Coulsdon

Our friends at St John 's helped us keep going. It was Terence who suggested Westminster cathedral so we started to go there. Of course I had often heard the choir at Mass before going to rehearsal.  About the same time there was an appeal for servers and I was quite wrong thinking that Liz would not be welcomed. Later driving home after Sat mass I commented how much I missed incense so Liz said Come and We will t each you which I did. In all 5 left Our Lady's to go to the cathedral. In September I auditioned at St Andrew's Coulsdon. This had a 2 manual Hill recently restored and an established choir and proper choir vestry. 11 miles from home by car but train and bus also available
Available. I had a proper contract at last. Fr Martin Goodlad was a bit of a rebel as far as the diocese was concerned! I settled in quickly and gradually youngsters got involved. Christmas
was big with a Carol concert, 2 crowded Christingles, Midnight and Christmas day at which the choir did not sing. Holy Week there was a Good Friday devotion but no Vigil. It was always hard to find a suitable work. Faure requiem and Stainer Crucifixion twice did not appeal. Cross of Christ worked better. Adrian was a great support in my 10 years there.

 A farewell meal with the junior choir

We sang Mozart at the cathedral with Robert Dean on 20 Oct 2005 and my article in Or emus says Liz was serving at Sat 6 p.m. mass and I was in the congregation. Later I joined her and she started serving on Sunday mornings. I went to the Reynolds exhibition at the Tate and The Tempest at the Globe with 3 actors including Mark Rylance. 2nd May 2005 was a memorable bank holiday in Liverpool. Ian Tracey played the Dorian at St George's hall and Andrew Nethsinga played at the cathedral. Richard Lea and Terence Duffy played at the metropolitan cathedral.

12th October 2005 induction of Vickie Sims We sang I was glad. Adrian played for part of it. 

There was also a magnificent Orthodox vespers on 22nd January 2005

The photo was taken at Vickie's induction

Worth Abbey SSG summer school 2005 (the room was very poor but the music was great!)

Drastic change

The choir party with Louise Sage and Fr Adrian 

Reading the Christmas letters up to 2003 there is nothing but progress with choirs flourishing at Our Lady's. Fr Gary was replaced as assistant by Fr Adrian. There is no sense of impending crisis which came on Good Friday 2004. I need to be careful what I write. Our new priest did have some good features. I liked having lectio divine on the gospel at the start of liturgy meetings. His changes of mood were very difficult to cope with especially just before Mass or immediately afterwards. Actually clergy should NEVER change things at the last moment. There is seldom a good reason for this. One example will suffice although I should have spotted the signs much earlier. Shrove Tuesday we entertained at home with brandy pancakes and all was sweetness and light. The very next evening  I was informed that the choir was not wanted at Ash Wednesday. We always sang at the evening Mass. That he lost it and reprimanded me in front of a full church on Good Friday was appalling. Somehow we got through the Vigil and Easter day. The following Wednesday he demanded that I resign which I refused to do. I was extremely upset. Liz was never consulted. Both choirs were finished. After 19 years of unremitting service I had lost my parish and a huge part of my life. A stormy AGM and appeals to the bishop made no difference. Sadly people I had encouraged to become Catholics never went back to Mass. Barry Williams gave me the best advice which was to remove all my music. Amazingly I kept going to Mass although Liz often left in tears. We toured local ch urches and the liturgy was dire no music or indifferent, poor preaching. Richard Moth was one priest who enquired about me. Do not forget I was very well-known in the deanery.
I have today 30/4/20 destroyed all the paperwork. It has taken a long time to come to doing this. I also wrote to the priest concerned about 4 years ago and pointed out that I was to be his host at a Catenian function and it was time to bury the hatchet. He replied immediately. At least we now greet each other and he is retired. I have returned to Mass at Addiscombe quite calmly.

Story so far

My first blog The organist librarian started in 2007 and we are now 2021. So there is a gap between the end of Dad's book and the other blog. The Holy Land pilgrimage is covered in a separate blog. The question is Why wr ite all this? From a practical pint of view I do need to get rid of a lot of paper in the study. So one thing's are recorded here I can chuck the paper. Also I can find things. My other reason is to pass on to my dear children and grandsons what I believe in. Dad certainly did that and I can we certain themes organs and church music, ordination of women (still not happening in Sydney diocese), orthodoxy and change, Family is very important and clearly my letters and emails were treasured especially in the later years.
I think much can be learned from disappointment as well as success.  Life at the library was not always rosy. It took a long time to get promoted but once it happened I generally did well. The secret of this is to treat everybody the same from the cleaner to the boss. Always smile and be welcoming. Never bring work home. Learn to switch off life is too short! Enjoy hobbies. Don't be afraid to share belief. Always try to attend funerals. Ask staff about their families.
Make the most of one to one time especially with teenagers. E clear about limits. Be on time - essential in a library. Keep records up to date. Answer emails straight away but wait overnight if your reply is a difficult one. Res pec t privacy. What amuses you may not amuse the other person. Think of people in nappies especially if they are giving you grief. Say sorry and don't Le arguments fester overnight. Please and thank you. Be thankful every day for so many blessings. 

Kokstad

We visited Joburg zoo and zoo lake. We then flew to Durban and met up with Dennis. We visited Hluhluwe game reserve and saw rhino, elephant, buffalo and lions. Then drove to Kokstad visiting the Coles on the way Denyl being John Alexander's sister.  John was ordained and head of the school. Next we flew to Cape Town to stay at Professor Mark Alexander 's home as they were away. Felt more relaxed there and a glorious day on Table Mountain. Cape of Good Hope, Constantia, Kirstenbosch and Stellenbosch.

