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The Afternoon Tea Times welcomes correspondence. Contact Afternoon Tea online, or by mail to: Afternoon Tea Times, MPT, 11767 Owings Mills Blvd., Owings Mills, MD 21117-1499. You may also reach MPT Afternoon Tea by telephone at (443) 394-1634.
Tea Times is a co-production of Maryland Public Television and The Insider, a publication of the BBC Sales Company.
The Insider welcomes all correspondence, story ideas and requests for contributed articles. Send letters via e-mail to Editor N. Scott Jones at bbinsider@comcast.net or by snail mail to: The Insider, c/o Oliviu Savu, BBC Worldwide Americas, 747 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10017-2803. All letters are assumed to be for publication unless marked otherwise. The Insider reserves the right to edit letters for reason of space or clarity. Let us know what you think!
The Insider, copyright 1999-2007 by the BBC Sales Company. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission. All photos and graphics used are rights free or copyrighted by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Unless otherwise indicated, all material written by N. Scott Jones.
Editor's Note
Welcome summer! It's the time again for fun in the sun and the tea drinking to include ice. We doubt this is done in England but we sure love it here in the States.
We've included a nice, new article about Mollie Sugden this month for your reading enjoyment. We are betting you will enjoy it!
We've lost another great from the Brit Coms. Ronnie Hazelhurst, songwriter extraordinaire has passed. Read his obituary enclosed.
We're fascinated with some of the teapots we've seen so we are sharing photos with you this month. Do you have an unusual teapot you'd like to share with our readers? Send us a photo at tealady@mpt.org.
Don't forget Dad this month! We've included a grilled rack of lamb recipe that we think he'll love on his special day.
Happy summer and Happy Father's Day!
The Tea Times Newsletter Staff
1
They Say It's Your Birthday!
Do you share a birthday with any of these people?
June 4, 1738
George III – King of England during the American Revolution
June 9, 1781
George Stephenson – invented the steam locomotive
June 14, 1961
Boy George – singer
June 24, 1942
Mick Fleetwood – musician, member of Fleetwood Mac
2
Mollie Sugden
The Lady Behind The Multi-Colored Hair
Mary Isobel "Mollie" Sugden (born July 21, 1922), is best known for playing Mrs. Slocombe in the popular and long running British sitcom Are You Being Served? from 1972 to 1985. She later reprised this role for Grace & Favour, which ran from 1992 to 1993. Sugden has also appeared in The Liver Birds and Coronation Street.
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
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When Sugden graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she worked in rep for eight years with a company that included Eric Sykes and Roy Dotrice. She also had work in radio and made her television debut in a live half-hour comedy show. Sugden's other appearances before Are You Being Served? included parts in Benny Hill, Just Jimmy, Z-Cars, Up Pompeii!, The Goodies, Steptoe and Son and five episodes of Jackanory in 1968. Later in 1973, she had a 23 week stint on That's Life! and also appeared in Son of the Bride.
Mollie Sugden's first regular sitcom role was from 1962 to 1966 when she played Mrs. Crispin in the sitcom Hugh and I. Hugh and I was written by John Chapman and when he got involved with The Liver Birds, he suggested Sugden for the role of Sandra's mother, Mrs. Hutchinson. She portrayed Mrs. Hutchinson from 1971 to 1979, and years later in 1996, when The Liver Birds was revived Sugden reprised the role, despite being on steroids at the time due to suffering from polymyalgia.
However, Sugden's big break that gave her nationwide fame was the part of Mrs. Slocombe in the popular and long running Are You Being Served? that ran from 1972 to 1985. In 1978, when it was thought that Are You Being Served? was over, she was the lead star in Come Back Mrs. Noah, a sitcom that is regarded by some as one of the worst ever made. From 1965 to 1976, she intermittently played Nellie Harvey, the land-lady of The Laughing Donkey pub, in Coronation Street. In this she often appeared opposite Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers Return.
Mollie Sugden also played main roles in other sitcoms, including That's My Boy, that ran from 1981 to 1986 and My Husband and I. My Husband and I ran from 1987 to 1988 and she played opposite her husband William Moore, who she married on March 29, 1958 having met him at Swansea rep. They had twin sons, Robin and Simon. Moore died in 2000.
