As we enter a new year, it’s pure delight to feature Lis McDernott to the ‘Made in Wiltshire’ section of Born again Swindonian. Writing is creating. And creating is making. So writing fits here as well as anything else.
Lis’ writing and business personas cross over somewhat. As the Headshot Diva, Lis does what it says and takes great headshot photographs. The crossover comes because Lis has written a book on that very topic – and you can find out more about that here.
Yet her output is much broader than that and I’m in awe. I mean, I do a spot of writing myself. There’s this blog for a start. And this year I became a published author for the first time with Secret Swindon.
Plus, I’ve now got ‘Swindon in 50 Buildings‘ underway. But the prolific Lis is three books ahead of me. And fiction? No. That’s not me at all. I don’t have that sort of creativity.
Hailing from Leicester, Lis now lives in Royal Wootton Basset with her husband, Conrad.
Lis is musically trained, with a thirty-four year long career in music education under her belt. During this period, along with Mary Edwards she co-authored (under the pseudonym Lis Fletcher), Nelson Music. Nelson Music being a three-volume music scheme for primary schools.
2008 saw Lis change career and turn to photography. This allowed her to bring together her two passions: pictures and people. Complementing the photography, Lis gives talks on the topic and on writing and changing career at a later stage in life. (I sure as heck know all about that! What with necessity being the mother of reinvention. Baby boomer deprived of state pension and all that jazz)
Lis became an author in her own right in 2014 with the publication of ‘Headshot Diva‘. A proud moment came with a short story she penned being included in a short story anthology.
In 2017 Lis published her own book of short stories, ‘Changing Lives: 8 short stories’. Her latest book is, ‘Mixed Feelings‘, an autobiography.
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Amazon Links
Should you be interested in buying any of Lis’ books – and why wouldn’t you be – here are links to them on Amazon.
I don’t know if it’s astonishing or not, but it strikes me as being so, that there should be three long-standing retail businesses within a few yards of each other. Anyway – be that as it may – having already covered Deacon’s Jewellers and Blaylock’s Shoes it seemed only right to have a look at another long-standing Old Town business: Gilbert’s Home Furnishings.
Gilbert’s then, established in1886, has been in the business of serving their customers for 150 years.
Originally established in 1866, current owner Graeme Gatrill took on the business in 1991.
William Gilbert (1831-1911)
Philip Gilbert, a sawyer by trade, married Sarah Chouls in Great Bedwyn in 1828. Their son, William Gilbert, entered the world in 1831 at Grafton, near Marlborough.
By the time William Gilbert married Susanna Caroline (née Beaven) in Calne in 1860, he described himself as a ‘cabinet maker journeyman’. The couple made their first home in Blowthorn Street, Marlborough. But 1865 saw them living at 12 Belle Vue Road in Swindon and Willian employed as a grocer. A trade he continued to ply at that address for the rest of the decade. In 1867 he added ‘upholsterer’ to his occupations and cabinet maker in 1869. Thus the status quo remained until an unspecified point between 1871 and 1875.
At the earlier date, William Gilbert described himself as a ‘cabinet maker one man’ – though still living at Belle Vue Road. By 1875 though, the Gilbert family, comprising five children with another son on the way, relocated to a house and shop on the Newport Street site. Once there he advertised himself as a cabinet maker, selling a variety of furniture, fixtures and fittings for the home. Alongside all that, and on land at the year, he set up his furniture warehouse on the premises.
By 1881, William had staff. By now he employed one man and two apprentices. Following in his father’s footsteps, Gilbert’s firstborn son became a cabinet maker. As tradition often dictates, the couple’s second child, Emily, did what her mother had done before her and became a dressmaker.
In 1186-1887, the Gilbert clan rebuilt and remodelled the Newport Street shop to provide 6,000 square feet of warehousing space. The family moved around the corner into Ingleside, at 40 Devizes Road. In 1889 the business became William Gilbert and Son. The son, Albert John (AK John Gilbert) became the effective business boss in 1900.
Trams
In 1904 the new-fangled trams came to Old Town and the Gilbert business found itself a mere few yards from the Old Town terminus. The canny business owner capitalised on his serendipitous proximity to the tram terminus by telling his customers to ask the conductor for fares to ‘Gilbert’s furniture please!’
The elder Gilberts were still at Ingleside in 1906 when Susanna died. The following year, William wed Rosanna Breakwell, 23 years his junior.
Last weekend saw me – and many others – in Swindon’s Old Town being part of The Journey.
The Journey, as described on photographer Elmar Rubio’s website, was ‘an immense, immersive theatrical telling of the Christmas story’. It entailed a processional performance that unfolded throughout Old Town that showed ‘the true nature, the faith and the fearlessness of those chosen to birth and raise Jesus Christ. It was truly epic, beautiful and moving and I offer my biggest and most heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all those who made it happen.
It began at Lethbridge School with crowd scenes, and the Romans telling the residents of Nazareth that they had to return to their birth place to be counted – for a census. The Journey progressed down to Wood Street, through a bazaar, and into Christ Church for the Nativity – with a real baby!
As I walked along with the performance it occurred to me how much the Christmas story carries resonances for all of us. Whether you’re a firm believer in God and Christ, are on the fence or strongly of the opinion that it’s nothing more than the greatest story ever told – it has resonances. Because, aside from the birth of Christ element, the Christmas story is one of people being made to move en masse, without fault and without choice. Whether it be fleeing from war, or famine or natural disaster – or forced from their homes for racist/political reasons – people have suffered mass exodus since time immemorial. The world hasn’t come to anything. Such atrocities were ever thus.
