The Travelling Accountant

2010 – A Vintage Year

I’m not one for New Year resolutions, but I do think that the turning of the year is a good time to reflect on the events of the previous twelve months and to think about plans for the year ahead. I made the effort to get out and about more in 2010 and here are my thoughts on some of the interesting vintage events that I made it to.

First trip out, I popped over to the east coast of Norfolk for Hemsby in April to help Deadman on the stall. Duties were light, mostly revolving around keeping Deadman in tea and holding interested customers in conversation until his return from the loo. Dressed in the usual 1940’s accountant style I must have looked like a dull 1950’s dad. However, everyone was welcoming and no one called me “pops”. Oh for James Nesbitt’s money and the opportunity to grow myself one of those fine quiffs. I enjoyed myself so much I went back for Hemsby 45 in October including the early morning car boot.

On Sunday Morning. Empty! Rockers up too late?

Hughenden Manor just outside the town of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire is the former residence of Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister during the late nineteenth century. I knew the Disraeli connection from my local schooling. The Victory at Hughenden 1940’s event in May told of the secret map making role performed on site during WW2 with RAF Bomber Command based close by. Not the biggest event of the year but some good re-enactor displays including the AFS, the Home Guard and a WW2 paratrooper drilling the kids. He scared the daylights out of them and I picked up some useful parenting tips.

Twinwoods over the August bank holiday weekend was the highlight of my vintage year; a great crossover show for fans of both the 1940s and 1950s on a genuinely interesting site. Two separate stages provided fine live music and dancing, including free lessons, from either era. I’m definitely heading back in 2011. Next time I will be suitably shod for a little rug cutting, just to prove that accountants can dance. Deadman’s stall had a fine position for the Arena Stage and provided some relief from the wind and rain.

to be continued..........

Bunny's Boxing Day Dip - or the day Bunny had his assets frozen!!

Bunny Hooper "The 1940's Accountant" gives a stoic salute before running into the sea for the traditional Boxing Day charity dip in Cromer, which this year was raising funds for The Matthew Project.

Enjoying a post dip pipe and hot chocolate.

Well done Bunny!!

Merry Christmas from Dead Men's Spex

So the big day is almost here. I hope you are all ready for the seasonal period of over indulgence that is upon us. That all your presents are wrapped, cards sent, turkeys stuffed and cocktail cabinets stocked :oD

Deadman Junior is bouncing off the wall with excitement waiting for the big man in Red to come down the chimney. Like families the world over we will be leaving Santa a mince pie, a glass of sherry and maybe a carrot for the reindeer. Unlike most other families we will also be leaving Santa a spare pair of spectacles just in case he breaks the pair he is always pictured in while negotiating a rather treacherous bend in our chimney. Deadman Junior thinks this is a very good idea and so does the Deadman, because, after little eyes are shut and sleeping I may just slip a business card on the plate next to the sherry on the off chance that our chimney’s not the only one with a wicked bend.

Merry Christmas

TTFN

Deadman

Algha 722 beloved by Santa

Santa comes early to the Deadman residence!!

Hi all, Santa has arrived early at the Deadman's residence bringing a box of Christmas cheer in the shape of 700 old stock frames from the 1950's. As you can see from the photo's below the Deadman and his little elf helper (Deadman junior - 5 years old and dressed from top to toe in green with curled up shoes and a bell on his hat :oD Don't tell social services or else our idea of chimney sweeping business is scuppered !!) have a lot of work in the New Year preparing these lovely little numbers for you all to wear.

D.Man

Snow business like snow business....

I hope everyone has been staying warm through this cold snap. The only casualty that the Deadman clan has had is that we were unable to make it to the Northern Military Expo where we were supposed to be standing a stall this weekend gone.

Talking of military I have had an interview and profile in this months World War II re-enactors magazine. As you can see it included a lovely picture of Fleur de Guerre and a picture of Bunny Hooper doing his famous Tommy Cooper impression!


Deadman

All the world's a stage

I don't know about the rest of you but there is nothing I like more than a trip to the theatre (acting not operating! of course). It would seem that the same is true of the Deadman's stock with no less than three theatres and one film production company taking our spex for their productions.

Along with the acclaimed RSC Courtyard Theatre we are also providing eight pairs of spectacles for Cinderella at the Theatre Royal Plymouth . Last month's production of Love on the dole at the Octagon in Bolton also saw an outing for a pair of Gold Filled 1920's Round Eyes from our stock (see below)

ttfn

Deadman

"Dead man through the looking Glass" a Norfolk pipe-dream

Some of you may have guessed that the plus four teaser could be no-one else but Bunny Hooper “The 1940’s Accountant”. On a weekend when the Deadman was abandoned on the stall by the rest of the clan (something about parties and lashings of ice-cream and jelly or so Deadman Junior assured me) the only backup was my Dad, Deadman senior or as he’s affectionately known “Deadman Walking”. Bunny was a welcome pair of extra hands.

Being our local event, Holt and Sheringham 1940’s Weekend is always a busy two days for us, marked as much by visits from old friends as the good business.

Bunny was in an unusually rumbustious mood probably brought on by his insistence on being called Lord Hooper Marquis of Repps and muttering on about losing the rest of the shooting party and the bloody beaters!

The only way to calm him was to entice him into the stall with a copy of Glimpse and the assurance that he could smoke a pipe full of Virginia shag (picture the caterpillar in Alice through the Looking Glass!). The legitimacy of this action in what should be classed as the work place was debatable but I think the conclusion ran something along the lines of “bugger the EU!!”

www.deadmensspex.com temporary dwelling

The cue for spam sandwiches and black market petrol

With autumn knocking at the door Deadman’s thoughts turn to indoor shows where the elements no longer dictate. We are at Hemsby 45 on the 8-10th October, again another local show for us, just a short dash at the North Sea from base camp. There’s nothing quite like the British seaside out of season. All the holiday makers, day trippers, chalet owners and “kiss me quickers” will have departed leaving the bleak desolation of the Norfolk coastline (and about 1000 drunken rockers). Bliss!!

TTFN

Deadman