Seven years after the end of Are You Being Served?, five of the original cast came together, including Sugden, and made Grace & Favour, where the staff are left a manor house in the country, which they have to live in. This lasted for two series until 1993. Other recent appearances include Just William, Oliver's Travels and The Bill. Sugden has also made a cameo appearance in Little Britain, where a regular character always claimed to have been Mollie Sugden's bridesmaid, eventually throwing a knife at her back after Sugden revealed that her only bridesmaid was someone else. In 2002 a tribute program called Celebrating Mollie Sugden: An Are You Being Served? Special aired on American PBS stations featuring many of the Are You Being Served? cast.
The Insider, by Michelle Street, Fall 2007
3
Tea News Bits
June Programming
Let's start June with great programming right from day one! On June 1, tune in at 7:30 p.m. for Rain: The Beatles Experience. This group does a fantastic job recreating the excitement of the Fab Four. In case you miss it, or if you want to see it one more time, MPT will repeat this program on Thursday, June 5 at 12:30 a.m.
Following Rain on June 1, is Celine Dion: A New Day. Now that's back-to-back concerts you won't want to miss!
In a folksy vein, Peter, Paul and Mary Carry it On airs on Wednesday, June 4 at 8:00 p.m. Don't be leaving on any jet planes before you see this.
On Thursday, June 5, MPT is proud to present RFK Remembered. Guggenheim Films has agreed to allow MPT to be the first station in the United Stats to play this Oscar winning film on the 40th anniversary of Robert Kennedy's death. This program hasn't been on television since it played simultaneously on all three commercial networks in 1968.
At 9:00 p.m. on June 5, MPT brings you The Steve Miller Band: Live in Chicago. There is certainly good music to be heard here!
On Saturday, June 7 at 9:30, we offer you Queen: Rock Montreal for your viewing enjoyment. Join Freddie Mercury and the guys for a rockin' 90 minutes.
The High Kings return on Monday, June 9 at 8:00 p.m. for your Irish ballad music enjoyment.
Thursday, June 12 turn in at 9:00 for 3-hours of Churchill. This is a repeat but we know our viewers enjoyed this programming very much.
The Brit Coms will not be broadcast during the weekdays of June 2 through June 6 but do return on Monday, June 9. Due to Pledge, the Brit Coms will not be on Saturday, June 7, 14 or 21 but return on Saturday, June 28.
What does that mean?
Tiffany M. wrote us asking what "bone idle" means. If you are "bone idle" you are very, very lazy.
Tony wrote to us asking what a "bacon buttie" is. We let him know that a "bacon buttie" is a sandwich - white bread with only very crisp bacon on it.
Drop us a line at tealady@mpt.org if you have a term you would like explained and we'll try to list several every month to try to clear up the confusion!
The British Players
The British Players are performing their 44th Old Time Music Hall.
If you are interested in attending this performance of musical numbers, (sometimes bawdy) dancing, and The Palace Variety Orchestra, you can go to www.britishplayers.org to check out the dates in June and purchase tickets.
Torch-bearing runners baffle onlookers
Baffled onlookers could not believe their eyes this lunchtime as a mysterious, torch bearing runner dashed through High Wycombe. But despite appearances the Olympic Torch had not returned to the UK for a stint in south Bucks. Instead, the intrepid athletes were part of the World Harmony Run, which hopes to spread a message of peace wherever it visits.
Tube worker David Boyle said he had to do a double take when he saw the runner while out to refuel his transit van.
David, 47, of Mill End Road, said: "When I saw him I thought, am I seeing something?' I looked again and expected more people to be behind him. "He looked like a proper runner, I was a runner when I was younger so I could tell by the way he was running."
Torch-bearer was Rostya Vagner, from the Czech Republic, who dashed along the London Road and the A40 to meet his fellow runners in Holtspur.
Ondrej Vesely, from the Czech Republic, had taken four months leave from work to join the run. He said: "It's to promote friendship and harmony between people. It's nothing to do with the Olympic Torch. It's about harmony and friendship and peace."
