A new payment processing system has been co founded by two brothers Patrick Collison and John Collison named STRIPE. Initially it is launched as a private beta version. As a payment system it is both developer and user friendly. The coding framework used in it is of Ruby, PHP and Python.

While using Stripe one does not need to have a merchant account as all that is handles by Stripe itself. Starting from storing cards, to subscriptions to direct payouts to your bank account, all such features are offered in it.

The organization stated that the motive behind the launch of this payment system is to make easier for businesses to enable tractions on their site, as mainly the concern related to such feature is the way the code is written not the how the finance is handled. So they came up with Stripe whose best feature is that it is easy to use and can be set up or integrated with your website in minutes.

Stripe’s APIs allow developers build their own payment forms, brand the experience and allows sites owners to stay on the site for the checkout experience – the last feature being the most discriminating factor for Stripe as many merchants don’t want users to have to visit an outside site to checkout as the chances of a drop out become higher in such a case.

In terms of security, credit cards go directly to Stripe’s secure environment, and never hit the developer servers. They only charge you for successful tractions and the best part is they do not take any fees for the set up, no monthly charges, no fees for card storage feature and also no other hidden cost. Isn’t that great!
Earnings are transferred to bank accounts on a 7 day rolling basis. Stripe’s processing costs are 2.9% plus $0.30 cents per successful charge, which is in line with PayPal. You don’t need a merchant account or gateway. Stripe handles everything, including storing cards, subscriptions, and direct payouts to your bank account. Stripe.js lets you build your own payment forms while still avoiding most PCI requirements.

Stripe also works with international payments, and customers can use any currency to pay. The amount will be converted to USD at prevailing exchange rates. At the moment, developers have to be based in the US to receive payments, but the start-up will be expanding internationally soon.
It should be interesting to see if Stripe can match up to its expectations.

Article written by Catherine Jones who writes for www.marinadelreytoyota.com

Friendly, fun, and festive seemed to be the ingredients for the whole weekend. Just add water? Well yes, for It ‘rained caps and clogs’ on and off for the duration – after all Ramsbottom is firmly placed in Lancashire, seated as it is in a beautiful valley surrounded by hills and, let’s face it, where there are hills there are usually to be found clouds, even so the atmosphere at the festival was far from damp and miserable.

It was hard to believe that this was the inaugural effort of the good, hard-working folk behind ‘Rammy’, and it is difficult to find fault, with a few exceptions – most notable the fate of the Ramsbottom Cricket Ground worms – the rain; the wellington-booted festival-goers and, quite probably, the excellent music brought what seemed like tens of thousands of them wriggling to the surface and an untimely end! My suggestion in the virtual suggestion box (aka Ramsbottom Festival’s Facebook page) is to transport them all to a ‘safe field’ for next year, it seems only fair, they work hard to aerate that wicket!

Scattered amongst the ever expanding puddles were a decent array of food and drink vendors, I suspect carefully selected for the high quality of their food – no greasy burger vans here – much of it local produce, though it seems one van had come all the way from Tibet, and the food tasted just as delicious as if they’d only travelled a couple of miles up the road! The beer tent, run and stocked by the aptly named Outstanding Brewery Co., was a welcome oasis for the thirsty traveller, a lot of whom had been deposited into the field almost straight out of the carriages of Thomas the Tank Engine; not many festivals can claim that as an option for arriving in style!

It was a good-atmosphered weekend, with families and people of all ages enjoying the music and indeed the ‘Silent Disco’ tent which, for us middle-aged lovers of silent discos, was a godsend. There were activities for little ones of all ages and even a creche where child-weary grown ups could leave their parent-weary offspring safely for a couple of hours while they went and danced like kids again!

Considering this event had no proven track record, the line up of musicians was impressive too and despite the rain lashing we all got, on and off, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. In my opinion Ramsbottom is now firmly on the festival map, so pack a brolly and a small suitcase worms because I, for one, will be back next year.

