A FORMER Studham villager hit the headlines when she was appointed an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Who am I talking about, you ask?
If you’ve ever watched the telly favourite Upstairs, Downstairs, then you know already.
I’m talking about 77-year-old actress Jean Marsh, who played Rose Buck in the series.
Jean has another claim to fame, of course – she co-created the series, with friend Dame Eileen Atkins.
They also dreamed up TV hit The House of Eliott.
But it’s Jean’s time in Studham that really makes me sit up and take note whenever I hear her name.
I laughed when I read an article saying Jean ignored the official letter about her OBE at first.
Why? She said: “I thought it looked like a parking ticket!
“But I knew I hadn’t driven for a year...
“It feels extraordinary. I’ve had awards, like Emmys and all that sort of thing, but to have an official thing like this – I was thrilled.”
Jean also joined the cast in the updated version of Upstairs, Downstairs.
Apparently, the series was partly inspired by her mother’s work in service.
Do you remember Jean from her Studham days?
If so, do drop me a line and share your memories.
My email address is at the bottom of this column and our postal details are on page 2.
YOU can find me on Twitter now, too.
Yes, I have finally joined the ranks of the Twitterati.
I can’t tell you how much fun it is to be a part of the global conversation that is Twitter.
If you’re kind enough to want to follow me, I’m @Dunstable_Anne. All views are my own – as are the world’s worst puns!
You can tweet fellow reporter Richard Redman as well. He’s @Dunstable_Rick.
“Follow” us and we’ll “follow” you.
But only on Twitter. Follow me in real life and I’ll ring 999!
On Twitter this week, I talked about how I’d been into H. Samuel on its closing day.
Everyone was in there (including me) picking up bargains, but it was sad to see the shelves so bare.
Apparently, the shop was really busy in its last few days.
I asked on Twitter about what type of new shops we should open in Dunstable – what would we all actually use?
One tweeted reply said: “Quadrant past its best before date now.”
Another said: “Needs to be knocked down and started again.”
But I’m still curious. Some new shops are keepers, but some look doomed to fail the minute they open their doors.
Tell me what kind of new shops you would definitely keep going with your hard-earned pennies.
You can write to me. You can email me. Or we could talk on Twitter!
I headed up to Ashridge for an afternoon of walking and cake-scoffing the other day.
Well, OK, mainly cake-scoffing.
It’s cake paradise at the heavenly tea rooms near the monument.
You can literally feel yourself getting a sugar rush just looking at the generous slabs of this and that.
And the cream and jam scones are the size of saucers.
Anyway. I brought back a little something to share with you.
No, not cake. Sorry to disappoint you.
But I did bring back a photo of a quirky Queen’s Diamond Jubilee carving on a tree stump near the monument.
I hope you enjoy the photo as much as I enjoyed my giant cookie...