commit f68356462393bf8993c23f05ec2128fec8dd5c23 Author: Hermes Agent Date: Sun Apr 19 22:02:13 2026 +0000 Initial commit: Welcome to West Wickham Village!!! - Full 90s retro website with authentic tables, marquee, spacer GIFs - Over 40 pixel art decorative GIFs (bullet points, stars, mailto, construction) - Visitor counter with counter GIFs, animated page title JavaScript - Scrolling marquee header, webring footer navigation - Comprehensive West Wickham content: * Domesday Book 1086 history * Anne Boleyn / Wickham Court Tudor connection * Prime Meridian obelisk facts * Railway history (1882, 1926 electrification) * Pub info (Railway Hotel CAMRA pub) * Schools & sports clubs * Fun facts section with local trivia - All period-accurate HTML 4.0 Transitional diff --git a/generate_icons.py b/generate_icons.py new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab42d4b --- /dev/null +++ b/generate_icons.py @@ -0,0 +1,502 @@ +#!/usr/bin/env python3 +""" +Generate period-accurate decorative GIFs for 90s retro websites. +Creates pixel art icons, bullet points, animated badges, etc. +""" + +import struct +import os +import sys + + +def create_gif(width, height, frames=None, loop=0): + """Create a GIF89a image with optional animation frames. + frames: list of [[(r,g,b), ...], ...] where each frame is pixel colour array + If frames is None, creates a simple solid colour image at 1x1""" + + if frames is None: + # Default to simple solid colour + frames = [[(255, 255, 255)]] + + if len(frames[0]) == 0: + frames = [[(0, 0, 0)]] + + # Build a master frame for header dimensions + fh, fw = len(frames[0]), len(frames[0][0]) if frames[0] else 1 + + # GIF Header + header = b'GIF89a' + + # Logical Screen Descriptor + lsd = struct.pack(' 1 else './retro-images' + os.makedirs(outdir, exist_ok=True) + + created = 0 + + # ========== SPACER GIFS (simple single-pixel) ========== + spacers = [ + ('blue.gif', 0, 0, 200), + ('navy.gif', 0, 0, 128), + ('white.gif', 255, 255, 255), + ('grey.gif', 192, 192, 192), + ('light_grey.gif', 220, 220, 220), + ('dark_grey.gif', 100, 100, 100), + ('red.gif', 200, 0, 0), + ('yellow.gif', 255, 255, 0), + ('green.gif', 0, 255, 0), + ('orange.gif', 255, 165, 0), + ('cyan.gif', 0, 255, 255), + ('magenta.gif', 255, 0, 255), + ('gold.gif', 255, 215, 0), + ('transparent.gif', 0, 0, 0), # special handling + ] + + for fname, r, g, b in spacers: + if fname == 'transparent.gif': + # Transparent 1x1 GIF + gif = bytearray(b'GIF89a') + gif += struct.pack(' + + +~*~Welcome to West Wickham Village!!!~~~ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + diff --git a/research/west-wickham-facts.txt b/research/west-wickham-facts.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c1ead3 --- /dev/null +++ b/research/west-wickham-facts.txt @@ -0,0 +1,198 @@ +WEST WICKHAM RESEARCH FACTS +Source: SearXNG searches, Wikipedia, local history sites +Last gathered: April 2026 + +=== BASIC INFO === +Name: West Wickham +Location: Greater London (historically Kent), London Borough of Bromley +Postcode: BR4 +Distance from Charing Cross: ~7.5 miles south-east +Population: ~30,000 (approximate) +Historic county: Kent until 1963, then Greater London, then became part of Bromley in 1965 + +=== Domesday BOOK (1086) === +- Mentioned in Domesday Book as "[West] Wickham" in the hundred of Helmestrei, county of Kent +- 37 households recorded, making it a significant settlement for the era +- "In lordship 2 ploughs. 24 villagers have 4 ploughs. 13 slaves; a church; a church of 2 hides; land for 2 more." +- 1086 - recorded under William the Conqueror's Great Survey + +=== ANCIENT HISTORY === +- Archaeological evidence of prehistoric activity (Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age) +- First appears in parish records in 1560 +- The village straddled Bromley Road, the main road from Kent into London +- Dwellings mentioned at Burton End (Bovetoun) from the 1340s +- Streetly (End) mentioned in mid-15th century +- The Alington family owned the manor from the 16th-17th centuries +- In early 1927, King George V and Queen Mary visited to open a new school + +=== WICKHAM COURT === +- Grade I Listed building, semi-fortified country house +- Originally built for Sir Henry