The Old Tolbooth, 'The Heart of Midlothian.'

On Edinburgh's historic 'Royal Mile,' outside St Giles Kirk there lies a pattern of setts, in coloured stone, commemorating the 'Heart of Midlothian,' a building that once stood right here.

After more English attacks which led to the the burning of Edinburgh by various Edwards, all that family were thugs as you know, major work was required.  King Robert II granted the right to build a suitable building quite close to the corner of St Giles.  The area was used as a market place then, and was a replacement for a previous building destroyed by brute force.

Thus the 'Tolbooth' came into being around 1386.

The Tolbooth was used by the town council for many years, it was not until 1811 they moved across the road into the city Chambers.  The building included a prison, and was surrounded by shops on all sides.  This was after all the centre of the city, and the capital of Scotland at that.

The prison was not a great place to be.  Some had metal collars around the neck which were chained to the wall.  Others wore boots that crippled the feet, or possibly thumbscrews were employed to torture the prisoner.  Not all prisoners were confined, some were imprisoned for debt, others for petty theft, and some could walk about working in the prison rooms.  The drains were blocked, the stench, even for Edinburgh, unbearable, and many prisoners were no more than adolescent boys, some who were to hang. 

After 1795 executions, once held at the 'Mercat Cross' were held on an extension on the west side of the Tolbooth, thus enabling the public to enjoy the spectacle at the gallows there.  Rebellious individuals such as Montrose, James Graham who supported Charles I during the English Civil War,  were decapitated and their heads placed on spikes facing the High Street.  Not that they would see much I suggest.

Another who was hanged was Deacon Brodie.  A man of good character and well known amongst the rich and powerful of the day.  As a cabinet maker his work also involved fixing locks on doors and enabling the great and good to rest in their beds peacefully.  However, gambling debts and two secret mistresses and five children to support tempted him into misusing his knowledge of the security and enabled him, and accomplices, to rob the rich.  He was eventually found out and hanged at the tolbooth to much cheering from the rich I imagine.  'Deacon Brodie's Tavern,' stands at the corner of the Lawnmarket and Bank Street today, though it was 1974 when I last entered the building, Brodie himself may not have done so.  

John Porteous was also hanged there.  He became Captain of the Guard and was responsible for among other things controlling the 'town mob.'  The mob became angry after the execution of one Andrew Wilson, so angry that the town guard was called out and armed with gunpowder and shot.  Now Captain Porteous was not a popular figure, possibly because of his job, but in controlling the mob he ordered his men to fire above their heads.  Good thinking, except that people in the tenements above were hit, further angering the mob.  Thus it is said the Captain ordered his men to fire on the mob itself killing 6 and wounding others.  

The Captain was tried for murder, and jailed in the Tolbooth.  The English government under Sir Robert Walpole attempted to defer sentence thus once again showing their ignorance of Scotland.  As a result, several thousand joined together, attacked the Tolbooth, removed Porteous and dragged him down the street where he was hanged, not once but four times before he expired.

The Town Mob was a fearful force.  Despite much talk in London no individual was brought to trial for this riot.  Sir Walter Scott, in his book 'The Heart of Midlothian,' set the scene with his version of the events of this event.  He would have been very aware of the situation in Edinburgh and it may be well worth reading the book for more details, however, they will have an romantic twist to them!

1784

The 'Luckenbooths' that is shops, can be clearly seen in this 1784 map.  The position of the aged tolbooth may once have been tolerable in the town but as can be seen it blocked the 'Royal Mile.'  It is noticeable how many buildings surround the Kirk, with only space for the parliament , now long defunct after the 1707 Lords criminal sell out to English bribes.   

The Old Tollbooth

Alexander Naysmith's portrayal of the building shows us the two story erection at the western end where hangings took place.  The four story building looks magnificent here, with St Giles to the right of the picture, but of course we cannot smell it, notice the bits falling off, or the state of the insides of the building.  The building was removed in 1817 enabling easier passage on the road.  A mosaic was placed in the road to commemorate the 'heart of Midlothian,' as it was named by the public, and they say passers-by today spit on the setts in memory of the town people's hatred of the old prison.  This of course is middle class nonsense. 

