Mum and Dad visit UK

 

Dad and Dennis in St Joseph's uniform visit Addington Palace

p.479 possible St Hugh singers at Southwell. p.483 Golden wedding anniversary call p.484 necklace I bought Mum with my first salary! p.490 after 9 years I left St Margaret's Liz had an accident in the car in slippery conditions and Louise sprained her arm. p.494 Ffrench-Beytagh died. He was at a city church and I met him once on Westminster bridge. He remembered me. A very complex character we shall probably never know how much he did in South Africa and why he was deported. There was certainly lots of money being sent via the Church. p.496 Josie agreed that Mum and Dad could stay with her. p.500 planned itinerary. p.502 in fact they stayed with Jean and they loved it. Jean was a stalwart of St John's. Southwell was off! p.503 my comments on Barber Adagio for strings on the organ. Michael Deasey is mentioned. p.508 the trip to U.K. and we all holidayed at Kennall farm at Ponsanooth near Truro. We had of course breakfasted at Little Chef on the way down (this was traditional) Dennis and geology. We played Truro cathedral organ. Dennis went down a tin mine. The Croydon girls including Louise sang well in the cathedral and Louise played her trumpet. She had amazing ability taking up trumpet and later oboe and the piano. p.515 John Bolton who I also remember and we visited him in Kettering. p.516 Jean Bartlett. Alexander Nevsky at the Proms p.517 Addington Palace and St John's and Revd David and Susanna Martin. Dad does not mention that I lent him my cine camera so he could record his walks round York. p.523 Ightham Mote a place we have always loved. Dennis was keen on family trees and it is great that Mum wrote so much in the photo books. Chartwell and Finchcocks, Bexhill-on-sea, the Lewis at St John's, p.524 Pomp and Circumstance at St John's. John East and St Etheldreda's. Dennis sang at Guildford cathedral p,524. Liz went to Belmont Abbey  for a teacher's retreat. p.527 Dennis at Bury St Edmunds with Martin How. Dad describes in details the memorial concert for Ray Barber which was a great success with a lovely party at home afterwards. p.528. Visit to York library p.529 p.531 to 534 describes Hong Kong.

1959

An article I wrote for St Mary's cathedral magazine 1971 about the chapel we attended for 8 a.m. communion

With Grandma and Granddad at Harewood House, Wearing St John's college blazer and a view of the school, Land's End.

page 61 27 June 1959 to Athens I was 13 and Ann was 3. St Peter's day in Rome., a royal wedding in Brussels, Zurich Zoo. 4350 miles round England visiting cathedrals and places associated with the family including Cheltenham and Daventry. Then we were off to the summer school at Addington Palace. I think Dad had been warned about possible homosexual elements at RSCM so decided to fill me in on the facts of life. Apparently I had read it all in a book aged 8 but forgotten most of it! The atmosphere at Addington Palace was very boarding school. I was told off for playing the piano in the dormitory which Dad thought crazy as we were there to make music! The main point made to me was to open my mouth. I do recall the Basil Harwood centenary evensong at Westminster Abbey. We enjoyed Beckonscot and then back to York. We went to Edinburgh and Carlisle. Sadly this was the last time I saw Granddad. Mum often said I had some mannerisms with my hands just like him. As we drove away I knew we would not see Grandma and Granddad again. They had presented me with a beautiful Bible. I had been confirmed by Bishop Reeves in St John's College chapel aged 12. He wore white gloves as he was allergic to hair oil. I thought he looked like the White Rabbit. We finished up in Paris and it is worth reading about Monsieur Le Grand page. 64. In Nice we starved. 

At Addington Palace with Francis Close in the middle and I am wearing my St John's college blazer. Not sure who is on the left I do not think it is Alan Hall

with UncleWalter and Aunt Emily

Nellie and Grandad

Monsieur Le Grand French teacher

England

climbing the minster with Nellie

 With grandma and Aunt Ada

.

Auntie Nellie the dog was not there in 1952

In 1952 we landed at Southampton and took  trains to York. I was quoted as saying how green is all was, why were there so many chimneys? and why did it always rain? Remember we lived in a flat with central heating and Africa was often brown and dry. My grandparents and Auntie Nellie were delighted to welcome us to 22 Park Grove. In fact Grandma went to considerable lengths to organise a 5th birthday party for me see above.  I announced that it should have been an ice cream cake and was duly packed off upstairs in tears. The importance of always being grateful was being drummed in! I recall another birthday party later on when I realised I had been given a second copy of a book I already owned but I think by then I had learnt to smile and say thank you! Nellie was indeed an excellent guide to York. We climbed the Minster tower and I look very smart in my coat with its buttons. I discovered TV which we did  not have in South Africa until much later - Andy Pandy and Bill and Ben. I did find it annoying to have to go to bed when it was still light. In Johannesburg it gets dark quite quickly.  Photo shows Granddad, Nellie, Uncle Walter, Uncle Jewitt Worley. In front Aunt Emily, Grandma, me being silly, Aunt Ada Worley. In the garden at 22 Park Grove.

It was still a time of rationing and Mum had brought tins of fruit. Eventually only guavas were left and Granddad said he would have those things with pips if nothing else was left! I suppose the family's world in York was a very small one and it remained so. I loved the city and especially the Minster. All that history and tradition. Above all I felt I was English. I was not South African. 

22 Park Grove York taken when we cleared the house after Nellie went into care