Woods Ware China at the Serving Hatch

I was only looking for teaspoons – I had tried almost every drawer. Then I opened this one. The miscellaneous drawer. The contents were: Green latex gloves – several of. Tea towels in sober colours – neatly folded. A quilted oven glove (yet there was no oven on site, nor a fridge). A sandwich bag containing around a dozen milk bottle tops – cleaned. A black marker pen – I didn’t test if it worked. A crystal ash tray containing a small Pyrex dish. What would you do with those ingredients? Instagram: @Woodswarechinaservinghatch Twitter: @peel_anna

From the Western Daily Press, June 1946: “ Table cloths that had just been cleaned and pressed for a welcome home party for ex-service members and electrical equipment were stolen by thieves who broke into St Michael’s Parish Hall by means of a fanlight. The electrical equipment consisted of microphones and amplifying units. Bristol CID men are investigating finger prints left by the thieves. ”

Terror reigned at Yapton and Ford Village Hall, Sussex, in 1951. There was a coconut matting thief at large! Four coconut mats were missed from the village hall cupboard after a Sunday evening film show, and the caretaker reported this loss to the Village Hall Secretary the very next day. He in turn informed the village bobby. Exhibit A, a coconut mat Identification of the mats was made easier by the caretaker having the foresight to mark the reverse of each with a large letter Y.   The mats were found in possession of the very man who had put on the film show at the hall. He had been undertaking this entertainment regularly for two years, and had come to be trusted in the company of the village hall’s valuables. Although he protested that the mats had accidentally fallen into his possession, he was found guilty of theft and fined £5 by Arundel Magistrates Court. The scene of the crime as it looks today Instagram: @woodswarechinaservinghatch Twitter: @Peel

I recently had the pleasure of running an event at Hathersage Memorial Hall, positioned in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. It rained continuously and I had forgotten to bring that item of clothing deemed essential wear for the Hope Valley – the cagoule – so I didn’t do an external photo. Thank Google for this one. It’s rather lovely, despite the pay and display in front and the railway line behind with its intermittent hooting. And it’s just as nice inside – old radiators, wooden floors, intriguing blocked up door frames and this stage complete with painted on curtain swags.    In 1934, Sheffield Independent newspaper described a performance of ‘The Ghost Train’ by Hathersage Community Players – possibly on this very stage.   They were commended for their depiction of a passing train which involved “ingenious lighting effects, two gramophones, loud speakers and many other gadgets.” Apparently it was all very splendid and elicited roars of laughter. Sounds idyllic. But

A Nice Cup of Tea The contents of this teacup have: Sustained the ill Put money in the till Replenished the injected Rebuilt the rejected Oiled the tongues of the shy Given the curious courage to pry Bucked up the weary Caressed the teary Sarah Miller Walters Click here to visit Sarah's Amazon page