Sorry that it is late...

another quiet month,all the ducks seem fine and have survived unscathed the disruption of the bridge works,(now completed).

The four crested Aylesbury ducklings have grown well and their little "pom-pom hats" continue to charm and amuse locals and visitors alike.

I am unsure if the wild Mallard population use this forum or read the Clun Chronicle but word is spreading and Mr Parry thirty or more join his resident ducks for their excellent evening meals.

don't forget to put any loose change in the pot the next time that you visit as the ducks are all most grateful.

the Duckwatch is in the Clun Chronicle each month, John Chidlow writes the article but he states that Janet Bradbury tells him what to write! so a big thank you to the both of them and to Vin and Chris Parry who look after all the ducks.

s.g.d.

Who is this Janet Bradbury? She sounds like a formidable battleaxe of a woman, the Ena Sharples of Clun.

Thanks for the update. I have been sick with worry over the potentially harmful effects that the bridge works were having on the Aylesburys' pom-pom hats.

I've only stopped in Clun once. There's the combined tea shop and post office. I think Ms Bradbury runs the post office. The tea shop woman was very nice, and great to talk to. The woman I saw behind the post office counter didn't look like a battle-axe to me. :huh:

Thanks very much for the Duckwatch latest, s.g.d.

I usually pop into the Sun or the White Horse if I'm in Clun.

Any news on what's happening to the Buffalo?

it is still "closed for renovation" and still no sign of any work.

the White Horse is part of Shropshire's real cider trail.Visit 20 pubs in October and get a free t-shirt.

s.g.d.

I visited the lovely Clun and Newcastle on Clun on Sunday.
Is it true that Clun now has singing toilets!!! ;)

Speaking with a relative about the Buffalo it seems work is being done, then changed, then re-done, then changed, then re-done then changed and so on.
Such a shame, the Buffalo was your typical old style pub. For some reason I always think of Dummy Lock when I think of the Buffalo. Didnt Dummy always go in there on Carnival day for a pint????

hello madlara

the public toilets at the castle car park do indeed play opera.I think that youngsters
are supposed to be deterred from hanging around them,not that it worked in A Clockwork Orange.

I only ever saw Billy Lock in the Sun,but he probably visited all the local establishments.I will post a poem on the poem page about Bill.

s.g.d.

Hi s.g.d

Had a read of the poem, really lovely.
I read one of the Clun Chronicles (think it was that anyway) after Billy had passed away and a feature was written about his life. Very fascinating charachter. I'm ashamed to say though that as a kid I did run away from him ALOT. He always appeared around the corner when we were walking up the Mardu Lane (when on my own I don't think I ever walked...I RAN) or the Whitcott to Bicton road. He used to appear at my Aunties every now and again, who lived up the Mardu Lane and do the O sign. If he was lucky he went away happy with some money in his pocket.
I can remember him in the Buffalo, he used to sit outside on carnival day with his half pint. Happy memories.

Madlara

yes it was in the December 2001 issue of the Clun Courier(now replaced by the Chronicle).

It also mentioned a bust of Billy that was made by Gemma Pearson in 1994,apparently this featured on Midlands Today.

A curator at the museum told me to just knock on her door if I wished to see it,but I am not that brave.

Thank you for sharing your memories,I hope that you didn't give him too hard of a time when you were younger.

s.g.d.

Hi s.g.d

No we never gave Billy a hard time, we had manners and respect for people drummed into us by mother!!! We just used to turn and run away, feel abit silly when I think back to it but sadly when your young and non-understanding the noise that Billy made was scary to hear. As I got older and moved away though I saw him less and less.
I would love to see the bust of Billy, I saw that in the paper, where is it???? If possible I would make a visit there on my next trip up to Gods Country.

Thanks
M

the new town trail leaflet says that the bust is in the museum but on my last visit I was told that they hope to have it again but it is currently in the artist,Gemma Pearson's,house.

s.g.d.

http://www.southshropshire.gov.uk/static/D...v1.5-Policy.pdf

if you copy and paste the above link it will hopefully take you to a file,on page 4 there is a picture if Billy's bust.

the sculptress was Gemma Pearson or Jemma Montague probably the same person.

s.g.d.