The Jolly Reiver
05.05.202512:59
Naturally, Humza Yousaf is the one pushing it in this case. A man most famous for his speech on why it’s a travesty that Scotland is full of Scots.
With “allies” like this, Britain has no need of enemies.
With “allies” like this, Britain has no need of enemies.
13.04.202508:43
Relaxing morning
22.03.202513:42
Reading about Shackleton’s 1908-09 Nimrod expedition.
On the journey from New Zealand to Antarctica, they faced a hurricane force storm with waves over 100ft high. Dogs and ponies dead, much of the cargo ruined, and the crew sick, battered and bruised.
Men on board pointed the finger of blame at a crewman named Frank Wild for the storm. He had killed an albatross during the voyage and had angered the sea. It’s interesting to see superstitions like this appear in the 20th century, with as much belief in its truth as there was in the 18th or 19th centuries.
On the journey from New Zealand to Antarctica, they faced a hurricane force storm with waves over 100ft high. Dogs and ponies dead, much of the cargo ruined, and the crew sick, battered and bruised.
Men on board pointed the finger of blame at a crewman named Frank Wild for the storm. He had killed an albatross during the voyage and had angered the sea. It’s interesting to see superstitions like this appear in the 20th century, with as much belief in its truth as there was in the 18th or 19th centuries.
01.03.202517:44
*New Video*
Some folklore from Cambridgeshire and Norfolk this week. Belief in the dreaded Lantern Man was widespread in the fenlands in the days before they were drained. Filming on location at one of the last wild fens in England, I explore some of the terrifying accounts of those that once called this place home 🏴🌾🔥
https://youtu.be/qdr5-SjOWjw?si=-BovrxwRmRx3a7uP
Some folklore from Cambridgeshire and Norfolk this week. Belief in the dreaded Lantern Man was widespread in the fenlands in the days before they were drained. Filming on location at one of the last wild fens in England, I explore some of the terrifying accounts of those that once called this place home 🏴🌾🔥
https://youtu.be/qdr5-SjOWjw?si=-BovrxwRmRx3a7uP
12.02.202521:32
My new video on Dorset’s most haunted church is now available on Patreon!
02.02.202519:23
I’ve always disliked Cider. However after staying with The Wessex Nomad and being introduced to proper West Country Cider, I have since changed my position.
05.05.202512:55
One of the big lies that always circles around on VE/VJ Day, a lie that is always used to subtly push a pro-immigration message, is that soldiers from the Indian sub-continent “saved Europe” from the Nazis and we all owe them some huge debt (despite only 3% of Indian forces fighting in the European theatre).
This Autumn I’ll be travelling to the Far East to make a documentary on my grandfather’s story fighting in the British Indian Army in the Malaya Campaign and the Fall of Singapore. As always, I film everything on location.
I am dedicating a section of this documentary to exposing this lie, and showing that a majority of captured Indians in the Malaya campaign would go on to join the Japanese and fight against British Empire forces in Burma. I’ll also be showcasing how fast Indians were to betray their British & Australian allies, with evidence ranging from joining in with the Japanese carnage during/after the battle, to becoming the guards of the POW camps the Japanese set up for British troops.
This Autumn I’ll be travelling to the Far East to make a documentary on my grandfather’s story fighting in the British Indian Army in the Malaya Campaign and the Fall of Singapore. As always, I film everything on location.
I am dedicating a section of this documentary to exposing this lie, and showing that a majority of captured Indians in the Malaya campaign would go on to join the Japanese and fight against British Empire forces in Burma. I’ll also be showcasing how fast Indians were to betray their British & Australian allies, with evidence ranging from joining in with the Japanese carnage during/after the battle, to becoming the guards of the POW camps the Japanese set up for British troops.
08.04.202509:08
I’ve done a lot of jobs in my time and one of them was a primary school teacher. There’s a lot of problems with the retention rate in that profession for a number of reasons, so it’s not a job I do anymore and not something I’d return to.
During periods where curriculum work was finished or caught up with and there was an availability for free time for the children, it was generally customary to give them the choice to just relax and do what they wanted. For example, before breaking up for the Easter or Christmas holidays, work is finished so you could put a film on for the children on the board. Some would watch, others would draw or read, etc.