Heydon (died 1504) in 15th century +- Anne Boleyn's great-grandfather was Sir Geoffrey Boleyn (married Heydon's daughter) +- RUMOUR: Anne Boleyn may have visited Wickham Court but never lived there +- Sold by Heydon family to John Lennard in 1579 +- The Lennard family kept it for 300+ years, becoming Lords of the Manor +- In 1645, General Gage used it as headquarters during the English Civil War +- During the war, Chamberlain and King George VI visited it +- Today: Wickham Court School - independent co-educational day school +- Open days with guided tours available occasionally + +=== THE PRIME MERIDIAN === +- The Greenwich Meridian passes through the West Wickham district +- Near Coney Hall Recreation Ground +- Millennium Obelisk marks the Meridian line's route in the borough +- The Meridian Tree Line project: Bromley Council planted native trees along the line +- Distance from Greenwich: approximately 7.64 miles (12.29 km) +- OS Grid reference: TQ 39210.65036 (539210, 165036) +- "Where east meets west" - this is the spot! +- Silver Birch and other native trees planted in 1996-2000 period + +=== RAILWAY HISTORY === +- Railway arrived 29 May 1882 - branch from Elmers End to Hayes +- Built by West Wickham & Hayes Railway, sold to South Eastern Railway +- Colonel John Farnaby, Lord of the Manor, was the leading promoter +- Initially 13 weekday and 4 Sunday services operated +- The railway electrified in 1926 (early electrification!) +- This made West Wickham develop from village to suburb +- The Railway Hotel was built around same time as the station +- Originally a small rural settlement - the 1882 railway was the catalyst + +=== TRANSFORMATION === +- 1882: Small village with the main road (Bromley Road) through it +- The railway didn't immediately change things much +- 1926: Electrification changed everything +- 1930s-40s: The village "mushroomed" - fields became streets of identical houses +- By 1933, the transition from village to suburb was almost complete +- In 1935, this was officially reflected +- Mains drainage fitted, buses laid on, shops filled the High Street + +=== PEAKHAM & HIGH STREET === +- The High Street is the heart of the village +- Victorian and Edwardian architecture preserved +- Independent shops and cafes +- Village-like atmosphere despite being in Greater London +- Tree-lined streets + +=== PUBS & ENTERTAINMENT === +- The Railway Hotel - Historic station hotel near the station, Red Lodge Rd + - Built around 1882 to serve the West Wickham station + - CAMRA pub, cask beer focused + - Has a garden for outdoor drinking + - Three regular beers + rotating selection + - Still going strong today! +- The Royal George, High Street +- The Railway Hotel replaced the old Leather Bottle beer house +- Other local pubs include The Windmill in nearby Beckenham + +=== COMMUNER HALL === +- Chamberlain and King George VI visited during WWII +- Today it is the administrative offices of Glebe Housing +- Chamberlain was the Mayor/Lord of the Manor who visited during the war + +=== WOODLAND NATURE === +- Wickham Common: City of London open space + - Ancient woodland with pollarded oaks + - Rare insects, bats, fungi and birds + - Important biodiversity hotspot + - "Patches of ancient woodland, secondary woodland, heathland, acid grassland and scrub" + - Open all year round +- High Broom Wood: 7.2-hectare site along River Beck corridor + - Combines ancient woodland with open common + - Wet woodland habitats +- Coney Hall Recreation Ground + - Has the Prime Meridian obelisk + - Popular local green space +- Other recreation grounds: Blake Recreation Ground, Pickhurst Recreation Ground + +=== SCHOOLS === +West Wickham has four state primary schools: +- Oak Lodge School +- Wickham Common School +- Pickhurst School +- Hawes Down School +Wickham Court School - private independent school (the Grade I listed manor house) + +=== SPORTS & CLUBS === +- Wickham Park Sports Club - cricket, tennis, table tennis, football +- Wickham Park Tennis Club (rated 4.9/5 on Facebook) +- Golf clubs in the area (East Wickham Golf Club nearby) +- Active community sports scene with clubs and league activities +- Library services available + +=== LOCAL HISTORY CLUBS === +- West Wickham