tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23104991925131301332012-02-16T11:03:08.366-08:00This is an unfinished page about the city in which I've lived since 1998.Peter Durward Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06172943919919044658noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2310499192513130133.post-15921428005656131222009-03-02T03:32:00.000-08:002011-08-18T02:15:08.578-07:00<! start pdh body> <div class="pdhdisplay"> <div class="text"> <h1> Leicester </h1> <p class="middle"> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=185937381X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1900463083&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1859833489&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p> <h3> My story </h3> <p> Leicester is a pleasant place to live and has a very long history extending over three thousand years or so. Prior to moving there to live in 1998, I had visited Leicester just twice - once in the seventies for an unsuccessful job interview (it didn't matter) and once earlier in the nineties for a race meeting. So my knowledge of Leicester is based on what I've seen or read about in the years since 1998. Actually, I didn't study Leicester while I was working in <a href="http://www.blaby.net/narborough/" target="pdh">Narborough</a> or for some time afterwards. </p> <p> As a start, here are a few links that might be of interest. I haven't visited most of these places so their inclusion here does not imply any endorsement by me. Note that I briefly discuss Leicester's rail transport heritage in <a href="http://peterdurwardharris1.blogspot.com/2007/10/my-story.html" target="pdh1">My story (trains)</a>. </p> <h3> General interest </h3> </div> <p class="middle"> <table summary = "General interest"> <caption> General interest </caption> <colgroup class = "alpha"> <thead> <tr> <th> &nbsp; </th> </tr> <tbody> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester" target="pdh"> Leicester Wikipedia </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicestershire" target="pdh"> Leicestershire Wikipedia </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.goleicestershire.com/" target="pdh"> Leicestershire tourism </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://www.leicester.gov.uk/leisure-culture.asp" target="pdh"> Leicester leisure and culture </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.leicester.co.uk/" target="pdh"> Leicester </a> </td> </tr> </table> <div class="text"> <h3> Leicestershire celebrities </h3> <p class="middle"> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0691127034&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0060533986&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0750933259&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p> <p> I used to be a huge fan of racehorse trainer <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/297929.stm" target="pdh">Jenny Pitman</a> but that all changed as a result of the 1992 <a href="http://www.cheltenham.co.uk/" target="pdh">Cheltenham</a> Gold Cup, especially as that scandal came while her altercation with <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/2566987.stm" target="pdh">Jamie Osborne</a> at <a href="http://www.ayr-racecourse.co.uk/" target="pdh">Ayr</a> was still fresh in the memory. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/297929.stm" target="pdh">Jenny Pitman</a> has more recently switched to writing crime novels, following the example set by <a href="http://www.dickfrancis.com/" target="pdh">Dick Francis</a>. I'll stick with the original and best racing crime author. </p> <p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Attenborough" target="pdh">David Attenborough</a> first achieved fame as a presenter of the TV series <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_Earth_(TV_series)" target="pdh">Life on Earth</a> in the seventies. I loved that series and the sequal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Living_Planet" target="pdh">The living planet</a> but I haven't followed his career closely in recent years, although I'm pleased to see that he remains active even in his eighties. </p> <p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook" target="pdh">Thomas Cook</a> is famous as an international package tour operator these days but I don't think it's what the Rev. Thomas Cook had in mind when he organized a local excursion from Leicester to Loughborough in 1841. </p> <p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sue_Townsend" target="pdh">Sue Townsend</a> is famous as the author of the <a href="http://www.adrianmole.com/" target="pdh">Adrian Mole</a> books but has written other novels too including <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0718148568/" target="pdh">Queen Camilla</a>, a novel based on (you guessed it) <a href="http://www.visitbritain.com/" target="pdh">Britain</a>'s royal family. </p> <p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Lineker" target="pdh">Gary Linkeker</a> is famous as a football (soccer) player. </p> <p> In music, seventies rock 'n' roll revivalists <a href="http://www.showaddywaddy.net/" target="pdh">Showaddywaddy</a> hail from Leicestershire as do the contemporary band <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasabian" target="pdh">Kasabian</a>. Leicestershire also claims <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)" target="pdh">Engelbert Humperdinck</a> who was actually born in India although raised in Leicestershire. But I'll stop here and direct you to <a href="http://beehive.