©Terence Smith

Bio: Terence Smith is a middle-aged, real ale loving ‘disco sceptic’ living in north Wales but with his roots and gene pool (on his father’s side) firmly rooted in Lancashire; Darwen to be precise.

Image courtesy of Andrew Allcock

08:00 – Myself and Tom are about to leave central Mcr to get the metro to Bury, then the Jamiemobile to Rammy and straight to the choccy cafe. The sky’s aren’t looking great…

09:38 – A frothy coffee and some bacon butties at the choc cafe. Top work choccy Paul.

10:00 – We’re off!

11:30 – Arrived at the brown cow, slightly wet but the sun has shone for the past ten minutes, time for a cold drink and some music.

12:57 – Down by the canal on the outskirts of Radcliffe. It’s wet.

13:29 – Arrived at the Masons arms, over halfway now.

15:29 – The legs are feeling it now. Heading into Salford

16:06 – Arrived at Potters in Salford, coffee and cakes on the go.

18:00 – All done, time for a ice cold pint and some music at the bay horse. Well done to all the walkers who took part!

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• Aged 22: Newly graduated, trying to live the yuppie dream in West Didsbury yet having to save up to afford one drink in our nearest bar.
Horticultural High Point: Living near ‘The Lime Tree’ restaurant on Burton Road?

• Aged 23: Perhaps he was beguiled by the potted herbs from Tesco, or the scrub at the back of our flat. The proverbial seed was sown.
Horticultural High Point: Growing 70 lettuce seedlings in a one bedroom flat with no outside space. And the lack of a greenhouse resulting in re-potting taking place on my part-written Master’s degree thesis.

• Aged 24: In a somewhat regressive move, he grows sunflowers (a la Blue Peter c. 1987) in the car park and fills the communal hall area with tomato plants.
Horticultural High Point: Attending the RHS Show Tatton, undeterred by being the only visitors without a garden / yard / balcony / windowsill / step.

• Aged 25: Prematurely outgrow the Didsbury cool (arguably a sign of things to come) and move to Sale. The modest back yard of a red brick terrace becomes a green oasis, filled with vegetables, Mediterranean hanging baskets and pots.
Horticultural High Point: Guests at summer barbeque party unable to linger outside and enjoy their burger due to issues of space created by the ‘Triffid Aesthetic’ (pictured). This is a hierarchy that remains enforced.

• Aged 26: Lured by hills, black pudding, and a posh restaurant we can’t afford to frequent, we move to Rammy. Within 3 months, he has landscaped the utterly uninspired back yard with reclaimed materials, a miniature greenhouse, extensive flower beds, an apple tree and the front garden acquires a fulsome vegetable patch.
Horticultural High Point: Receiving our first Christmas card from our next door neighbours addressed to ‘Tom and Barbara’.

• Aged 27: ‘Green fingers’ no longer addresses the extent of the obsession or the breathless zeal of his passion for gardening, which now draws approving smiles, bemused eyebrow raising and inspired monikers such as ‘the couple with the nice garden’ from local residents.
Horticultural High Point, nay, Zenith: Our ‘yarden’ (for its ambition has elevated it from mere yard) features – briefly – on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. Radio not doing full justice to his endeavours, a picture of our Yarden appears on the front page of the Woman’s Hour website.

• Aged 28: His wide-eyed wonder at all things horticultural becomes misty-eyed and wistful as the inevitable limitations of the yarden become clear. Guerilla gardening helps (though the results dashed by all dogs regarding the new foliage as a purpose-built piss receptacle). But, lo, just as Jack planted the magic beans, so do his aspirations result in, well, an actual bean stalk.
Horticultural High Point: Spotting a poster about the community vegetable growing group that is Incredible Edible Ramsbottom…

