Since I began writing the Blog back in 2008, readers from a total of 39 countries have read the material. The Blog Reader leader board by Country is taken up by the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Ghana, Brazil, and Canada. Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, India, and Italy also appear in the top ten countries.
Visitors from 204 cities in these 39 countries have read the Blog.
The most number of visitors live in the cities of London (England), Birmingham (England), Cardiff (Wales), Accra (Ghana), and Chicago (USA). Readers from overseas are led by those from Accra and Chicago, but there is also a strong readership from Pelotas (Brazil).
Readers also come from all sub parts of the Continent of Africa i.e. Northern, Western, Southern, and Middle Africa. But for natural reasons the predominant readership of this Blog on the African continent is from Western Africa, and in particular, Ghana.
14 April 2011
13 April 2011
Having a Picnic
Ian Knight is a superb author and I urge you to pick up one or more of his books. With this particular read, I’m at that stage of the story where the British have invaded Zululand for no good reason other than their desire for expanded colonialism and the theft of land and resources in Africa. Picking a fight with the innocent is one thing, but the British invasion has already resulted in the murder of many Zulu’s while part of Chelmsford’s army is still camped under the shadow of Isandlwana. Lord Chelmsford has split his force and has gone on what appears to be his usual forage into the African wilderness. On this occasion he dines for breakfast while his soldiers are busy killing Africans. The reader is informed that the General’s French Cook is back at Isandlwana, and that the General and his staff were reduced to eating what they carried, and dining with the utensils and facilities that could be placed inside their sacks.
This all in all is not too bad a thing, as some of his soldiers did not have breakfast that day, and had not had supper or dinner the previous day. Indeed, those who were fortunate to have left Isandlwana on this particular foray into the wilderness had been reduced to biscuits and the sharing of a 1lb tin of salmon the previous day. Nevertheless, although hungry they would escape the butchery that occurred back at the camp. In contrast to the tea, biscuits and tinned salmon carried by the British, the Zulu army had marched on a few head of beef and a few slaughtered goats. We are told that this was not sufficient to feed the African Zulu army, and the cattle supplied by the Zulu King was supplemented with “raw meat, pumpkins, roasted mealies gourds full of curdled milk” carried by younger members of the family, (Ian Knight, 2010 p.266) and the livestock and the grain pits that the Zulu army was able to raid along the way. The modern reader can well imagine the logistical difficulties facing the Zulu nation in defending their land, culture, and well being against the British aggression. The English held the upper hand in logistical preparation, modern armaments, the creation of a monetary economy in which to buy wagons and to hire skilled drivers, money to lease solid structures in which to house soldiers, ammunition, and provisions. The British did not have crops to worry about or cattle to tend. Plus of course, the unnecessary and brutal invasion was on a date and time of their choosing. The invasion was deliberately timed to coincide with crop difficulties facing the Zulu nation. The existence of a Violence Monopoly fuelled Colonialism, which was a terrible thing, and I am certainly glad that it was not executed in my name.
I suspect that Lord Chelmsford was not dining on pumpkin, roasted mealies, or tinned salmon when he settled down on that grassy knoll to indulge in a spot of breakfast while the murderous affair continued to the fore. Indeed, although Chelmsford was focused to events to the front, he was not the only person now engaged in brutal activity, and although he did not fully comprehend the situation at that time, the butchery was actually going on all around him. Nevertheless, he saw no sound reason to break from his breakfast, and we can only speculate as to what delights he enjoyed on that particular African morning.
