England and Ireland
October 2010
LAUNCHED: 4 November 2010. LAST UPDATED:
Accessed at least
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since 1 November 2010.
Thursday 14 October 2010. Headed off in the morning to Wellesley where I left my car at Jeff's house. We had lunch and then I caught the bus to Logan. Flew Aer Lingus to Dublin, changed planes and on to Heathrow.
Friday 15 October 2010. Into central London. Had breakfast near South Ken tube station, then walked up to the Royal Geographical Society and checked a few things in the archives. Killing time until a meeting at 11:30 at the Natural History Museum, a A100 gathering—all the institutions and organizations doing things for the Scott centenary. Got away about 2:30 and headed for Waterloo station. Got a ticket and set off for Winchester. Met Martin Henderson at the station and we set off for Bishops Sutton. He and Margaret's Mill House as lovely as ever. A little later Martin and I went into nearby Alresford for a book signing (a Judy Dench bio) at the very quaint Laurence Oxley bookshop. Drinks and dinner and into bed after a long day.
The Mill House in Bishops Sutton.
Saturday 16 October 2010. Margaret set off on an overnight to Canterbury leaving Martin and me to reconstruct a bridge as our major project for the weekend. Stocked up on supplies in Alresford and went to work. Finished up on Sunday when we ran out of nails.
Our weekend project—re-building a bridge.
Some friends of Martin's dropped by for tea. Later Martin and I drove over to "The Bush" for a pint.
"The Bush"
Back to the Mill House and rustled up some dinner.
Sunday 17 October 2010. After breakfast and some more work on the bridge Martin drove me to Alton to catch the train to town. Tube from Waterloo to Liverpool Street, then the train to Bishops Stortford. Mary Cavanagh met me at the station and we went back to her place. Everytime I visit there's a new improvement to behold. The latest addition is a marble torso.
With Mary and her ideal man in between.
Enjoyed a lovely lamb dinner. Her neighbor came over to join us. Lots of talk about SIAFU (our African trip) and the next reunion (Calgary from the looks of it).
Monday 18 October 2010. Up early. Too short a stay. Mary drove me to the station and I caught the 7:44 train to Cambridge. Took a cab to Warkworth House Hotel and dropped my bag. Mrs Collins insisted I have breakfast which I had missed earlier on.
Off across Parker's Piece to Scott Polar Research Institute where I would be spending much time over the next few days.
Scott Polar Research Institute. The new entrance to the Polar Museum.
Started work in the archives, first inspecting SPRI's copy of the Aurora Australis, the first book written, illustrated, printed, bound and issued in the Antarctic during Shackleton's 'Nimrod' expedition. (For more on this book go to http://www.antarctic-circle.org/aurora.htm)
My second project was continuing a transcription of Scott's Northern Party's expedition newspaper, The Adelie Mail & Cape Adare Times. I started this in 2007 and probably won't finish it up until another visit.
Inspecting one of SPRI's two copies of the Aurora Australis.
In the afternoon I went to Christ's College to have a look at its copy of the Aurora which is housed in the Old Library. This copy was Raymond Priestley's.
Inspecting another copy in the Old Library at Christ's College, Cambridge.
Back to SPRI afterwards to do some work in the library. A drink back at the hotel and then dinner at the Mai Thai restaurant.
Tuesday 19 October 2010. Spent all day at the archives at SPRI with a break for lunch with Bob Headland at 'The Alma.' That evening had dinner at 'The Varsity.'
Wedneday 20 October 2010. Again into SPRI for a last session in the archives. When it closed for lunch at 1pm, I headed for the station and was soon at King's Cross in London. Tube to Waterloo and across the street to the Union Jack Club, where I would be for the next two nights. A terrific place to stay at incredibly low prices (for London) £59 a night!
Where I stayed in London—The Union Jack Club across from Waterloo. Very affordable.
The view out my window. That's St Pauls in the distance.
At the RGS—Jackie Burton, Duncan Lawie, David Wilson, Judy Skelton and Bob Burton.
By tube to South Ken and up to the RGS, then walked to Kensington Church Street and the flat of Jeff and Juliet Evans. Had a nice relaxing visit with Juliet, she kindly feeding me little odds and ends and keeping my glass filled with gin. After an hour or so, I retraced my steps to the RGS where I attended a Fuchs Foundation evening with talks by Meredith Hooper and Andy Clarke. Martin Henderson attended as well, also David Wilson, Judy Skelton, Bob and Jackie Burton, Phillipa Foster-Back, Isobel Williams and a few other Antarctic friends.
Thursday 21 October 2010. After a terrific breakfast at the Union Jack Club I set out on the tube for Greenwich, surviving massive congestion because of breakdowns. Spent the morning at the National Maritime Museum in the Caird Library, inspecting its two Auroras.
Inspecting one of two copies of the Aurora at the National Maritime Museum.
That done, I took the tube to Kensington High Street and met up with Wendy Driver for lunch (her treat) at a Cafe Rouge. It was nice to catch up with things. (Wendy was on my first Marine Expeditions Antarctic cruise.) I then headed for the British Library, hoping to see its copy of the Aurora.
The British Library.
It took awhile but around 6:45 the book finally was delivered to my desk and I gave it a good look. (In the past this copy did not appear in the catalogue so the assumption was that the BL didn't have a copy. Just by chance I came upon it while searching its online catalogue for something else.) That done, I headed back to the Union Jack Club, had a beer and a sandwich, and hit the hay.
