An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 1 43 the distinct understanding that they should at once be rerivetted, but I regret to say that the last time I went there they were once more loose in the Church chest ready to be stolen again by the next enterprising "collector." I -should say that the restoration was made through the Colman family, who had bought them as unidentified curiosities years before, but Mr. Russell Colman on my pointing out their identity gladly gave them up at once. There was a pleasant but to me most unsuccessful Archery Meeting at Narburgh on the 20th June, where I saw the very curious truncated monument in the Church, and one of the most spreading trees I had ever seen in the garden. On the 22nd Miss Seccombe came back to us for a while, as my wife was getting worse, and on the 26th Mr. Rudd motored me over to Claxton Castle, and we discussed the paper he afterwards published in Norf. Antiq. Misc. (n.s.) i., pp. 86-93. At the end of the month I was at work on the very intricate Norris pedigree I afterwards printed in the Norf. Antiq. Misc. (n.s.) i., p. 56. On 2nd July I visited for the first time two interesting buildings, viz., Swainsthorpe Hall, with a fine stone mantel, .and Swardeston Hall, a good ride (26 miles), finishing round Mulbarton and Drayton. Another good ride (27 miles) was round Horning Ferry, Ludham Bridge, and Dr. Back's at Acle. On the 13th Brittain and I went over to Tasburgh and photographed the skulls found there, which afterwards formed the subject of a paper in Norf. Antiq. Misc. (n.s.) i., p. 79• I also paid a visit with P.B.F. and M.R. to Reedham "Old'' Hall, which the former afterwards bought for the sake of its associations with his ancestors, but which had not much old work in it, having been recently "tastefully redecorated " by Mr. Gilbert of the Circus ! On the 20th I went with the Horticultural Society to the beautiful Westwick Gardens, and to a teetotal feed in a tin room, which later on I supplemented by entertaining to non-teetotal beverages just ro5 thirsty gardeners at my Lammas cottage. I shot better than I ever did on the 28th, at 60 getting on 33 for 134, and on the 30th had a very pleasant run with