George Tripwell
Track of the Day
You may or may not have been wondering what happened to young Annie Humpass. When we last caught up with her it was 1939 and she was on a train with a tiny infant clutched to her breast and was heading North, away from both Upper and Lower Placket.
George found Annie a room at the 'The Empty Bottle', a Temperance Hotel famed for the stunning darkness of its wartime blackout curtains, its stunningly potent, thick dark tea and the stunning length of the notice over the reception desk that read,
"The consumption of alcoholic beverages is forbidden anywhere on these premises. God Willing."
The notice proved confusing for travellers who regularly asked to speak to Mr Willing, in the mistaken belief that he was the manager. The Empty Bottle Temperance Hotel was, in fact, owned by a kindly but inappropriately named Miss E. Brew who took Annie under her wing and offered her a job first thing the next morning. Annie accepted and spent the rest of her life known as "that Widow Humpass at the Ebrew place over in Hagg's Bottom."
Mindful of her mother's parting words to her, "Always remember to be thankful for small mercies Annie," she arranged for her daughter to be christened Mercy Annie Humpass. George Tripwell, who was destined for greater things, visited Annie regularly and soon became a father in all but name to little Mercy.
In 1953 the Korean War ended, Joseph Stalin died, Harry S. Truman announced that America had developed a Hydrogen Bomb, a second Elizabeth became Queen of England, Mount Everest was climbed for the first time and George Tripwell made the long trip to Nether Placket to ask Widow Bracegirdle if she would mind him asking for her daughter's hand in marriage.
As he left the carriage at Nether Placket Halt, his right foot slipped on the edge of the platform and he disappeared beneath the wheels of the train. The doors slammed, the guard blew his whistle, the train began to move and George Tripwell never got to ask for Annie's hand in marriage.
As usual this event did not go unnoticed at the local inn where many a man in his cups on a Saturday night was heard to declare, "That Humpass woman was the finest looking widder around here by a very long chalk, but there's a curse on that family and always has been. If you ask me, George Tripwell was lucky he died single. Who knows what horrors might have happened to him if he hadn't gone under that train."
Chapter Two Humpass
Chapter Three A Curse On The Family
You may or may not have been wondering what happened to young Annie Humpass. When we last caught up with her it was 1939 and she was on a train with a tiny infant clutched to her breast and was heading North, away from both Upper and Lower Placket.Chapter Four - George Tripwell.
The train broke down at the poetically named village of Hagg's Bottom which in those days was somewhere just south of Manchester and has now sadly disappeared without trace. Annie carried her yet nameless daughter onto the platform of the little station and was immediately helped by George Tripwell, the most junior of junior porters but destined for greater things, or so his mother said.George found Annie a room at the 'The Empty Bottle', a Temperance Hotel famed for the stunning darkness of its wartime blackout curtains, its stunningly potent, thick dark tea and the stunning length of the notice over the reception desk that read,
"The consumption of alcoholic beverages is forbidden anywhere on these premises. God Willing."
The notice proved confusing for travellers who regularly asked to speak to Mr Willing, in the mistaken belief that he was the manager. The Empty Bottle Temperance Hotel was, in fact, owned by a kindly but inappropriately named Miss E. Brew who took Annie under her wing and offered her a job first thing the next morning. Annie accepted and spent the rest of her life known as "that Widow Humpass at the Ebrew place over in Hagg's Bottom."
Mindful of her mother's parting words to her, "Always remember to be thankful for small mercies Annie," she arranged for her daughter to be christened Mercy Annie Humpass. George Tripwell, who was destined for greater things, visited Annie regularly and soon became a father in all but name to little Mercy.
In 1953 the Korean War ended, Joseph Stalin died, Harry S. Truman announced that America had developed a Hydrogen Bomb, a second Elizabeth became Queen of England, Mount Everest was climbed for the first time and George Tripwell made the long trip to Nether Placket to ask Widow Bracegirdle if she would mind him asking for her daughter's hand in marriage.
As he left the carriage at Nether Placket Halt, his right foot slipped on the edge of the platform and he disappeared beneath the wheels of the train. The doors slammed, the guard blew his whistle, the train began to move and George Tripwell never got to ask for Annie's hand in marriage.
As usual this event did not go unnoticed at the local inn where many a man in his cups on a Saturday night was heard to declare, "That Humpass woman was the finest looking widder around here by a very long chalk, but there's a curse on that family and always has been. If you ask me, George Tripwell was lucky he died single. Who knows what horrors might have happened to him if he hadn't gone under that train."
Previous entries
Chapter One To Begin at the BeginningChapter Two Humpass
Chapter Three A Curse On The Family
Posted by Milt at 9:27:00 am
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