I can’t fail to notice as I flit from one board to another that on englisory’s member list, of the 35 listed members on page 1, 23 are ex Beeb refugees… and that’s on a Saturday morning… does that mean everyone’s overspent on Christmas, strapped for cash and stayed in last night, or, we’re still happy playing with a new toy, or we’re really sad cases. Just an observation.

Or just that we can't stop imposing our ideas on any captive audience we can find?

mmmm, thats one observation I failed to observe.

yet another observation on the englistory members list

Registered users 146

Not ever active 62

Total 84

Not active since 2010 19

Total active members 65

Some interesting discussions there at the moment. Why not join in and increase the active number so?

It's not easy starting up a forum unless, like you guys, you have a ready-made group all willing to contribute?

The popular change to Facebook took some of our memberlist, others were limited or barred (but not deleted) for various reasons, some are wary of being new, some concerned that it might be too scholarly at times and and others just simply do not post.

Many sites have an active membership of only 10-30% of the membership, it depends what the theme is.

JH has steadily built up the membership from linking to various sources as well as previous incarnations of his site, I joined a previous one and followed on.

For my part, I find his site to be great and unique- friendly, intelligent, nicely-laid out and fun, as well as correctly moderated, in my view...unlike the erratic and racist-riddled Historum or the overly-worried-about-comments-BBC, for example.

Cheers, Norman, not taken as a criticism in anyway!

I didn't intend it to sound like a defence, merely explaining (via JH's own words) the hard slog it has been for him from a happy hardcore of about eight through a few version of his site, to what it is now, thanks largely in recent weeks to you guys!

A blessing in disguise indeed Normanband, and more hats should also be off for Triceratops and Johnny. Who also stepped forward and provided safe havens for the needy Beebies.

indeed they did... so thats one 'hip' each... hip hip hip...

Thanks ID and Norman,

It seems a long time ago,that sudden announcement by the BBC that they were closing the history boards and the scramble to find somewhere else. A big thanks is due to Paul for pointing out Historum and Hereword for giving us the photo section.

RH will probably get a lot of new members when Englistory goes,it'll be a full time job for you Nordmann.Excellent site you have started.

Trike.

What you just said, Normanhurst, formerly Bandick - btw. any particular reason for the change of name?

If it's already been posted sorry for me being igonarant (sp?)

Trike, following many people bending his ears about the closure, Johnny is allowing the site to remain open for members to post on.

There apparently will, from what he says, be gradual changes to the moderation team and he will be posting rarely for a while?

Btw, I wasn't being rude about leaving the Historum Ex-Beeb group, but I've had it with that site- an ignorant bunch of gits who seem to condone nasty arrogance and/or racism (the moderators too!), then attack those (ie. moi) who dare to speak out against it. So I was loathe to log in much since.

Englistory is my own home as it's friendly and intelligent where people inter-act, as with this site.

Hereword Awake wrote:

Btw, I wasn't being rude about leaving the Historum Ex-Beeb group, but I've had it with that site- an ignorant bunch of gits who seem to condone nasty arrogance and/or racism (the moderators too!), then attack those (ie. moi) who dare to speak out against it. So I was loathe to log in much since.

No worries Hereword, and you're welcome back on Exbeeb whenever you wish.

Trike.

Thanks, Triceratops, and I might well do so in time, yet I'd steer clear of the ugly main boards and the offensive style of moderating there on the big board.

If Johnny is allowing members to post, does that mean he's not accepting new members. I never got round to registering for Englistory and then heard it was ending. But perhaps there are to be no new members, do you know?

Johnny has decided not to close Englistory Caro, rather he will step back and allow the moderators to take over most of the work for a bit. Something which we were all much relieved to hear as it is a very good site also, so you will have no trouble if you wish to join.

As Islanddawn said, everything is open and running!

Anyone that watches time team… more especially ‘Phil’. Now here’s bloke that fascinates me as for all the scratching around on his hands and knees, and up to his armpits reaching into inaccessible holes… when there’s a close up of an artefact recently unearthed from his ‘hole/trench’… the camera pans in from a wide angle to a close up, and we are to assume it’s his hands holding said object… now maybe I’m digging in the wrong kind of dirt down yer in the forest but I get me hands filthy, dirt under me fingernails just re-potting me hanging baskets… no way are my nails manicured… but the hands supposedly of Phil are long of nail and clean… now it’s either a con… from using an actor’s hands… or he’s not the hard working grafter he’s portrayed as…

just an observation, anyone care to comment.

