An unusual convention in Bridge is the Lightner double, described by Susanna Gross in The Spectator as “a bolt out of the blue which strikes fear into your heart. There you are, having bid confidently to slam, when suddenly one of your opponents pulls out the red card. Eek! It’s a Lightner double, which means they want their partner to make an unusual lead.”
She goes on to say that (like Kir and Negroni) it is named after a real person, American lawyer, Theodore “Teddy” Lightner. This is not a digression it is leading up to something.
On a visit to Normandy in 1980, James Lees-Milne is urged to visit Château de Balleroy (above). He is impressed and likens it to Ashdown Hall, now called Ashdown House by the Nat Trust. I have visited the latter and recollect that the outside is the best bit.
Both remind me of Marlinspike Hall but I doubt J L-M read Tintin. Indeed I doubt if he read anything besides history and biography and if he did it doesn’t get into the diaries, although he does allude to a penchant for pornography and despises himself. How unlike his Eton contemporary and lifelong friend Rupert Hart-Davis who read detectective stories voraciously. Whatever J L-M takes to bed with him it never seems to be a PG Wodehouse.
Hergé took his inspiration from Château de Cheverny in the Loire. Have you noticed what they all have in common, a feature invented by the Balleroy architect? Here’s a hint; his name is François Mansart (sic). His name has become synonymous with the sort of roofs that the planners in the Barons Court conservation area deplore. (It spoils the roofline.) Rather wonderful that a 17th century innovation is still incorporated in modern buildings. J L-M is not a fan: “I don’t really like mansard roofs with chimneys popping out of them like jack-in-the-boxes.” (Deep Romantic Chasm, Appendix II)
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a 20th century invention was created by a Mr Velux. However, Villum Kann Rasmussen patented the name in 1942 to combine VE, signifying ventilation, and LUX signifying light.
I was introduced to your blog by Michael Bloch and became a subscriber recently. I am enjoying it very much.
We visited the Chateau de Balleroy (mentioned in your blog this morning) while motoring around Normandy last summer. What neither you nor Jim Lees-Milne mention is that in 1970 it was bought by Malcolm Forbes the flamboyant American millionaire owner of Forbes Magazine and is now owned by one of his children. As I am sure you know Malcolm Forbes was married but also appears to have had many good looking young male friends with an enthusiasm of large bikes and leather. He died shortly after a huge 70th birthday party orchestrated by his friend Elizabeth Taylor in Morocco in 1990 – some say of AIDS. ET was a great activist for AIDS charities The Chateau de Balleroy is beautiful. Forbes was also interested in hot air balloons and the chateau contains a museum housing his collection. It is little visited but is worth a visit. While Malcolm Forbes is eulogised at the house there is no mention of his more flamboyant tastes…..