to see if Lafferty will be available to face the Czech Republic at Windsor Park a week from tomorrow.


FOLLOW YEASIR SIR

Thursday, 16 May 2013

20. Quiz on Articles

BBC | British Council

ARTICLES
For each of the six questions choose the one correct answer
1. All the sentences below use ‘the’, which one is correct?
a. Can you pass the sugar please?
b. The crime is a problem in many big cities.
c. The apples are good for you.
d. I love the skiing.
2. Which of the following does not need 'the'?
a. He's sailing up the Nile for his holidays.
b. My favourite Sea is the Mediterranean.
c. Have you ever been to the Bahamas?
d. I'd love to visit the America.
3. He’s ________ man who lives next door.
a. a
b. the
c. –
d. an
4. “I’ve been looking for ________ work for a long time”
a. the
b. –
c. a
d. an
5. Here are some Famous London Places. Which one does NOT use
‘the’
a. The Bank of England
b. The British Museum
c. The Ritz (Hotel)
d. The London Zoo
6. Which of the following sentences is incorrect because it needs the
article ‘the’ before the place?
a. He’s gone to bed.
b. I’m still at school.
c. He’s in prison.
d. Stop jumping on bed!
BBC | British Council
www.teachingenglish.org.uk
ARTICLES answers
1.
a. Correct. Here the sugar is something in particular, i.e. the sugar on
the table.
b. Wrong. This means crime in general.
c. Wrong. This means apples in general.
d. Wrong. This means skiing in general.
2.
a. Wrong. We need 'the' with names of rivers and canals.
b. Wrong. We need 'the' with names of seas and oceans.
c. Wrong. We need 'the' with plural countries.
d. Correct. With continents we do not use 'the'.
3.
a. Wrong.
b. Correct. ‘He’s the man who lives next door’ is correct. We know which
man because of the extra information.
c. Wrong.
d. Wrong.
4.
a. Wrong. ‘The work’ is not correct (unless it is understood which work it
is exactly by the speaker and listener.
b. Correct. ‘Work’ is uncountable and we do not know which work
exactly.
c. Wrong. ‘A work’ is not correct. ‘Work’ is uncountable.
d. Wrong. ‘An work’ is not correct. ‘Work’ begins with ‘w’, not a vowel
5.
a. Wrong. Places with of usually take ‘the’.
b. Wrong. Museums and galleries usually take ‘the’.
c. Wrong. Hotels & pubs usually take ‘the’.
d. Correct. If the first word is a place it usually does not take ‘the’.
6.
a. Wrong. No article is necessary with bed when we mean to sleep.
b. Wrong. No article is necessary with school when we mean to study.
c. Wrong. No article is necessary with prison when we mean for
punishment.
d. Correct. We need “the” because jumping is not the main purpose of
beds.


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Secret government files from the final years of the British empire are still being concealed despite a pledge by William Hague, the foreign secretary, that they would be declassified and opened to the public.

The withheld files are among a huge cache of documents that remained hidden from view for decades at an undisclosed Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) archive, in breach of laws governing the handling of official papers. Once the existence of the archive became known to lawyers for a group of elderly Kenyans who are trying to sue the British government over the abuses they suffered during the Mau Mau insurgency, Hague ordered an inquiry and promised disclosure.

He told MPs: "I believe that it is the right thing to do for the information in these files now to be properly examined and recorded and made available to the public through the National Archives. It is my intention to release every part of every paper of interest subject only to legal exemptions."

However, it emerged this week that the Foreign Office is holding back significant numbers of documents, using a legal exemption contained within a catch-all clause within the very law that it had breached by maintaining the secret archive.

Among the papers known to have been withheld by the FCO are a file that contains the minutes of many of the meetings of the cabinet of the British colonial government in Kenya in 1963, the year before independence; a file about compensation that was paid after the 1946 bombing of the British military HQ at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem; and a file containing telegrams that British diplomats sent to London from Mauritius in 1968, the year that colony proclaimed independence.

Other files that are known to remain hidden from public view include a series of five concerning a visit that Prince Philip made to Singapore in 1956; three concerning a proposed royal visit to Nigeria the same year; and a proposed royal visit to Mauritius in 1968.

The Mauritius papers could be particularly sensitive as they could shed light on Britain's decision to expel about 1,500 Chagos islanders a few years later, having agreed to lease Diego Garcia to the United States for use as a military base.

Sections of some files that have been declassified and handed over the National Archives at Kew, south-west London, are also being withheld. These include parts of a 1950 file about the "indoctrination of Malay Chinese" travelling to China, which the Foreign Office wishes to remain concealed until 2032; Singapore intelligence reports from the 1950s; and a 1960 file concerning Northern Cameroons, both of which the Foreign Office plans to withhold until 2029. These files remain classified under the terms of Section 3.4 of the 1958 Public Records Act, which permits government departments to withhold from public view any historic document "required for administrative purposes" or that "ought to be retained for any other special reason".

The Foreign Office declined to disclose the reasons for deciding that specific files should be withheld, with the result that the reason for the continuing secrecy is itself, at this stage, a secret. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are committed to making as many files as we can from our colonial archives available to the public. These files are an important part of our history. By the end of our programme, we'll have released some 18,000 files. On average, only 1% of material has been withheld from release."

The secret archive was discovered by a number of historians, including David Anderson, professor of African politics at Oxford, who were working for the legal team that represented the Mau Mau veterans as they fought for the right to sue to the British government for the mistreatment they suffered as prisoners of the British in 1950s Kenya. The government had acknowledged that their accounts of appalling torture are true, but is continuing to contest their right to claim damages, saying that a fair trial is impossible after so many years.

During a series of hearings the Foreign Office acknowledged that the archive existed, and that it contained 200 boxes of files: 1.5 tons of paper that covered about 200 metres of shelving. Lord Howell, then Foreign Office minister, said that the documents had been brought to the UK not only from Kenya, but from 37 different colonies and protectorates including Aden, Ceylon, Cyprus, Malaya, Malta, Nigeria and Northern Rhodesia.

For several years the secret archive was housed at Hanslope Park in Buckinghamshire, inside the highly secure premises of Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre. This is a facility where teams of scientists – real-life versions of Q, the fictional boffin of the James Bond films – work behind five metre-high fences topped with razor wire to devise technical aids for MI5 and MI6.

An inquiry commissioned by Hague established that the files were first stored in Hayes, west London, before being moved to Hanslope Park, where staff were led to believe that they belonged to another organisation called Hayes and not to the FCO.

Anthony Cary, the former British high commissioner to Canada, who conducted the investigation, reported that "a canard that was widely shared and passed down during handovers" included the explanation that the FCO was holding the archive because there had been a fire at Hayes. In this way it was never assessed for declassification, as the law required, and placed beyond reach of the Freedom of Information Act.

Once the bulk of the material began to be handed over to the National Archive, it became clear that many of Britain's late colonial-era official papers were not archived anywhere, but destroyed.

Thousands of documents containing evidence of official misdeeds committed in the years in the years before independence were either incinerated or dumped at sea. Surviving scraps of documents show that colonial officials in some colonies, such as Kenya, were told that there should be a presumption in favour of disposal of documents rather than removal to the UK – "emphasis is placed upon destruction" – and that no trace of either the documents or their incineration should remain. When documents were burned, officials were told that "the waste should be reduced to ash and the ashes broken up".

Some idea of the scale of the destruction operations can be gleaned from instruction documents that survived the purge. In certain circumstances, officials in Kenya were informed, "it is permissible, as an alternative to destruction by fire, for documents to be packed in weighted crates and dumped in very deep and current-free water at maximum practicable distance from the coast".


Fenwick Williams

General Sir William Fenwick Williams, 1st Baronet of Kars  (4 December 180026 July 1883) was a Nova Scotian and renowned military leader for the British during the Victorian era.

Williams is remembered for his gallant defence of the town of Kars during the Crimean War. He with other British officers inspired the poorly equipped Turkish soldiers to repel Russian attacks by General Murav’ev on the besieged town for three months causing 6,000 Russian casualties. They were forced to surrender due to starvation, disease and shortage of ammunition. However, they surrendered on their own terms, with the officers being allowed to retain their swords. Williams was imprisoned at Ryazan but he was treated very well and released at the end of the Crimean War in 1856. Before returning home he was introduced to Czar Alexander II.

Many other honours were bestowed upon Williams and it was particularly fitting that in 1865-7, he was appointed the first Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, where he had been born at the turn of the 19th century.

Early life

He was born in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, the second son of Commissary-General Thomas Williams, barrack-master at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was, however, widely rumoured to be the natural son of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn; this would make him Queen Victoria's half-brother. Williams never denied this, but it is not thought to be true.

Career

Williams was educated at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich. He entered the Royal Artillery as second lieutenant in 1825. His services were lent to Turkey in 1841, and he was employed as a captain in the arsenal at Constantinople. He was British commissioner in the conferences preceding the treaty of Erzurum in 1847, and again in the settlement of the Ottoman-Iranian boundary in 1848. He was appointed CB in 1852.

Crimean War

Promoted colonel, he was British commissioner with the Turkish army in Anatolia in the Crimean War (Russian War) of 1854–56, and, having been made a pasha (general/governor/lord) with the degree of ferik (major-general), he commanded the Turkish troops at the defence of the town of Kars during the Crimean War. He with other British officers inspired the poorly equipped Turkish soldiers to repel Russian attacks by General Murav’ev on the besieged town for three months causing 6,000 Russian casualties. They were forced to surrender due to starvation, disease and shortage of ammunition. However, they surrendered on their own terms, with the officers being allowed to retain their swords. Williams was imprisoned at Ryazan but he was treated very well and released at the end of the Crimean War in 1856. Before returning home he was introduced to Czar Alexander II.

