Leeds Castle and Whiz Bangs...

A very nice if somewhat peculiar day occurred on Saturday. I mean apart from the usual horrendous loss by Manchester City, I don't think I can recall a Saturday like it. I woke up at my usual sort of time, 7am, and pottered about a bit. I then loaded the car with my Henry gear and headed up the old A303. I was off to Leeds Castle in Kent - again! But this was with a slight difference from normal.

The journey to Kent was easy and I soon arrived at my sister's house in Stockbury, near Sittingbourne, and had a nice cup of tea and a chat with her and her husband, Julian. She cooked me a lovely lunch of chicken enchilladas, a quick tour of all the house work they are having done and then I was off over to Leeds Castle itself. I was to help out at a Fireworks Party being held in the main castle. A large company had hired the castle and had invited various clients and their children for a days entertainment, culminating in a firework display attended by the general public as well - and there were 1,000's of them there already when I arrived! I got changed in the estate office as usual and was then whizzed in an open top golf buggy up to the main castle. This was the most frightening part of the day as the man driving me obviously reckoned he was Michael Schumacher and I had nothing to hold on to, including my dignity. My main job at the do was to meet and greet people at the front door of the castle as they arrived. After battling past me inside was a veritable Aladdin's cave of goodies and fun for the kids. There were rows of Sega car and motorbike racing games that the children could play for free, face painting and henna hand designs, oodles of good food, a cool jazz quartet in the old library and an amazing magician and balloon artist. I started at 2pm and was allowed to go by 4.30pm as the children and their families were off to watch the main firework display. Therefore, after getting changed I was on my way back to Somerset by 5pm and home by 7.30pm. It didn't really feel like I had been to Kent and back at all!

I had a nice relaxing Sunday, pausing only to watch Torchwood and throw buckets of icy water over my wife everytime Captain Jack Harkness appeared on the screen, and so on to this week. Tomorrow (Tuesday) I drive to Essex to stay with my parents. On Wednesday I am at St Theresa's School in Basildon in the day and in the evening I am at 2, Temple Place for a corporate do. Thursday I am up bright and early and off to Robert Kett Junior again in Wymondham, and on Friday I am at Wickford Junior in...er...Wickford. Exhausting and fun. Which is how my wife reckoned Captain Jack Harkness might be.

Archbishop Cranmer - the school not the man...

This was a nice return visit for me. I hadn't been to Archbishop Cranmer School in Taunton since September 2004, so it was nice to get back to them. I had fond memories of my previous visit and was looking forward to seeing Tracy, the teacher I deal with there, again. I arrived smack on time and walked up to the main office to announce myself. The nice lady in the office gave me a swipe card so I could get into the school gym as that was where I was to spend my day. I began setting up my stuff. I heard the approach of footsteps and two people came in - one was Sally, a lovely lady who on my previous visit was unfortunate enough to have her foot in plaster and was unable to really join in the whole thing. Today she was back on top form and dressed as Anne Boleyn, complete with the obligatory green sleeves. She was accompanied by a nice small lady dressed as a fine Tudor wench. That was a fine sight for a King first thing on a frosty morning! What I failed to realise until it was almost time for me to leave was that this tiny wench was in fact Tracy who I normally deal with! I didn't recognise her! She has lost some weight and changed her hairstyle and that combined with the wench costume fooled me completely - Tracy, if you are reading this, many many apologies! You looked great!

The day went swimmingly. I have been suffering of late with a sprained ankle, but have been giving it regular treatments of ibuprofen to stop any swelling and that, combined with an ankle support saw me through the day fine.

The kids group were great - it was years 3 and 4 and they were wonderful. Really interested, very ready to laugh and had some great, if occasionally bizarre questions! We had a break in the morning for the children to take part in a song for worship assembly, but the rest of the day went as usual. The afternoon stocks session was very good and poor old Tracy got picked by the class to go in as the teacher who needed punishing. The jousting was a fine session. I picked a ladies team to help me with the demonstration before the racing in earnest began. They were very slow and didn't really seem to get it. I thought to myself that if these ladies win this tournament I would emigrate to Siberia. Well to be honest, I should be packing my bags for the long train to Tunguska region as somehow, against the odds, these ladies battled their way through the ladies championship to the grand final and then defeated the gentlemen's champs as well. Hats off to those ladies. A wonderful win!

I then packed up and headed for home, tired and happy. And by the evening my ankle was still feeling OK. So a good day all round. I am off to Leeds Castle tomorrow for a fireworks party! See you there I hope.

Somerset Rural Life Museum

I was quite excited about today - a visit to Glastonbury and the Somerset Rural Life Museum. I was due to give three talks here today. I arrived at just before 10am and was due on for my first Henry at 11.30am. The people I meet at all these schools, castles and museums that I visit never fail to amaze me with their warmth, charm and good nature. They couldn't do enough for me this morning and I was introduced to all these fine people, so many of them volunteers. I was due to be giving my talks in the great Abbey Barn in their grounds and it was a wonderful venue. With it's high vaulted ceiling and rough dirt floor, plus the secluded lighting giving an impression of candlelight, all just added to the atmosphere.

My first group came in, probably somewhere in the region of 30+ people. It was nice to chat to them and get some laughs as well. I wheedled in some info about the Dissolution of the Monasteries as requested by Mary at the County Museum. It went really well and I got some lovely comments at the end of it, from young and old alike. All commented on how much like Henry VIII I was, more than any other Henry VIIIth look-a-like they had seen, which was extremely gratifying.

After a lovely meal of a kind of Ploughman's lunch with farmhouse cheddar and home-made apple pickle (which was fabulous), I was back in the Barn for the two afternoon talks. The first of these was particularly memorable for me as the jousting was contested by a lovely little lad called Cameron who made up for any lack of jousting skill with sheer enthusiasm and speed. Quoits, horses and targets flew in various directions and hardly anyone really noticed when the other team won - all eyes were firmly on Cameron's team!

The final session was packed out and with some lovely people. One family had their fourteen year old daughter with them who is into role play and history, and was she delighted to discover you could make a living out of historical re-enactment. She reckoned this was the career that beckoned her after school. Good for her! Another couple stopped me as I was packing stuff away and again commented that it was scary how much like Henry VIII I was. I know I am the same height as Henry and my build always helps. You do see some people impersonating Henry and there is a passing resemblance (and some times absolutely none at all!), but I am proud to say that I feel confident that there are few others as accurate as me at present. This may sound big headed and blowing my own trumpet a bit, but I am proud of what I do and I enjoy it, and getting these comments back are always very gratifying. So thank you!

When I got home, there was already a phone call from a teacher who's sister had been at the show today and had rung her saying how good I was, and that she must get me into her school ASAP. Well, who am I to argue?

Monkwick Junior, Ghosts and Conkers...

Thursday the 19th October saw me still at my parent's house in Essex and this time getting up to drive to Colchester and Monkwick Junior School. This was a wonderful school - and my first visit. The teachers were lovely - very friendly and funny, and the children were great. Some superb costumes to be seen, and about 90% of them appearing to be home made. I had a nice, if somewhat bizarre lunch of cheesey mashed potato with...er...chips, before the afternoon session, which was a real rip snorter. The kids all laughed at the appropriate moments and the gents won the jousting AGAIN. This might turn into some sort of habit... A fond farewell was said to all the teachers and TA's, and particularly to "Friar Tucker" from Teeside, before I was on my way back to my parent's house. I had been planning to drive back to Somerset that evening, but I was just so tired, I decided against it. Instead, my father and I sat and watched the football all evening on Channel 5.

I drove home on the Friday morning, but the weather and the traffic were abysmal. A journey that should have taken three hours took more like four and a half. But I was home. After a quick trip to the bank and a cuddle with my wife and son, I was off again, this time back to Barrington Court for their annual Ghost Story evening. All the people taking part first met up in Matthew Applegate's apartment in Strode House (next to Barrington Court) where Matthew's lovely wife Sue had made bucket-loads of tasty home made soup - delicious. I met up with all the other performers and volunteers for the evening. It was lovely, lots of jokes and laughs. Matthew's sister and her partner were there and were due to be dressed up as ghosts in white clothing and white faces. Sue was dressed up as "The Lady in White" with a long Jane Austen-type dress, white face and long blonde wig! They were sent off to patrol the upper long gallery in the Court and hopefully scare the pants off various punters. Other people there included some lovely ladies from Martock Panto society, one of whom was to do a reading of one ghost story, while another was joining me in making spectral noises and window scratching during another reading. We did this with great aplomb, however it did make us quite hysterical and with the added fun of everything taking place in the pitch dark, it did give the general idea that this evening was a mix of "Most Haunted" and a "Carry On" film.

With the first two stories read to the punters, Matthew and his assistant Helen (who was organising the whole shebang) suddenly realised things were running too quickly and the punters would have to be delayed before they could sit down to their dinners. Myself and Rae (if that is how you spell it), a charming lady from the Martock Panto, were asked to go outside and hide under a chestnut tree in our historical robes, the punters would then be led past on a night time walk whereupon we would be needed to moan, howl, shake the tree and generally give them the heebie-jeebies. Rae and I ventured outside and clambered under one of the conker trees, immediately feeling ourselves sinking into the soft earth. We laughed and chuckled and made various rude innuendo jokes involving conker trees, Sean Bean and "Lady Chatterly", but of the punters there was not a sign. Time passed. Still no sign of them. Eventually I see a torch beam in the distance - this must be them! I flash my torch beam briefly in the tree tops to let them know we are ready. Nothing happens. The torch beam eventually comes a lot closer and turns out to be a security guard. I think he thought Rae and I might be a courting couple as when he shone his torch on us, his first words were a mumbled and embarrassed "Ooh! Sorry!"

