An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY Thursday I called at Beloe's and saw a big fool of a motor cyclist, and on by Sandringham and again had an excellent cold lunch at Snettisham "Compasses." I called at Nelson's at Holme, and on to Wells "Crown" where the only good things were a hot bath and a share of an omelette which a vegetarian fellow guest nobly shared with me. Friday I rode round to Holt taking Gunthorpe, a very difficult place to find, 011 my way. Slept at Holt ''Feathers,•r Dr. Hales and bis daughter calling in evening. Next day stopped at Dr. Hales', and be moto:-ed me round Stody in the morning and after lunch by Overstand and Cromer,. and back by Baconsthorpe Castle. Sunday I rode back, but lost my way and once more fonnd myself at Baconsthorpe (this was the third time this bad happened, possibly an unconscious cerebration through my grandfather, who lies buried there), and by a long way round by Plum– stead, Matlask, Wickmere, Wolterton and Itteringham to Aylsham, where I lunched, and so home. This was the last of my long coast rides, but by no means the worst of them. D.M.R. came down from the 18th to 23rd, and I took him and Purdy down the river in a motor launch to Horning Ferry one day, and another by trap for a picnic at Walcot Gap. On 1st October I went by rail to Wells to stay at H. A. Dewing's, to see the very interesting fresco or plaster at the" Fleece" and a good 17th century wood mantel stored in his malthouse. Friday, the 3rd, there was a terrific storm and rain at Lammas, nothing was struck, though lightning quite closer and it was said to be the worst thunder storm in liviug memory at Lammas, which is generally immune from them. In October I bad eleven days' con~ecutive experience. On 25th A.L.R. came down, and on 26th I took him to inspect a Nelson print, against the genuineness of which he decided. Left him at Cromer Station and bad a miser– ably dark, wet, drive home through Aylsham, the machine finally breaking down luckily only 100 yards from home I ; On the 30th, the day before my 70th birthday, my son Roger's little girl died, aged IO months. On the 8th November I saw a good cinematogrnph for the first time. (I had seen a vile jumpy and spotty one of the great prize fight before I left London.)