Williams had put up such an honourable defence of the city that Murav’ev stated: "General Williams, you have made yourself a name in history, and posterity will stand amazed at the endurance, courage and the discipline which the siege has called forth in the remains of the army."

A baronetcy with pension for life, the KCB, the grand cross of the Legion of Honour and of the Order of the Medjidie, the freedom of the City of London with a sword of honour, and the honorary degree of DCL of Oxford University, were the distinctions conferred upon him.

Promoted major-general in November 1855 on his return from captivity in Russia, he held the Woolwich command, and represented the borough of Calne in parliament from 1856 to 1859. In the lead up to the American Civil War, from 1859 to 1864, he held the position of Commander-in-Chief, North America, and was responsible for preparations for war with the United States in the case that relations broke down.  The most severe strain in relations occurring during the Trent Affair. He was promoted to lieutenant-general and appointed colonel-commandant Royal Artillery in 1864.

Governorships

He held the governorship of Nova Scotia 1865–1867.  Post Canadian Confederation in 1867, Williams was reappointed as the first Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and the governorship of Gibraltar from September 1870 to 1876. He was advanced to GCB in 1871, and Constable of the Tower of London in 1881.

Later life

He died in a hotel in Pall Mall on 26 July 1883 and he was buried in Brompton Cemetery. The portrait by William Gush was painted for the Parliament House, Halifax, Nova Scotia and hangs to this day in Province House, Halifax.

Legacy

 namesake of Karsdale, Nova Scotia
The village of Port Williams, Nova Scotia is named in his honour.
The village of Kars, Ontario
Kars Street, Port Williams, Nova Scotia
Fenwick Street, Halifax
Fenwick Tower (Halifax)
Plaque to honour birthplace, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

See also

 Military history of Nova Scotia

Notes

References

External links

Category:1800 births
Category:1883 deaths
Williams, William Fenwick, 1st Baronet
Category:Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Canadian people of English descent
Category:Canadian baronets
Category:Canadian knights
Category:British Army generals
Category:British Army personnel of the Crimean War
Category:Governors of Gibraltar
Category:People from Annapolis County, Nova Scotia
Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Category:Governors of Nova Scotia
Category:Lieutenant Governors of Nova Scotia
Category:Lord-Lieutenants of the Tower Hamlets
Category:Constables of the Tower of London
Category:Governors of the Colony of Nova Scotia
Category:UK MPs 1852–1857
Category:UK MPs 1857–1859
Category:Burials at Brompton Cemetery
Category:British prisoners of war
Category:Freemen of the City of London


Bubble-era missteps shape Tokio Marine's property strategy

Pedestrians walk past the Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. headquarters (center) in Tokyo in 2008. Unlike some of its counterparts, that have been buying trophy properties in the United States and Europe, Tokio Marine is putting its money into funds that invest in real estate. | BLOOMBERG

Tokio Marine Holdings Inc., one of the nation’s oldest insurers, is joining its Chinese peers in investing in property overseas — but with a twist.

Unlike counterparts like China Life Insurance Co. and Anbang Insurance Group Co., which have been buying trophy properties in the United States and Europe, Tokio Marine is putting its money into funds that invest in real estate, said Shinji Kawano, head of Tokio Marine’s property asset management unit.

Tokio Marine, which traces its roots back 136 years to the Meiji Era, is eager to avoid the missteps of the 1980s, when Japanese investors buoyed by bubble-era valuations snapped up landmark buildings that later came back to haunt them. The nation’s insurance companies and pension funds are boosting purchases of overseas assets, such as real estate, as they chase higher returns and cut local bond holdings that yield close to zero.

“Japanese investors bought property directly and had quite a bit of trouble because of it,” Kawano said in an interview in Tokyo. “We had that experience ourselves, so it’s a bit like ‘lesson learned.’ That’s why we decided on investing in funds.”

Outbound property investments by Japanese investors surged 89 percent in 2014 from the previous year to $3.6 billion, according to Deutsche Bank AG. Chinese investment in overseas property rose 9.7 percent to $16.9 billion last year, according to Knight Frank LLP, as billionaire Wang Jianlin’s Dalian Wanda Group and others boosted investments from London to Sydney.

From the late 1980s, Japanese investors, led by developers, bought iconic properties in the U.S., such as New York’s Rockefeller Center and the Pebble Beach golf resort in California, as a domestic bubble left them flush with cash. Mitsubishi Estate Co. exited its 80 percent stake in the Rockefeller Center in 1995, six years after buying in, with a loss of about $2 billion as prices in the U.S. and at home nose-dived.

Tokio Marine has achieved returns in excess of 10 percent over the past two years by investing via real estate funds of funds, Kawano said. Investment adviser Townsend Group helps select the funds under a 2013 agreement between the two companies.

Tokio Marine Property Investment Management Inc. raises funds from domestic pension funds and institutions, and invests that along with some of its own money in real estate assets at home and abroad. The company is also currently raising funds for a domestic private real estate trust.

The Japanese insurer wants to increase overseas property assets by about ¥10 billion ($84 million) this year, and raise that amount to ¥100 billion “in several years,” Kawano said. He declined to say how much in offshore real estate assets Tokio Marine Property holds. It has invested in funds in the U.K., Europe, the U.S. and Australia.

By contrast, Chinese insurers have been snapping up some of the most famous properties in the world after being given more freedom to deploy their $1.6 trillion of assets. In a throwback to Japanese investments in the 1980s, New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel, the Lloyd’s of London building and the headquarters of the U.K.’s top law firm are now all owned by Chinese investors.

“The Chinese aren’t going in blindly; they are generally picking up prime assets in key global cities,” said Nicholas Holt, Asia-Pacific head of research at Knight Frank in Singapore. “These big players they want to go direct, they want to control it.”

Chinese investors “still see value,” Holt said.

Japanese pension funds are tipped to lead the charge in terms of overseas real estate investment as they seek to boost returns to meet payouts in one of the fastest aging nations.

The Government Pension Investment Fund, which oversaw $1.15 trillion as of Dec. 31, making it the world’s largest pension fund investor, said last year that it will allocate as much as 5 percent of its portfolio to alternative investments including private equity and real estate.

With yield-generating investments at home drying up, funds from Japanese investors have no choice but to go abroad and outflows into overseas real estate may rise to as much as ¥15 trillion, the size of the nation’s private real estate trust market, Kawano said.

“Three or four years ago, there was very little Chinese capital coming out, but we’ve just seen it explode,” said Holt at Knight Frank. Now, “China is dwarfing Japan” in overseas property investment.


Comey And Lynch Will Be Subpoenaed By Senate Unless Feinstein Obstructs

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says he'll issue subpoenas for former FBI Director James Comey and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, but the panel's top Democrat Dianne Feinstein (CA) has to agree to it per committee rules. Grassley also said he would be open to exploring immunity for Comey's former #2, Andrew McCabe.

"I will want to subpoena him," Grassley said of Comey during an appearance on C-SPAN's Newsmakers."

The Iowan added that committee rules require that he and Feinstein "agree to it, and at this point I can’t tell you if she would agree to it. But if she will, yeah, then we will subpoena." -Politico

Feinstein may be hesitant to sign on, as she says she thinks Comey acted in good faith - which means she thinks Congress shouldn't have a crack at questioning a key figure in the largest political scandal in modern history.

"While I disagree with his actions, I have seen no evidence that Mr. Comey acted in bad faith or that he lied about any of his actions," said Feinstein during a Monday Judiciary panel hearing. Former Feinstein staffer and FBI investigator Dan Jones, meanwhile, continues to work withChristopher Steele and Fusion GPS on a $50 million investigationprivately funded by George Soros and other "wealthy donors" to continue the investigation into Donald Trump.

Comey skipped out on appearing before Grassley's committee this week following the June 14 release of DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz's (OIG) report on FBI conduct during the Hillary Clinton email investigation - which dinged Comey for being "insubordinate" and showing poor judgement. Horowitz is conducting a separate investigation into the FBI's counterintelligence operation on the Trump campaign, including allegations of FISA surveillance abuse.

Maybe Comey also decided to bail after Horowitz admitted on Monday that he's under a separate investigation for mishandling classified information after leaking a memo to the press documenting what he felt was President Trump obstructing the FBI's probe into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn - which was conducted by the FBI under dubious circumstances, and for which evidence may have been tampered with. Comey's memo was a key component in Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's decision to launch a special counsel investigation headed by former FBI Director Robert Mueller.

Loretta Lynch, on the other hand, was dinged in the IG report over an "ambiguous" incomplete recusal from the Clinton email "matter" despite a clandestine 30-minute "tarmac" meeting with Bill Clinton one week before the FBI exonerated Hillary Clinton.

All part of the bigger picture...

Despite IG Horowitz ultimately concluding that pro-Clinton / anti-Trump bias among the FBI's top brass did not make its way into the Clinton email investigation, his report revealed alarming facts about FBI officials handling parallel investigations into each candidate who received vastly different treatment.

For starters, it's clear that the FBI rushed to wrap up the Clinton email investigation before the election, while at the same time the agency launched an open-ended counterintelligence operation against those in Trump's orbit.

We also know that opposition research paid for by Hillary Clinton was used by the FBI to justify surveilling the Trump campaign - while new facts point to a multi-pronged campaign of espionage and deceit spanning several continents, governments and agencies which was deployed at the highest levels in an effort to undermine Donald Trump before and after the 2016 U.S. election.

