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Berwick Area Heart Support Group November 2008 Newsletter
SPEAKERS
For Wednesday November 5th (DayHospital, Berwick Infirmary, 7.00pm) David Banks, previously Editor, Daily Mirror, now columnist on the Journal will give a talk: "Crookham to Fleet Street and Back".David also has recent experience of successful stem-cell therapy and some rather wonderful care by the NHS.
For December 3rd (our pre-Christmas ‘do’) we have the return of our Hon President Dr Higham, Cardiologist, to give us an illustrated up-date on cardiology as we meet it in NHS Northumberland.
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THANKS
Lynda Bankier, the Berwick Archivist, was our Speaker at the October meeting. She is in charge of documents, maps and pictures kept at Wallace Green. These record Berwick’s long history. Berwick was ‘of’ England, not ‘in’ England from 1500s, and needed to be included separately in any Acts of Parliament until 1741. ‘Independence’ perhaps accounts for the richness of the records and the size of the archive for a town of this size. The records have not been sent elsewhere. They need and get careful care, for example burglar and smoke alarms and control of humidity, and non-rusting paper clips!
A lot of the collection is now available on-line. It is not possible to digitise all documents but Lynda aims to put a complete catalogue on-line for people to see what is there.
On-line visitors are helped by an email service and people can visit and search ‘in-person’ Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Academics and searchers of family histories come from all over. Some of the genealogical research service must be charged for if Lynda must spend time doing the research. People of course meet one another during their searches. Three men with the same name, for example, could not be sure whether they were all of common descent and decided to get a DNA check. It turned out that they did share the same Berwick ancestor. Sometimes photos are sufficient to show family resemblance. (A bit uncanny to see your dad’s face in somebody you have never met and then also see a similar face in a great granddad 120 years ago.) Berwick is an attractive ‘historical’ tourist town and this is an important part of the local economy, and researches into past families and circumstances add to the attraction. Last year saw the return of descendents of the ‘Harvey Settlement’, now scattered all over the world but some still living near the original ‘settlement’ near Fredericton, New Brunswick, up the St John river from the coast of eastern Canada. The first ship left Berwick for Canada in 1834 carrying families from both sides of the Border.
The first half of the 19thCentury was a desperately hard time for many. The 1850 ‘Health Report’ was scathing about the appalling conditions, particularly of Wallace Green. A very damp room 10 feet by 10 feet would be lived in by a couple and 6 children, and there were open sewage drains in the street and outbreaks of cholera. And these folk were charged hefty rents. The Health Report recorded that £1000 would re-house the lot! This is contrasted with the amount that was actually spent on the New Gaol; £8000, finished in 1849 and only used for 20 years. We are familiar with the building: the Council Offices, Wallace Green, where the Archive is held. History goes on and we wonder what the building will become now that finally Berwick is incorporated into the Unitary Authority? We will still need our records, though, I guess
Lynda gives talks to a wide range of groups and helps with projects for schools and for old folks who value some memory jogging. Many of our not-so-old group found that the Berwick that they knew as youngsters is now part of that history, and names and shop fronts they well remembered are now only ‘in the record’. Thanks to Lynda for a fascinating journey near and far.
Phil
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ALMONDS
As a follow-on from recent research reports (see October Newsletter) on the value of the Mediterranean Diet in delaying Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as heart and artery problems, almonds keep getting a ‘Good Press’ in the scientific studies.
Eating almonds significantly decreased levels of two biomarkers for oxidative stress in a group of 27 male and female volunteers with elevated cholesterol. The study was conducted by scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service, the Almond Board of California, and the Canada Research Chair Endowment. [Oxidative stress in our arteries combines with ‘bad’ cholesterol to increase the damage to artery linings that lead to heart and general artery disease and risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney problems and leg gangrene.)
Coauthor Jeffrey Blumberg is director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at the JeanMayerUSDAHumanNutritionResearchCenter on Aging (HNRCA) at TuftsUniversity in Boston, Mass.USA. He and colleagues reported the findings from this study in the Journal of Nutrition.
HNRCA scientists analyzed blood and urine samples from the subjects. Doses ranged from 1 to 2 and half ounces almonds each day. The ‘subjects’ consumed a low-fat background diet [example; “Mediterranean Diet”] and were counselled on strategies to maintain weight and to consistently follow their usual exercise routines throughout each test phase.
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Wally’s Yarn
STUD ROOSTER
A farmer went out one day and bought a brand new stud rooster for his chicken coop. The new rooster struts over to the old rooster and says, 'OK old fart, time for you to retire.'
The old rooster replies, “Come on, surely you cannot handle ALL of these chickens. Look what it has done to me Can't you just let me have the two old hens over in the corner?'”
The young rooster says, “Beat it: You are washed up and I am taking over.”
The old rooster says, “I tell you what, young stud. I will race you around the farmhouse. Whoever wins gets the exclusive domain over the entire chicken coop.”
The young rooster laughs. “You know you don't stand a chance, old man. So, just to be fair, I will give you a head start.”
The old rooster takes off running. About 15 seconds later the young rooster takes off running after him. They round the front porch of the farmhouse and the young rooster has closed the gap. He is only about 5 feet behind the old rooster and gaining fast. The farmer, meanwhile, is sitting in his usual spot on the front porch
when he sees the roosters running by.
The Old Rooster is squalking and running as hard as he can.
The Farmer grabs his shotgun and - BOOM -he blows the young rooster to bits. The farmer sadly shakes his head and says, “Dammit.....third gay rooster I bought this month.”
Moral of this story? ....
Don't mess with the OLD FARTS - age, skill, wisdom, and a little treachery always overcome youth and arrogance!
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