Abstracts
I have been taking photographs for about 35 years, and in that time I have seen a lot of changes. The most obvious one was going from film to digital. There have also been a lot of technological advances in auto focus and exposure metering systems, as well as newer ideas like image stabilisation, auto exposure bracketing, HDR, multiple exposures, wi-fi, GPS, and mirrorless camera bodies. However, one thing which is not purchased in a camera shop, but has influenced the photographic industry and changed how we view, buy and sell images is the internet. I remember taking my rolls…
And how did he become the husband of Queen Elizabeth II?
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and father to Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. He was also a grandfather and great grandfather. Anyone who didn’t know his background would assume he came from the British royal family. However, he was not born in the UK and his ancestors came from numerous European countries.
Philip was born in Mon Repos, a villa on the Greek island of Corfu, on 10 June 1921. He was the fifth child and only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of…
A training exercise which was worse than the real event
About 20 years ago a WW2 veteran told me a story which he had kept secret for over 50 years. As he is no longer with us, and because there are similar accounts online, I feel now is the right time to share the information.
One summer’s day, my wife and I decided to take our two young kids to an outdoor attraction, not far from the town of Launceston in north Cornwall. We had not been there before, but as it had been recommended to us, we thought we would give it a go. …
Wilding project thinks big
Apart from deer and semi wild ponies, Britain is not known for having large mammals, but if a new project goes to plan in 2022, European Bison may be added to the list.
Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust are launching a project called Wilder Blean, which will be funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery. The project will take place in Blean Woods, near Herne Bay, which is north of Canterbury in Kent, southeast England. The aim of the project is to promote better habitats by using natural processes. …
Cornish satellite station to receive UK’s first signal from Mars
One of the oldest and largest satellite earth stations in the world, based in Cornwall, will receive the UK’s first ever direct transmission from the planet Mars.
Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station is located on Goonhilly Downs on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, not far from Helston. Its first dish Antenna One (referred to as Arthur) was built in 1962 to communicate with the Telstar system. The first transatlantic television broadcasts from the United States to be seen in the UK were received via the Telstar satellite and Arthur on the 11th July 1962. Further dishes were added over time, including…
Does it matter, she’s only acting?
Have you ever watched a period drama and noticed something which shouldn’t be in the film? Some people check every frame looking for the tiniest mistake, while others don’t seem to care. I guess I am somewhere in between; I like things to be right, so a modern street sign in a 17th century scene, for example, would irritate me. Production companies spend many hours and a lot of money ensuring historical details are correct. They have to check costumes, hairstyles, etiquette, transport, buildings, furniture, machines, road markings, phrases used in conversations and the whole chronological order of events. It…
But after a week of publicity the region will probably be forgotten
The 47th G7 Summit is planned to be held in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, 11–13 June 2021. In addition to the seven member states and representatives from the European Union, leaders from Australia, India and South Korea have also been invited. The United States President Joe Biden and the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will be attending for the first time.
What is the G7?
The Group of Seven (G7) is an organisation consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. It used to be the G8, but Russia was suspended in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea, and…
Prydyth an Pry (Poet of the Clay)
Biography
Reginald John (Jack) Clemo was born in Goonamarris, near St Austell in Cornwall on the 11th of March 1916. His father, also called Reginald was killed at sea during the First World War, so Jack was raised by his mother Eveline. The daughter of a preacher, she was deeply religious and her strong nonconformist views influenced her son and later his writing. At the age of five Jack had an attack of blindness, which left him quite withdrawn. He did learn to read and write, but apart from English and religious studies, he was not keen on school. …
A welcome return or an unwanted pest?
Hunted to extinction over 400 years ago, beavers have only been seen in zoos and wildlife parks, until recently. Now, following some unexplained appearances and a number of official release projects, they are back in Britain once more. However, their reintroduction is not welcomed by everyone.
What is a beaver?
Beavers are large, semi aquatic rodents which can be found in many European, Asian and American countries. There are two species, the Eurasian beaver and the North American beaver.
The Eurasian beaver is the largest living, native rodent in Britain. Growing up to 1.7 metres in length, including the tail, they can weigh up…
How can removing a safety lane be a smart idea?
If you are unfortunate enough to break down on a motorway, you try and get to the hard shoulder and then phone for assistance. However, if you are on a so called “smart" motorway, there is no hard shoulder. If you are lucky you may make it to an emergency refuge area, but if not you have to pull over and get out before a 40 ton truck crushes your car like a tin can.
What are smart motorways?
In the UK a traditional motorway has three lanes for traffic and one narrow lane for emergencies, known as the hard shoulder. Initially motorways only…
Chris Jones
I am a Cornish design engineer who likes writing, reading, photography, technology, nature, history, cars, aeroplanes, motorbikes and all things Cornish.
