"Closure of the Forth Road Bridge" and "Flooding results in no trains from England to Scotland". These two items of news today reminded me of my Scots friend Joanne. She came from Leith where her father was a policeman. She had two brothers who were also policemen but in London. She also had twin sisters. In due course all three girls came to work in Government departments in Whitehall during the 1940s, as I did.
The five siblings shared a flat in Primrose Hill in North London. The three girls being tall and blonde were almost identical and derived great fun from being mistaken for one another. The train fare to Edinburgh they found exorbitant so when it was time to go home for their vacation they would travel overnight on a coastal vessel that went all the way up the east coast from London to Leith on a very choppy North Sea.
Ramblings of a nonagenerian (vintage 1923). Grew up in Lambeth in the 20s and 30s. Lived and worked in London during World War II. I have been attempting to do the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword since 1939! (My daughter says I *have* to write this, but I am troubled as it sounds so conceited.) I bought my first computer aged 85 and am continually frustrated by the vagaries of the technological age.
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Saturday, 5 December 2015
Richard Baker
They say "a prophet is often without honour in his own country."
A well-known face on TV was that of the announcer and newsreader Richard Baker. Millions tuned in every evening at 6pm to see and hear him read the News. His small daughter was getting in her mother's way in the kitchen, so she was told to go in the sitting room and see what was on the television. She was soon back saying to her mother "It's only Daddy".
A well-known face on TV was that of the announcer and newsreader Richard Baker. Millions tuned in every evening at 6pm to see and hear him read the News. His small daughter was getting in her mother's way in the kitchen, so she was told to go in the sitting room and see what was on the television. She was soon back saying to her mother "It's only Daddy".