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dock-at-the-port · 3 years ago

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𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔞 𝔜𝔲

｢ GEMMA CHAN, CIS FEMALE, 35, SHE/HER ｣ ⟨ ✽ ⟩ hey, you haven’t bumped into Lucia Yu lately, have you? they have been living here for the past 6 months and during that time, locals have gotten to know them as generous & dedicated. a little birdie told me they can be quite naive & neurotic though. explains why they’re a baker. they really remind me of the smell of freshly baked bread, dinner by candlelight, and warm hugs. if you’re ever looking for them, i bet you can find them around Māma’s.

further information under the cut;

[TWs: undetailed discussion of an accident, death, and grief]

- Lucia was born in a small flat in Southend-on-Sea, and named for the island country where her parents found love. Hau Lin Yu and Miles Haywood happened to meet at a resort - she was there on a volunteer project, while he was there for a wedding - and never quite forgot each other. For years after what they both thought would be a brief, fondly-remembered fling, they exchanged letters and parcels, until they eventually realised they couldn’t be without one another. After one trip together in England, and then another in China, Miles returned home and mailed off an engagement ring the same day he returned.

- Love was all Lucia knew in her infancy. Her parents were unendingly besotted with one another, and although her father’s parents hadn’t taken so kindly to the union, Lucia’s maternal grandparents fawned over her from a distance. Money was often tight; her mother was a schoolteacher, while her father was a postman, but rarely did anything feel missing in Lucia’s early years. She was a gregarious little girl, friendly to all and enthused by the world around her, with her loving parents encouraging and shielding her all the while.

- Food was at the heart of their household. Lucia first learned to cook alongside her dad, who often finished work far earlier than her mum. He would sit her on the counter and let her be his little helper, passing ingredients and utensils, narrating everything as he went until the meal was done, and they could all enjoy it together. The kitchen was a place to share yourself with others, he would tell her - the route to the heart would always lead through the stomach. On weekends, her mother would still wake up early, and together they’d make breakfast - pancakes in silly shapes that they’d decorate together, bacon and egg smiles, the works. Preparing food was not only to show your love to others, but to yourself. There was no greater act of self-nurturing than preparing a meal or a treat to enjoy. Baking came next, mostly at the behest of her grandmother, who often mailed over packages of delicious Chinese treats rarely found on the coast of England.

- Lucia’s experiences in school were a mixed bag. Friends came and went, often fighting over petty things like borrowed toys and losing games, which left her in the lurch - conflict of that sort was new to her. Her family couldn’t afford all the latest gadgets and crazes, and so there were moments where she felt a bit left out, but her kind and outgoing ways won over most people in the end. The occasional class bully would pull her hair and call her names, but she had friends to fall back on and a family who soothed all woes - what more could she want?

- ...Well, kinder teachers, perhaps. It took a grand total of 15 years for anybody to realise that Lucia was dyslexic. Up until then, she’d heard the same things over and over - she needed to try harder, she just had to apply herself, maybe if she talked a little less in class and raised her hand a little more, she wouldn’t be so stupid. The diagnosis almost felt like too little too late; sure, she’d get extra time for her GCSEs, but her confidence in her own intelligence wouldn’t be so simply won back.

- Still, Lucia spent those formative years growing and learning, in and outside of the British education system. The most significant milestone of which was her first visit to her grandparents in Yantai, China. Her Mandarin was shaky at that point, but her family were warm and welcoming. Her grandfather worked on the docks and knew the town inside and out; immediately, she was the apple of his eye, and all of his fellow retired fishermen knew it. Going out in one of the old boats was a particular highlight - one they’d promised to keep a secret for the rest of their days, lest her grandmother had a fit on finding out. Her grandmother was absolutely the head of their household, but she led it with love first, something she had clearly passed down through the generations. The recipes, however, might have skipped one. Lucia’s mother wasn’t much of a baker, but her grandmother was, and they spent a large part of their visit together in the kitchen. Lucia was a natural, apparently - she had a patient, delicate touch, and plenty of treats to take home with her once all was said and done. Those plane tickets were expensive, but Lucia left with a solemn promise that they’d meet again, as soon as they had the means between them.

- When they returned home, Lucia’s mother decided baking would be a weekly tradition, since her daughter took such a shine to it. Being in the kitchen together became all the more sacred; now, it tied Lucia to her heritage as well. Lucia’s family had grown, their connections had deepened, and everything else felt secondary.

- Baking went from a weekly tradition, to a way of life. First it was the occasional school fundraising event, next it was friend’s birthday cakes, next it was their parents offering money for cakes of their own for parties and the like, then neighbours, until she was almost overrun. Her mum would help - although by that point, her involvement stopped at pitching ideas for decorations, and helping with the dishes afterwards. Her father, proud as ever, snuck supplies home from work to help with deliveries, and Lucia knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

- Academics had always been a bit of a struggle for Lucia as a result of her dyslexia, but that wasn’t so much of a deciding factor for culinary school. The day her acceptance letter from Le Cordon Bleu London arrived was a whirlwind, filled with celebration and joy, long phonecalls with her grandparents and, for the first time in a long time, a cake she didn’t have to make. Her mother had been practicing, apparently - sneaking in attempts here and there, until she finally managed to make a cake of her own. Lucia took a photo of it, one she framed and hung up in her new student accommodation with teary eyes, after a watery farewell from her family. It was the first time she’d ever been away from them, and although the programme was only meant to take 9 months, she knew she’d spend it with a heavy heart.

- Things grew heavier still when, one Tuesday evening, her weekly call home wasn’t answered. Her friends told her it was probably nothing, they were just caught up somewhere, she should just join them for dinner and forget about it - but she knew something wasn’t right. Her fears held true, and finally at two in the morning, one of her phonecalls received an answer. There was an accident, her father told her, through words he could barely string together; her mother hadn’t made it. The only consolation they had was that the paramedics suspected it had been quick for her.

- Despite a wealth of encouragement and support, finishing the programme was just too much. Her father welcomed her home with as much joy as he could muster for somebody suddenly without his soulmate for the first time in years, and together, the two tried to figure out where they fit in the world without its centre. Most of Lucia’s days for the following month involved waking up, making sure her father ate, and crawling back into bed with no further sense of how to go on.

- The funeral was full of friends and family, including Lucia’s grandparents. Being with them felt like home again - and for the first time in a long time, Lucia felt warm in their arms. She felt loved, cared for, like she hadn’t lost everything - and it seemed she and her father did the same for them. A week passed with them staying, and then another, and eventually it was decided; they were family. They had to stay. The elders sold their home, pooled together what savings they had, and emigrated for good. It was nice, to have their constant presence around. It took a year for her father to smile like he meant it at all again, but he got there, and they still had each other.

- Eventually, Lucia realised she had to start working - but baking didn’t feel like an option anymore. It would be years until her grandmother managed to convince her to try it again, and in the meantime, her father knew their local post office was looking for more clerks. She started up, and didn’t look back.

- It wasn’t until she came home from work one evening to find her grandmother baking with her mother’s favourite CD playing in the background (an ABBA album, of course,) that Lucia returned to her rightful place. With a gentle goading, and the revelation that her grandmother baked to feel more connected to her family. It wasn’t long until the rest of the family joined in, rolling out pastry and singing the lyrics they knew, until they’d completed a tray of egg custard tarts with candles in their centre. It felt like the right way to celebrate her late mother’s birthday.

- With her passion rekindled and slowly catching alight, Lucia began indulging in her baking as a hobby once more. It was almost the same spiral as before - it started off with the occasional treat she shared with her coworkers, then she was the designated cake-provider for any work celebrations, then for their families and friends… So on and so forth, until everybody around her was raving about it. She didn’t think of pursuing it any further until one day, before she clocked out for the evening, her coworker Linda stuffed a stack of papers in her hands, and told her she wasn’t allowed to leave until it was all filled out. By 6pm that evening Lucia had completed an application for a popular baking TV show, and mailed it in under the assumption she’d never hear from them again.

- But hear from them she did. One very unexpected phone call later, the cameras turned up at her door, ready to collect some B-roll footage of her doing what she did best. That summer, the competition began, and by its end Lucia had a diverse range of lifelong friends, and a trophy she’d keep forever alongside that framed picture of her mum’s homemade cake. Lucia made quite a name for herself during her time on the show too - her habit of humming as she went and getting distracted by helping out her competitors earned her quite a bit of public favour, along with her Chinese twists on British classics, and vice versa. There were upsides and downsides to being a household name throughout the UK - her life story being close to common knowledge, and strangers asking her about her mother was a particularly strange drawback - but the opportunities it presented to her were invaluable. The most tempting of which was the offer of her own show on the Food Network, but she couldn’t possibly leave her family and jet off to the states… Could she?

- They insisted. The anxiety Lucia felt leaving her family behind for the second time in her life was gargantuan, but they wouldn’t hear of her staying behind to take care of them any longer. They had each other, and they’d still have her - her grandparents would figure out videocalls eventually, and they’d be watching every second of her show.

- America was very different to England, or even Yantai, and working on her own show was demonstrably different to competing in the last one. Hair, makeup, scripts, assistants following her around, taking care of her prep work, keeping her on a schedule she didn’t get to make. Hell, they insisted on changing her name - Lucy Yu’s Desserts of the World just had a better ring to it than Lucia did - and she went along with it, keen to live up to her promises. Filming and baking was fine, but everything else felt like a little bit too much. She was lonely too, aside from the few hours she managed to sneak to herself to share with her family, and Lucia found herself longing for something more.

