Hatchlands Park

Maytrees min, mrs maytrees and I, decided to visit the National Trust's  Hatchlands Park last Tuesday. 

Although we had been there some years ago with the grandchildren, that visit was in high summer and the house grounds and restaurant  then were packed, as were the car parks including the overflow car park. On this occasion, midweek in March, the small car park, house, gardens and restaurant, were almost empty.

When last at Hatchlands  then with small children, we decided against entering the house. On this occasion with no grand children to mind, we were pleased to enter the house itself. 

Of particular visual interest was the collection of very old musical instruments, particularly pianos and organs.

 

Perhaps of even greater interest than the old and ancient key board musical instruments, was one of the volunteers. He remarked on my accent suggesting that I might have enjoyed living in the house. His own parents  came from Cheapside in the City. He could not believe that mine were cockney from  the East End's Whitechapel and Bethnal  Green. 

Subsequently considering family accents with mrs maytrees, we concluded that only my late father had what might almost  be described as an East End of London accent though years of time spent with the Royal Air Force probably resulted in his accent nearly harmonising with that of other officers. My older brother and sisters like myself probably had accents resulting from  post WWII boarding school education particularly whilst dad was posted to Cologne.

In any event,  The Hatchlands Park restaurant being almost empty, we sat outside in the sunshine for an enjoyable lunch together.

The Commonwealth

There is a rumour to the effect that the USA  currently under President Trump will be invited to join the Commonwealth of nations by King Charles when the American President visits the UK. in the months ahead.

 

Given the  huge difficulties with President Trump  in other areas, American Commonwealth membership would in my view be beneficial to many, not least to existing Commonwealth member Canada.

Chinese influence already affecting some Commonwealth countries, could surely be counter-balanced. Trade aspects could be enhanced for many members and the Commonwealth Games might well become more competitive with American involvement. 

Whether President Trump has already been invited to  seek USA membership is unclear but the idea is at least interesting.

Polesden Lacey

On a drizzly chilly Thursday afternoon, maytrees min, mrs maytrees and I decided to travel to the National Trust's Polesden Lacey at Great Bookham in Surrey.

Fortunately the weather improved as we reached the estate. Equally fortunately for us, the chill and rain had appeared to have  put off many other visitors as the grounds were very quiet.

 

Following our stroll through the grounds, we entered the wing of the Polesden Lacey mansion where there was a second hand book shop. I purchased an almost new hardback Simply Lies by David Baldacci for £3. The new book price is £22 so a bargain for me.

Shortly afterwards the three of us entered the almost empty dining room. The ladies enjoyed tea and cake. i was hungry so selected some East Asian curry which was hot and delicious,

Afterwards, a brief visit to the NT shop then back to the car park,  where  as we entered we just missed a rainstorm.

AFC Wimbledon

Originally older brother Michael and myself were to attend AFC Wimbledon's home match against Notts County FC yesterday. Mike lives in Hull and the last time we had attended a football match together was Chelsea FC years ago with our late father. Perhaps in the months to come we will attend a Hull City match together.

In those days Chelsea was in the top division. Most of the crowd there at the time  stood  and hopefully, cheered in the chilly weather.

Times in the football world have of course hugely changed with high some would say too highly, paid players, many from overseas with foreign owners of the clubs as well. Chelsea FC itself had had a long standing Russian owner until the Russian war against Ukraine commenced, after which with some difficulty, the club managed to divest itself and now has acceptable owners.

Reverting to AFC Wimbledon. Unfortunately Mike was  at the last moment  unable to attend their home match against Notts County  as he was called in by the Harefield  Hospital for  urgent surgery yesterday, which thankfully was successful.

Instead, maytrees min, who lives about a mile away from the AFC Wimbledon ground, attended with me. Unlike many if not most professional football clubs, AFC Wimbledon is still largely owned by the fans. As it happened the crowd attending the match reached a record for the Dons of almost 8,700. Fortunately maytrees min and I had great front row seats in the club's  Cappagh stand as may been seen from the picture below taken shortly before the matched commenced.

The football was exciting especially in the first half of the match when the Dons scored two excellent goals. Notts County replied by bringing on four substitutions and for a while in the second half they looked as they might pull one goal back. I suspect that players in higher echelons of the game would remain on top of the ball for the full 90 minutes rather than tiring too much before the finish

AFC Wimbledon later  brought on two substitutes of their own and almost scored a third goal.

The Don's ground and facilities are modern, We enjoyed some tea and coffee at half time and had no difficulty in bringing the cups to our seats so I suppose the ban on football clubs taking drinks into the stadium, only applies to beer and other alcoholic drinks

After the match we walked back to a cafe, local to maytrees min's flat and then back to her home where her husband Johnny, was watching France against Ireland in the six  nations rugby. As for football, Johnny is a Premiership Brighton supporter. Brighton are doing well at present. Maytrees min told me that given the far larger stadium at Brighton, crowd noise there can be greater than at AFC Wimbledon. Despite that, the singing and drum playing at the Dons' match, was noisy and continued throughout the game.

