Stuart B, and Stroud Scarlet

This morning I'd arranged to meet Stuart Butler, one of Stroud's poets; a teacher and co-founder of the Stroud Football Poets. He'd recently had his poem beautifully typeset and printed by my friend Kitty Crossley on Dennis Gould's letter press press. Every letter is set by hand. The poem took Kitty two weeks to set. Stuart's poem had a limited print run, so I bought one of the posters.

Stroud Scarlet is the cloth that was formerly used to make soldiers' uniforms all over the Empire. The weavers and dyers in Stroud endured harsh conditions and eventually rioted, but their rebellion was crushed unceremoniously. Woollen Cloth is still made for tennis balls and green baize snooker tables in nearby Cam, but Stroud Scarlet is no longer worn. Stuart had unearthed a historical reference to Stroud Scarlet being traded in north west Africa, which aroused his suspicions that it was connected to the slave trade, which was very much connected to the port of Bristol. (In the 'triangular trade', ships would leave Bristol laden with trade goods, which they'd take to West Africa and exchange for slaves, which would then be shipped to the plantations in the USA or the Caribbean islands. The ships would then return to Bristol with a cargo of sugar and other commodities.)

These are the things we did not learn at school, but Bristol has had to face up to its past in recent years, and recently mounted a major exhibition on the subject. This doesn't right a historical wrong, but it's no longer a dirty secret. If you view the image in large, or zoom in on your iPad or other device, you may be able to read some of the words.

Stuart and I were both in the play about the Spanish civil war, No Pasaran, which I have blipped elsewhere. I believe he is the author, whereas I had a walk on part. Stuart, I salute you!

I am off to bed now, as we are going to Holland for a few days tomorrow. It's looking stormy, weatherwise, and strangely I can hear a volley of shots being fired outside at 12.09 am.

They shoot badgers in Gloucestershire, don't they? But the Stroud area has refused to have any badgers shot on its land. Good on the National Trust for resisting the cull, too!

If you don't hear from me for a few days, it'll be because of my travels, and the rather dodgy iPad charging port. Back with you soon, that is, assuming we ever manage to leave!