Neil Gits To The Fort

Following on from my recent blog which detailed how I took full advantage of two weeks of superb Autumn sunshine to get out with my camera across Essex, including an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful 8 mile walk up & down the River Thames, I I am pleased to say that this week I finally made it to Tilbury Fort – at the third attempt !

Alas it was a very grey cloudy day and the only time that bonus October sun came out again was for a brief spell when I was five minutes away from parking up at the historic World’s End pub, just round the corner from the Fort itself. Not only that but I discovered on arrival that the place is closed to visitors on Mondays & Tuesdays and yes, it was one of those two days I turned up to take photos ! At one point the sky was so dark, I thought we were experiencing another solar eclipse, but it did give me the opportunity to snap a rather spooky looking shot across the river towards the appropriately named Gravesend in Halloween week…

Although I couldn’t get inside, I did get most of the pictures I wanted to take (and saved myself the undisclosed “admission charge” that applies the rest of the week!) and could read up briefly on some of the history of the fort on boards outside by the river. As a fan of the “Outlander” TV series, I was surprised but interested to find a Culloden Memorial Stone, commemorating the lives of prisoners who lost their lives having been shipped to Tilbury from Inverness, having been captured at the famous battle at the peak of the Jacobite Rising. Click over to my personal Facebook page next time you visit “The Old Gits Soul Show” one during my show to see all the latest photos from my local adventures …

For someone who loves to wallow in nostalgia musically, it is perhaps surprising that I chose not to take History in my options at school – but then I didn’t know that around 50 years later I was going to become a fully fledged “Old Git” ! Listen live the on Monday from 7pm, to enjoy great soul tunes from the good old days of the 60s 70s 80s & beyond and share the memories of a golden era. Here is last week’s bunch :

The Tunes – Monday 28th October 2024

Jean Carn – If You Wanna Go Back
Stacy Lattisaw – Jump To The Beat
Sargent Tucker – No One Can replace You
Phylis Hyman – Under Your Spell
Hot Blood – Soul Dracula
Change – Mutual Attraction
Luther – Don’t Take The Time
Kim Tibbs – Believe In Something Called Love
Lamont Dozier – Help Is On The Way
Sister Sledge – Mama Never Told Me
Emotions – Best Of My Love (Hot Tracks Purrfection Edit)
Mud – Shake It Down
Clarence Reid – Nobody But You Babe
James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
Fat Larry’s Band – Center City
Whitney Houston – Million Dollar Bill
Mather – Nine Times
Paul Anthony (Full Force) – Ready To Learn Your Love
Randy Hall – I Want To Touch You
MS1 Project ft DJB & Tygressa – Remedy 4 The Mind Pt 2 (Lounge Mix)
Chi-Lites – Vanishing Love
Debarge – Rhythm Of The Night
Newcleus – Jam On Revenge

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !