60 UP

Mum and Dad celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary today.

They had a nice card from the Queen,

though I know they’d have preferred a Chinese takeaway from Chung Hwa with me and Sis; that’ll have to wait.

There won’t be a (belated) celebratory pint in The Sun. Mum’s not a Pub (Wo)Man, and probably doesn’t regard Wetherspoons or the pizzeria at the White Horse as pubs.

In fact the only story I can tell you about Mum and pubs stems from a stop half-way up the A1 towards Hovingham 25 years ago.


The sole purpose of Blyth (Notts), pop. 1,233, seems to be to provide “Home made” Lasagne to gentlefolks who reminisce about the “intolerable behaviour” of monks at Blyth Priory on two occasions in the middle ages.

It looked such a genteel place when I popped there to reminisce this afternoon.

The White Swan looks a typical village all-rounder these days,

but back in 1995 it was, I fear, the first Midlands pub Mum had ever been to (a Chef & Brewer in Northampton doesn’t count), and the Old Boy puffing away at the bar* didn’t take too kindly to being asked if he’d mind not smoking as she was eating.

“Mum, it’s a pub !” I may have said.

Remarkably, the Old Boy upped and offed, wishing us “a pleasant evening, m’duck” (or similar).

I think Mum was still talking about it when we reached York. Something eerie happened in Hovingham to divert her attention, but I’ll save that for the film adaption**.

A decade or so later the White Swan made the Guide (Black Sheep NBSS 3.5), joining the now GBG stalwart the Red Hart, which admirably fed a 10 year old Matthew once when he turned down the McDonalds in the Service Station opposite. I’m not making this up.

Which leaves The Angel, still boasting the Hardy & Hanson livery that tempted us to an overnight stay in the days when I couldn’t manage a drive from Cambridge to Newcastle in a day.


A rather shorter GBG stay for the Angel, a 3rd pub for those 1,233 villagers and occasional tourists.

But what happened to the Fourways ? And how did I miss the Pedi on my stay ?

You know, with a curry house round the corner, I reckon Blyth might just be your best bet on the Great North Road. But don’t tell Tuxford.

*Younger readers may be alarmed to know that in distant times smoking was actually allowed IN pubs.

** It wasn’t Mrs RM drinking two pints old Old Peculier in 20 minutes either, though that happened on that trip.

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

30 thoughts on “60 UP”

    2. Having been to Japan several times it would also make me happy. The best time is when you can catch snow in the mountains along with the advancing Cherry Blossom Front, which is avidly followed in the media. It has started (early) for this year but perhaps I might go again next year, although there again the long flight might put me off.

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  3. “Mum and Dad celebrated their Diamond Wedding Anniversary today.”

    A hearty congrats! Hopefully me and my darling wife get to do the same some day. 🙂

    “They had a nice card from the Queen,”

    What? No ‘real’ diamonds? 😉

    “though I know they’d have preferred a Chinese takeaway from Chung Hwa with me and Sis; that’ll have to wait.”

    (grrrr)

    “Mum’s not a Pub (Wo)Man,”

    Neither was my mum.

    “The sole purpose of Blyth (Notts), pop. 1,233, seems to be to provide “Home made” Lasagne to gentlefolks who reminisce about the “intolerable behaviour” of monks at Blyth Priory on two occasions in the middle ages.”

    Probably because they were making beer. 😉

    “and the Old Boy puffing away at the bar* didn’t take too kindly to being asked if he’d mind not smoking as she was eating.”

    Oh, oh.

    “Remarkably, the Old Boy upped and offed, wishing us “a pleasant evening, m’duck” (or similar).”

    (smiles)

    “Something eerie happened in Hovingham to divert her attention, but I’ll save that for the film adaption**.”

    Wait. You’re theatres are still open? Or are we talking Netflix here. 🙂

    “which admirably fed a 10 year old Matthew once when he turned down the McDonalds in the Service Station opposite”

    🙂

    “that tempted us to an overnight stay in the days when I couldn’t manage a drive from Cambridge to Newcastle in a day.”

    Blimey. Roads were that bad?

    “You know, with a curry house round the corner, I reckon Blyth might just be your best bet on the Great North Road. But don’t tell Tuxford.”

    My lips are sealed.

    “** It wasn’t Mrs RM drinking two pints old Old Peculier in 20 minutes either, though that happened on that trip.”

    And thus are legends born. 🙂

    Cheers

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    2. That overnight stop 20 years ago must have come from a time when I hadn’t been to EVERY village up the A1 at least 3,000 times and there was enjoyment in exploring (and a GBG tick at the Angel, of course).

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      1. “That overnight stop 20 years ago must have come from a time when I hadn’t been to EVERY village up the A1 at least 3,000 times and there was enjoyment in exploring (and a GBG tick at the Angel, of course).”

        (slaps forehead) That makes more sense. 🙂

        Cheers

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      2. The journey from Cambridge to Sheffield takes just over 2 hours on a clear day. I don’t think there’s anywhere on the route I haven’t explored to death. I’d have to go north of Newcastle now for new sights, and you’re not allowed in Scotland !

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      1. Funnily enough the slippery slope started with wine not beer, when I bought 24 bottles to secure half price round the world tickets with Air New Zealand.

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  7. Nice photo of your parents, Martin. Did you have to write to the Palace to order the card? I remember applying for one for my parents, and then having the difficult job of trying to prise out the name of the church they were married at – they lived in London at the time.

    Having a suspicious mind, my mother knew I was up to something, but fortunately was still nicely surprised when the card dropped through the letter box.

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    1. Mum mentioned it to my sister, who wrote to the Palace ! Mum couldn’t find the wedding certificate, which is odd as she has kept every other bit of paper since 1961. Apparently they married in March for tax reasons (only heard that from them yesterday); financial acumen runs deep.

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      1. I seem to recall you mentioned that they got married in Eaton Bray – I lived up the road in Edlesborough and was absolutely gutted not to be invited. Of course, I was only six years old, so perhaps they were worried that I wouldn’t behave myself. Congratulations to them both, nevertheless.

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    1. I think you slightly misread that line, Duncan. The film will be about the events leading up to the farmhouse B & B owner shouting “But what about the bill ?” and my mum surmising that “Someone had died”.

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