In 1874 s football team, one of the first in the world, was begun in Edinburgh by the lads who attended a pub, or dance hall, they were probably one and the same thing, named the 'Heart of Midlothian,' nearby.   This team is one of the great Scottish sides having one all that is to be won, and at the time of writing about to gather more glory in the near future.  

However, the residue of the mob remain in Edinburgh, usually following the smaller, less efficient sides like Hibernian.  These rough, uneducated types will not be aware that a notorious building stood upon this spot, they will just reveal their low life attitudes by spitting the what became the crest of the Heart of Midlothian Football Club.  Jealousy and inferiority lies behind such actions.

It has been made clear by one researcher that of all the guide books to Edinburgh that he looked at only two mentioned the Heart of Midlothian football clubs or indeed Hibernian for that matter.  All did mention the Murrayfield Rugby ground however, once again revealing the middle class divide that endures in the city.  

Edinburgh Derby and Twitter Junk

Since 1875 the Heart of Midlothian have been careful to maintain a domination over the Hibernian from Leith, and Saturday night was no exception.  In spite of the usual Hibernian tactics which include Humping the ball upfield carelessly, falling down when tackled, and bringing their own referee as always, the Heart of Midlothian took care to secure the victory with a last minute winner.  The late goal is encouraged as it allows the 'wee team' to think they had a chance when in fact they had none.  So the late goal does enable them to remember the game for a very long time.  

Funny innit?

I see twitter, that's 'X' to those who follow Musk, have been desperate to increase the number of new posts to reach me.  This can be interesting however, I have little interest in Ugandan politics, dodgy porn, or US female Netball, nor any of the other rather strange US sites that appear daily.  I suppose a nation that arose by the gun and spread out by the use of the gun will not understand democracy properly, but I have no desire to listen to far right gun toting 'Christians' who never read the bible nor attend church.  This however, is growing among the far right, white, US, gun toting, unthinking mid west population.  Many are joining organisations to 'defend' 'Christendom,' a word few would understand.  Trumps backers, mostly in the Kremlin, are looking forward to the civil war they have designed.  It will not happen in the UK however, stealthy takeover of the government is more effective here.  Just ask Morgan McSweeney.

Hobbling Saturday

 

I shuffled the long way round to Tesco's this morning.  The fancy monthly market was well into its setting up period and once again I wondered, not at the goods on display, but at the time taken to set up, and later dismantle such stalls.  What is the point?  Hours of slog setting up, not much money taken, though enough to make them return again, and then the hard work dismantling and trundling back home. 

The fish man and the locksmith do it properly, they come in a van, open the side, and await your cash, that's the way to do it I say.

On the way, I had to make a detour, passing behind the man in the Salvation Army uniform carrying a collecting can.  He usually stands on the other side and was blocking my way.  Thinking quickly, I evaded him by pretending to study the butchers window. Then it was totter down to Tesco, wander around collecting a few bits, pay at the cash desk where a friendly woman was operating the till, and make for home.  However, I found myself once again meeting the 'Sally Anne' so there was nothing for it but to go into the butchers, obtain sausages, and make for home.

 

 

The rest of Saturday has been spent concentrating on football.  This was successful, the Heart of Midlothian defeating Falkirk by 3 goals to nil, and the nearest challenger, Celtic, stumbling to a 0-0 draw with the 'wee team' Hibernian.  This leaves us once again in our rightful position, top!

A good way to end a Saturday.

 

Last Home Game

One thing I always like is the end of season games.  The last home game is an opportunity for the fans and players to congratulate one another, or indeed offer points of debate and grudging support to the team.  Last night at Tynecastle the players appeared as always and wandered around the ground greeting the fans.  One or two fans were able to Hi-Five individual players, while some players carried their young children around with them, dressed obviously in shirts with their dad's name on the back.

