News from Oxford

Oriel College ran into a problem: they wanted to cut a hole in the wall to allow the college moggy easy entrance to the kitchen of the Provost’s Lodgings. As a Grade I listed building, government permission is required for even minor alterations. Having gone through the necessary paper work, the architect came up with an artistic design for a superior catflap; it included a mouse to show puss where her duties lay.

Heritage approved cat flap

I received an interesting new contact from Alfred Blinko who lives in Essex. Alf is a great-great-grandson of Franz Alexander Blenko. Franz was an elder brother of William John, founder of the Blenko Glass Company. Franz was also a glassblower and Alf has a glass bowl, believed to have been blown by Franz. It is decorated with a number of Victorian colour pictures pasted inside. Unfortunately the picture he sent was not good enough definition to print in the newsletter.

Jack Blencowe
Oxford