- [WC incoming!] Ever since she was a little girl Lucia wanted to find her soulmate, the same way her mother and father had, and she was convinced she’d achieved that the day she first appeared on a late night talkshow. She’d gone on stage grinning like a giddy schoolgirl, and on more than one occasion during the interview she’d gotten distracted, thinking of them, even though they’d only just met. Her management gave her hell for it later, but she still had their number in her pocket - she sent a text, they set their first date, and the rest was history.

- For three years, Lucia lived in bliss. The first season of her show went over phenomenally, and she secured a contract for two more before it had even finished airing. As a result, she had enough to fly her family over to visit, and to make sure they lived comfortably for the rest of their days. They were proud, she was in love - she missed her mother dearly, but those emotions had a place in her life. Everything had - including the engagement ring she’d taken to carry around in her back pocket.

- She never got to use it. She wasn’t sure what happened - everything had seemed so perfect until they turned around and told her they couldn’t do it anymore. She just wasn’t an option, or something like that; honestly, with her heart pounding in her throat, she could barely piece together the reasons she was given, let alone her heart. She was in the midst of filming the third season at the time, and the following week when the idea of her contract being extended floated her way, she declined. The press were everywhere, swarming her, lapping up her tragedy for clicks and views - Lucia had never known anger quite like it. LA didn’t feel safe anymore, and her heartbreak kept it from feeling like home. Their name was on the lease, and they wouldn’t answer her calls, but she knew she had to move. Once again, Lucia packed up, and decided to focus on the love of her life that she could actually trust: her baking.

- There were properties all over the country she could have chosen, but Port Briar fit just right. The coast reminded her both of Yantai and Southend-on-Sea, the same way it did for her family. The apartment above the property was big enough for them all, and they were perfectly eager to help her launch something of her very own. It was another year in the making, of her and her father flying back and forth to renovate the place, and her grandmother poring over old and new family recipes, but before too long, Māma’s was open for business.

- Māma’s is a quaint, family owned bakery and cafe. Located on Dalry hill t hey serve a mixture of sweet treats from different parts of the globe, with a rotating treat of the week shelf to keep regulars coming back for something new - but their specialties are British and Chinese classics, with a few American favourites sprinkled in for good measure. With a range of delicious desserts for all occasions, and enough hot drinks to soothe all of Port Briar through the winter, Māma’s is slowly cementing itself as a must-visit spot amongst residents and tourists alike.

#𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱: 𝔩𝔲𝔠𝔦𝔞

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abtc · 3 years ago

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Who IS David Amess' Wife Julia Arnold And Who Are Their Children?

Who IS David Amess’ Wife Julia Arnold And Who Are Their Children?

Sir David Anthony Andrew Amess born March 26, 1952, was a British politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Southend West from May 1997 until his death in 2021. From 1983 to April 1997, he was the Member of Parliament for Basildon. He was born in Essex and raised there. He studied economics and government at Bournemouth University before working as a teacher, underwriter, and…

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bountyofbeads · 5 years ago

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‘So much living to do’: stories of UK's latest named coronavirus victims

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/not-ready-to-go-tributes-paid-to-uk-first-named-victims-of-coronavirus?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Post_to_Tumblr

Though these deaths didn't occur in the United States, it's important to remember our brothers and sisters across the pond! They represent every walk of life, age, race and creed. Covid-19 does not recognize borders, religion, race, occupation or age.

SO MUCH LIVING TO DO’: STORIES OF UK's LATEST NAMED CORONAVIRUS VICTIMS.... Personal details have emerged of more than 50 people who have died in the Covid-19 pandemic

By Matthew Weaver, Helen Pidd and Simon Murphy | Published:12:19 Fri April 3, 2020 | The Guardian | Posted April 05, 2020 |

The oldest is 108, the youngest only 13. These are the faces of some of the country’s coronavirus victims, among them doctors, councillors, a D-day veteran, a diplomat, a comedian and an academic.

By 4pm on Thursday 2 April, 3,605 people admitted to hospital in the UK had died after contracting Covid-19. Many were elderly and had underlying health conditions. Some did not.

In several cases, family members and medical professionals have been keen to emphasise that victims had their lives cut short. Even if they were suffering underlying health conditions, they had been expected to live for many years, they said.

Of the deaths so far in the UK and those connected to the country, details have emerged in more than 50 cases. Here are their stories.

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Lord Gordon of Strathblane, 83

James “Jimmy” Gordon was formerly political editor of STV and founded Radio Clyde. He is understood to have died of Covid-19 at Glasgow Royal Infirmary on Tuesday 31 March.

Outside the media, Gordon was a member of the Scottish Development Agency and chaired the Scottish Tourist Board – later VisitScotland – and was made a life peer by Labour in 1997. A statement from his family honoured “his generosity, his kindness and his enthusiasm for life”, adding that being “Papa” to his four grandchildren was the role that had brought him most pleasure. The former first minister Jack McConnell said Gordon had had “an outstanding career in business and public service” and had “transformed broadcasting”. The comedian and radio host Andy Cameron, who worked at Clyde for a number of years, said: “Another good guy gone. Jimmy Gordon, Lord Gordon Of Strathblane has passed on. What an absolute gentleman. RIP Jimmy.” He leaves behind his wife Anne, three children and four grandchildren.

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Aimee O’Rourke, 38

O’Rourke was an NHS nurse and mother of three girls, Megan, Mollie and Maddie. She died on 2 April at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent – the hospital where she worked. She studied at Canterbury Christ Church University before joining the NHS in 2017. She started showing symptoms of the coronavirus about two weeks ago before her condition deteriorated and she was taken into intensive care at the QEQM and put on a ventilator.

Her daughter, Megan Murphy, wrote on Facebook that it had always been “us 4 against the world!”, and said she and her sisters would now look after each other. “Look at all the lives you looked after and all the families you comforted when patients passed away … you are an angel and you will wear your NHS crown forever more because you earned that crown the very first day you started,” she wrote. Now a family friend has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for O’Rourke’s family.

A colleague, Lucy Page, wrote: “Aimee O’Rourke taught me to fight for what I believe in and gave me courage so many times to do it.” Another colleague, Soraya Zanders, said:“Aimee cared for many patients in her time as a nurse. She brought warmth and comfort to many.” On the evening of the day she died family and friends lit candles and clapped in her honour during the weekly Clap for Carers.

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Areema Nasreen, 36

Nasreen was an NHS nurse who had worked for 16 years at Walsall Manor hospital in the West Midlands, where she died on 3 April after contracting the coronavirus. Nasreen, who had three children and was from Walsall, developed symptoms on 13 March, including aches, a high temperature and then a cough. Her family said she had no underlying health issues. Her sister Kazeema Nasreen, 22, a healthcare assistant at the same hospital, said Nasreen was “an amazing nurse” and urged others to take the virus seriously. In a tribute posted on Facebook, her friend Rubi Aktar said: “She was the most loveliest, genuine person you could ever meet, she went above and beyond for everyone she met. I’m so grateful that I had the honour to call her my best friend, she saw me at my best and my worst and accepted my every flaw. I am so broken that words can’t explain.”

A relative told Birmingham Live: “The immediate family are devastated. Everyone is in shock this morning. She was always so full of life. She was devoted to her job as a nurse, she absolutely loved it. She passed away doing what she loved. I’m really sad for the rest of the family, she was a fantastic person.”

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Danny Sharma, 38

Sharma was an avid fan of Liverpool Football Club and devoted much of his time to amateur football. The 38-year-old was considered to be high-risk because of his diabetes and other health conditions, and he died on 26 March after battling with coronavirus in intensive care at Hammersmith hospital in London. On 24 March, Sharma posted a picture of himself making the thumbs-up sign, and wrote: “Day Four Update. Looks nice out from the window wish I was participating in the Vitamin D. Finding hard to breathe, still fighting.”

The 38-year-old attended St Paul’s College in Sunbury-on-Thames before studying computer applications at Kingston University. His brother Vinny said he wanted Sharma’s death to make people take the threat of the coronavirus seriously. “He was a fantastic guy with a big heart, and he is someone who we are going to miss a great deal. Hopefully he will find some peace,” he said. Luke Thompson called his friend the “most selfless individual I ever met.” Traditionally the Sharma family, who are of Indian heritage, would hold an open house for 12 days after a death to enable people to pay their respects – but both Sharma’s brother and mother, Parveen, had to self-isolate because of their close contact with the 38-year-old.

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Danny Cairns, 68

Cairns was one of the first Scots to die after contracting the coronavirus to be named publicly. He had tried to self isolate at his home in Greenock in Renfrewshire but after a few days became so ill he was transferred to hospital, where he died on 26 March. His brother Hugh, who lives in the United States, said the experience was a “nightmare” for the family. “He wasn’t just my brother, he was my best friend,” he said. “From the time of going into hospital within three days he was dead. His last words to me were, ‘I’m on my way out mate’.”

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Sheila French, 80

French from Broughty Ferry, a suburb of Dundee, died after six days in Ninewells hospital intensive care on 27 March. She had been admitted after becoming ill on a family holiday in Lanzarote to celebrate her 80th birthday. Her family spoke of the pain of not being able to visit her in hospital, but her son Colin said dedicated NHS staff were determined to ensure her “comfort and dignity right to the end”. Originally from Glasgow, she married Eric French in 1962. The couple were well-known figures in the local community and shared a lifelong love of tennis.

The 80-year-old sang in the Barnhill St Margaret’s parish church choir for more than four decades. Her son said she was “interested in so many things”, including music, singing and reciting poetry. “She was also always surrounded by wool for knitting and crochet,” he told the Dundee Courier. “Her main thing in recent years was crocheting blankets to raise money for charities including Chas, and she also collected for Save The Children.”