The relay system sees the team run 60 to 70 miles a day, and today the route was going between Oxford and London.
Mr Vesely explained the philosophy behind the run. He said: "Anything good that people do should inspire other people to do good. We think harmony should start with ourselves, from each individual heart, and we offer our goodwill to other people."
The runners invite anybody who wants to carry the torch to join them for a few steps.
The run was founded in 1987 by Bangladeshi athlete and philosopher, Sri Chinmoy. Since then it has been supported by famous international figures such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Mikhail Gorbachev, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Muhammed Ali.
More runners are making the dash for peace in Australia and France at the moment. The group that ran through town today will soon be heading to Holland, Germany and Sweden.
For more information, go to www.worldharmonyrun.org.
www.thisislocallondon.co.uk
4
Obituary
Ronnie Hazlehurst
The writer of many of our favorite comedy theme tunes has died aged 79
Mr. Hazlehurst's death came following a stroke he suffered in early October 2007. According to the BBC website, he died in a hospital in Guernsey ,where he moved to ten years ago from Hendon, north London. He had undergone a heart bypass operation the previous October.
The Manchester-born composer was formerly a musical director at the BBC, and penned the themes to Yes, Minister, The Two Ronnies, Are You Being Served?, Last of the Summer Wine, To the Manor Born and Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em. The BBC's head of comedy, Jon Plowman, said: "He was the composer of many of the best-loved signature tunes of the last 40 years of television - and some of his work is still heard today. He's associated with some of the best-loved shows of our lives," he added.
 The music for Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em in Morse code
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Ronnie was also musical director of the Eurovision Song Contest three times, and famously conducted the UK entry in 1977 using a rolled-up umbrella! In 1999, he received a Gold Badge award from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters. Ronnie Hazlehurst, we salute you!
The Insider, by Michelle Street, Fall 2007
5
I'm a little teapot...
We've come across some interesting teapots as we put the Tea Times together each month. We thought it might be fun to show you a few of them that we think are especially clever.
We've provided the website address in case you are interested in looking at all the different teapots. Be warned though. Once you go to some of these websites be prepared to spend some time looking.
If you have a teapot that is out of the ordinary, send us a photo at tealady@mpt.org. We'd love to see it!
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| Bell Boy or Bell Hop www.decorativeart.co.uk |
Tea for Toad www.andytitcomb.com |
Tortoise/Hare www.andytitcomb.com |
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| Pig www.andytitcomb.com |
UFO and Alien www.andytitcomb.com |
Dormouse www.andytitcomb.com |
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| Lil Ladybug www.thegoodiejar.com |
Toby Toad www.thegoodiejar.com |
Lifebelt www.worldcollectorsnet. com |
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| Tortoise Teapot www.worldcollectorsnet. com |
Tea Table Teapot www.trojanhorseantiques. com |
Royal Dalton Bunnykins Geisha Rabbit Teapot www.trojanhorseantiques. com |
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| Bath Teapot www.teapottery.co.uk |
Wash Basin-Flowers Teapot www.teapottery.co.uk |
Caravan Teapot www.teapottery.co.uk |
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| Marmtea Teapot www.teapottery.co.uk |
Covered Wagon Teapot www.icons.org.uk |
Dressing Table Teapot teapotsteapotsteapots. blogspot.com |
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| Yellow Tractor www.britishnoveltyteapot. com |
10 to Ace Teapot www.giftsforcardplayers. com |
Big Ben Tea for One www.choiceful.com |
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| Island Beauty Hibiscus www.franzfineporcelain.com |
Beach Cottage www.ann-margarets.com |
Cakelicious www.ann-margarets.com |
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| Titanic Teapot kandles.co.uk |
Queen Mary Teapot kandles.co.uk |
Sewing Table www.kitchenantics.com |
6
Becoming Jane Austen
The True Love Story That Inspired
the Classic Novels
by John Spence
Part of a continuing series.