Eventually we are summoned back into the house after not a sign of anyone to scare. We all sit back in Matthew's apartment and drink some wine and chat and tell some terrible jokes, and then it is my turn for my story. I go down to the restaurant and read "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allen Poe, and get a great response from the listeners. And then that is that! Lots of goodbyes, and a "Hello" from Estelle, a lovely lady my wife used to work with as a community mid-wife and who helped look after my son when he was first born, and then it was time for me to head for home. I finally got home about 10.45pm. It had been a long day, but by God it had been fun! To Matthew and Helen, thank you for organising it. To Sue, thanks for the soup and wine. To all the other performers - lovely to meet you all. And finally, to Rae - smashing conkers, love!

And now, off to Wales for a couple of days at my sisters. Bye!

Pyrcroft Grange and Blean School - again...

It was a very early start for me on the morning of Monday the 16th October. I was to drive from Somerset up to Pyrcroft Grange School in Chertsey in Surrey. I arrived about half an hour early, but passed the time reading the Times and drinking some Diet Coke! I hadn't been to Pyrcroft Grange for nearly two years, but it was nice to be back again. I was welcomed warmly as ever and set up my stuff in a side room - we wouldn't have full access to the hall until the afternoon session, but that was fine. Pyrcroft is a fine school, with a lot of integration between disabled, autistic and, for want of a better word, full able bodied children. This always makes it quite a special day - and it always makes for some left field questions and answers - as evidenced again today! After explaining all about Henry's eating and culinary habits, I was asked by one boy if it was true Henry ate Elephants. I explained that this was not the case. Another boy then asked whether Elephants were made of meat. I told him that all Elephants were actually made of re-formed saw dust. I then had to explain to him that I was joking. For those of you wondering, they are of course made from railway sleepers and bacofoil. The afternoon whizzed by and a fine jousting session was JUST won by the boys for a nice change. Lots of friendly goodbyes at the end and then I was on my way - but not back to Somerset...

From Chertsey I got back on the dear old M25 and headed for my sister's house in Kent. It was a relatively easy journey and I was soon with her supping a cup of tea. Her husband Julian came home from work with a very welcoming bottle of wine and a take-away curry - very nice! We sat and watched the film "The Village" which was nicely creepy, but predictable. Next morning I was up bright and early and off to one of my favourite schools that I visit every year - Blean Primary near Canterbury! This is just a fabulous school - always have wonderful kids, friendly teachers, the nicest caretaker you ever want to meet and easy to find - it doesn't get much better than that for a Henry VIII person! We had another lovely day, lots of laughs and fun, and getting everything back to how it normally is - the girls won the jousting! It was back to my sister's near Sittingbourne for a cup of tea and some guitar strumming before heading off to Essex to stay the night with my parents near Brentwood.

Today has been more or less a day off. Some bank work and paper work but nothing else. My father and mother treated me to lunch at The Mason's Arms restaurant in the Ingrave Road in Brentwood which was FANTASTIC, and then an evening at leisure! Tomorrow morning I am at Monkwick Junior School in Colchester and then heading back to sunny Somerset for a Ghost Story evening at Barrington Court! Lovely.

Ah! I hear the sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle! How that tune haunts me...

Hazeldene Lower School and Everyone's a Star!

It was another trip over to the South East of England for me, this time, via Bedfordshire. I was due at Hazeldene Lower School in Bedford on the Monday morning, but I decided to drive to my parents the day before, just to make life a little easier. The drive up on Sunday and at about lunch time was very easy and quite pleasant. The following morning, I woke early (about 5.30-ish) and headed on to the M25 and struck out for Bedford. For some reason I had got it into my head that Hazeldene Lower School was going to be a posh private school, with undulating lawns and deer nibbling at the croquet hoops, very much like Monkton Combe in Bath. I was wrong! It was a perfectly normal, lovely state school run by some of the nicest teachers you could ever wish to meet. Karen Styles in particular was charming and friendly in the extreme. The group of children were an exciteable bunch of Year 3's and laughed longer and louder at some of my jokes than was seemingly possible! The jousting was, as ever, won by the ladies and after being paid I was on my way home. Hazeldene was a lovely school and I would be delighted to go back there.

Monday evening, I was invited to meet up with my old friend Sara Turner at the Star Pub in Ingatestone in Essex. This was a real homecoming for me. The Star was a pub that Sara and I used to visit every Monday night about 10-15 years ago. It is a really old fashioned place inside and I reckon hasn't been touched by a developer since the Crimean war. Every Monday a group of musicians get together and play bluegrass music in a jam session. Now I am not really into bluegrass, aside from the occasional burst of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" or "Man of Constant Sorrow", but "live" in this wonderful old pub it works. How nice it was to return to the Star and find all the same musicians still there! Dave Wilcox on banjo, Alex on violin, Keith on guitar, Dave on Harmonica, spoons and jug, and many more. They made my evening by, first actually remembering who the hell I was and secondly, as I was leaving early due to being incredibly tired, they played their usual finale piece, "Dead Skunk" (a Loudon Wainwright III song - don't knock it till you've heard it!) early as I was leaving. Lovely! I shall return. Funnily enough I have just received an email from Alex as he has tracked me down via my website. I shall reply to him shortly. It was a lovely day all round really.

I have just had a phone call from an entertainments company asking me to appear at an evening show near Temple in London on the evening of the 8th November. I am sure I can get a lift up from my father, but they have kindly offered to pay for a cab back to Essex for me after the show which is lovely.

Next show? Pyrcroft Grange school in Chertsey, Surrey next Monday.

High Wycombe, Norfolk and Taunton!

Back on the jolly treadmill again, with a series of appearances dotted all over the place. It began in the wee small hours of Thursday the 28th of September. I got up very early and began the long drive/slog up the A303 and all points east towards my destination - namely Godstowe Prep School in High Wycombe. I got there about 45 minutes early due to an almost total lack of any other traffic on the road. I wasn't complaining mind you, I just simply parked up and read my new Private Eye magazine and drank some Diet Coke - anything to keep my school girl figure nice and trim...

This was my second visit to Godstowe Prep and it is always great fun. It is a Girl's school and they always dress up in the finest costumes you have ever seen. There are some fine dress makers in High Wycombe it would seem. We had a lovely day with a great group of young ladies and some friendly charming teachers as well. Lunch was pretty good as well, so no complaints from the King! Next I had to face the M25 again and drive round to my parents in Essex for where I was staying for the next few nights. My wife and son had come up under their own steam and were waiting for me when I got there. Lovely!

Friday, 29th September - I over slept marginally, but had to whiz up the A12 a little faster than anticipated. I got as far as Capel St Mary and yet another car crash on this road held me up with both lanes closed. I had to cut across country and hope that my Sat Nav could sort out a route. I was on my way to West Flegg Middle School in Martham near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Luckily the Sat Nav was on top form and I arrived at West Flegg more or less smack on time. This again, was a return visit to a school and once again I was treated Royally by all that were there. Once again the children's costumes were superb and we had another fab and groovy day. As ever, back to a co-ed school and it's the ladies who are walking away with the jousting honours. West Flegg is always a firm favourite to return to, so thanks to them again for being such charming helpful hosts.

I had the weekend mostly at leisure and enjoyed myself at my parents. Sunday night I had to drive back to Somerset as I was due to be up and about bright and early on the Monday, and so I was!

Monday the 2nd October I was due at a school I hadn't visited before - Ruishton Primary near Taunton. It was a lovely school - almost all of it brand spanking new and with some lovely children in the group we had. Lots of good questions and fun and laughter, particularly in the afternoon. Once again, the fine range of costumes was a testament to some hard work on a lt of people's parts and was as ever much appreciated by me. For a nice change the gentlemen triumphed in the jousting, evening the score out just a little, and then I posed for photos with some group shots and then with individual shots with every child. Ruishton is a delightful school with some lovely children and teachers, again thank you for the warm welcome.

That evening I was out again. This time I had been asked by my friend Matthew Applegate of Barrington Court to be master of ceremonies at the annual South Somerset National Trust Pub Quiz! This is the big time folks! It was great fun, held in the function room of the Royal Oak Pub in Barrington Village. Lots of laughs and good company, and I was treated to my drinks and dinner, which is no bad thing. But, by heck, was I ready for my bed when I got home that night!

Next stop? Hazledean School in Bedfordshire next Monday. Check press for more info!

