A Bankruptcy Story
Wilfrid Hyde-White was one of those British actors, who did everything by being British. Most people of my age remember him in films and on television. I also remember him in the BBC radio series, The Men from the Ministry. David Ashcroft of the Racing Post, is writing a series on racing eccentrics. Yesterday, he wrote about Hyde-White and Robert Morley. This is an extract.
By the time Hyde-White appeared in the Jockey Club Stakes, which enjoyed a successful run on Broadway in 1973, he had moved to the USA. When Morley asked his friend why he was moving, Hyde-White replied, “I really cannot stand another winter in England with the income tax and Violetta [his girlfriend].” Then Hyde-White paused and apologised. “Sorry, that was a very caddish thing to say about the income tax.” In 1979, Hyde-White returned to face the wrath of the Inland Revenue, which entailed several bankruptcy hearings.
At one, the official receiver asked why Hyde-White was staying at the Savoy Hotel. “Two reasons, dear chap,” Hyde-White replied. “One, it is the finest hotel in London and two, it is the nearest to Carey Street.” “But how are you going to pay for it?” asked the incredulous receiver. “Well,” said Hyde-White, “You’re the financial expert. You tell me.”
I hope all these stories get published as a book.
More on Short Sleeved Shirts
After yesterday’s funeral, I cooked dinner last night in a short sleeved shirt. As I said before they are so bad for washing-up.
A Funeral
As you get older, you always seem to go to more and more funerals. They are changing though. Or at least those in the Church of England are, as I have no experience of a funeral service in another religion.
In some way I first sensed the change when Alex died. I had known her for some years and it was on her recommendation that my late wife went to the oncologist, Professor Davidson. Alex, a confirmed atheist or at least an agnostic, had planed the funeral with the vicar, who happened to be married to her best friend. Despite being a funeral, it was in some ways a joyous occasion, with popular hymns and songs, everybody in colours and the ladies in hats. The vicar even blasphemed from the pulpit.
When my wife died, she gave her body to medical science and we didn’t have a funeral at all at the time. We just had a gathering at the house and those that wanted to said a few words. It worked for us.
Yesterday, I went to Christine’s funeral, who was a cousin of my late wife. Not sure what the relationship is, but she came to my wife’s memorial service in Southwark Cathedral. In fact she sat next to me. So in addition to everything else, she deserved my respect and I felt it was essential that I go.
The funeral service was in Minster Abbey on the Isle of Sheppey. I had actually attended two other funerals there of Christine’s mother and sister.
It is a lovely old parish church, founded in the 660s, that is one of the unknown gems of England. Sheppey is not an island noted for very much, but a trip across the bridge from the M2 is worth it, just to view this church.
The church was packed and it was a good service, with a wonderful speech from her sister. It must help friends and family, when so many people come and I would hate to be a lone mourner at a funeral.
It was followed by a cremation at Bobbing. Crematoria of my past, tend to be soulless and depressing places. But this one, which was opened only a few years ago, had been designed to make the passing of someone dear to you, a better experience. That is if there is one!
I shall remember the chapel with the sunlight streaming through the window, until the day I die.
The Meeting Place at St. Pancras
I like sculpture and I often think it is the dominant art form, as it can be placed in the open so that everyone can enjoy it. The Meeting Place is by Paul Day and it is in St. Pancras in London.
The Ban on Islam4UK
Organisations such as Islam4UK and all the other so-called Muslim organisations, that don’t like the way things are done in the Western World bother me. But then so do right-wing so-called Christian groups and also those fake religions and cults beloved of celebrities with too much money and not enough common sense.
Most preach fiery hate to unbelievers like me and say we will rot in hell. That by the way is impossible, as hell doesn’t exist, unless you are stuck on the M25 (put your favourite in here) at the time of a small bump, that the Police decide is worthy of an enormous investigation.
When these groups commit crimes such as murder, assault, kidnapping and extortion, then hopefully they will feel the full force of the law.
So why do they bother me?
Usually the charlatans at the top are clever individuals, who know how to stay out of trouble, by playing the law to the limit. There are a lot of extreme political organisations, which are just as dangerous and use exactly the same techniques.