Having won the game it was an easier encounter than when the team loses, and this has not been a good season.  One manager sacked, a temporary manager for two games, then the new man comes in.  A few months later he too goes south.  Again the temporary manager takes over and again does well.

Grumbles re the board continue, debate about the known new manager also.  However, all this is put aside as the players clap the fans as they walk round.  All understand the situation, all look forward with a mixture of trepidation and hope to the new season.  With one more game to go and then the players depart for Malaga, the Board for somewhere more exotic, and myself for Tesco, we await the last game and the new season.

I must admit, my granddad approach meant that I enjoyed watching the kids with their dads more than anything.  We rarely see the families of players, and rightly so as abuse sometimes follows them, but this allows us to remember them as human beings with all the fragility that brings.  Football is important but families more important.  The kids of course love the occasion even though some are too young to appreciate this.  With luck, some of the boys may one day wear that very important Heart of Midlothian shirt for real!  Lucky them!

Heart of Midlothian 3-1 Dundee

Scottish Football Reflects the Times.

 

I was watching a clip of the Heart of Midlothian scoring 90 goals against Hibernian.  I must point out these goals did not arrive in only one game.  The first clip came from one of our victories in 1959, before I had made it to the ground.  

Several things struck me as I watched these early games.  The goal celebrations were the most obvious.  A goal is scored, with ease against Hibernian, and the players 'jumped for joy,' congratulated the scorer and returned quickly to the centre circle to do it all again.  No sliding needlessly into the corner, no standing on the wall taking the glory.  No rolling about on the ground while other formed a horde about you.  Just get back and get on with the game.

The game was no less serious, the attitudes deep.  The joy of a  win and the despair of a loss great both ways, no less than today, and yet...  

People tackled harder in those days, yet there were less bookings and sending's off.  Both sides fought hard to win and yet there was less animosity.  Indeed, many who bought season tickets for Tynecastle to watch the Heart of Midlothian also took season tickets at Hibernian and watched the teams week about.  This is not possible today and many would not understand this anyway.  

Life has changed in the last 70 years.  Our attitudes to football reflect this.  It appears to be that attitudes have hardened somewhat, football success is more important than it ought to be, and this is reflected with many no longer watching great European games and preferring to watch teams further down the ladder where 'real football' can be seen.  This includes standing on a near empty terracing, banter between fans, and the occasional dog demanding attention, especially when eating the miserly pies that are on sale from the van on the corner.  

Football has got wealthier alongside the nations, neither have become better because of this.

Saturday Riot Watch with added Football

 

The beginning of the new football season got under way this weekend.  Last night the Championship began well, a 2-1 victory for Falkirk over Queens Park, one of the oldest football teams in the world.  Today the big boys got going, and I was thankful to be able to watch this on the overpriced SKY football show.

Much of the day however, was taken up with reports of riots across England, always referred to by the press as 'Britain,' or 'UK.'  The use of mobile phones has been helpful but also rather worrying.  Watching shops being looted, single individuals set upon by groups of face masked yobs, and the police under great strain attempting to contain large crowds of rioters, none of whom are showing restraint.

The phone footage is very useful, many are now in custody or on police bail because of the images of their actions.  One or two have been returned to prison, several others will be breaking their early release orders, and many a mum and dad will be surprised to find the constabulary at their door early this morning, or during the next few days, as their dear precious boy is taken away for 'questioning.'

Why is this happening now I hear you ask?  Well Nigel has deliberately made a point of inflaming racism to further his wallet.  He himself may have right wing leanings however, mostly he is a front for others who are seeking to destroy the nation through division, all for their own advantage.  The favourite so far has been Russia, with President Putin keen to remove the UK from the EU through Brexit and remove what little power was left in the world.  Another theory is Israel, seeking to destroy Islamic types in the UK who are a threat to them by stirring up hatred in the UK.  Hatred against 'them over there,' is of course easy to encourage and Nigel has been doing just that.  I wonder how much he has made from all this, possibly from all sides.