Some have also suggested (Paul Sperry to be exact) that Cambridge professor and FBI "informant" (spy) Stefan Halper, may have had a much larger role in the operation.

Halper is a longtime spook whose ex-father-in-law, Ray Cline, was the former chief Soviet analyst and Deputy Director of the CIA from 1962 - 1966. Halper also spied on the Carter campaign during the 1980 election for Reagan - whose Vice President was former CIA director George H.W. Bush (Ray Cline denied the spying took place).

Then there's the mysterious Maltese professor, Joseph Mifsud - a key witness in the Mueller investigation who disappeared last fall, and who told Trump aide George Papadopoulos that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton. Papadopoulos would drunkenly repeat the rumor to seasoned Australian diplomat (and Clinton ally) Alexander Downer in a London Bar, only to be construed by the FBI as potential collusion in order to justify their counterintelligence operation against Trump.

And just Monday Trump advisor Roger Stone said that a second FBI informant, Henry Greenberg, tried to entrap the Trump campaign with an offer to sell dirt on Hillary Clinton in exchange for $2 million.

While the entire mosaic of events is multi-faceted and requires perhaps the world's biggest corkboard - here's a basic timeline of various espionage or other spycraft conducted against the Trump campaign.

Papadopoulos’ statement of offense also detailed his April 26, 2016, meeting with Mifsud at a London hotel. Over breakfast Mifsud told Papadopoulos “he had just returned from a trip to Moscow where he had met with high-level Russian governmental officials.” Mifsud explained “that on that trip he (the Professor) learned that the Russians had obtained ‘dirt’ on then-candidate Clinton.” Mifsud told Papadopoulos “the Russians had emails of Clinton.” -The Federalist

May 10, 2016 - Papadopoulos tells this to former Australian Diplomat Alexander Downer during an alleged "drunken barroom admission."

Late May, 2016 - Roger Stone is approached by Greenberg with the $2 million offer for dirt on Clinton

July 2016 - FBI informant (spy) Stefan Halper meets with Trump campaign aide Carter Page for the first time, which would be one of many encounters.

July 31, 2016 - the FBI officially launches operation Crossfire Hurricane, the code name given to the counterintelligence operation against the Trump campaign.

September, 2016 - Halper invites Papadopoulos to London, paying him $3,000 to work on an energy policy paper while wining and dining him at a 200-year-old private London club on September 15.

While the FBI has yet to find any evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, they were able to use information Mifsud planted with Papadopoulos to launch a counterintelligence operation.

And as new facts and revelations continue to emerge, and IG Horowitz continues to unravel the FBI's counterintelligence operation on Donald Trump, several rank-and-file FBI employees say they want Congress to subpoena them so that they can step forward and testify against Comey and Andrew McCabe.

Funny - for two "innocent" people, Comey and Lynch want the exact opposite!


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The Country’s first tea shop was opened in 1864 by the Manageress of the Aerated Bread Company. The company directors allowed the manageress to serve refreshments to favoured customers.

Then, demand for her service grew, which then sparked a new trend for similar shops across the UK. Within two years the Aerated Bread Company had opened 250 of its self-service tea shops.

These also helped to liberate the lives of women, as it was considered ‘perfectly proper’ and acceptable for a woman to meet her friends in a tea shop without needing an escort and without risk to her reputation.

Wikipedia explains how the business was created as an incorporated company listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). When the company was floated, its failure was predicted and its initial public offering was poorly supported.[4] However, its initial £1 shares eventually rose to £5 7s8d by 1890.[5] By 1898, shares had more than doubled from their 1890 value and were trading at £12 per share and declaring a dividend of 37½ percent.[6] By 1899, A.B.C. shares had increased a further 16⅔ percent and were trading at £14 per share.[4]

J. Lyons & Co opened their first Lyons tea shop in 1894 at 213 Piccadilly. It was the forerunner of some 250 white and gold fronted tea shops which occupied prominent positions in many of London’s high streets.

As well as the tea shops and Corner Houses, Lyons ran other large restaurants such as the Angel Cafe Restaurant in Islington and the Throgmorton in Throgmorton Street. Its chains have included Steak Houses (1961–1988), Wimpy Bars (1953–1976), Baskin-Robbins (1974-) and Dunkin’ Donuts (1989-). The artist Kay Lipton designed all the windows for the Corner Houses under the jurisdiction of Norman Joseph, the director post-war.

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The Vintage Tea Party Book by Angel Adoree is not your average book on recipes and pictures on all things vintage. This book is one you will keep on your table in the lounge for friends to pick up and browse through.

Amongst many great reviews are some from famous magazines like Glamour Magazine and The Independent Newspaper.

“The Vintage Tea Partyhelps you plan not only stunning recipes for all sorts of delicious treats but also gives you countless styling tips for the perfect occasion.” – Glamour Magazine (SA)

“Bring out the bone china for this book from vintage guru Angel Adoree…” – The Independent

Angel Adoree cordially invites you to accompany her on a journey to create your perfect vintage tea party! Angel received £100k investment from Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis from Dragons Den for developing her website and for buying a shop/property in Soho for her business – Vintage Patisserie.

The Vintage Patisserie is a haven of all things glamour, vintage and retro. Run by Angel Adoree, the outstanding character you may have seen on Dragon’s Den, the Vintage Patisserie is a vintage hosting company offering bespoke tea parties from a bygone era. For that reason, there’s nowhere better to get simple, elegant advice for hosting your very own Vintage Tea Party at home than from Angel and The Vintage Tea Party Book.

As well as providing sumptuous elegant recipes to cover every time of the day, Angel’s The Vintage Tea Party Book covers the full breadth of those little touches that make the perfect vintage party: Invitations, attire, decorations, props and more. The book is broken into:

BRUNCH
What do you mean, morning is no time for a party?! High Breakfast is the height of civilization and, here, I share my most refined brunch dishes, for a morning tea party fit for a Queen. Don your headscarf and on with the preparations!

AFTERNOON
Is your pinkie finger raised at the ready? There’s nothing more British than Afternoon Tea. This chapter is a treasure trove of tea-time delights, from classics to decadent treats, and I show how to make a Union Flag for the ultimate traditional tea party.

EVENING
The evening tea party is all about glamour, giggles and good friends. On these pages, I share my most impressive recipes, for maximum impact on the eye and taste buds, to give the special people in your life the treat they deserve.

STYLE
You’ve organized the perfect vintage do, now it’s time for the perfect vintage hairdo, and the perfect vintage dress, and for getting your make-up – and your man – looking just stunning. You’ll be the most glamorous hostess in town!

The Vintage Tea Party Book embraces the style and class of the trendy London Vintage scene and illustrates how to beautifully recreate the tasty treats and classic styles at home. With a unique mixture of recipes and feature spreads with accessible tips on hairstyling, makeup methods and where to collect vintage china

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An Afternoon Tea Voucher has to be a great gift for any person who enjoys the quintessentially British Afternoon Tea.

Some of the best places online to buy them from are –

Afternoon Tea Gift Vouchers -They have AfternoonTea.co.uk gift vouchers as well as those for our partners Red Letter Days, Buyagift, Activity Superstore and Virgin Experiences, from just £15 for two people!

Afternoon Tea for Two – Our Afternoon Tea for Two Gifts & Vouchers offer the perfect Tea for 2 gift for any occasion. There are lots of locations to choose from nationwide including London Afternoon Teas and Afternoon Tea for Two at country hotels. Whether its high tea, low tea, or any other tea we have the perfect tea for 2 for you

Betty’s –Choose the experience that suits you at the home of Afternoon Tea. Their traditional Afternoon Tea is served all day every day in their six Café Tea Rooms, whilst their luxury, bookable Lady Betty Afternoon Tea is available in York or Harrogate on select days.

Virgin Experience Days start your own collection of tea experiences and try out lots of different ones? From luxury teas in famous restaurants.

Buy a Gift – they have afternoon tea for two from a choice of over 385 places!!!

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Originally posted on IMAGES OF A HYGGE LIFESTYLE...: We are all trying to do our bit to go greener and candles are very much a part of a HYGGE Lifestyle. They instantly add atmosphere but to keep greener make sure they are 100 per cent beeswax instead of paraffin, which can contribute to air pollution…

Originally posted on IMAGES OF A HYGGE LIFESTYLE...: Continuing on the greener lifestyle there are other ways you can contribute to living a greener life. If you are going to take advantage of the outdoors with the slight let down on the lock down then you need to think of the best tableware/disposables for your…


Sake Sommelier of the Year

Sake Sommelier of the Year World's best is an annual competition jointly organised by the Sake Sommelier Association. Held in London and around the world it is the first of its kind to be held outside Japan.
The competition aims to find the most skilful Sake Sommeliers bringing them to the attention of their customers and raising the profile of their establishments. More than 50 sommeliers from Europe, Asia and the Middle East entered the first competition in 2013.

In 2015, two new titles were introduced to both encourage and reward contribution to the world of sake; Young Sake Ambassador and Sake Ambassador.

Judging Process
The Sake Sommelier of the Year is open to any professionals involved in the service of sake.

After registering, applicants are sent a first-round questionnaire. From these, three finalist are chosen to compete in the live competition where they will be judged on knowledge, blind tasting, sake matching, and practical skill.

An enormous amount of learning and confidence-building takes place by taking part in the competition.

