Fact and Fiction...

Some time ago on GWP3 I wrote the following vbcw related item-
"In the latter part of the 19th century there was a lot of emigration from Baden Württemberg to the U.K . Many of them were butchers and specialist makers of cold meats. They set up as Pork Butchers in a variety of locations such as Newcastle and Edinburgh. Surnames included Sneider,Ludwig Egner,Baumann and Gruber. They integrated well into English and Scottish Society whilst retaining a desire to socialise with their German relatives. They met up for picnics ,card games as well as at family weddings and ocassions.They remained a close knit community.
In Edinburgh such a community existed. In the unrest of the late 1930’s the Community formed the “Fleischer Radfahrer Burgerwehr” or Butcher’s Cyclist Militia . The meat was often delivered by boys on bicycles so a bicycle mounted force seemed obvious to those who founded the unit. Although mainly raised for the defence of family ,homes and business premises the F.R.B were available for service further afield when required..."

I later developed the unit for my creation The League of St Andrew where they were a cycle mounted unit .The other day Panzerkaput (aka Pete Barfield) that talented artist of the Panzerkaput blog created an illustration of a member of the unit-

He is a splendid creation and I am delighted by Pete's fantastic work. I thought it would be fun to post a photo( which recently came to light when sorting through my mother's things) of my family outside the shop in Edinburgh in the 1930's -

Note apron clad boys and window filled with red ,white and black puddings! Thanks again Pete I am chuffed to bits with your painting!