Charlie Meets Harray Potter!……The BBC……
by Bernie Bell - 08:25 on 24 October 2022
Charlie Meets Harray Potter!……The BBC……
Charlie….
I received something of interest from Andrew Appleby (aka 'The Harray Potter’) there must be lots of Lizzie Two memorabilia which is now….more valuable? No use at all? The thing about Andrew’s work is – whatever it is – it looks good and is useful.
Here are Andrew’s words and pics. from Charlie’s visit – I don’t know if Andrew is a Royalist - I’m not!
“Prince Charles’s visit.
On the 8th August, the then, Prince Charles visited Melsetter House on Hoy. After this he went to The Longhope Community Centre to make various awards to those connected to the RNLI. Following this, and some fine live music, he viewed an exhibition from Orkney Quality Food and Drink members. Creative Orkney was also represented and I was there displaying my pottery and demonstrating that ancient craft.
Prince Charles loved his pottery classes at Gordonstoun and we swapped stories of our early studies. I reminded him that he had made a hedgehog. He asked how I knew that? I replied that I’d read it in a newspaper and that I was creating hedgehogs at the same time. I later asked him to sign a large platter I had made with a feather pen I’d also prepared. He wanted to know just what this was for, so I explained that it would be presented to The Longhope Lifeboat Museum, along with a few of the other vessels I’d created. He signed with a most enthusiastic flourish!
Not ever wishing to miss a chance, I also explained about The John Rae Society’s ambitions in restoring The Hall of Clestrain, John Rae’s family home. He showed considerable interest and asked for further information, which our King now has.
This was the 8th August. On the 8th September the pottery I made in his presence was cooling from its first firing. I was making mugs when the news came of Queen Elizabeth’s death. This was a shock to so many of us and me too, of course. I stopped throwing and had just over fifty of them and a few items I’d created whilst demonstrating my craft.
I wondered what to do with those mugs and other items? I felt they needed very special treatment and decided to make them into commemorative pieces. I engraved on them ‘Thrown the Day our Queen Died’ or words to that effect. Below this I inscribed E II R, then a crown followed by C III R, as they were both monarchs on that same day. On the base is written 96, being her age and my own initials as a signature.
Harray Potter Ltd currently supports four charities: The John Rae Society; The St. Magnus Way; the Orkney Japan Association and The Longhope Lifeboat Museum. I offer these mugs for sale to support any of these Charities. As these pieces are so rare and will never be made again, I have decided that they should sell for £96.00 each, this being a pound a year for The Queen’s life.
It is your choice which of these charities the money goes to. Please do call by The Pottery in Harray. Open from 09.48 to 5.51 p.m. Monday to Saturday: or telephone 01856 771 419 to order. You can also email fursbreck@btinternet.com There will be a £4.00 postage charge if sending is required.”
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BBC….
And I received the following from '38 Degrees'.
The BBC is far from impartial - BUT - at least it's not at the beck and call of 'sponsors'. It's been going for 100 years - a time which has seen a lot of changes.
To me this list reflects what the population wants/needs to see and hear. With all its faults the BBC is what it is and gave/gives a chance for people like Kate Adie to report on what was/is happening, for example in Tiananmen square. Remember Tiananmen Square?...... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48445934
Here's the list....
“Well here it is, Bernie. More than 5,000 of us shared our favourite BBC moments of all time. Whittled down to a list of 100, 15,000 people from across the country voted using the 38 Degrees ‘this or that’ quiz. [1] And we can now finally reveal that the nation’s top 10 favourite BBC moments from the last 100 years are…
- Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
- The Two Ronnies' 'Four Candles' sketch.
- The fall of the Berlin Wall.
- The 1969 Apollo moon landing.
- David Attenborough playing with the mountain gorillas in Life on Earth.
- Live Aid.
- The final scene in Blackadder Goes Forth.
- The Queen having afternoon tea with Paddington Bear.
- When Del Boy falls through the bar in Only Fools and Horses.
- “The Queen” jumping out of the helicopter at the 2012 London Olympics.
This list is a perfect reminder that the BBC has something for everyone. From classic comedy sketches to world-class coverage of once-in-a-lifetime events. But despite this, over recent years, we’ve seen the Government and other critics ramp up their attacks on the BBC and threaten its future funding. [2]
That’s why, on its 100th anniversary last week, the 38 Degrees community was out campaigning to protect our public service broadcaster. We had billboards up around the country, full page ads splashed in newspapers, and thousands of us sharing what the BBC means to us on social media. Our Head of Campaigns was even invited onto TV to defend it against critics! [3]
Bernie, as a community, we’ve helped protect an independent, well-funded BBC time and time again. And although its opponents are unlikely to stop, neither are we.”
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Here’s one I made earlier….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2019/01/26/reflections-prompted-by-richard-wallaces-poem-no-guarantee/
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PS
Just a reminder…..
“Contradictions – Part Five
The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s wife
Lives in India
So do I
I see her there, often.
We use the same laundry.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer
Handles our money
Making best use of it
In the interests of the nation
I Lie.
I suppose it could be said
That he knows how
To make best use
Of large amounts of money.
Just depends on whose money it is
And in whose interests.
Contradictions.
BB - April 2022”
And now – he’s Prime Minister. Let joy be un-confined!
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