• Aged 29: So this brings us bang up to date where, as I write, he tends an inspiring and beguiling abandoned orchard in Greenmount with his Incredible Edible gang, while continuing to draw admiring glances from passers-by for our wonderful garden. It perhaps makes me more of a Margot than a Barbara that I enjoy, no, revel in this tacit endorsement of our plot.
My Horticultural High Point: Making runner bean pickle from our own crop? Eating a Cornetto after an afternoon’s graft in the orchard? Proudly regaling all who will listen of my other half’s incredible drive and passion for all things plant-related? Maybe I am Barbara after all.

www.incredible-edible-ramsbottom.co.uk
Follow the progress at the orchard on Twitter @HMount_Orchard
A glimpse of the yarden at: click here

Article written by Alex Mayer

Since moving to Rammy just over a year ago now I have become more, in tuned with nature should we say. I learned simple gardening from a young age. As my Mother developed arthritis I would de weed the borders in the garden. In my teens I found it tedious and dirty. However as I’ve aged I find gardening relaxing and quite spiritual on certain levels. There’s nothing better than digging into some mud with your gloved hands, and planting some seeds ready to grow into something.

This year I tried to grow some Butter-nut squash in my new Rammy garden. I didn’t buy the seeds, as a frugal gardener I dried them from a squash bought at the regular Saturday fruit & veg market in the Village. They seemed to be doing well until the end of September when we stopped getting regular sun. With the lack of predictable weather and the gardener’s no 1 enemy…the slug, my squash gave up and joined the compost.

Not deterred I wanted to make something we could eat. I turned to the River Cottage books my partner had bought the previous year. As proclaimed foodies we are always looking for new ways to create sustainable foods we can cook and bake with. It was at this time I decided to take a big leap into foraging.

Being a former city dweller I had always been fearful of picking anything wild. However every week Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall would talk about how much is growing around us for free and is wasted year in, year out.

Armed with a new way of thinking I was amazed at how much wild fruit is in abundance around Rammy. I live just near Tag Wood which is home to wild blueberries and thousands of blackberries. I’ve also seen the odd chestnut, though those are often nabbed by the squirrels. Other fruits I’ve spotted are apples. There are apple tress hidden all over the village. You just need to open your eyes and look. Whilst returning some books to the library one day I saw a huge tree behind the library covered in yellow coloured fruit. At first I thought they were apricots. I consulted my Ray Mears Wild Guide and found they were in fact plums. Upon further googling I now know they are actually wild french plums called mirabella plums. And quite rare in this country.

I urge anyone to have a go at finding wild foods and experimenting with them. I made a very sweet jam with the plums I picked. And with the blueberries/blackberries, they were used in jams and pies. I only added strawberries, which were bought from the market for a meagre £1 a punnet.

You may think that I have nothing else to forage for now that winter is here. Actually nature has something to offer all year round. Right now there are rose hips dotted all over the village. A left over fruit of the rose flower they can be made into a variety of items such as syrups, tea, jams etc and are an excellent source of vitamin C. Something greatly received by all in the winter.

I hope my first blog may have inspired you to venture out of your garden and into the wilds, however a word of warning. I would urge anyone who wants to start foraging for the first time to buy a good identification book so you know which is poisonous and which is edible.

I’d also say don’t loot the whole tree of fruit, take what you need and leave some for others. You can always come back if you need more. The beauty of foraging is that you can find usable resources anywhere. I most often find berries, fruits, hips etc hanging around unused in someone’s garden. I would always knock on the door and ask if I could take some first though. Sure you’ll get some weird looks but their loss is your edible gain.

Written By Carolynne Pearsall.

Until I saw it in the press, I had thought that the apparition of Will Young was a figment of the imagination of Lee White, owner of the mountain shop in Rammy, as he seemed to be the only person to have spotted him, claiming Will even made a ones errand trip to his shop to see other local celeb, Patrick the micropig.

