Social Engineering with Castles & Chocolate

Standing on Ehtelfleda's Mound at Warwick Castle. Staterooms to the right - Dungeon entrance by the white tent - portcullis behind Willow - Canon tower to the left. Horrible Histories are visiting Easter 2014 - it will be crowded then!

The River Avon from the highest Tower

On the River Avon, just north of Shakespeare's home town, is a mound that rises steeply from the river bank and falls away towards wide river plains of fertile land. Here Alfred the Great's daughter, Ehtelfleda had a burh (earthen fortification) built as defences against the Danes. The whole idea of 'It's who you know not what you know' seems to be easily traced through earliest recorded histories. However when the who and the what are combined in one person or family, power and influence are a guaranteed outcome. Alfred was 'great' because not only had he united England, fought off the Vikings on land and on sea but he had also encouraged the arts and literacy and provided the first period of extended peace England had known in many years. In times of peace - land grows food instead of graves, people eat and sleep with dreams of a future; ideas of progress have time to flourish.

This mound eventually became the Castle of Warwick lived in and defended by the Earl's of Warwick and the Lords of Brooke. The property changed families every three or so generations because of childless marriages, treachery and misty battle fields. The de Beauchamp family ruled the roost for nearly 150yrs and completed most of the stone defenses and buildings. The last survivor of this family was Anne. When she was 8 yrs old she was betrothed to Richard Neville, who was 6. Marriages that would be frowned upon today, combined families into dynasties. This union resulted in an Earldom that controlled 5 major Castles around England and Wales and a clutch of minor ones.

The Kingmaker stirring his men to battle as they prepare to leave Warwick Castle for the Battle of Barnet.

This boy is 8yrs old, his job was to go and collect the spent arrows off the battle field after the fighting for repair and reuse. He was expected to pull them from bodies, dead or dying, without losing the tips as well as from the ground.
Imagine the interactions with the opposing side's arrow collectors - an unpleasant and dangerous job. It certainly would have hardened him up for when he was old enough to enter the fray himself.

A Fletcher making arrows

A Castle guard with his friend Mr Spikey

Spectacles of the era - perhaps these coloured
ones where used to decipher secret codes

Metal was very pricey so canon balls were
often cut from stone

The Earl's Treasurer - may be lining his own
silky pockets!

In the days where Castles meant contracts to procure wealth rather than hopes of happily-ever-after, Neville lived a sly life of playing off the Lancaster and Yorkist contenders for the throne. He was named Kingmaker because of the resources he controlled. Whoever he backed would have a better chance of annihilating the other, ensuring that their bid to hold the throne was successful. Neville had no claims to the throne but wanted to control someone who did. He won the first battle at St Albans for the Yorks and was rewarded with control over England's standing army and it's navy. He swapped allegiance as suited his ambitions to see one of his daughters on the throne but eventually became a victim of the rumours of treachery that he had traded in. He left Warwick Castle for the last time with his army and headed for Barnet where, on Easter Sunday 1471, after a bloody morning and 3000 dead, he was stripped naked, killed and his 43yr old body displayed for two days in London to stop the cycle of intrigue. His castles were claimed by the Crown and he was buried in his maternal mausoleum at Bisham Abbey.

Knowing that the dungeon was full of tortuous instruments for tearing, cutting, scraping, piercing, stretching, gouging, hooking, severing, wrenching and plucking I'm not sure that I really wanted to be part of an interactive dungeon reenactment to be honest. (We missed seeing it because I had misunderstood the booking process - we had to go book a time once there not just pay.) This level of fear in any autocratic society will produce dishonesty and disloyalty. I don't understand the logic of men who claimed to be appointed by God to rule then don't respect or protect the freedom of choice gifted to each individual.

A suit of armour cost over a million dollars in today's money - this knight is displayed in the great Hall
His wife has been left in the Still room.

Some of the Women's roles in a Medieval Castle. That poor washer woman would have aching hands.
A sign said that the mean age in these times was 25y rs; battles, childbirth and malnutrition the main killers.

Left - the largest trebuchet in the world today - it wasn't firing the day we were there.

