Blades upon Books - Traditionals

[5K Qs]

This feller has done a nice series of books, exploring the woods and moors of Yorkshire. The latest edition in his series explores woodland right on my doorstep

Jack, I've seen photos of this map that you posted in at least 3 different places fairly recently and I've been fascinated by it each time. (I've been enchanted by maps my entire life, I think.)

The first time I saw it, the knife in the photo was placed somewhat differently, and some of the writing on the map piqued my curiosity. I intended to ask you some related questions, but kept forgetting. And now I've discovered that Google could answer my questions for me.

I wondered about the origins of the name Allerton Bywater, since there's a street named Allerton 5 blocks from my house that I cross at least 10 times per week. Google's etymology for "allerton" (farmstead of the alder trees) was not at all what I had idly conjectured.

I also wondered about the cryptic label "Oddball dragline". I was familiar with each term individually, at least as used in the U.S., but suspected the phrase might have a completely different meaning in Yorkshire. But Google informed me that its Yorkshire meaning matches its U.S. meaning (although I don't think I'd ever seen the 2 words used together before).

Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to increase my vocabulary (at least temporarily ).

- GT

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, I've seen photos of this map that you posted in at least 3 different places fairly recently and I've been fascinated by it each time. (I've been enchanted by maps my entire life, I think.)

The first time I saw it, the knife in the photo was placed somewhat differently, and some of the writing on the map piqued my curiosity. I intended to ask you some related questions, but kept forgetting. And now I've discovered that Google could answer my questions for me.

I wondered about the origins of the name Allerton Bywater, since there's a street named Allerton 5 blocks from my house that I cross at least 10 times per week. Google's etymology for "allerton" (farmstead of the alder trees) was not at all what I had idly conjectured.

I also wondered about the cryptic label "Oddball dragline". I was familiar with each term individually, at least as used in the U.S., but suspected the phrase might have a completely different meaning in Yorkshire. But Google informed me that its Yorkshire meaning matches its U.S. meaning (although I don't think I'd ever seen the 2 words used together before).

Anyway, thanks for the opportunity to increase my vocabulary (at least temporarily ).

- GT

I'm glad it was of so much interest to you Gary I have a couple of friends who live at Allerton Bywater, which has a Leeds postcode. It is on the edge of a town called Castleford (AKA Cas-Vegas), which I visited on the Wizard's Quest. I've only been to St Aidan's Nature Park once, but in the pub, in the nearest village, Fairburn, I got talking to a Canadian woman, who has lived there for many years

Few pics (I can move these to the Lounge if they're not appropriate here):

 

[5K Qs]

I'm glad it was of so much interest to you Gary I have a couple of friends who live at Allerton Bywater, which has a Leeds postcode. It is on the edge of a town called Castleford (AKA Cas-Vegas), which I visited on the Wizard's Quest. I've only been to St Aidan's Nature Park once, but in the pub, in the nearest village, Fairburn, I got talking to a Canadian woman, who has lived there for many years

Few pics (I can move these to the Lounge if they're not appropriate here):

Thanks for the photos, Jack.

My wife checked out this book from our public library. She's been reading several books about women during World War II. I decided to read the book while she was reading another early last month, since I have Dutch ancestry. It was an informative book, but certainly reinforced the idea that "war is hell", perhaps especially for civilians in occupied countries.


- GT

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks for the photos, Jack.

My wife checked out this book from our public library. She's been reading several books about women during World War II. I decided to read the book while she was reading another early last month, since I have Dutch ancestry. It was an informative book, but certainly reinforced the idea that "war is hell", perhaps especially for civilians in occupied countries.
View attachment 1861094

- GT

Hannie Schaft is one of my heroes Gary. If you ever get the chance you might like to visit the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, I've been a couple of times.

Hannie and Truus going out to work.

I know you have an interest in unusual colanders

You might also find the movie Black Book of interest. Also...