The last (and first) time I saw Mr Young was in the Groucho club in London and I somehow couldn’t see him fitting in around here, even though it’s fantastic and we’ve had a wonderful first year here. Prompted by the news I was swapping celeb spotting stories in the gym. I meet lots of business and celebrity speakers in my line of work, that only seasoned conference attendees and people who have trouble getting to sleep at night would appreciate, and far from being able to claim that I’ve lent lady Ga Ga a lippy in the bogs in Morrisons, the most recent I could come up with is having a hug with Yoko Ono in the loos at the River Café in London a couple of weeks ago. The hug was her initiation, not mine, I’m not into stalking diminutive Japanese pensioners in toilets. But it did earn me massive brownie points when my publisher walked out of the cubicle to see me in her embrace.

Another highlight of my celeb encounters was many years ago at a pub in Tynemouth where Eric Bristow, (fat, repulsive, and profusely perspiring, darts player for those too young to know of him) accused me of being a lesbian because I didn’t want to ‘get off’ with him. He completely overstated the nature of our encounter as I didn’t even want to converse with him. Still makes my flesh creep now to think of it.

I’ve heard that another local myth is that Peter Kay lives just up the Rake from me in the old rectory, cant see it somehow, but if somebody knows better or has more Rammy celeb tales, let me know…

Article written by Elizabeth Clark
www.rapportunlimited.co.uk

I’ve just had the strangest Sunday morning experience I’ve had for a long time. It wasn’t altogether awful but it did freak me out somewhat. I have to say I didn’t want the experience, but was talked into it by a friend who for the past few days had been telling me she needs to discuss fish with me.

We finally got around to the fishy conversation. About 3 weeks ago I walked through Bolton town centre and saw people stood in a fish tank (with fish in). At the time it didn’t occur to me that it was anything other than a prank – maybe a charity stunt. This week while stopped at traffic lights I noticed a beauty salon advertising fish therapy. That sounds awful, and the thought of having the likes of a fish facial didn’t tempt me in. Yesterday though I walked through Bury and overheard an older couple stood in front of another salon. The wife was telling the husband that fish in tanks eat dead skin off your body, and it is a new ‘thing’. As soon as my friend phoned me later on, it all slotted into place! She was telling me about Appy Feet that has opened up in the Trafford Centre, where you go for a pedicure with a difference. My feet are fine, but she managed to talk me into not only accompanying her, but participating in the experience. We decided to go to the Bolton salon (Yoko in the Market Place, Bolton) as it was more convenient. I was collected and driven to Bolton to find out what it was all about.

A Garra Rufu Fish Therapy Experience is supposed to leave your feet very smooth, give you a feeling of wellbeing, stimulate the growth of new skin cells, and provide relief for skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. Basically, the fish eat the dead skin off your feet. We missed a trick really. With the amount of dry skin on my friend’s feet we could have charged the salon as the fish wouldn’t have needed feeding for weeks afterwards.

There are 2 sections in Yoko, and one of them is screened off so people can be private. It was explained to us that some people may have psoriasis that they don’t want others to see, and they are more comfortable (or not as self-conscious, as ‘comfortable’ may not be a good way to describe it) away from curious eyes. We don’t mind an audience and so were fine with the idea of rolling up our jeans and sitting with our feet in a fish tank in an open shop front with half the population of Bolton coming for a look. Before the treatment started we had to have our feet inspected. We were asked if we had had any verrucae recently, any athletes foot, or any deep cuts that wouldn’t heal. When they were satisfied that we wouldn’t poison the fish we could sit next to the fish tanks with our feet in a foot spa. This is just so they know we have had a wash in our own personal water before having a dip in the communal bits. Before long, it was time for the experience to begin.