The Sake Sommelier of the Year judging panels

The competition's judging panel represent a countrywide mix of the most experienced, innovative, respected and awarded faces in the industry including founders of Sake Sommelier Association

Overall Winners 2013 - 2019

The Sake Sommelier of the Year is held annually and is sponsored by one of the world's oldest family-owned sake companies Gekkeikan
.

The first competition was held on 11 November 2013 at the Westbury Hotel in London, and was won by UAE Sommelier Rajan Rengasamy, wine supplier Spinneys.

In 2014, the Sake Sommelier of the Year was held on 24 November at the Westbury Hotel in London for the second time and was won by Noel Pusch of Zuma Abu Dhabi.

In 2015, the competition was held on 23 November at the Millennium Hotel, Knightsbridge London and was won by Miguel A. Hernandez of Kouzu.

In 2016, the competition was held on 21 November at the Millennium Hotel, Knightsbridge London and was won by Venkadesh Thanga Mariappan of the Bonnington Jumeirah Lakes Tower Hotel, UAE.

In 2018, the competition was held on 20 May at the Millennium Hotel, Knightsbridge London and was won by Joshua Kalinan Sinnathamby from Singapore Airlines, Singapore.

In 2019, the competition was held on 25 November at the Sake Place, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and was won by Brett Goss Associate at Sake Central,Hong Kong
 In 2020, the competition will be held in France by Otsukimi in Bordeaux

Young Sake Ambassador
The Young Sake Ambassador is an annual award given to someone aged 18–30 who has had little to no previous experience with sake, but who shows a great interest, enthusiasm, and desire to contribute to the world of sake, and expand the knowledge and appreciation of sake either in their own community or with an aspiration to help it grow worldwide.

The aim of this award is to bring a fresh mind-set into the sake industry worldwide. The selected Young Sake Ambassador of the Year will be expected to spend a year contributing to the promotion of sake with the Sake Sommelier Association's support.

Sake Ambassador

Awarded every two years, the Sake Ambassador is bestowed upon someone for their outstanding dedication to the world of sake. The individual will have been working for sake diplomacy, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of sake throughout their country.

See also
 London Sake Challenge
 Sake Sommelier Association

References

External links
 Sake Sommelier of the Year
 Sake Sommelier Association Official Site
 ACADEMY OF FOOD&WINE SERVICE

Category:Competition


Billecart-Salmon UK appoints Chris Crosby as vice president

Published: 27 March, 2019

Billecart-Salmon UK has appointed on-trade specialist Chris Crosby to the role of vice president.

Working closely with managing director Colin Palmer, Crosby has been brought on board help extend Billecart-Salmon’s network in the London on-trade, as well as members’ clubs, luxury hotels and to nurture and develop existing partnerships.

Crosby, who takes on his new position with immediate effect, brings nearly 10 years of experience, boasting a diverse background in the on-trade with a strong emphasis on luxury.

Crosby’s experience, connections and charisma made him the ideal candidate to help Billecart-Salmon expand its reach in the UK and further afield, said chief executive officer Mathieu Roland-Billecart.

His career began at Hakkasan as part of the team that relaunched the Ling Ling brand, he then went on to join The Arts Club, where he was instrumental in the opening of this renowned private members club.

Most recently, Crosby was global sales and marketing director for COYA - a group of Peruvian restaurants with eateries in London, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Crosby said: “I am delighted to have joined this most prestigious of Champagne brands, especially in the wake of such an exciting year celebrating its 200th anniversary. It will be an honour to work with the UK team and to spread the word on the amazing champagnes in our portfolio.”


Welcome to the Enabling Technology March 2019 Newsletter!

As always, we hope that you will find something of interest in our newsletter but if not, or if you have any comments or questions, just drop us a quick email and let us know. We’d be delighted to hear from you.
You can email us at: info@enablingtechnology.com or call on 01785 243111. Mark.

Billionaire businessman Richard Branson is backing a new campaign to get 500 global businesses to commit to putting disability issues on their board agendas.

His Virgin Media business has already signed up, alongside nine others including Unilever, Microsoft and Barclays.

“Disability can no longer be a conversation reserved for charity and health organisations,” Branson said in a new campaign video. “It’s time more brands woke up to the collective benefits of understanding people with disabilities and their needs … The inclusion revolution is coming. Make sure it’s on your agenda.”

Deaf children fall behind at school, says charity
Deaf children in England are falling behind their classmates from primary school through to GCSE, analysis by the National Deaf Children’s Society shows.
Only 30.6% achieve a GCSE strong pass – Grade 5 or above – in both English and maths, compared with 48.3% of children with no special educational needs. And 57% fail to reach expected levels in reading, writing and maths in Sats tests at the end of primary, compared with 26% of children with no SEN.

Effortless email, entertainment and internet
Losing your sight is life changing. Technology could help you gain greater independence, but what if you don’t feel confident?
Dolphin GuideConnect is a talking digital assistant that brings you closer to family and friends. It helps you manage your everyday life and have fun. Simple internet access makes it easy to find information, be entertained and stay up-to-date with what’s happening in the world. GuideConnect is thoughtfully designed by and for people with sight loss, enabling you to enlarge the text or have it read to you. There are straightforward menus and lots of help. GuideConnect will talk you through every step of the way – you won’t believe how easy it is to use!

A major government contractor which conducts disability assessments on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions is trying to recruit NHS nurses and offering perks including private medical care and company cars.
Independent Assessment Services, owned by French services giant Atos, highlighted the benefits in a jobs listing for the role of a mobile Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessor, which was aimed at health service workers.
Among the perks for the south of England job were “private medical insurance” and a “premium, low-emission company car”.
“No nights, weekends or bank holidays,” it read.
One ad, posted last month to a jobs website, said Atos hoped to employ nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics to carry out PIP assessments, which determine whether a claimant needs extra help.Read the full article here.

Row over cystic fibrosis drug that ‘costs too much’

Campaigners have warned that a row between the government and a US drug supplier could affect the life expectancy of thousands of young cystic fibrosis patients. A drug called Orkambi could help many of the 10,000 Britons living with the life-shortening condition – but it’s not yet available in the UK because the NHS says it costs too much.
Manufactured by the US pharmaceutical company Vertex, Orkambi is the first medication to target the cause of cystic fibrosis, not just to relieve the symptoms. Its listed price is £104,000 per patient per year and it’s already available in 10 countries including Ireland, Germany and the US.
In July, the NHS offered Vertex £500m over five years to access Orkambi and other cystic fibrosis drugs – it’s largest offer in the history of the NHS.
But Vertex said it wasn’t enough and negotiations stalled.
Read the full article here: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/row-over-cystic-fibrosis-drug-that-costs-too-much/ar-BBTHfui

The Human Cost of Dyslexia: Help us to influence British politicians about Dyslexia!

The British Dyslexia Association has teamed up with expert on dyslexia’s impact on families, John Hicks, to launch a survey on the subject.
Without early identification and appropriate support, many young people with dyslexia grow up feeling like they have little worth. The effects of this are borne by those with dyslexia and their family. It need not be that way.
The British Dyslexia Association are working to make early identification and tailored specialist support the norm. In March, John Hicks will be joining dyslexics young and old, other experts, and ourselves to inform the politicians in Westminster at the All Party Parliamentary Group for Dyslexia about the Human Cost of dyslexia.
To support the debate, we need you to share your family’s experiences of life with dyslexia. The anonymous, ten-minute survey will ask you about your experiences and the impact they have had. The more people who take the time to complete it, the more credence it’ll be given.
If you would like your voice to be heard, please click here to complete the survey. Thank you!The British Dyslexia Association website.

Don’t forget - we have a huge range of assistive hardware and software available to buy online at very competitive pricing on our website. We offer free trials for most of our software, and also the services of our professional, friendly and highly experienced fully DBS checked assistive technology trainers. We also offerWorkplace Strategy Trainingwhich is highly effective in increasing productivity, particularly for Access to Work clients. http://enablingtechnology.com

Dates for your Diary…

National Autistic Society 10th Anniversary Autism Professionals Conference 7 and 8 March 2019, International Convention Centre (ICC), Birmingham Celebrate our 10th anniversary conference, we have a new location, a new venue and 2019′s conference will be one to remember. The annual two-day conference is a unique opportunity for professionals to discuss best practice and share learning. Hear the latest information from leading experts in the field and learn from case studies illustrating best practice. With three different seminar streams to choose from there is something for everyone, also why not attend our Autism Professionals Awards evening which recognises professionals and services who are leading the way in innovative autism practice. https://learn.autism.org.uk/ehome/index.php?eventid=200180853&NAIDEX 2019 26th – 27th March 2019, NEC Birmingham

Naidex is Europe’s most established trade, professional and public event dedicated to the care, rehabilitation and lifestyle of people with a disability or impairment. This esteemed event returns for an unprecedented 45th year, and will propel the industry into the future of inclusion, accessibility, empowerment and efficiency.

Showcasing 350 cutting-edge exhibitors, 250 ground-breaking seminars, live demos, 1-2-1 advice, world-class CPD accredited seminars and unparalleled networking opportunities, Naidex is a hub of innovation in the disability community, bringing the entire industry together under one roof for two unforgettable days.

