Community

Crowds at Dibden; good news and bad by post; Hoopoe envy; the Black Prince; a “Goater Gallop”; “Mrs Hilly’s” last day; Rick grows a beard; worry over “dear old Tommy”; wonderful neighbours; sporting behaviour at Wimbledon, and the “Swedish boy Borg”.

On April 13th 1973 Gran needs an eye test and takes the bus into Southampton.  She says, with relief:

The eye-test was very satisfactory, with no deterioration in my sight since 1970, and I called in hopefully to Martin’s to see if my binoculars were back yet, and they were!  So I am fully equipped again now.  My knee was extremely painful and I was glad to get into the ‘bus.

And on the following day:

I took my swollen knee to the Doctor this morning and he said it was synovitis which was causing trouble.  I am to bandage it firmly and rest it as much as possible, but, as usual, I can do my household chores except for kneeling!  Well, I am going out with Brother for the day tomorrow…

The outing is to Dibden Bay, where she and Norris meet up with a British Naturalists’ Association (although Gran continues to call it the British Empire Naturalists’ Association) group in the afternoon.  The first Swallow of the year is noted in Baddesley Road, followed by a singing Blackcap, Crossbills and a drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the Forest.  Car parking at Dibden proves difficult, “People with binoculars were everywhere”, Gran complains:

… but they were not birdwatching.  The Queen Elizabeth II was sailing from Southampton for a cruise to Israel, and such is the present political situation between Jew and Arab that aeroplanes and helicopters were flying round and watching for anything unusual.  But our eyes were for birds, and the disturbance around left us few to see.

[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 140)

Stamps  from New Zealand; good birds in Suffolk; Ruddigore at Sadlers’ Wells; excitement on The Ribble Marshes; childish stamps from Australia; “a perfect specimen of human babyhood”, and a Camellia causes some anxiety.

On February 19th 1973, Gran receives some mail:

Second post brought me New Zealand stamps from Brother-in-law Norman – two strips of the newest issue with the margin numbers and printers’ name, with the names of the artists which, according to a newspaper cutting sent with them, had been attributed to the wrong artist in these particular values.  Norman thought they would be interesting and, perhaps, valuable.

Sika whistles; various ailments; much knitting; an old doll; birds on a wire; a 25th wedding anniversary; a rude beginning to the day; the Rector retires; a near disaster; kind residents, and new friends at Cranbury Park.

Gran’s restlessness and depression, which characterised her first day of October 1972, lift on the 2nd, after a day out in the New Forest with Norris.  There they search for Sika Deer hoping in particular, to hear the remarkable whistling calls of the males and they have to wait at Ladycross until seven o’clock before they are rewarded, Gran says, with “a sound which I would never have associated with a deer”.

[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 138)

Three birds new to Gran, and several flowers; a “nice piece” about Julian; Nastase – “the idol of the crowd”; a visit from Gilbert’s sister; the Fowlers retire; Gran is sixty-eight; the Brenans move house; the “ghost of a frustrated artist”; Barry collects things other than moths, and “my life is rushing away”

Gran and Norris spend twelve days in mid-Wales during June 1972, loving the countryside they explore, together, and sometimes in the company of others.  Their host, referred to as “Mac” is knowledgeable about the local breeding birds of prey and he takes them to see the nests of Sparrowhawk and Merlin, the latter, unusually, in a low Hawthorn tree, rather than on the ground, where he has set up hides for photography. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 137)

Happy in Church; Gran’s “Gilbertiana”; plans disrupted by “The Troubles”; pleasure and pride; Oxford or Cambridge?; a new position for Stuart; Gran yelps; Greaty is quite overcome, and a holiday with Brother again.

Book 140

Gran is always very much at home in her beloved Compton Church, and on March 12th 1972 she goes there again, for Matins, and is:

…particularly happy to do so as the new Bishop of Southampton, who now resides in Compton, preached the Sermon and pronounced the Blessing. He took as his theme for his Sermon the vital part to be played by parents during their children’s critical growing period between the ages of eight and eighteen.  This was inspired by two things – today is Mothering Sunday, and next Saturday several of our young parishioners are to be confirmed.

Gran’s collection of her so called “Gilbertiana”; press cuttings, articles, books, drawings and letters concerning Gilbert Whitley, found its way into my hands recently.  A difficult search in Australia for a more appropriate custodian of these items was ultimately fruitful, owing to Gran’s recording of the birth of one of Gilbert’s great-nephews, son of his niece, Pamela Clare Frewer.  Pam married Lazaros Archotides, a Greek musician.  Their son Bernhard, today better known as Panayotis Archontides, is an internationally acclaimed pianist, based in London. Gran writes of the little family on March 13th:

Post brought a First Day Cover from Gilbert in Australia – very welcome – and his letter contained the news that Pam and Lazaros, with baby Bernhard, are soon due in Sydney.  There will be much rejoicing.