THE HOLE IN THE ROOF

ARCHIVE for July 2002

UPDATE: Wednesday 17th July 2002

• Well, well. Hasn't it been a busy couple of weeks? And it's time for an update-mungous and hospital-tastic update once again. And before I forget to mention it - please don't freak out or get upset in case you've noticed that The Shrine isn't being updated practically every day like it was in the beginning. We're still bringing the latest development news to you as soon as we hear it, but now that the core of the site (with the exception of Ray's next huge batch of images) is online, we really don't have the pressing need to be putting new stuff up more than once every week or two. It seems a better idea to let a few things build up so that each new update is more meaningful - although there's always going to be little things happening constantly that you probably won't even notice. So the point is - don't stress if nothing new has appeared for a week or two, because we're always hard at work behind the scenes making it happen - and it'll pop up sooner or later. And it might be groovy stuff like this:
• At long last - The Flincher is alone no more. In our exclusive chat with "Mrs Y" - a former CRCMH Security Guard, not one, but two (and even potentially three) very eerie happenings have been revealed. We've also added an artist's impression of one of them. But I don't want to spoil it all for you. All I will say is that there's some very interesting things said in this, perhaps the most fascinating article to appear here since the Mr X Interview (though it isn't quite so lengthy). Check it out for yourself - and it can also be accessed via the Haunted and Tales sections.
• A sketched self-portrait by the CRCMH's most famous staff member - Prof. Eric Bywaters - has been added to the Memorabilia section.
• Also in Memorabilia, is perhaps the finest piece of nostalgia - rivalled only by the above sketch - to appear on this website to date. Courtesy of the ever wonderful Jeanne Hopkins, we are proud to present a very funky CRCMH nurses badge for your perusal. Only just a "tad" nicer than Miss McNgyuen's effort in our last update methinks...
• Thanks to former nurse Eileen Knibbs for providing three rather fantastic B&W photos depicting hospital life during her time there (1947-1951). I've actually managed to turn that into four photos by taking a long-desired close-up of the old CRCMH crest from one of them. Which has of course long since disappeared - which is almost fortunate or else there'd be no Hole in the Roof™. Anyway, aside from the external "hospital in summer" shot, there's a picture of cadet nurses and another of Christmas in the Children's Unit. Check them out on the all new Historic Photographs page. Cue explanation...
• Yes, the Miscellaneous Photos page is no more. It occured to us that, rather than being anomolous, every image on it was in all actuality depicting a specific period in the life of the hospital. And with this current bunch of rather oxymoronic new old photos being added (and what looks like a treasure trove more to come if I get in the mail what I've been told I'm getting in the mail), it seemed more appropriate to change its name to Historic Photographs rather than keep Miscellaneous and have create a new page for old pictures in addition. If you get the drift. And related to it all, the pictures that were so recently added to the History page have now been replaced with a link to our new Historic Photographs page. Now even I'm confused...
• And the History page itself has seen a few more things added. Let me try and remember it all. Ah, that's right. You'll have to excuse me because a few of them are silly (here I am, tarnishing history with humour that nobody understands...again). There's a bit of info on the CRCMH wartime organist; An acknowledgement of the term "CRX"; An author that nobody has ever heard of; The names of a few important medical specialists; The date of a CRCMH exhibition held in 2000 by the Maidenhead Heritage Centre (damn, missed that one). I think that's about it - but you never know.
• Jeanne has also pointed out that the standing lady without the hat in the Royal Visit photograph is in fact Nancy Astor - who it turns out was a Christian Scientist (which, given all she did for the hospital, strikes me as being rather strange). And if that isn't enough, so was Joyce Grenfell - who was not only Lady Astor's niece - but (allegedly) in awe of her tiny Aunt. We didn't know any of these things previously here at The Shrine (a bit slow, us), but at least it explains why Joyce Grenfell was a hospital regular. But that's just about all it does explain...
• Realistic translations of Bersorungslager/Versorungslager added to the Virtual Tour (part 10) and the Wire Jesus Collection photo page.
• Webmaster Owen (aka Mr Lucas Bones of Pwürg) and the most lovely Zoobie are preparing for the grand hatching ceremony of their debut sproglet any day now. And as long as it doesn't have black wings and red eyes they'll be fine. Though thankfully, they're not going to try and use the CRCMH maternity department for the delivery. I hope (but it would have crossed his mind, believe me). My thoughts are with them both anyway, and I trust that I can convey a similar message on behalf of yourselves - seeing as Owen's contribution to this site has been priceless thus far. But we'll allow him a little rest now if he wants one, what say you?
• There's probably other things but my brain isn't in a state to remember them. More, indeed much more, will be on its way soon though - you can count on that.
• And then finally I'll leave you with this:

Even our E-Mail account isn't immune to lovely Spam™ or so it seems. But these are probably the best two we've had for a while (if you discount the company that wanted to post us fresh beef from America). With the first one - if they were offering, I'd take it - but not without checking their interest rates first. And the second one? Well, I know that the hospital can be exciting, but...

UPDATE: Friday 5th July 2002

• The Shrine scored its 2000th genuine hit yesterday - so thank you all for stopping by and for keeping tabs on the site. The fun will continue...
• Eleven year-old Elspeth McNgyuen of Lincolnshire has sent us this lovely badge for the ongoing "Save Our Hospital" campaign, which we thought was simply a smashing gesture. She told us that her school teacher had seen the website and got the whole class making these things. We tracked him down - a Mr K.Willhelm - and he explained the project: "Well, what they really wanted to do was draw pictures of Ronaldo McDonald, complete with a semi-circle of red curly hair - kicking burgers into a net - which I didn't think was particularly imaginative. So, I gave them a generic ecological project instead, and I thought that'll teach them. But it all seems to have backfired, because now they're all asking to go to the disused asbestos factory down the road for our end of year excursion. And to top it all off, one of the kids placed a scale model he'd made of the factory in question on my desk this morning - constructed from actual asbestos scavenged from the factory. Our lawyers have been duly notified." So, whilst we're off to St.Morag's School with a large suitcase full of used banknotes, you can enjoy yourself (well, within reason - it's not going to be the greatest day of your life or anything) by clicking on the badge below and getting a proper-sized version to print out and wear with pride.