Over to Over - again - and Sue to Snailwell

The campaign team was split again today. I went over to Over - again - and 'did' lots of homes, meeting lots of people. I was very impressed by the Over Day Centre, the Over Surgery and the Elm Court Sheltered Housing Scheme, all in Metcalfe Lane. I met a gentleman who had just collected a free prescription from the surgery, who had recently received a free seven-week stay in Addenbrooke's Hospital, and who was also undergoing further free treatment for a very serious disease. We discussed the merits of the National Health Service and the 'service' that some poor Americans do not receive. We agreed that we Brits are very fortunate indeed. We also agreed that many millions of our people could not manage without the NHS. Long may it be preserved.

For more details of Elm Court, go to -

http://www.scambs.gov.uk/pressreleases/pressrelease.htm?mode=10&pk_press_release=140

I went to that website and was not surprised to see that former Councillor Edgar Monks had had a hand in it as the District Councillor for Over and. in 2001, as the Chairman of the South Cambridgeshire District Council Housing Committee.

I returned from Over via Swavesey and noted, as I had in early March, the same sad and unused state of the Cambridge 'misguided' busway. This expensive scheme is increasingly embarrassing for many of us in our County of Cambridgeshire. I wish that I had spoken up earlier on this subject.  

Sue set off in the opposite direction - for Snailwell, which is close to Newmarket and is a particularly pretty Cambridgeshire village. She returned with more good news on the canvassing front and some superb pictures, which follow and which will speak louder for Snailwell than any words of mine or Sue's.

First, Sue's first farming love, some black sheep. Here is an ewe with a couple of good-looking lambs.

We used to keep pedigree Suffolks years ago. They were fine animals but a lot of work and Sue and I have had many a night out during the lambing season. The ewes seemed to prefer to produce in the dark: I don't know why.

Next, further proof that Spring has really arrived. Just take a look at these primroses in the churchyard of St. Peter's Church.

The rectory at Snailwell, a most beautiful house, was the home of the late Revd. Nicholas Isaac Hill, J.P. (1760 - 1854), whose daughter, Harriott Hill (1808 - 1883), married the Revd. Tansley Hall (1811 - 1893), a brother of Caroline Hall (1810 - 1893), who married my cousin, Dr. Charles Witt (1797 - 1883). Who cares? Well, I do, as it happens, for I am also a family historian in my 'spare time.'

Sue also pictured the Snailwell village sign which displays a pleasant play on the words 'snail' and 'well.' We South East Cambridgeshire people can be quite clever if we choose so to be. Here is the sign.

Finally, as we are near Newmarket, the town which ought to be all in Cambridgeshire, we have agreed to show a picture of a very fine statue of a stallion by the name of Chamossaire at Snailwell Stud. They go in for fine horses and fine statues in and around Newmarket but neither Sue nor I knew of this one. Here he is. (His right ear is intact: it's just laid back a bit).

By the way, one of the East Cambridgeshire District Council officers joked with me this morning regarding the deposit money for the General Election. He said, 'Did it [the money] come from Newmarket?' I didn't get the joke immediately and said, 'Yes,' meaning that I had got it from my bank (LLoyds) at Newmarket. He meant, 'Did it come from Newmarket horse-racing?' I explained that, whilst Sue's late grandfather, Mr Reg Day, was a famous trainer in his day - the Reg Day Memorial Handicap race is still run every year at Newmarket - neither Sue nor I are regular race-goers. As we have racing interests in 'our' constituency, we shall have to pay more attention, though I have to say that I still feel a little uneasy about horse-racing on Sundays, a relatively recent innovation.