Friday 22 October 2010. An early breakfast, packed up and took the tube to Heathrow in plenty of time for my flight to Dublin. Arrived and took the bus directly to Heuston Station where I bought a ticket to Athy. In the past I've always taken the bus but, given the Bank Holiday congestion, the train seemed worth trying out. I caught the 3:10 train and although every seat was taken and I had to stand, at least until the first stop, this proved to be the way to go.
The train from Dublin to Athy. Not an empty seat.
About an hour to Athy. I walked from the station to the Carlton Abbey Hotel and was soon ensconced in a very nice room, arranged by Margaret Walsh at the Heritage Centre. This was the third time I've stayed in the hotel which was once an abbey. Highly recommended. Once settled in I went down to the lobby and encountered Bob Headland. We walked to the unofficial headquarters of the gathering, O'Briens, and had a pint. Kevin Kenny was there, also Fergus O'Gorman. A little later Bob, Kevin, Joe O'Farrell, Chet Ross and others repaired to the nearby Chinese restaurant and had a good meal.
Once an abbey, my hotel is only a few steps away from the Heritage Centre.
The Shackleton Autumn School banner on the Athy Heritage Centre.
Then to the reception a few steps away at the Heritage Centre followed by a book launch of Chet's Shirase bibliography—attended by the Japanese ambassador to Ireland—followed by a stirring though lengthy talk by "Irelands leading journalist" Fintan O'Toole. In attendance were Jonathan and Daphne Shackleton, Zaz, of course, the Taaffes (who started the whole thing ten years ago), Frank O'Brien, Hew Lewis-Jones and Kari Herbert, Jim McAdam and Geraldine McDonald, Bob and Jackie Burton, Rick and Suzy Dehmel, Mike Tarver, Noel Shackleton, John Shackleton, Meredith Hooper, Tim Baughman, those already mentioned and a host of others.
The opening reception at the Heritage Centre.
Afterwards, many repaired to O'Briens to the early hours of the next day.
In O'Brien's back room: Bob Headland, Geraldine McDonald and Zaz Shackleton.
Saturday 23 October 2010.
The first session wasn't until 10:30 so there was time to dawdle over breakfast. All the sessions were interesting and well-done as usual. Had a lunch of soup and a pint at O'Briens and afterwards a plaque on the Heritage Centre honoring Ernest Shackleton was unveiled by Zaz.
Zaz doing what Zaz does best—unveiiling a plaque to her grandfather.
At the end of the day many of us had the pleasure of once again going out to Frank and Bridge Taaffe's beautiful house on the outskirts of Athy where we enjoyed drinks and hors d'oeuvres and, of course, all the books, downstairs and out in the new garden library.
At the Taaffe's. Celebrating 10 years of the Autumn School (and looking at a lot of books).
Frank's new library in the garden.
The banquet this year was at the Carlton Abbey making for improved logistics.
At the banquet— Chet Ross, Seamus and Miriam Taaffe.
In other years the entertainment was mostly traditional Irish. This year, country and western. I thought Frankie Lane was pretty good but I don't think the Irish and English in attendance were quite as enthusiastic.
Hard to believe: Country and western singer Frankie Lane entertaining at the banquet.
Some of us slipped back to O'Briens after the banquet. Things were still going on when I left for the hotel at 2 am.
Mick Parker, Antarctic reenactor, stopping by for a pint.
Sunday 24 October 2010.
Jonathan and I left after the final session on Sunday, giving the evening event a miss, and headed to Fruitlawn, Carol and Arthur Shackleton's place near Abbeyleix.
At the end of the Sunday sessions— Rob, Jonathan Shackleton, Bob Burton and Tim Baughman.
We had a fine dinner and enjoyed the company which included Rachel and the two Marys from next door.
Monday 25 October 2010.
A frosty morning. After breakfast, Jonathan and I say "goodbye" and went on our way to Lakeview House.
Fruitlawn, near Abbeyleix, Carol and Arthur Shackleton's house and gardens.
Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 October 2010.
Spent a very relaxing two days at Daphne and Jonathan's farm in Mullagh. The weather wasn't great, so much time was spent reading, napping and playing around with computers. On Tuesday we drove down to Dublin to attend a book launch, afterwards having a very nice meal at Daphne's club overlooking St Stephen's Green. On my last night we drove over to Ardee to sample the fare at the Fuchsia restaurant, kind of an Indian fusion concept.
Rob and friend Tinker.
Stopping for a Guiness at "The Wishing Well" in Kingscourt on the way to dinner in Ardee.
Thursday 29 October 2010.
Jonathan drove me into Kells and I caught the bus that goes directly to the airport. Worked very well and arrived in plenty of time and soon was on my way to Boston. Still find it odd that you go through US customs and immigration at the Dublin airport and not at Logan. There's even a poster that says "Welcome to the USA" and you're actually in Dublin airport! Uneventful flight. Took the bus out to Framingham, met by Jeff. He and Jamie and I went to Needham for a burger. Then on my way to Jaffrey, in bed by 11 pm.
For those who might wish to see some photos and commentary from past Shackleton Autumn Schools gatherings in Athy, go to http://www.antarctic-circle.org/athy.htm