 

[Jack Black]

Just picked this up from the free library on my street The book is set in a different town to the film, Doncaster in South Yorkshire, and originally titled Jack's Return Home

 

[unclekurty]

I just started this one. I have read a bit about Burton and also this expedition. I found some knife content:

Burton filled his pockets with everything from note- and sketchbooks to a watch, compass, thermometer, and knife. The knife itself was an extremely useful, multipurpose tool, which “should contain scissors, tweezers, tooth-pick, and ear-pick, needle, file, picker, steel for fire, turnscrew, watch-spring saw, clasp-blade, and pen-blade.”

View attachment 1862378

 

[mbkr]

I just started this one. I have read a bit about Burton and also this expedition. I found some knife content:

Burton filled his pockets with everything from note- and sketchbooks to a watch, compass, thermometer, and knife. The knife itself was an extremely useful, multipurpose tool, which “should contain scissors, tweezers, tooth-pick, and ear-pick, needle, file, picker, steel for fire, turnscrew, watch-spring saw, clasp-blade, and pen-blade.”

View attachment 1862378

Interesting looking book. I've put it on my "write this down because you'll never remember it when you need too" list

That's quite a list of tools. I've never heard of a multitool/knife with a "watch spring saw". For that matter I never heard of a "watch spring saw". Was sawing watch springs a thing back in the day?

 

[dantzk8]

Dan.

 

[unclekurty]

Interesting looking book. I've put it on my "write this down because you'll never remember it when you need too" list

That's quite a list of tools. I've never heard of a multitool/knife with a "watch spring saw". For that matter I never heard of a "watch spring saw". Was sawing watch springs a thing back in the day?

They took loads of scientific equipment with them that usually rusted and broke down quickly. Whatever a “watch spring saw“ did it I bet was related to that.

Burton was a fascinating character. I first learned of Burton in a Science Fiction book series by Philip Jose Farmer called Riverworld. I have to read that series again.

I sure would like to see a knife used by Burton. He was supposedly one of the greatest swordsman of his day. I bet he had a bunch swords and knives he collected from his travels. I think he would have loved a SAK.

 

[mbkr]

They took loads of scientific equipment with them that usually rusted and broke down quickly. Whatever a “watch spring saw“ did it I bet was related to that.

Ah. Bet you're right

 

[5K Qs]

Burton was a fascinating character. I first learned of Burton in a Science Fiction book series by Philip Jose Farmer called Riverworld. I have to read that series again.

When I first saw your post with the book, I was going to ask if it was nonfiction about the real Burton rather than science fiction about a resurrected Burton in Farmer's Riverworld series. You're good; you answer my questions before I even ask them!

- GT

 

[5K Qs]

Hannie Schaft is one of my heroes Gary. If you ever get the chance you might like to visit the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, I've been a couple of times.

Hannie and Truus going out to work.

I know you have an interest in unusual colanders

You might also find the movie Black Book of interest. Also...

Jack, I think it's a remarkable coincidence that a book my wife selected and I happened to read by chance between books of my own choosing had one of your heroes as its subject. I'm sure you'd enjoy the book, published in 2021; it does a good job of citing its sources in footnotes, and I remember being surprised that one of the frequently used sources was a memoir written by Truus Oversteegen, one of Hannie's comrades-in-arms. I was also surprised that the sculpture featuring Hannie, shown on the website for which you provided a link, was done by Truus. One of the locations their resistance cell often met was an artist's house that backed up against a woods, and apparently after the war, the artist helped Truus become a sculptor.

My wife and daughter visited the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, but I've never been there. They also visited a little town in Belgium that apparently maintains a "shrine" to the U.S. Army's 104th Infantry Division (the Timberwolves) that apparently liberated their town as the war in Europe wound down. My wife's father served in that division.

The porcelain-lined colander is interesting, and I always enjoy the "infinite regress" pictured on Droste chocolate labels, with a Dutch girl holding a Droste product whose label has a Dutch girl holding a Droste product whose label has a Dutch girl holding a Droste product whose label has a ...

