Dateline

Lambeth Palace, London

Archbishop Ignites Unholy Firestorm

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Dr. Rowan Williams finds it hard to be all things to all people.[/caption]

THE ARCHBISHOP of Canter-bury, Dr. Rowan Williams, drew an immediate and visceral reaction from the public when he ventured the comment that the adoption of some elements of Muslim Sharia law in Britain’s legal system “seems unavoidable.” The Archbishop told Radio 4’s “World at One” that Muslims should not have to choose between “the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty….An approach to law which simply said—there’s one law for everybody—I think that’s a bit of a danger.”
The British people were clearly not amused. The BBC’s Web site received more than 600 angry postings within the first hour after it released the story and more than 20,000 over the next couple of days. Politicians of every party, including the Prime Minister, and sundry Church of England leaders in Britain and around the world have been quick to condemn the prelate’s comments. Despite Dr. Williams’ attempts to mitigate his remarks and explain himself, the row only adds to the difficulties of the beleagured Archbishop within and without the church.

Camden Town, London

Camden Market Erupts in Flames

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Historic Camden Town takes a big hit.[/caption]

CHARRED RUBBLE WAS ALL that remained of Camden Market after fire swept through the famous North London landmark on a cold Saturday night in February. It took 100 firefighters several hours to fight the blaze that destroyed hundreds of market stalls, engulfed nearby homes and irreparably damaged a historic pub.
The Hawley Arms pub was known for its celebrity clientele. One of London’s most popular tourist spots, Camden Market attracted around 300,000 visitors every weekend. Some 300 stallholders faced loss of their goods and jobs. Though plans were immediately bruited to rebuild the site as quickly as possible, it is feared that now that the area is subject to redevelopment the character of old Camden Market may be lost forever.

And Just in Passing

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There goes the family seat.[/caption]

SEAT LOST IN BANKRUPTCY

Losing the family home after 1,000 years has to smart. King Edgar granted the 1,490-acre estate near Rugeley, Staffordshire, in AD 974. Now, Sir Charles Wolsey, the 11th baronet, has managed to lose the land and its 34-room Georgian home, Park House, after a failed venture to open the estate’s 45-acre landscape garden to the public. Ouch.

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Her Majesty has lots of fans.[/caption]

THE MONARCHY REMAINS POPULAR

An extensive telephone poll by the BBC has found that almost 80 percent of the people questioned believe that Britain should continue to have a Royal Family. An equal percentage expressed confidence that the monarchy would still be alive and kicking in 30 years’ time. By sheer coincidence, a similar 80 percent of people believe Prince William’s girlfriend, Kate Middleton, would be a good addition to the Royal Family.

A BARONESS TO BE RECKONED WITH

It made all the papers. A cyclist hurtling through Westminster traffic jumped a red light and nearly knocked over an elderly woman. The lady in question, however, was 84-year-old Baroness Sharples, who clocked the cyclist with her handbag as he passed her outside the House of Lords. The veteran Tory peer described discourteous cyclists as a “ruddy nuisance” and said her only regret was that she didn’t hit him harder.

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Baroness brooks no nonsense.[/caption]

PAY ATTENTION TO THE WHEEL

We all know that distractions at the wheel can be dangerous. Now, tough new guidelines issued to prosecutors will provide that British motorists caught using hand-held mobile phones while driving could be jailed for two years. If a motorist is adjudged to have proved a danger to another motor vehicle, prison sentences could also result from drivers adjusting a GPS, fiddling with an MP3 player or sending text messages.

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Prison for distracted drivers?[/caption]

Aith, Scotland

Shetlander Purls Up a Storm

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The fastest needles in the world belong to Hazel Tindall of Scotland.[/caption]

THE WOOL WAS FLYING at the World Knitting Championships in Minneapolis, Minn., in February. Hazel Tindall, 55, of the Shetland island village of Aith, was crowned winner and still champion. Speedy Tindall completed an astonishing 262 stitches in the three-minute time trial. She has only increased her speed since first being named the world’s fastest knitter at London’s 2004 Knitting and Stitching Show time trials after completing merely 255 stitches in the three-minute showdown.
“There’s plenty of Shetlanders that can knit fast. I’m sure that I could be challenged,” Tindall confessed, “but sadly probably not by anyone under 50, because hand knitting is a skill which is rapidly vanishing.”