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Dr Habib Zaidi, 76

Family GP Dr Zaidi is thought to be the first doctor in the UK to have been killed by the coronavirus. The 76-year-old, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, died on 25 March in intensive care just 24 hours after being taken ill. He and his wife, Dr Talat Zaidi, 70, were both managing partners of Eastwood group practice and had served three generations of families in the area for nearly 50 years. The couple’s four children all work in the medical profession. Daughter Dr Sarah Zaidi, also a GP, said his death was “reflective of his sacrifice. He had a vocational attitude to service.” She added: “We can’t mourn in the normal way. We can’t have a normal funeral. He left a gaping hole in our hearts, but a loss that is also felt within the community that he devoted almost his entire life to. We are praying for the safety of everyone right now.”

Dr Jose Garcia-Lobera, GP chair at NHS Southend clinical commissioning group, said Zaidi had left behind an “incredible legacy”. He said: “[He] was a “hugely respected, selfless man who dedicated his life to helping others. Dr Zaidi will always be remembered for his significant contribution to local health services through his long career as a GP.”

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Mark Barnett, late 60s

Barnett was the headteacher at Westfield in Acomb, one of York’s biggest primary schools, for more than 17 years when he stepped down in 2008 aged 55 to work for the City of York council as a consultant headteacher. His family confirmed that he was taken into York hospital with breathing difficulties and died of Covid-19 on 1 April. Praised as a deeply committed teacher, he was a recipient of the Teacher Of The Year title at the Community Pride Awards.

Cllr Andrew Waller, a school governor at Westfield who knew Barnett well, said: “He was an inspirational headteacher and a legend in the community. Everyone knew Mark and he had a huge amount of respect.” Singer and former teacher Ian Donaghy said: “Mark was all about the children and not himself. You see a lot of career teachers out there, but Mark wasn’t one of them. The city has lost a big, big influence on children. His big thing was happy kids learn, it’s not about jumping through hoops or league tables. We could do with a few more like Mark.”

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Eddie Large, 78

Large, best known as one half of the comedy duo Little and Large, died after contracting the coronavirus in hospital where he was being treated for heart failure, his son said.

The Glaswegian comedian, whose real name was Edward McGinnis, found fame alongside Syd Little in the 1970s and 80s, when their TV performances attracted millions of viewers.

His son, Ryan McGinnis, broke the news in a Facebook post on 2 April, explaining that his father had caught Covid-19 while in hospital. He wrote: “It is with great sadness that Mum and I need to announce that my dad passed away in the early hours of this morning. He had been suffering with heart failure and unfortunately, whilst in hospital, contracted the coronavirus, which his heart was sadly not strong enough to fight. Dad had fought bravely for so long. Due to this horrible disease we had been unable to visit him at the hospital, but all of the family and close friends spoke to him every day.

“We will miss him terribly and we are so proud of everything he achieved in his career with Syd and know that he was much loved by the millions that watched them each week.”

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Caroline Saunby, 48

Saunby, a mother of two young boys, had no known underlying health conditions and started exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms on Thursday 26 March. By Sunday, she had died.

She collapsed at her home in New Marske, North Yorkshire, where she had begun to struggle for breath after initially having a sore throat, which she thought was tonsillitis. An air ambulance was dispatched and Saunby was put on a ventilator at home before being taken to James Cook University hospital in Middlesbrough, where she died the same day. She leaves behind her husband, Vic, and six-year-old twins, Joseph and Elliot.

Her twin sister, Sarah Jarvis, described her “unbearable heartbreak” as she pleaded with people to take the coronavirus seriously. She told the Northern Echo: “Caroline took every precaution under the sun. She was practising social distancing, she was washing her hands, took hers and everyone’s safety seriously, was healthy, yet she was taken from us in only four days. This virus does not discriminate.”

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Paul Ramsden, 80

It was only when Ramsden’s wife, Jacky, struggled to wake him that it dawned on her something was seriously wrong. Paul was fit for his age and had no known underlying health conditions.

He fell ill soon after the couple returned from the Canary island of La Gomera. Jacky said Ramsden’s only obvious symptom was tiredness, but when she tried to rouse him from his sleep on 22 March, the penny dropped. He died five days later.

Jacky, from Lytham near Blackpool in Lancashire, told the Blackpool Gazette: “It’s very clear that while the vulnerable are susceptible to this virus, it also strikes down fit and healthy people. I wish people to take the government guidelines seriously and to abide by them so we can avoid further heartbreak. I feel lucky to have enjoyed 40 years of love and adventure with Paul, but I am saddened that our marriage has been cut short in this way.”

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Linda Tuppen, 66

A former nursery nurse and teacher, Tuppen died from suspected coronavirus after caring for her son, who is also thought to have caught the disease. She was found lifeless by her son, Rob, on 28 March, a day after she had refused to speak to NHS’s 111 service when she fell ill, deciding to sleep instead.

Tuppen – who suffered from asthma – had been looking after Rob after he developed Covid-19 symptoms following his return from Krakow, Poland, earlier last month, but then began to feel unwell herself.

Her other son, 23-year-old James, was admitted to hospital a day later with coronavirus symptoms. In an interview with MEN, Rob recalled the moment he found his mother at her home in Bolton, Greater Manchester. “I was in a panic, she was just lay there, and I shouted ‘Mum, mum,’ but she didn’t answer,” the 28-year-old software engineer said. “I was doing chest compressions until the ambulance came. I was still in the room when he came over and said she was gone. It’s devastating. We lost our father in 2008, so we’re pretty much on our own now.

“She was a kind, loving lady who adored me and James and would have done anything for us. She always used to say that we were her lives. She would do anything for anyone.”

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Thomas Harvey, 57

The NHS healthcare assistant caught coronavirus and died after treating patients with only gloves for protection, according to his family.

It is claimed Harvey fell ill after helping a patient who later tested positive for Covid-19 and eventually died on 29 March. He had been signed off work more than two weeks earlier when he developed symptoms including a cough, shortness of breath and body aches.

His family said that if he had had the correct personal protective equipment, he might still be alive. Goodmayes hospital in east London claims there were “no symptomatic patients on the ward”. But a former colleague told the BBC that Harvey contracted the virus after treating a patient who later tested positive.

Harvey’s daughter, 19-year-old Tamira, told the BBC: “It’s so sad. I feel like he was let down in so many ways. It’s an absolute tragedy and he didn’t deserve to lose his life in the way he did. If he had just had the right equipment, we wouldn’t be in this predicament and it wouldn’t have escalated in the way it did.”

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Peter Sinclair, 73

Sinclair was a professor of economics and a former tutor to David Cameron. He taught the future prime minister during his time at Oxford before joining the University of Birmingham in 1994. He later became director of the Bank of England’s Centre for Central Banking Studies. Cameron described him as “one of the cleverest people I ever met” and said he had inspired “generations of students”. He added: “It was a complete privilege to know him.” Sinclair died in intensive care on 31 March after testing positive for coronavirus.

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Alfa Saadu, 68

Saadu was a distinguished former medical director of Princess Alexandra hospital NHS trust in Harlow, Essex. He grew up in Nigeria and travelled to the UK to train as a doctor at University College London. He retired in 2016 after a 40-year career in the NHS. He was volunteering at his local hospital in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, one of the counties worst hit by coronavirus, when he became infected. He died after a two-week battle with the disease, according to his son Dani. Dani said: “My dad was a living legend, worked for the NHS for nearly 40 years, saving people’s lives here and in Africa. Up until he got sick he was still working part-time saving people.”

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George Mason, 71

Mason and his twin brother, Malcolm, had been cutting hair in the same barber shop in Gosport, Hampshire, since they trained together as teenagers. In a statement, the Mason’s Barber Shop said he “always brought laughter and happiness and it will be so hard not working alongside him any more”. Speaking to Solent News, Malcolm said: “George was good fun – we had our moments like all brothers do, but got along brilliantly. He was a real family man and cared deeply about those around him.” As he began suffering from the virus, George told his brother he “wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy”. He was placed on a ventilator last weekend and never recovered. He is survived by his wife, Bobbie, his children Joanna and Natalie and grandchildren Hannah and Ben.

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Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, 13

The rare death of someone so young from coronavirus has prompted widespread shock and concern. Ismail, who had no underlying health conditions, died on 30 March at King’s College hospital, London, after testing positive for Covid-19. Ismail, who had six siblings, lived in Brixton, south London. His family said they were “beyond devastated”. In a later statement they said: “Ismail was a loving son, brother, nephew to our family and a friend to many people who knew him. His smile was heartwarming and he was always gentle and kind.”

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Luca Di Nicola, 19

Di Nicola was a chef from Nereto, near the Adriatic coast of Italy, who was living with his mother and her partner in Enfield, north London. He died on 24 March in North Middlesex hospital. His death was announced on the same day as Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab’s. A postmortem revealed that Luca had Covid-19. His aunt Giada told La Repubblica that a GP had prescribed him paracetamol for a cough and fever. She said the doctor had told him “he was young, strong and [had] nothing to worry about”.

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Harold Pearsall, 97

Pearsall was a hero of the D-day landings who was awarded the Légion d’honneur for his part in the allied assault on Caen in 1944. He landed on Juno Beach along with the Royal Artillery. “We never fired a round. When that first shell came in, I could have crawled down a worm hole,” he said last year at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of D-day. His unit went on to suffer heavy losses as it was attacked with phosphorous bombs and grenades, he said of the Caen operation. He died in Birmingham’s Good Hope hospital on 27 March after testing positive for Covid-19. Pearsall had two sons and had been an active member of D-day veterans’ groups. “He was very proud and always clean, smart and tidy,” said Peter Lloyd, secretary of the 1944 Alliance Normandy-Market Garden veterans’ association.

