Another thunderstorm came through and this was even better than the last one as it was right over the top of us! Like last time, I hung out the window, clapped my hands at the lightning and jumped up and down at the thunder! My husband looked at me as I had lost my head! This photo is even more dramatic enlarged!
To continue my Mother's travelling in a Morris Oxford in 1929.
From Compton :
“Then lunch at an old beamed place and then, away towards Dorking, Redhill, well into Hertfordshire and finally to Edenbridge and Lockskinners farm. Kent is nearly as delightful as Surrey, just a huge park which often doesn’t even bother to fence itself. It was lovely to get on the farm and wander around the old house with its huge beams and rooms leading out of another in a charming way. There are at least 3 staircases, two are very winding, narrow and steep. The roof is low, it has a huge floor plan and lovely little lattice windows some with coloured panes. It was great to run around and collect the cows and watch some dip their noses into the ponds then arrange themselves in the bales in the correct order–the cows and then the chooks, the cats, the dog and the goose. Grand to get round the fire then up the stairs and a perfect quiet night. What a joy to do a little work again, a broom, a carpet sweeper and a tea towel.”
I have never heard of Lockskinners Farm but on googling it found it there and thriving as an equestrian centre now. One Sunday they went to the church at Chiddingstone and visited those stones from which the town takes its name.
On they went to Canterbury. She amusingly writes of her stay there….:
“That night we bathed and slept in a fairly peaceful room and awoke next morning to the tune of Hot Water Madam [presume maid singing as she was bringing hot water]. A breakfast served by a man with excellent gravy strainers [moustache] was duly enjoyed then out onto the street. We visited St Peters Church and then we were opposite Ropers Gateway said to be the place where Sir Thomas More’s head was brought by his daughter.”
Of course I investigated Sir Thomas More (1478 – 1535) and was duly informed but horrified – he chose to go against the King in a political matter and was, of course, beheaded. His head was displayed on the Tower Bridge but the daughter secretly obtained it and hid it until her death when it was discovered!
Sometimes I have to put special brackets in to explain her words.
I'm glad someone else's husband looks at them as if they are mad! Mine does it quite often if I give him the opportunity! I can totally understand your excitement here though, that sky is almost unreal, it is so dramatic!
I got ahead of myself and posted just after seeing the picture. Now that I read your mother's diary entry, I just had to tell you how beautifully she describes the house on the farm. And Yikes on Sir Thomas Moore's daughter keeping his head!!!
love love love it.... FAV it looks like the heavens are opening up. My husband smiles and laughs at me all the time... Did you get a picture of the lightning? Did not achieve lightning in year 1 of my project.
