Road to Nowhere - Ginge and his new Tattoo Parlour

You may or may not have noticed that we have a new Tattoo parlour in the town. 'Road to Nowhere' opened it's doors on the 24th August and trade has been brisk in their first few weeks. I went to visit the manager, Ginge, to see how things are going, to find out a bit about his background and to ask: why Barton?

Ginge and his two Jack Russells pose for me outside 'Road to Nowhere'.

Ginge with Scruffy and Damian.

Ginge got his first Tattoo in 1969 at the age of 15, at the same time as joining the navy. It was a generic female tattoo on his right forearm, nothing too specific. He spent four years serving as a Radio Communications officer and visited the Med as well as the US, his favourite place on his travels being Mayport in Florida. It wasn't Disneyland that caught his imagination, he says, but the size of everything: the buildings, the landscape, the pizzas! While in the navy he added numerous other tattoos to his arms. 'Sailor-Jerry Tattoos' as he calls them. Norman 'Sailor-Jerry Collins was a famous tattoo artist of his day: see this Wikipedia article for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_Jerry

Apparently, this only hurts in certain places on certain people!

After leaving the navy Ginge did various odd jobs and bought up four children. It wasn't until approximately 25 years after leaving the navy that the urge to get more tattoos caught up with him and he really went for it this time: skulls, Indian heads, ladies, eyeballs. Skulls and eyeballs are a particular theme on his head, "so I can keep an eye on the people around me", says Ginge.

It was for the proliferation of tattoos on his head and arms, together with many piercings on his face that Ginge was asked to appear on the Tricia show in 1999. 'Freak or Unique' was the theme of the show and it gave Ginge the opportunity to show that although his appearance might have seemed 'menacing' or 'strange' to some, that he was just an ordinary guy with a cheeky sense of humour underneath. 

The Tuft, or the overgrown carpet tile, as Ginge affectionately calls it. Featured on 'The Salon', 2002!

Ginge's talent for tattoos was all self-taught. 'I just got some equipment and practiced on myself, on neighbours, on anyone who wanted a tattoo'. This snowballed in to a full-blown business operated from in his garage in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. 'The council said they didn't mind me operating from my garage as long as the neighbours didn't mind.. but it was mostly the neighbours who were my customers so there were no problems there!'

A few months of operating from his garage and Ginge moved into a regular parlour. He had two parlours in Hitchin and then one in Enfield, North London. 

Shelly, a trainee at the parlour, posing for the camera.

Ginge recently decided to relocate to Barton, so what I wanted to know was 'how do you go from North London to Barton? 

'Basically, I have a friend who lives in Winterton and he informed me of an empty shop and flat unit that was going in Barton. So i just decided to give it a go.'

It seems to have been a move that is paying off for Ginge and his staff. Trade is brisk and seemingly there is an endless supply of Bartonians who want tattoos. 'Everyone is very friendly here, it's unbelieveable that everyone knows who you are and what you're up to. There are more people getting large pieces of work here than in London', says Ginge. Proportionally, that must be!

Ginge, looking rather small behind his tall counter. My first thought was that Ginge was challenged in the height department, but no, the counter is specifically designed for the convenience of the customer. Quite right too!

So what of all the piercings? Ginge doesn't adorn his face anymore. He says it used to take him 45 minutes to get ready for bed at night, taking them all out. Otherwise he would keep on stabbing himself in the face! 

Reading the news...

It was lovely to meet Ginge and his staff (and the Jack Russells). It's great to see a new business in Barton doing well too so the best of luck to 'Road to Nowhere and thanks for being on the Blog.

See Road to Nowhere on Facebook: Search for RoadTo Nowhere and you should find them.

Who needs the Royal Albert Hall when the Proms are coming to you in Barton?!

That's right, Proms music is coming to you, courtesy of the fantastic Barton Town Band! The only 'Premiership' Band in Lincolnshire, this group of talented musicians are going to wow you with their renditions of 'Land of Hope and Glory', 'Dambusters', 'Rule Britannia' amongst many other favourites. 

I highly recommend you take in the show on Saturday 24th October, 7.30;m at St Mary's Church, Barton. Tickets are only £8. Why not bring your kids along? If they're under 16 they get in free!

Tickets will be available from Lindsey Relay, Ropewalk and The Link. For more info call Jon on 07976 276895.

See you there!

Poster design by dare to know (that's me)

51 Fleetgate Open Day

It is said that 51 Fleetgate is considered to be the oldest residential dwelling in North Lincolnshire, dating back to as early as 1325. Every so often open days are held here for the public to view the house and learn about the fascinating history it has preserved within its walls. Today I went along for the first time to see for myself. If you have missed the opening today, you can still visit tomorrow (Sunday 13th) between 10-4.