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Andrew Jack, 76

Jack was a dialect coach and actor who appeared in three Star Wars films. He died in hospital in Surrey on 31 March. His wife, Gabrielle Rogers, also a dialect coach, tweeted: “We lost a man today. Andrew Jack was diagnosed with coronavirus two days ago. He was in no pain, and he slipped away peacefully knowing that his family were all ‘with’ him.” Jack lived on one of the oldest working houseboats on the Thames. According to his agent, Jill McCullough, he was fiercely independent but also madly in love with his wife. He appeared in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi as General Ematt, as well as Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. He had been working as dialect coach on a new Batman film. Sam Neill was among many actors to pay tribute. He said Jack was a “lovely man” and “joy to work with”.

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Maria Lawrence, 48

Lawrence ran a business selling gift bags in Derby. According to her son, Dan Clark, she was also a “community champion” in the city and founded a Secret Santa scheme which she ran for free. Speaking to the Derby Telegraph, he said: “She was like an angel and very well regarded in the community. She was selfless too. Nothing was done for herself. She ran all these things out of charity.” Lawrence was unaware she had any health problem until she was diagnosed with coronavirus. Further tests revealed she also had vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels, worsened by Covid-19. She died at Royal Derby hospital on 20 March.

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Frank Rust, 81

Rust was a Labour councillor for Rushmoor borough council for 28 years, and was due to serve a second stint as mayor next year. A passionate Spurs fan, he was a retired NHS manager and had also held senior posts in education. The former Labour cabinet minister Hazel Blears was among those sending tributes, describing him as a “lovely man”. His son Karl wrote: “Sorry dad you were added to the pandemic stats today but you were not a victim or casualty in these dark days. You lived life to the full never stopping learning new things, keeping active, helping people and the community you represented. You were a good dad. I am pleased you had enough time to enjoy being a grandad to Archie.” Rust died on 30 March at Frimley Park hospital, Camberley, Surrey.

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Pat Midgley, 82

Midgley was a Labour councillor in Sheffield for 33 years, and was described by her family as a “true woman of steel”. The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, was among many figures in the Labour party to praise her years of service. In a message to her son Neil, McDonnell said: “The flood of tributes to your mum shows just how loved she was and how respected for her dedication to her community to the end.” Julie Dore, the leader of Sheffield city council, said: “I am heartbroken. This makes coronavirus all the more real.” Midgley was admitted to Sheffield general hospital on 24 March and was confirmed positive with Covid-19 a day later. She died on 29 March. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, three children and five grandchildren.

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Frank Hammond, 83

Hammond died in Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport on 26 March. He tested positive for coronavirus despite having no cough and only a mild temperature. His daughter, Trisha Conroy, paid tribute to a “lovely, funny man who always wanted to make people laugh”. He enjoyed art and making scraperboard images and loved walking in the nearby Peak District. A photography enthusiast who worked in a Jessops camera shop for many years, Frank had suffered from chronic lung disease and had reduced mobility but was otherwise in good health before he fell ill, Trisha said: “He used a walking frame in the house and a mobility scooter when he was out after he lost a lot of the strength in his legs but was otherwise in decent shape.” He is survived by his wife, Brenda, daughters Trisha and Claire, and four grandchildren.

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Christopher Vallely, 79

Vallely died in Belfast’s Mater hospital just hours after his wife, Isobel, passed away in the same hospital room. Earlier this year, he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He was admitted to hospital and placed in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. Vallely, who was known as Arty, retired to his native Belfast in 2003 after working for decades in England. He lived near the Falls Road in west Belfast. He died on 29 March.

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Isobel Vallely, 77

Vallely died on 28 March, the day after the couple’s 53rd wedding anniversary. She had had a stroke last year, and was admitted to hospital on 26 March after testing positive for coronavirus. Her daughter Fiona said both Isobel and Christopher were “amazing parents”. She added: “They were fantastic people who did not deserve to go this way.”

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Amged El-Hawrani, 55

A respected ear, nose and throat consultant who worked at Queen’s hospital Burton in Derbyshire, El-Hawrani was the first confirmed hospital frontline worker to die in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus. His death prompted tributes from ministers and senior health leaders. In a statement, his family said: “His greatest passions were his family and his profession, and he dedicated his life to both. He was the rock of our family, incredibly strong, compassionate, caring and giving. He always put everyone else before himself.” He died on 28 March at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

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Hilda Churchill, 108

Believed to be oldest coronavirus victim in the UK, Churchill was a survivor of the 1918 Spanish flu. She died in a Salford care home on 28 March, hours after testing positive for Covid-19 and just eight days before what would have been her 109th birthday. Before she died, she had been reminiscing about the Spanish flu, according to her grandson Anthony Churchill. She and most of her family in their home in Crewe had become infected, including her father, who collapsed in the street with the flu, she recalled. They all survived apart from her 12-month-old baby sister. “Grandma said she remembered a small box being put in a carriage,” her grandson said. “She was saying how amazing it is that something you can’t see can be so devastating.” Hilda was a seamstress who moved to Salford during the depression to find work. She was known for her cooking skills, particularly her gravy. She had four children, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

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Adil El Tayar, 63

Tayar was the first working NHS surgeon known to have died from Covid-19 in the UK. He had been volunteering in A&E departments in the Midlands to help the NHS cope with the virus. “He wanted to be deployed where he would be most useful in the crisis,” said his cousin, the broadcaster Zeinab Badawi. “It had taken just 12 days for Adil to go from a seemingly fit and capable doctor working in a busy hospital to lying in a hospital morgue.” His former colleague Abbas Ghaznafar, a renal transplant surgeon at St George’s hospital in Tooting, described Tayar as a “noble human being” who was a “hardworking, dedicated surgeon”. He died on 25 March at West Middlesex University hospital, London.

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Pooja Sharma, 33

Sharma was a hospital pharmacist who died from the virus a day after it claimed the life of her father. She worked at Eastbourne District general hospital in East Sussex. Lara Stacey Young, a nurse in the area, said: “So many people will be devastated. She was such a lovely soul.” Amarjit Aujla, a friend from childhood, said: “Her laughter was contagious and her random calls made my day. From when we were in primary school until we last spoke two weeks ago, you gave me nothing but love, support and a tummy ache with all the laughter.” She died on 26 March.

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Sudhir Sharma, 61

Sharma was an immigration officer at Heathrow Terminal 3. He died on 25 March, a day before his daughter also succumbed to the virus. It is unclear whether the pair had any contact before both contracted the disease. Sharma had health problems and had not been on duty at Heathrow since early January. Nick Jariwalla, director of Border Force at Heathrow, said: “Sudhir was a very well-respected, kind and experienced officer. He will be greatly missed by everyone.”

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Adam Harkins Sullivan, 28

Harkins Sullivan, from Camden, north London, was a painter and decorator and father to a six-year-old son. He worked with his father who gave him his nickname, Spud. Speaking to the Camden New Journal, his mother, Jackie Harkins, said: “I’ve lost something very precious to me that can never be replaced. We are all just in shock because he was only a young man. He was healthy – you didn’t have to tell him to eat his greens, he was always like that.” An otherwise fit man, he had been taken to hospital with suspected pneumonia. He died on 24 March at University College hospital in London in an isolation ward for coronavirus patients.

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Doreen Hunt, 72

Hunt was born in 1947 in Canning Town, east London, into “extreme poverty”, said her son Steve Hunt, adding that she was brought up in “one of the poorest families in a poor area”. After leaving London for Dunstable in 1973, Hunt ran an insurance business for many years with her husband, John, in the Bedfordshire town. “She became as successful in business as she was as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother,” her son said. “She travelled the world and enjoyed a rich and varied life.” Hunt had been on dialysis for kidney problems at Luton and Dunstable hospital but her condition deteriorated rapidly and she was admitted to intensive care last Friday. She died two days later, on Mother’s Day, her family said. After her death, tests results confirmed she had been infected by the coronavirus.

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Steven Dick, 37

Dick was the UK’s deputy ambassador to Hungary. He had been with the Foreign Office since 2008 and had previously served in Kabul and Riyadh. His parents, Steven and Carol Dick, said: “Steven was a much-loved son, grandson and nephew. He was kind, funny and generous. It was always his dream to work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and he was very happy representing our country overseas.” Shaun Walker, the Guardian’s central and eastern Europe correspondent, said: “He was a jovial, intellectually curious and extremely helpful person. He spoke fluent Hungarian, having undergone a year’s training before taking up his position last autumn. Early last week he helped coordinate arrangements for me to get back into the country, and mentioned that he had tested positive for coronavirus, but at that time said he was feeling fine.”

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Allan Oldcorn, 74

Oldcorn was a retired lorry driver for Bowater-Scott, which manufactured tissues and toilet rolls. Wendy Cavin, one of his three daughters, fondly remembers him leaving sweets for her and her sisters on the family mantelpiece in Flookburgh, Lancashire, when he was doing night shifts. Speaking to the Cumberland News and Star, she said: “He was the go-to man when it came to Flookburgh charter fair day, when everybody needed toilet rolls to make their float flowers.” She added: “He was an amazing husband, dad, grandad and great-grandad – the anchor of our family.” Oldcorn, who had been “fit and healthy”, died on 21 March, a day after being admitted to hospital with shortness of breath and backache. Doctors later confirmed he had tested positive for coronavirus, Cavin said on Facebook.