Windows in Cardiff Castle -
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/reflection-what-allure-richard-iii

Neville's youngest daughter, Anne, did become Queen, when her husband Richard of Gloucester became Richard III. Shakespeare has recently been accused of forever creating a vision of a beastly, ugly, bitter Richard III in his 'historical' play to help his King, James I, portray his right to the throne as indisputable. Now that Rick III's remains have been identified in a car park that was being dug up, no doubt a forensic artist will be able to let us make up our own minds. As long as humans have told stories through image or word they have tried to influence the thinking and behaviour of others. Propaganda was not a 20th C invention.

http://globetoglobe.shakespearesglobe.com/

A small team of actors from The Globe theatre are taking Hamlet to every country of the Globe over the next two years: even North Korea. Given Hamlet's desire to rid his country of intrigue and dishonesty, where uncle killing is an unexceptional means and the neighbouring country is a constant political threat, I wonder if this small team of thespians will make it out alive. Surely they won't uncover repressed homosexuality, suicide and incest as well? Murder and violence to achieve your social ambitions is generally frowned upon in today's society as the woman who threw acid over the face of her bestie in a camouflaged, premeditated jealousy attack found out when her sentence of 12yrs was handed down last week. Her efforts to be alpha female were not as foolproof as her hired burqua made her feel they were. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25868753

Willow stands as far away as she can still hear to cope with her APA(Audience participation anxiety)  You all know the 2 finger salute comes from the famed English bowmen - the two fingers used to pull back the bowstring.  

Petal was convinced to have a go because it was quiet and nobody would bother stopping to watch! As soon as she paid the £3 for her 6 arrows a big crowd arrived.  She got all on the target and one in the red zone to much applause!

All very brave going up to the top of the highest battlement. This is probably where M and G got their colds from.
The stairs are so tight and narrow that any armour must have been put on at the top.  I survived the attempt on my life!
Bottom right- Hot oil, rocks and human excrement was hurled down if the first gate was broken through. Barrels were used as toilets in the tower, lidded when full and stored ready for attack. Bottom centre. Two very brave nervous of heights people standing on a grill that covers the oil trap down into the moat.

A bird show introduced us to a young
Russian.  Bruce the sea eagle has relatives
who will knock goats off cliffs to change his
fishy diet.

Francis Grenville was a statesman who advised James I, he was also a poet and when it came time to retire from Court the King granted him Warwick Castle and it's land. The Rich family owned the title but when it's last heir died childless, James I granted the title to his friend in the Castle. The land and the title were now together for the first time in over 100 yrs. Poor Lord Warwick left his will lying around and a life long retainer discovered that all he could expect upon the Earl's death was £20. It a fit of rage he stabbed his master, who with the expenses of a broken down, 1/2 ruined castle had probably been very generous. Luckily for the Earl he survived the attack.  Unluckily for the Earl this was before the understanding of micro biology and his physicians smeared the wounds with rancid pig fat thus killing him by poisoning his blood.  He died in agony several weeks later. Luckily for the Earl he already had family and they continue to hold the title today - although not the property.

Left -The 'Naughty corner' HenryVIII (not sure why he's there, he rebuilt and complete the stone walls), Ric III and Willow!
Right - Petal joins in a game of cards with Daisy's hubby the Earl and his cronies.

A young Daisy 

The last period of influence Warwick Castle had before the family were forced to sell it to the Tussaud's Group in 1978, was in the early Edwardian era. Prince Edward was a 'very' close friend and confidant of Frances (Daisy) Maynard, who after losing her father and grandfather at 3 years of age and inheriting huge wealth, married the Earl and his straightened estates to become the Countess of Warwick. She lead the Marlborough House set - a group of the Princes entourage - including a young Winston Churchill. In these days, when the only war was in far off India, the wealthy aristocracy played hard and fast. One Ball given at the Castle was fancy dress in the style of Marie Antoinette's France. It was so decadent that the townsfolk of Warwick who were facing high levels of unemployment were disgusted, a left wing paper shamed the Countess into rethinking her attitudes and values. She became involved in welfare projects, especially women's education. She became a vegetarian and joined the Labour party. Her charity works used up her money faster than the partying, she used love letters from her affairs with famous men as blackmail to restore her funds.  In 1938 she died in debt and isolated from her former chums because of her socialist views and indescretions.
http://www.eastonlodge.co.uk/content/%E2%80%98daisy%E2%80%99-years-1865-1938

G eavesdropping on a 23yr old Winston showing off about his publishing achievements and dashing deeds in India.

