Geography:
There is a distinct division between the north and south of Bedfordshire. The north (where I lived) is a land of gently rolling hills dominated by the beautiful Great Ouse Valley (currently third on the waiting list to be elevated to a World Heritage Site). The valley sides are a patchwork quilt of wheat fields, the golden swathes of oil seed rape & flax flowers and knots of thick natural woodland. It rarely rains in north Beds.
South Beds below the 'Elstow Divide' on the other hand is a barren wasteland of brussels sprout fields and bogland. It smells of wet cabbage.
History:
Bedfordshire has spawned many famous sons and daughters the majority of them coming from north Beds apart from perhaps the most famous, John Bunyan who wrote The Pilgrim's Progress. John Bunyan came from just south of the 'Elstow Divide' and was a known criminal. In fact he wrote his filthy works in prison. Bunyan used the words 'goblin' and 'foul fiend' too much. Bunyan sported a moustache. A south Bedser through and through and best overlooked when talking about Bedfordshire and its history.
Another (and less dubious) Bedfordian was Frederick Gustavus Burnaby (1842-1885). He explored a lot of Asia and helped 'educate' the natives and savages, even bringing some home to Bedford at his own expense although he naturally recouped the passage fees by allowing them to work for him for free. A virtual saint from Biddenham, north Beds.
Other famous sons and daughters include:
Charles Wells - genius brewer whose family owned brewery now produces fine ales and also brews Red Stripe lager (as found throughout the Caribbean, which funnily enough has a similar climate to north Beds)
Harold Abrahams (1899-1978) - gold medal olympic sprinter at the 1924 games in Paris courtesy of his atheistic attitude and his main rivals refusal to sprint on the Sabbath - a win's a win though
Glenn Miller - contrary to popular belief he was actually from Bedford and wasn't American at all; some think he is still alive and living in the woods of north Beds; this wouldn't surprise me
Terry Waite - famous kidnap victim who once expressed his wish to have been from Bedford
Paula Radcliffe - did you see her in the last London marathon? I think she must be a south Bedser
Joe Bugner - Heavy Weight Boxing World Champion and koy carp breeder from Pavenham, north Beds
Tim Foster - Olympic gold medal oarsman, Sydney 2000 and fine seller of wet fish
Ronnie Barker - comic genius, enough said!
Bedford has a castle. It's more a mound really but it's pretty impressive for a mound. The cradle of civilisation has been traced to a small hamlet, Chellington, near my home village of Carlton. The world's oldest example of an abacus was excavated there along with what is credited to be the first piece of printed paper upon which was the single word 'ramification'. How odd.
Industry:
Apart from the above mentioned Charles Wells brewing empire, north Beds has a very healthy economy producing virtually every conceivable type of product from bio-micro processors to throwing knives. A lot of people in north Beds do not need to work on account of a devilishly clever local taxation rebate system.
In south Beds there is only one main industry - hat making. With the decline in the hat wearing population the factories have not been able to modernise to current manufacturing practices and still run off coal and steam. The average age of a hat factory worker in south Beds is 12. Life expectancy is 19.
Food:
Many people do not realise the contribution north Beds cuisine has made to the traditional British menu and its current revival. The mainstay of the north Beds lunchbox is the Bedfordshire Clanger - a suet pasty with a meat filling in one end and a sweet (usually ambrosia or raspberry jam) in the other. You need no other food stuff!
There is no food stuff from south Beds worthy of note other than animal fodder grade brussels sprouts.
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