Most of the AFC Wimbledon football matches I have attended feature in blog posts here; for example AFC Wimbledon but I would say that yesterdays game was one of the most enjoyable matches I have attended since the club was formed, replacing the old Wimbledon FC. Of course the sunshine and relatively warm weather will have assisted

The match commenced at 12:30 pm. Usually Saturday professional football matches commence at 3pm. I prefer the 12:30pm start though maybe the start time is set by the FA  if not TV companies.

 
 

Family Breakfast at The Wolseley Piccadilly

Oldest  son Ed having come to England for a 40th birthday treat for his wife Gillian, most of us decided to meet them both for breakfast at The Wolseley Restaurant in Piccadilly London. Maytrees ma and family were unfortunately not present, as the breakfast clashed with their long standing prior  family appointment.

Wimbledon mainline station  being closed for new track laying, mrs maytrees, maytrees min and myself decided to travel to Town by Uber and meet maytrees mi, Ed and Gillian there. 

The travel went perfectly as did the meal where we were provided with an upstairs table for six in a small alcove. Reminiscing about pre-nationalisation British Railways breakfasts, I chose a grilled kipper with mustard butter followed by croissant with oodles of coffee,

Given the gloriously sunny weather, after bidding farewell to Ed and Gillian who were flying back to Jersey from Heathrow Airport, the rest of us decided to walk back to Victoria Station for the District Line home.

Green Park was very crowded so much so that we realised that people were waiting to see the King meet  with President Zelinski. following the dreadful time the latter must have had when meeting President Trump with Vice President JD Vance during the previous day.

None the less we had a very pleasant spring walk through the crowds to Victoria  Station where we caught a Wimbledon bound Underground train promptly.

 

 

                                    A most enjoyable but all too brief, family reunion.

Pope Francis - Hope Part II

 Pope Francis is currently a patient within the Gemilli Hospital in Rome

Each passing hour brings the future of Pope Francis into perspective. Many in Rome have gathered outside his hospital for prayer.  His autobiography is entitled Hope which in the current climate of war and strife in the world and the behaviour of the current President of the USA towards his supposed friends, is apt.

There is an intriguing article in today's Sunday Times signifying the likelihood of  Cardinals  already meeting in groups to discuss what might occur next and quietly who to consider as his successor. Like many political groupings in the free world, they are apparently splitting to left and right wing members.

There I gather  is a risk of excommunication should such group discussions go too far but the film Conclave which  mrs maytrees and I saw recently, probably gives an almost non-fictional account of the likely events and factions in practice. Certainly the book on the same topic,by Robert Harris, is very readable - Conclave

We can but await developments with prayer, interest and hope.

 

Brompton Cemetery

Having recently learned that Brompton Cemetery is a Royal Park as are Hyde Park  and Bushey Park in London and Surrey, mrs maytrees and I decided to visit the cemetery yesterday, having a year or two back enjoyed a visit with younger brother John and his wife Jan, to Highgate Cemetry Highgate Cmetery. Neither of us had visited Brompton Cemetery previously having only just learned of its existence,

Unlike  Brompton Cemetery, Highgate Cemetery is not a Royal Park though neither of  course is Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris, which I have visited several times enroute to the TGV to Lourdes from the nearby train terminus..

Montparnasse Cemetery is a sprawl of interesting and beautiful graves  and Highgate has many tombs and graves which include that of Lenin and Alexander Litvinenko who  the Russians seem to have  assassinated,   as he died from Polonium-210.

Mrs maytrees and I traveled to West Brompton on the District Line from Wimbledon and found the cemetery next door to the station. Intitially however, we turned left rather than right from the station, and were soon lost but came across the huge Earls Court  housing redevelopment which like many housing issues in England, has been delayed by objections about for example concerning affordable housing and architectural  appearance. My own thought was that both West Brompton Overground and District Line stations would be overwhelmed by the thousands of people eventually expected  to reside within the old Earls Court site. However that will not be for years hence.

Having been guided back to the correct route by a helpful stranger, who said how much he enjoyed the flowers on many graves there, we soon entered the cemetery.

The grave of Emmeline Pankhurst the famous suffragette is at Brompton and is pictured above.

The cemetery chapel has only just been restored and opened and may be visited at weekends.

Near to the grave of Emily Pankhurst is that of Doctor John Snow who did much groundbreaking research into  the scourge of Cholera.

There is also a decent cafe nearby which suited us for home made cake and tea.

Opposite  the cafe was a very attractive small but modern, information office from which we received maps and directions to graves which we wished to see.

The grave of Sir Henry Cole without whom the V&A might not have been built is within the cemetery as is that of Metropolitan Anthony, who was head of the Russian Orthodox and Patriarchal Church in Great Britain and Ireland. His grave is one of the most visited apparently.

Some of the graves are very large and ornate but we gathered that such would not be permitted today although a burial site at some £1,000s seems expensive enough anyway. For example the tomb below

Three times a year one can visit the tombs or catacombs underground. We visited the underground catacombs at Palermo in Sicily which were very bizarre and interesting though I am not sure I would would wish to see them there again.

Overall a very interesting visit,  especially as the rain held off until the Underground District Line  arrived back in Wimbledon.