District Local History Club - meets regularly +- West Wickham Big Village Dig - archaeological community project +- West Wickham Residents Association (WWRA) +- The village sign was erected in 2014 outside the Village Hall + - Commissioned for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (2012) + - Elements from Streetly End, the Church end, and Burton End + +=== LANDMARKS === +1. Wickham Court (Grade I Listed, Anne Boleyn connection) +2. The Prime Meridian Obelisk (Coney Hall Recreation Ground) +3. The Railway Hotel (CAMRA pub, 1882) +4. St Mary of Nazareth Church (parish church) +5. West Wickham Common (ancient woodland) +6. The Village Sign (2014, Diamond Jubilee) +7. Wickham Park Sports Club (community sports) +8. The old Village School (now converted to flats/school buildings) + +=== INTERESTING FACTS === +- The village sign commemorates 3 "ends" of the village: Streetly End, Church End, Burton End +- Coney Hall gets its name from "coney" (rabbit) - Coney Hall Farm had sole right to catch coneys +- Corkscrew Hill was sometimes known as "School Road" +- The old village school was partly redeveloped as flats around 2000 +- Greenhayes private school occupied the old school site +- The village straddles a ridge of high ground +- Known for leafy, tranquil atmosphere +- Popular with families due to good schools +- "Spacious 1930s homes, village-like charm and proximity to countryside" +- Has a library serving the community + +=== GEOGRAPHY === +- Bounded by Beckenham (north), Addington (south/west) +- Lies on a ridge of high ground +- River Beck flows through the area +- The main road through is Bromley Road / Bromley Road (A2051) +- Close to Bromley town centre (about 2 miles) +- Near to Eden Park (1 mile) - the cricket ground + +=== COMPARISON TO OTHER WICKHAMS === +- West Wickham, Cambridgeshire exists (separate village, was "Wickham" until 14th century) +- Wickham in Hampshire exists (traditional gypsy horse fair on 20 May annually) +- Our West Wickham is in Kent/Greater London and is the one we're writing about! + +=== COMMUNER HALL / GLEBE === +- Chamberlain and George VI visited during the war +- Today: administrative offices of Glebe Housing +- The road from Wickham Court to West Wickham passed the old school + +=== THE WOODS (NATURE) === +Coney Hall Common: +- Ancient woodland +- Pollarded oaks (over 400 years old!) +- Rare fungi, bats, insects, birds +- Managed by City of London +- "Wood pasture" habitat +- Open all year round +- Important biodiversity site + +High Broom Wood: +- 7.2 hectares +- Along River Beck +- Ancient woodland + open common +- Wet woodland habitats +- Biodiversity hotspot + +=== POSTAL CODE === +- BR4 postcode area +- "BR4" covers West Wickham and surrounding areas +- Commonly known as "West Wickham BR4" + +=== FUNNY/QUICK FACTS FOR 90s STYLE === +- "Come to West Wickham where the Meridian passes through - you're half in Greenwich and half in... well, still West Wickham!" +- "Did you know Anne Boleyn's ancestors owned our Wickham Court? Does that make us royalty-adjacent? Maybe not..." +- "West Wickham: where even the Prime Meridian takes a break from being the center of the universe" +- "Our postie's got it easy - the Meridian bisects the BR4 postcode!" +- "Home of the world's most laid-back meridian - the one that doesn't even know it's the Prime one" +- "37 families in 1086... we're now 50+ times bigger. We've been successful! We're a suburb now, not a village. Blame the railway!"
+ + + *** Welcome to the Official West Wickham Village Home Page!!! *** Last Updated: + + *** Home of the Prime Meridian marker in Bromley!!! *** Pop. ~30,000 *** Domesday Book 1086 *** Pop. 37 *** Today Over 50x Bigger! *** + + +
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+    _________________
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+   |  *** WEST ***   |
+   |  *** WICK ***   |
+   |  *** HAM  ***   |
+   |_________________|
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+ ~*~ WeLcOmE tO
+ WEst WiChAm ViLlaGe
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ "Home of the Prime Meridian Marker in Bromley!"
+ Population: ~30,000 | Postcode: BR4 | Est. 1086 +
+ You Are Visitor Number:
+ counter +

