8. ISSUE # 4 - JACOB HAS A BIRTHDAY

Although this issue has not the slightest mention of it, the idea of The Grain Festival must have already been floating around, because my chronometric records of the time state thus for Wednesday 5th August 1987; "Paid visit to Highland Farm site. Perfect." That, of course, is a tale yet to come. The first 'official' Grain event of August was Jacob's Birthday Outing To Stratfield Saye. I'll let him tell it all in his own words;

Jacob enjoying his birthday, just about to order the cream teas, yummy!

JACOB'S BIRTHDAY (CELEBRATION) REPORT)

Once every year, just like everyone else I have ever met, I have a birthday. This year I celebrated it by going to Stratfield Saye, and having a cream tea. Last year I was in Winchfield, and I went looking for poachers, but that's another story. Myself, and all my friends who do not have daytime jobs (except Sarah and Countess Elaine), got together in cars, and went over there. It was a dull day, the smell of rain in everyone's nostrils as they scampered into the barn. At 3 o'clock precisely, we started our teas, and three minutes later I lost track of time, conversations and the world in general. The tea party became a competition to see who could eat all their jam, scones, cream, tea and more cream. Some time later we all felt sick, and the Duke himself had to eat Benedik's last scone. After everyone had sung "Happy Birthday" to Jacob, we all ran outside, where it was raining, and we got wetter and wetter. When we had finished getting wet and running about, we set off for home. That evening The Charles had fun and improvised, but we had forgotten how to play "Happy Birthday", but then we forgot just about everything else as well. Finally I was given my birthday present by someone very dear to me, that's yet another story....

Jacob - from The Grain no. 5, published September 1987

Now, exactly what the staff and visitors at a stately home would have made of us lot is truly anybody's guess, I seem to recall a number of 'looks' from both categories, but we had a lot of fun, and that's really what it was all about.  Incidentally, while I remember, a couple of old friends wanted to say hello.........

Enjoying a gentle stroll through the grounds of Stratfield Saye in the rain. Well, our only alternative would have been  to add  to the coffers of the landed gentry so we could go inside and wander round their house trying to work out how many people have to go hungry for them to live like that...

The traditional slightly silly group picture, not of everybody, just of those that were willing to be in the traditional slightly silly group picture. Like me.

A report from Adrian Creek's 'Pop Scene' feature in the local Aldershot News. Though he was rarely complimentary and we used to take the piss quite ferociously about all the errors, bless him for writing so much about us. And we "did lunch" once and he bought me a curry on his expenses...