Clearly these attacks are being controlled from somewhere, do the government know from where?  Would they admit it if they knew?  Musk, and his right-wing leaning Twitter has certainly played a part in encouraging far right thugs.  I have spent much time today reporting as 'Spam,' lots of people claiming to be independent souls, all with union flags, all claiming to be white patriots, all saying exactly the same thing, 'Keir Starmer thinks I am a right wing thug.'  I wonder if any of them know their foto is being used in this way?  Is this Reform or another I wonder?

 In the real world however, the Heart of Midlothian saw out a nil-nil draw with the blue bigots.  Once again we saw Nicky Walsh display his anti- Heart of Midlothian bias, add to which was the inept Rangers referee upstairs on VAR, one Andrew Dallas, who like his father before him became a referee but failed to understand the laws while keeping the pro Rangers bias.  Today a clear penalty ought to have been awarded to the Hearts, the referee being instructed to check the monitor, this did not happen.  Dallas, wearing his Rangers shirt did not call the ref and so no chance for him to refuse to award a penalty.  Typical SFA refs.  The SFA website is also inept, just try to find a referee for a game and it takes you to many places but does not provide a result.  Irony eh?

Anyway, we were good, our two Costa Rican's were excellent, and Gerald Taylor has a great future here and is already a fans favourite.  This looks like a good season ahead once all the early season rust is removed.  The future is bright, the future is maroon!

Dreich Time

It's been a bit of a bind in recent days.  My knees not being good, overdoing it on the front and scunnering myself for over a week, then as that eased I fall flat on my face and do my arm.  That will take a while to go, possibly months, and twice today I have screamed after I did this aaaaaaaaaaaaagh, and what is left of the muscles in the arm did not like it.  Ice packs aplenty in here.  I have only been to Sainsburys and Tesco, and that's too far, and now I just wish to sleep all day.  Mind you I am happy with that.   

What limited hope has been from watching England fail.  Sadly this has not happened.  Russian VAR men and a German referee threatened by England before the game saw the officials miss hand balls and gave penalties that did not exist.  5 million Scots very unhappy, let alone the Dutch and the rest of Europe!  Only Rangers fans and a handful of Scots Tories support the colonial imperialists.

Viva Espania I say!

One man heading for the final will be England's Prime Minister.  And I mean 'England's.'  Just in the door and he is already stopping them drilling for oil, his 'Scotland at the heart of Government reveals one cabinet minister only, and Keir's promise to women that he would protect their private spaces has gone out the window as he has installed three women and one man all of whom support the trans lobby.  One calls herself not Miss or Ms but 'They,' the man Kinnock's son, has a son who dresses as a girl, and the rest have no idea about life!  Scotland and women down the drain, I await a 'U' turn soon.

Twitter has been as mad as always, however, most of the Reform bots have gone.  It is interesting to see how many claim to be REFORM, joined Twitter 10 or more years ago, have lots of emojis alongside their name, and have 25,000 followers!  Somehow I fell these are as false as the REFORM candidates that did not exist. 

I also clicked somewhere on a catholic post, I know not which, and have been inundated with people arguing about the Latin Mass.  It was tempting to join in and upset many but I just blocked them all, though others still arrive.  

The algorithm sends hundreds of posts because you 'liked' or commented on one.  No matter what you are then inundated with them.  At least most are UK, up till now they have always been US led and of no use to me.  

Book reading has been slow.  Not helped by more coming through the letterbox, and more on the way.

There is no time to read them, or am I just slowing up?  

I noticed today some 'WhatsApp'  posts I have not answered, and other things are being left undone. Partly this is because of movement difficulty and I suspect too much football at the wrong times and a great deal of sloth could be involved.  Football is however, slowing, and less will be available for a while.   

' O to go down to the sea again,

The lonely sea and sky.

I've left my shirt and socks there,

I wonder if they're dry?'

Spike M.  

