Billy No Mates

[lomuamart]

About right, Norseman.
There were lots of airfields around there in those days.

[machersjohn]

I will not hear a bad word about the geordies . It used to to be part of scotland but we could do bugger all with them so we gave them back to England and they have behaved very well ever since!!

[Jaime]

You only gave them back Geordie Land? We gave them the whole bloody island! Taliesin's great 5th Century tragedy 'Nwfter Imbibus' chronicles how the Welsh lost the Island of Britain to the English in a Taboo drinking competion!

[machersjohn]

Ah well ther you go . We Scots never lost anything to drink only to sheep, and to them lots of land.

We have the consulation of having brought sanity to usa and canada and a few others but sadly the blood has now been watered down.

We take no responsibility for G W or any of his actions.

[Jaime]

Well, it was a poof's drink! Caractacus, King of the Britons, was reputed to have said "We can't drink this poof's stuff bois - go west and head for the hills!"

We spent the next 15 centuries drinking fermented coal tar, although I understand that there is now a Welsh version of Taboo called Tabwch.

[Guess]

I would have loved to have answered that myself but Norseman got there first.

Don't forget Conningsby though (next door to Tattershall). Both are about ten miles north of Boston. RAF Conningsby is home to the Battle of Britain Flyby even though one of the three aircraft is an Avro Lancaster that did not actually take to the air for about three years after the Battle of Britain.

BTW Norseman, this is the very heartland of the Viking occupation of England. The "by" ending to town and village name is of Viking origin. There are more of those in Lincolnshire than any other county of England.

It is possible that you and Lomu are actually related.

[lomuamart]

I would have loved to have answered that myself but Norseman got there first.

Don't forget Conningsby though (next door to Tattershall). Both are about ten miles north of Boston. RAF Conningsby is home to the Battle of Britain Flyby even though one of the three aircraft is an Avro Lancaster that did not actually take to the air for about three years after the Battle of Britain.

BTW Norseman, this is the very heartland of the Viking occupation of England. The "by" ending to town and village name is of Viking origin. There are more of those in Lincolnshire than any other county of England.

It is possible that you and Lomu are actually related.

Bearing in mind I'm 25% Norwegian, that might just be the case!! Frightening. My father has just spent a year or so doing the Norwegian family tree and a copy should be at the Post Office now. Once I've read it, I'll PM for your full name Norseman.

[Norseman]

I'm sure we all are brothers after draining a barrel of beer down our throat.
But yes, there has always been tight bonds between England and Norway as well as Scotland and Norway.
Great people on that island!!

[Guess]

There is some historical evidence that backs these claims. As chronicled in the works of the 18th century English historian John Fletcher, Boudicca killed 70,000 Roman invaders. The Roman Governor at the time was in a safe house in Anglesey.

Apparently all of these slayings, which were found to be generally distasteful even in those days were under the influence of copious quantities of Taboo. This is how the saying "Taboo Subject" came into existence.

Boudicca later went on to name himself Queen Boudicca of the Iceni and was the first of a long line of English Monarchs to come out of the closet.

He later poisoned himself by drinking a bottle of Campari that he had captured from a Roman Centurion in Veralanium. (Now a suburb of Watford).

[tuktukmike]

So the way i read it means the Scots, Welsh, and Norweigans are all raving Queens.

"We can't drink this poof's stuff bois - go west

Ha,

Can just see it now all marching to the sound of the Pet Shop Boys,

Thank god i am English.

Mike.

[chelsea]

Guess, Veralanium. (Now a suburb of Watford) I think you will find is incorrect
Veralanium Park is actually in the town of St Albans (which itslef is not a suburb of Watford).
I am actually from Harpenden which the next town North of St Albans (appx 5 miles) and Watford is about 9 Miles from St Albans going the other way.
You are correct in saying that the park is famous in Roman History, if you check the link below, there is some interesting info on its history.
http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/verulamium_museum.htm
If anyone is ever over that way, it is well worth a visit.

[Guess]

Guess, Veralanium. (Now a suburb of Watford) I think you will find is incorrect
Veralanium Park is actually in the town of St Albans (which itslef is not a suburb of Watford).
I am actually from Harpenden which the next town North of St Albans (appx 5 miles) and Watford is about 9 Miles from St Albans going the other way.
You are correct in saying that the park is famous in Roman History, if you check the link below, there is some interesting info on its history.
http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/verulamium_museum.htm
If anyone is ever over that way, it is well worth a visit.

chelsea. I know that I was only joking, and I knew someone would react who knew the area. My mum had a school friend who lived there, I later lived in Watford myself. During my time living in Amersham in Bucks I use to work in Stevenage and used to pass very near to St. Albans every day for about two years. I have visited the historic bits a few times but my favourite historical locations were the Philanthrapist and Firkin and the Fighting Cocks.

Strangely there are many Brits form that area Bucks/Herts borders living here along with a few mad glue sniffing Lutonites who BTW gave rise to expression "Mad as a Hatter".

[chelsea]

Ok, I fell for that one hook, line and sinker. I worked in both Luton and St Albans most of my life before I left to go on holiday to Australia (25 years ago), but have not been home yet.

Not sure where the Philanthrapist and Firkin is in St Albans but will be one of the big pubs that have been turned into a theme pub by the sounds of it. The Fighting Cocks is an instituion of St Albans and was a great summer pub.
We used to drink in such places as Yates Wine Bar, Harry Smiths, The Boot, Blacksmiths Arms to name only a few.

There are also a lot of the real ale pubs tucked away in the streets leading to the Fighting Cocks which are well worth visiting if you are into that sort of beer.

We also used to go to Watford for nights out to the New Penny and the Top Rank (or Baileys at it was later called).

We did also used to venture to Stevenage to the Mecca Ballroom and the night clubs and pubs opposite the Mecca.

In reference to the glue sniffing Lutonites, what more can I say, have been to more than my fair share of dodgy pubs and clubs in all areas of Luton and lived to tell the tale. The best (or worst whichever way you look at it) was a club called Sands (just down from the Town Hall). It was done out like a tropical island with rivers running through it, that most nights someone managed to fall into..

Have you ever been drinking in Harpenden, if not, stop there the next time you are there, there are a lot nicer pubs there than the two surrounding towns.

[Guess]

Not sure where the Philanthrapist and Firkin is in St Albans but will be one of the big pubs that have been turned into a theme pub by the sounds of it.

It is the od library in the town square. It has probably changed again in the ten or so years ago since I was there.

I have stopped in Harpenden but can not remember any names. Old Amersham and the surrounding villages were always my favourite.

[lomuamart]

Not sure where the Philanthrapist and Firkin is in St Albans but will be one of the big pubs that have been turned into a theme pub by the sounds of it.

It is the od library in the town square. It has probably changed again in the ten or so years ago since I was there.

I have stopped in Harpenden but can not remember any names. Old Amersham and the surrounding villages were always my favourite.

Is there anywhere in the whole world where you've not been to?
If so, educate us on another thread.