Virtual Office Thursday already

Morning! Ordinary office today, I think, cos there was a Riverford delivery, and I've an appointment in the village in a bit, but that means I definitely need to brighten the day up! I've been thinking about my Victorian story a lot lately (remember that? - gosh, just over a year ago now...). I wrote 50k of it for NaNoWriMo last year, but god it was dull and dreary, so I need to tear it down and start again. Also, recent inspiration has made me realise something that was missing. Here are some clues... *g* The first is a gorgeous postcard I received from someone who'd also been thinking of my Victorian story - yeay! The second is the clock I bought to replace my Ikea-blue-sky one, which worked for just about a month before giving up the ghost. The third is a picture of the huge-enormous buildings I used to pass when I lived in Cambs. - they were actually in Beds., and I always wondered what they were for. I thought probably something WWII, some kind of hangar, but they always seemed even too big for that (see all the other buildings around it? See the church tower?!). I once worked out how to get close enough to see that they're now used for filming sometimes. I could never work out how to google so as to find out more about them - and then the other day, looking up thoughts about that postcard, I came across them. They were airship hangars! Actual zeppelin-type airship hangars, back in the early 1900s - how fab is that?! (And they were also used to film parts of the original Star Wars, one of my favourite movies ever, so bonus - I was always so happy to see them looming up in the landscape, and now there are so many more reasons!) Of course now I'm the other side of the country... *headdesk* But they can still be inspirational... *g*

And then there's my newspaper project - I've subscribed for ages to British Newspaper Archive, and I've also wanted for ages to read the day's paper for the year that my story is set, to get a feel for what people were talking and thinking about, so I'm starting that today too! In today's news... Two newspapers come up for this day, 133 years ago - it was a Sunday, so they say they're "yesterday's news", and they are Lloyd's Weekly News and Reynold's Weekly News. Here's what my Victorian lads would have read about in their paper:
The Coming of Cetawayo, Zulu king from South Africa - "a perfect type of the savage hero"... "We all know the Zulu war was an unjustifiable war; we all know that the deposition and imprisonment of Cetawayo was unjust as well as unpolitic..." (Lloyd's Weekly News)
( About Cetawayo... )

Cricket - "Australians v. Yorkshire - Yesterday the Colonial won this contest at Middlesborough by seven wickets the Yorkshirement totalling 129 and 140, against 222, and the necessary 48 to win." (Lloyd's Weekly News)

( The State of Ireland )

House of Commons reports - ( The Channel Tunnel )

The entertainment column:
Princess's Theatr - Every Evening at Eight, "The Romany Rye" by George R. Sims...At 7.30, A Photographic Fright.
"Pluck" (A Story of £50,000) - A New Sensational and Domestic Drama...
Lyceum Theatre - Romeo and Juliet (125th Performance) every evening at 8.0
Globe Theatre - The Vicar of Bray... a new and original English Comic Opera, in two Acts...
Marion, The Giant Amazon Queen, At the Royal Alhambra Theatre every evening, in the magnificent Silver Armour Scene in the enormously successful Fairy Extravaganza 'Babil and Bijou'. This young lady was born on the 31st Jauary, 1866...at a village in the Thuringian Mountains, Germany, and has attained the remarkable height of 8 feet 2 inches, and is still growing. Notice - The success is so great, that it is absolutely necessary to be early to get seats.
Midgets - Imperial Theatre. Royal American Midgets. General Mite, the Smallest Man in the World, now in his 18th year. Actual weight, 9lbs... Patronised by her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, &c., &c., &c., &c., &c. Admission afternoon or evening, One Shilling.
Victoria Hall - Messrs Poole in Egypt. More new pictures. Great success and grand reception of the New Panorama, illustrative of Alexandria, Cairo and the Suez Canal. Every event of importance and place of interest vividly depicted, in addition to the Mammoth Diorama of the World. Great Concert Company and Banda. Admission 6d. to £1.1s.

( I am fascinated by this... )

More news as I "pick up" the paper throughout the day, but for now I'd better get on with work - much time has passed since I started this, and it's now just past noon - *headdesk* (ETA - now it's half-past noon - apparently I shouldn't be allowed to read old newspapers either. Oh, but interesting...)

( Today's Work... )

Notices to Correspondents...

Still reading today's newspaper (from 1882... *g*) and I've just come across the Notices to Correspondents columns. I am fascinated by this - I want the column back in today's newspapers, and I rather want the job of answering the questions! Now, what do you think they were?!

First of all, a couple of Victorian pics for the imagination (and how well they go together *g*)...

Notices to Correspondents:
Wilts.-1. We should think not. 2. We don't think you can compel him to. You should have seen to it when you took the ground. 3. We cannot say without knowing more of the circumstances.

Bill Blades - If she applies for an order against your son you had better resist it with such evidence as you can produce to show she is leading an immoral life.

Alexandria.-1. Yes; the consent of parents and guardians is only required for minors. 2. An ordinary license costs about £2 2s. 3. Your writing is very good.

Warwick. - No.

Charles Hillier (Rotherhithe). - The Life Guards have not been out of the country since the battle of Waterloo.

J.J.E. - 1. England has not gone to war with Egypt. As Mr Gladstone explains it, the fleet only fired on Alexandria in self-defence. 2. No, we do not believe he is engaged in any private business.

E.B.B. - We think not.

T.Smith. - The United States.

P.C. Courtenay.-1. Keep out of the sun. 2. No.

Naros - 1. Either of them. 2. Yes. 3. Yes. 4. In England and Wales only. 5. If you think they are married you can ascertain the fact by searching at Somerset House.

D.Barratt. - At Mssrs Eyre and Spottiswoode's, East Harding street, Fetter lane, London, E.C. The price depends upon the length.

H.A. - We do not understand your question.

Tero. - The one with rising gallery, of course.

Corsham, W. - 1. No, you cannot. 2. Not that we are aware of. 3. We are unable to say.

Doubtful. - Yes, a will made on a Sunday is quite legal.

Late night giggle...

This is probably ancient, but I've just come across it. Hee.

Sometimes adverts are just very clever and worth watching... *g*