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&#38;ID=8354&#38;PageID=44906" target="pdh">Leicester bands</a> where you can find everything you wanted (or didn't want) to know about pop and rock music in the Leicester area. </p> <h3> Crime </h3> <p class="middle"> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=185306758X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0553282816&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0750903724&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p> <p> Crime happens everywhere but I think Leicestershire is a fairly safe area compared to most. </p> <h3> Spectator sports </h3> <p class="middle"> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1899538216&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p> <p> I haven't been to a rugby match but I've seen football (soccer), cricket and horse racing in Leicester. I got into the cricket for free by selling programs and lottery tickets before the match. It wasn't very remunerative, the free entry having a greater value than the commission. </p> </div> <p class="middle"> <table summary = "Sports venues"> <caption> Sports venues </caption> <colgroup class = "alpha"> <colgroup class = "alpha"> <colgroup class = "alpha"> <thead> <tr> <th> Sport </th> <th> Venue </th> <th> Description </th> </tr> <tbody> <tr class="background-white"> <td> Rugby union </td> <td> Welford Road </td> <td> <a href="http://www.tigers.co.uk/" target="pdh"> Leicester Tigers </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> Football (soccer) </td> <td> Walker Stadium </td> <td> <a href="http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Welcome" target="pdh"> Leicester City </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> Cricket </td> <td> Grace Road </td> <td> <a href="http://www.leicestershireccc.com/" target="pdh"> Leicestershire county <br> cricket club </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> Horse racing </td> <td> Oadby </td> <td> <a href="http://www.leicester-racecourse.co.uk/" target="pdh"> Leicester racecourse </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> Motor racing </td> <td> Castle Donington </td> <td> <a href="http://www.donington-park.co.uk/" target="pdh"> Donington Park </a> </td> </tr> </table> <div class="text"> <h3> Entertainment </h3> <p> I haven't visited any of these entertainments although I'd like to visit the <a href="http://www.spacecentre.co.uk/" target="pdh">National Space Centre</a> one day. It's not exactly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_B._Johnson_Space_Center" target="pdh">Houston</a> but it's the nearest you'll get in <a href="http://www.visitbritain.com/" target="pdh">Britain</a>. </p> </div> <p class="middle"> <table summary = "Entertainment venues"> <caption> Entertainment venues </caption> <colgroup class = "alpha"> <thead> <tr> <th> &nbsp; </th> </tr> <tbody> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.le.ac.uk/leicester/cinemas/ci.html" target="pdh"> Cinemas </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://www.demontforthall.co.uk/home/home.php3" target="pdh"> DeMontfort Hall (concerts </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.lhtheatre.co.uk/" target="pdh"> Leicester Haymarket Theatre </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://www.thelittletheatre.net/" target="pdh"> The Little Theatre </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.phoenix.org.uk/" target="pdh"> Phoenix Arts Centre </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://www.leicestermuseums.ac.uk/setframe.html" target="pdh"> Leicester museums </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.spacecentre.co.uk/" target="pdh"> National Space Centre </a> </td> </tr> </table> <div class="text"> <h3> Environment </h3> <p class="middle"> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1853065250&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=185306727X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1859833489&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <br> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1853066818&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1853069914&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> &nbsp; <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=httpukgeoci0b-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1850584427&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=pdh&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p> <p> I've spent plenty of time walking around Leicester, visiting some of the parks (<a href="http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/parks--green-spaces/main-parks/abbey-park" target="pdh">Abbey Park</a> is the main one) and walking along the banks of the canal and river as well as along the <a href="http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/environment/countryside/cycle_trails/cycle_trails_riverside.htm" target="pdh">Great Central Way</a> (part of a once busy train route). Some day I may visit <a href="http://www.aboutbritain.com/GorseHillCityFarm.htm" target="pdh">Gorse Hill city farm</a>. Both of my grandfathers worked on farms but I haven't had much contact with farms in my adult life. </p> </div> <p class="middle"> <table summary = "Environment"> <caption> Environment </caption> <colgroup class = "alpha"> <thead> <tr> <th> &nbsp; </th> </tr> <tbody> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.le.ac.uk/biology/botanicgarden/" target="pdh"> University of Leicester Botanic Garden </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://www.aboutbritain.com/GorseHillCityFarm.htm" target="pdh"> Gorse Hill City Farm </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-white"> <td> <a href="http://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council--services/lc/parks--green-spaces/main-parks" target="pdh"> Leicester's main parks </a> </td> </tr> <tr class="background-pale"> <td> <a href="http://www.twycrosszoo.com/" target="pdh"> Twycross Zoo </a> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <! end pdh body><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2310499192513130133-1592142800565613122?l=peterdurwardharris15.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Peter Durward Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06172943919919044658noreply@blogger.com0