Cassandra Leigh was in an enviable position for a young woman of her time. She had the expectation of inheriting £3000, enough to protect her from dependence and penury, but not so much as to raise expectations of her marrying for wealth or rank. Her ordinariness gave her a kind of independence. She could remain single, or she could marry the man she chose. In accepting the poor country parson George Austen she exchanged security for matrimonial adventure. Her choice was not imprudent, but the marriage brought uncertainties that would have to be met with ingenuity and energy. Brisk, capable and intelligent, Cassandra probably found the challenge attractive.
Her early life had been stable and comfortable, free from the economic worries or the kind of upheaval and loss that George Austen had endured. Her father, Thomas Leigh, held the All Souls College living of Harpsden in Oxfordshire, where she had grown up in the elegant Queen Anne rectory with her sister, Jane, and their two brothers. In addition to the Harpsden living, her parents had a modest but not insignificant personal fortune of some £6000 to which Cassandra and her sister were co-heirs.
Jane Austen
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George and Cassandra married on 26 April 1764 at Walcot Church in Bath, where her family had been living since her father's retirement. She wore a smart and sensible red woolen dress that would serve her for several years to come - she was already anticipating certain deprivations that would come with married life. The newly-weds left immediately for Hampshire, where George took up his position as rector of Steventon.
Steventon parsonage was in a state of disrepair and not habitable, so George rented Deane parsonage, a couple of miles from Steventon. He only had an income for £100 a year and whatever the farm attached to the Steventon living yielded, but Cassandra's father had died a month before she married, and her mother soon came to live at Deane, where she no doubt made a substantial contribution to the household expenses. Cassandra's sister Jane was still unmarried and probably spent a lot of time at Deane too. Mrs. Leigh also brought with her to the neighbourhood her youngest child, Thomas, who was mentally disabled. He didn't live at Deane but was placed with a family of labourers in a nearby village where his mother could visit him and see that he was well cared for.
7
Tea Advisor
Aspects of Tea Production
Canton was attacked in late 1857. The Governor-General was captured and exiled to India. Elgin then went north, and captured the Dagu forts that guarded the river to Tientsin and Peking. The Emperor was again forced to negotiate to save his capital. The 1858 Treaty of Tientsin imposed further heavy losses to China's sovereignty - ten more ports were opened to the foreigners; missionaries were allowed into China; foreigners could travel within China; a British diplomat would reside in Peking. This time the opium question was not avoided - the trade was to be legalized.
The terms of the Treaty of Tientsin caused great resentment in China. When the British and French returned to ratify it in Peking, they found the river blocked. There was an exchange of fire with the Dagu forts, and many British casualties. The Americans, who were supposedly neutral observers, sided with the British. Nevertheless, the British and French were forced to retreat.
In 1860 the British and French returned with a much larger expedition. The Chinese arrested a British diplomat who had gone ahead to arrange the signing of the treaty, and killed several of his party. In retribution, Peking was occupied and the Emperor's summer palace burnt. The settlement, which followed this total defeat and humiliation of the Chinese, resulted in a further unequal treaty. The Russians, who played an important role in negotiations, were given huge territories in the north of China and access to the port of Vladivostok. The Convention of Peking further increased the indemnity China would pay, opened Tientsin as a Treaty Port, and ceded the peninsular opposite Hong Kong to the British.
Tea | By Roy Moxham
8
Mystery of the Month
What Is Your Guess?
Case One
Stevie weighed about 100 pounds and stood about 5 feet tall. He didn't speak English and could not see. He wasn't able to walk but he could run. He was spotted last January in Ely, Minnesota, but disappeared a few days later, never to be seen again.
The Mystery
Who is Stevie and why did he disappear?
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Clues
- Stevie often made people smile.
- Stevie smoked a pipe and never said a word.
- Stevie was pleasingly plump.
- Stevie perished in the snow.
- Stevie wasn't reserved, but some people thought he had a frosty side.
Case Two
Bill finds himself in a very dark place surrounded by a variety of precious metals. He has had a very busy day. He spends time in a taxi, visits a newsstand, stops by a corner deli and goes to the movies. He doesn't know where he will go tomorrow, but he will probably go alone. One is, after all, Bill's favorite number.
The Mystery
Who is Bill and where is he?
