Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

Lol!

I'd still have kicked his arse! I might have even had a memorial erected from my deed.

There's a plaque in East Cowes, commemorating a young royal getting a twatting on the nearby beach, which always made me smile:

"The Shell House of East Cowes

One day in 1852, young Freddie Attrill was gathering shell-
fish on Osborne beach when another boy came along, told
him to clear off and kicked his bucket flying. Indignant,
Freddie gave him a thump - only to be told by shocked
attendants that he has just hit Albert Edward, Queen
Victoria's eldest son and heir to the throne. The Prince
hurried home to Osborne House, and soon a nervous Fred
was summoned there to answer Queen Victoria in person.

The Queen said, however, that her son's behaviour had
been quite wrong. She praised Freddie for standing up for
his rights and, some say, gave him several guineas in
recognition.

Years later, Mr Attrill commemorated the incident by
decorating his house on Cambridge Road (just off the East
Cowes esplanade) with sea shells. Until the 1970s both
house and garden were quite a tourist attraction. Most of
the decoration has now gone, but even today one wall
shows a sailing ship ploughing through the waves - all done
in shells."

;)

G x