+ Under Construction +
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+ [Home] |  + [History] |  + [Meridian] |  + [Wickham Court] |  + [Pubs] |  + [Nature] |  + [Schools] |  + [Contact] +
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+ Navigation +
+ + Home Page
+ + Our History
+ + Prime Meridian
+ + Wickham Court
+ + Local Pubs
+ + Nature & Woods
+ + Schools
+ + Fun Facts
+ + Contact
+
+ Welcome!

+
+ Latest Updates:
+ + NEW! NEW! Prime Meridian info!!!

+ NEW! Wickham Court history!!

+ NEW! Railway Hotel pub!! +
+
+
+ West Wickham
At a Glance


+ + Postcode: BR4
+ Area: Bromley
+ Pop.: ~30,000
+ County: Kent/London
+ Church: 1086
+ Railway: 1882
+
+
+
+
+ This Is Our:
+ + VILLAGE !!!

+ The Heart!
+ The Soul!
+ The BR4!
+ Best Village! +
+
+
+
+ + Email Me!
+ Email the Webmaster! +
+
+
+ + + + + + + + + + +
+ ~*~ Welcome to West Wickham ~*~ +
+ + Come explore our gorgeous village!

+ + Welcome, welcome, welcome!!! You have found the Official West Wickham Village Home Page on the World Wide Web!!! + Here you will learn ALL about our beautiful village in the London Borough of Bromley, in the beautiful county of Kent... + err, I mean Greater London now. Things change, don't they... (blames local council). +

+ + West Wickham is a leafy, tranquil suburb on the edge of Bromley, known for its spacious 1930s homes, + village-like charm and proximity to the countryside. Residents enjoy a relaxed pace of life, with golf and tennis clubs, + scenic commons and a real strong community spirit!!! +

+ + What makes West Wickham special?
+ [x] Over 900 years of history
+ [x] The Prime Meridian passes right through!!!
+ [x] Anne Boleyn's family once owned our Court
+ [x] Historic Railway Hotel serving CAMRA beer
+ [x] Four excellent state primary schools
+ [x] Ancient woodland and common
+ [x] Independent High Street shops
+ [x] Village sign from the Queen's Jubilee
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+ +
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+ Our Rich History +
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+ 1086 + + + Domesday Book! West Wickham has 37 households recorded in William the Conqueror's Great Survey. + We had 2 ploughs in lordship, 24 villagers with 4 ploughs, 13 slaves, and a church. + Not bad for a small Kentish village, eh? + +
+ 1300s + + + Dwellings mentioned at Burton End (Bovetoun) from the 1340s, and cottages at Streetly End in the mid-15th century. + The Alington family begin their long ownership of the manor. + +
+ 1500s + + + Wickham Court is built for Sir Henry Heydon (died 1504). He married Anne Boleyn's great-grandfather Sir Geoffrey Boleyn's daughter. + The house later passes to the Lennard family in 1579. + +
+ 1645 + + + English Civil War! General Gage uses Wickham Court as his headquarters. + Things were serious in the village once! + +
+ 1882 + + + RRAIVAL ARRIVES!!! + The branch line from Elmers End to Hayes opens. + Colonel John Farnaby (Lord of the Manor) was the leading promoter. + Railway Hotel built around same time. This changes everything. + 13 weekday and 4 Sunday services to start. + +
+ 1926 + + + Electric trains!!! The railway becomes electrified, making London even closer. + This is the big catalyst for West Wickham's transformation. + +
+ 1927 + + + ROYAL VISIT!!! King George V and Queen Mary visit to open a new school in the village. + +
+ 1930s + + + The village MUSTUMS into a suburb!!! Fields are covered with houses that varied little in design. + The High Street fills with shops. Mains drainage is fitted, buses laid on. + Mysterious, isn't it? + +
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+ +
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+ The Prime Meridian Goes Through Our Village!!! +
+ "Where East Meets West"