I feel like that also.  Though I suspect the beach we see here will be mobbed by hundreds and thousands at this time.  A little bit of sun and warmth and the UK population rush to the coast to get away from it all, and are stranded among millions getting away from it all.  It would be nice.

Gerald Taylor, yet another Costa Rican international who has joined the world's most important football club.  If he is as successful and his predecessor Vargas we will be on to a good thing indeed.  I am not sure where his finica will be in Gorgie...

Season Over.

Well that's that.  The season ends successfully, third place secured, largest points total for a while, lots of hope for the future with some recently introduced players finding their feet in the Scottish game, and a centre forward and captain who scored over 30 for the first time in many years.

The future is bright, the future is maroon.

Living so far away, unable to reach Edinburgh these days let alone get into the ground, I have become happy with tv coverage.  OK, it is not tv, I am not wealthy enough, but by making use of the few games covered by various TV companies I have seen the boys play and have a good understanding of them.  The use of PPV is to be encouraged, pricey but one of the ways forward, especially as SKY has been a disaster.  The SKY decisions ton only cover 41 of the 48 (?) games allotted to them is a disgrace.  Having only two games without the sectarian Glasgow clubs is also a disgrace.  No Edinburgh Derby was shown, I suspect the same will happen again, with the added loss of the Dundee derby that ought to be covered.   It is time to dump SKY or ensure fairer cover for all teams, especially the Heart of Midlothian.

With only two games of importance to go, the play-offs between Raith Rovers and Ross County for the top division place, I have decided to drop SKY after this as I am sick of the OF bias.  I will also save around £40 a month!

However, I look forward to next season as a chance for the Heart of Midlothian to improve their league position, win several games in Europe, and develop more young players for the future.  If I see them rarely I will be happy with that.

 

'Pop-Up's!'  I hate them!

I have just read a news site that offered me pop-ups.  

I left.

Moving on to another I had a video on one side arrive, request for link, a request for donation, and something else before I dumped it.

Every site offers pop-ups, the Daily Mirror site is so bad one of the leading men threw his phone away as he could not read what he had written on the site.  He demanded changes, and changes there were.

He was made redundant!

Every news site must ad a needless video concerning a different news story than the one you read.

Every independent site wants your money first!

Some have four 'pop-ups, some have more, and the 'Before you go' one never gets read!

When I am king all these will be banned!

Disgraceful!

 Go away!

 

Busy Friday

Last night, while slugging my Greek wine from Patra, I watched the Heart of Midlothian slug it out with PAOK from Greece.  Jolly good it was too!  Especially this little man here, Kenneth Vargas, a wee ball of fire who enlisted with us after Leaving Herediano in Costa Rica.  While he has a lot of adaption to the Scottish game to go through it is clear he has the correct drive and intention from what we witnessed last night.  The first game may have been lost, the second will be a hard game next Thursday, but we are positive and looking forward to the game.  Whatever happens, this is where we must be aiming for!

After another busy Friday, Hoovering, ironing, shopping among crowds, and even exercising I find no energy to eat.  I instead of food have one of these, as they are supposed to be full of Vitamin 'C.'  The feeble, skin covered chips, I found to go with it do not appear to possess any vitamins of any kind.

The day tomorrow is now free, nothing to do but eat, sleep, pray and ache all over.  I'm looking forward to it.

Thursday Mumble

Another summers day in Essex.

I have been half asleep all day.  I woke early, half asleep, had breakfast half asleep, and scribbled a couple of emails before 8 am, half asleep.

I may not get a response!

There has been a lot of scribbling, but not much progress.   The hoovering, like the exercising, has not got itself done.  There again neither has the ironing.

However, the last washing has been attended to.  

A blanket required a scrub, this was done.  After a long wash, like they all are these days, 2 hours and 6 minutes!  The blanket came out.  Though after it finished I forgot to remove it for two hours again.

Unfortunately the rim of the blanket has problems.   This I discovered when a cloud of white specks formed around me and remain, even now, on the filthy floor.  A white carpet of woollen bits that is getting everywhere!  

