I WENT to Barnard Castle last week primarily to give a talk to the Glaxo Retired Staff Association but I thought I'd kill at least two birds with the one journey. Several people have mentioned I should look at "Murchison's house" because it had a fire plate attached to it - and, as you know, Memories has been collecting Georgian fire plates recently.

And, yes, there at the very top of this large building was a very fine fire plate. But down below was a blue plaque, and this blue plaque has taken me as far as the moon. This is how I tried to explain all this on this afternoon's BBC Radio Tees John Foster show, although it may well be just as easy to buy tomorrow's paper for 45p: