An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY I93 At the end of July I went up to London for some Record Office searches, and stayed at my son, H.G.R.'s, but found the noise of motor cars late at night intolerable. Lunched .at Simpson's as usual, called at the office, and inspected the Royal Academy, which seemed to me to get worse yearly. Next day by motor bus to Edgeware and walked over to the Hale. After a long wait at Mill Hill I went with H.G.R. and his wife to Earl's Court and saw the model of the "Revenge " and the Elizabethan theatre, where I fosisted on being a " groundling " on a stool. Ou the 3rd August A.L.R. and Mabel came, and we went to Horning Ferry to lunch, and Smallburgh to the Archery, where I revenged myself on A.L.R. for his fluky win the time before. On August rnth I cycled over to Norwich, had lunch at H.B's. and rode on to Tasburgh. Next day I lost rny way by Ashwellthorpe and Wymondham, and on to Hingham where I lunched at the " White Hart," and on to Watton, where I slept at the" Crown." On Monday I rode on to Swaffham, where my machine went wrong, but old Plowright kindly saw to it. Taking the wrong turn by Narford I kept on a rough old road till I joined the old main road to Narborough and so on to Lynn. Tuesday rode over by Sandringham to Hunstanton, and by coast over 2 miles of new tarred road (unique experience) at Thornham, and on to Wells, where I slept at the ·' Crown.'' On Wednesday my machine broke down after a mile or so, and I spent an unhappy day at a muddling old smith's, not getting off till 4.20, and so on by coast to Kelling and Holt by a very hilly road uphill, over heath, and was very tired. Thursday I came back by Bodham, Gresham, Bassing– bam, Aldborough Green, and Erpingham to Aylsham and so home. This was the last, I think, of my coast rides. About this time my old friend C. W. H. Dicker was killed in a -cycle accident. On 23rd August it was so cold we had to have a fire, and on the 26th was a record rainfall, my garden being a pool, though standing high over the river. Tuesday, the 27th August, was the Great Norfolk Flood, far worse than that of I858. Owing to the neglect