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Michael Gerard, 73

Gerard was a teacher, musician, campaigner and lifelong Guardian reader. His daughter, Sushila Moles, described him as “loving, kind and always supportive”. She said he made up daily limericks and entertained her with bizarre conversations. Gerard grew up in Shortlands in Bromley, south-east London. He met his wife, Caroline, at Durham University and the couple both worked as teachers in Leicester. Later Gerard specialised in teaching visually impaired children. Moles said: “He was a hoarder, which worked well for this occupation as he always had a boot full of noisy toys and tinsel that he used to help children.” He played many musical instruments but was most accomplished at the violin and founded several orchestras and bands near his home in Clarendon Park, Leicester. He was a Woodcraft Folk leader for 30 years, a former president of the Leicester Secular Society and a frequent attender of anti-war demonstrations. In later years he had a number of health problems including Crohn’s disease. He was diagnosed with Covid-19 on 18 March and died four days later at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

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Jon Jacob, 69

Jacob was a successful property lawyer and partner at the London firm Bower Cotton Hamilton, who lived in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. He was a stalwart of quiz leagues in London and the Chilterns, known for his formidable knowledge of classical music. A friend said Jacob “wore his knowledge lightly, and was very modest and self-effacing, always genuinely surprised to be told how good he was. He was also a lovely man: kind, generous and absolutely delightful company. He will be sorely missed by all his friends in the quizzing family.” Paddy Duffy, another fellow quizzer, tweeted: “Just a lovely man, brilliant fun and incredibly erudite. I’ll remember fondly our Sunday matches and our japes on the quiz holiday in Rhodes.” Jacob died on 23 March of complications from Covid-19.

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Ruth Burke, 82

Burke was the fourth victim of coronavirus in Northern Ireland, according to her daughter Brenda Doherty. She said her mother had “unbelievable strength and suffered many challenges in her life”, adding: “Unfortunately this was one that she was not going to overcome.” In an emotional video on Facebook she said: “We couldn’t be with her when she passed. We’ll not see her coffin, we’ll not get to kiss her.” Doherty urged the public to stop panic-buying and stay indoors. “My mum would not have believed how people are behaving. She would have thought better of society. My mum was a woman who loved life. If you value life, you will stay in and do as you’ve been asked.” Burke’s death was announced by Doherty on 24 March.

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Marita Edwards, 80

She was a very gentle loving woman and a friend to everybody,” Edwards’s son Stuart Loud said. She grew up in the village of Mangotsfield near Bristol. She worked as a cleaner in a factory in the city and brought up two children with her first husband. She found a new life with her second husband on the other side of the Bristol channel in the village of Bulwark in Monmouthshire. She was a regular at the Conservative Club in Chepstow, where she enjoyed dancing. “She had a very rich social life, much better than mine,” said Loud. Edwards was a former captain of the women’s golf team at St Pierre country club in Chepstow, and continued to play golf until she was admitted to hospital for a routine operation in February. She died three weeks later of hospital-acquired Covid-19 a day after testing positive for the virus. Loud said: “She was a lovely lady and it was just a horrendous way to go. I just want to make people aware of that.”

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Peter Myles, 77

Myles’s struggles with Covid-19 were documented on social media by his daughter, the actor Sophia Myles. She said she had done it to show the “harsh reality of the coronavirus”. In 2018 she tweeted about her father’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease. Before he retired in 2008, Myles was an Anglican vicar at St John’s church in Isleworth, west London, where he was described as a “liberal soul”. After being ordained in 1971, his first job as curate was in Tideswell in Derbyshire. He spent the rest of his career in west London, including stints as a priest at St Peter’s church in Notting Hill and as chaplain to the bishop of Kensington. In his final years he lived in a care home close to St John’s. He died on 21 March.

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Wendy Jacobs

Jacobs was the headteacher of Roose primary school in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Her leadership of the school was repeatedly praised by inspectors. “This vibrant school provides a good quality of education with outstanding features,” they said in a recent report. The school’s chair of governors, Fred Chatfield, said her death was devastating for the school and the community. “This is a huge loss,” he said. Jacobs died on 22 March.

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William Stern, 85

Born Vilmos György Stern in Budapest, Hungary, on 2 July 1935, Stern was imprisoned as a child in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during the second world war. He shared his memories of Torah readings in the camp on the Shoah website. After the war he settled in London and went on to build a successful property empire. Stern Holdings collapsed in 1973 and in 1978 Stern was declared bankrupt with debts of £118m, a record that stood for 14 years. He was a member of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community in London.

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Rina Feldman, 97

Like Stern, Feldman was a member of the ultra-orthodox Haredi community. No other details about her have been reported.

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Jean Bradford Nutter

Bradford Nutter was the aunt of the former England rugby player Will Greenwood. In an Instagram post he said she “never did anything but bring sunshine into my life”. Greenwood said his aunt lived near his boarding school in Sedbergh, Cumbria. He said she was the eldest of three sisters and was in her 80s “but had so much living to do”. She died on 21 March.

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Hassan Milani

Councillor Ali Milani, who was Labour’s parliamentary contender against Boris Johnson in Uxbridge and South Ruislip in the 2019 general election, revealed that his father, Hassan, had died after contracting the coronavirus on a trip to Iran. “In the early hours of this morning,” he said on Saturday, “my father tragically passed away after having contracted Covid-19. Please keep him in your prayers. This virus is taking millions all across the world.”

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Craig Ruston, 45

Ruston, a rugby fan and father of two from Kettering, Northamptonshire, had been a footwear designer, including at Dr Martens, before being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He had been writing about his struggle with the condition before he tested positive for Covid-19. But his posts became less frequent as he began losing the strength in his upper body. In one of his last, he wrote about a dream he had of standing beside his wife and daughters at his own funeral. He wrote: “I don’t fear death, but I can tear myself to pieces if I dwell too long on what happens when I’m gone.” His family said he was “not ready to go”. He died on 16 March.

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Leonard Gibson, 78

Described by his family as a “typical jolly Irishman”, Gibson died on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March. He was born in County Tyrone and had 12 siblings. After moving to South Yorkshire aged 26, he worked at the coking plant at Orgreave. In retirement he enjoyed gardening, but problems with his lungs forced him to move into a sheltered housing flat in Oughtibridge, near Sheffield. He died in Sheffield Northern general hospital after being diagnosed with Covid-19. His daughters, Lisa, an NHS worker, and Michelle, a teaching assistant, were not allowed to visit him in hospital. Lisa said: “It is sad that we weren’t able to be with Daddy, but the nurses were there for us.”

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Nick Matthews, 59

Described as a “true legend” of the Avon and Somerset police, Matthews retired as an officer in 2010 after a heart attack. He and his wife, Mary, from Nailsea in Somerset, had a week’s holiday on the Canary island of Fuerteventura at the end of February. Matthews was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary after complaining of breathing difficulties on 12 March. He died on 14 March after testing positive for Covid-19.

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Darrell Blakeley, 88

Blakeley was a churchgoer from Middleton in Rochdale and sang in the choir. He had a beautiful voice, according to a spokeswoman for St Michael’s church. He was also regarded as a “gracious gentleman”, she said. He had underlying health conditions and fell ill after coming into contact with someone who had travelled to Italy. Blakeley was admitted to North Manchester general hospital on 3 March with sepsis. He tested positive for Covid-19 on 10 March and died three days later.

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Kimberley Finlayson, 53

Finlayson was the first British victim of coronavirus to be named after she died on holiday on the island of Bali in Indonesia on 11 March. She was the founder of a dental communication business based in Shenley, Hertfordshire, one of the counties worst hit at the start of the outbreak in the UK. She had four children. Her colleagues paid tribute to her “passion, creativity and determination”. Finlayson had lung disease and diabetes.

🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️🙏🕊️🙏

#u.s. news #politics #politics and government #uknews #uk news #uk #covidー19 #covid 19 #covid19 #covid2019 #covid2020 #corona virüsü #coronavirus #world news #worldpolitics

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study-blrb · 5 years ago

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How To Practice An Older Puppy Or A New Dog

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uktimewsnow · 1 year ago

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Ex-Southend teacher Jonathan Ullmer stripped of MBE

A disgraced former Southend teacher has been stripped of his MBE four years after he was handed a lifetime ban from teaching in England over accusations he engaged in sexual activity with a boy.

Jonathan Ullmer, who taught at Cecil Jones High School in Southend between 1989 and 2002, was banned from all classrooms in England in 2019 after an education conduct panel ruled he engaged in historic sexual activity with, and in front of, a male pupil.

Ullmer, 62, denied the claims and there have been no criminal charges since. However, the professional conduct panel ruled, on the balance of probabilities, he did engage in the acts and his conduct was sexually motivated.

Now, four years later, Ullmer has been stripped of his MBE by King Charles III, which he received from Prince William in 2014 for his services to education.

He is named among a list of people stripped of their honours, published by the Cabinet Office, which gave the reason for Ullmer's forfeiture as professional disbarment.

"I am saddened by these singular false allegations made against me and strongly refute them. I remain grateful to the many staff students and friends who continue to stand with me."

Specific details of what Ullmer did have not been included to protect the identity of the alleged victim.

After the conduct panel, Alan Meyrick, on behalf of the education secretary, stated: “I have concluded that a prohibition order is as the panel say, 'not only proportionate and appropriate, but essential' and in the public interest in order to achieve the intended aims of a prohibition order.”

He concluded at the time: “Ullmer is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations, I have decided that Jonathan Ullmer shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.”