Market Rasen, Lincolnshire

Ooo-ooh, I’m All Shook Up

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Britain’s strongest earthquake in years rocks the house.[/caption]

THE STRONGEST EARTHQUAKE to hit Britain in nearly a quarter-century was felt from London to Newcastle and west to parts of Wales this March. Centered in the Lincolnshire town of Market Rasen, the quake measured 5.2 on the Richter scale. The tremor struck just before 1 a.m., driving folks from their beds and into the streets. Chimneys toppled, masonry cracked, cupboard doors flew open and startled birds took to the air. Though injuries to people were minimal, it is estimated that the cost of property damage will run to millions of pounds.

Winchester, Hants

A Hero’s Welcome for Returning Troops

THE NARROW pedestrianized corridor of Winchester’s High Street was jammed with people waving Union Jacks and cheering as thousands turned out to welcome home troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. After the head of the army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, and other senior officers criticized local councils for not welcoming forces returning from active duty, the parade caught on with soldiers and the public alike.
Service personnel from the King’s Royal Hussar’s, the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards and the frigate HMS Rich-mond marched through the streets in combat uniform to music from Welsh Guards, the Pipes and Drums of the Irish Guards and the Band of Rifles. Troops and officers were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the parade. Local councils are being encouraged to hold such parades for returning active duty units.

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Kids cheer the troops in Winchester.[/caption]

Helmand, Afghanistan

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Prince Harry on the Front

PRINCE HARRY, 23, surreptiously managed a 10-week deployment on the front lines of Afghanistan before his cover was blown by the media. The Royal “spare” served as a tactical air controller, calling up allied air cover in support of forces pursuing the Taliban and taking his turn on foot patrols. “I haven’t really had a shower for four days. I haven’t washed my clothes for a week,” the prince reported cheerily. “It’s very nice to be sort of a normal person for once.” Once the word was out, unsurprisingly, the young officer was recalled to Britain.

Whitehall, London

New Ban on Underage Alcohol

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Under 18s get their booze taken away. Gosh.[/caption]

TO ADDRESS BRITAIN’S PROBLEM drinking among young people, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has proposed giving police extraordinary new powers to combat alcohol abuse by under-18s. Up until now, officers have been able to confiscate alcohol from youngsters in public only if they have a “reasonable suspicion” that they are going to drink it. Under the new proposal, police will have the power to take alcohol away from children. “It does make a difference,” Smith said, “because it makes very clear that young people should not be drinking alcohol on the streets.”

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Amy Winehouse[/caption]

GRAMMY GLORY FOR DITZY BRIT

English singer Amy Winehouse won five prestigious Grammys at this year’s annual awards, including best new artist and both song of the year and record of the year. The latter awards came for her single “Rehab,” which seems appropriate as such approximates the reason she was denied visa entry to the States for the ceremony. Though the U.S. relented, Amy stayed in London and accepted her awards by satellite video.

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Pancakes judged too risky a race.[/caption]

RISK ASSESSMENT TAKES THE CAKE

Pancake races on Shrove Tuesday have been a tradition in many English communities since the 17th century, when the races were like a village sports day before the solemnity of Lent. This year, the annual pancake races were flattened in the small North Yorkshire cathedral city of Ripon over concerns for health and safety.

MAGNA CARTA GETS MAGNA MONEY

A rare copy of the Magna Carta, dated 1297 and sealed by King Edward I, has sold at Sotheby’s in New York for more than &doller;21 million. The rare parchment was regarded as one of the most important historic documents ever to be auctioned. Purchased by an American private equity company, the document is one of 17 known copies of the charter, and the only one in the United States.

