An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY Sunday (25th) I could only just find Selhurst and my old house, and back into the main road by Thornton Heath Pond. The whole main road was stinking, vile, and over– built. I looked at my two old houses at Wandsworth and Putney, and called at the L.R.C. and T.R.C. boat-houses, saw G. H. Vize (for the last time), and Forster, the Roman antiquary and novelist. The old Jack on the water remembered my brother well, and showed me Casamajor's sculling-boat. I punctured at Barnes, so had to walk on to a very bad lunch at young Bill East's "Pigeons" at Richmond, where the rude and overbearing conduct of half-a-dozen Germans for the first time gave me an idea of unpleasant possibilities. Very slow and tired to W. H. Eyre's at Kensington Crescent, where I was dog-tired from the beat, and could hardly sleep. The next two days I practically rested in Dumpie's flat, except a visit to Simpson's and to a most ridiculous play founded on "Ivanhoe," and returned from St. Pancras by the 12.20. On the 3rd of June I went to the opening of the new Chapter Library at Norwich Cathedral. Our archery meet– ing was on the 10th June and all went off very well, and I shot better than usual at 60 getting 19 hits for 85. On the 18th, I met a very nice and well read and clever parson ca11ed Burroughs, at Mrs. Petre's, and saw her wild garden in a pit. Early on the morning of Sunday, 22nd June, Burr's old house at Skeyton was burned down through a beam in the chimney, which made me investigate my own, and, finding it warm I had it cut out promptly. On 26th I went with Purdy to see the " Lambs' Holes" at Horstead in a very secluded plantation, a primeval fo1 est, and full of most interesting plant life. Next day I hired a motor and took Purdy over to see the Rollesby Hall restoration which was most interesting, and on to tea at Back's at Acle. A.LR. and wife came down and we took a launch to Horning, and saw Beloe on the bank, no doubt with the Borrow Celebration lot. On Monday Purdy drove me round by Sennowe, lo see the garden, grandiose in the extreme but vulgar. Next day the Wood Norton Meeting, but though I shot well with Corry the new man in a trial dozen was as had as ever in public. Thursday, the 10th, torrential rain on the Aylsham road when I hurried for shelter with others in a tin shed!