Birmingham Post

The Best of Beef

Historic Hospital Looking Forward ; Alison Dayani Looks at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital's Trail- Blazing Past and Future Plans On Its Centenary

Faded black and white photos of nurses, immaculate in starched white hats, making beds under the eagle-eye of matron, are typical of times gone-by that seem unimaginable in today's more relaxed NHS. Down in the archives of the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, in Northfield, are far more wonderful moth-eaten gems of brown-edged newspaper cuttings of royal visits and details of servicemen recovering from Dunkirk.

Diminuitive Matron Kept Nurses On Their Toes with Her Unannounced Inspections ; Hospital Characters

Matron Fanny Smith Diminuitive in size but a huge influence and leader at the hospital from 1924 to her retirement in 1947. Kept the nurses on their toes with ad hoc inspections and unexpected visits to wards but was famous for creating a happy home for the patients with cheer and good will.

Ritch Meat Is a Rare Treat ; Cattle Farmer Tells Richard Mccomb Why Only the Finest Well-Bred Scottish Beef Is Fit for the Table

e are eating Maud's granddaughter. WA classic starter of steak tartare is followed by a brilliantly roasted fillet, served with chantenay carrots, purple sprouting broccoli and aligote potato (that's cheesy mash). On a separate plate, there are slices of the luscious chateaubriand. All offspring of Maud, all scrummy.

Holding Court at Pizza Express

THE PLACE Pizza Express, 4 The Citadel, Birmingham. T: 0121 236 0221 WHY GO? Unique opportunity to feast on pizza while watching the city's legal community at play. Spied on a nearby table was m'learned friend Timothy Raggatt QC (if you find yourself in the dock and he's prosecuting you'd better pack your toothbrush, a change of knickers and a copy of War and Peace). Magistrates' court veteran Steven Jonas (did he once have a ponytail?) sauntered past, as did pathologist Peter Acland. I've ne...

'Tis the Season for Glitzy Frocks ; Wow Your Christmas Party. Anuji Varma Views Festive Dresses From Harvey Nichols

f you're searching for the perfect Christmas party frock then head to Harvey Nichols in Birmingham. IThis gorgeous collection was modelled for the store's seasonal catwalk show, hosted by MTV presenter Emma Willis.

Left Frustrated As Cleave's Incendiary Debut Fails to Ignite

Buoyed up by the success of Cleave's The Other Hand, this is a paperback release of his first novel set in London. And it smacks very much of a first novel as it starts with a great idea but then fails to deliver.

Multi-Skilled Man ; Richard Edmonds Examines a Fascinating History of the Last Great Renaissance Polymath

Athanasius Kircher, a Jesuit priest, was the last Renaissance man, a scholar held in awe during his lifetime, yet, as the 17th century drew to a close Kircher's extreme views were eclipsed by the scientific revolution and the discovery of irrefutable scientific fact. To address scholars, courts and kings with conviction, you had to be a Jesuit. These were men trained skillfully in the art of prevarication and persuasion. Wasn't it the Jesuit who said give us a child until the age of seven and...

About a Girl ; New Films Reviewed by Graham Young and Roz Laws

AN EDUCATION Cert 12A, 99 mins Based on Lynn Barber's memoir of her teenageyearsandadaptedfor thescreen by Nick Hornby, this beautifully-made coming-of-age tale is a joy to watch. Talented young actress Carey Mulligan, star of BleakHouse and the famous Blink episode of Doctor Who featuring scarystatues, is transportedbacktothe 1960s to play clever 16-year-old Jenny.

Musical Magician ; Terry Grimley Hears a Virtuoso On the Banjo

After the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain stole the show at this year's Proms, are we ready for a bit of Bach on the banjo? That will be the opening offering in a remarkable solo recital by virtuoso guitarist Richard Durrant at Birmingham Conservatoire on November 7, which also includes solo versions of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. As it happens there is a direct connection between Durrant and the Ukelele Orchestra, because they record for his labe...