+ + That's right folks -- we have the Prime Meridian running through us!!! + You don't have to go all the way to Greenwich to see the Meridian line anymore (grumble grumble grumble). + We've got our very own Meridian obelisk right here in West Wickham!!! +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ Obelisk Location: + + Coney Hall Recreation Ground +
+ Distance from Greenwich: + + 7.64 miles (12.29 km) +
+ OS Grid: + + TQ 339210, 165036 +
+ Tree Line Project: + + Native trees planted along the Meridian (Silver Birch) by Bromley Council, 1996-2000 +
+ We are LITERALLY half way around the world!
+ + *~* COME STAND ON THE MERIDIAN LINE!!! *~* + +
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+ +
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+ Wickham Court - The Tudor Treasure +
+ + Grade I Listed Building - This is the highest listing you can get in England! + Our Wickham Court is a semi-fortified country house that has stood strong since the 15th century. +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ The Anne Boleyn Connection:
+ + The house was built for Sir Henry Heydon (died 1504) who married Anne Boleyn's great-grandfather Sir Geoffrey Boleyn's daughter!!! + Rumours have it Anne herself may have visited Wickham Court though she never lived there. + So does that make us royalty-adjacent? Maybe not... but it's fun to say it is!!! + +
+ The Lennard Family:
+ + The Lennards took ownership in 1579 from the Heydon family and kept it for over 300 years. + They were Lords of the Manor of West Wickham for generations! + +
+ English Civil War:
+ + General Gage used it as his headquarters in 1645! Things were serious. + +
+ Today:
+ + Wickham Court School - an independent co-educational day school. + Open days with guided tours available occasionally. + Don't miss it if you get the chance! + +
+
+ +
+ + + + + + + + + + +
+ Local Pubs & The Railway Hotel +
+ + Every good village needs a good pub. And we've got The Railway Hotel, built around the same time as the station in 1882!! + It replaced the old Leather Bottle beer house and has been serving CAMRA cask beer ever since. + That's over 140 years of quality beer!!! +

+ + + + +
+ The Railway Hotel
+ + Address: Red Lodge Rd, West Wickham, BR4 0EW
+ Built: ~1882 (around the same time as the station!)
+ Type: CAMRA pub, cask beer focused
+ Features: Garden, real ale, food served
+ Status: Still going strong!!! +
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+
+ + The Royal George and other local pubs also do the rounds! + There's also The Windmill in nearby Beckenham for a bit of variety. + And of course, the village High Street has proper independent pubs with character. + +
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+ Nature, Woods & Green Spaces +
+ + West Wickham is home to some amazing green spaces and ancient woodland! + We've got Common, Recreation Grounds, and Woodland that's been there for centuries. + Perfect for your daily stroll or a spot of nature watching!!! +