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Clues
- People can never seem to get enough of Bill.
- Bill is not a living person.
- Bill sometimes gets quartered, but he never dies.
- Bill is currently in a locked box surrounded by money.
- Bill's favorite president is George Washington.
Be sure to check the July 2008 edition of the Tea Times for the answers
Answers to May Mysteries:
Case One: The woman is a trapeze artist who misses her catch. She survives the fall because she lands in the safety net.
Case Two: The boy is Peter Pan. He was looking for his shadow.
9
England's Calendar of Events | June
Isle of Mann TT Races
Through June 6, 2008
TT Grandstand
Douglas, England
The infamous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Motorcycle Races have come a long way from their humble roots, when Edwardian daredevils raced tons of metal around farmers' tracks. Today the island braces itself as bike enthusiasts from all over the world descend for two weeks of all things motorcycle-related. Practices start a few days before the actual race for anyone keen to watch.
Since the first race in 1907, this event has been touted as the motorcyclist's Mecca. Early races were contested over a shorter course and won at average speeds of around 36mph. In 1911 the race moved to the present Mountain Circuit. The event flourished, and for a time the British Grand Prix was held on the course, until it was deemed too dangerous in the 1970s. This did not deter the TT riders, and the Mountain Course remains the ultimate challenge for motorcyclists.
Today the roads are closed - including many which run past people's houses so they can't get in or out during practices and races - as the bikes take to the asphalt. During the event, the island comes alive with parties, stalls, rock concerts and nightclub events. The 37.7 mile (62.8km) course tours the whole island and fans even have the opportunity to ride the route themselves. Caution is advised as speeds of 190mph are reached in the actual races, and broken bones and other serious injuries are par for the course.
Spectators should seek out the Creg ny Baa, which offers strategic views of the racers speeding down the mountain and riding towards the finish line at Bray Hill.
www.whatsonwhen.com
Strathmiglo Highland Games
King George V Playing Fields
June 2008
A long-lasting Scottish tradition, Highland Games are a feature of every main Scottish settlement. One of the earliest in the annual calendar is at Strathmiglo, nestling under the Lomond Hills on the River Eden, in Fife. Held on the town's George V Playing Fields, the traditional "heavy" games join the Scottish dancing and piping in a day of fierce competition.
The "heavy" events are those that require large men in tartans to throw heavy items as far as they can: shot-putting, hammer-throwing and - the most famous of Highland sports - caber-tossing. For the energetic there is also a cycle race and - team-wise - a tug o' war.
Less (but only slightly) energetic are the solo and massed pipers, as well as toe-tapping Scottish dancing, which goes to show that it's not just a battle of the muscles!
www.whatsonwhen.com
British Lawn Mower Racing Championships
Hamstreet
June 7-8, 2008
The Hamstreet Country Fayre and Festival of Transport hosts the latest rounds of the British Lawn Mower Racing Championships. Spectators can watch mowers with names like Weedy Gonzales and the Turfinator screeching around at speeds of up to 60mph.
It all started in 1973 when Irishman Jim Gavin, disillusioned with the increasing costs of motorsport, created lawnmower racing as a cheaper form of racing, accessible to all. The British Lawn Mower Racing Association now boasts a British Grand Prix, World Championships and a grueling 12-hour Endurance Race that takes place through the night.
www.whatsonwhen.com
10
Grilled Rack of Lamb with Saffron Rice
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
- 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 (1 1/2-pound) French-cut rack of lamb (8 ribs)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Preparation
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add rice and next 3 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Keep warm.
Prepare grill.
Combine salt and next 6 ingredients (through pepper). Brush lamb with oil, and rub with salt mixture. Place lamb on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes, turning once or until a thermometer registers 145° (medium-rare) to 160° (medium). Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into chops. Serve lamb with rice.
Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 lamb chops and 3/4 cup rice)
www.myrecipes.com
11
Afternoon Teaisms
Rhymes and Wits
We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy,
even if it's only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.
E.B. White, Letters of E.B. White
Real Simple | April 2008
What Makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
Author Unknown
www.fathersdaycelebration.com