Phil's serious digging days are long gone Norm. As excavation supervisor or co site director, whatever his title, he'll be swanning about telling the poor benighted minions what to do and cracking the whip except for when the film director needs him or something really exciting turns up. Then he'll elbow aside some perfectly capable digger and do the last little bit while the cameraman goes for the money shot. The diggers do the work, the directors get the glory, just like life really.

Thank you ferval ma’am… my thoughts exactly… the times I’ve raised this issue with people on another forum who seem to think Phil’s wonderful… that’s not the issue nor in dispute… it’s just that no digger is going to have hands like his… it just irks me that what I’d long suspected is the case… I draw much comfort from the voice of experience.

One more thing… is it compulsory for the often pretty young female diggers to wear such skimpy tops and the cameramen taking full advantage of low-cut and near strapless little numbers when the blokes are wearing shirts and giving it all with the builders bum. I find it dreadfully distracting…

I've seen Phil's fingers in a right disgusting state in close-up. But then, I might be remembering some of the early programmes!

that musta been before he got the extra feather in his cap.

Or else they used a paricularly filthy body double.

I forgive Time Team a lot of the conceits they employ (even the 3 day thingy). It can still make for an interesting programme. If it goes off the air, which is now looking very likely, I will miss it.

And now I am going to test the bad language filter I set up:

f**k the begrudgers!

It worked !!!!!!!! yipppeeeee !!!!!!!!!!! (oh, I am so clever, me).

mmm havnt seen any bad language here abouts yet

so what happens now... is there no end to the mans talents... free drinks awaiting you in the bar

i think the three day rule in time team is a bit of a bummer... and i will miss it too... they've shot themselves in the foot. there is nothing else like it, and it must have brought a lot of people to question what was here before. if it goes... i hope there will be something to replace it other than another cookery prog, or so called talent show...

THAT is not funny... well actually it is... but i'm not letting you know that

Ok - I'll stop now ...

Thanks for letting me test the reverse gear.

Reckon Cass can join now ....

Eh, what bad language Oh Esteemed Leader?

Coincidentally I'm just watching some Time Team episodes (season 18) and noticed Phil's hands mainly because his nails are long! Personally don't like long nails on a man, but in some episodes his hands are grubby and in others not. Though his role does seem more supervisory now than in earlier episodes, but I'm sure he has served enough years on a shovel and deserves to rest a bit whilst the young 'uns put in the hard work.

Behave!!!!

i should watch him ID... he can do wonder with that finger

Fingers retired for the night

Anyone want to take over running this site? At least until tomorrow?

I did NOT use the F word!! Nordmann, soap and water for that finger please!

Yes ok, I apologise (really)

But it's just I can't wait till Cass signs on, then it will come into its own, this new weapon of mine ...

Is he really coming or are you just winding Norman up?

You know me - I don't do wind-ups.

Fancy being admin for a night?

Sorry can't, husband wants to use the PC in a bit. Sometimes it is no fun having to share.

So Cass has requested entry then?

Not that I'm aware of. I'm just getting ready ...

You have a PC husband?

Scunthorpe

Si mi mei noncognoscunt, propheta in patria sua honorem non habet...

...if you'll pardon the Anglo-Saxon in a Brit's (bad) Latin account of how he became Irish (and verse visa).

So with nothing better to do down yer in the forest, after opening up for some fresh air I stayed awhile to bask in the sun and to observe a spider spinning its web on a bush by my door. Industrious little buggers aren’t they… up and down it went and round and round… then it struck me, it was going anticlockwise… but of course if I were to stand on the other side, it would be spinning in a clockwork direction… but that would depend also on what side the spider stood. Is there any evidence to suggest there are left handed and right handed spiders… or is it dependent upon what hemisphere it is… as is alleged to happen to the bath water going down the plughole. (but dosent) just a thought?

I watched a program on the free view TV channel ‘yesterday’ the other night presented by Karl Ude-Martinez, in which the emphasis was on Danish battle axes, Saxon shields and Norman lances... they had a specialist ‘smith’ forge a replica battle axe, and a demonstration of how it was used, and the damage it was likely to inflict... last night I watched a program about ‘How it’s made’ and watched how the ‘cork’ farmers stripped the bark from the trees using axes. I couldn’t help notice the two axes bore a striking resemblance to each other... can anyone add to that?