A Very Private Henry

Another weekend, so it must mean another visit to Leeds Castle in Kent! This Sunday just gone was a bit different, I had been asked to appear at an 80th Birthday party at the Castle for Nikki from hospitality's Granny. The event took place in the gatehouse, but as usual I got changed using Darlene's office in the estate office complex. This time, instead of being driven to my venue in a golf buggy, Nikki walked me over to the gatehouse. Nikki looked lovely all "dolled up" and when I commented on her looking so nice she said "I scrub up quite well". Understatement of the year, Nikki! A walk that would normally take about 5 minutes ended up taking almost three times as long due to lots of photo's being requested by tourists. At the gatehouse, there was a harpist from London, playing some beautiful music, and Davey the jester who I worked with back in June after the jousting tournament. He would be the main entertainment of the day, while my job was to mingle amongst the guests, chat to people, wander round the table and be charming. It was a tough job but someone had to do it. In between visits round the table I would occasionally pop outside for a little wander and was always immediately swamped with cameras and tourists, but it was great fun. Helen Budd and friends turned up briefly at one point as I was outside posing madly and they took the mickey out of my new white tights - how dare they!

Davey and I were then treated to a lovely roast beef lunch which was quite stunning, then we had another quick bash around the tables, it got to three o'clock and we were on our way.

I popped back to my sister's house near Sittingbourne to pick up Amanda and James who had accompanied me this weekend and then we struck out for Somerset. We arrived home after a good run at about 6.45pm, and by 7.30pm I was at the Dinnington Docks pub with Matthew Applegate from Barrington Court again! I arrived home about 10pm and was soon in bed, exhausted but happy. It was a lovely day all round.

Dean Close Prep II - The Return

Just about three months had passed since my last visit to Dean Close prep in Cheltenham, but here I was going back again. The journey there this time wasn't quite so easy. It had been plain sailing up to getting on the Gloucester Road into Cheltenham. There had been some sort of incident and a major road filtering off had been closed by the Police causing some lengthy tailbacks. Luckily, I managed to get to the school by about 8.30-ish. I was met by Laura Sorrell as my usual contact there Caroline Hatchell had decided that climbing Mount Snowdon was preferable to meeting the King again, and who can blame her! Laura was a wonderful substitute and looked after me wonderfully all day.

We were in the main theatre/hall space of the school as opposed to the Library for my last visit. It was a good group of kids, some of them were a little challenging to begin with, but I won them over. Despite having only studied the Tudors for the previous two weeks, they showed some remarkably good knowledge on the subject. I managed to cram in the vast majority of the day into the morning session, this being a private school, all their timings are different to state schools.

Lunch was marvellous yet again. This time I was treated to a lovely Chinese meal of sweet and sour chicken, mushroom chow mein and vegetable fried rice, with the addition of some prawn crackers. Lovely.

After lunch we were in the hall for a bit more fun and games with the stocks and then a final rip roaring jousting session. Despite the gentlemen having one of their teachers as a member of their team, the ladies STILL managed to triumph!

Laura then very helpfully helped me get all my stuff out to my car and even set about trying to sort out a quick payment for me for my days work. What a lovely lady!

The drive home was a lot quicker and easier than the drive up and it was nice to get home to a hug and a kiss from my wife and son.

If Dean Close keep up their usual booking procedures with me, I should be back with them just before Christmas.

Manor Court School, Chard

Friday 15th September was a return visit to Manor Court School in Chard. This was my third annual visit to this school and I reckon the children there just keep getting better and better. There must have been about 60 of them for the visit and they were great! Sparky, bright and ready to laugh and learn - perfect for a Good King Hal day! It was lovely to see Lizzie Reynolds again, who always makes me so welcome there and is such a nice lady. This was my first full day at a school for a while and I reckon it went quite well. I am suffering a little at the moment with a chest infection I have picked up from my son, but apart from a few alarming hacks the voice and chest stood up to the day quite well.

One or two of the children were keen to show off their Henry VIII and Tudors knowledge and Lizzie should be proud of them as they have only been learning about this period in time for a short while.

We had to take a short break during the middle of the morning as the hall was needed for an assembly, but the rest of the day seemed to whiz past for me. My usual saunter down the road to Somerfield to buy some lunch was pleasant and the afternoon a real riot. As usual the ladies triumphed in the jousting, much to the annoyance of the boys team!

I was paid on the day, something I always appreciate, and then it was just the case of a small drive home and a nice evening sipping some wine and relaxing. A good day! Thanks again, Manor Court School. See you next year.

Charlton Horethorne

Final evidence that the summer is now over came with my first Henry back on the school circuit since Bridgwater. I had got so used to doing either walkabouts or truncated talks at castles of museums, thankfully Charlton Horethorne had booked me back for a half day. Belinda Stephens who had booked me way back in December 2004 was again the wonderful lady to book me this time. As ever it was a delightful school to visit. Only 18 pupils for the talk, but so sparky and lively - and still only year 3's! I did the main talk, a bit about sport and music, my usual nonsense with the stocks and finished with a rip roaring jousting contest that the boys won by a whisker. All in all a lovely day.

Next port of call is Manor Court School in Chard on Friday. My third visit in as many years! What a regular!

Not A Bobby Dazzler After All...

Just a quick note to say that because of too little time and a lack of someone to adequately baby sit for us, my appearance on Bargain Hunt has been postponed until the next series. :(

Never mind. I shall update more info as and when I hear it.

The Daily Tudorgraph Fun Day

Another weekend and another visit to Leeds Castle in Kent. I drove down on Saturday the 9th September to stay at my long suffering sister and brother-in-law's. My presence was obviously too much for my sister who immediately took to her car and went out for the evening with her chums. I had been invited to my friends Anne and Ben's for dinner. They live in the delightful village of Shoreham near Sevenoaks. Anne cooked a fabulous meal of roast lamb which had been marinated/coated in a variety of herbs and was served with a reduced red wine gravy, potatoes and green beans. Delicious. And all this after I had virtually invited myself over for dinner. They deserve medals. When I got back to my sister's at about 11.30pm, her husband had gone out as well. I think they are trying to tell me something.

Sunday at the castle was great fun. It was basically the Daily Telegraph works outing, in all but name. There was a large marquee with seating for about 500 people, a cool jazz combo in the corner and several bars serving lots of nice and naughty drinks. Outside there was a massive roundabout, various ice cream stalls, a laser-gun battle zone, mini-quad bikes for the children, archery, clay pigeon shooting, Punch and Judy, and of course, me! I was in charge of announcements of all the fun and activities during the day and took great delight in meeting and greeting as many of the customers as I could. The heat was almost unbearable and I managed to borrow some sun block off one nice lady as I could feel my nose and bottom lip burning! There was also a 4x4 and proper quad bike area for the grown ups to enjoy. The guys from the hawking centre came and did their thing for the crowd again. Almost the finale for me was compering and adjuticating the tug-of-war between two scratch teams of hot and drink addled Telegraph employees. It was a hoot! I also got to meet Simon Heffer. I am sure he was thrilled. He and his wife were very kind and generous to me and I extend a big hello and thank you to them! HELLO AND THANK YOU! There, I did it.

Next stop? Charlton Horethorne school near Sherborne for a half day on Wednesday, then our Bargain Hunt interview on Thursday.

A Real Bobby-Dazzler

If I suddenly appear to be talking very Tim Wonnacott from "Bargain Hunt" then do forgive me, things will become clear as this blog unfolds. We start back on Friday 1st September. I was to drive to Kent to stay with my sister and her husband again as I was back on parade at Leeds Castle again for the Ballooning and Classic Car Show that weekend. I drove to them via my parents in Essex as I hadn't seen them for a long time. I had a nice leisurely lunch with them and then headed down to Kent. Cathy and Julian were as welcoming as ever and only set the dogs on me once. Friday evening there was a barbeque at Leeds Castle as a thank you to all the people appearing at the weekend, so I took Cath and Julian as my guests. We had some lovely food and sat on a terrace over looking the castle, which looked fabulous lit with spot lights in the darkness.

Saturday was the first day of the balloon festival. I arrived at the Castle at about 9.30am to be told that there was little or no chance of any more balloon launches after 20+ had gone off at 6.30am - the weather was just too bad. This was also a classic car weekend and I was occasionally assailed by car anoraks trying to tell me about their latest front end differential changes or how much the parping couplet on their revolving squonk pan had made such a difference to their overall gearing ratios. Like I cared? It was a bit of a depressing day all round really. Pitifully few people in through the door and steady drizzly rain driven by a keen wind. I met some lovely people and had loads of piccies taken, but when it came to finish at 4pm I was quite grateful. What a difference a day makes! Sunday was another kettle of fish altogether. Although it started out badly, the weather was never quite as bad as Saturday, with strong sunshine and warmth for the afternoon. Sadly the wind was still too strong for any balloon launches. Masses of people piled into the castle and I met some fabulous people. I'd like to say a big hello to my friends on the Cappucino stall and the Pimms stall - thanks for everything! Also the lovely lady and her gentleman friend on the kite stall - hello to you. I got my photo taken with the Saga Balloon which will hopefully be used on the Saga Magazine at some point. My parents read that! And finally a big hello to the ladies of the Pimms Balloon! I finished about 4.30pm, had a nice leisurely Pimms to finish and said goodbye to dear Darlene and Helen, who have, as usual, been absolute stars. And so was Scott!

I drove back to Somerset and was pleased to see my bed. The following day I get a phone call from the BBC asking me if I'd like to be on "Bargain Hunt". Who am I to refuse such a kind offer! Amanda and I are travelling up to Wells next Thursday (14th) and then we will hopefully be on to Shepton Mallett for some filming on 23rd September and then onto auction on the 1st November. Keep everything crossed for us! Just think, the BBC are getting Henry VIIIth for free almost - now THAT'S a bargain!