We were advised to slowly put our feet into the tanks, but not look as we did it. The look on my friend’s face made me want to escape, and the fish started their meal straight away. They were like a school of piranhas attacking. It took me ages to put my feet in my tank, and then it was so awful I pulled them straight out again. It made me jump because I thought some of the fish might have ended up on the salon floor, and I had visions of me being charged for the fish I’d killed off. They stayed in the water though, but I did get told not to scream again as it frightened the fish (never mind potential customers). I slowly put my feet in again and this time kept them there. It is a really strange feeling that is very similar to having your feet in a jacuzzi. If you don’t think or look, it isn’t unpleasant. The fish don’t half get stuck in as soon as they see the flesh though, and to me the weirdest bit was when they went in between my toes. They don’t just do your feet – some of mine were experimenting further up my legs. We were advised that if we wanted them to concentrate on the bottom of our feet we should just put our soles in. That tickled far too much for me.

As it is a bit of a spectator experience we did drum up some more custom while we were there. The other people having a go all said that it was enjoyable. One man put his hand in his girlfriend’s fish tank and he wasn’t too keen though. We were assured that the fish don’t have teeth. It is something to do with enzymes on their saliva breaking down the skin so they can lick it off, but I haven’t looked into the biological details yet. Only one person has licked in between my toes before, but he didn’t chew any dead skin off while he was at it. When our time was up we could dry off, smother our feet in moisturiser, and go on our way. My feet are really smooth, and my friend’s are in a much better state than they were. She was very impressed with the outcome. I’m not sure I’d do it again, as I’m really soft (i.e. a coward) and don’t particularly need it, but I would recommend it for anyone with a lot of dry skin or a skin condition.

One thing to note though. Although the fish do seem to smooth your feet, just like a pedicure does, they don’t paint your nails at the same time. However, a day later my feet are exceptionally soft. If you are brave enough, go for it! There are salons in Bolton, Bury, Blackburn and Manchester.

Article by Judith Kelly

This month’s Ten Questions is with Granada Reports presenter Tony Morris, a resident and advocate of Ramsbottom.

1. How long have you lived in Ramsbottom and why do you like living here?

I’ve lived in Ramsbottom for 7 years. It’s a lovely little town, the people are so friendly and have made me feel very welcome…

2. What’s the most unusual job you’ve done?

The Most unusual job I’ve done is probably working in a paste factory. It was a summer job as a teenager.My task for a few weeks involved putting hot cooked chickens into carver boxes on a production line. It was terrible!

3. How did you become a journalist?

I briefly worked on a local newspaper, I then got a job on a BBC local radio trainee scheme, before moving into television.

4. What’s it like being recognised as ‘that man off the telly?’

Being recognised is something I’ve got used to, on the whole people say nice things. It’s nice to know that people enjoy Granada Reports.

5. What’s the most moving story you’ve covered while on Granada Tonight?

The most moving story was probably the tragic death of the 23 Chinese Cockle pickers who drowned of Morecambe bay. A very sad story. They’d come to Britain to try and make a little money and ended up losing their lives…

6. ……and the funniest?

The funniest story I think was when Comedian Peter Kay caused havoc in the studio one year that he was in Panto. He insisted on doing the Live interview in character and totally stole the show very funny.

7. The future of local news on ITV is up for debate at the moment – how important do you think it is for people like those living in Ramsbottom to have a local news service?

I think it’s vital Rammy and other areas of the North West have a local service. There’s still a feeling that National news concentrates on London and the south. Regional news provides an important service so people can keep right up to date with what’s happening on their doorstep.

8. Do you have any time for hobbies?

Hobbies, well I play tennis I also like Movies and travelling..

9. What would your perfect Sunday entail?

A nice long walk…..and a long leisurely Sunday lunch… Lamb or Chicken….

10. If you could change just one thing about Ramsbottom what would it be?

A little less rain would be nice, but apart from that… I’d leave it exactly as it is!

Article written by Emma Speed

If you have any suggestions for who would make a good interviewee for Ten Questions With…
please get in touch with Ramsbottom Online.