They can wait until tomorrow and the hoovering will finally get done...

The football at least returns tonight.  We play the Greek side PAOK hoping to do better than Hibernian did last night, losing 5-0 against Aston Villa.  Whatever happens, I just hope we make a game of it.

Again I am amazed by the wonder of it all.  I can sit here watching on a laptop a football match taking place 400 miles away.  A short time lag, sometimes as much as a minute, may occur, but it is amazing that I can see this game live.  In days of yore we relied on the wireless to hear a commentator at a game.  Before that we could only read newspaper reports, never trustworthy at that.  Now I can watch the game almost live.

During the period from the mid 70s until the late 80s I saw little football, and what was available was always English.  It was as though I was living in a foreign country, not a United Kingdom.  Newspapers were rare then, radio and TV information almost unheard off, and nobody in this nation cared.  There is no United Kingdom, Scotland is just a colony of an imperialist England.  Without Scotland England would die, and they know it.  It is time to ensure this happens.

Late Delivery

 

No rain this morning.  Cloudy sky yes, rain no.  So I prepared for a haircut!

Shoes on, not the slipper things I tried to go out with the other day, jacket on, glance out the window and off I go downstairs.

I open the door and the rain is thundering down!

One huge dark grey cloud hovers above me, drenching the park opposite and all who were dwelling therein.  To my right heavy drops crashed onto the road, the cars, the people sheltering ineffectively under the brolly.  To my left bright blue sky beckoned, a white cotton wool cloud reared up to the heavens, speaking of warmer climes.

I waited inside the door.

Eventually life moved on.  My hair was cut by a lovely young lassie who, when I remarked on all the grey stuff lying around, informed that this was 'Very fashionable today.'  What a clever lass.

While she was being a clever lass I was not being so clever.  I went off to find something interesting to post and having failed, completely forgot about this post.  This will disappoint few.  

The new day is already half over, the sun is shining now I am indoors, and once again nothing has happened.  The media crow over their defeat of the woman in charge of 'Coutts Bank,' as she resigns her position, after Government threats.  Even the burning tourists are pushed aside for this one.  What else are the press ignoring/covering up?  The question as to why a wee girl, known to Boris, gets into the Lords perhaps?

Thursday morning.

Dreich.  

Once again I forgot about this.  I was so busy doing nothing that I forgot until late at night.  Too late to finish of a meaningless post.

So I will take up the meaninglessness this morning.

Good news at last.  Kenneth Vargas, the highly thought of SC Herediano player, has agreed to join the Heart of Midlothian to 'progress his career,' and get sold on to one of the big clubs around Europe.  This is good business for the Heart of Midlothian, at least, as long as he turns out to be worth having!  The Scottish game is not like those in Central America, as he will soon find out.  

The usual international clearances are required, but as always it is the Visa that is a problem.  This as you will know, is controlled by the English Colonial office in Westminster, and they may decide he is not wanted, him being foreign and all that.   So we wait and see.

David Roberts - The Aqueduct of the Nile

Willie Collum Does it Again for His Team

 

Another Heart of Midlothian v Celtic game, another example of Willie Collum's deliberate bending of the rules to benefit his team.  Yet again he takes his teams side. This is not new, I make it six penalties he gave in seven games against us, none of which were penalties, and add to this several non red cards which he decided were red and has shown against this club, and he has gone one better today.  Sitting far from home in Glasgow he has made use of VAR to force the referee in today's game to send off a Heart of Midlothian player for no reason.  A foul, if it was a foul was committed, a yellow card shown, if that was required, and the  Willie demands a red, because that is what he does!

Had I been the boss at Tynecastle I would have taken the players from the field and sued both Willie and the SFA for the cheating we have endured.  This is not new, I have seen this as far back as the early 60s when Gordon Marshall was also treated badly by a Glasgow referee.  The 'Old Firm' have always had the refs in their pocket.  Today, ought to have been time for action.  The cowards at the Heart of Midlothian board will fail to react, once again. 