Author: Jacob Geller

Email: [email protected]

#Ex-Southend teacher #Jonathan Ullmer #MBE #Cecil Jones High School #london #uk #uk news #uktimesnow #times now news

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the-garbanzo-annex-jr · 6 years ago

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August 2. British teenagers are being forced to marry abroad and are therefore effectively raped and often impregnated while the Home Office "turns a blind eye" by handing visas to their husbands, according to The Times. Officials received dozens of reports last year that women wanted to block visas to the UK for men they had been made to marry in countries Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates. In almost half of the cases, records show, the visas were approved. Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the home affairs select committee, said that she would demand answers from the Home Office over the findings. Experts believe there are thousands of victims in Britain, but that the vast majority are too afraid to come forward.

August 4. A police officer phoned a charity to ask whether it was "culturally acceptable" for an Iraqi pedophile to have a 12-year-old girlfriend, according to an investigation carried out by The Times. The officer had arrested the 26-year-old man but wanted to be "culturally sensitive" after the suspect said the relationship was acceptable in his community. The charity that took the call, Karma Nirvana, told the officer to deal with the man as he would any other suspected child abuser. The charity, which works with victims of forced marriage, said the case showed the danger of officers whose professional judgment was clouded by fear of being called racist.

August 6. Muhammed Mucahid, a 57-year-old a Turkish migrant living in London, was arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy in the restroom of a McDonald's restaurant in Southend-on-Sea. Mucahid was accused of watching the boy attempt to use a urinal, then ushered or pushed him into an empty cubicle. It is alleged he kissed him on the cheek before the boy managed to escape and get back to his father, who had been waiting in line to order food.

August 7. Ishaq Al-Noor, a 21-yer-old Sudanese asylum seeker, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for raping a 17-year-old student in a cemetery in Spring Bank in Hull, East Yorkshire. When the rape charge was put to him, Al-Noor, through his interpreter, told Hull Crown Court: "Guilty. Yes, I did that. Why not?" Al-Noor, of West Hill, needed the services of one of the few interpreters in Britain who could speak his particular Sudanese dialect.

August 13. Razwan Faraz, a former deputy head teacher at the Nansen Primary School in Birmingham, lost an appeal to get his job back. Faraz, who was fired after saying that homosexuals should be "eradicated," had alleged that he was the victim of religious discrimination, but a judge threw out his claim for unfair dismissal. Nansen Primary was embroiled in the "Trojan horse" scandal, in which an anonymous letter exposed an alleged plot by a group of conservative Muslims to take over several Birmingham schools and impose an Islamist ethos there.

Much more here.

#islam #multiculturalism #great britain #muslims #child abuse #rape #child brides

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preparelikeapro · 3 years ago

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PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Tim Schleiger is the Founder and Director of The Sports Clinic Melbourne. He holds the crucial responsibility of coordinating The Sports Clinic’s wide range of services through his professional team of physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, corrective exercise trainers, physical therapists, masseurs, acupuncturists, and sports scientists.

The Sports Clinic has a comprehensive history that spans over two decades as one of Melbourne’s leading rehabilitation facilities. The duo of Tim Schleiger and Peter Ellis founded the company in 1996 with the goal of creating a unique holistic approach to rehabilitative and functional performance that integrated many disciplines. This has grown into one of Melbourne’s foremost exercise-based rehabilitation centers, serving a diverse spectrum of clients such as professional athletes, corporate executives, weekend warriors, and a variety of pre and post-operative patients.

The Sports Clinic is proud of these foundations, as well as the fact that it has expanded organically over the past 20+ years to currently include a well-respected staff of physiotherapists, performance coaches, exercise physiologists, myotherapists, Pilates teachers, and strength and conditioning coaches.

The goal at the Sports Clinic is to guarantee that clients not only return to physical activity but also have the tools they need to fulfill their maximum physical potential. The Sports Clinic has the ability to draw out a holistic but personalised rehabilitation plan, so it’s not just about the treatment. When combined with the work of the Physiotherapists, The Sports Clinic ensures that the customers receive the best outcomes possible. The facility ensures that everyone’s rehab and subsequent training program is personalized to their exact individual needs by cooperating with their surgeons, doctors, athletic clubs, and player representatives.

EXPERTISE

Tim has a breadth of practical expertise in human movement, biomechanics, applied science, sports massage, and as a strength and conditioning coach. He also possesses a variety of university certifications in these areas. Tim has advised outstanding international athletes and top sporting organizations in soccer, cricket, AFL, tennis, snow sports, and a variety of summer Olympic sports during the course of his 25-year career. He has also worked as an AFL conditioning coach to many of the league’s top stars.

Tim Schleiger is also a co-founder of the Train 247 Fitness clubs and VIC Active, a collection of industry veterans with over 100 years of experience that own and runs fitness facilities in Victoria (metro & regional). Government relations and policy advocacy experts back the group, which is supported by prominent medical advisors in epidemiology, infectious diseases, and community medicine.

LIFE STORY

Tim was born in a Melbourne suburb. Doncaster, Fawkner, and South Melbourne Hellas were his junior soccer clubs. He represented Victoria at the junior level for several years before moving on to the South Melbourne Youth Team. In his dedication to the game, as well as in the determination and self-sacrifice necessary to thrive at it, his passion for the sport was always apparent to everyone. In addition to a loan spell at Croydon City, he made a few senior team outings with Southend United.

Tim was forced to retire at the young age of 22 due to severe ailments. For most, this would be the end of their sporting career; however, for Tim, this was only a stumbling block, and from what the man has achieved after his career, the tale is only going to get better from here. He went on to pursue a career in physical therapy and as a strength and conditioning coach in Melbourne. With the help of his own physiotherapy clinic and top sports consultancy company, he was able to go back into soccer.

He worked as a Melbourne strength and conditioning coach and consultant for the Melbourne Heart in the club’s early years, and he also had one-on-one sessions with many of the club’s Golden Generation players, including John Aloisi, Harry Kewell, Vince Grella, Marco Bresciano, and Carl Valeri, among others.

The responsibility of getting strength training recognized falls on strength coaches like Tim. If strength training is to gain the recognition it deserves, strength coaches must show the benefits of strength training through evidence Tim’s role with The Sports Clinic Melbourne includes strength and conditioning programs for athletes as well as developmental strength training programs designed especially for children and adolescents. As a strength coach to The Sports Clinic Melbourne, Tim‘s strength training programs don’t just focus on one sport or one type of athlete but are general strength conditioning programs that cover a wide range of sports and athletes.

“Every strength training program is tailored to the athlete,” says Tim. “It’s a program that involves strength, speed, agility, flexibility, and power in all types of sports.” This includes strength training for cricket bowlers, strength training for AFL players as well as strength and conditioning programs for elite athletes in other sports. Each session lasts 30 minutes and is designed to cover strength, speed, and agility.

While strength endurance and strength resistance are the most important aspects of strength training, Tim recommends that coaches consider this: “Most strength training happens outside the gym so you need to look at strength conditioning in terms of sports performance.”

Strength training involves a combination of strength endurance – which means being able to repeatedly do strength training exercises – and strength resistance, which involves strength training for specific strength tasks.

Tim’s training programs have also been designed for teenagers, who can find strength training particularly challenging – especially if they come from a sports background where strength is not valued.

There are also strength sessions specifically designed for children and adolescents as well as strength and conditioning programs that involve a team of athletes from different sports. In this way, strength coaches can involve strength training for soccer, strength conditioning for tennis, strength exercises for basketball, and strength programs for track and field athletes.

These strength programs are not strictly aimed at developing strength power – which is demonstrated by sport-specific strength tasks such as a vertical jump or standing high jump but instead focus on strength endurance and strength resistance.

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onlinebusinessreviewsblog · 4 years ago

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David Bowie: Map of London locations connected to his life

Online Business Reviews

David Bowie is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

If he was still alive, he would have turned 74 on January 8, but instead this year marks the fifth anniversary of his death from cancer.

His legacy includes 29 albums, almost as many movies and numerous awards.

He was also born and raised in south east London.

We’ve tracked down some of the locations around the area with important connections to the superstar.

If you want to pay homage to him by visiting these destinations in the future or putting them on your bucket list, here are some of the meaningful places you should look out for when you're there.

40 Stansfield Road, Brixton – Bowie was born David Jones on January 8.

Stockwell Infants' School – Started school at Stockwell Infants in 1951.

106 Canon Road, Bromley – Bowie’s family moved to Canon Road in 1953.

Clarence Road, Bromley – In 1954, his family moved to Clarence Road.

Raglan Infants' School, Clarence Road – David studied here from January 1953 until 1955.

4 Plaistow Grove, Bromley – The family moved to Plaistow Grove in June 1955.

Bowie at the Free Festival, Beckenham, 1969

Burnt Ash Junior School, Rangefield Road – While at Burnt Ash Junior School from 1955 to 1958, David was in the school choir and played the recorder.

Bromley Technical High School, Oakley Road, Keston – Now known as Ravens Wood School, a young David studied here from 1958 to 1963 and particularly enjoyed art classes (and gained his only O Level in the subject) under teacher Owen Frampton, the father of rock musician Peter Frampton.

School of Art, Croydon – Bowie briefly studied at School of Art in Croydon (now part of Croydon College) after leaving school.

24 Foxgrove Road, Beckenham – Now known as David Bowie, he moved to Beckenham from Kensington in March 1969 and lodged with Mary Finnigan.

The Three Tuns pub (now Zizzi), Beckenham High Street – Bowie and Finnigan set up a folk club, which later became Beckenham Arts Lab at the Three Tuns in May 1969.

Croydon Road Recreation Ground, Beckenham – Bowie and the Arts Lab hosted the first free festival as a fundraiser at the Croydon Road Recreation Ground on August 16.

January 10 2016 - David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle... https://t.co/ENRSiT43Zy

— David Bowie Official (@DavidBowieReal) January 11, 2016

Haddon Hall, 42 Southend Road, Beckenham – Bowie lived on the ground floor of the now-demolished building, between October 1969 and May 1972 when he moved to Maida Vale. He painted the ceilings silver.