This all in all is not too bad a thing, as some of his soldiers did not have breakfast that day, and had not had supper or dinner the previous day. Indeed, those who were fortunate to have left Isandlwana on this particular foray into the wilderness had been reduced to biscuits and the sharing of a 1lb tin of salmon the previous day. Nevertheless, although hungry they would escape the butchery that occurred back at the camp. In contrast to the tea, biscuits and tinned salmon carried by the British, the Zulu army had marched on a few head of beef and a few slaughtered goats. We are told that this was not sufficient to feed the African Zulu army, and the cattle supplied by the Zulu King was supplemented with “raw meat, pumpkins, roasted mealies gourds full of curdled milk” carried by younger members of the family, (Ian Knight, 2010 p.266) and the livestock and the grain pits that the Zulu army was able to raid along the way. The modern reader can well imagine the logistical difficulties facing the Zulu nation in defending their land, culture, and well being against the British aggression. The English held the upper hand in logistical preparation, modern armaments, the creation of a monetary economy in which to buy wagons and to hire skilled drivers, money to lease solid structures in which to house soldiers, ammunition, and provisions. The British did not have crops to worry about or cattle to tend. Plus of course, the unnecessary and brutal invasion was on a date and time of their choosing. The invasion was deliberately timed to coincide with crop difficulties facing the Zulu nation. The existence of a Violence Monopoly fuelled Colonialism, which was a terrible thing, and I am certainly glad that it was not executed in my name.
I suspect that Lord Chelmsford was not dining on pumpkin, roasted mealies, or tinned salmon when he settled down on that grassy knoll to indulge in a spot of breakfast while the murderous affair continued to the fore. Indeed, although Chelmsford was focused to events to the front, he was not the only person now engaged in brutal activity, and although he did not fully comprehend the situation at that time, the butchery was actually going on all around him. Nevertheless, he saw no sound reason to break from his breakfast, and we can only speculate as to what delights he enjoyed on that particular African morning.
12 April 2011
Sense of Duty
Yes of course I am thrilled with the listing in ‘Burkes Peerage and Gentry’. Especially as I often portray myself as ‘a lad from the gasworks’. I am without any doubt; a Crindau Boy through and through. But the truth of the matter, is that members of our family have often been referred to ‘as having a posh accent’, and one that does not correlate to our South Wales origins. I was born in Swansea and our arm of the ‘Bennett’ Clan moved to Newport Monmouthshire (Gwent) as the motorway and road network improved in the 1960’s. Not because the road improvements facilitated migration, but because my father worked driving a road roller. As the road windfall ceased, Sydney Bennett became a guard with British Railways. Again, geography and circumstance played its part, as BR had a depot in Newport Monmouthshire.
Migration for work in South Wales was not only a 20th Century thing. My research into our family history shows ‘shipsworths’ migrating from Swansea towards Newport Monmouthshire and Risca as part of the property construction boom. Although one unfortunate soul, at a very young age, found himself down the coal mines when that part of the family put down roots around Risca. There probably wasn’t enough carpentry work to go around, and the handing down of skills to a younger generation of family members was starting to cease. Education and the coin became the order of the day.
The provision of education is quite interesting. When you look at the early Census records, they show that our particular arm of the Bennett’s had sufficient money to provide education for a child rather than sending them out to seek work. To put that into context we are talking about the turn of the Century. So maybe an entry in ‘Burkes Peerage and Gentry’ is not that farfetched after all. The building industry was thriving and Granddad Bennett as a Master Mason and Head of the Clan had built up a significant size building firm.
Ernest Llewellyn Bennett enjoyed the trappings that his success brought. I know that in 1917 our family had a motor vehicle. Not many people had a car in those days, and the occupants of passing vehicles in South Wales would certainly have waved to one another. It maybe a family myth, but my father often mentioned that he had a pet monkey as a child. I also know that he displayed a sense of duty to ‘King and Country’ and as the storm clouds of war gathered, my father enlisted in the Army. Sydney Bennett was present in France during The Phoney War. That period from 1939 that had little action while a standoff existed on that front. Sydney was struck down with Scarlet Fever and after 18 months of illness and convalescence he was medically discharged from the Army. However his sense of duty was intense, and to serve his King and country, Sydney enrolled as a firefighter for the rest of the Second World War.
To be quite honest, Sydney Allen Douglas Bennett deserves a place in ‘Burke’s Peerage and Gentry’ far more than I do. But I am nevertheless extremely grateful, and I also know that he and others in our family would be very proud indeed.
