Julian Goater

Floods in Marsh Lane; a scuffle in the garden; “the objectionable McEnroe”; the Royal Family’s intelligence – under-rated; Andy and Katie do well; painting for others; nine mints from Tristan; a stolen painting and a lost pen; Joan Spurgin; top-class cross country running, and coverage in Athletics Weekly.

On October 27th 1980, Gran records local drizzle and says: “But we were lucky.  In Lancashire torrential rain had caused the Ribble and the Wyre to burst their banks and the road above Preston is flooded… I have been anxious about Marsh Lane”.

And later:

This evening my dear Jane phoned, guessing that I should be worrying about the family and, indeed, the Ribble has filled Marsh Lane right across, the Doulton’s house next door to Jane is flooded and water is in Jane’s downstairs in places and the carpets and other things are upstairs.  As usual, Jane said, friends are being a wonderful help, and the piano and other furniture is raised on bricks and the council has taken precautions, but she and the children expect to be baling all night.

Gran discovers the next day that it was not the River Ribble that flooded Marsh Lane but a local stream, whose sluice gates should have been opened to allow flood waters to drain away.  Minor damage is caused to the house and Jane, Andy and Katie had, indeed, been busy dealing with the problem overnight. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 163)

A rare bird in the garden; Evonne – Champion again; valuable Rackhams; Corwen memories; a cold July; seventy-six years young; “my little Budgie, Peter” – dead; memories of Gilbert; a spectacular opening ceremony; no sign of the Killdeer, and an “adorable” great-grandson.

On June 30th 1980, Gran watches tennis on television with some pleasure, writing:

Play at Wimbledon started at noon again today… there were more excellent matches and results were much as to be expected except that Britain’s last hope, Virginia Wade, was beaten by the American fifteen-year old, Andrea Jaeger.

“But”, she says, “My main pleasure had already taken place!”

We have read once or twice of her encounters with the Wryneck, a rare woodpecker-relative once fairly widespread in the south, and on this day she has another one:

Looking into the garden instinctively from the television, I saw what I at first thought was a juvenile Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground by the Silver Birch on which the nearest nesting box hangs.  Closer inspection, however, proved the bird to be a Wryneck, which was feeing in characteristic manner, on ants, I expect.  After it flew across the bottom of Kingstons’ garden, down the Kingsway ones, I got out the Handbook and identification was absolute.  I have only ever seen three Wrynecks, including this one, so it is a splendid record.  I phoned Barry this evening to tell him and he was amazed and pleased.  Geoff has yet to see his first!

[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 162)

Nightingale poignancy; a lost necklace; an invasion of Habs; Squirrels at Formby; “greatest admiration and respect”; Great Reed Warbler – an unexpected treat; plates for Katie; an Archdeacon visits; unwelcome changes at Beaulieu, and high class athletics by a grandson.

Book 185

On May 9th 1980 Gran, as always, working in Fahrenheit, records that it was:

… the coldest May night this century (according to the television weather man) with a minimum temperature here of thirty degrees, this morning was clear and sunny though still cold.

Post brought “Athletics Weekly” which informed me that Julian had a good run in the 3000 metre race in the southern Counties A.A.A. representative match at Crystal Palace on April 30th.  His time was 7:58.9 seconds, only just over one second outside Sebastian Coe’s best time of 7:57.4, which he achieved the week before.

“Bird of the week” on radio this morning was the Nightingale and records were played of Beatrix Harrison playing her ‘cello in a wood with a Nightingale accompanying her, of a Nightingale singing with enemy aeroplanes droning overhead, and of the bird on its own.  I was reminded of the war days here, when, after an air raid, the “all  clear” siren sounded and we rushed upstairs to hear the Nightingales singing down by the Lake.  Alas, present day disturbance there has driven these lovely birds away from this neighbourhood.

[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 161)

Back in Cornwall; what will Katie do next?; “the insufferable I.R.A.; Grampa does some pruning; an Olympic qualifying time; seeds sown by the Devil; Andy and Katie at “carthorse”; a “pretty little plant” survives; Forster’s Tern – new for Britain; Thomas Goater; cycling – “too much for me”; time wasted at the pub, and a Blue Tit acting strangely.

Book 180

On August 24^th 1979 we find Gran at Coverack, in Cornwall again, sharing a holiday with Barry, Jane Elizabeth, Geoff and Robin.  Barry is running his moth-trap and some of the family’s time is spent sitting on the beach, but on this day, she says, “Geoff and I walked towards Black Head instead of going to the beach again and I must admit that this was more in my line”.

She writes of Barry, ever the enthusiastic schoolmaster, on August 27^th:

Barry has been showing the children from the [nearby] hotel the contents of the trap and an elderly lady has been keeping a list of the species.  Today a small crowd of about fifteen people gathered and the “star” was the Convolvulus Hawk, which allowed itself to be picked up and admired, and when Barry had it he was even able to draw out its very long proboscis to show the company and the moth then curled it up again.

[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 160)