Instead of this, I chose to teach the children traditional folk tales in the form of dramas for them to act out. The extroverted kids had the ability to take centre stage and the more introverted ones took smaller background parts but could still be included. When available, I’d teach them the folk songs associated with the story. In my opinion, this was something much more preferable to just sticking them in front of a Pixar film that they’ve likely already seen.
Recently I was walking through one of the towns I used to teach in and I bumped into three lads that used to be in my class, now in secondary school. We chatted and they told me how they were getting on, and mentioned that my folklore dramas were their favourite memories of primary school. Those stories will no doubt stick with them for life now.
There’s a part of me that’s sad that I’m no longer in that career in order to replicate that for hundreds more children. But sadly there’s just so much wrong with this country and its institutions and I didn’t want to stay in it. But that’s a topic for another day.
During periods where curriculum work was finished or caught up with and there was an availability for free time for the children, it was generally customary to give them the choice to just relax and do what they wanted. For example, before breaking up for the Easter or Christmas holidays, work is finished so you could put a film on for the children on the board. Some would watch, others would draw or read, etc.
Instead of this, I chose to teach the children traditional folk tales in the form of dramas for them to act out. The extroverted kids had the ability to take centre stage and the more introverted ones took smaller background parts but could still be included. When available, I’d teach them the folk songs associated with the story. In my opinion, this was something much more preferable to just sticking them in front of a Pixar film that they’ve likely already seen.
Recently I was walking through one of the towns I used to teach in and I bumped into three lads that used to be in my class, now in secondary school. We chatted and they told me how they were getting on, and mentioned that my folklore dramas were their favourite memories of primary school. Those stories will no doubt stick with them for life now.
There’s a part of me that’s sad that I’m no longer in that career in order to replicate that for hundreds more children. But sadly there’s just so much wrong with this country and its institutions and I didn’t want to stay in it. But that’s a topic for another day.
14.03.202517:34
New Video:
The Ghost stories of one of England’s most haunted houses.
https://youtu.be/O6ZGZhtLmW4?si=DH6GR8VZR5N8itg2
The Ghost stories of one of England’s most haunted houses.
https://youtu.be/O6ZGZhtLmW4?si=DH6GR8VZR5N8itg2
16.02.202519:22
12.02.202502:50
My new video is up for Patrons now and will be out on YouTube tomorrow.
There’s a small village in Wiltshire where a number of features in the local area are named after a black dog. I went there to investigate the gruesome story behind this 🐺
There’s a small village in Wiltshire where a number of features in the local area are named after a black dog. I went there to investigate the gruesome story behind this 🐺
02.02.202518:10
One of my most popular videos from the days when I made my content on my old mobile phone was the story of the Pirate of Porlock. Seems only fitting I do a remake, filmed on location on the north coast of Somerset! 🏴☠️
30.04.202522:33
I’ve decided to change my YouTube avatar to something a little more fitting for my username. I called my channel ‘The Jolly Reiver’ partly because I liked the name of a local pub (called The Jolly Fisherman) but also because I liked the symbolism of the Jolly Roger🏴☠️, that being adventure, freedom, outlawry and romanticism. Inspired by Bartholomew Robert’s’ flag, here I have a (jolly) Reiver doing a footstomper as Death plays a merry tune on the fiddle. Death is also featured due to the ghosts and supernatural content of the channel which I think works well.
This was designed by the fantastic TST Artworks. His work is excellent and I’d highly recommend his page here:
https://t.me/tstartworks
This was designed by the fantastic TST Artworks. His work is excellent and I’d highly recommend his page here:
https://t.me/tstartworks
02.04.202514:37
Only the most exquisite slop here in Portugal 🇵🇹
12.03.202510:53
Stonehenge by Moonlight by James Arthur O'Connor (1792-1841)
Reposted from:
The Wessex Nomad
14.02.202518:20
My collaboration with The Jolly Reiver is here!
Deep in rural Somerset, there is rumoured to be a human skull hidden in a farmhouse next to a church where the rest of the body is said to be buried. Is this story legit, or just a myth? Myself and the Jolly Reiver team up and investigate.
https://youtu.be/S7gze5DdP8w
Deep in rural Somerset, there is rumoured to be a human skull hidden in a farmhouse next to a church where the rest of the body is said to be buried. Is this story legit, or just a myth? Myself and the Jolly Reiver team up and investigate.
https://youtu.be/S7gze5DdP8w
12.02.202502:50
02.02.202510:01
Glastonbury Tor. Another one of those locations where the pictures just cannot do it justice.