- GT

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, I think it's a remarkable coincidence that a book my wife selected and I happened to read by chance between books of my own choosing had one of your heroes as its subject. I'm sure you'd enjoy the book, published in 2021; it does a good job of citing its sources in footnotes, and I remember being surprised that one of the frequently used sources was a memoir written by Truus Oversteegen, one of Hannie's comrades-in-arms. I was also surprised that the sculpture featuring Hannie, shown on the website for which you provided a link, was done by Truus. One of the locations their resistance cell often met was an artist's house that backed up against a woods, and apparently after the war, the artist helped Truus become a sculptor.

My wife and daughter visited the Resistance Museum in Amsterdam, but I've never been there. They also visited a little town in Belgium that apparently maintains a "shrine" to the U.S. Army's 104th Infantry Division (the Timberwolves) that apparently liberated their town as the war in Europe wound down. My wife's father served in that division.

The porcelain-lined colander is interesting, and I always enjoy the "infinite regress" pictured on Droste chocolate labels, with a Dutch girl holding a Droste product whose label has a Dutch girl holding a Droste product whose label has a Dutch girl holding a Droste product whose label has a ...

- GT

It is indeed Gary, isn't life full of them? An old friend of mine lives in Haarlan, so I have visited the town a number of times. I'm glad your wife and daughter were able to visit the Resistance Museum, it's in quite an interesting part of Amsterdam too. The Belgian town sounds interesting, do you know its name? If I remember correctly, the German helmet colander is enamelled steel, as is the other one, which is actually a chamber-pot!

 

[Jolipapa]

 

[jlauffer]

Love'em or hate'em, can't deny their impact

View attachment 1864030

 

[mbkr]

I think it's up to the 16th edition now.

 

[Jack Black]

One of my favourite comic books, full of wry Scottish humour

 

[5K Qs]

It is indeed Gary, isn't life full of them? An old friend of mine lives in Haarlan, so I have visited the town a number of times. I'm glad your wife and daughter were able to visit the Resistance Museum, it's in quite an interesting part of Amsterdam too. The Belgian town sounds interesting, do you know its name? If I remember correctly, the German helmet colander is enamelled steel, as is the other one, which is actually a chamber-pot!

Jack, I asked my wife about the Belgian town, and she told me it was actually a town in the Netherlands, but couldn't remember its name. I did some searching of the web, and wonder if the town might have been Achtmaal. See the entry for May 5 in this link:
https://www.timberwolf104inf.org/eurotour.html

Regarding the colander and chamber-pot, I'm not very knowledgeable about practical stuff, but I wonder if there's a UK/USA terminology difference on the materials. I've seen references online to porcelain-enameled steel; what other materials than porcelain are used for enameling is something I now need to look up. As the Preacher in Ecclesiastes said, "Much study is a weariness of the flesh."

- GT

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, I asked my wife about the Belgian town, and she told me it was actually a town in the Netherlands, but couldn't remember its name. I did some searching of the web, and wonder if the town might have been Achtmaal. See the entry for May 5 in this link:
https://www.timberwolf104inf.org/eurotour.html

Thanks Gary, I've travelled quite extensively in the Netherlands, but I've also been to a lot of small towns, the names of which, I'd struggle to remember. I remember driving from Amsterdam to Cologne once too. Thanks for the info

Regarding the colander and chamber-pot, I'm not very knowledgeable about practical stuff, but I wonder if there's a UK/USA terminology difference on the materials. I've seen references online to porcelain-enameled steel; what other materials than porcelain are used for enameling is something I now need to look up. As the Preacher in Ecclesiastes said, "Much study is a weariness of the flesh."

Perhaps that is the case Gary

 

[mitch13]

Love'em or hate'em, can't deny their impact

View attachment 1864030

Huh they aren't Aussie rules players
Just kiddin even I know who they are.
Nice knife