I do wonder what the use of a title is if it does not signify wealth and resources. In bygone days when these titles represented 'honour' the strongest wrestled them from the unsuccessful and weak. Most titles and properties in England seemed to have been separated by death duties and taxes - social engineering designed to spread the wealth.  Perhaps in these right wing days the titles should be redistributed to the .com billionaires and new property barons? Surely within the 'Square Mile' a rouge as dashing as Richard Neville could be found.  The Sir and Dame titles of today are awarded to recognise significant contributions to our society in our battle against boredom, inequality and mortality. Have a look at the right wing Australian Government's claw back into the system here- http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/tony-abbotts-bunyip-aristocracy-arise-lord-clive-and-lady-gina-20140325-35g7i.html I agree that Sir Cosgrove and Dame Blake have served Australia extraordinarily well and deserve Castles a plenty but it's another spoke in the Republican movement at the same time that NZ is announcing a referendum for a new flag!

It is easy to see how the ideals of communism lead academics across the world down the red path. Poverty on the front step of decadence really isn't decent. Many people with strong beliefs in 'we are all created equal' have done what they can to redress the balance between the haves and the have nots. Charities line the streets of Cambridge and possibly the biggest social influences of group endeavour are now the big charities. Football colours on Saturdays and on Sunday those of your charity of choice - pink for breast, white for prostate, green for the environment etc.  Of course Churches and charities are not mutually exclusive.

Top left - Elizabeth & George Cadbury with 7 of their 10 children. Right - Anthony Yates' painting of the Cricket green on May day. Bottom left - postcard of utopia? Right - town green beside Cadbury World's entry gates

A family of Quakers, Mr Cadbury and Sons, decided that with their hard earned wealth from their growing Cocoa health food business, they would make a big chocolaty happy world for their factory family. When new technology from Europe crowded out their Birmingham factory and their cocoa bean warehouse bursting at the seams, the Cadbury family bought a large block of land 4 miles out of Birmingham for expansion.

This industrial town had more than it's fair share of poverty among the working classes and the Cadbury sons had a vision of a worker's utopia. They built homes for their workers on the factory land, forming the village Bourneville.  They built cricket grounds, football fields and an indoor swimming pool to keep their 'family' fit and strong. Most children left school and started work between 12 - 14 so 'adult' education was introduced to increase the literacy and numeracy levels of their work force. They introduced the time card system to ensure fair payment for hours worked could be tracked.  They gave their workforce 1/2 of Saturday free as well as all day Sunday. George's wife Elizabeth had worked with the poor in the East end of London and was one of the first to voice the idea that it was the squalor and cramped , unhealthy living conditions that bought about the loose morals of a great proportion of the country's population. This was in contrast to the long held idea that the poor were that way because they had low morals and low intelligence.

Dame Cadbury would call on all new residents personally and hand out a health guide sheet. Three pieces of advice were to always leave the table with an appetite, never eat between the three meals a day and don't eat flesh more than once a day. As excellent as this advice is it seems a strange dictate considering 1. These people had probably always been forced to leave the table with an appetite because there wasn't enough food and 2. her descendants go on to be part of the super sugar snack dollar chasing that has resulted in a 1st world obesity epidemic(not sure how you 'catch' obesity for it to be an epidemic). Currently under discussion in the English parliament is the motion for sugar products attract a tax to force the prices up of sugar intense foods. This bit of social engineering doesn't seem to have worked here for smoking, people reportedly sacrifice groceries for the ciggies. Would a price increase of 10p stop you buying that bottle of Coke or a block of chocolate? Still if the revenue helps pay for the health costs obesity is weighing the country down with, it could be worth the bureaucratic labyrinth that will no doubt be created.

Life sized models to walk through. The girl Malinche was given as one of twenty slaves after the Spanish beat the natives of Tabasco. She was a talented linguist, she soon learnt Spanish and thinking Cortex was a god told him all the Mayan secrets about chocolate and their fatalistic beliefs that helped him destroy the culture.  She became his mistress and bore his first son, Martin.