Naidex is completely free to attend and welcomes groups, families, colleagues and friends. If you are looking to further your knowledge of disability and the wider sector, buy the most innovative products available in the global market, and network with over 15,000 like-minded individuals, register now for you free ticket by clicking here:

http://www.naidex.co.uk/Disability Summit 2019 – Changing mindsets, embracing difference 30/4/2019 9.30am – 4.00pm, The Tower Hotel, St Katherine’s Way, London E1W 1LD With the launch of the new Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), 2019 is a key year for workforce disability in the NHS. Building on the success of previous events, the 2019 Disability Summit will seek to galvanise action around issues affecting staff with disabilities across the NHS. The event will bring together disabled staff, leaders, managers and practitioners to share their lived experiences of disability in the workplace across the health and social care sector. Delegates will have the opportunity to discover and share ideas, and also access strategies for changing mindsets and embracing difference back in the workplace. https://www.nhsemployers.org/events/2019/04/disability-summit-2019


Bespoke Christmas Chocolate Pop-Up Shop in London

LONDON - This festive season Corinthia Hotel London will host luxury chocolatier Damian Allsop's unique CH2OCOLATE creations in a Christmas pop-up shop.

Damian's distinctive chocolates are packed with more flavor and less guilt as he has expertly devised a recipe using spring water instead of dairy ingredients making them the perfect Christmas gift for foodies and those wanting to surprise chocolate lovers with something special.

The limited edition set of six 'Eat London' London-themed treats, present areas of London with their associated flavors such as the Arabic spiced Edgware Road, the Soy Sauce infused China Town and the Mango and Basmati Rice Brick Lane. Grosvenor Square, home of the US Embassy, offers a new way to experience the base flavor of an American cola drink, incorporating lemon, cinnamon and popping candy into the chocolate. All are available at the Damian Allsop Chocolate Pop-Up Shop at Corinthia London for just £2 each.

Damian's 20 year career as Head Pastry Chef across Michelin star restaurants has seen him work with some of the best chefs in the world including Gordon Ramsay and Giorgio Locatelli.

In 2002 Damian created his now famous Water Ganache and unlocked the true flavor of chocolate by expertly removing the cream and butter from a traditional ganache recipe and replacing it with locally-sourced spring water to enhance the chocolate giving a more intense flavor, smooth texture and a clean, fresh sensation. Damian likens well made chocolates to a fine wine or malt whisky with complex and individual flavors which are lost when cream is used.

Conveniently located adjacent to London's cultural hub and close to Covent Garden, the Damian Allsop Pop-Up at Corinthia London is perfect for stopping off en route as part of your Christmas shopping trip.

Damian’s distinctive chocolates are packed with more flavor and less guilt as he has expertly devised a recipe using spring water instead of dairy ingredients making them the perfect Christmas gift.

The Pop-Up will be open 11am to 7pm on the following dates: Thursday 29 Nov to Saturday 1 Dec Thursday 6 Dec to Saturday 8 Dec Thursday 13 Dec to Saturday 15 Dec Monday 17 Dec to Sunday 23 Dec

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Take this with a grain of salt, or perhaps some almonds or hazelnuts: A study ties chocolate consumption to the number of Nobel Prize winners a country has and suggests it’s a sign that the sweet treat can boost brain power.

You just returned to the Hotel Sacher from a day of strolling through Vienna’s beautiful historic city center and are not only intellectually satisfied, but most likely exhausted. ??Now it’s "Time to Chocolate."


To Wake the Dead

To Wake the Dead, first published in 1938, is a detective story by John Dickson Carr featuring his series detective Gideon Fell.  This novel is a mystery of the type known as a whodunnit.

Plot summary

Christopher Kent is a wealthy young man who has made a thousand-pound bet with his friend Dan Reaper that he cannot start at Johannesburg without a penny in his pocket and meet his friend at the Royal Scarlet Hotel in Piccadilly in London, England, some weeks later.  Twenty-four hours before the deadline, Kent is in front of the hotel, penniless and not having eaten for a day, and decides to order breakfast and charge it to a room in the hotel.  After he's finished breakfast, the hotel staff ask him to go and wake up his "wife" because a previous guest has left a valuable bracelet hidden in the room.  Upon arrival at room 707, the group is met by a "Do not disturb" sign upon which has been scrawled "Dead woman"; Kent lets himself in and finds the strangled body of his cousin Josephine.  When Kent asks master detective Gideon Fell to extricate him from his predicament, Fell must also solve the murder of Josephine's late husband Rodney, which had happened two weeks earlier.

The first murder had taken place at the country home of Sir Gyles Gay; Sir Gyles had acquired it from the estate of its architect, Ritchie Bellowes, and maintains Bellowes' drunkard son as a hanger-on in the household.  Sir Gyles had invited a number of Kent's friends and relatives for a house party where young Bellowes entertained the party with a demonstration of his photographic memory.  Late one night, while extremely drunk, Bellowes sneaks into his former home and claims to have seen a man dressed as a hotel attendant, "wearing a uniform such as you see in the big hotels like the Royal Scarlet".  Bellowes passes out and is found in the morning about the same time as the strangled body of Rodney Kent is discovered.

There are a number of mysterious clues and indications, including a defaced photograph of the house party enjoying itself at a "fun fair", the fact that all the coins (but not the bills) are missing from the dead woman's purse, and two valuable bracelets, one with a mysterious Latin expression carved into its face.  But it is a surprising and violent confrontation in a darkened cemetery that allows Gideon Fell to conclusively identify the murderer.

References

Category:1938 American novels
Category:Novels by John Dickson Carr
Category:Novels set in London
Category:Hamish Hamilton books
Category:Harper & Brothers books


Monday, 21 December 2015

It is always good to attend networking events as you never know who you might met. It was a delightful evening arranged by VisitYork and hosted by the Royal Station Hotel in York recently. The Royal Station has recently had £20 million pounds invested into it and it was very glamorous decked out for Christmas. The hospitality of the Hotel was very, very generous and if we hadn't yet got into the spirit of Christmas we certainly had by the time we left.
Amazing cocktails and food which would have come out of Nick Evans kitchen. The restaurant is aptly named The Refectory and already getting rave reviews-along with been named last week by the Red Spotty Hanky as one of the top 15 places to eat in York .Also to get mentions where The Star Inn the City -Andrew Pern's urban baby and The Park Restaurant at Marmadukes run by Adam Jackson. Great to see this was such a positive move for Adam as his food is delicious .
Interesting people amongst them so I had met before and some new faces. I was pleased to be introduced to Mr Bishy himself- Johnny Hayes who was the mastermind of Bishopthorpe Road becoming the Winner of Best Loved Parade of Shops and Great British High Street of the Year. We sat talking and know there are so many good people out there wanting to make the world a better place and not been greedy. We both agreed

people can get far too short sighted and clearly there is a far bigger picture to paint. I went along with Anne Ma'aye who runs Network York within the City of York . Anne has always been a great supporter of everything I do and it was lovely to catch up with her.
Towards the end of the evening a lady said why on earth would those collars be put in a display. My thought was what a great idea to show "men" from all walks of life could wind down here . All would be welcome, cast the cares of their working day away and enjoy the splendid offerings - I think this sums up the Royal Station Hotel perfectly. I just wonder if this is the same thought mode as what the London designer who create this space had when they put them there.


Templeton Place London

Templeton Place 4*

Situated near a supermarket and shops, the 4-star Templeton Place Aparthotel welcomes guests with 30 fashionable rooms.

Olympia Exhibition Centre is within 15 minutes' walk away. The property is set within 5 km distance from the city center.

This lovely property offers guestrooms complete with a laptop safe, IDD phone, a closet, individual climate control and complimentary Wi-Fi. They also have a dishwasher, a washing machine and a stove available for self-catering.

Serving an array of dishes, Masala Zone Earls Court and Orjowan are just 100 meters away.

West Brompton, Earls Court Square (N-bound) bus stop is located nearby. The hotel lies within 20 km of London City airport.

Guests will benefit from concierge service, ironing service and laundry along with an elevator and a safe deposit box.

On-site leisure options feature a movie room and a library.

Important notice

Check-in:from 14:00 hours

Check-out:until 08:00-11:00 hours

Children and extra beds

All children under the age of 16 may stay at the price of GBP 25 per person per night in an extra bed.

All children under the age of 2 may stay at the price of GBP 25 per person per night in a crib.

Details & Rates

This lovely property offers guestrooms complete with a laptop safe, IDD phone, a closet, individual climate control and complimentary Wi-Fi. They also have a dishwasher, a washing machine and a stove available for self-catering.


James Trainer

James Trainer (7 January 1863 in Wrexham – 5 August 1915 in Paddington, Central London, England) was a Welsh association football player of the Victorian era. He was named the best goalkeeper of the English Football League several years in a row starting with the initial season of 1888–89, when he was part of the unbeaten Preston North End team nicknamed "The Invincibles".

James Trainer, a time–served coachbuilder played his first senior match for a Wrexham club and before long had established a reputation as an excellent goalkeeper. He left the 'Robins' under a cloud, following a particularly rough FA Cup tie against Oswestry in December 1883. He was alleged to have insulted the referee and the FA banned Wrexham from the competition and reported Trainer's offence to the Football Association of Wales. After a spell with Great Lever, he joined Bolton Wanderers in 1884. He went on to appear in a number of pre–League games for the Wanderers and his form earned him international recognition when he played for Wales against Scotland in 1887. Trainer enjoyed his greatest success at Preston North End as a member of the 'Invincibles'. Curiously he had impressed North End while playing for Bolton at Deepdale, the home of Preston North End, in a match in which he let in 12 goals. He first appeared for North End in August 1887 on a short tour of Scotland. Although he was on the losing side against Hibernian, it was another eight months before he tasted defeat again. Trainer sharpened up his catching ability by playing for the club's baseball team and in North End's pre–League days was known to 'wear a mackintosh' and 'shelter under an umbrella' during a game.

