Tag Archives: fen

Mr South and His Warm Bucket

Well dear readers I have some exciting news for you : Mr South’s fourth book about Grunty Fen has been published!

WHERE TO FIND A WARM BUCKET

And other
TALL TALES of a LOW PLACE

This book is the fourth of Mr South’s series of investigations into the world of Grunty Fen. Described by the author as “…non-existent tourist trails around imaginary locations…variable geography, questionable history and unreliable truth…” 

Discover an English region you never knew existed yet it is right on your doorstep. Up that boggy lane, behind those thorny bushes, over that stagnant ditch.

Let Christopher South lead you on a strange East Anglian journey to meet outcasts who can neuter wrens in flight and crafters who whittle whisks and whistles. But don’t go near the radioactive cosmetics and plague laboratories.

And don’t forget your bucket.

About 90 glorious pages plus an introduction and a free index.

The WARM BUCKET will be available very shortly. The people at McCaw Press (they now look after all the Grunty Fen books) tell me the books will be ready by Tuesday 10th December so that Father Christmas can have some if he wishes.

mccawmedia.co.uk  for McCaw Press
dennisofgruntyfen.co.uk to order books

Yours sincerely

Miss Edwards
Grunty Fen General Store and Post Office

The Rhubarb re-enactment

Dennis recently reminded me of the wondrous occasion when I and he were children the people of Grunty Fen and surrounding villages held a re-enactment of the terrible day in the 16th century when the the Revenue men of Cambridge came to the fens. But I’ll let Dennis describe this himself with words “out of his head”.

A Ren'actment eh? We 'ad one of them in Grunty Fen once. We Ren'acted the occasion from the olden days when the revenue came from Cambridge to the Fen to discuss with the roobab men how much tax they owed. Yer see, back then rhubarb grew in the wild and was basically free food to yer average fenman. But some folks took to making roobab wine, then they distilled it an' sold it as rooshine. which upset the Revenue them not getting any share so they work pretty hard to discuss it with the roobab men. The roobab men  discussed it just as hard back agin. Eventch'lly as ya know the rhubarb died out and the revenue lost int'rest. 
In the ren'acment the roobab men was armed with sticks of roobab (jus' like the real event) an' the revenue rattled chains as they try to catch the roobabs to arrest 'em. Still remember the chant of "rhubarb, rhubarb" from the roobab mob.

So there you have it. It was a rather unruly mob stumbling around, as I recall, waving lengths of rhubarb. As you would expect some ended up in custody.

Yours sincerely
Miss Edwards
Grunty Fen General Stores and Post Office


Grunty Fen Rides Again

Exciting News dear reader for those with a wireless set: we had thought that Grunty Fen was forever banished from the airwaves but that is not the case – at least for this Christmas! Grunty Fen has popped up in the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire schedules.

“Never miss it”, says Derek Soil of Grunty Fen.

The Grunty Fen story is the result of a long investigation by that splendid young man John Devine. In it he interrogates Mr South about Dennis but also interviews Liz Sayers about Pete Sayers and his role in the creation of Dennis and his other career. For example, did you know that Pete presented music shows on both American and British television? Various fans and friends of Grunty Fen also appear in the Radio Cambridgeshire documentary and, I believe, some old episodes of Dennis will be “aired”.

All that is a lot to squeeze into one programme so it will be split over two days. The first half will be broadcast on 27th December at 12 noon. The second half will be broadcast on the following day (that’s the 28th December) also at 12 noon.

If you will be too busy to listen due to meat or vegetable duties you can listen at your convenience using the BBC Sounds application.

Please do listen and if you like what you hear please remember to thank Radio Cambridgeshire very loudly.

Thank you.
Miss Edwards
Grunty Fen General Stores and Post Office