A lighthouse, which used to warn ships away from a treacherous stretch of the Kent coast, is being lit for the first time in more than 20 years to celebrate the Queen's 60-year reign.
The South Foreland Lighthouse is representing St Margarets-at-Cliffe in the chain of more than 4,000 Diamond Jubilee Beacons which are being lit on Monday.
The National Trust, which owns the lighthouse, said it would be the largest and the brightest of the beacons, with its beam able to reach almost 40 miles.
John Barker, who helps manage the lighthouse and suggested it be turned back on for the Jubilee, said: "It's remembered quite fondly by mariners. It's not that big but it's on 300ft (91.4m) cliffs so it was the highest light in England and Wales.
Historical importance"It has an important history, it was the first electric lighthouse, Faraday came here and Marconi came here."
The National Trust said records showed a light was first installed at South Foreland in 1367.
It warned ships of the Goodwin Sands, notorious large sandbanks off the east Kent coast known as the "great ship swallower".
Mr Barker said: "It was a really treacherous stretch of water, there are about 1,500 wrecks on the Goodwin Sands."
He said during low tide ships could run aground on the sandbanks which would then turn to quicksand in the rising tide, sucking in the stricken vessels.
The current building was erected by Trinity House in 1843 and was originally one of a pair at the location, both showing a static light.
Victorian mechanismThe lower light was decommissioned 61 years later and the upper light was converted to a rotating optic or flashing light.
The original Victorian clockwork mechanism remains at the lighthouse and will be wound by hand every hour during the night of the Diamond Jubilee Beacons.
Mr Barker said when GPS became a legal requirement for ships the lighthouse became defunct.
It will be active for the first time since 1988 from 10:01 BST on Monday until 07:00 the following day.
Local residents have been issued tickets to visit the lighthouse while it is part of the Jubilee Beacons event.
A warning message is being sent out by the coastguard to all shipping in the area to ignore the South Foreland Lighthouse while it is alight for the Diamond Jubilee.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Essex County seeks higher sales-tax rate - Press Republican
ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County is still hoping for a higher sales tax.
The County Board of Supervisors has so far been unsuccessful in getting the State Legislature to act on a request for an extra one-quarter percent.
But Essex County lawmakers may get to add up to a full 1 percent extra instead, if currently pending bills pass and are signed by Gov. Andy Cuomo.
So the county is throwing its support behind those bills, which would allow any county to set its own sales tax, up to 4 3/4 percent.
Essex County is now at 3 3/4 percent, while the state collects a 4 percent sales tax statewide.
County Attorney Daniel Manning III said the bills pending in the Assembly and Senate would allow counties to have a combined state and local sales tax up to 8 3/4 percent.
“It would be an increase of a percentage point over what we have. That bill allows for any counties and cities across the state to pass a resolution to get the (tax).”
UNANIMOUS VOTE
At a recent meeting, Supervisor Thomas Scozzafava (R-Moriah) said they should endorse the statewide sales-tax increase authorization, instead of specific Home Rule legislation just for Essex County.
“I talked to Senator (Betty) Little, and she does support it (the one-quarter percent bill), but she did tell me that she did not think it would ever make it out of the Senate. I think we have a much better shot doing this with everybody, (rather) than trying to go out there alone.”
The problem is that the Legislature will soon take its summer recess, Supervisor Daniel Connell (D-Westport) said.
“If we could get a bunch of counties together to support this, we might have a chance with this, but probably not this term. Our intent is to ask the State Legislature to move those bills through that will allow counties to determine what their sales tax would be.”
The 18-member board voted unanimously to support the bills allowing New York state counties to establish sales-tax rates.
Essex County has been trying unsuccessfully for the last two years to increase its sales tax by one-quarter percent, as the Legislature has not passed any of the Home Rule bills required to allow that to happen. Most surrounding counties took the option to increase their sales tax by 1 percent several years ago, but Essex County chose only 3/4 percent before the option expired.
Email Lohr McKinstry:
lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
Source: pressrepublican.com
Jubilee beacons to light up Kent tonight - Kent Online
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Battle of Britain pilot Bob Foster will light the jubilee beacon at Capel-le-Ferne
Kent will be a shining example this evening when hundreds of beacons are lit for the Queen’s diamond jubilee.
Pageantmaster Bruno Peek, who has helped co-ordinate beacon lightings for royal events for more than 30 years, confirmed Kent has the second highest number of flames in the UK - with 196.
The county was leading the way during the applications process, but was pipped to the post by Devon with 203 beacons.
Mr Peek said: “I take my hat off to the county and to the Lord Lieutenant of Kent for encouraging the people of Kent to take part."
Scores of venues will light their fires from 10.10pm, with the Queen lighting the national beacon at Hyde Park at 10.30pm.
One of the few surviving Battle of Britain pilots, Wing Commander Bob Foster, will light the beacon at the Capel-le-Ferne site.