The Art of Opera

Handelfest English Touring Opera Malvern Festival Theatres With its five-day Handelfest, English Touring Opera is celebrating both Handel's genius as an opera composer and Italian Baroque opera as a distinctive art form. Musically and dramatically the enterprise is stylish to a fault and for the most part looks and sounds terrific, with principals who can sing, act and move, often all at the same time.

Lists That Reveal Surprising Gems

Our family historian Paul Wilkins explains the role of electoral registers. Electoral registers are a very important source of information to consider when trying to find your ancestors. They were introduced by the Representation of the People Act in 1832 and list everyone who was eligible to vote in parliamentary and local elections. The registers have been compiled annually since then, except in 1915 and 1917 and between 1940 and 1944.

Collecting Diary

TODAY n The Midlands' favourite antiques and collectibles fair, Antiques for Everyone, continues with its fourday Spring Run in halls 17-19 at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, 11am- 6pm, organised Clarion Events (0121 7672947). n Sutton Antiques starts its threeday run at the Old Manse Hotel, Victoria Street, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. For further details, call 0121 3080145. SATURDAY n Weekend antiques and collectibles fair at Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent, 10am-5pm....

Russell Art ; Exquisite Decorative Pieces On Sale Next Month, Sally Hoban Reveals

There will be a chance to buy some exquisite and unusual late 19th and early 20th century decorative arts at Bonhams auctioneers in Knowle on November 4. Items on offer range from jewellery and metalwork to ceramics and glass, with many of the major collectable designers and manufacturers represented in the sale. First up is a fine selection of Gordon Russell furniture. Russell was born in London in 1892 and in 1904 the family moved to Broadway in the Cotswolds and took over the Lygon Arms. I...

A High Flyer ; Peugeot's Latest Mpv Is Like Driving an Aircraft for Motoring Editor Edward Stephens

Peugeot is flying high at the moment, which might be why motorists trying out the company's newest compact MPV could be forgiven for thinking they are at the controls of an aircraft rather than a car. Get behind the wheel of the new seven-seater Peugeot 5008 Exclusive and you feel as if you are sitting in the cockpit of an executive jet.

Scooters Save Students' Cash

Students struggling to cope with spiralling fees could pocket up to pounds 6,000 in savings by choosing motorcycles or scooters instead of cars, according to the organisers of the two-wheeler campaign, Get On. They who reckon the potential saving equals two years of the average student rent and three times the amount students spend on food each year.

Bicycles Named After F1 Wins

On show at the Earls Court Cycle Show next month, Cooper Bikes' dark blue Monza with flat bars and the silver Sebring with bullhorn bars get their names from the circuits that saw the Cooper Car Company's F1 Championship victory 50 years ago. "We've always had a passion for bicycles and we have been thinking about diversifying the business for a while," said company chief Mike Cooper.

Cheaper Tyres This Autumn for Vauxhalls

A new price-promise campaign is set to take the sting out of buying replacement car tyres this autumn. Drivers preparing for the rigours of winter motoring are being guaranteed the lowest prices on a wide range of tyres used on Vauxhall cars and vans.

Ancient Skills Survive Today ; Judie Kellie Puts Her Wellies On for the National Hedgelaying Championships

When I imagine England, especially if I am abroad, it's the layout of the fields that comes first to mind. The patchwork that defines our agricultural landscape is unique and ancient, outlined as it is by our hedgerows. The art of hedgelaying, like so many rural crafts and skills, has had a bad time in recently history.

Slugs Making a Tasty Meal Out of Our Letters Nature Watch

The slug and letters. No, not a badly spelt pub sign, but yet another problem for the hard-pressed Royal Mail. It has recently been reported that post is being eaten by slugs and snails. Post boxes, especially those set in walls, provide perfect accommodation for these creatures. They love dark and damp places and apparently relish the dyes and glues on stamps and envelopes.