"I just Fancy a Pineapple"

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The “Pine Apple Rag” was written by Scott Joplin in 1908. It is supposed to be played as a Slow March and is one of many of his works to include the instruction;

“NOTE: Do not play this piece fast. Composer.”

A lot of ragtime is played much too fast as pianists try to show off.

(ie “The Entertainer” in The Sting) .

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Last week I was over near Dorney, which I mentioned in my bit on Monkey Island.

There used to be a particularly good “Pick your Own” in the grounds of Dorney Court.

It is great fun to pick your own fruit and especially Pineapples.

But, like a lot of things today the “Elf ’n Safety” gang had got there first and it had closed down.

How sad.

I just fancied a Pineapple.

I am only joking about PYO pineapples - BUT they were really grown there in “Good King Charles Days”. In fact the very first pineapple to be grown in England was cultivated here at Dorney Court in 1661.

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Dorney Court has been the home of the Palmer family for more than 450 years, passing from father to son through thirteen generations. It is a Grade 1 listed building, further designated as being of outstanding architectural and historical interest. Dorney Court has always been the manor house of Dorney village which was first recorded in the Doomsday Book.

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A large carved stone pineapple standing in the Great Hall commemorates the first pineapple ever to be grown in England - here at Dorney Court.

The story is that at a dinner in the Mansion House, the King cut the top off a pineapple which had come from Barbados, and gave it to the Earl of Castlemaine to see if he could get it to grow!

The Earls gardener, a Mr Rose (!), planted the top and the first fruit was duly presented to King Charles II in 1661.

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It is only a story, but a nice one, as it has never been proved, however there is a painting by a Dutch painter, Danckaert of the first pineapple being presented to the King.

The background in the picture bears no resemblance to Dorney but as it was painted in Holland, it is thought that he painted what to him, was a typical English home!

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Further down the road is of course a pub.

And yes you've guessed; it is called the "Pineapple".

In fact, the pub is not in Dorney but in the neighbouring hamlet of Lake End.

The connection with beer does not end here either, for in 1840, a new brewer came to Maidenhead - WILLIAM NICHOLSON. William was a trained chemist and he used his skills to perfect his beer. The water for the beer came from a 320ft. artesian well under his premises; this well is on pure chalk and gave the beer its distinctive flavour. (In other words - "Thames Water").

William named his brewery PINEAPPLE BREWERY; he chose this name because the first pineapple to be grown in England was at nearby Dorney Court.

I took quite a few pictures - I think another post is called for.

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