The Northern Quarter has changed lots in the past few years. Lots of individual shops have opened amongst the bars and restaurants. Afflecks Palace is still there despite a threat of closure a couple of years ago. Tucked away in a corner of Oak Street is the Manchester Craft and Design Centre. This is the former Victorian fish and poultry market, now home to 19 studios where artists and designers produce and sell their works. You can browse the ceramics, jewellery, paintings and much more, and you are usually able to see the artists at work. Although there are lots of little studios there is no pressure to buy and you do not feel at all uncomfortable spending an hour or so there and coming out empty handed. Cafe Aromat on the ground floor is great for lunch, or a cuppa and some homemade cake.

An architectural delight is the John Rylands Library on Deansgate. This was founded by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband John Rylands who died in 1888. It is built in a Victorian gothic design and has been open to the public since 1900. Among the many thousands of books the library houses the ‘Rylands Papyri’ which is what is believed to be the oldest surviving New Testament document. The historic reading room houses books from all over the world. Regularly changing exhibitions are held, the main one being shown until 28 November 2010 is Elizabeth Gaskell, A Connected Life. The library also holds regular free events and tours. On 5th November there is a family event called ‘Remember Remember’ where there is a tour of the library by torchlight then tales in the darkened reading room.

The new area of Spinningfields is behind the library. This is the financial area, with apartments overlooking the Irwell. Many restaurants have moved into the area, and a raft of designers have recently signed up to open shops in the empty units. In the summer there is an open air cinema with deckchairs where you can take a picnic while you watch your film. We stumbled across a building site with lots of familiar silhouette statues which I can’t wait to see when it is finished.

The Hilton Hotel has the first 23 floors of the 47-storey Beetham Tower, at the end of Deansgate. A fabulous but pricey bar, Cloud 23, is located on the 23rd floor with view around the city and beyond. The bar is set out so you can see all around, and on a clear day you can see Jodrell Bank. The tower juts out at floor 23, and Cloud 23 has a glass floor in part of the bar so you can see the street below. To get the best effect, try lying face down on it – not for the faint hearted. This is also the only place in the city you can get a glimpse of Coronation Street, just the Rovers Return end. Cocktails are around £8.50 each, but think of it as an alternative to going on the Great Manchester Wheel! The price is similar, you can stay as long as you want, see much further, and get served wonderful concoctions. An alternative is to book for afternoon tea, where you are served exquisite sandwiches and cakes with tea and coffee for around £15 (£25 with champagne) – still expensive but great for a special occasion for a present.

From our treat at The Hilton we got a tram to Victoria and walked to The Marble Arch pub on Rochdale Road. The pub, that has its own microbrewery, was built in 1888, and became a listed building in 1998. In side you will find a glazed ceiling and ceramic tiled walls, and the floor slopes towards the bar. In the back dining room you can see the copper and hot liquor tanks behind an observation window. The beers brewed here are strictly organic and vegan, and also be bought at the Marble Beer House in Chorlton. The pub also does great food, and my scallops with black pudding and parsnip puree was delightful. This month the Marble Arch won ‘Best Pub’ in the Manchester Food and Drink Festival, and I can’t argue with the decision.

Having got our day tickets we were able to get a tram back to Bury and catch the last bus home, knowing that there is plenty more to see on our next trip to our fabulous city.

Article written by Judith Kelly

The People’s History Museum in Manchester has just opened its latest exhibition, Death and the Working Classes. It runs from 23.10.10 until 2.5.11 so there is plenty of time to pay it a visit. I went to the opening day so I could see the special events.

The exhibition looks at how the working classes prepare for death, and it shows the rituals and traditions around it. During the 19th and early 20th century dealing with death was a common experience for normal people. It was not uncommon for children, especially babies, to die, and if a child survived infancy life expectancy was low for the working classes due to poverty and disease. In some communities half of all children were expected to die before their 5th birthday.

The cost of dying was a great worry for the working classes in Victorian and Edwardian times, and people were encouraged to save for the event via clubs that would help out when the time came. The fear of dying without the necessary finances being in place was made worse after the 1832 Anatomy Act came into being. From this date any unclaimed pauper bodies were given to anatomy schools to be dissected. Prior to this, only the very worst criminals were given to the schools. Now, being poor meant there could be a total lack of respect for your body after death.