But their followers are often not so bright and in some cases can easily be encouraged to do things that are very much against the law. These are the ones that do the damage and those that led them on have all the excuses ready.
So Prudence has decided for popular reasons to add Islam4UK to the list of banned organisations.
I’d rather have them out in the open, than as a secretive underground organisation.
I thought this might be a lone view, but read Martin Bentham in the Evening Standard tonight. Here’s the article.
Today’s ban on Islam4UK and its offshoots is certain to be widely welcomed but its impact is likely to be limited.
The reality is that Anjem Choudary, a lawyer proficient at staying in the bounds of legality, will continue to propagate his extremist message and, if anything, attract even greater attention because of the increased notoriety.
The previous ban on The Saved Sect and Al Ghurabaa was unable to prevent him and his followers reorganising under a different guise, and the same will almost certainly happen this time.
There is also the wider question of whether such an order is proper in a democracy. If extremists’ views, however abhorrent, do not breach laws such as those against incitement to murder and racial hatred, instead of seeking to stifle them it might be better to ignore them — rather than generating yet more publicity.
There is also one very powerful weapon that we should use against all of these people – humour.
Remember in the Second World War nothing was off-limits when combatting the Nazis. Just read this little piece about Spike Jones in 1942. We need him now!
All of these groups give splendid opportunities for satire, ridicule and just plain fun.
Lundy Island
This little island has just been named as Britain’s first Marine Conservation Zone.
Lundy is an island I’ve always known about and is definitely on my list of places to visit. This is because when I was a child for a few years we lived nextdoor to someone, who my father called “The King of Lundy Island”. All I can remember of him is seeing him walking to the station after the house had been sold and a removal van had collected his belongings.
Was this Martin Coles Harman, who styled himself the “King of Lundy Island”, after he’d bought the island in 1924?
I can’t find any reference to him as living in Southgate in North London and he died in Oxted in Surrey, a few years after the mysterious King left.
He seems to have been an interesting man as according to this article in the Age in 1955.
London, June 23 – Mr. Martin Coles Harman, “king” of Lundy Island, in Bristol Channel, the financier who knew wealth, bankruptcy and gaol, sent a message from his grave yesterday to everyone in debt to his estate.
He said in his will “waive and destroy all I.O.U.’s.
His son, John Pennington Harman, was also one of the heroes of Kohima and won a VC in the battle.
Stephanie Beacham on Big Brother
I am just glancing at Big Brother on Channel 4. Not that I normally watch things like this, but I often look in at the start to see who is dropping low enough to enter the house.
The interesting one is Stephanie Beacham, who on the Big Brother web site is described as 60. On her Wikipedia entry she is 62. I’m not sure which one is correct but I do know she went to the same school as my late wife. I also seem to remember that she told me that Miss Beacham was in her higher class than she was. Now as my wife was a year younger than me, then I suspect that the higher age is possibly nearest to the correct one.
But as my late wife is not here, I can’t ask her the truth.
My wife was also at school with Elaine Paige, but I seem to remember that that was only primary school, so it may be that the Wikipedia entry for my wife’s school is incorrect in saying that Miss Paige attended. But at least the web gets her age right.
Christmas Music
What a pleasure to go to the shops now that the dreadful Christmas music has stopped.
But there is also another side to this. Before Christmas, I visited Waitrose and John Lewis several times. Did they have any Christmas music? I didn’t hear any!
But which store group has done very well over Christmas. Step forward John Lewis!
Not The Nine O’Clock News
The BBC is showing a program about Not The Nine O’Clock News.
We enjoyed it at the time.
They’ve just shown a clip where they took the piss out of Mugabe. Some things never change. And rightly so!
Did you know that Mugabe backwards is E Ba Gum?
All Bar One
Before Nowhere Boy last night, I had a drink in All Bar One in Cambridge. I was interested to see that they now have Aspall’s Cyder on draught. It would appear that many bars stock it as it is in the on-line Beer menu.
Even if the bar doesn’t have Aspall, they mention lots of other proper ciders and no mentions of the dreaded chemical ones with added nastiness.
Most All Bar One usually have newspapers to read and some even have the Beano. There is also usually something on the menu that is gluten-free too!