England is beautiful 🏴
England is beautiful 🏴
18.04.202513:15
25.03.202516:56
I’ve filmed in castles that are:
• tourist attractions
• hotels
• ruins
But today I got to film in a private castle for the first time, having reached out to a number of owners. Not only that, but the owner agreed to an interview!
Just finished filming but excited to put together my video about this castle’s history and the chilling legend attached to it.
• tourist attractions
• hotels
• ruins
But today I got to film in a private castle for the first time, having reached out to a number of owners. Not only that, but the owner agreed to an interview!
Just finished filming but excited to put together my video about this castle’s history and the chilling legend attached to it.
11.03.202523:05
My video on the ghosts of Athelhampton, one of England’s finest Tudor manors, is available for Patrons now. Will be up on YouTube on Friday at 5:30.
Reposted from:
Staffordshire Folklore
13.02.202510:26
Cannock Museum and Theatre to close
In a sad but not unexpected decision Cannock Chase council, having completed the 'consultation period' have decided to proceed with the closure of the local theatre and museum.
This was despite massive local resistance, and in the face of the proposed savings being realistically negligible.
To anyone paying attention this outcome was a foregone conclusion, the consultation period lasted a short time over the Christmas/ Yuletide period when everyone is thinking about personal matters.
The survey they sent out also focused heavily on what should be done regarding heritage once these assets were gone.
This decision degrades the area and robs it of access to importance heritage assets.
My advice is: Take an instrest in your local heritage now, learn and save what you can, before they try to bury even more of it.
In a sad but not unexpected decision Cannock Chase council, having completed the 'consultation period' have decided to proceed with the closure of the local theatre and museum.
This was despite massive local resistance, and in the face of the proposed savings being realistically negligible.
To anyone paying attention this outcome was a foregone conclusion, the consultation period lasted a short time over the Christmas/ Yuletide period when everyone is thinking about personal matters.
The survey they sent out also focused heavily on what should be done regarding heritage once these assets were gone.
This decision degrades the area and robs it of access to importance heritage assets.
My advice is: Take an instrest in your local heritage now, learn and save what you can, before they try to bury even more of it.
10.02.202513:27
Was filming in Dorset recently in the ruins of an old church and was approached by a man in his 60s out walking his dog.
He was curious as to what I was doing and said he wasn’t surprised I was filming in Dorset because “this county is the most beautiful in England, it’s unspoiled by ‘progress’ and still feels like home”.
I had a similar situation in a pub in Somerset in the evening after a day of filming. Couple of local lads a few years younger than me saw my tripod and gear under my table and asked what I was doing. They proceeded to tell me why Somerset was the most beautiful county and recommending places that I simply must not miss. Usually these chats would lead to people telling me how bad the country’s decline is, as if I wasn’t already aware.
There were other situations similar to these as well. Filming in an old Manor House, the lovely old lady volunteer telling me about her deep connection to the area and why this house is so important.
Was great to see such local pride from young and old. It’s true that the cities in the YOOKAY are increasingly just ugly hellscapes full of awful people (one big change I’ve noticed recently is petrol station cashiers behind thick security glass and far more shelves/aisles locked up for security in supermarkets).
But the countryside of England is still beautiful, safe, and filled with good people. A real land of contrast at the moment.
He was curious as to what I was doing and said he wasn’t surprised I was filming in Dorset because “this county is the most beautiful in England, it’s unspoiled by ‘progress’ and still feels like home”.
I had a similar situation in a pub in Somerset in the evening after a day of filming. Couple of local lads a few years younger than me saw my tripod and gear under my table and asked what I was doing. They proceeded to tell me why Somerset was the most beautiful county and recommending places that I simply must not miss. Usually these chats would lead to people telling me how bad the country’s decline is, as if I wasn’t already aware.
There were other situations similar to these as well. Filming in an old Manor House, the lovely old lady volunteer telling me about her deep connection to the area and why this house is so important.
Was great to see such local pride from young and old. It’s true that the cities in the YOOKAY are increasingly just ugly hellscapes full of awful people (one big change I’ve noticed recently is petrol station cashiers behind thick security glass and far more shelves/aisles locked up for security in supermarkets).
But the countryside of England is still beautiful, safe, and filled with good people. A real land of contrast at the moment.
01.02.202509:52
Drone picture of the Badbury Rings in Dorset. One of several locations where Arthur is said to be buried.
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