+ + West Wickham Common
+ + Managed by the City of London. Ancient woodland with pollarded oaks (over 400 years old!!!), + heathland, acid grassland and scrub. Home to rare insects, bats, fungi and birds that live in the + nooks, cavities and cracks in the ageing and decaying wood. Open all year round! +

+ + High Broom Wood
+ + 7.2-hectare site along the River Beck corridor. Combines ancient woodland with open common, + featuring wet woodland habitats and a biodiversity hotspot within the urban fringe. +

+ + Coney Hall Recreation Ground
+ + The home of the Prime Meridian obelisk! Great green space in the heart of Coney Hall. + The name "Coney Hall" comes from "coney" (rabbit) -- the farm had sole right to catch coneys (rabbits) on nearby land. + Yes, the whole area was literally named after a fancy word for rabbit!!! +

+ + Blake Recreation Ground
+ + Another local green space for residents to enjoy. + +
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+ + + + + + + + + + +
+ Schools in West Wickham +
+ + West Wickham is a popular place for families, thanks to its excellent schools: +

+ + + + + + + + +
+ State Primary Schools:
+ + [1] Wickham Common School
+ [2] Oak Lodge School
+ [3] Pickhurst School
+ [4] Hawes Down School
+
+
+ Private:
+ + [5] Wickham Court School -- housed in the magnificent Grade I Listed Tudor manor house! + +
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+ +
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+ ~*~ Fun & Random Facts ~*~ +
+ + Did you know...? Some things that might make you say "Oh, West Wickham, you beaut!" +

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ [Fact #1] + When we were first recorded in Domesday Book in 1086, we only had 37 households. + We've grown to ~30,000! That's roughly 800x bigger! We are clearly very successful village. + +
+ [Fact #2] + The Prime Meridian GOES THROUGH us. You can stand here and be half on one side of the world, + half on the other!! Well, not really, but you CAN stand at the obelisk in Coney Hall and say you were on the line. + +
+ [Fact #3] + The Anne Boleyn connection is REAL! Her great-grandfather Sir Geoffrey Boleyn's daughter married Sir Henry Heydon, + who built Wickham Court. Rumour has it Anne herself may have visited! + +
+ [Fact #4] + "Coney Hall" -- the area name, comes from "coney" which is a fancy old word for rabbit!!! + Coney Hall Farm had the sole right to catch conies (rabbits) on nearby land! + +
+ [Fact #5] + Corkscrew Hill was sometimes known as "School Road" because the village school was at the top of it. + The old school was partly redeveloped as flats around 2000. + +
+ [Fact #6] + King George V and Queen Mary visited West Wickham in early 1927 to open a new school. + We're a village that royals have visited and have Domesday history -- that's pretty cool innit? + +
+ [Fact #7] + Wickham Common has oak pollards that are OVER 400 YEARS OLD. These gnarled veteran oaks provide homes for rare fungi, bats and insects. + The trees have been here longer than the Boleyn family were living there! + +
+ [Fact #8] + The village sign (erected 2014) commemorates the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (2012). + It has elements from each "end" of the village: Streetly End, the Church End and Burton End. + +
+ [Fact #9] + Postcode area: BR4. Where east meets west. And we've got the Meridian to prove it. + +
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+ +

+ + + + + + + + + + +
+ Contact the Webmaster +
+ + Got a question about West Wickham? Want to contribute to this site? +
Email the webmaster at: + webmaster@westwickham.demon.co.uk +

+ Email + Drop me a line!! +
+
+ +
+ +
+ +

+ +
+ + ~*~* + ~*~ + ~*~ + + + Welcome to West Wickham - The Best Village in Bromley!!! + + + ~*~* + ~*~ + ~*~
+ + + This site is part of the + Retro Web Webring + -- + [Prev] + | + [Random] + | + [Next]

+ + Best viewed with Netscape Navigator 4.0 at 800x600

+ + Email: + Email + webmaster@westwickham.demon.co.uk

+ + Copyright © 1999 West Wickham Village Web Committee. All rights reserved.
+ No part of this site may be reproduced without permission.

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