Bromley Registry Office, Beckenham Lane – Bowie married Angie on March 19, 1970. They divorced in 1980.

Underhill Studios, Blackheath Hill, Greenwich – Bowie began work on the album that would become The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in 1971 at Underhill Studios, Greenwich, now Gee-Pharm.

Avery Hill College, Eltham – Bowie’s legendary Ziggy Stardust tour played Avery Hill College on February 25, 1972

The Greyhound, Park Lane, Croydon – The Ziggy Stardust tour came to Croydon’s Greyhound on June 25, 1972

Fairfield Halls, Croydon – After touring in the US and Europe, the Ziggy Stardust tour played two shows at Fairfield Halls on June 24, 1973.

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covid19updater · 4 years ago

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COVID19 Updates: 01/02/2021

World: WHO: BIGGER PANDEMIC IS COMING LINK

World: BREAKING—33 countries now have identified the new B117 more contagious #SARSCov2 variant—including Turkey which found 15 people w/ new B117, all recent travelers from UK . 40 countries now have UK travel limits. Worry is maybe too late. #COVID19

US: ICU Nurse: COVID ICU again today. Almost all my patients are less than 60 years old and previously fit. Some are very young. If you think this disease can't touch you then think again.

Michigan: He Was Hospitalized for COVID-19. Then Hospitalized Again. And Again. LINK

Thailand: Bangkok declared ‘red zone’; shuts most businesses, schools LINK

World: WHO: NO EVIDENCE TO BE CONFIDENT SHOTS PREVENT TRANSMISSION

California: It's 'World War III,' says L.A. County doctor beset by intensely sick COVID-19 patients LINK

UK: Mixing coronavirus vaccines is not recommended, Public Health England warns LINK

RUMINT (UK): I shall say it. #LongCovid is gradually killing me. I'm 54. Rather, my "now always on immune system" is eating me alive. I pray 2021 can address this for all of us. Every day is a new horror treat. Lungs, organs, gastrics, skin, eyes, nerves, brain, mentalhealth. 8 f*cking months

UK: reports more than 50,000 coronavirus cases for 5th day in a row

Europe: GIBRALTAR IMPOSES TOTAL LOCKDOWN. SPAIN IMPOSES TOTAL LOCKDOWN ON 8 CITIES SURROUNDING GIBRALTAR

UK: Essex covid: Councillor calls for 'emergency evacuation' at Southend Hospital as coronavirus cases soar LINK

New York: NEW - New York Assembly Bill A416 proposes to detain "disease carriers" the Governor deems "dangerous to the public health."

UK: Ireland reports 3,394 new coronavirus cases, nearly doubling yesterday's record - New cases: 3,394 - Positivity rate: 21.9% (+1.2) - In hospital: 607 (+103) - In ICU: 56 (+9) - New deaths: 4

Pennsylvania: BREAKING—Pennsylvania GOP state Rep. Mike Reese, who had tested positive for #COVID19 in December 2020, has died. He was 42. Proximate cause of death was brain aneurysm. RIP.

Florida: +31,518 cases +217 deaths

US: Virus Updates: December Deadliest, Most Infectious Month for US LINK

RUMINT (US): I was realistically optimistic for this new year. First day of the year, one of husband's employees died from covid. Someone we both know from our teenage years died, too. Hard to tell what happened exactly. From what I can understand, he had bad covid around May (American living in Turkey) and then unexpectedly died from multiple organ failure. So that's like 8 months in between

RUMINT (Ireland): Can't find the link but irish state media reported that the explosion in irish cases is NOT due to the new strain ..yet. apparently, only 5-10% of samples test positive for the UK strain. So its starting to circulate here and we've an RO of 1.8 already. Admissions going through the roof and the health systems can't cope with reporting/close contacts tracing, etc. Its weird. I passed our local playground and it was jammed solid with tonnes of families out walking, etc, due to level 5. I'm visually impaired but I could 'see' a fog or such around-the crowds and I thought 'its spreading like wildfire'.

US: JUST IN - Larry King (87) hospitalized with #COVID19 in Los Angeles.

California: Feared post-Christmas coronavirus surge appears to begin in L.A. County as cases top 800,000 LINK

World: NIH STUDY: Researchers find evidence to suggest COVID-19 can cause brain damage LINK

UK: NEW: Saturday update of latest UK Covid data The trend in test positivity since Christmas is genuinely scary, with lines climbing almost vertically in all English regions. On Christmas eve 17% of tests in London came back positive. Four days later that was 24% and accelerating

Indiana: Indiana’s COVID-19 positivity rate rises to 24.8% LINK

World: COVID long-hauler study found 205 symptoms in 10 body organs LINK

UK: Teachers take legal action as chaos grips England’s schools plan LINK

US: COVID update: - New cases: 275,897 - Positivity rate: 13.4% (-0.6) - In hospital: 123,639 (-1,418) - In ICU: 23,152 (-101) - New deaths: 2,367 - Vaccinated: 4.3M (+795,444)

Tennessee: COVID-19 vaccine administrators give doses to close contacts hours after qualified citizens were turned away LINK

Texas: Texas teacher whose video of first-graders greeting each other went viral dies of COVID-19 LINK

Mexico: Mexican doctor hospitalized after receiving COVID-19 vaccine. Female. 32 yr. Admitted to ICU. Seizures, breathing difficulty and rash. Suspected encephalomyelitis

US: Fleeing Lockdown, Americans Are Flocking to Mexico City LINK

Massachusetts: Health experts say new coronavirus variant may already be circulating in Mass. LINK

California: Amid ‘viral tsunami,’ Army Corps of Engineers will aid L.A. hospitals facing oxygen problems LINK

US: BREAKING: U.S. coronavirus death toll hits 350,000

World: Lab leak is the 'most credible' source of the coronavirus outbreak, says top US government official, amid bombshell claims Wuhan scientist has turned whistleblower LINK

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k2kid · 4 years ago

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With special thanks to Kristen Den Hartog who made me aware of this soldier. She is currently researching this soldier. Please reach out to her if you can assist her.

The impact of physical and psychological injuries to the soldiers that served with the 18th Battalion will never be full understood. These injuries were, however, fully realized by the men and the people they associated with family, friends, co-workers, and the range of people they interacted with throughout their lives. Some of these injuries were persistent and present for the rest of a veterans’ life and some were “resolved” by treatment and healing, though the memory of the action of wounding, injury, or illness would always be present.

One such soldier of the 18th Battalion was Private Hugh Russell, reg. no. 54180. His story illustrates the social and psychological impact of his wound poignantly.

Hugh William Russell was an Irish born British Home Child. Born March 13, 1895 he arrived in Canada at the age of 13 in October 1902. He ended up near Wingham, Ontario, at Turnberry and the records from the Wingham Advance newspaper pre-war indicate that he may have lived with a family that considered his needs to include and education as the paper lists several news articles indicating the scholastic levels he achieved at is school under the guidance of teacher named L.H. Vanstone[i].

On February 4, 1915 at London, Ontario this 19-year old man, standing 5’3” tall enlisted with the 18th Battalion. He indicated his next of kin as James Wray, the farmer to whom he lived and worked with, and his service card from enlistment to April 15, 1915 indicates no demerits or notations relating to abhorrent behaviour. His record was clean.

Arriving with his comrades in England he trains with the Battalion at West Sandling he is docked 2-days pay for being absent without leave (AWL) on May 13 and August 18, 1915. This was quite common as many men of the Battalion had family and friends in the British Isles and these absences may have been to see them.

With the battalion prepared and ready, along with the 2nd Division, to go into active service the Division moves on masse to serve in Belgium in the latter part of September 1915. Russell serves through the initiation period of the Battalion a Ypres and survives unscathed from the disaster that was the action at St. Elois.

On May 18, 1916 he sentenced to 2-days of Field Punishment No. 1 for being absent from a fatigue on the previous day. On May 17, the Battalion sent 400 men to make general repairs and strengthen the front-line from 9 AM to 2 PM that day. Perhaps this was the motivation for being absent. One of the challenges of soldiering during the Great War is that the work never seemed to end. Once they were in reserve, be it Brigade or Corps reserve the army found all sorts of tasks and jobs to keep these men busy and one can imagine the back-breaking and riskiness of working close to and at the front-line.

Casualty list B168 signalled a change in Private Russell’s military service. On September 18, 1916 he was listed with shell shock and was at the 2nd South General Hospital, Bristol, England.

His case notes on that date indicate that he “went sick” on September 14, 1916, with the inability to speak. He could understand when spoke to and they were able to confirm he was not deaf. He was suffering from lassitude as it was noted that he lies half asleep “most of the time.”

The notes indicate that there appeared to be no organic reason for his condition and he was “put under gas,” then “partly hypnotized,’” and finally treated using galvanic electrical treatment with “faint result.”

Later in February 1917 Russell was transferred to the Duchess of Connaught Canadian Red Cross Hospital, Taplow and there the case notes reveal:

“February 4, 1917

Disease: Shell Shock

Complaints ‘Cannot Speak’

‘History (obtained thro’ a friend)

September 15/16 was blown up and recollects nothing further until found himself in hospital [Southende] Bristol Sept. 16/17.

He has not been able to speak since accident. On admission to Bristol was in a highly nervous state and unable to walk. Troubled with insomnia and nightmares and almost constant headaches which tend to persist even at this time. He has always been able to understand what is spoken to him, but cannot reply. His general condition has improved and he entered this hospital Feb. 14/17.

