When I joined the team at the Basildon Standard Recorder I believe my editor, Tony Blandford, saw a chance to inject some fresh blood into features about the new town. What was even better, as far as he was concerned, was that I was not just not from Basildon but I was not even fromContinue reading “You can take the boy out of Wales but you can’t take Wales out of the boy”
Author Archives: Robin
Love – a many splendour’d thing but very personal
Love is a very personal thing and is not always full of sweet moments. Three poets can look at love and even if they are close, with similar backgrounds, each will have had a different experience. If you lose the love of your life, no matter what the reason, it can be painful but theContinue reading “Love – a many splendour’d thing but very personal”
I turned down ‘a fortune’ after going undercover
As I have said before a general news reporter has to handle a wide variety of news from golden wedding anniversaries to major fires, even murder. Sometimes feature work might just concentrate on a new attraction opening in town, at others it could be a piece of serious investigative journalism. An opportunity for the latterContinue reading “I turned down ‘a fortune’ after going undercover”
New town residents were servants of two masters
In the early 1970s Basildon New Town (officially Basildon but as it was just over 20 years old people still added the New Town tag) control was in the hands of two organisations – Basildon Development Corporation and Basildon Urban District Council. By the time I arrived in 1972 the council was the civil administratorContinue reading “New town residents were servants of two masters”
The good, the bad and the downright boring
Living in Burnham-on-Crouch (until my boss could arrange a Corporation flat for me) could be a bit wearisome – it meant early rises and late nights if I had an evening job, council or arts review and a long drive to work to wake me up. The return journey was always in the dark. DuringContinue reading “The good, the bad and the downright boring”
Tonight at Noon
(for Charles Mingus and the Clayton Squares) by Adrian Henri Tonight at noon Supermarkets will advertise 3p EXTRA on everything Tonight at noon Children from happy families will be sent to live in a home Elephants will tell each other human jokes America will declare peace on Russia World War 1 generals will sell poppiesContinue reading “Tonight at Noon”
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayaam: LXI – XC
LXI For let Philosopher and Doctor preach Of what they will, and what they will not – each Is but one Link in an eternal Chain That none can slip, nor break, nor over-reach. LXII And that inverted Bowl we call The Sky, Whereunder crawling coop’t we live and die, Lift not thy hands toContinue reading “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayaam: LXI – XC”
Jack of all trades – and at times master of many
When it comes to daily regional newspapers and the nationals everyone seems to be a specialist. Court reporters; entertainment reporters; finance journalists; political journalists; science journalists; sports reporters – and even then there can be subdivisions with reporters only dealing with football, or golf, or cricket, hockey, rugby etc. etc. Life is not so neatlyContinue reading “Jack of all trades – and at times master of many”
Poetry: so much more than just words on a page
I love poetry. I loved poetry since before I loved Shakespeare I have loved poetry since before I can remember. It is highly likely my first poem was actually a nursery rhyme. Maybe “Hickory Dickory Dock” or “Ring a’ring of Roses”. By the time I reached primary school I was already reading poetry from booksContinue reading “Poetry: so much more than just words on a page”
Remember the swinging 60s? I do – I was there
It has been said: “If you remember the 60s then you weren’t there.” Those of us who grew up in that swinging decade are looked on as survivors of a period when speed and weed and even acid flooded the clubs and the streets not just in London but out in the sticks as well.Continue reading “Remember the swinging 60s? I do – I was there”
Robin's Nest 