National Trust blog long version


Woke at around half past six and it seemed very dark. At 6.35 the clock radio switches Today on. James Naughtie and Carolyn Quinn are presenting it. Naughtie’s excessive enthusiasm for politics grates at time but his love for literature comes across later when he interviews Ian McEwen. Carolyn Quinn hardly ever puts a foot wrong; she is professional, bright, courteous and knowledgeable. Like the admirable Martha Kearney on Newsnight, she is also her own woman. What a contrast to Sarah Montagu who seems to me to be a political ladette, always trying to be one of the boys and far too strident when she interviews without listening to the answers to the questions.

Yvonne brings me tea and I get up as the News finishes. The sky is now a misty pink. Entering the study, I put on the computer and check my emails before looking at the papers on the Allday website. I check the Times, Independent, Telegraph and for light relief, the Sun. I also look at the local Argus site which is consistently poor. After a shave and a wash I change into my gym clothes and have breakfast. I always have grapefruit juice, with a cod liver oil capsule, followed by cereal. There is a four day rota; today it is Bran Flakes. I hate muesli day!!! Black filter coffee completes my meal. I keep listening to Today and hear Martin Nearey recalling David Blunkett’s hysterical call about putting down a riot at Lincoln Prison in which he suggested using the army and mentioned machine guns. Blunkett denies it but when I hear Nearey speak, I know who I believe. Later on Ann Atkins regales us with her thoughts. Why does the BBC now always give broadcasters two epithets. She is novelist and columnist. It does the same on Late Night Review; journalist and biographer; ballet dancer and critic. Not forgetting the well known playwright and know-all, Bonnie Greer.

After breakfast I walk about 15 minutes to the gymn. I try to go twice a week for a hour of total boredom each time. I have been doing it for nine years. When can I stop? On the way back I buy the Guardian and Argus. As soon as I get in I am in the shower with the radio on. David Blunkett is reading his diaries. They sound like a self-justifying whine. You can not escape him. He was serialised in the Guardian and had two programmes on Channel 4. Presumably there is a book too. Does he still have his grace and favour house? He must be making a lot of money. Whilst admiring his overcoming of his disability , he always seemed an uncouth bully to me.

I put on jeans, shirt and sweater and have jasmine tea, whilst I give the papers a first read. For once I agree with Polly Toynbee. She writes persuasively about the need to discourage the veil and a Muslim journalist writes of her experience wearing it. Then it is back to the computer where I draft an email for Yvonne to a friend who wants tips on New Zealand. Since our trip last year, some people think we are experts! I wax lyrical about the wonderful country . Then I reply to an email from an academic at Lancaster University who has given me information on a paper I am writing about an escaped black slave in the England of 1259. Only junk mail today. Just before we go out, John Small rings. He is Secretary of the Regency Society, of which I am chairman. We discuss the latest proposal for a high rise building at Medina House. So sad; the Council owned the site and could have stopped the demolition of the intriguing Dutch style building which housed Hove’s first Baths.

At mid-day, we walk to the Park and Ride stop at Withdean, discussing the economy of 18th century Ireland as a prelude to our Study Tour which starts on Thursday. I am wearing a Berghaus as rain is forecast. The bus is leaving but the regular driver stops for us. We get off at Churchill Square and try Debenhams for an autumn jacket for me. Last week we had an abortive search in Tunbridge Wells. We settle on one which is surprisingly cheap, £75. They were between £200 and £300 in Tunbridge Wells. It is brown corduroy and rather Alan Bennett or Sidmouth in style. We also bought some cosmetics for Louise, our daughter for Christmas. Then it was lunch at Pret à Manger. An Italian style sandwich and berry smoothie. We talked about whether Henry Moore’s tube drawings were iconic and which recent cartoonist had used the image.


After lunch we part, with Yvonne going to her Sussex University Art history class at the Jubilee Library. I go to Chelsea Building Society to pay in some money to our grandson, Lorcan’s trust account and walk to Waterstones. Why are the History and Literature sections always three storeys up? I buy Yvonne a book of the latest Heaney’s poems as a surprise gift for her birthday which is on Thursday. The day also marks the 790th anniversary of King John’s death. Having decided to buy a bottle of New Zealand wine for her birthday treat, I am persuaded to buy a Huntaway Sauvignon Blanc by the man in Oddbins. My final task is to get sterling from Barclays to pay for the taxi to Heathrow on Thursday. I plan to get a 5 bus home but the Park and Ride turns up quickly and I am home by 2.25. There is a much congestion outside the doctor’s I pass; it is flu jab day. When I set off it was cloudy but later on it turned sunny and warm and I felt stupid in my rainwear. However, when I got off the bus, it rained.


I re-read my paper which I will give to the Late Medieval Seminar at the Institute of Historical Research in ten days. I feel that I will read it more smoothly if I know it well but it might also make me gabble. Then I try to find the web site for this blog. I have no luck but still spend an hour making a start. It is typed, as usual, with one finger.


With a cup of tea, I read more of The Guardian especially an article about The History Boys and the question of anachronism. This put Louise off the play but Bennett makes a good defence. However, I read his piece in Untold Stories on the same subject only yesterday. Did the writer of today’s article really interview Bennett? If so, he used the very same words. Perhaps it was an amalgam. I could not do all the simple crossword today!!! Yvonne came home at 4.45 and I had another cup of tea. Then I listened to PM which includes an item on the delay in holding inquests on soldiers slain in Iraq. It all seems so heartless. Then triggered off by The Guardian article, I read some more of Untold Stories especially the piece on film stars. I share so many of Bennett’s likes and dislikes.

For dinner we have beef stew with mashed potato and celery followed by Hagen Das vanilla ice cream and cherries. We drink water; wine is for weekends. We eat quickly as Tim Marlowe is doing a programme on Holbein on Channel 5 at 7.15. We have booked for the exhibition at Tate Britain on 3 November. I always enjoy Marlowe but I wish that he was on rather later in the evening. The programme is a delight confirming my love for Holbein’s work. One can imagine meeting his subjects in the street or on the tube. Later on we watch The Amazing Mrs Pritchard which is engaging but unrealistic and unfair to politicians. Jane Horrocks is never less than good. I eat an orange. Before going to bed, I watch the BBC News.

And so to bed.

This version was rejected as being too long!!!