We discovered this amazing level of 'helping out in your own back yard' at Cadbury World. This is a factory tour that manages to incorporate the history of chocolate, the history of Cadbury - excluding the 2011 hostile takeover by Kraft - a tasting tour of the packaging plant (buy the £2 cloth bag offered at the entry - you'll need it), green screen photos with your favourite chocie characters, history of the advertising campaigns (only the crumbliest, flakiest chocolate) and a purple car ride around beanie world. Then if you haven't eaten or smelt enough chocolate exit through the shop which sells Cadbury World only chocolate sculptures, factory seconds, cups, toys, stationery and all it's products and partner confectioner's products.  You can even buy a soft toy Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts man. Walk quickly and don't turn your head - think Mrs Lot!

" There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility of changing them."  Denis Waitley

To empower our kids to make the second Mr Waitley makes this suggestion.

"The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence."

G sneaking back to get more samples
for the goody bag!

Handouts along the factory tour.

Chocolate beanies ready to be 'born'. The rest of the little ride took us past Beanie villages and holiday resorts.

Charlie was so excited to get the complimentary teddy
we got for spending over £20 in the shop - just not enough
self control!  Book - Cadbury mini to match the plane we
bought from the Dunedin tour when the girls were little,
an Oreo block, Diam Easter eggs and Turkish delight.

This author - perhaps a long lost relative
has written other riveting titles like
Poverty amidst Prosperity
Better betting with a decent Feller
Worked all their lives: poor urban women
100yrs of Council Housing in Birmingham

To give Charlie a run around we left the Castle after receiving a special stamp on our hands, to have lunch in Warwick village. The Zetland Arms let us sit with Charlie inside the Conservatory because the weather was closing in fast. M was sorry that the Pea and Spring Onion soup had run out and Charlie enjoyed half my burger. As G and the girls waited for their sticky puddings the storm clouds rushed across the sky and the hail came down. By the time we were ready to leave it had cleared to a watery sunshine for the rest of our visit. Perfect timing!  

Reading Now:
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson (MBE 2011), Black Swan books 2013 Costa Novel Award winner 2013

WWI is a big chunk of the setting of the novel, in time for its 100yr anniversary. The basic concept is about how you would redo your life if you had the opportunity to go back and remake choices to avoid consequences unseen earlier. Who of us haven't imagined going back to our adolescence knowing what we know now to take bigger risks, more opportunities and to right errors of judgement made through ignorance or insecurity.
"Life After Life is a novel about family life in Britain in the first half of the 20th century. The novel could be just that and would still be what is so banally termed “a good read.” But the book transcends its subject matter to become a treatise on how to be human. Ursula’s goal in repeating key events in her life is not personal happiness but the protection of those she loves. Is this repetition conscious or unconscious? It’s never entirely clear, as scenes from her life repeat and repeat. What is clear is her motivation. Toward the end of the novel, Ursula thinks to herself: “This is love. And the practice of it makes it perfect.”  critique by Sarah O'Leary   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews 

Heritage English Pudding  -  Pear Parkin

Ingredients:

·  200g porridge oats (instant sachets)

·  200g self-raising flour

·  ½  tsp ground ginger

·  2 tsp cinnamon

·  ½ tsp allspice

·  ¼ tsp salt

·  175g treacle or golden syrup

·  140g butter

·  140g light muscovado sugar, plus a bit more

·  4cm fresh ginger root – peeled & finely chopped.

·  2 large eggs

·  150ml milk

·  4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and halved (Conference)

·  2T lemon juice

·  25g butter extra

·  2T castor sugar

Method

1.    Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter a 30 x 20cm baking dish.

2.    Melt 25g butter in small bowl(microwave) add 1cm of the chopped ginger, lemon juice and castor sugar.  Mix and leave to soak. (If inclined add 4T brandy or sherry to this)

3.    Mix the dry ingredients together. (sift in flour)

4.    Melt the treacle, butter and sugar together.

5.    Stir wet into the dry ingredients with half of the chopped ginger, the egg and enough milk to give a smooth batter.

6. Spoon into the baking dish, then sit the pear halves in the batter.
7. Dot more soaking mix over each pear half.
8. Bake for 1 hr until risen all over and a skewer inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out clean.
9. Serve in rectangles with custard or icecream.