 

 

York Minster

Audrey Young on the right

P.1551 cine films changed to video. I saw the Royal Shakespeare company in Christchurch. I became Vice-President of Norwood circle with Simon Grummitt as President p.1552 p.1553 Archbishop of Southwark was impressed by confirmation at Addiscombe Michael Bowen. P.1561 we had been in Budapest for a week enjoying the baths, organ recitals and concerts. We started by getting a fine for not having the right underground tickets when we were trying to buy the correct ones! Dennis had been in Colchester? I think this was more likely to be Harlow. He did his training in different hospitals some more happily than othets. Sept 22 I played York Minster organ after evensong. A very special hour thanks to John Scott Whiteley. The next day we the prize plaque for Nellie was unveiled at Park Grove school. Audrey was there and sent us the press cutting. We stayed at 21 Park Grove vegetarian b and b.p.1567. I tried to get choristers at Becket school p.1568. In fact I spent a term but the idea of kids singing in their break failed. I heard David King play at Fairfield Hall. Dennis flew to Durban for his elective year in Maputo. P.1571. I played the grand organ at Westminster cathedral p.1573 we went to South Africa in Feb. P.1575 somebody told me my prelude was too loud! Bruce had a girlfriend? 2003 p.1576 group photo including girlfriends of Dennis and Bruce. Liz thinks this is Jody from Homebase where Bruce worked for over a year. This means I must have met Ann Marie in Harlow in 2002. I do recall being surprised. There was one journey escaping Bristol when Dennis went for a driving test and I was not allowed to throw papers away while waiting. We reached Harlow in the dark! P.1577 we heard CCSL choir sing at the Abbey and spoke to the director.p.1579 Dad's second heart attack. They moved to Castle Hill which Dad liked and Mum hated. She missed her Glebe circle. The book concludes March 2003.

The reopening of Battersea Park library Elizabeth, Zia, David Campling, Guy Senior, John Hallmark

I spent the morning weeding outside in my suit. Guy turned up from a charity run (I later saw him  at the Proms) John got the chop from the council by the Tories he is now in a wheelchair and I met him for lunch. The opening was a huge community success. The next day David had the keys and was late. He never recovered and I advised him to find another job which he did in Leicester. He came down for my farewell party at Balham. Elizabeth introduced me to Barnabas fund. Zia got my on the interfaith idea a Muslim postman and very intelligent man asked me about the official Catholic view not my own! 

York Minster organ 1993 the gates of heaven for me

 John Chumrow retires as chorus chairman and looks back

From Andrew Wright 1994

Book reviews

Marcel McCarron was ordained at Addiscombe and I played for his first Mass at Selsdon. He became an Anglican prison chaplain

One of Dad's letters to IAO news

Sydney

P.1546 played the new organ in St Mary's cathedral and we went to CCSL. Dad insisted on climbing the cathedral steps he could have gone round the back! Liz went to the Sacred Heart conference at Darling Harbour we had attended the cathedral Mass. The zoo!.We enjoyed meals together. The Thomases joined us at Doyles. Liz had to return home via Singapore to go back to school. She was upset. I stayed and we went to Manly p.1547 and I visited the contemporary art gallery. Dennis delivered his first baby! I went on to Christchurch and Los Angeles where I drove to the lovely Huntington gallery and bought a Panama hat in Santa Monica. I was late returning the hire car but the British Airways crew said No problem Sir! I was home by 26 April. At the time it seemed that I might not see Mum and Dad again.

Ayers Rock Uluru 

2001

P.1515 we set off for Bath and then Belfast and a tour of Northern Ireland. P.1517 agreed a gift from Nellie's estate. 4 items from the CD were broadcast in "Evensong" in Sydney. Dad and CCSL sold them. P.1522 I moved to Battersea library for a year while Battersea Park was refurbished and asbestos removed. I lost a stone in weight because of all the stairs. I missed the park very much. P.130 the annual prize at Park Grove school in memory of Nellie was being set up. Earlier the piano from no 22  had gone to the school. It took a while to set it up.

P.1536 Bruce's prize from building college. He was asked to make a case for the Master of the Carpenters company and we went to the presentation.p.1537 we planned another trip taking in Ayers Rock and New Zealand. Louise sang Hear my prayer beautifully. I am to buy Chanel no 5 for Mum. Whisky for Dad 1538. the Queen Mother died a few months after Princess Margaret. P.1542 the CDs raised £700 for the charities. We arrived April 6 and stayed at Rooftops in Glebe. This had a rooftops pool and we could see Mum and Dad every day. We had a lovely time at the Blue mountains and Ayers Rock even trying kangaroo. The Olgas were very beautiful. We attended 2 Catenian dinners and gave a talk after one. I took the Coleman's on a first

 With the Colemans

Cyril and Denise Thomas

visit to another circle and we stayed overnight with them. It was lovely to be at Mum and Dad's 61st wedding anniversary. We went to St Andrews cathedral organ reital and saw Kurt Is on and Mark Quarmby. We took Dad to the opera house p.1545 Olivier Latry played the Poulenc and the dreaded Messiaen. Edo de Waart conducted. Fr Petre came from France each summer on relief to Addiscombe. Fr Peter went to St Bueno's and Ghana. Fr Denis retired aged 70 in 2001.