Poem to Basia
Sorting through some books, this page fell out today. How apposite, I thought. But who was she? 17th century, I believe, but I don’t know any more. Do you?
autobiography
Marks and more
St Augustine’s Priory. Form III. The first year of senior school. It would be year 7 these days. I had just arrived, and was settling in to the boarding system, just about, but the classroom was another kettle of fish. Luckily I didn’t find any of the work at all difficult (apart form PE and […]Read Post ›
Finds in the attic – or: my very early education
Two almost identical Bears.one is about 25 years older than the other, I believe, but both have a very special place in my heart. For many years the younger one and I were inseparable. Everywhere I went, Miś came too. Especially at night time, of course. When I was very small, my father was still […]Read Post ›
Krystyna
Wszystkiego najlepszego w dniu imienin wszystkim Krystynom! Happy namesday to all Christines. Unfortunately my mother in law is no longer with us, but I found her collection of identity card photos and chose these to show you how beautiful she was. 13th March 2020 we had just wished her a happy namesday in her care […]Read Post ›
Auntie Alice
Alice is about 20 in this picture. My mum is 27 so I must be about 3 1955 or 6. Holland Park. I would be lying if I said I actually remember this picture being taken, but I am almost sure my father took it. There is a whole series of them somewhere. But as […]Read Post ›
Debut (and farewell) at the Albert Hall
Looking just now for some papers about St Augustine’s I came across this intriguing envelope My father was always very careful to date everything, and so he wrote Basia’s performance in the Albert Hall. 18 March 1961. I was very curious about this envelope, so hurriedly opened it to find this souvenir programme. Yes, almost […]Read Post ›
To pray or not to pray?
I had been taught to say my prayers by my father and loved the bedtime routine. But when I was thrust into the confines of the boarding establishment that was St Augustine’s, night prayers and day prayers and any other time prayers took on a totally different significance. Within a week of being there I had […]Read Post ›
First day at St Augustine’s
What can I remember? Probably not a lot and I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the actual memories, but I do remember my first form teacher. Mrs Nurse. She was very old and very tall and very grey haired and very nice. She taught my class English. But she was actually a PE teacher, and […]Read Post ›
Fanny Chow
(Footnote to First Night at St Augustine’s) When I went to Saint Augustine’s, it was a weekly boarding school. My father had wanted me to go to a catholic one and he searched high and low for one that was within a reasonable distance of where he lived, and which was cheap. It was a […]Read Post ›
First day at St Augustine’s (or rather, first night)
I have a feeling I have written about this before, but I can’t find it and I don’t know how to use the searches, so here we go again. I wonder how similar this account will be, if I ever find the first one! Now this is a memory that seems to have stayed with […]Read Post ›
Life Through Basia's Eyes 