NORDELPH COMMUNITY WEBSITE -- SEPTEMBER 2006

If you have found this page from a search engine, and cannot see an index frame to the left and a pictorial header above, click on www.nordelph.org to load the page correctly.

You will recall that back in March we added a simple counter to the website (the digits somewhere around 1000 at the right of our header). Part of the information we got -- aside from being stunned at just how many readers we had -- was the location of those accessing the site. The map above is a snapshot of the 100 most recent accesses sometime in August. This underlines something we were slow to learn: just how much interest from abroad we get. In the sample above, Germany and Italy are represented, as well as both the US and Canada. And in the past, we've been visited from pretty well every Western European country as well as Dubai, Brazil and other exotic locations we've since forgotten.

This international appeal gives us the focus for this month's update. In some of our major additions to the site, we're looking outwards, rather than inwards.

What does Nordelph look like?

With visitors from across the globe, inevitably many of these -- even those with connections to Nordelph -- have never seen us. We do of course have many still images in our Picture Galleries, but this month we're adding something new. Now you can Drive Through Nordelph by viewing our on-line video. You're warned that this is a feature to be avoided unless you enjoy Broadband Internet access!

What's interesting about Nordelph?

By this, we don't mean what's interesting if you actually live here, but what it is that interests the people who contact us. Already, we've introduced you to Tom Boltz from the US, who provided us with the history of his ancestors, The Lyon Family. And last month, we added a contribution from Richard Giles, an exile from Nordelph now living in Germany. There's another addition this month, where you can read about -- and perhaps assist with -- the Tuck Family and their search for their past.

But this isn't all that we have! Dave Bowers wrote to us as follows:
"As a teenager I frequented Nordelph, met my sweetheart and married her. I now live in the USA. She was from Nordelph. I am however trying to trace a family very dear to my heart. Their name was Pepper. I know that Dorothy (known as Dot) is deceased, but I am trying to trace Tib (real name Reuben) and his daughter Lesley. I would appreciate any info you could give me regarding this family.
Anything that you can add will, of course, be passed on to Dave.

And finally in this round-up of recent contacts from abroad, John C. Algar, from Gower, Swansea was in touch. He runs the 'Powditch website' www.powditch.plus.com that documents the history of the Powditch family. The site itself is impressive, as it works towards its goal of making 5000+ documents on the family (traced back as far as 1196) available on-line. The family is well-connected too: there are links by marriage to Byron and Pitt among others. The interest in the family is so high that they organise an annual Powditch Gathering, with coach trips around villages linked to the family. So if you see strangers in Emneth, Upwell or Outwell on September 16th this year, that's who they are!

Information from home

Alan Foreman of Downham Market was also in touch. He wrote: "Looking at the photo of Nordelph home guard, I can see my uncle Ivan Ernest Foreman sitting in the middle." We've added his identification to the page, and will be happy to add others at any time!

Betjeman Centenary

It cannot have escaped your notice that August 28th 2006 was the centenary of Sir John Betjeman's birth. This seems like an appropriate time to remind you that Betjeman not only came to Nordelph, but wrote about it. This extract comes from the Norfolk Churches website www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/nordelph/nordelph.htm.
On 9th December, 1935, the poet John Betjeman wrote in his private journal: "Nordelph is miles away in the Norfolk fens, a village of two-storey houses most of them sloping on unsafe foundations strung about with telegraph poles and electric light poles. Had inestimable privilege of spending Sunday with the Reverend EE Bradford DD, author of Passing the Love of Women and many other volumes of verse. He has been Vicar of Nordelph since 1917 and is now 75. A modernist, but likes ritual. Last boyfriend called Edmund. Not had a boyfriend for 30 years. V happy with Nordelph. A Saint & thinks laws against sexuality wicked cruel and out of date. Said the Queen asked for one of his books. Obviously a joke played on him poor old thing. Got his DD for proving St Paul contradicts himself on the subject of free will. Advocates birth control and says that logically Onan is a must... should be permitted in public schools. Service fairly well attended. Children get a penny for coming, kept in little boxes in a draw of his desk. Plays organ himself. Candles on red altar, black cloths. All candles lighted. Sermon v abtruse and clever on certainty of God. Talked of Julian Huxley. Cold supper at the vicarage. Felt the better for seeing such a saintly and sweet little man... Surely never did a bad thing in his life."

And all the rest ...

This is one of our larger updates. As well as all the material above, we've strengthened a couple of our regular features. In the last update, we suggested that you might like to share some of your holiday photos for our 'favourite images' section. We were rather swamped!

As you can see, we've added no less than seven new images, together with their photographers' commentaries. These take you to the World Cup, to the Azores, to Cornwall and to Kenya. You can also see what it's like when lightning strikes! Go directly there by clicking on the thumbnail above, or access the full set of images from the index on the left.

And there's also a quartet of recipes in our 'Fen Cooking' section to welcome the Autumn. You can choose from:

• Croque au Saumon Fumé (OK, cheese on toast, but with a twist!)
• Roman Army Bread (an entertaining recipe that uses Spelt flour)
• Pork Tenderloin Casserole (uses a whole bottle of cider)
• Pumpkin & Carrot Soup (reminding us that there is life beyond Hallowe'en)