Voices from the Past

I listened recently to a radio programme about the beginings of commercial broadcasting.  Sir John Reith, head of the BBC, was a staunch Presbyterian and decreed that only religious programmes should be broadcast on Sundays.  This left a gap in the schedules which a certain Captain Plugge decided to fill by broadcasting dance music intersperced with advertisements from France which he called Radio Normandy.  We heard Sir John Reith's voice declaring this was unacceptable and another voice that was raised against it, that of the Reverend Archibald Fleming, the Minister of St. Columba's Scottish Presbyterian Church, Pont Street, London.   This latter was the gentleman whose two daughters had been very kind to us at Christmas coming with their Girl Guides  bringing us gifts of food at a time when our finances were low.  We were invited to tea  at their kensington house and met Dr. Fleming.  It was strange to hear his distinctive voice again after over eighty years.

Holiday Time

My French family have gone home after spending ten days in Hove and a further week in Folkestone.  All excitement as we celebrated two birthdays and the arrival of baby Jack.  It feels a little strange to have a son who is a grandfather  and even stranger to find two of Jack's uncles are aged eleven and eight.

Various members of the family came from fae and near when they realised we had been invaded by the French.   The two boys enjoyed several days at a children's Activity Centre n Hove.  We ended the holiday with a lunch for about ten of us in the beautiful restaurant at the Grand Hotel on the Leas at Folkestone.  Another lovely day to remember.