Bobby Walker, Jesus, the Temple and Anguish.

Bobby Walker was the greatest footballer of his generation.  Known by even English commentators as the man with ;twinkling feet,' and considered by no less than Billy Meredith the great Welsh winger (who had over 70 caps for his country) as the best footballer around.

He is of course almost unknown outside of Edinburgh today.

Born in 1879, not far from the origins of the Heart of Midlothian itself, this late Victorian young man moved to Gorgie, watched the Heart of Midlothian bring the Scottish Cup home in 1891, what a delight! and was destined to play for his club.  Beginning as a 14 year old at Dalry Primrose Bobby soon attracted the attention of the Heart of Midlothian.  Interestingly (I say) a picture, which I cannot find online, shows the team in 1896.  Bobby Walker sits at the front alongside his team, and looking at two or three faces around him I find I recognise them!  At least three of the young men pictured are identical with three of the young men who formed the crowd following the Heart of Midlothian during the 1960s.  The family resemblance is too strong to ignore.  I did not know these men as they came on other buses, but they are descended from members of this team.

During 1896 the Heart of Midlothian defeated Hibernians by 3 goals to 1 at Logie Green in Edinburgh.  Amongst the crowd was Bobby Walker, aged 17 and soon to sign himself for this great side.

From his first game for the club, a friendly two all draw against Sunderland, until his last in 1913, a Roseberry Cup semi-final against St Bernard's, Bobby Walker established himself as one of Scotland's greatest ever footballers.

If you read the Glasgow press this fact may have escaped you however.

In those far off days Scotland had two international sides, the SFA Scotland side, and the Scottish League side, both of equal importance then.  Of course we only played against Wales, Ireland and England, no other nation was considered worthy enough to challenge regularly.  However, Bobby Walker obtained a record number of International 'caps,' 29 in all, including an amazing 11 caps against England, another record.

Speaking of records, he managed to play against Hibernians 94 times!  There were many more leagues, cups and friendly games in those days.  He also scored 17 times against Hibernians at Easter Road, even John Roberson in the 80s could only manage 15 there.  Keep in mind Hibernians great centre forward Laurie Reilly only managed 7 against the Hearts and you can tell something of the mans talent.

There is no doubt that his talent was recognised by all in the day, only injury or his own desire stopped him getting more rewards for his ability.   

After football he continued to play in friendlies, though his health was not always good.  At least this avoided his participation in the Great War.  However, his financial dealings were not wise, his pubs lost money, his wife appeared to commit suicide, and he himself did not help by drinking.  A great curse amongst Scots is the drink!  Far too many die from the after effects.  It is to be hoped today's players are encouraged to a different lifestyle to aid long term health.

Bobby Walker died during August 1930, and was buried in Merchison cemetery not far from Tynecastle Park which he graced for so long.  Huge crowds lined the streets as his coffin passed by.  A rather tragic end to a great footballer.

This book comprised much written by Bobby himself in his autobiography, lots of photographs from the time, and masses of statistics at the end to please the most fervent statto.  It is a long read, going year by year of his career, and invites us into a foreign world from the turn of the  century and before the Great War.  So near in time, yet so different from today.  Yet the tale of one talented young man making it to the top in football is no different.  Spotted at a young level, signed and escorted by players more senior to him whom he knew.  And capable of making the most of his talent, and obtaining great reward for it.  He was earning £6 a week at times, a soldier only got 10/- (ten shillings) and many people earned less!  

For fans of football and history this is a book well worth reading.  The man speaks for himself, the pictures and reports speak for the times.  The talent speaks for itself.   

On Palm Sunday, though it was not called this at the time, Jesus entered the Temple and upset all the tables of those making money.  This was not just a bad temper, the area in which these money changers and merchants were operating was the 'Court of the Gentiles.'  This area was where all people could come and worship the God of the whole earth, not just Jews, the 'chosen people.'  Instead of prayer what we see are money changers.  A rule had arisen that only Temple money could be used, so someone was getting rich.  The animals brought for sacrifice were rejected as 'not good enough' and only those on sale, at a price, could be used, pigeons, for the poorest, lambs for the wealthier, all at a price using Temple money.  No wonder Jesus was upset!  This was a Temple area set out as 'a place of prayer, for all nations,'  and instead it was a capitalists dream.  No wonder the tables were overturned, the animals set free.  