Jimmy Trainer made his League debut on 8 September 1888 in goal for Preston North End against Burnley at Deepdale. Preston won 5-2. Jimmy Trainer played 20 of Preston' 22 League Championship matches and as a goalkeeper played in a Preston North End defence that achieved 12 clean-sheets and restricted the opposition to one–League–goal–in–a–match on three separate occasions. Jimmy Trainer assisted Preston North End to be 1888–89 League Champions. Preston North End went onto win the 1889 FA Cup and complete the first–ever double. However, in 1888 Preston practiced what is common practive now. The No:2 goalkeeper played in FA Cup ties and so Trainer did not play in the 1889 FA Cup campaign.

Between 1888 and 1897 Trainer played in 253 games for Preston, and after retiring he became landlord of the Lamb Hotel in Preston.

He later moved to London, where his business failed. He died in poverty in 1915.

References

External links
Biography on Welsh Biography Online

Category:Wales international footballers
Category:Welsh footballers
Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players
Category:Great Lever F.C. players
Category:Preston North End F.C. players
Category:Bolton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Association football goalkeepers
Category:Footballers from Wrexham
Category:1863 births
Category:1915 deaths
Category:English Football League representative players


Laundry Attendant

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu. Highgate also has a key presence in Barcelona. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $10B and generates over $2B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

The Gates is a new lifestyle hotel in Key West offering an intimate setting that invites guests to celebrate the island's colorful history and creative spirit. Mixing contemporary design and retro Floridian flair, The Gates Hotel features guestrooms with modern amenities that uniquely combine upscale sophistication and polished service with the island's casual laidback vibe.

Employment Status

Full-Time

Overview

The House Laundry Attendant is responsible for washing, ironing, folding and distributing all soiled linens, towels, napkins and tablecloths.

Responsibilities

Employees must at all times be attentive, friendly, helpful and courteous to guests, managers and fellow employees

Understand operation of washing machines and dryers.

Load and unload washes according to standards.

Wash and dry all dirty linens, towels, rags, etc.

Sort all hotel linen according to type, color, size, etc.

Pre-treat all stained linen before washing.

Clean dryer filter daily and maintain all equipment as trained.

Operate iron as per standard and ensure that it is shut off at the end of day.

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu. Highgate also has an expanding presence in key European markets through properties in London, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $10B and generates over $2B in cumulative revenues.

The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.

Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas and Seattle.

Work Permit:
Applicants who do not already have legal permission to work in the location of this job will not be considered.

Management Position: No

Description

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu. Highgate also has a key presence in Barcelona. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $10B and generates over $2B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

The Gates is a new lifestyle hotel in Key West offering an intimate setting that invites guests to celebrate the island's colorful history and creative spirit. Mixing contemporary design and retro Floridian flair, The Gates Hotel features guestrooms with modern amenities that uniquely combine upscale sophistication and polished service with the island's casual laidback vibe.

Employment Status

Full-Time

Overview

The House Laundry Attendant is responsible for washing, ironing, folding and distributing all soiled linens, towels, napkins and tablecloths.

Responsibilities

Employees must at all times be attentive, friendly, helpful and courteous to guests, managers and fellow employees

Understand operation of washing machines and dryers.

Load and unload washes according to standards.

Wash and dry all dirty linens, towels, rags, etc.

Sort all hotel linen according to type, color, size, etc.

Pre-treat all stained linen before washing.

Clean dryer filter daily and maintain all equipment as trained.

Operate iron as per standard and ensure that it is shut off at the end of day.

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu. Highgate also has an expanding presence in key European markets through properties in London, Paris, Barcelona, Vienna and Prague. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $10B and generates over $2B in cumulative revenues.

The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.

Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas and Seattle.


Charisse captured moviegoers' attention in a quick succession of films, starting with 1952's "Singin' in the Rain," in which she partnered with dancer and actor Gene Kelly in a steamy ballet.

She was strong, lithe and "drop-dead gorgeous to look at," dance/film historian and author Larry Billman said of Charisse in her breakthrough performance. She partnered with Kelly again in "Brigadoon" in 1954 and "It's Always Fair Weather" the following year.

"After years when Hollywood's leading dancers were cute and fluffy, Cyd took dance to a more sensual realm in the 1950s," Billman said in a September 2007 interview with The Times.

Charisse also danced with Fred Astaire, the premier dancer of his age, in major production numbers in the '50s. In "The Band Wagon" (1953), they danced to the music of "Dancing in the Dark" on a set that looked like New York City's Central Park. Four years later, Charisse and Astaire were partners again in "Silk Stockings." Astaire said Charisse was "beautiful dynamite" on screen. Charisse's other star- maker roles of the 1950s included "Deep in My Heart" (1954), in which she danced a sexy duet with James Mitchell.

Unlike many top female dancers in the era of movie musicals, Charisse was trained as a ballerina in the Russian tradition.

Although she occasionally performed solo, "she was at her best when she was partnered," Billman said. "She had technique, ability and she didn't do anything to take away from her partner."

Earlier in her film career, Charisse's dark hair and eyes led to some unlikely roles as "ethnic-exotic" characters in B movies such as "Fiesta" (1947), in which she played the Latina fiancee of actor Ricardo Montalban.

She was cast as Polynesian in "On an Island With You," a song, dance and swim film starring Esther Williams in 1948.

In interviews, Charisse said her acting roles were like a vacation compared with the hard work of dancing, but she was not tempted to change her priorities.

"If I had to give up either acting or dancing, I'd choose to keep dancing," she said in a December 1952 interview with the Saturday Evening Post.

She was born Tula Ellice Finklea on March 8, 1922, in Amarillo, Texas. Her older brother nicknamed her Sid, a variation on Sis. In Hollywood, she changed the spelling to Cyd.

She began ballet lessons at age 6, encouraged by her father, Ernest, after she developed a mild case of polio that left her with a slight atrophy on her right side.

"I was this tiny, frail little girl, I needed to build up muscle, and I fell in love with dancing from the first lesson," she said in a 1996 interview with the Calgary Herald.

During a family vacation in Los Angeles when she was 12, her parents enrolled her in ballet classes at a school in Hollywood. One of her teachers was Nico Charisse.

As a teenager, she returned to the school as a full-time student. Not long afterward, Col. W. de Basil, the director of the Ballet Russe dance company, visited the school and saw her dance. He invited her to join his company, and she toured with it under the stage names Natacha Tulaelis and Felia Siderova, according to Billman. Dancers in the company were required to take Russian-sounding names.

In 1939, while she was in France on tour with the ballet company, she and Nico Charisse eloped. They had one son, Nico, before their marriage ended in divorce in 1947.

Charisse then married singer and nightclub entertainer Tony Martin in 1948. They settled in Hollywood soon after their marriage. The couple had one son, Tony Jr. Martin and her sons survive her, along with two grandchildren.

One of her earliest movies was "Something to Shout About" (1943), in which she performed in a ballet. She captured wider attention three years later in "Ziegfeld Follies," when she had a brief featured moment with the film's star, Fred Astaire. It led to her signing a seven-year contract with MGM Studios in 1946.

"I never considered going into motion pictures," she said in a 1992 interview with New York Times dance critic Anna Kisselgoff. The offer of a contract at MGM, home of movie musicals, convinced her to change her mind.

After a decade in movies in which she was "the only dancer who could make a pirouette look sexy," according to Kisselgoff, Charisse expanded her range.

In the '60s, she performed cabaret shows with Martin while she continued working in films such as "Two Weeks in Another Town" (1962). She made guest appearances on popular television series, including "Hawaii Five-O" and "The Love Boat" in the 1970s and "Murder, She Wrote" in the 1980s.

She also worked in theater, performing in "Charlie's Girls" in London in the 1980s and making her Broadway debut as an aging Russian ballerina in "Grand Hotel" in 1992.

She was 70 when she first appeared on Broadway and was still faithful to her time-tested philosophy, she told the New York Times. "If you worry about taking risks, don't do it," Charisse said.


Gawcott

Gawcott is a village about  southwest of Buckingham in Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. The village is in the civil parish of Gawcott with Lenborough .

History
The toponym is derived from the Old English for "cottage for which rent is payable". The Domesday Book of 1086 records the village as Chauescote. Although an alternative description for the name of Gawcott, comes from the old Norse word for the Cuckoo 'Gaukr', pronounced Gawk and 'cott' for house/ home/ cottage. This explanation has some merit as in the west of the village the cuckoo was the prevalent bird up until the early 1940s when much of its habitat was destroyed to make space for servicemen in the second world war. One of the local historic public houses of the village was also named the Cuckoo's nest.

Sir George Gilbert Scott, the architect of the Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras railway station in London (and numerous other buildings), was born in Gawcott.

Signal Hill
To the east of the village is Signal Hill, which was a former FCO/MI6 signals intelligence station.

See also
Sefton Delmer

References

External links

Category:History of telecommunications in the United Kingdom
Category:Military history of Buckinghamshire
Category:Villages in Buckinghamshire


Hots

Galaxy Harajuku by Tokujin Yoshioka – Tokyo
On March 12th Galaxy Harajuku, the largest Samsung store in the world, was inaugurated in Tokyo. It is an eight-storey building designed by the famous Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka, known above all for projects characterized by an immaterial, essential and refined aesthetic, which takes inspiration from Buddhist spirituality. On the front of the building 1000 Galaxy smartphones were mounted, whose rotary movement creates spectacular lighting effects. The impressive store is part of Samsung’s partnership strategy as official sponsor for over 30 years of the Olympics, to be held in Tokyo in 2020. The shop, in fact, was inaugurated exactly 500 days before the start of the games. The important investment will also help to strengthen the presence of the brand in this country, such a friendship between the Korean company and Japan, where Samsung currently is making large profits.

