To Pass By

There can be no doubt that this terraced house in Taubman Street in Ramsey was built after the siege of Mafeking in the Boer War. As you can see the name is imprinted in the mortar of the building.

I walk past this spot quite frequently and I always look up here.

It might be expected that one's mind would turn to the exploits of Baden-Powell, Churchill or Kitchener in the conflict.

However mine does not. I am reminded of Clive Dunn (later as Cpl. Jones in Dad's Army who in an earlier series called (I think) The Army Game or Bootsie and Snudge made reference to "Johnson's Hairy Mafeking Pudding"

As a young boy I always had terrible trouble trying to understand the privations that would entail.

Now however I always feel a rising sense of amusement when I see this sign.