Details about Gwyneth Dunwoody's memorial service were released last week but I didn't feel that it was entirely appropriate to publish it on the blog amid the frenzied by-election campaign. In many ways the whole election thing should have waited, but that's another story. The snap shows Gwyneth and Maurice Jones opening the Eagle Bridge centre back in January, one of the occasions I was lucky en
For an explanation about what Market Action Index (MAI) is and who publishes it click to this earlier post. These charts that I prepared for zip code 30028 and 30050cover the area we know as “Dunwoody” and “Sandy Springs”. With the incorporation of Sandy Springs into a city the border of which does bleed into 30027 [...]
Born in Columbus, Georgia, dentist extraordinaire, Dr. Aldous Wilson spent most of his adolescent years in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He is the son of Dr. Thomas Wilson and Marilyn Wilson. He has two siblings, Dr. Natasha Wilson, a chiropractor and Byron Wilson, a graduate of Morris Brown College.
Dr. Aldous Wilson graduated from Orangeburg-Wilkinson [...]
The Crewe ad Nantwich result ahs just been announced:
Tamsin Dunwoody, Labour 12679.
Elisabeth Shenton, Liberal Democrat 6040.
Edward Timpson, Conservative, 20539.
Mike Nattress, UKIP 922.
Greens, 359.
Several smaller parties not included.
Rejected Ballot Papers: 67.
Simon Dickson alerts me to some yawnsome Sky News liveblogging activity regarding the Crew + Nantwich by-election, which reminds me of a viral video featuring the not-quite-Gwyneth candidate - Tamsin Dunwoody.4,600 views is quite a lot for a UK-sourced political viral and it's a good one, 'cos she sounds like a nulabour robot.There's no video response from Labour. Opportunity? Lost.The local CLP h
Time to slow down today. The funeral of former Crewe and Nantwich MP Gwyneth Dunwoody takes place at St Margaret's Church, in Westminster Abbey, today (Thursday, May 8) at 12 noon. No more political postings today, and you'd hope that all parties have put their campaigns on hold until Friday. A service will also be held locally at St Mary's (below) in Nantwich. Date and time to be announced...
Just yesterday I bumped into Edward Timpson (Conservative candidate for Crewe and Nantwich) at the Alex. He's been a few times this season and it's obviously good profile for him. We agreed that we shouldn't really be covering the forthcoming by-election on the blog until after the funeral of Gwyneth Dunwoody (next Thursday, 8th May). However, the Labour party yesterday issued a new release detailing who their own candidate will be - none other than Tamsin Dunwoody! They have to prepare properly for the by-election so it's no surprise that the announcement has been made early. Still, with personal issues to attend to, it won't be an easy week for the Dunwoody family..Apparently, because of the national interest likely to be generated by the first by-election after recent local voting, Crew
Another email that probably shouldn't have been copied in to t'blog, but a circular amongst local councillors has been asking what, if anything, should be done as a lasting tribute to the late Gwyneth Dunwoody. After all, she fought the town/borough's corner for 34 years. Is naming a road sufficient, or should something else take her name? A few suggestions have been put forward by various councillors but I thought it would be good to see what we could all come up with. Ideas?.The photo shows Gwyneth enjoys a joke with mayor Maurice Jones back in January when the Eagle Bridge Health & Well Being Centre was officially opened...
Who says that people power and the blog can't get things done? Last Saturday blog regular the Railwayman was livid when he found that the council offices were not open for local residents to sign the Book of Condolence in memory of Gwyneth Dunwoody. The same day Cllr Terry Beard read (and responded to) the post and it looks as though he and others have been listened to. This was released by CNBC on Monday...."Please note that the Book of Condolence, in memory of the Honourable Gwyneth Dunwoody MP, for signature by residents of and visitors to the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich will be open this Saturday, 26th April, in the entrance to the Lyceum Theatre from 10.00am to 6.00pm. On Monday to Friday, the Books are available at the Municipal Buildings in Crewe and the Civic Hall in Nantwich fro
Sad news: Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody has died at the age of 77.She supported the rights of backbenchers and chaired the transport select committee.I've read Tony Benn's diaries, and Dunwoody comes across as independent and courageous.May she rest in peace.
What started as a "get well soon" kinda post must now, sadly, become a tribute. Gwyneth Dunwoody died on Thursday evening after being ill for nearly a week. Whatever you think of the former Crewe & Nantwich MP I'm sure you'll join the blog in wishing her family every sympathy. Made MP for this area back in 1974, she also served as chairperson on the transport select committee. There were many fall-outs with fellow MPs over the years but everyone respected her. A determined Labour figurehead, on the three or four occasions that I have met and chatted with her she was always passionate about her desire to improve our borough. Whatever your political views spare a thought for a lady who has been part of the C&N fabric for longer than most can remember...
