Prom Virgins

I was a little surprised that neither of my guests on Thursday evening had been to the Proms before, especially as one is a little older than me, but they do live in Ireland.

Brexit Line

Contingency plans for a disruptive Brexit next year have been widely written about in the press but some measures are top secret. However, a highly placed government source leaked this.

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Categorised as Politics

Scottish Mortgage

Two years ago I started buying Monks Investment Trust and told you why at the time: A Pug Called Sherbet. It has gone up by around 70%. On the same day two years ago I added to my holding in Scottish Mortgage. Both investment trusts, as it happens, are managed by Baillie Gifford.

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Categorised as Business

St Wulfstan and his Priory

Edward Elgar’s grave lies in the cemetery at St Wulstan’s church. It is curious that this saint is not better known. Incidentally his name has various versions of which Wulfstan is prevalent.

The Hills Are Alive …

The Malvern hills are alive with the sound of music. “ … There is music in the air, music all around us, the world is full of it and you simply take as much as you require.” So said Edward Elgar.

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Categorised as Music, Travel

Malvern Hills

Robert and I usually take a few days respite from London life and here we are in the Malvern Hills.

Playing Footsie

I don’t have a big appetite but it’s time that I had a big helping of humble pie. At the beginning of this year I was confident there would be a collapse in the value of equities. FTSE went below 7,000 for a nano-second and I expected a rout. Since then it has been stuck… Continue reading Playing Footsie

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Categorised as Business

Art

This is Mr Darke sees the Light by Stephen Angel. It cost £945 when I saw it in a gallery in Bath in the 1980s, making it one of the most expensive pictures I have bought, so it’s lucky I like it.

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Categorised as Art

Hoof Hearted – Guest Blogger

Many readers don’t read the comments posted here. Anonymous commentator and poet, Hoof Hearted (like me, he is a postulant of William McGonagall)  was inspired by an old black and white photograph in Stella …

British Empire Trust

I find it reassuring when a company sticks to its original name, no matter how inappropriate it may have become. Carphone Warehouse is an example and British Empire Trust, founded in 1889, another. It was pointed out to me by a friend who took me to lunch at Mon Plaisir in Seven Dials this week.

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Categorised as Business