"A proper English village (that would have Dickens purring in his grave), with a proper English pub ..."

Yes, a very odd choice of phrase, that! Dickens was, of course, a Londoner - a city dweller - who probably thought that the countryside was unsophisticated (that's a guess - I haven't really read enough Dickens to know for sure).

I've always been fascinated by fictional models of Britain constructed by people who've never actually been here. You know, Cockneys who get lost on the 'moors' at night before being devoured by werewolves or 'Lords and Ladies' who are obviously modelled on well off Californians, of a few decades ago, and who live in Beverley Hills type mock Tudor mansions with butlers.

These examples are, obviously, American. How novel, for an afficionado like me, to encounter an Australian example! Thanks, Walkabouts Verse!

... Have I ever told you the one about the Ozzy, with the corks on his hat, who subdued the salt water crocodile ('crockys, I think they're called ... or something like that?), that was attacking the guests at his 'barby', by jamming his 'stubby' over its nose?