Most people died at home and would be laid out there until the burial took place. This had the benefit of guarding the body from body snatchers. As a mark of respect curtains were drawn and clocks stopped, and friends, relatives and neighbours would pay their respects. It could be considered disrespectful if a neighbour didn’t ask to view a recently deceased person. In the exhibition there are recordings of people’s experiences, and an elderly lady recounts being taken to see a deceased child who was to be buried in a bridesmaid dress that she should have worn for a forthcoming wedding. This lady has never forgotten being taken to a neighbour’s house by her grandmother to see a woman and her newborn baby together in a coffin. She even remembers that they didn’t have wallpaper in the bedroom or carpets on the stairs.

The exhibition gives the details of several pit disasters, including the Pretoria Pit explosion in Atherton in 1910, which is the worst pit disaster in Lancashire where approximately 343 men and boys died, and the Cadeby Pit explosion in Yorkshire in 1912 which killed 74 men, half of them being members of the rescue team killed by a second explosion.

Unions played a part in ensuring its members received a respectable and respectful funeral. They would loan out drapes for the coffin and would also loan ‘widow’s weeds’ – the traditional mourning dress for widows. Chairs and crockery would be routinely borrowed from neighbours and companies would hire ‘funeral urns’, tea urns to be used at the wake. You can even try on different types of mourning attire.

Throughout the exhibition you can see burial savings cards, bills, room layouts, and a focus on particular deaths, including that of Ernest Jones, an important Chartist who had been imprisoned for 2 years in horrendous conditions for making a ‘seditious speech’. While in prison he wrote a diary using his own blood for ink. He died in Manchester in 1869, aged 50, after a brief illness, and an estimated 100,000 people lined the streets during the funeral procession from Wellington Street in Higher Broughton to Ardwick Cemetery. A Bakelite coffin from 1938 is on display. This was invented by James Doleman and at the time it was the largest plastic molding in the world. There were restrictions on the manufacturing industry during the war and several undertakers have said they were offered plastic coffins as ‘removal shells’ after the war, as they could be cleaned out and reused.

During the opening day a 1933 Austin hearse and a horse drawn hearse were on display. The Co-operative Brass Band from Crewe plated (the exhibition is sponsored by The Cooperative Funeralcare), and the highlight was the coffin making demonstration, given by the Co-operative Funeralcare Coffin Factory in Glasgow.

The company make 400 coffins a day (100,000 a year, weekdays only), all made to order, and are the largest manufacturer in the UK. To start off, the head end is attached to the sides with glue and a staple gun. The ‘bottom’ is then stuck/stapled onto the top (so they work on it upside down) and the sides attached. I had never thought about it before, but coffin sides curve, as the shoulders are the widest part and it tapers down to the feet. ‘Curves’ are put at shoulder level. These are slits that go almost all the way through the wood to weaken it, so that it can be bent around. The coffins then go to the assembly shop, where the holes from the staples are filled, imperfections sorted out and it is hand-sanded. It then goes to another part of the factory where the lids, manufactured elsewhere, are married up. From here, the coffin goes to the polishing shop, and then handles are put on. There are 5 standard sizes of coffin, up to 6’5’’, and they always go by person size, not coffin size, as the thickness of wood would give a false measurement of the inside. The factory has made a 3’ wide coffin in the last week, for a 50 stone man, and they get special requests daily as people often want to personalise their coffin. They use a company that ‘wrap’ the coffin in whatever colours the buyer wants, or a design can be put on. You can even have a photograph adapted to go around the coffin.

This was my first visit to the museum, and the rest of it is at least as interesting as the new exhibition. I would thoroughly recommend it, and as it is free and suitable for children, it can be part of a great, cheap, day out.

Article written by Judith Kelly