The word 'sorrow' used here as you know is perilupos which is not covered by sorrow.  'Very sad,' 'deeply grieved,' or 'exceeding sorrowful,' says 'Vines Expository Dictionary of NT words.'  Here is a man who bows before his father knowing that this cross is the only way to save mankind.  Before him lies arrest, opposition, hatred, lies and beatings before being falsely found guilty of being what he is, the 'Son of God!'  

He takes his disciples with him, only eleven are left, with the closet three nearby.  Three times he appeals to his father for this to be taken from him, but there is no other way.  He wrestles with giving up himself to physical assault and then crucifixion, and then separation from his father for the only time in eternity, all for you.  Jesus the man has to choose whether to suffer this because you and I sin, and care little about it, or whether he should keep his body, return to his father and let us all be lost, suffering Hell, the separation from God for ever.  

He chooses to accept the fathers lead, all the while he struggles and his closest friends forget him and fall asleep.  How very like me.

Saturday Sloth

 

 

I started the new month in the normal way, seeking for what day this is, working out what the time was, seeking coffee, and then hobbling up to Sainsburys before either I was awake or the crowds had gathered.  At Sainsburys the crowds had gathered.  I filled my basket as quickly as possible, joined the shortest queue at the checkout, friendly crowd here, good young lady on till, and struggled home, huffing and puffing all the way.  

Another month has begun!

This is the fourth, and I still working through the second!  Now Spring clean time has arrived, but thankfully I canny be bothered.  So that is that!  

The constant bug over the past few months has been hanging around making life difficult again.  However, by remaining indoors for the past three weeks, only shopping took me out, has helped greatly. Indeed, this week I returned to exercise and housekeeping!  Both have been missing, and my mind is clearer than for a while.  However, I have been here before.  A virus is not a good thing, they come and go, wave after wave, but hopefully this one will clear off soon, I may even stop coughing for a while.

So, Saturday is football day, and to nobodys surprise the Heart of Midlothian threw it!  A good reason for depression.  It is strange how a simple game like football can mean so much.  We all know its only a game but winning and losing have an effect on the fan.  I cheered my self up by watching Motherwell roundly beat Hibernian in Leith.  That brought a smile.

Now I prepare for tomorrow, Palm Sunday, mostly by staring into space...

 

      My latest great niece. That cheers me up.

Frost, Bishop and a touch of Toby

It was one of those ridiculous winters morning today.  The sky was blue, the sun shone, and the streets were slippery with frost.  As I walked, tripping up several times and almost going flat out once, the pavements on one side were white while the frost on the telephone wires above slowly melted, dropping great blobs on heads of the few passers-by.  Everything ached, and as I rose that morning my one thought was "I wish it was Monday."  Then I can go back to bed, but not today.

 

Today the Bishop was preaching, so I was ordered there to take pictures.  

This once confused me as he is not the Bishop of Essex, just of Colchester.  But large counties have a Bishop and as many 'sufferagent Bishops as required, Essex has three.  The sbishops, as you may have noted, are strange people, this one however, has his good points.  For a start he knows God, though he does have a tendency to the 'Stonewall' nonsense.  I was glad he did not mention this today, I may have started something.  All went well, he spoke well, many pictures were taken, all smiled.

 

I then watched as the Heart of Midlothian strolled past the poor Hibs team.  This, as you know, is not unusual.  The best part was watching Toby Sibbick run up the park near the end of the game and chip the ball past the despairing goalkeeper.  Toby Sibbick, the new striker!  Another great performance from him, though the team was not playing to well once again.  Playing not to good we have beaten Aberdeen and Hibs.  All looks good so far.