Today's County in the Spotlight:Part 2

[NewcastleFalcon]

Major tradition of glassmaking at Alloa. Alloa Glass Works was established in 1750 by Lady Frances Erskine. Workers were trained by craftsmen from Bohemia (in the present-day Czech Republic), who also oversaw the construction of the first glass cone on the site. As you might expect though in 2022, a large global corporation O-I (Owens-Illinois) originating in the USA, own the Alloa business and have global manufacturing in many countries.


Northern Glass Cone, Alloa
Alan Murray-Rust / Northern Glass Cone, Alloa

Today the Alloa facility can produce 2 million bottles a day.

A few of the 2 million bottles produced in 24 hours at Alloa

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

To close down the day-ish in the spotlight for another small historic County better have a little music.

Head for you tube and Clackmannan District Brass comes up most often.

So a little taste



Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

_______Clackmannanshire Done________47 Done___45 Left______

Random Number selection is 6

New County is
Cromartyshire

Yes another tiny one with some detached bits if I am not mistaken!

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Wikishire helps, https://wikishire.co.uk/wiki/Cromartysh ... martyshire

But its straightforward and small.....2 settlements only of any size.

Cromarty the County Town on the east coast at the top end of the Black Isle
Ullapool on the West Coast.

Smaller towns and villages....yes never heard of a single one...

Achduart
Achiltibuie
Alnessferry
Ardmair
Ardnagoine
Badenscallie
Barbaraville
Brae of Achnahaird
Braes of Ullapool
Camusnagaul
Cullicudden
Dundonnell
Inver
Jemimaville
Kildary
Kilmuir
Lochslin
Milton
Morefield
Mount High
Newmills
Polbain
Polglass
Portmahomack
Reiff, Resolis
Rhives
Rhue
Springfield

Good luck plenty of creativity needed but it gets its day-ish just like each one of the 92

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

I think we need an early strike with an original photo.

This is Ullapool...and the fascination of watching someone fishing! 1972 ish slide, photographed from a projector screen.



Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Bit of a challenge this one, there is a little confusion on the flag which you can read from the link below:

BFTW

All the info here

The location:

BFTW

And the places:

BFTW

[NewcastleFalcon]

Here's one of the usual blanks filled in...

Cromartyshire never had its own vehicle registration area code, but shared JS with its partner in crime Ross.

and here is a delightful image of JS7693

https://www.rossandcromartyheritage.org/home/black-isle-communities/killearnan/killearnan-places/killearnan-transport/

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

from someone who knows more about Cromarty than me! (not hard!)



REgards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Street food...where's it gone...up into the too expensive to be called street food category.

I guess my comfort zone as far as seafood goes is battered Haddock and chips, and never tempted with shellfish of any description.

Ullapool is well served with the traditional fish and chip establishments, but also the Seafood Shack which has a limited changing menu. Reckon I would pass on the Langoustines and go straight for the battered Haddock

Culled these from this video

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Thanks Steve

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

One fascinating fact I came across is that Jemimaville in Cromarty

BFTW

is fairly unique in being a highland village which was the site of a first world war naval battle!!

Extracted from Wiki to save you linking:

Naval battle
Surprisingly for a village on land, Jemimaville is also the site of one of the lesser-known naval battles. The Battle of Jemimaville occurred on 26 October 1914, when the village was accidentally shelled by the battlecruisers HMS Queen Mary and HMS Lion. These British warships had been warned of German submarine activity in the Cromarty Firth, and fired shells at shapes that were suspected to be the surfacing U-boat, but were more likely to be an innocent dolphin or wave. Jemimaville took the brunt of the shelling, and a ten-month-old baby, Alexandria McGill, nearly lost her leg when the second floor of her house collapsed on top of her cradle. She limped for the rest of her life, and the only compensation she received from the Admiralty was a silver rattle inscribed A Present to Baby McGill from HMS Lion, October 1914.[2]

[mickthemaverick]

100 points for anyone who can stay the course and watch this video through to the end. Post your times up here for consideration. I'll start with 45 seconds!!

[myglaren]

20".
There are lots of these 'robovoice' YouTube clips that are supremely irritating.
Watched on on Graphene earlier. Wasn't as bad as that one though.

[NewcastleFalcon]

The former Harrods boss owns a piece of Cromartyshire...

Balnagown Castle


Balnagown Castle - geograph.org.uk - 653262
sylvia duckworth / Balnagown Castle

Regards Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Cromarty has an active arts trust based at the Stables and Old Brewery in Cromarty.

Cromarty, Cromartyshire

The last artist to perform there on Saturday 14th May was Lizabett Russo. Took the time to listen to some of her stuff. Interesting I would say, I like a bit of ethereal vocal.

https://www.cromartyartstrust.org.uk/ev ... -russo.asp

Definite VFM Tom Robinson on BBC Radio Six "This is simply world-class work, by any standard"

Doors open from 19.30. BYOB / tea & coffee on sale
Tickets: £12 / £8 student/unwaged
Purchase in advance by emailing [email protected] or tel 01381 600354.
May be sales at the door if availability allows. We do not send out hard tickets but will have a record of your purchase to tick off on the door list.

Couldn't pick out a recommended track, not for everyone, but I am intrigued enough to hear more.



Regards Neil