Migration for work in South Wales was not only a 20th Century thing. My research into our family history shows ‘shipsworths’ migrating from Swansea towards Newport Monmouthshire and Risca as part of the property construction boom. Although one unfortunate soul, at a very young age, found himself down the coal mines when that part of the family put down roots around Risca. There probably wasn’t enough carpentry work to go around, and the handing down of skills to a younger generation of family members was starting to cease. Education and the coin became the order of the day.
The provision of education is quite interesting. When you look at the early Census records, they show that our particular arm of the Bennett’s had sufficient money to provide education for a child rather than sending them out to seek work. To put that into context we are talking about the turn of the Century. So maybe an entry in ‘Burkes Peerage and Gentry’ is not that farfetched after all. The building industry was thriving and Granddad Bennett as a Master Mason and Head of the Clan had built up a significant size building firm.
Ernest Llewellyn Bennett enjoyed the trappings that his success brought. I know that in 1917 our family had a motor vehicle. Not many people had a car in those days, and the occupants of passing vehicles in South Wales would certainly have waved to one another. It maybe a family myth, but my father often mentioned that he had a pet monkey as a child. I also know that he displayed a sense of duty to ‘King and Country’ and as the storm clouds of war gathered, my father enlisted in the Army. Sydney Bennett was present in France during The Phoney War. That period from 1939 that had little action while a standoff existed on that front. Sydney was struck down with Scarlet Fever and after 18 months of illness and convalescence he was medically discharged from the Army. However his sense of duty was intense, and to serve his King and country, Sydney enrolled as a firefighter for the rest of the Second World War.
To be quite honest, Sydney Allen Douglas Bennett deserves a place in ‘Burke’s Peerage and Gentry’ far more than I do. But I am nevertheless extremely grateful, and I also know that he and others in our family would be very proud indeed.
11 April 2011
Burke's Peerage and Gentry
If anyone reading this Blog is signed up to Burke's Peerage and Gentry, then I would love to see a copy of the full text assigned to my name, so that I can check it over and let them know if any of the details are wrong. You can contact me via rba@hotmail.co.uk
:-)
:-)
Happy Days
Today as also been a 'Happy Day', the unseasonal hot weather is a delight. I have managed to cut the grass, weed the paths, oil the garden furniture, do some DIY in the shade, and pop off into town to stroll the length of the promenade before reading a few more chapters of Zulu Rising. This time it was in Costa and not Cafe Nero, because of course I am now back in Aberystwyth.
It was also 'Happy Days' when I happened to stumble across my entry in Burke's Peerage and Gentry. If I could afford the fees, then I would sign up and check the accuracy of what is written under my name. Although the opening segment that appeared in a Google search seems pretty accurate to me:
Happy Days indeed; sunshine, health, good coffee, a great book, and fame at last.
It was also 'Happy Days' when I happened to stumble across my entry in Burke's Peerage and Gentry. If I could afford the fees, then I would sign up and check the accuracy of what is written under my name. Although the opening segment that appeared in a Google search seems pretty accurate to me:
ROGER BENNETT [Roger Bennett Esq, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Ceredigion County Command, Trefechan, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 1BE, Wales]; born Swansea; educated U of Centl Lancs; firefighter Gwent Fire Bde 1978–89, Community Fire Safety Offr ...
Happy Days indeed; sunshine, health, good coffee, a great book, and fame at last.
Zulu Rising
I have read over 200 pages of Ian Knights astonishing book. I have previously read Great Zulu Commanders, and Great Zulu Battles and truly believed that Ian Knight could not produce a combined book that would be as fresh as the first of my two reads; I was wrong. I am gripped by the storytelling, and have enjoyed a few pages each day in Cafe Nero on Duke Street, Cardiff after my physical toil on our flat. The staff are lovely and would be worthy winners of a Coffee Shop of the Year Award. It has been an enjoyable experience popping into 'Nero' each day, but of course, the hard work on the flat has meant that I have been unable to press home the reading.
Plus of course there has been a gap in the Blogging while I lived in Cardiff for the last 9 or so days. 'Happy Days' as one of the 'Nero' staff would say!
Plus of course there has been a gap in the Blogging while I lived in Cardiff for the last 9 or so days. 'Happy Days' as one of the 'Nero' staff would say!
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