Adrian Adams

My article about Addington Palace from CMQ

Bk 5 p. 905 1995. Mention that I had recently sung the tenor solo in Rejoice in the Lamb. Adrian Adams had asked me to do this for the Croydon Bach choir concert at short notice and it went very well. I did not realise I was expected to sing the whole work so sightread it! One of the choir tenors was a little snide - perhaps he thought he should have been asked? Adrian is a great friend and support for many years. He directed St John Upper Norwood and I often sang at evensong and also for a time at the morning service before going to Addiscombe. The family were all in the choir. He also came to Addiscombe and later Coulsdon and conducted or played.

Adrian with his brother-in-law Geoff at the reception after Louise and Tom's wedding. 

Dad also talks about Thomas Trotter in Sydney - I always try to go and hear him play! p.810 Easter services and ACertCM written exams. I was now in charge of the choir. Mary Endacott must have moved to be near her brother. p.919 Dad again mentions my need of a large organ and support from the Deacon. We had a number of priests spending their diaconate with us and I enjoyed working with them - Daniel, Luke, Sunith. Howells Saraband and we even sang "Hail thee festival day"! p.928St Andrew's cathedral choir were to sing at St Paul's. Michael Deasey was distant but Mark Quarmby chatted. Martin How was unimpressed! p.930 Liz's Dad vomited blood which was a huge worry. Louise did her grade IV exam for oboe. Dad was researching the translation of "lead us not into temptation" and discussing euthanasia! p.943 a 4 hour cassette including Good Friday from the cathedral. p.946 I sang and read a lesson at the last evensong in the chapel at Addington Palace - a sad day. The RSCM moved to Susie Jeans' home and later Sarum college. The excuse was a massive bill for repairs to the palace which later became a very posh club and we attended wedding receptions there. I used to love taking the children there and we knew all the staff and the directors and of course going to some courses notably one for RCs arranged with Llewella Harris who still corresponds from St David's. Ann sent a video of their home.

p.947 Society of St Gregory summer school which I enjoyed. This must have been Clifton cathedral. We stayed in Clifton college dorms with showers down several flights. In fact it was the Jewish boys dorm and I found a drawing pin facing upwards in the bed. Christepher Walker was much in evidence and it was very hot. We processed round the cathedral singing about Exodus and when we got to the large baptism pool literally washed in it. Then Fr Kevin gave a wonderful talk on the perils of baptism - you are condemning your child to possible martyrdom! The liturgies reflected the scrutinies unbinding the altar for the raising of Lazarus. Apparently behind the scenes the organisers were at constant loggerheads! Patrick Geary who had chips on both shoulders cottoned on to me and would not leave me alone - it was exhausting talking into the early hours and literally closing my door in his face! I will always remember a nun on the coach to Bristol asking me to look at Mass at communion time and see how many did not receive. They are all part of the Body of Christ too! I went with Liz to several summer schools notably Worth but found them exhausting and far from a holiday! The other problem was that I would return with loads of new music and have to resist introducing it too quickly! Monastic musicians was a lot calmer! Cost was also a factor - every bit of training Liz and I have done we paid for.

This was a lot later and Mary Endacott received an award Susan Parsons and Penny Tuck Louise sage and Nicholas Hughes are in the photo. Ted, Peggy, Ada, Rita, Stan Moore and Matthew Moore

Worth Abbey lecture series

1978

 With Dennis is Liz's room at 99 Oxford Gardens note the collection of dolls

Unsurprisingly 1978 shows lots of watching opera on TV and visits to the theatre were limited. Memorable at the Albert hall were Max Boyce, Macbeth and Cosi fan tutte. At the Fairfield we enjoyed Hinge and Bracket and the King's singers. Saw Plunder at the Lyttelton and Death in Venice and Peter Grimes at Covent Garden. Went to Curlew River and the Prodigal Son at Southwark cathedral. The Gondoliers at Sadler's Wells and Hans Andersen starring Tommy Steele at the Palladium. I did keep going to chorus and Beethoven 9 appeared regularly. Ann got about quite a bit, Bath, Stratford and she loved snow! Dennis was baptised by Fr Farmer at St Chad's on Feb 5 along with 5 others and we had 50 to the party in the evening. Ann left on Feb 16 having enjoyed the visit. I persuaded Mr Parker to let me go to Battersea Park music which was upstairs (it later became a computer room) and started there Feb 28th. I enjoyed working with Julian Wales who later married Marilyn and their son is George. Branch librarian was Pauline Kirwan with magnificent pre-Raphaelite hair! Sean and Pauline loved Wexford opera. Julian used to cycle to the Festival hall for the lunchtime jazz!  In those days there were lots of staff and I was trained to take charge so others could enjoy Battersea Park! Much of my career was spent there. In those days we walked to the station together! The estate was not nice but it was more convenient without a change of trains.
On 12 July 1978 we received a letter of thanks from the chorus for our work as librarians.

1978

K holding Dennis after his baptism. 5/2/78 Note the furniture which we had bought from Germaine Spencer. When we were on the bus in St John's Wood she asked the conductor to ring the bell! Who did she think she was? The suite was lovely but rather impractical for young children.

Unsurprisingly 1978 shows lots of watching opera on TV and visits to the theatre were limited. Memorable at the Albert hall were Max Boyce, Macbeth and Cosi fan tutte. At the Fairfield we enjoyed Hinge and Bracket and the King's singers. Saw Plunder at the Lyttelton and Death in Venice and Peter Grimes at Covent Garden. Went to Curlew River and the Prodigal Son at Southwark cathedral. The Gondoliers at Sadler's Wells and Hans Andersen starring Tommy Steele at the Palladium. I did keep going to chorus and Beethoven 9 appeared regularly. Ann got about quite a bit, Bath, Stratford and she loved snow! Dennis was baptised by Fr Farmer at St Chad's on Feb 5 along with 5 others and we had 50 to the party in the evening. Ann left on Feb 16 having enjoyed the visit. I persuaded Mr Parker to let me go to Battersea Park music which was upstairs (it later became a computer room) and started there Feb 28th. Much of my career was spent there. In those days we walked to the station together! The estate was not nice but it was more convenient without a change of trains.

Fr Farmer died 2005