A Seat In The House By Patrick Henry (1/3)

(1/3), (2/3), (3/3).

Albert Stubbs worked as a printer on Hull's Daily Mail. His brother Frank ran a grocer's shop in Hessle Road, went bankrupt, became a tally-clerk on the docks, fell ill and died of heart failure. His widow Gert remarried to a sergeant-major in the East Yorkshire Regiment who died on The Somme in 1918. Gert moved to Hornsea with now four children, and later to Scarborough. Albert, a forceful union representative and Labour Party man, ran into trouble with printing employers, often changed jobs, and in Batley built a family of five children.

Then in Cambridge he effected more printing and union and Party work. When the Second World War ended, Britain's triumphant leader was defeated in election by Clement Attlee and his Labour Party landsliding into a hundred-seat majority. One of these was now occupied by Albert Stubbs as MP for Cambridgeshire.

The rural south of England turning socialist was an event more astonishing than any change New Labour could hold comparison with. Churchill a great war-leader was not trusted as a man for peacetime by those remembering his record. The voters largely being ex-servicemen experiencing a world in turmoil urged to change from old class and imperial values, and put their cross against names of little men like Attlee, Jewish Mayor of the East End, and his kind across the country, like stocky, tenacious Albert Stubbs.

I first met him when the Labour Party Annual Conference came to seaside Scarborough in 1947. His sister-in-law, Gert, my grandmother, put him up at our boarding-house. On Sunday at St. Mary's mediaeval parish church, The Party turned up in force: socialists, yet Christians and patriots: Attlee, Cripps, Bevin, some reading the lessons. They were like gods or our saviours I perceived.

Great Uncle Albert made me sense this from his proud stance next to me in the pews. They were his chiefs, his friends: Labour Government meant the new age of peace, equality and justice. But a few let-downs to this would crop up. The first one came seconds later when I passed out unconscious. Heat and darkness in the summer in the crowded, gloomy church overcame me. My vision of the phalanx of socialist hierarchy blurred to deepest red and then turned black. It seemed like the end, a nightmarish loss of sense that the war, the bombing, men marching away had also seemed.

Refreshing sea air and cries of gulls revived me recovering on the stone porch seat on this hill above the bay. Albert's daughter had brought me out here. It was an overwhelming experience, she admitted. Those luminaries now made their exit to pass us, proving real persons, not lurid figures of my nightmare fainting fit. Small, pale men in grey suits, they climbed into black cars and drove away.

Continued ...next page

Articles - Teenage Kicks By Jim Higo

	In the same week that Teen sex is being targeted by the Tories (their plan is to reduce it, not to indulge in it), it is perhaps an unfortunate coincidence that they also unveil plans to ask former Chief Inspector of Schools Chris Woodhead to carry out a review of the National Read more...

Articles - Bingo In Mad By DJ Chris Plant

	Let me start with a few facts... Bingo: first began in Italy in 1530. France became interested in 1778. They played the game with a deck of cards. In the 1800's Educational Lotto games became popular. Bing Crosby got his name from being called Bingo: as a child. Read more...

Articles - Shall We Dance? UK Movie Premiere, Wednesday Feb 16th 2005, Leicester Square, London By Steve Rudd
	The weather might have been bitterly cold, but still the most entertaining Square in all of London was relatively packed for the UK movie premiere of Shall We Dance?, which was in aid of charity - and the Asia Tsunami appeal in particular. Shall We Dance? is the latest movie Read more...

Articles - Black and White By Jim Higo

	At last it's here! That eagerly awaited time when the celebs queue up to be seen and to be heard. The moment when Hollywood's finest come together amidst an array of anxious attire, desperate, designer dresses and hazardous hairdo's. Read more...

Articles, Paranormal - Messages At Christmas By Graham Lee

	There is a dilemma for every medium and it is this: when is it appropriate to pass on messages from spirit, and when is it best left alone? Many times I have been in a crowded room or on a train and I have been given hints of spirit information for the Read more...

Articles - Samaritans By Michelle Dee

	Late 2003 our editor wrote an article about the invaluable work done by the local branch of the Samaritans. The piece called, A Friend In Need , featured the then manager of the Hull branch Wendy. Since the article was written a new Read more...

Articles - About Crazy Shit By Joe Hakim

	So we stumble out of the horror of Christmas into the New Year, bleary-eyed and confused, with the nagging feeling we've missed something. I was working all through Christmas and New Year. Even though I spent New Year's Eve working, stood in Read more...

Articles, Paranormal - The Beast In The Basement By Graham Lee

	Every so often a paranormal investigation can uncover spirit beings which are not of human origin. As well as humans who have passed over, there are Angels, animal spirits, faeries, elementals, nature spirits and a whole host of inter-dimensional Read more...

Articles - True Stories - The Puzzle Nightmare By DJ Chris Plant
	One day when I was home alone, there was a knock at the front door. It was the postman with a parcel for me. I tore open the package and inside there was a black box. Inside the box there were some puzzle pieces. I didn't think Read more...

Articles, Paranormal - Young Master Willem By Graham Lee

	Of course it's not all monks, white ladies and monsters. Often times I find myself face to face with the spirits of children, the most memorable of which has so far been Young Master Willem. I ran into this cheeky little boy in a watermill Read more...

Articles, Paranormal - Lynched A Ghost By Graham Lee Photos By Ellen, Graham, Bev and Kaye.

	As part of my regular work I am involved in ghost hunts with a group called UK Haunted where we invite members of the public to join our all-night vigils in haunted locations. The latest of these events was held in a derelict manor house, Read more...

Articles - Pain is a Simple Word By Mr Pain in the Butt
	Like many words Pain has just four letters. It is short and easily just rolls off of the lips. Pain; Used to describe things ranging from a stubbed toe to a woman giving birth to her first born child - Pain! What a simple everyday word! To me Pain is all Read more...

Articles - Norman At Ninety By DJ Chris Plant
	As Sir Norman Wisdom approaches 90 years old. I pay tribute to the fine actor as I watch his films. My favourite Norman Wisdom film has to be On the Beat (1962). In On The Beat, Norman wants to be a policeman like his father was, Read more...

Articles - Endless Guitar Solos and the Real Reasons for Opposing Fox Hunting. By Mark Pollard

	I love progressive rock. Always have done. There; I've said it. You can stick your three-and-a-half minute blasts of pop music where the sun don't shine. If it sounds great, let it drag on for half an hour is what I say. Why play one note when Read more...

Articles - The Night Time Visitor By Graham Lee

	During the first few weeks of my professional work in mediumship I was not one hundred percent convinced that I was actually contacting spirit. I had come to mediumship with a large dose of scepticism which often meant I would be the first to offer Read more...

Articles - Haunted Hull? By Ellen

	My name is Ellen. I was born and raised in Hull. I was just reading the article about haunted hotels and I thought I'd write about some of my husband's and my experiences. My husband, Graham Lee is a psychic medium working in Hull and Yorkshire Read more...