T.Rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit – American Museum of Natural History – New York
The iconic Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) fossil has been on public display in the renowned American Museum of Natural History for over 100 years, and the research on T. rex has continued to evolve, often illuminating facts quite different from the public’s perception. On March 11th, 2019, the Museum unveiled T. Rex: The Ultimate Predator, a new exhibition that explores the latest research and discoveries about the life history, remarkable abilities, and ancient relatives of T. rex. In collaboration with HTC VIVE, the Museum present its first interactive, multi-player virtual reality experience. Within the exhibition, visitors can team up to build a T. rex skeleton bone by bone and then watch as it comes to life in what is now Montana, as it was 66 million years ago.

National Museum of Qatar by Jean Nouvel – Doha
The National Museum of Qatar in Doha opened its doors to the public on March 28. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the building’s form is inspired by the desert rose and will combine historic objects and contemporary influences, opening up a dialogue around the impact of rapid change. In the 40,000 square meters of the building, three thematic chapters will be analysed in a narrative that crosses eleven galleries, including sensory experiences, including immersive ones, and canonical exhibitions of works of art, artefacts, documents and commissioned works. Beyond gallery space, the museum will also include: a 220-seat auditorium, two retail outlets, two restaurants and a café, a dedicated food forum, preserving culinary traditions, a research centre and laboratories, and a park filled with indigenous plants.

Unsettled Retreats by Moleskine
Moleskine presents Unsettled Retreats: immersive community travel experiences designed to inspire creative process. In partnership with Moleskine®, Unsettled is offering a unique platform for creative professionals to break out of their routine and combine travel, cultural immersion, and coworking. It is a project that gives to people ‘time and space’ to let great ideas grow and dive into one’s creative process. Each two-week and one-month experience blends original workshops and programming, unexpected local excursions, inspiring conversations, and quiet moments for reflection into one unforgettable journey. Participants will live in accommodations with local design character; work out of beautiful co-working spaces and creative studios; and share experiences with a diverse community of professionals.

Burn That Ad Burger King campaign by David SP – Brazil
Burger King is encouraging fans to ‘burn’ its rivals in digital platforms, thanks to a new mobile app ‘Burn The Ad’ feature that sets competitor billboards to flames. The concept is a play on Burger King’s signature flame-grilling cooking technique that the chain has used since 1954. The Burn That Ad uses augmented reality to entice the Burger King app users, by burning up the competitor’s ads to anyone who points their smartphone towards them, following it with a BK advert. When the flames burn away, the person is left with a screen that tells them they’ve received a free Whopper at the nearest BK restaurant. The campaign was created exclusively for Brazil by David SP to promote BK Express, a tech tool allowing any customer to pre-order and avoid lines.

Avant-Garde: Africa Series – CNNAvant-Garde: Africa is a new series showcasing innovators and creators working across art, design, music, film and fashion.
It tells stories across CNN’s TV and digital platforms about contemporary African culture. The introduction of Avant-Garde: Africa adds to CNN International’s unique offering of shows dedicated to African business and culture – CNN Marketplace Africa, African Voices and Inside Africa.
The debut Avant-Garde: Africa programme, broadcast in March, focused on contemporary African art and featured El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare and Kehinde Wiley, among others. The series will also cover African music, film and fashion plus interviews with cultural figureheads. Airing quarterly on CNN International, the 30-minute TV show will open and close with Access Bank graphics (the inaugural sponsor).

Talk Is Cheap Super Deluxe Box Set by Keith Richards
Keith Richards reissued his first ever solo album of 1988, with a limited edition that makes it mythical. The remastered album, proposed both on CD and on vinyl, is enriched with special contents: 6 never before released tracks and in addition memorabilia of the first tour, such as the metal pick, reproductions of the original lyric sheets, a photo book and an interview. The container itself is a real-wood case hand-built and aged by Fender, using the same materials as Keith’s iconic vintage Telecaster, Micawber. The box set was sold out in advance despite the price of 467.99 pounds, but from March 14, it is possible to admire it “on tour” in the halls of some of the best “rock’n’roll” hotels in the world, in London, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and Hollywood.

EVREKA exhibit by PichiAvo – Valencia
Pichi & Avo are a duo of street artists from Valencia who have been collaborating since 2007 with a project called “urbanmithology”. Lovers of the classicism of ancient Greece and Rome, but also of modernity and graffiti art, the two artists combine these two points of view, proposing great unique and very colorful pop works. EVREKA is the name of the personal exhibition dedicated to PichiAvo, inaugurated at the Centro del Carmen in Valencia. The event celebrates and “consecrates” the style that made the two famous, or the fusion between the world of graffiti and the imaginary that refers to the ancient icons of classical culture. An imposing Aphrodite covered by the pink of a spray can is on display, the war god Ares entirely tattooed with graffiti. In March, the duo PichiAvo also erected an impressive Urbanmythology-style sculpture in the center of Valencia, the gigantic work was created for the annual Las Fallas festival, to commemorate St. Joseph.

334th Bach Birthday- Google Doodle
Google celebrated the 334th birth anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach with an innovative doodle: the first ever AI-powered. From March 21, for two days, thanks to the doodle, it was possible for everyone to compose a two measure melody, creating it as he pleased, which then automatically the doodle harmonized in Bach’s choral baroque style. To make this possible, the algorithms of the machine learning mechanism of Google AI have been “fed” with a database of 306 works by the German composer, from which they extracted models and schemes to compose 4-voice harmonies. The melody thus created, unique and personal each time, could also be saved or shared with friends.

Coders, The making of a new tribe and the remaking of the world book by Clive Thompson
The famous tech writer Clive Thompson, has written Coders a brilliant “anthropological” essay on the most influential tribe in our society: coders. The reflection on the present and future importance of technological development in our lives for the author starts from the deep observation of these computer scientists who are changing global values and attitudes. Thompson’s view is that “coders are among the most quietly influential people on the planet, whose decisions drive our behavior.” To understand the vocation of coders, which is both a profession and a lifestyle, and which essentially did not exist just over a generation ago, brings us closer to some great programmers of our time, revealing some background and false myths, for example that the first great programmers were women, “naturally” better programmers than men.


Adam Raphael

Adam Eliot Geoffrey Raphael (born 22 April 1938) is an English journalist and author. In the British Press Awards of 1973, he was named Journalist of the Year for his work on labour conditions in South Africa, and he has also been a presenter of BBC Television's Newsnight. Since 2004, he has edited The Good Hotel Guide. He is not to be confused with another BBC producer of the same name, Adam Jocelyn Raphael (1937–1999).

Early life

The son of Geoffrey George Raphael and his wife Nancy Raphael (née Rose), Raphael was educated at two independent schools: Arnold House School in St John's Wood in north-west London, and Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey (where he was a contemporary of David Dimbleby), followed by Oriel College, Oxford, graduating with a BA with Honours in History.

Career
Raphael undertook national service with the Royal Artillery, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 1 June 1957, subsequently serving in Germany. After leaving the army, he went to Oriel College, Oxford where he graduated with a second-class degree in history in 1961. After university, Raphael went to the USA where he worked as a copy boy at the Washington Post under Ben Bradlee, its editor. Returning from the USA in 1962, he was employed by Westminster Press first on the Swindon Evening Advertiser and then on the  Bath Evening Chronicle as a reporter and film critic.

In 1965 he arrived in Fleet Street as a reporter on The Guardian, working as the newspaper's motoring correspondent from 1967 to 1968 before serving overseas as its foreign correspondent in Washington, D.C., and South Africa from 1969 to 1973. On his return to London, he was appointed as  The Guardian's consumer affairs columnist from 1974 to 1976, before moving to The Observer as political correspondent, 1976–1981, and then as the political editor, 1981–1986.

In 1984 and 1989, The Observer printed articles by Raphael which suggested that the lobbyist Ian Greer had been paying members of parliament to table parliamentary questions, an early stage of the Cash for Questions scandal.

In 1987, Raphael briefly moved to BBC Television as a presenter of its daily current affairs programme, Newsnight (1987–1988). He returned to the paper in 1988 as an assistant Editor, and Executive Editor from 1988 to 1993.

In March 1989 The Observer published an article by Raphael which claimed that British Aerospace was selling Tornado aircraft to Jordan at inflated prices to include the cost of bribes.  Raphael's colleague David Leigh complained to the directors of The Observer that Raphael had written it to suit Lonrho, which had a stake in British Aerospace's rival, Dassault Aviation. The MP Dale Campbell-Savours tabled motions in the House of Commons denouncing the article. The directors of The Observer dismissed Leigh's complaint, and he resigned from the newspaper in protest.

In 1989, Raphael published a book on some libel cases, My Learned Friends: an Insider's View of the Jeffrey Archer Case and Other Notorious Actions, which focused on the remarkable case of Jeffrey Archer v. The Daily Star (1987).

In 1994, he moved to The Economist as a writer on home affairs, then as political correspondent, 1994 to 2004. Among many  articles Raphael has published in The Economist is Theft: Sitting on the Fence,  which helped to popularise the Market Reduction Approach to theft – designed by Mike Sutton- and revealed to the wider public the role of stolen goods markets in creating a demand for supply by theft and that the size of the stolen goods economy in Britain was £1.5 billion ($2.4 billion) annually.