Finally, another message from Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire who have booked me for the three days of the 2nd bank holiday weekend in May 2007. It was nice to hear from Danielle there again.

Henry Matters

After what has seemed like a lifetime of not much activity, all Hell appears to have broken loose in the world of Henry. Things got off to a relatively mild start with a day at the Somerset County Museum at Taunton Castle on the 19th August. This was the first Henry activity for almost exactly a month and I was rusty to say the least. I did three talks on the day, one at 10.30am, one at 12 noon and another at 2pm. During the first talk, I forgot names of people from history, kept forgetting pieces of historical information and generally looking like a fat Tudor half-wit who hadn't done a presentation in over a month. The second and third shows were much, much better and I felt far more confident. They are all so welcoming and friendly at the museum. It is such a lovely place, so interesting and yet, tragically, so few people seem to know about it.

During the following week I had a meeting with Matthew Applegate from Barrington Court again, to see how we could publicise my visit to the house on Sunday the 27th August. Sadly, due to computer error, Matthew missed the deadline for putting an advert in the Western Gazette. After our meeting I vowed to get some publicity for Barrington Court and bombarded local radio stations with the news that Henry was a-coming in. Luckily BBC Radio Somerset Sound bit on the bait and I was summoned to appear on the Simon Parkin show on the Saturday morning. I was due back at the castle again that day, so I could kill two birds with one stone. I parked at the museum and walked round to the radio station. The interview was very good and lasted for about 15 minutes and I managed to get some good plugs in for the County Museum and for Barrington Court. It was then back to the museum for another three talks. All went really well and we had some excellent responses from the audiences.

Sunday was a long day! I got up very early and drove to Ilchester to do a car boot sale as we needed the money and we had far too much rubbish lying around the place. I sold piles and piles of books and CD's at only 50p a go and came home with nearly £40 profit. Not bad. I then had to unload the car of the unsold stuff and reload the car with my Henry stuff. I was then off over to Barrington Court and another Henry walkabout day. It was quite quiet, but the weather was lovely and really in conditions like that, there is no finer place in the whole of the West Country than Barrington Court. We had a lovely time and I was presented with a bucket of tea and the most delicious piece of lemon cake you have ever had as a thank you for my days efforts as the house was closing. I slept well that night.

Bank Holiday Monday, I was back at the county museum inTaunton again for three more talks. We had a much lower turn out for the first two shows than we had on the previous Saturdays, but the 2pm show was quite well attended and we had another fine day with some lovely people. I have to say, I was incredibly tired last night from my Henry work.

Coming up? Leeds Castle again, this coming weekend as I am attending their Balloon Festival on both Saturday and Sunday. And the weekend after that? Leeds Castle again. And two weeks after that? Leeds Castle AGAIN. Funny old world.

Just What is Going On With Henry?

Hello! In answer to the title of this blog, not a lot. It is the close season for Henry VIIIth as all the schools are having a little lie down and a rest. Lots of bookings are coming in for next term, and I have bookings right through until July next year. Everything kicks off again next Saturday, when I am on at Taunton Castle Museum again, something I am very much looking forward to as it is always such a good place to put in an appearance. The weekend after that I am at the Museum on the Saturday and the Bank Holiday Monday, and I shall be at Barrington Court on the Sunday. What a busy little Tudor bee.

September is shaping up nicely. I am at Leeds Castle again for the balloon festival during the first weekend, back at Leeds Castle for the Daily Telegraph Childrens party the following weekend and then back at Leeds for the weekend of the 23rd/24th for another party appearance. Add on top of that the vast number of school bookings for that month as well and we are doing OK, thank you very much!

I will be back at Leeds Castle for much of December as they have booked me as their Father Christmas this year. You have been warned...

End of the Season...

My final show of this academic year was postponed for a week. I had been due to appear at Sedgemoor Manor Junior School in Bridgwater, a booking that had been on the books for some time. A few days before I was due there, one of the teachers at the school phoned me to say there were some problems and it was likely the day would be, at best postponed, but more likely cancelled. Eventually it was the postponement that won and I found myself on the early Tuesday morning driving up the M5 to Bridgwater. The school was relatively easy to find. The surrounding streets in Bridgwater reminded me greatly of the roads I used to drive round in Dagenham for the Essex Water Company in my previous life! The school was great and I had a group of about 100 children, of whom about 25%-30% had dressed up in some fabulous costumes. One lad was a particularly fine Jester. The day went quite well, even though the stifling heat of the hall was a little over-powering at times. The afternoon's jousting went as usual with the ladies trouncing the men!

Tuesday evening I was back at the Dinnington Docks to meet up with Matthew Applegate from Barrington Court for another "brain storming" session about future ways we can use Henry at the lovely NT site. Of course, for "brain storming" you should read "beer drinking", but it was good fun anyway. I hope Matthew made it home on his bike in his delicate state...

Wednesday. The hottest day on record in the UK. Thank God I wasn't dressed up as Henry. Another booking came in today. A re-visit to Friends School in Saffron Walden in Essex for January next. I am looking forward to that.

My wife has posted my details on the "Mumsnet" website, so hello to all Mumsnet people out there!

Even More Tudor Lunacy

Again, a few days have gone by since my last missive, so it only seems fair that I should update you as to Good King Hal's whereabouts.

Friday, 30th June, I was at North Crescent Primary in Wickford, Essex. A really nice school. These lovely people had booked me months and months ago, and I was a bit worried they might have forgotten about it, but they hadn't. We had a fine time. Lovely teachers and kids.

Monday, July 3rd. Finton House School in Wandsworth in London. This was my return visit to this lovely school, and as ever I was warmly welcomed by all. It was a scorching day and I didn't really fancy driving up there during the rush hour, so I left really early from my parent's house in Essex (where I was staying) and sailed through. I sat in the car outside the school gates until I saw some life inside. It was a sweltering day and I really roasted in my costume, but the kids had all dressed fabulously and made the day as memorable as last year. They have already booked me for next year! Thank you!

Tuesday, July 4th. Cavalry Primary School in March in Cambridgeshire. This was a much further trip than I could have imagined, but it was worth it! Really fabulous school, very welcoming teachers and some great kids. If anything, the day seemed even hotter than the day at Wandsworth - if the temperature kept increasing exponentially with the days, by Friday I would be likely to spontaneously combust. I headed back to my parent's house and unwisely accepted my Father's invitation to stay and watch the Germany v Italy World Cup Semi Final. I didn't leave their house until about 10.30pm and then had to drive to Somerset. I got home about 1.30am. YAWN!

Wednesday, July 5th. Uplands School, Poole, Dorset. Again, I had to get up early. This was going to be a hard day. But actually it was great. Uplands proved to be a lovely school, some wonderful teachers and great kids. And they had so much going on! Aside from my visit there were Art Animators doing a project with one group of kids and some dancers doing a Funk Music project with another group. What a cool school! I wore the new green/purple outfit from Duncan for the first time today - and I roasted! It is considerably heavier than the other new outfit and was not a wise choice on such a sultry day.

I had a couple of days off with James for company which was nice, but then it was back to the Henry routine on Tuesday when I visited Daubeney Middle School in Kempston just outside Bedford. I did this all in one day - I left home at 5am and arrived at the school at 8am. I buzzed the intercom to be let in.

"Who is it?" asked the lady in the office. I was now due to reveal who I was, always a nice thing as it usually gets such a laughter filled response. Usually.

"Henry the VIIIth - here for the Tudor day." There was a long quiet pause.

"What, today?" The colour must have drained from my face.

"Er....yes, today.... I think..." Her silence back to me seemed to last a lifetime but was probably only a few seconds.

"Oh yes! It is today, I was looking at the wrong page on my calendar..." Phew!

The day was great - a big group but a good group. Loads of laughs and everyone pitching in and enjoying themselves. The ladies nicked the jousting tournament and then it was time for me to head for home - 3 hours. I got in at 6.30pm. I was finished, almost literally.

I have been doing some paper work and getting plenty of bookings for September and beyond. Some nice photos have been sent to me from Leeds Castle's jousting weekend. I'll try and post some on here soon. Good to be back.

Next week - Sedgemoor Junior.

It's Been A While

Sorry this posting has not been updated for a while. I have been slightly busy! Since my last posting my first big Henry visit was down to Truro in Cornwall for a visit to Truro School Prep. I got there nice and early and was warmly welcomed by all the staff, and I mean ALL the staff dressed as Tudors! What a great start. It was a big big group, but we had a great day, all of the children dressed magnificently, we had a parade of costumes to the lower school and lunchtime was spent on the cricket pitch eating a spit roast of pork. Fantastic! I wonder if all schools in Cornwall are like this? I hope so! The afternoon joust was a belter, in the big school sports hall and after that I had the long trek back to Somerset, but I was going against the tide this particular Friday evening, the queues heading west were vast... Truro School Prep was a really good school. Highly recommended.

Monday the 19th I was down at West Hill near Ottery St Mary in Devon for a school visit there. Another wonderfully friendly school with some brilliant kids. I think a good time was had by all.