[Condition] no prev. diseases. No venereal disease. Never of a nervous disposition. Does not abuse use of alcohol or tobacco.

[unknown] no hearing.

Exam: Not of a very high type of intelligence. Cannot speak. Understands everything said to him. Can whistle a trifle and can place lips into position to form sounds. Sleeps and eats well.

April 7, 1917

Now employed about the stables (was formerly a jockey). General condition good. His general nervousness and fear of M.O. is disappearing. (He was frightened by former methods to

Has been to several horse races did not speak even under excitement.”

From this report the medical bureaucracy decided that he boarded medically and sent home. It was apparent to them that he was not improving to the point he could be reintegrated to a fighting or support battalion.

It was time to go home for Private Russell.

The medical board met on April 7, 1917 and reported his condition:

“Cause of disability – Aphasia following shell shock

Condition which prevents the soldier form earning a full livelihood – Is rather poorly nourished but seems to have a fair appetite. Think he has improved somewhat of late. Was buried by shell 15-9-16 and following this was unconscious for 3 days. After recovering consciousness he was unable to talk or walk and suffered terrifying dreams. At present he has no trouble in walking but he still sleeps badly and frenquently has bad dreams. Is still “jumpy” in hearing a sudden noise. Suffers from frequent severe headaches over frontal region, but this is function, no organic lesion being present. All reflexes exaggerated, especially the knee jerk. Slight degree of ankylosis being somewhat more marked on the right side than on the left. Tactile sense does not seem impaired Mentally shows some retardation in train of thought. Slight degree of mental apathy is evident.”

The report indicated that he incapacitated by 75% and that the duration of such incapacity would be for 6-months. It further recommended that he be “Sent to Cobourg for special treatment.”

It is interesting to note some items from his file. The cause of his debility appears to have been listed incorrectly as an injury occurring on September 14, 1916, and appears to be corrected to being buried by a shell on the fateful day of the Battalion’s attack at Flers-Courcelette at the Somme on September 15, 1916. Further, when he enlisted, he indicated that his trade or calling was as a farmer, but this document and his letters indicates he was a horse trader. Russell shows his affinity for horses as he has a tattoo of a horse, his observations in his letters, and he worked in the stables at this facility and it was noted he went to the horse races. The notifications on his mental state are indicative of the bias the medical establishment had towards shell shock cases. As there was no organic physical problem the problem had to lie somewhere else. This assessment of “retardation” or not demonstrating a “high type of intelligence” were subjective observations made to place cause with affect. The service records of many soldiers of other ranks other than officers suffering with shell shock mimic Russell’s. Some of the claims made in these medical notes can be so strong that they appear to put into question that soldiers’ moral and mental make up. The issues of battle fatigue, what we now know as PTSD, where not well defined and some doctors’ insensitivity and lack of empathy towards these soldiers are shocking by today’s standards.

If this assessment is contrasted by the letters Russell wrote below, they illustrate an articulate, well educated man. These letters are not typical of the letters written by many of the men. The are long, descriptive, easy to read, and maintain a flow and theme that is pleasing and informative. The show an educated man in contrast to the assessment made by the more highly educated doctors.

#gallery-0-16 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-16 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-16 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-16 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Letter published in the Wingham Advance on March 16, 1916.

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Letter published in the Wingham Advance on August 24, 1916.

Private Russell returns to Canada and attends treatment for aphasia at Cobourg, Ontario as of July 7, 1917 where his records indicate that on December 1, 1917 he had had enough. He requested the be released from the military as he was refusing any further treatment. He passed into his own control. Here, again, the bureaucracy records the following excerpts:

“Cause – Stress of campaign on slightly subnormal mentality.

Mentally:- At present his only trouble is complete loss of voice and he refuses any treatment for this says he was tortured enough in England by treatment. He works at the Vocational Building daily, and is a good worker.”

#gallery-0-18 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-18 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-18 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-18 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Coburg Military Hospital circa 1920.

Coburg Military Hospital circa 2016.

On the last day of 1917, Private Hugh William Russell was able to collect some of his dignity back as he was discharged from the CEF at Kingston, Ontario.

His records show that he was release from service in England on June 29, 1917 and was sent home to Military District No. 1 at London, Ontario. On July 18, 1917 he was able to attend an event at his home, described in detail in the news article below.

A sample of watches from the 1917 edition of the Eatons catalogue.

RETURNED HERO WATCHED[ii] Presented With Beautiful Gold Watch By Old Friends

On Wednesday the 18th of July a very interesting event took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. A. Wray, 6th con. Of Turnberry, when a large number of neighbours and friends assembled to do honor to Private Hugh Russell. Pte Russell was shell shocked on the 14th of September and was rendered unconscious for several days, and when he finally came to, his speech was gone. He is being taken care of at Cobourg Military Hospital and spent the past week at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wray, with whom he lived before enlisting.

The chair was taken by Mr. W.J. Greer, who in an eloquent address called the gathering to order. A short patriotic program commenced with singing The Maple Leaf Forever.

Solos were rendered in excellent voice by Misses Abraham and Gallaher. The following address was read by Mr. W.E. Mines and Pte. Russell was presented with the watch, chain and locket by Mr. E. Higgins.

Dear Friend;-

We, your neighbours and friends assembled here to show our admiration and esteem for you in a small way for the noble and heroic services which you rendered your King and Country on the battlefields of Europe, bid you a cordial welcome back to the land of your adoption.

We are proud of very loyal son who has risen to defend our great Dominion and to secure liberty and justice for the world at large, but our hearts go out more particularly to you when we have known and respected, and would therefore ask you to accept this watch and chain as a slight token of our esteem for you.

While we are overjoyed to have you with us again, we all sympathize with your in your great affliction, but trust that An-all-wise-Providence will see fit to restore speech to you.

Although for lack of forethought we did not acknowledge your bravery when you enlisted alone and went to London to train yet we followed you with our prayers and best wishes and our fervent prayer now is that you may log be spared to enjoy the comforts of life and when your warfare in this life is over you will have a triumphant entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom.

Signed on behalf of your friends;

Although Pte. Russel was taken by surprise he wrote the following very able and neat reply.

Kind Friends:-

I take great pleasure in thanking you for this address of welcome and presentation. In the trenches we often used to wonder if the people did appreciate our services, but now I know the people of this community do. I may say that I did not really expect this for I only did my duty which is expected of every able bodied man in this Empire. I thank you one and all for this gift and for your kindness and good wishes.

Hugh Russell.

After the presentation the speech of the evening was give my Mr. A.H. Musgrove, M.L.A., in his usual sincere and fluent manner. The pleasant evening was brought to a close by the ladies serving a dainty lunch.

Source: The Wingham Advance. July 26, 1917. Page 1.

This news clipping repudiates the assessment of the doctors in England and Canada.

First, the family that he was resident with before the war takes him in and helps to honour him with an event that is publicly recognized by the local paper. This man is well respected and considered an important member of the community. The residents attending the event even recognize the circumstances of his enlistment with what appears a touch of regret like Russell left without the support or approval of his host family. The sentiment in the speech, “Although for lack of forethought we did not acknowledge your bravery when you enlisted alone and went to London…” belies a collective regret that would have been palpable with such a close knit community.

Second, the speech is eloquent and well written. The effort to present the watch and the speech reflects the esteem the community held for this man. Such a public demonstration was common for returning soldiers, but the strength and personal remarks of this speech emphasize a larger community desire to make it clear to Russell just how they feel.

Last, his reply, written in response to such a speech is succinct, to the point, and more than an adequate response for what would be an emotional reunion with his community. Not the words of a dullard. Private Russell could read and write, and well.

Time would advance and with his refusal for further treatment on December 31, 1917 would mark 472-days of silence.

This silence was to continue until his…

SPEECH RETURNS Hugh Russel Talks After Two Year’s Silence

Hugh Russell an Irish home boy, who has for several years worked with farmers in Turnberry and who has been unable to utter a word for the past two years has regained his speech.

On the 14th of September, 1916, Pte. Russell was shell shocked and for several days lay unconscious, when he finally came to, his speech was gone. He was for a time in English Hospitals but returned to Canada on June 30th, 1917. He spent the winter in Wingham and has for some time been employed with Mr. R.J. Breen[iii], Turnberry.

He was taking his horse to Toronto exhibition, when she scared while in the car and Hugh very excitedly shouted “Whoa” much to his own delight and astonishment. Mr. Edgar Higgins saw him in Toronto and spoke to him when much to his surprise he answered by voice instead of by pencil.

Source: Wingham Advance. September 5, 1918. Page 1.

A further 228-days would transpire before this event. Private Russell, responding to a stimulus while doing a vocation that he had expressed an interest before, even during his treatment in England, responds to a horse that was scared and in an effort to calm and control the animal makes his first utterance since that fateful day in September 1915.

His life may have begun to normalize after the trauma that led to his silence, nightmares, and distress. As he relates to the authorities, he felt very strongly that the medical efforts to “cure” him were tantamount to torture. Given his evident intelligence and the high regard he was held by his friends his life was, perhaps, being directed to one where he would be able to compartmentalize and cope with the mental and physical forces that made him mute. No amount of thanks or displays of appreciation with gifts could compensate this man but one hopes that this recognition for his service helped assuage the demons in his soul.

How and would this man suffer in the future after the horrors of war?

[i] The Wingham Advance. April 4, 1907. Page 5.

[ii] The title of this article is curious.

[iii] Breen’s son was a friend of his.

Mute But Not Retarded: The Case of Private Russell With special thanks to Kristen Den Hartog who made me aware of this soldier. She is currently researching this soldier.

#Cobourg Military Hospital #horses #PTSD #shell shock

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