Flag Flying Days

Yesterday, 9th May, was a Flag Flying Day. These are listed on the College of Arms website with some guidance on how to fly flags correctly.

An Uncle in the Strand

My maternal grandmother is a Cator. If you’d like a thumbnail sketch the Cators are genetically rich and pathologically mean. There is probably no connection, although …  My paternal grandmother is a Jameson – less rich and wildly generous.

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Categorised as Family

Flying Bomb

This marked the beginning of a second Blitz. James Lees-Milne was living in 96 Cheyne Walk.

Lunchtime at RCM

Lunchtime concerts at the Royal College of Music are a top tip. They are usually free, only last an hour and though you may know the pieces the performers will be a surprise.

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Categorised as Music

Daylight Robbery

Walking to the Royal College of Music for a lunchtime concert the last stop for fuel is the Baglioni Hotel on Hyde Park Gate. I had a few minutes to spare and sat at the bar.

By-Elections

Following the death of Sir Gerald Kaufman a by-election was supposed to be held yesterday for his seat, Manchester Gorton. It has been deferred until the General Election next month.

Another Snake

Guess who is the longest running PG Wodehouse character? Tony Ring knows and I hear Norman Murphy shouting the answer from heaven.

Hit and Myth

Bookshops are piled high with copies of The Essex Serpent, a novel by  Sarah Perry. I read it at the end of last year and have some reservations.

Kiva

I have only had one bad debt on Kiva. I lent a few dollars to Golden Services Organisation in Kenya. GSO raised $4,950 in total but only paid back $1,653. The money had been use to sell charcoal fuelled stoves but they were sold on credit and you can guess the rest. I wrote about… Continue reading Kiva

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Categorised as Charities

War Memorials

An unresolved question has been bouncing around at the back of my mind for a while. I came close to answering it when I was in St Paul’s earlier this month.

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Categorised as History