Tuesday the 20th, it was a visit I had been looking forward to for some time - West Pennard School near Glastonbury. The teacher who booked me there, Ian Gouge, had heard about me through his daughter seeing me at Trull Primary late last year. We had swapped emails and he had shown he had just as silly a sense of humour as me! The day was, as I expected it, tremendous fun. Great sparky kids and a load of laughs with everyone. Ian was an absolute star!

Wednesday I was at Birchfield School in Yeovil. This was another lovely day. The teachers and children were so friendly and welcoming. We had some great laughs, learnt a lot about the Tudors and everyone seemed to get something out of the day. Wonderful.

Thursday, Amanda, James and I drove to Essex as this weekend was the Musical Proms weekend at Leeds Castle in Kent, and I was on!

The Saturday night we all ventured down to Leeds Castle for the evening prom concert. There was my parents, my sister Cathy and her husband Julian, friends Ros and Mike, Amanda, myself and Julian's mother, Marie. We were Royally entertained by Carl Davis conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with narration by Nicholas Parsons. The evening began with a fly past by a Spitfire, which really got the hairs on the back of the neck standing up. When we finally got to the firework finale and the singing of "Jerusalem" and "Land of Hope and Glory", I was a committed flag waving patriot through and through. Great stuff! Shame about Nicholas Parsons though, who didn't really seem to have a clue as to what was going on. Bless.

Sunday - my day. The dawning of the Children's Picnic Prom. I was driven to Leeds Castle by my sister and was ready for rehersal by 10.30am. They sound checked me with a throat mic and that was it really. I sat and listened to the rest of the rehersal with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and they were just stunning. I have my own caravan out the back as my "trailer" for getting ready in! This is the big time folks! Later I was lucky enough to have lunch with Carl Davis and discuss the script for the show. We got on really well and worked everything out nicely. Carl had a lovely line in anecdotes and told a lovely one of the famous Australian ballet dancer Robert Helpmann getting ready for a performance and having to use the gents of a local rugby club to prepare. He needed a mirror to apply his make up and the only one he could find was a securty effort placed high in a corner of the room. He balanced precariously on his suitcases and tried to apply his make up. Just at that moment one of the lads from the rugby club came in to use the loo. Robert looked down at him from his perch by the mirror and commented:

"Honestly, I don't know how you boys cope before a match" I feel sure they apply their make up long before they get to the ground.

The show began. I am on first to introduce the orchestra and Carl. There must be about 6,000 people in the grounds. Good grief - my biggest ever audience and I don't have my glasses on so I can't see them. I notice my friend Anne Crocker in the front few rows with her daughter Nell - I wave and receive a blown kiss by return. The show rattles through so quickly. Before I know it, it's half time! Also on the bill is a lovely lady called Kathryn Rudge, a young Mezzo Soprano from Liverpool. Her voice is stunning, and she is a lovely person. The concert seems to be heading for an end, and suddenly it's all over. Hugs and congratulations from Carl Davis and Kathryn Rudge, and then it's back to the caravan to get changed. My mother and Father have been there, as has Amanda and James, my mother in law, Amanda's auntie and her niece. They are all complimentary. An added bonus is that Carl Davis' agent Paul Wing wants my details, he gives me a card and asks me to get in touch. Wonderful. I am driven back to my father's car in a golf buggy and suddenly the day is over. But it was wonderful, memorable and something I shall never forget. Thank you Leeds Castle, thank you Darlene, thank you Carl, Paul, Kathryn and the RLPO. What a lovely day!

And England beat Ecuador 1-0. What more could you ask for?

I Guess You're Joust What I Needed

Friday, June 9th 2006 is not a day I am likely to forget in a hurry. First things first, I had to get to Millfield Prep School in Glastonbury for a half day. We were housed in the music area of the school and it was HOT. Absolutely stifling heat. This was to be the final appearance of my original costume before being either pensioned off or shot, whichever was more humane. As it was the day went marvellously and I got paid in cash for once! The kids were great and the teachers wonderful. A really lovely school all round.

I left Glastonbury and began my long hike up to Essex and my appointment with my new costume in Chelmsford. Oh dear. Not the day for travelling in the South East. First of all the M25 was closed in both directions along it's south route causing about a 10 miles tail back onto the M3. When I finally did get on to the M25, I never really got out of 2nd gear all the way round the north section, until I got past Harlow. I finally arrived at Duncan's house to get the costume at about 7.15pm - 6 hours after leaving Glastonbury, and all of this through a scorching heat in a non-air conditioned car. The costume looked fabulous however and I was delighted. I would be the belle of the ball at Leeds Castle this weekend. I now had to head down towards Sittingbourne and my sister's house. This necessitated rejoining the M25 and guess what? Another traffic jam as people tried to get through at the Dartford Crossing. I eventually arrived at my sister's at about 9.15pm, nearly eight hours after leaving Millfield. Shattered is one description, as is completely knackered. I was both of those and a little bit more.

I was due on parade at Leeds Castle by 11am, but I was there nice and early. I got changed in Darlene's office and was driven in a glorified golf buggy down to the area where the jousting tournament was to take place. It was lovely to see Darlene again, and Helen Budd her lovely young assistant. It was also nice to see other familiar faces like Jean and Barry. It was a really fun two days wandering around and chatting to the great British public, and of course all the assorted visitors from around the world. Americans, Australians, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Taiwanese, Indians, Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Poles, Italians etc., we seemed to have the complete set of tourists. The weather was ferocious but more bearable on the Saturday due to a slight cooling breeze. This had vanished by Sunday and I have never in my entire life drunk so much water and not wanted to use the loo! Saturday night was spent attending a banquet in the main castle, complete with minstrels, a jester, fire breathers, men at arms and even a wise woman or two! Much merriment had by all, but still ferociously hot. By 10.30pm I had really had enough. I had been on my feet in the new costume in boiling temperatures for over 12 hours. My knees were starting to throb! Time to go home. The walk back to my car that evening was delightful. A huge full moon hanging over the Castle battlements and glistening on the mercury-like surface of the moat and lake. Beautiful. Sunday finished on a nice note as Darlene bought us all a pitcher of Pimms and lemonade to slake our thirsts and never were more thirsts slaked by so much Pimms so quickly! Lovely. It was nice to meet Tony as Sir Lupin the tall knight on stilts, who was a big hit with the kids.

Monday found me back on more normal territory as my new costume made it's debut school appearance in Gravesend at the Holy Trinity School. Another lovely day, again in almost overpoweringly hot conditions. The kids were lovely and the teachers as warm and welcoming as the weather. I was even brough tea and toast on my arrival! The day ended with another fine jousting session with the ladies, almost inevitably triumphing over the boys. My journey home was a lot easier than my original outward journey and I was very very pleased to get home to Amanda and James.

I had a meeting with Matthew Applegate from Barrington Court again last night and there are plans afoot from them to use me over Christmas as a nice alternative to Santa Claus. Watch this space. Later this week I am off to Truro in Cornwall for my first visit to that lovely county in my Henry persona. But before that... England v Trinindad & Tobago. Fingers crossed everyone.

Dean Close Prep and Chilcompton

With half term out of the way it was back on the road again for Henry this week. Monday dawned bright and early and I was up and off to Cheltenham in Gloucestershire for a visit to Dean Close Prep School. It was nice and easy to find, and the welcome I got from the teachers and kids were wonderful! A lovely school with stunning grounds all around it, a fabulous setting. The whole day took place in the school library as the main hall was booked. We had a great day - very warm! But the children showed stupendous knowledge of the Tudor period and a good time did seem to had by all. Lunch was fabulous - ham, turkey and leek pie with potatoes and carrots - delicious. The afternoon was just the jousting, but what a great tournament. The girls won by a whisker and it would appear everyone enjoyed themselves so much that I have been invited back as soon as September for another visit. I can't wait!

Tuesday morning had me heading off bright and early to St Vigor and St John's school in Chilcompton, near Radstock in north Somerset. This was another great great day. Really entertaining. The children were wonderful, particularly considering at least half of them weren't even studying the Tudors! The afternoon was very entertaining and the main jousting competition was won by the boys for a nice change. The fun teacher's race at the end of the day went down to a final quoit race off! Thrilling stuff. A thoroughly enjoyable day and school. Thank you!

Friday I am on a half day at Millfield Prep School in Glastonbury, followed by a frantic drive up to Essex to collect my new costume from Duncan in Chelmsford. Then a quick drive down to Kent to stay at my sister's house ready for an early parade on Saturday at Leeds Castle for the Jousting weekend and the saturday night banquet - even if it does involve me missing the first England match at the World Cup and the second part of a fabulous Doctor Who story. The things I do for my profession!

Martock and Sudeley Castle

I picked up my new car. Well, I should really qualify that statement. It was NEW to me. A lovely Honda Accord, on an M plate, but with a full Honda service history and in great nick. That would do Henry a treat. It's baptism was not one of fire. The first appearance for this lovely vehicle was to be at Martock Primary School, quite naturally in the village/town of Martock. This was only about 10 miles from where we lived, so the car did have a really cushy start to it's existance with me. We had a great time at Martock School. Some lovely teachers, who threw in amples of lovely cups of tea and some free sarnies (no complaints from this King, I can tell you!), was matched with some terrific children. Great questions, lots of laughs and plenty of good knowledge displayed by the children. The afternoon ended with the almost inevitable ladies triumph in the jousting competition.

