tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.comments2024-03-18T16:16:19.620+00:00Don't Throw a 1Ray Rousellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comBlogger40975125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-2835227297461492672024-03-18T10:34:26.372+00:002024-03-18T10:34:26.372+00:00Bit long winded, but……..
Gordon returned to Britai...Bit long winded, but……..<br />Gordon returned to Britain and in1865 commanded the Royal Engineers' project around Gravesend, Kent, to erect forts for the defence of the River Thames. Gordon disapproved of the forts he was building at the mouth of Thames to guard against a possible French invasion, regarding them as expensive and useless. <br />Following the death of his father, he undertook extensive social work in Gravesend, feeding homeless boys whom he found begging on the street while also attempting to find them homes and jobs. Many of the "scuttlers," as Gordon fondly called the homeless boys, were lodged at his own home, the Fort House. Together with Mrs. Sarah Mackley, his housekeeper, he adapted two rooms at Fort House to serve as classrooms and basic needs resource rooms for boys living on the streets. He also rented a small house in East Terrace for working boys to be taught for free. Gordon's closest friends were a couple, Frederick and Octavia Freese, whose son Edward, became Gordon's surrogate son. Persuaded by his friends in 1867, he became a trustee for the local Ragged School committee. Before 1870, there was no universal school system in Britain, and the Ragged Schools were a network of privately-funded schools that gave a free education to children whose parents were too poor to afford the school fees. Outside of the Fort House were graffito written on the wall by one of the evidently less-educated boys that read: "God Bless the Kernel". Another "scuttler" later recalled: "He made me feel, first of all, the meaning of the phrase, the Goodness of God. Goodness become to me, through Gordon, the most desirable of ideas...We were under the spell of Gordon's personality. We lived in the magic of his mystery-enchanted".<br />Every year, Gordon gave away about 90% of his annual income of £3,000 (equivalent to £351,000 in 2021) to charity. Gordon did not enjoy his celebrity status, and though extremely charismatic, he only kept a limited circle of friends and found dealing with strangers difficult. A colleague recalled that Gordon's time at Gravesend was the "most peaceful and happy of his life", but Gordon was often bored, and constantly asked the War Office for an assignment to somewhere dangerous. <br />Gordon's memory, as well as his work in supervising the town's riverside fortifications, is commemorated in Gravesend, the embankment of the Riverside Leisure Area is known as the Gordon Promenade and Gordon Gardens where the statue of him was placed. Four of the Rejects, Postie, Smiffy, Surj and myself all went to Gordon School, named after him, unfortunately the school closed in 1987.<br />The house he lived in while staying in Gravesend was destroyed by a bomb during WWII, the site is now part of the Fort Gardens, within the Gordon Promenade. Most Gravesender’s call the whole area, The Prom.<br />Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-59645161526875637452024-03-18T10:15:00.882+00:002024-03-18T10:15:00.882+00:00Crazy ah?Crazy ah?Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-82429923117678345652024-03-18T10:14:40.833+00:002024-03-18T10:14:40.833+00:00Thanks Lawrence, it was a pretty easy paint tbh.Thanks Lawrence, it was a pretty easy paint tbh.Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-9678727563661784122024-03-18T10:14:13.431+00:002024-03-18T10:14:13.431+00:00It certainly is, Simon.It certainly is, Simon.Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-91020686315051769092024-03-18T10:13:50.096+00:002024-03-18T10:13:50.096+00:00Thanks Neil.Thanks Neil.Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-36930906371370344492024-03-15T22:14:19.890+00:002024-03-15T22:14:19.890+00:00I have no idea as to her connection to Gravesend. ...I have no idea as to her connection to Gravesend. Nicely done Ray. Michael Awdryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07049982879661559305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-64738547056514587522024-03-15T21:33:10.098+00:002024-03-15T21:33:10.098+00:00Nice link to local history there Ray and interesti...Nice link to local history there Ray and interesting to find out the Gravesend association with both these historical figures...what is the story with Gordon of Khartoum?rrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07316317334203888350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-80566904018534145792024-03-15T19:50:20.479+00:002024-03-15T19:50:20.479+00:00Good choice Ray, and beautifully painted.Good choice Ray, and beautifully painted.Lawrence Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11626386564817082992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-42472943878399298242024-03-15T19:27:10.239+00:002024-03-15T19:27:10.239+00:00Good, quick