This large oak framed hall at the back of the building was an extension started around 1425. The room was thatched and open from floor to roof, the scale and quality of this room indicates that at the time of building there was a wealthy owner, the probability of that being a Merchant trading on the Humber is thought to be quite high. Where the table is in the middle of the room would once have been a wood fire, set in the middle of the floor. The smoke would find its way through louvers in the thatch.

Downstairs in the Scullery

Which contains many fascinating objects for food preparation and washing.

In the back garden, Annabel tries her hand at a traditional game.

In the front room, bottles of various liquids.

This is a delightful little place and if this blog entry has whetted your appetite for a visit to no. 51 then I suggest you act on that impulse and take in a visit. It really is a lovely way to spend an hour or so. Not only are there many historical artifacts to see and learn about, but you can take tea in the garden and try your hand at various traditional games, none of which I might add are very easy!

Aside from tomorrow, the next Open Day is on the 28th of November (10am-8pm) and that will be in conjunction with the Barton Christmas Fair. Apparently, there will be servings of mulled wine and Mince Pies as well as the house being adorned with traditional Victorian Decorations. Sounds good to me!

For more info visit: www.bartoncivicsociety.co.uk or www.inbarton.co.uk

Friends of the Barton Line - unveiling of the refurbished running-in boards at Thornton Abbey train station

Thornton Abbey and the Two Olde Worlde Signs

by Stephen Gay

Near the Humber Bank in a quiet North Lincolnshire location

Sixteen miles from Cleethorpes stands a lonely and isolated station

The grand titled Thornton Abbey is its name

And I've just arrived on a Barton-on-Humber bound train

Amongst twisting roads and footpaths this is a rural peaceful place

Where years ago nearby monks said prayers and their grace

The magnificent gatehouse of the abbey is across the causeway

Access is only a short walk through the fields from the railway

With seven miles to go the service is ready to leave me alone

I am now a solitary looking figure soon ready to roam

On the move again full of rhythm and beat

Faces through windows passengers at their seat

Complete with views of the Humber Bridge the train rolls on

Across low lying meadows it disappears away going going gone

On walking down the platform while looking down the lines

I couldn't help but notice two splendid looking signs

Recently refurbished cried a man out down the lane

Who is approaching the station - will he be catching the next train

Impressive and splendid replicas I later did find out

Preserving our local heritage that's what it's all about

So in future when you travel across the Lincolnshire lines

When passing Thornton Abbey look for the two olde worlde signs

................................................................................................

On a beautifully sunny day yesterday, two new signs were unveiled at Thornton Abbey railway station. The lettering on the signs, formally known as running-in boards, have been carefully restored from the original signs (rare survivors from the London and North Eastern Railway which ran between 1923 and 1948). Previously falling to pieces and in danger of being lost forever local firm Castaway have done a magnificent job in putting the boards back to their best.

The Friends of the Barton Line (a local group of volunteers who strive to raise the profile and press for improvements of the Barton-Cleethorpes line) and The South Humber Collection (a major award-winning Heritage Tourism initiative) have been instrumental in saving the boards. Anthony Berridge, Secretary of the Friends of the Barton Line, said "The boards greet people when they first step off the train to visit the Abbey and add a wonderful sense of timelessness to this historic area."

Councillor Keith Vickers and Anthony Berridge get ready to unveil the first board, on the side that runs towards Barton.

The station was opened in 1848 and once consisted of substantial buildings, a goods siding and two signal boxes. It's hard to imagine such a scene as the station is now so quiet, but these refurbished signs act as a reminder of what was once. Curiously, in Victorian days the platforms were built much longer than those of the other stations along the line. It is thought that this was to accommodate the many thousands of people who came from all over the north of England to great Temperance rallies at Thornton Abbey in the 1850s.

Media interest was strong with newspapers and TV crews in attendance. Here a Camera Man from ITV asks the crowd to clap for cutaways. 

The train timely pulls in to take some revellers away and so that the people with cameras could get their footage of an actual train.

Anthony and John Wade from Castaway get ready to unveil the second board.

Simple, elegant and best of all, restored from the original sign.

These extra long platforms were in good use during World War II, when the station was used by USAF servicemen at the nearby Goxhill airfield. Locals like to think that Clark Gable could have used the station during his wartime service with the USAF in Lincolnshire.

Amy, taking a rest by the newly unveiled sign.

After all the media frenzy, Anthony had a moment for some light reading

How fantastic that these running-in boards have been saved. They have reminded me that I should use the train service more as it is so good for the local area and for our history.

For more information about The Friends of the Barton Line visit: www.bartonrail.org.uk