Bradwan's Blog

I walked to the Sparrow this morning to sort the National Poetry Day show (announcement to follow). There was a party of children around Richard Oastler‘s  statue.

 I assumed the adults knew he fought to stop children working in factories for more than 10 hours a day. 

I told the adults about how this statue was paid for by the whole nation, and was put in Bradford because Bradford paid the most. 

A few children gathered to listen. Thinking back I wonder if the adults knew anything of Oastler. I thought about it later and wondered if any of them had the slightest idea who this heroic man was, and why his statue was providing a rest place between discarded kebabs and bits of stale buns. 

I hope what I said makes a few able to add life to a random statue.  

The quote at the end is from Bradford’s Lord Mayor at the opening as a museum in 1915. Oh that those that followed him had thought the same.  

 I do not know when this was placed here, but it was not here when I used to pass the spot on my way to and from different works.  The youngest victim was 8, the majority 16 and under. 

  
In Record Cafe. 

  
We’d started the post-mortem in the Beehive, where I apparently beat Keith in a game of bar billiards. Stella had a Geordie mate come over from Harrogate, who’d never been to Bradford. 

At my suggestion we then went to The Castle; were we watched Wales v England whilst singing along to punk music. I met another Welshman, and me and Stella sang along to Jilted John’s Gordon is a moron. 

We then went to the Record and Sparrow. 

Lost 0-2 to Peterborough, and never looked like we could score. Mere bagatelle. 

Had a txt conversation with Sparrow Les about were to drink afore the game. I suggested Corn Dolly, which was accepted. Decades ago I always went to the Dolly afore a game. Today I had to think about how to get there! Or rather: how to get there with the least amount of effort. 

   
On the bridge on the way to the Barge and Barrel. 

  
In the morning I saw several Speculed Woods as I was picking blackberries near my home (800 gms in an hour). Saw this Small Tortoiseshell in Elland as I was taking Joe to the Drop Inn.