win for the points, Ray. I knew the po...Good, quick win for the points, Ray. I knew the poor lass died over here but not in Gravesend. Such a sad story, imho.Blaxklerichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06986635840718583767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-75111405959042604892024-03-15T19:14:26.043+00:002024-03-15T19:14:26.043+00:00Nice work RayNice work RayNeil Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05796937765907984193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-20547850076101596152024-03-15T17:54:02.672+00:002024-03-15T17:54:02.672+00:00No, I didn't know that! Hmmm.. this could mak...No, I didn't know that! Hmmm.. this could make a little add-on to a future blogpost about the Broadside show.. david in suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02945969485547328039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-70768587924569749702024-03-15T15:21:34.563+00:002024-03-15T15:21:34.563+00:00There you go Jon, you learn something new everyday...There you go Jon, you learn something new everyday.Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-15725488248965857992024-03-15T15:21:14.336+00:002024-03-15T15:21:14.336+00:00Or that she was 12, Disney left that bit out too??...Or that she was 12, Disney left that bit out too???Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-65841920960556607492024-03-15T15:20:42.712+00:002024-03-15T15:20:42.712+00:00There's more than you think David. Did you kno...There's more than you think David. Did you know there's a Will Adams pub in Gillingham too?Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-2618698575404463732024-03-15T15:19:53.828+00:002024-03-15T15:19:53.828+00:00Thanks Michal!Thanks Michal!Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-59809185590541751572024-03-15T15:19:40.743+00:002024-03-15T15:19:40.743+00:00Yep!Yep!Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-67241945056767838772024-03-15T15:15:02.041+00:002024-03-15T15:15:02.041+00:00"Local History: Something from the history of..."Local History: Something from the history of your own land, region or town."<br /><br />Erm... I went to school with a lass who won a national magazine beauty competition in the early noughties, had her boobs done, released a music CD (it didn't do very good), showed off her nearly-new, nekkid boobs in the press, married a footballer and now features on ITVBe footballer's wives/Z-list celeb's programmes. Would she count?Roy Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11363300928888257209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-32920843768337088612024-03-15T12:35:05.650+00:002024-03-15T12:35:05.650+00:00Great work Ray!Great work Ray!Michal DwarfCrypthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05915669873652904866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-6284172353743927842024-03-15T12:18:51.626+00:002024-03-15T12:18:51.626+00:00Looks good Ray, and a nice piece of local history....Looks good Ray, and a nice piece of local history. When I was a child in Gillingham, there was a monument on the 'top road' ( Watling St, old A2 ) which I found much later was to Will Adams, the first Englishman to reach Japan and the inspiration for the 'Shogun' book and films. So that's another one you could maybe use... Lots of history in your area! david in suffolkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02945969485547328039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-87573796327236489882024-03-15T12:17:02.781+00:002024-03-15T12:17:02.781+00:00Learning that Pocahontas ended in Gravesend is new...Learning that Pocahontas ended in Gravesend is news to me. Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-65600846252374275602024-03-15T11:47:32.252+00:002024-03-15T11:47:32.252+00:00I didn't realize she had traveled to England. ...I didn't realize she had traveled to England. (That part wasn't in the Disney movie!)Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-19169447287015433872024-03-15T10:42:30.065+00:002024-03-15T10:42:30.065+00:00Thanks Sgt!Thanks Sgt!Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-65624645718675056872024-03-15T10:42:15.719+00:002024-03-15T10:42:15.719+00:00You're right Keith. At first I was going to co...You're right Keith. At first I was going to concentrate on one period of the war, but before you know it I've got the Spanish and English involved which stopped me painting up these troops that I initially wanted to do.... Sigh.Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-48463442033662359782024-03-15T10:40:26.711+00:002024-03-15T10:40:26.711+00:00It's a great project, which I've very much...It's a great project, which I've very much enjoyed painting up.Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6486757399063403760.post-21124876855434255332024-03-15T10:39:21.646+00:002024-03-15T10:39:21.646+00:00Cheers Bill!Cheers Bill!Ray Rousellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352596392520905197noreply@blogger.com