23rd February 2014 Barford Blow 21

Spent the morning painting the kitchen ceiling after preparation. By two o'clock I was stir crazy and I am not talking about the paint. It was a windy old day but should be OK for a spin out. Decided to head an hour into the wind which meant a trip to Barford and beyond.  Went out to Oakley Woods Creatorium and returned on a slightly different route.

No photos taken today, the two displayed were locations passed on the way but were taken on previous rides.

Joseph Arch

This is the house of Joseph Arch, an agricultural worker turned politician who formed the National Agricultural Workers Union in Leamington in 1872, one of the first trade unions set up in this country.
He later became a member of Parliament. Farm workers at the time had a poem that went :-
Joseph Arch, he stole a march
Upon a spotted cow.
He scampered off to Parliament,
But where is Joseph now?

Presumably because he spent more time as an MP than he did as a Union official.
He died in 1919, in the same house he was born in.

Joseph Arch Pub.

Just around the corner from his house is a pub named after him. I have been reliably informed that the lease has just changed hands and is well worth a visit.  The food is good, and reasonably priced. It is on my personal list of places to visit. Watch this space!

Dont be fooled by the blue sky in the above photo. It was cloudy and windy today, 25mph according to the BBC. Clocked up 21 miles, the last 10 at a fair old pace with the wind behind. Just worked out as well that today's mileage made 99 for the week; 1 short of the weekly target which has not been met so far this year. Grrrrrrrrr!