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Rare document stays in States.[/caption]

PIG-NAMED PUB PICK OF LITTER

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has named The Old Spot Inn of Dursley, Gloucestershire, the best pub in Britain. The century-old free house, praised as a well-run community pub, takes its name from the Gloucestershire Old Spot breed of pig. Bottoms up.

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The Gloucestershire Old Spot[/caption]

Arundel, West Sussex

Britain’s Top Country Towns

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Arising in the shadows of Arundel Castle, the market town of Arundel takes top place for quality of life.[/caption]

EVERYONE LOVES A PRETTY market town. Dominated by a castle or old abbey, with a handsome market square, lots of quaint specialist shops and precincts of Georgian or Victorian houses, an outstanding surrounding landscape and a bit of individual style, the market town has become more popular than ever as a place to escape the pressures of the urban environment.
After polling hundreds of estate agents and experts such as noted architectural historian Alec Clifton-Taylor, the Daily Telegraph compiled a ranking of Britain’s 50 finest towns. The top five finishers are Arundel, West Sussex; Burnham Market, Norfolk; Hexham, Northumberland; Great Malvern, Worcestershire; and Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Don’t expect real estate prices to decrease there in the immediate future.

The City, London

Britannia Banned at the Mint

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Britannia hits the skids.[/caption]

THE ROYAL MINT has announced that they are removing Britannia from the 50p coin. The move has stirred a strong reaction in the British public. Long a symbol of empire and national pride, the trident-wielding lady should be retained according to 90 percent of the people responding to a poll by the Daily Mail. Britannia first appeared on a farthing minted in 1672, and her image has appeared on British coinage continuously ever since.
Actually, however, Britannia became a personification of Britain during the Roman occupation of the island. Several coins of the Roman era featured the mythic goddess. It was Charles II, though, who revived her for a medal commemorating a naval victory over the Dutch in 1664. The iconic image we all know was modeled by the king’s friend, the Duchess of Richmond and Lennox. Since then, the image has lined British pockets. The old girl will be sadly missed.

Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taff

Welsh Mine Celebrates Its Closure

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The gutsy miners celebrate a hard-won victory at Tower Colliery.[/caption]

WALES’ LAST DEEP PIT coal mine, Tower Colliery, in Hirwaun, has marked its closure as it did its opening in 1995—with a parade. The celebratory march was made by the miners who owned the mine. When the pit was shut down in the general closures of the early ’90s, Tower was purchased by 239 defiant miners who pooled their redundancy pay of £8,000 to run the colliery as a cooperative venture. After 13 years, the pit has simply run out of coal. Now, plans are being discussed for the redevelopment of the 480-acre site, and the miners are celebrating their success at proving it could be run economically.

Carmarthenshire, Wales

Coracle Fisherman Cites Ancient Charter

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A dozen fishermen still fish the River Towy in the small boats.[/caption]

DAI REES, WHOSE FAMILY has fished the River Towy in Carmarthenshire for centuries, lost his license to fish the river, but claims he doesn’t need one. An ancient charter, passed down through the generations, was granted his mother’s family by Queen Elizabeth I in thanks for helping prevent the plague from reaching coastal Chichester. It granted them the right to fish anywhere without paying. On a good night Rees can pull about 12 salmon into his tiny boat, loading it to the gills.

SUING THE BOOKIES FOR LOSING?

One Graham Calvert, a gambling addict from Houghton-on-Spring, Tyne & Wear, has lost more than £2 million in the betting shop. Now, after losing his livelihood, his wife and his health, Calvert sued bookmakers William Hill for substantial damages for accepting his bets. Want to bet how that turned out?

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Don’t bet the house and hearth.[/caption]

PUBLIC TOILETS SOLD AT AUCTION

Three council-owned toilets in Fife were sold recently at public auction, netting £60,000 for the council coffers. The BBC broke the story under the headline, “Flush buyer scoops public toilets.” The winning bidder’s plans for the bunkers are unknown.

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Council loos in private hands.[/caption]