Consign "England" to the "waste bin of history" states a letter to The Guardian.

Writing to The Guardian - surprise, surprise - in letter published on 22 November one Jim Grozier, from Brighton, states the name “England” should be consigned to “the waste bin of history”, its “parts” replaced by “neutral” names.
Perhaps Mr. Grozier is one of those English intellectuals George Orwell described as being “ashamed of their own nationality”?  The letter was in response to an article on English national identity and is reproduced below.  Make up your own mind!

" I heartily agree with Alex Niven that “building up the English regions” is a much more practical solution to the current identity crisis of the UK than “the quest for an artificial, unitary Englishness”. Who can honestly say that they identify with a region stretching from Land’s End to Berwick, defined largely by geography, and encompassing such huge disparities in wealth and opportunity on the way? Perhaps it is time for someone to come up with new, “neutral” names for the various parts of England, independent of past affiliations and rivalries, as was done during the major upheaval in local government in the 1970s, and to consign the name “England” to the waste bin of history."
Jim Grozier
Brighton, East Sussex


This gentleman does not appear to have heard of nations, old and new, encompassing much bigger areas with greater regional variations than England, and whose populations are content with their belief in Nationhood.

Gilbert and Molly Lovell, victims of a stray Luftwaffe bomb in November 1940, commemorated at St. Katherine's Church, Felton, North Somerset.

Just past the entrance to Bristol Airport on the north-bound carriageway of the A38 is the Airport Tavern.  Take the next right turn and cross the cattle grid then turn right up the lane leading to Felton Common and St. Katherine’s Church.  Explore the churchyard and you will come across the grave and memorial headstone of Henry J. Sainsbury and his wife Laura May, the headstone also commemorates other members of the family.  You will read that  their daughter Molly and her husband Gilbert Lovell were "killed by enemy action" on this day in 1940. 

Note that the Airport Tavern was known as the New Inn until the 1970s and that Bristol Airport was formerly the World War Two RAF airfield of Lulsgate Bottom.  The following extract from Ian James’ The Story of RAF Lulsgate Bottom, (Redcliffe Press, 1989) details the tragic events of that day in 1940.

“The freezing winter of 1940/41 was the winter of the Blitz, and even country areas, especially those near large industrial centres such as Bristol did not escape. At around 0415 in the early hours of November 18, a bomb hit the New Inn at Lulsgate.  Hosts, Harry J. and Laura M. Sainsbury lost one of their two daughters, Molly Ellen (28) and her husband Gilbert Lovell (33).  The Lovell’s year old baby Patricia, and Aunt, Mrs Emma Wilkins, survived.”

RAF Lulsgate Bottom was not even under construction at that time, and there was no Luftwaffe raid on Bristol that night so it seems to have been a matter of sheer bad luck that the New Inn was hit.  A few more bombs were reported landing nearby without causing any other casualties.  Perhaps the ill-fated deaths of Molly and Gilbert Lovell were caused by a lone German bomber jettisoning its bomb-load after becoming lost.

The grave and headstone of Henry J. Sainsbury and his wife Laura May in the graveyard of St. Katherine's Church on Felton Common Hill, North Somerset.

Autumn afternoon skyscapes over South Somerset.

I had just finished shopping when I saw some picturesque clouds over the nearby hills.  I had my camera with me so I took some photos.

Early afternoon skyscape over South Somerset on 4th November 2019.

Picturesque skyscape over South Somerset on 4th November 2019. 

Then an RAF A400M Atlas approached from the south west heralded by the distinctive low hum of its engines - so I photographed that too!

An RAF A400M Atlas heading north-east over South Somerset on 4th November 2019.