In 1994, Raphael's book Ultimate Risk, the story of the Lloyd's of London catastrophe, became a best-seller in the UK. Between 1988 and 1992 Lloyd's recorded losses of some twelve billion US dollars, and Raphael wrote that it thus managed to "pauperize, if not bankrupt, as many as two in five of those who provided the market's capital." Raphael was himself a Lloyd's Name, and was thus able to write as an insider, one of the victims of the affair.

In 1987, Raphael was subpoenaed as a witness by the Daily Star when Jeffrey Archer sued it over a story that he had consorted with a prostitute, Monica Coghlan. Raphael was a crucial witness as the Observer’s political editor. When the story broke in the News of the World, he rang Archer, who was then Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party and asked him whether it was true. Archer replied that he had met Monica ‘on only one occasion’ and that he had been disgracefully set up by the paper. This evidence was central to the subsequent libel trial. The judge, Bernie Cornfield, described Raphael as ‘a thorn in Archer’s side’ but the jury chose to believe Archer that he had never met Monica and awarded him £500,000 in damages. In the middle of the trial, Raphael was attacked by the editor of the Mail on Sunday, Stewart Steven, for having betrayed Archer as a source. This led to another libel action which ended with the Mail on Sunday paying Raphael £40,000 in costs and damages. Shortly after the Archer trial, Raphael wrote My Learned Friends (1989) in which he alleged that the jury had been misled by Archer’s alibi witnesses. It took another decade for the truth to emerge. In 1999, Raphael wrote an article in The Economist which said that Archer had asked him to change his evidence and that he had lied about where he had been on the night he met Monica. Two years later in 2001 Archer was tried for perjury and jailed for four years.

Raphael has been Editor of The Good Hotel Guide since 2004 and also an Associate Editor of Transport Times since 2005.

Private life
In 1970, Raphael married Caroline Rayner Ellis, and they have one son and one daughter. In Who's Who, he gives his recreations as "tennis, golf, skiing", and his clubs as the Garrick, the Hurlingham, and the Royal Automobile Club.

Awards
Granada Investigative Journalist of the Year, 1973
British Press Awards Journalist of the Year, 1973 (for a series in The Guardian on labour conditions in South Africa).

Books
My Learned Friends: an Insider's View of the Jeffrey Archer Case and Other Notorious Actions (London, W. H. Allen & Virgin Books, 16 November 1989)
Ultimate Risk: the inside story of the Lloyd's catastrophe (London, Four Walls Eight Windows, 1994)
The Good Hotel Guide 2001: Great Britain and Ireland (with Caroline Raphael) (London, Ebury Press, October 2000)
The Good Hotel Guide 2001: Continental Europe (with Caroline Raphael) (London, Ebury Press, February 2001)
The Good Hotel Guide 2002: Great Britain and Ireland (with Caroline Raphael) (London, Ebury Press, 6 September 2001)
The Good Hotel Guide 2005 (with Caroline Raphael) (London, The Good Hotel Guide Ltd, January 2005)
The Good Hotel Guide 2005: Continental Europe (with Caroline Raphael) (London, Steerforth, 15 March 2005)
The Good Hotel Guide 2006: Great Britain and Ireland (with Desmond Balmer) (London, Steerforth, 6 December 2005)
The Good Hotel Guide 2007 (London, The Good Hotel Guide Ltd, 2006)
The Good Hotel Guide 2008 (with Desmond Balmer) (London, The Good Hotel Guide Ltd, 1 October 2007, )

References

Category:1938 births
Category:Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford
Category:English male journalists
Category:Living people
Category:People educated at Arnold House School
Category:People educated at Charterhouse School


Nick Gibb

Nicolas John Gibb (born 3 September 1960) is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton since 1997.

Gibb was reappointed as Minister of State for Schools after the 2015 general election by Prime Minister David Cameron, having held the same post beforehand between May 2010 and September 2012. He retained this position during the premiership of Theresa May. He replaced his initial successor, David Laws, having previously returned to government as Minister of State for School Reform in July 2014.

Early life

Nick Gibb was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Bedford Modern School, Maidstone Grammar School, Roundhay School in Leeds, and Thornes House School in Wakefield.

He then attended the College of St Hild and St Bede at the University of Durham where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law in 1981. Gibb was a member of the Federation of Conservative Students at a time when they were influenced by radical libertarian ideas. He stood for election to the NUS committee in 1981, but only achieved a single vote after accusing the NUS of openly supporting terrorist organisations. After leaving university Gibb was implicated in a scandal involving nomination papers for elections at the 1982 NUS conference in Blackpool, with Gibb accused of forging signatures to get Conservative candidates on to the ballot.

In an interview regarding his education, Gibb spoke of how he believed Maidstone Grammar School to be the best. "What was good about it was that it was rigorous" he told Teachers TV in 2006. "Every lesson was rigorous, even things like music: it was taught in the same way as chemistry." Wakefield, by contrast, was "terrible" due to its lack of rigour.

Upon leaving school he took a job as a handyman in a London hotel, spending his evenings in the House of Commons watching late-night debates from the public gallery.

In 1982, Gibb joined NatWest as a trainee accountant, before working on Kibbutz Merom Golan in 1983. In 1984 he joined KPMG as a chartered accountant until his election to parliament. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (FCA).

Political career
Gibb worked as an election agent to Cecil Parkinson at the 1987 general election, and was the secretary of the Bethnal Green and Stepney Conservative Association in 1988, becoming its chairman the following year.

Gibb contested Stoke-on-Trent Central at the 1992 general election but was defeated into second place some 13,420 votes behind the sitting Labour MP Mark Fisher. In 1994, Gibb was selected to contest the Rotherham by-election, caused by the death of James Boyce. He finished in third place, 12,263 votes behind the winner Denis MacShane.

Gibb was selected to stand as the Conservative candidate for the newly created West Sussex seat of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton at the 1997 general election. Gibb won the seat with a majority of 7,321 and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech on 4 July 1997, in which he spoke of the visit of King George V in 1929 to Bognor Regis to take in the sea air, hence the suffix of Regis on the town's name. He recalled also the large village of Felpham which was the home of poet William Blake.

Opposition
Shortly after his election, Gibb joined the opposition frontbench of William Hague when he was appointed as the spokesman on trade and industry in 1997, before joining the social security select committee later in the year. The following year, in 1998 he rejoined the frontbench as a spokesman on the treasury, moving back to trade and industry in 1999.

Gibb was reportedly involved in the faction-fight between supporters of William Hague and Michael Portillo, the then Shadow Chancellor, as a supporter of Portillo.

He was briefly a spokesman on environment, transport and the regions following the 2001 general election but resigned under the leadership of Iain Duncan Smith, reportedly because he was unhappy at his new role. Michael Howard brought him back to the frontbench following the Conservative Party's defeat in the 2005 general election as a spokesman for Education and Young People. Shortly afterwards, the newly elected Conservative Party Leader, David Cameron, promoted Nick Gibb from within the Education team to shadow Minister for Schools.

Government
In the wake of the 2010 general election and the formation of a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, Gibb was appointed Minister of State for Schools in the new Department for Education. He left the Government at a ministerial reshuffle in September 2012, but returned to the same Department, again as a Minister of State, in July 2014. He was appointed to the Privy Council on 4 November 2016.

Views and controversy
Gibb is a longstanding advocate of synthetic phonics as a method of teaching children to read, and is also a supporter of the motor neurone disease cause, currently being vice-chair of the All Party Motor Neurone Disease Group in parliament.

Just days after being appointed as Minister for Schools in 2010, Gibb was criticised after leaked information suggested he had told officials at the Department of Education that he "would rather have a physics graduate from Oxbridge without a PGCE teaching in a school than a physics graduate from one of the rubbish universities with a PGCE".

Personal life
Nick Gibb is the brother of Robbie Gibb, a former PR consultant and ex-editor of the BBC's political programmes, The Daily Politics and (in an executive capacity) This Week, who was announced as Director of Communications for Prime Minister Theresa May in July 2017.

In May 2015, Gibb came out as gay and announced his engagement to Michael Simmonds, the chief executive of the Populus polling organisation. Having been together for 29 years they married in 2015.

Publications
 Forgotten Closed Shop: Case for Voluntary Membership of Student Unions by Nicholas Gibb and David Neil-Smith, 1985, Cleveland Press
 Simplifying Taxes by Nick Gibb, 1987
 Duty to Repeal by Nick Gibb, 1989, Adam Smith Institute
 Bucking the Market by Nick Gibb, 1990
 Maintaining Momentum by Nick Gibb, 1992

References

External links
 Nick Gibb MP Conservative Party

 Nick Gibb: GCSE Results Department for Education official channel, YouTube
 John Rentoul An Education - John Rentoul looks at the background and political beliefs of Nick Gibb, Minster of State for Schools Ethos Journal (Archived)

Category:1960 births
Category:Living people
Category:Alumni of the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham
Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:People educated at Bedford Modern School
Category:People educated at Maidstone Grammar School
Category:People educated at Roundhay School
Category:People from Amersham
Category:People from Littlehampton
Category:UK MPs 1997–2001
Category:UK MPs 2001–2005
Category:UK MPs 2005–2010
Category:UK MPs 2010–2015
Category:UK MPs 2015–2017
Category:UK MPs 2017–2019
Category:UK MPs 2019–
Category:Gay politicians
Category:LGBT politicians from England
Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Category:LGBT members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom