The Stepping Stones - The Saga Continues

Yesterday while out on Biscuits walk someone we know said that he had  been told that the stepping stones have been removed on Friday, we had just passed the fenced off stepping stones a quick detour, the barriers had not been moved and there was no sign of any machinery use on the banks, the stepping stones were still in place though underwater, Biscuit took the opportunity to have another dip in the river, I think the rumour was started by the same person who was telling people earlier in the year that Biscuit was dead.

While I was editing this post I thought of Julian Rose - The Rumour, I can find no evidence of this this t track being issued as a single, it is not on 45cat, I first came across the track on one of the 'Twisted Tales From The Vinyl Wastelands' CD;s, it has also appeared on 'Grooving With The Grim Reaper'

The Rumour

 

Tivvy And The Clubmates - Tivvy's Tune

 

This audio atrocity was released in November 1965, no doubt to try and cash in on the Christmas market. Some copies of this record came in a picture sleeve, there was other spin off merchandise, in the late 1970's my son was given a Tivvy moneybox.

Hearing this record makes me cringe the only other record that has the same effect is the original Billy Costello - Popeye The Sailor Man.

Tivvy was a TV Times mascot appearing in the TV adverts for the magazine.

Tivvy And The Clubmates - Tivvy's Tune

Margaret Roadknight - The Girls In Our Town (The Other Newcastle Song)

 

An Australian release from September 1975, I came across the track on a recent download, while listening to the record I thought this could apply to almost any town, in the UK I was in the last year that you could leave school at 15 (1967), the children in the year following all most of them wanted to do was leave school, from the school I attended well over half the pupils left at 15 with no qualifications, after the leaving age was raised to16 it was still the same well over half still left with no qualifications, most of the others left with qualifications and a very few went on to further education, the ones who left without qualifications ended up in the local factories or as shop assistants.

Margret RoadKnight – Girls In Our Town - 1975 (Original Stereo)

Charmers - I've Got To Get A Message To You

Released in 1967, I was given a large number of singles and LP's in the early days of the original blog, in among the singles was a copy of this record, when the blog was closed this was among the records ready to download and post in the next couple of weeks.

Dave Barker I've Got To Get A Message To You

Spoof Notice

 

During the week at the fenced off stepping stones someone put up a spoof notice on both sides, if you are nimble enough you can get round the fences and use the stepping stones.

Marc Reid - The Magic Book

 

 

Issued in 1966 a year before the Gibson's version, I do not ever recall hearing this record played on the radio.

Marc Reid – The Magic Book - YouTube

Stepping Stones

 

At the present the stepping stones on the Hogsmill river are fenced off due to a Health & Safety issue, since the Longmead branch of the Hogsmill river was diverted at Chambers Mede to form the water gardens to try and remove the sewerage that Thames Water so graciously adds to this Chalk Stream, the water is now almost always over the top of the stepping stones, causing them to be slippery, I have slipped twice one getting a wet foot the other time water in my boot, also there is a lot of wear on the far side as the dogs climb up the slope next to the steps, the area behind the steps is starting to erode.

No one owns the river it is manged by the River Wandle and Hogsmill River Trust, Epsom & Ewell Council installed the stepping stones, and apparently the Enviromental Agency is responsible for the river banks. The temporary closure could drag on for some time.

 

Further down the river not too far from the Stepping Stones there is another point where sewerage is discharged into the river.