Saturday was spent at home, once again fruitlessly waiting for a buyer from Ebay to turn up for my old Toyota Lucida. What happens to them? Do they just suddenly slip into a parallel universe where saying you will quite happily buy something, and then just don't bother turning up and paying for it are just normal everyday goings on? Please don't tell me I am going to have to sell it AGAIN???

Sunday, today. Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. This was another of the "Barrington Court" days - just simply wandering around the grounds and buildings of this wonderful Tudor pile, and chatting to the public as they come in. It was a lovely day, not too hot, and there were lots of really lovely people to meet, including Bruce and his wife and friends from Sydney in Australia, who were a real laugh - great fun to talk to. Lots of lovely kids to chat with, a lovely lady from Reading who seemed hugely embarrassed that I spoke to her and a bizarre couple from a mixture of Kiev in the Ukraine and Didcot... Sudeley is of course also the resting place of Henry's last wife, Catherine Parr, so it was quite humbling to be in the presence of her tomb. A fine day seemed to be had by all and everyone at the Castle seemed happy with my appearance. All I had to worry about then was the 100+ mile drive home. I will sleep well tonight. Thank goodness it is half term!

Woodham Ferrers

Evening all! I feel quite good this evening, if a little tired. I drove up to Essex yesterday as I was due to visit a school at Woodham Ferrers near Chelmsford today. I stayed overnight at my parents' house, even though they are currently away down in Wales at my sister's place. I took the opportunity, while back in Essex, to go and see Duncan again, the genius who is making my new costumes. He assured me he would have at least one of them ready in time for the jousting weekend at Leeds Castle in early June. I can't wait! On the way back from Duncan's I treated myself to a Chinese takeaway - it would involve less washing up afterwards, let's be honest.

I woke up this morning (sounds like the intro to a blues song) and got ready, pausing only to slip over in my parent's bathroom and nearly break my arm/leg/head, in that order. All I did manage to break, however, was the toilet seat as I ricocheted off it at high speed. OUCH! Sorry folks. I owe you for that. I drove to Woodham Ferrers and quickly found the school. And what a fantastic school! St Mary's C of E. Really friendly kind teachers and assistants, who couldn't do enough for me. So nice! The kids were just superb. Fabulous costumes, they really got into the whole day, loved all the jokes and had a really good general knowledge of the Tudor period. The head teacher even donated me her beef and mustard sandwich at lunch time - you really honestly cannot expect more than that from a school! The jousting was of an incredibly high standard, and for a nice change the gentlemen won. One of the lads on the gents team showed great sportsmanship by shaking hands with his opponents and thanking them for a great race at the end. Marvellous!

I drove home, round the hated M25, but soon found my way back to dear old Somerset. The extra good news is that I have sold my Toyota Lucida on Ebay (and I mean REALLY sold it this time!) and it appears that Taunton Museum are keen to have me back in the summer holidays! Great. Tomorrow? A day off, so more time to play with my little boy. Lovely.

Hire Cars, Lowestoft, Myland & Harlow...

The big question this week, was of course how would I be able to get all the way to East Anglia and my shows there without a car. Not easy to walk that distance trying to carry all of my props. I ended up hiring a car from the very affable Popular Motors in Merriott. They loaned me a nice green Vauxhall Vectra which was a bit like driving a Formula One car after chugging along in my old Toyota Lucida. I drove to Essex on Monday the 15th May and stayed overnight at my parents. I was a little late getting up the next morning, but was confidant I could get to Lowestoft in plenty of time, and I would have, if it hadn't been for a smash up on the A12 and the simply appalling roadworks in Lowestoft itself. I ended up having to phone ahead to the school and apologise for my tardiness. The school I was at was Roman Hill, a lovely school and this was my second visit to them. As ever I was warmly welcomed by the lovely staff and some great children. Nearly all of the children had dressed up in great Tudor costumes and I was once more invited to judge the best boy and girl costumes in each class. Not an easy task, I can assure you. All went well at the school and they want me back next year again, which is fine by me. The journey back to my parent's in Essex was easier than the journey there, and I passed another school close to Roman Hill and noticed my friends "Portals to the Past" chucking all their Roman clobber in their van. What a small world.

Wednesday, May 17th. Today I was at Myland School in Colchester. This is my first visit back for over 2 years. Myland were only my second ever school when I started out as Henry (the honour of my first visit going to Rickling Green School near Saffron Walden in Essex), so it was nice to be invited back. We had a superb day - I love this school. The teachers and assistants "become" the 6 wives by donning t-shirts with the names and faces on them! Fabulous stuff! Another fine day and another really great group of children.

Thursday, May 18th. My final Henry of the week saw me appearing back at another school I have done before. This was Little Parndon in Harlow. Again, lovely to see all the old familiar faces and enjoy their company. The group today was a little subdued in comparison with some schools I visit, but they seemed to enjoy themselves nevertheless. After finishing at the school I headed up to Chelmsford to visit Duncan James again, to see how the two new costumes are coming along. Marvellous! Duncan showed me all the wonderful material he has gathered. I shall be seeing him again this week for a fitting of what he has managed so far. Can't wait to show these new costumes off!

I drove back to Somerset on Thursday evening, and I am delighted to say nothing fell to pieces this time. Saturday we drove down to near Upottery in Devon to view a car I was thinking of buying as a replacement for the Lucida. It was a really nice Honda Accord - so I bought it! Should be ready for next weekend.

This week I am in Taunton on Monday for a photo-shoot at the Castle Museum as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund bid. Then Wednesday I am back at my old stamping ground of South Woodham Ferrers in Essex for a school visit there and then on to Martock in Somerset on Friday. Then the following Sunday I will be at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire for another Henry day. Hope to see some of you there.

Banquets With Vinnie

I have been away again, this time in the "Garden of England" - Kent as it is also known. I drove to my sister's house near Sittingbourne on Monday evening and arrived at about 10pm. She greeted me with a cup of tea, which was very welcome! Tuesday morning I was on parade at St Joseph's Convent Prep School in Gravesend. My morning cuppa was delivered to me by a charming Nun, who added a plate of biscuits with it. Now that is what I call service! This was a lovely school, we had a really superb day. The children were marvellous, the majority of them dressed as young Tudors. Their knowledge of Tudor life was remarkably good and they were keen to know more and I was happy to oblige. A rip-roaring jousting tournament was won by the ladies and I left after getting some great help from some of the lads. I was quite tired and would have loved to have just had a quiet evening not doing very much, but I was due at Leeds Castle for a banquet. I had been booked by the Leeds Castle people to entertain and walk around a corporate group from Unilever. I was due to be on site and ready to go at 7.45pm. I drove down from my sister's house so that I would definitely be ready and on parade by 7.15. I drove round to the Broomfield Road entrance that I had used back in February. It was closed with an automatic barrier, but with a buzz intercom that should, in theory, put me through to security. I buzzed it. Nothing. I buzzed it again. Nothing. I kept on buzzing it. Funnily enough nothing continued to happen. In frustration I turned the car around and drove round to the main entrance about a mile away. It was shut and appeared as though it would be all night. I had no other option but to return to the Broomfield Road entrance. Again I sat and buzzed and buzzed. Nothing. I phoned my sister and asked her if she could try some of the Leeds Castle people's numbers as my mobile was running short of credit. She phoned round but everything was on voice mail. By now it was getting close to 7.45pm. I was panicking. In desperation I knocked on the door of the gatehouse. A very nice man told me to buzz security. I pointed out to him that is exactly what I had been doing for over half an hour. He phoned security and discovered the entryphone system wasn't working! He let me in and I arrived at the main part of the castle. The Head Waiter/Man in Charge was waiting for me and looked a little harrassed. He said he had been expecting me by 7.30. I told him I had been here by 7.15 but just couldn't get in. Never mind. I changed in his office and was in the dining room as the guests got stuck into their soup. I had a ball, and I like to think the Unilever people did as well! I wandered around, chatting to people, shaking hands and being very Henry-esque. Greetings go particularly to Vinnie, originally from New Jersey, but now residing in Connetticut - he allowed me to speak to a friend of his in the USA on his mobile. Great fun! After meeting and greeting people from as far afield as Brazil, Singapore, Germany and Chester (eh?), I finished at around 10pm and headed back to my sisters. The first mile of the journey I had to reverse round the outside of the castle in pitch darkness. Not much fun.