Mr Foster, who is now chairman of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, flew Hurricanes in the summer of 1940 and Spitfires.
Beacons like this will be lit across Britain tonight
He said: “I remember the Queen's coronation it was a
wet and miserable day – watching it on black and white television
and seeing her being crowned. Sixty years on it is remarkable to
see what she’s done with the country.
“It is a great event to be apart of and I’m very proud to light the
flame.”
Another beacon lighting takes place at Tonbridge Castle after a music event on the castle lawn.
Cllr Maria Heslop said: "This is one of the oldest castles in the country, it's one of William Duke of Normandy’s castles, so it's obviously a very important part of our heritage.
"It will burn for about half-an-hour and you'll be able to see it from all over Tonbridge.
“Coming off the back off the royal wedding last year, it shows how people do really treasure their monarchy.”
As part of celebrations for the Queen's 60-year reign, a chain of more than 4,000 beacons will be lit across Britain.
It is double the original target of 2,012 beacons to mark the year and a record figure - there were only 1,800 beacons for Her Majesty's golden jubilee.
Thursday, May 31 2012
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Source: www.kentonline.co.uk
Jools the jubilee veteran swaps the pub for the Palace - Daily Telegraph
His wife, Christabel McEwen, is a member of a landed Scottish family who was previously married to Edward Lambton, the 7th Earl of Durham. Would Jools say he was part of the Establishment? “Well first, I’d have to work out what the Establishment means, Bryony.” (He accessorises the end of every sentence with your name, leading you to believe that you are best friends, which might explain why he has been called both the nicest man in London and the best connected.) “But if it means that you love the Queen… well yes, I’m Establishment.”
Holland and his wife are good friends with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. They attended their wedding in 2005. “It was marvellous,” he says. “Absolutely lovely. When you walked into the chapel (at Windsor Guildhall), it was like stepping into a medieval world, with all the beautiful language that was used in the service.”
Did Jools take to the piano afterwards? “Well, no. I mean, it wasn’t that sort of knees-up.” But he has heard that the Queen is a fair hand at the keyboard. Would he like to see Her Majesty tinkling the ivories at the Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace tonight? “I don’t think that would be quite appropriate, do you, Bryony?” he says, feigning crossness.
Holland is tight-lipped about what he has in store for this evening. “I’m going to be performing with the soul singer Ruby Turner, but I don’t know if I’m allowed to say any more than that.” He is incredibly excited about taking to the stage in front of the monarch. “She has been the Queen all my life and I think she has been the best Queen that Britain has ever had,’’ he says.
''I just want to congratulate her. The great thing about her is that she always sort of gets it right. And I don’t think anybody from the world of politics or showbiz or whatever has consistently got it right. So it doesn’t matter what part of the political spectrum you are from – I think this is a moment for all of us to celebrate, to feel pride in. I really like the idea that there might be people watching this weekend in, say, Seattle, who will be slightly better informed afterwards about the way we do things in the UK.”
Holland knows better than anybody else how we do things here. In 2006, he was given the title of Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, the county in which he lives. What on earth does this medieval-sounding role involve, I ask.
“Well Bryony, I am the servant of the Lord Lieutenant, who is, in turn, the representative of the Queen – I am the helper of a helper of a helper. The idea is to promote the identity of the county. Centuries ago, our job was to offer protection to the county. If you needed a safe passage through Kent, apparently the person you would talk to would have been me. I would have lit beacons to warn of foreign invaders or something. But nowadays I think we will be all right on that front, and it’s more about celebrating the different people in the county.”
Holland is fascinated by the past – he lives in a house that looks very medieval “with little turrets, and we hold jousting tournaments watched by ladies in wimples”. On most of those counts, I think he is joking. Anyway, next weekend the BBC will broadcast a documentary he has made about the history of music in London. On Later with Jools Holland, he may champion new, edgy indie bands, but he believes that the most interesting things in music “happened before recording came into play. For instance, did you know that the chimes of Big Ben were written by Handel?”
We talk a bit about his favourite guests on Later, one of whom happens to have been a certain Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who appeared on the programme while her husband was in office. Was she a diva? “Not at all. She did a cheeky impression of a person we both knew,” he says, though he won’t reveal who. “She had French secret service men with her, who stood outside her dressing room. They were all wearing polo-necks and medallions and had very slick hair. It was really quite amusing.”
Tonight, Jools Holland OBE will perform at the palace on the same bill as Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John and Sir Cliff Richard. Given that he is such a man of the people, such a national treasure, I can’t help thinking that he deserves a knighthood. Sir Jools Holland has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
“If you say so,” he laughs. “I’m happy with what I’ve got, Bryony, but I won’t complain if someone wants to add to that…”
'Jools Holland: London Calling’ is on BBC Two on Saturday at 9pm
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
