Memories
Merry Christmas from Laurel Cottage 2021
Merry Christmas “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” Bertie: “Bobby … Can you tell us a story?”
There is No Such Thing as ‘Never’
Never Bertie: “There is no such thing as ‘Never’, Bobby. I told you that in 2015, when you vowed to never go back to the Royal Opera House (ROH).” Bobby: “And I really meant it, Bertie. Years of wonderful memories had all been ruined in my eyes by the fateful night of 27 January 2014….
Parham: When the Americans came to Suffolk
Parham Bertie: “You OK, Bobby? You look a bit Uncle Dick!” Bobby: “Cream crackered Bertie. The buses and Sutton United yesterday were brilliant, but I’m knackered.”
Hidden London: The Kingsway Tram Tunnel
Kingsway Tram Tunnel “I have done something nobody else here today has!”
Tickets
Bobby does not collect tickets. He doesn’t collect anything with alacrity. Bobby: “Blimey! Where did that come from?” Bertie: “Oxford Concise.”
Fantasy and Illusion
As we left the busy A3 at the RHS Wisley junction, we immediately became aware of the volume of traffic heading into the gardens. The long patient queue of people at the entrance, including lots of young children, only added to the illusion that this was a good idea. A horticultural version of Brighton Beach…
Trigger
Many of our stories are written straight off the cuff and are then refined. Changed a little. Sometimes, the final version is quite different to the original idea. On rare occasions, where a lot of emotion is involved, it seems best to just write it while the state of mind exists and just tidy up…
35 Years in 16 Seconds
35 Years
Amber and Layla
Amber was Diddley’s eldest daughter. A top photographer in London, she lived for a time in a loft apartment at 31 Fournier Street. A tall 400 year old former Huguenot weaver’s house. Owned by Rodney Archer. A true character of Spitalfields. Bobby and Diddley’s granddaughter Layla became very close to Amber and stayed many times…
Sir George Edwards
From Bouncing Bomb to Concorde “IT’S SIR GEORGE EDWARDS!” So exclaimed Bobby back in the 1980s. Sitting outside St Martha’s church above Chilworth in the spring sunshine. His walking companion of thirty years and first wife had no idea who he was talking about, but could heard a loud voice telling a small group of…