This has come as a bit of a shock. The BBC has just announced that she has died. Gwyneth Dunwoody was a great campaigner, a very good chairman of the Transport Select Committee, and a doughty fighter for backbenchers' rights. Nobody coming before her committee, such as Network Rail bosses, would get very far by trying to pull the wool over her eyes. I doubt if she knew how to spin. Very forthright and very acceptable as a member of Parliament.She will be missed.
The Crewe & Nantwich MP Gwyneth Dunwoody has always been outspoken and has regularly defended and acted for her constituents. Recent months have seen the future of Crewe, Nantwich and Cheshire as a whole thrown into the melting pot. The borough's MP opted to back the single unitary option. As we now know, Cheshire will be split into two.The Minister for Local Government (John Healey) recorded the following in Hansard, the ongoing document of what is said in parliament: "It is now for all the councils in Cheshire—their members and employees—to work constructively and imaginatively together to deliver two new unitary councils that will achieve their full potential for local residents. Local people will rightly expect nothing less than their successful delivery." Hopefully, all local politicians and councillors WILL get on with things and plan for the best possible future for C&N residents. There's plenty to be sorted out. How Gwyneth Dunwoody will slot in remains unclear, a
Interesting comments on the Conservative website (here) about the new candidate who intends to take on the might of longstanding Crewe and Nantwich Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody at the next elections (whenever Gordon Brown dares to dip his foot in the voting water). The new lad on the block (and let's face it, anyone contesting the Crewe seat will be a newbie compared to the Labour stalwart) is Edward Timpson (from the shoe family). Bright, young and full of ideas - but I'm sure there have been similar challengers to GD before! The big question, has Timpson got what it takes to win over the borough's voters? If he does, he'll have to overturn a a Labour majority of 7,494 (16.8%) which won't be easy. Of course, the C&NBC is now led by local Conservative Brian Silvester who also features on the website (here) talking about the soon-to-be announced decision on Cheshire Council's future, unitary or otherwise. He's currently at odds with the local Labour MP who supports a single uni
At last, you're all defeated. Well, until a last-minute (anonymous) guess came in today. The photo quiz from Friday night/Saturday morning showed a bit of industrial stuff, railway lines, warehouses etc. It was a tricky angle and could have been from anywhere around Crewe. Cheers to Maggie for the photos, taken from the new apartments off Dunwoody Way. If you look out to the left you can wave to the traffic on Flag Lane (BTW, the Flag Lane bridge was 84 years old on 7th November having been officially opened by the Mayor of Crewe in 1923). Spin round to the right a bit and you'll see the factory roof off Bridle Road and then the houses and businesses off Wistaston Road and Stewart Street. Keep moving to the right and you'll see more of the railway lines and a few sheds as you head over to the Hughes Drive area near the park...
The grand old lady of local politics... well, based in Westminster! Gwyneth Dunwoody, the Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich, is the most senior female member of Parliament. She has just be selected to once again represent our borough at the next elections. And to be fair to her, despite spending a lot of time in London, she is out and about in Crewe quite often. Believe it or not, she has represented the area since 1974! Most recently she even commented on the Polish road sign issue, but as Chair of the Transport Select Committee you'd expect her to be vocal on such topics. I keep saying that I'll get along to one of her local surgeries on Nantwich Road but invariably have family stuff going on when they crop up. That and the fact that I haven't got any burning issue I'd like to discuss with he. There was one last Saturday (the next one is scheduled for Saturday 17th May, so maybe I'll nip in before the Alex home game vs Bristol City). There's plenty of extra info about our local
This one's really starting to provoke debate. Which is good. But some folk aren't happy that road signs in polish have appeared on the roads leading out of Crewe. In the office we're split down the middle. It's good in that it might prevent accidents, but bad that an exception seems to have been made for the Polish drivers. Moreover, if these drivers are more potentially "dangerous" than other nationalities that manage to travel on UK roads then surely they should be taking additional driving tests? The money issue also bothers some. How much of CNBC funding will find its way into such initiatives? The Crewe and Nantwich MP has backed the decision to erect the road signs. One comment in my office was that "perhaps she is losing touch, maybe she's too old." Indeed, the grand old lady of local politics is getting on a bit, but does this mean she is out of touch with what locals believe is right? Her involvement on the Commons Transport Select Committee has perhaps played a part in h