Wednesday morning dawned bright. I was today at Wateringbury School in, believe it or not, Wateringbury near Maidstone. A really lovely school, the kids were lovely and the teachers, just delightful. We had a full and fun day, which finished with a wild and exciting jousting contest that the Gentlemen won - just! I packed up and drove up to my parents in Essex to collect a bed they had for my son James. After a quick bite to eat I was on my way at about 7pm. I got to the M25 and headed north. Bad move. Road works and car accidents. It took me nearly 2 hours to get to the M3. Finally the M3 was all mine and I shot down it to the A303. All was going well until I reached Stonehenge. I had to stop at a roundabout to let a car round and when I went to pull away the car was very sluggish, as though it was trying to drive in fourth gear (my car is an automatic). Eventually it seemed to sort itself out and I carried on. I stopped for a little fuel and a sandwich at the Esso station on top of the hill before you sweep down towards Meare. As I went to pull out, again it was sluggish. Then, on driving down the hill it kept jumping gears, from 1st to 4th and back again. Never once seeming to know which gear to stay in. On reaching the bottom and beginning another climb, it stuck in 1st gear and would not change up. The engine began over heating and I soon had to pull over in a lay by. It was pitch dark and thunder and fork lightning were searing across the night sky above me. The time was approximately 10pm. I tried to phone home. ARGH! I had forgotten to top up my credit! My mobile wouldn't let me dial anyone! I tried to call the RAC on their freephone number. Again, my mobile insisted I had to top up it's credit first. I couldn't. No credit card and no debit card. What could I do? The lights of Meare I could see in the distance, but they had to be about 2 miles away. There was no other light aside from the occasional sizzling lightning bolt. I phoned 999 and asked for the Police. As soon as they answered I apologised for wasting their time, and explained my situation. They were brilliant. They phoned the RAC for me and organised a rescue van. To cut a long story short I managed to get back home just short of midnight. I was exhausted. My car no longer works, and will be going on sale on Ebay this weekend. So if you fancy a bargain - stay tuned.

New booking today from a school in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. Lovely. I am very glad to be back home.

The Office

A day in the office for the King today. I sat at my desk, looking sadly out the window at the bright sunshine and blue skies. I hasten to add that I did eventually give in to temptation and go out later, but this morning was work work work. I had phone calls, enquiries and confirmations galore, from schools including Myland School in Colchester, a school I visited over two years ago; West Hill near Ottery St Mary in Devon; Daubney Middle School in Bedford; and a confirmation of an appearance at a Tudor Banquet at Leeds Castle next Tuesday evening. Not a bad morning's work. And now, back out into the sunshine!

Christchurch Junior School

Now, I know some people might be reading this blog tonight as it was mentioned at the school today! It was lovely to be back for my second day at Christchurch Junior School again today. Such a nice group - lovely kids and friendly teachers who seem to always be having birthdays in the staff room with piles of cakes all round. I really must go there more often. Another good group today, not as noisy as yesterday's lot, but good all the same. We had some laughs and fun with the stocks again and the jousting was once again of a very high standard. The girls triumphed again, much to the annoyance of the boys, but I have to point out to them that this is not as uncommon as it might seem. "My Lord Benjamin" was put in the stocks and endured his punishment with great dignity - what a trouper!

The drive home was lovely, through bright warm sunshine. Perhaps summer really is a-coming in. Just checked all my messages and worked out I have to make about 15 phone calls to various schools tomorrow. Tomorrow is, after all, my first free day in about 3 weeks! Another confirmed booking today at Daubney Middle School in Bedford on the 11th July.

And now for a well earned bath and a glass of wine. Smashing!

The End of the Storm!

Phew... What a few days. My car, my costume and I are on the backs of our knees. The weekend at Barrington Court near Ilminster was great fun. It is such a lovely house, run very well by the National Trust and the amazingly wonderful human being that is Matthew Applegate. I enjoyed myself enormously wandering around the beautiful grounds, talking to children, flirting with ladies and playing my recorder! What finer way could there be for enjoying a Bank Holiday weekend? Of course, having my parents staying was a lovely added bonus, and also having my wife and son see me "in action", so to speak, was even better. The weather was even quite kind to us. So to everyone who said hello to me at Barrington Court - hello back to you.

Tuesday I headed on down the M5 to the depths of Devon and a visit to St Aubyn's Prep School in Tiverton. Another fine day, some great kids - fantastic costumes and some of the finest jousting I have seen so far! The girls pipping the boys to be the winners. Very friendly staff, a good lunch and a pretty perfect day, spoilt only by some lousy weather, but then I suppose you can't have everything.

Wednesday - today. My first of two days back at Christchurch School in Christchurch (rather predictably), in Dorset. So lovely to see all the old familiar faces again. I have to say Christchurch is one of my favourite schools, not just because it is such a nice establishment, but the kids are great, sparky but not too cocky, and the teachers are just a delight. Friendly, funny and, dare I say it, silly! So, I am back there again tomorrow for more of the same. The only thing against the school at Christchurch? The traffic. Unbelievably bad, on every visit I have made. How do people stand commuting through that every day? I'm glad I don't.

A couple of potential bookings this evening - one at Chilcompton School near Wells, Martock School and even a possibility of going back to Noak Bridge School in Basildon. Watch this space. Again.

Another Week - 1,000's more miles...

This is almost the very first chance I have had to sit down and update this blog for a while. So what has been happening in the world of Good King Hal, I might possibly hear you cry if I was suffering from some sort of dementia? Well, we go back to the 20th April first and a trip back to Essex with myself, Amanda and James, plus the cat in tow. I was there for an after-dinner talk to my Father's Rotary club, based in Ingatestone. We had dinner at Ivy Hill Hotel in Margaretting, with all the Rotarian's present with their wives. During the break at the end of the meal, I nipped off and changed into my Tudor glad rags and was back shortly for my presentation. It went quite well, short and sharp and with lots of laughs and I seemed to get a pretty good response from the members. On Saturday the 22nd, I travelled up to Chelmsford in Essex to meet Duncan James, a dressmaker and tailor, to discuss the possibilities for new costumes. Duncan makes lots of the outfits for the Venice Carnival and he showed me some pictures from his portfolio - stunning. We discussed designs and colours and he reckoned he could do me two complete new, interchangeable costumes for under £2,000, which seemed a fine deal to me.

On Monday the 24th it was back to being Henry again. This time it was a return visit to Northwick Park Junior School in Canvey Island in Essex. Once again I was warmly welcomed and we had a great day with some great children. Some of the costumes were wonderful. I always get a warm welcome there! That night we had to drive back to Somerset as I had an early start the following morning.

Tuesday the 25th, another return visit, this time to Coalway Junior school in Coleford in Gloucestershire. It was nice to see a load of familiar faces again and we had a great laugh as usual at this school. Again, the kids had come up trumps with some stunning costumes. The long drive home wasn't too bad as I was JUST ahead of the rush.

Wednesday the 26th was a long day. I had to drive to Blackford near Wedmore in Somerset to visit the Hugh Sexey Middle School. This was my first visit to this school, but it was wonderful. A great school with some bright sparky pupils who had appeared with some of the finest costumes it has been my pleasure and privilege to see during my "reign" as the King. After finishing at this school I had to drive to Taunton and the Castle Museum for the opening of the Cauldrons and Skillets exhibition. I was doing the presentation with Tris Pinkney from Bilby's Cafe. He and his wife Jane and their daughter, came up trumps with a fine Tudor spread including Umble Pie, real mince pies, buckwheat trenchers, spit roasted pork and quince, a boars head, eel dumplings, pickled French beans and much much more. There was a speech from various big wigs within the Museum community, then Tris and I did a brief presentation on some of the food you would expect to see Henry eating. We chucked in lots of laughs and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Thursday the 27th I was back on familiar ground again as I was at Monkton Combe school in Bath for my third visit in two years. Once again it was a small group, no costumes but a great enthusiasm for all things Tudor. We began in a classroom, which was a little limiting, even with such a small group, but the afternoon was held in their gymnasium which was a huge arena! Another nice visit and good to see all the old friends again.

After a nice Friday off with my parents visiting, with their close friends Ros and Mike with them, today (Saturday) I am starting the first of three days at Barrington Court for the National Trust, in my capacity as Henry, walking about and probably scaring children. Still, someone's got to do it. I shall report more on this soon.

The Calm Before the Storm

Henry has been relaxing a little of late. With the Easter Holidays upon us, I have been about as busy as a pacifist's pistol, but ever gearing up for the next explosion of work.

The cauldrons and skillets display at the County Museum in Taunton has been confirmed for the 26th April, and Tris Pinkney and I have a nice little routine sorted out for the assembled big wigs of the Taunton glitterati. Before that, I have a visit back to Essex for a speaking engagement with Ingatestone Rotary Club and an appearance back at Northwick Park Junior School on Canvey Island. The very next day it is up to Gloucestershire and the day after that Wedmore in Somerset during the day and the exhibition at Taunton in the evening.

Today I am printing out a load of info packs to send to schools I am visiting in the next few months - I have still to hear from Steve French about putting the info stuff on line. I have also been phoning some old friends and catching up - well, those who are about anyway! So I spoke to Ali Bessell, late of the Hoop in Stock and also caught up with the lovely Sue Freeman, who I used to work with and more often eat with whilst at Skandia in Southampton. See Sue!? You get a mention!

And now back to the phone calls and printing. Bye for now.

Website Changes

Steve French, aka The Web Master, has been updating my website for me. We now have some great photos from my week at Leeds Castle back in February, a new scrolling front page picture so you can see even more images of me (you lucky people) and the biography has been updated again. Another new innovation (soon to be put on the website) will give schools the ability to download the presentation brochure I used to post out when they booked me. This means they will have instant access to the information on dressing the children as Tudors! Another quantam leap in the remorseless march of this Mock Tudor Monarch. Hope you like the new improved website. Comments are always welcome.