The residents of Nazareth, and all towns and villages in the region, were forced to undertake a long and arduous journey to Bethlehem because the Romans decided to count the population in its occupied territories. No matter if you were old, or sick or, like Mary, heavily pregnant – you had to go. Many must have died along the way.
And mass exodus is something that moved David Bent to paint his Movement 2000 collection. These works took David two years to paint. He undertook the project from feeling moved, inspired – driven even – to create a major piece of work in celebration of the new millennium. When he chose ‘Movement’ as the umbrella title for these paintings he was inadvertently prescient. Why? Because around this time the Balkan/Yugoslav raged. And, as we know, where ever conflict exists there are refugees. Where ever there is conflict there are people on the move seeking sanctuary.
So as I toddled along reflecting on all this, I considered how apt that this performance take place in a town that is home to the Harbour Project, aiding refugees and asylum seekers and is Swindon City of Sanctuary. And I reflected too, how so so very fortunate I am – that I am not them. I reflected that, to coin a cliché – there but for the grace of God go I. Go you. Go all of us.
Yet, despite all that, and as Interesting Literature.Com, points out, Aladdin is not Arabian but Chinese. Nor is he an orphan but a ne’r do well. And I can testify to that. Pictured below you see a Collins book of Fairy Tales given to me in 1966 (Yes – I AM quite old!). You’ll see from the image of the text at the story’s start, that Aladdin is indeed Chinese and a lazy so-and-so.
1966 edition
Aladdin and the magic lamp
The genie in the lamp
Whatever – Aladdin and the Magic Lamp is one of the best known and oft repeated of pretty much any fairy tale you care to mention, since its first appearance. Hence its place as part of the pantomime repertoire. Which brings us to Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre and the 2018 panotmime production.
Aladdin: Saturday 8th December – Sunday 6th January 2019
So last night (11th December), I donned my festive top, antlers and flashing light bulb necklace in readiness for some Swindon panto-style silliness. As my companion and I took our seats in a chock-full auditorium the excitement was palpable. We were ready for the off.
Should you be wondering where this version is set, Arabia or China – well that would be spoilers eh? And do they have Aladdin cast as lazy ne’r do well or a good son? Well that would be spoilers too!
What I can tell you is that all the panto elements you know and love are here. So, there’s booing and hissing and jeering and cheering. There’s a pantomime dame – of course. The genie proper looked the part! There’s the ubiquitous ‘he’s behind you’ – mild peril section and of course the audience participation section. My 2-year-old granddaughter had moved on from the infamous, viral Baby Shark song mod late. Thus I’d just about got that particular ear-worm out of my head. Now it”s well and truly back in there. So thanks for that Wyvern! Should you be lucky enough to have escaped it thus far – here, for your listening pleasure and subsequent insanity – it is: https://youtu.be/GR2o6k8aPlI
In summary then …
All the festive panto family fun you know and love. It’s a cracking night out so if you’ve not booked yet then do it. You’ll have a blast. Oh – on the subject of blasts …. did I mention the nerf guns?! No? Well I have now. Be warned!
Students & Sanctuary Seekers highlight the importance of Safety & Welcome in Swindon
On Tuesday 11th December, 4:00pm-5:00pm, at Drove Primary School,teachers from Drove Primary School and artists Rachel Pryor and Nicky-Ann Walker will discuss the inspiration for the new mural, The Journey to Safety and Welcome, now hanging in the entrance of the school. They’ll also explain how it came about as the result of a unique collaboration between children at the school and members of The Harbour Project Art Group.
Begun during Refugee Week earlier this year, the work is part of an ongoing collaboration between Drove Primary School and Swindon City of Sanctuary through its Schools of Sanctuary work.
Schools of Sanctuary began in Yorkshire and there are now Schools of Sanctuary in Wales, Ireland and many English cities and towns. Here in Swindon, eight schools are working towards this nationally recognised award.
A School of Sanctuary is a school that is committed to being a safe and welcoming place for all, especially those seeking sanctuary. This could be people whose lives were in danger in their own country, who have troubles at home or are just looking for a space of safety.
Artist Rachel Pryor said her work at The Harbour Project made her very mindful of just how important safety and welcome is:
“In our art group, people often talk about home. They come to the UK with no network of friends or family and can wait a long time for a decision on their asylum claim. It’s unbelievably tough. Art can help express some of those feelings of loss, which are often better expressed in a visual language. “
She added:
“I was so impressed how the children helping had thought carefully about the things and people they would miss if they became refugees. Developing empathy and compassion is such an important part of our human development whatever age we are.”
It is a sentiment with which Cristina Bennett, volunteer Schools of Sanctuary lead, agrees:
“Schools of Sanctuary is all about embedding a culture of welcome and inclusion for everyone in the school – teachers and teaching assistants, non-teaching staff, pupils and parents. That’s why this mural is so special. It features the work of every single year group, from nursery through to Year 6, as well as the work of our Harbour Project friends. We hope it will inspire all who see it to think more deeply about what welcome means, to reflect on how we cannot take any of our freedoms for granted and, to think about our actions in welcoming people who are new to our communities.”
This event will also give teaching colleagues and friends the chance to share, informally, their own School of Sanctuary work since the launch on 17th January 2018.
About Swindon City of Sanctuary
Swindon City of Sanctuary fosters a culture of welcome, inclusion and support for everyone in Swindon, with a focus on those seeking sanctuary.
In practical terms, we do this by bringing people and organisations together, providing support through projects, running community events, raising awareness and campaigning for social justice, thereby contributing to the wider, national movement that is City of Sanctuary.
1. Mural of The Journey to Safety and Welcome – created by Rachel Pryor and Nicky- Ann Walker in collaboration with Drove Primary School and The Harbour Project Art Group.
