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Football: Wherever it may be

~ Laurence's football travels

Football: Wherever it may be

Tag Archives: Masons Arms

2020, the year

31 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by laurencereade in Y

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

2020, Covid, Family, Masons Arms, Review, Wedding

Whoever you are 2020 was undoubtedly the year of Covid. This time last year we didn’t know what furlough meant, and thought Brexit would be the biggest challenge we’d face.

But I can’t write off the year completely. After all it contained unquestionably the greatest day of my life, January 11th- my wedding day, and seeing Robyn walking down the aisle in that beautiful dress was breathtaking. It was wonderful to have so many of our family and friends there to share it with us. Special thanks to my best man Sim who went over and above the call of duty to make our day so special.

Continue reading →

Where It All Started

09 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by laurencereade in M

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Benson Lions, Headington Quarry, John Fathers, Margaret Road, Masons Arms, North Berkshire League, Oxford, Oxford City League

Saturday 7th November 2015 ko 13.30

Oxfordshire FA “John Fathers” Junior Shield 2nd Round

MASONS ARMS 1 (Long 22) 

BENSON LIONS 2 (Swales 14 Willis 55)

Att 16 at Margaret Road Recreation Ground, Headington Quarry, Oxford

Entry FREE

No Programme

In so many ways if any game had my name on it, it was this one. I’m from this part of Oxford, my local is the Masons Arms, and I serve on the committee of the North Berkshire League, the league where Benson Lions ply their trade. But that’s only a superficial look at why this game was a must see for me. Continue reading →

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Wassail

27 Friday Dec 2013

Posted by laurencereade in Q

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bell Ringers, Chequers, Crown and Thistle, Headington Quarry, King George, Masons Arms, Morris Men, Mummers Play, Oxford, Oxford Headington Quarry, Six Bells, Sword Dance

Thursday 26th December 2013

Six Bells, Headington Quarry, Oxford

Headington Quarry Morris Dancers, Handbell Ringers, Mummers Play, and Rapper Sword Dancing

“There was an old man and he had an old cow, and for how to keep her he didn’t know how, He built up a barn for to keep his cow warm, and a drop or two of cider will do us no harm.” Trad.

One of the great advantages of my return to Oxford, is I can immerse myself in Quarry life, and possibly the biggest tradition of them all is the Boxing Day Morris Men. For as long as I can remember we’ve all headed bleary eyed from our Christmas hangovers into the cold December air at one or more of the 4 Quarry pubs. The schedule hasn’t changed for years, its always

11.15 Crown & Thistle

12.15 Six Bells

13.00 Chequers

13.45 Mason’s Arms

It’s a sign of the times that the performance at the Crown was in front of a closed pub. The roots of the performance are pure folk, rooted in the traditions of old England. There’s the Mummers Play where King George and the Turkey Snight (Turkish Knight) fight for the hand of the King of Egypt’s daughter. It evokes the triumph of good over evil as the Turkey Snight slays King George, but is quickly revived by the good Doctor. The script is altered each year to keep it topical, this year Nigella’s troubles got a mention, I remember one year it was Jimmy Carter’s haemorrhoids! Continue reading →

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In search of the Quarrymen

20 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by laurencereade in Q

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Coppock, CS Lewis, Headington Quarry, Masons Arms, Meeson, Muncies, Oxford, Quarry Park, Quarry School, Vallis Bakery

Sunday 20th January 2013

Greetings from my neck of the woods. This is a small, half mile square part of Oxford set at the city’s eastern edge. Every tourist has seen the fruits of the labours of the Headington Quarry when they visit the “Dreaming Spires,” as it was from here at that the Oolitic limestone that built the colleges was mined, and the last of it built the school I attended, Quarry School. Have a look at the blue door, and look at the new stone at the right, at foot level. It’s new because my friend Matthew hated going there so much, he’d kick the stone in anger each time he passed through.

To this day many of the Quarrymen’s cottages are still in evidence Continue reading →

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