St Mary's Primary, Axminster

I was really looking forward to this visit. A half day is sometimes nice as I get to do all my favourite bits in a day, but finish at lunch time! Added to which, this was at Axminster which is only a stones throw from where I live. Thankfully that led to something of a minor lie-in, rudely interrupted by a three year old at about 6am. I set off with my sat nav squawking away at me. I know the way to Axminster, I just wanted to see where the machine took me. Blimey. It obviously likes it's back roads. I had never seen Thorncombe that early in the morning...

Finally arrived at the destination and was met by a delightful head teacher. She welcomed me in, helped me park the car by the front door and then made me the most disgusting cup of tea I have ever had at any school so far! I had asked for my usual milk and one sugar. Well if it was one sugar she put in she must have used a shovel. Funnily enough, one of the other teachers later commented on her appalling tea making skills, they were quite right! A lovely charming lady, but she should be banned from going near a kettle. The rest of the ladies were lovely. All the kids were great, really enjoyed themselves. The morning passed in a flash and after a rip roaring jousting (which the boys won) I was soon to be on my way. I paused to pose for photos with all the children doing their Tudor projects, the teacher of the main class I was with helped out as my roadie and loaded the van and that was that. A quick message for the lovely lady teacher with the leather trousers - yes, I would have been delighted to have had you as my next wife, just not sure if my present one would have been too happy! A lovely school. Thanks for a good morning. And now - A WEEK OFF!

St Michael's, Wimborne

After a long-ish break after the NEC shows, I was back on parade as Henry at St Michael's School in Colehill, Wimborne. This is a lovely school and one which I visited last year, almost to the very day. I arrived pretty much on time and was greeted by various teachers who obviously remembered me from last year, though I have to admit I struggled with recollecting some of them - sorry! I got all my stuff set up in the main hall, got changed in a tiny toilet and was ready for the off. It was 130 children and every single one of them had dressed up in some magnificent costumes. One young girl had even dressed up as Elizabeth I complete with white powdered face and dyed red hair! They all looked magnificent. I had plenty of executioners, a great Jester and even a drummer girl - but I forgot to use her during the jousting, so abject apologies from the King for that aberration. The day went really well though. A lovely group, smashing teachers and it was a Friday - what more could you want. The final jousting tournament was a cracker, loads of noise and this time the boys just squeaked home to win. My journey home was fairly tortuous - dreadful weather and a satellite navigation system that kept wanting me to drive home through a locked and gated cemetery. I think it was trying to tell me something...

Next week? I am at St Mary's in Axminster on Tuesday for a half day and was due to do the skillets and cauldrons exhibition at the County Museum in Taunton with Tris Pinkney from Bilby's on the 31st. However, this has been postponed to about the 26th April, so watch this space for more news on that. And now for a beer with Pete Flanagan!

Website problems

Hello folks - just a quick explanation to all the people who might have tried to access the website since my appearance at the Education Exhibition at the NEC last week. SORRY! The website had been down for a few days due to a confusion about payment to the hosting service. All has now been resolved, so apologies to anyone who has been slightly more confused than I have been! Normal service has now been restored. Watch out for some new photos on the website coming soon... www.goodkinghal.co.uk

Education Exhibition at the NEC

I had been contacted by English Heritage some weeks ago, as they wanted someone to be Henry on their stand at the Education Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham for three days. The pay wasn't bad so it seemed like a good idea to get some more exposure. I drove up early on the morning of the 9th March. I had last visited the NEC in 1985 when I saw Howard Jones in concert there when I was 18 - how's about that for a claim to fame? Finding the NEC is no problem, you really can't miss the place, however one was forgetting that Crufts was on at the same time at the venue, albeit in a different show hall. Therefore, as soon as I got within about 10 miles of the NEC everything ground to a halt and I was immediately surrounded by cars with "doggy people" in them. All kennel club stickers and huge hairy, slavvering beasts in the back window - and that was just the wives. I eventually arrived at the NEC and parked about a mile from where I wanted to be - I could get no closer. I trundled over with my hefty suitcase full of the Henry costume. Luckily finding the English Heritage stall was remarkably easy and jolly nice chaps they all were. Next I had to find somewhere to get changed. The organisers office pointed me in the direction of some classy looking toilets. The cubicle I had to use to get changed in was the exact width of my suitcase, so it was going to be a tight fit for me. I emerged from my toilet chrysalis like some Tudor butterfly (hey, I know this is flowery but stick with me) and wandered off round the exhibition. I was asked to wander round distributing English Heritage flyers, encouraging people to come and visit our stall. This went fine for about an hour until I was grabbed by Security and told to stop handing out leaflets - I could quite legally dispense them from our stall but not elsewhere. So for the following two and a half days I was mostly stall bound, which is a little like being egg bound, but slightly less embarrassing when things do get moving (eh?). The three days at the NEC passed nice and quickly, the English Heritage group were lovely, particularly Pippa and Mike and it was nice to meet some other people in the education game. I met an Elizabeth the 1st from another historical stall - possessed as she was of the most cavernous cleavage since Howard Hughes got to grips with Jayne Russell's superstructure. There was a very nice man, half dressed as Socrates (don't ask) and I was delighted to discover another stall which would occasionally give away free samples of red wine - great idea. I spent my evenings at the Tamworth services on the M43 staying in a Travel Lodge which was - exactly like a Travel Lodge really. My evening meal choices ran the entire gamut of Burger King through to Burger King. Another annoyance - loads of people from Crufts were staying at the hotel as well - so every few seconds a dog would go mental in a distant room somewhere and kick every other dog in the building off. My how we laughed. Dear little doggies. The journey into the NEC each morning was not fun. The friday morning, my ten mile journey to the NEC from the Hotel took over an hour. More doggy people.

The whole NEC, English Heritage and exhibition experience was well worth it and I really hope that English Heritage might consider me for next year. However, I am SO glad to be back home! But please, try and organise the education exhibition away from Crufts next time. I didn't even get "Best of Breed" in the "Mock Tudor Monarchs" section. My nose wasn't wet enough.

Sat Nav and New Horizons

Buoyed by my rich pickings from the long week at Leeds Castle, I went out and purchased a satellite navigation system for my car, something to make my life a lot easier with the sort of work I do. I tested it by driving to Frome on Saturday to an address I had never visited before - it took me to the door and I was delighted. My first visit of this week was to Blandford Camp in Dorset and so I struck out using the sat nav feeling full of optimism. The thing worked fine until about 5 miles from my destination when it first took me off down a side road and finally into a builder's yard. I was confronted by a large brick wall blocking all forward movement and a sat nav system screaming at me to continue driving straight ahead for the next three miles. I turned round and re-traced my steps and eventually stumbled across Blandford Camp almost by mistake. Of course this place is an army base and so I was first confronted by machine gun wielding troops and then the bureaucratic niceties of the British Army. I was eventually signed in and I had a feeling I was going to be late. I was now even later - the road I needed was now only one way, but it had only changed the week before and no one had bothered to tell me. I eventually found the school. We had a great day. Lovely kids - all dressed up to the nines in their finest Tudor clothing and some lovely teachers, nearly all of whom had wicked senses of humour. I am pleased to say that the journey home was a lot easier.

The next day my sat nav was put to the test again with a jaunt down to central Exeter and the Maynard School for Girls. This, believe it or not, was my first school in Devon - so a whole new horizon! Kia, the teacher who greeted me, was lovely. A charming lady and full of smiles. It was a tiny group - only 17, but they were all dressed beautifully in some stunning clothes. It was hard to believe some of the outfits were home made - but they were. People had worked incredibly hard. I managed to fall asleep in the staff room during my lunch break - it was so warm and cosy there! The afternoon shot by and then I was on my way.

Today has been a nice slice of normality. Looking after James while Amanda was at work. I took him to Rug Rats this morning in Yeovil for a belt around, then we went to Ilminster and lunch at Bilby's as usual. He has been a little charmer as usual.

Tomorrow I am off to the NEC in Birmingham for the Education Show for three days. Should be fun! See you all soon I hope.

Maiden Newton

Friday March the 3rd found me in the relative locality of visiting Greenford Primary school in Maiden Newton, just north of Dorchester. It was a bitterly cold morning, but bright as I drove over the ridgeway south of Crewkerne. As I pulled up in the car park of the school I was greeted by Mr Atkinson, the head teacher - an absolutely charming man. He immediately offered me a hot cup of tea which, as the wind was howling straight from the arctic, seemed like a very sensible idea. I could park right next to the main doors to the hall we would be using, so that was good news for me and my back. The kids had all dressed up marvellously - some really stunning costumes, some of which had been made, some hired and some, believe it or not, even bought! They were a great group - just an ideal school. Bright and sparky and getting all of the gags. Lunch time I was recommended to visit the bakery near the school and again, I was not disappointed. A really tasty bacon and cheese wrap and a lasagne like pastry - delicious! The afternoon was great and seemed to zip past. The jousting was of a particularly high standard - any of the teams might have won at any other school, but as it was, it was the ladies who triumphed and walked off with the certificates from the King. Mr Atkinson has invited me back for the School's summer fete and evening meal which looks likely to turn into a Tudor feast - suits me!

This coming week I am at Blandford in Dorset on Monday, Exeter in Devon on Tuesday, I have Wednesday off, then Thursday, Friday and Saturday I am at the NEC in Birmingham for the Education Exhibition on the English Heritage stand - see you there!