Author: Janet McKee

I currently wear many hats. My interests are genealogy, history, reading, knitting, and more. I now live in an assisted living retirement community.

2019 #AtoZChallenge – My Literary BFF Maise Dobbs

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Having just finished my 2nd Maisie Dobbs mystery I’m sharing this post. I love the style of the covers.

Maryann Holloway's avatarIF I ONLY HAD A TIME MACHINE

MY LITERARY BFF

MAISIE DOBBS

Throughout the month of April, you can catch up on my posts for this year’s challenge as well as all my alphabet offerings from previous years on my Blogging from A to Z page HERE.

When I read a great novel or a series of novels, sometimes I wish I could step into the book and join the world experienced by the characters. I just know that if I were there, I’d feel at home and contribute positively to the plot. I think it is those characters that keep me returning to works by the same author and even read those same novels over and over again.  For this year’s challenge, I plan to visit those characters we all know and love.  Those characters that we want to step off the page because we know that if they did, we’d be best friends forever. …

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Day 17 – On Tour Again Ex London – Monday June 25

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The tour started from King’s Cross Station.  They stopped at Tring for lunch and then continued on to Stratford.

Tring – an ancient market town in Herefordshire 480px-Tring_High_Street  (google image)

 

They stopped at the Red Horse Hotel where my mother had a “scrumptious” tea and played ping pong.

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(google image)

After lunch the tour continued on to Warwick and the Regent Hotel in Leamington.  They had quite a dinner – 6 courses.  In the evening they went by private car to Stratford where they saw Romeo and Juliet.  She has great praise for the production.

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Old postcard of Mill Street Warwick

 

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Day 16 – Sunday in London

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The sisters got up and out in time to get good places for the changing of the Coldstream Guards at St. James.  The slow march was the best part.  They returned to their hotel for breakfast at 11:30 and then walked to the Tate Gallery.  Then walked to Victoria Station and took a long bus ride to Kensington and then to Kew Gardens.  They enjoyed the Gardens, walked a bit further up the Thames before coming back to Kew for the boat ride return to central London.  They walked home passing Victoria and Piccadilly Stations.

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Band of the Coldstream Guards

 

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Kew Gardens Map

310px-Flowers_in_front_of_the_Palm_House,_Kew_Gardens  Kew Gardens

(images from Google Images)

 

Day 15 – In London – A Nice Warm Day

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My Mother’s Diary fro her Trip to Europe in 1934

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Sightseeing.  Tried to see the Guards but there were such crowds that all they could see were the tops of their busbys – occasional glimpse.  Enjoyed the music.

They a delicious meal at Simpsons on the Strand

They visited the British Museum.

They had lots of fun riding on the buses.  They tried to shop but the stores were closed.  They had a good tea at Ridgeways.

They took a bus again to go to the theatre – Reunion in Vienna with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine – very good.

Found it strange to see people smoking on the buses and in the theatre,

Reunion in Vienna Scene from Reunion in Vienna.  (from Google Images)

Day 14 – They Went To Ascot

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(This was a particularly interesting day for me to read about.  For all the times I’ve traveled to London, I’ve never been to Ascot.)

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Photos from Google images

(It was quite a day.  I have been to London and other parts of England many times but never to Ascot.)

They took the bus to King’s Cross Station But somehow went the wrong way and had quite a tour of London.  They reached Ascot about 11:30.  My mother writes that they sat on the front seat of a charabanc opposite the box of the King and Queen,  She thinks the dresses were too much like garden party frocks.  The Royal party drove up the course at 1 o’clock in an open carriage.  The King and Queen looked just like their pictures.  Other people arrived in coach and four.

The races started at 1:30 and ran every half hour until 5 o’clock.  Beautiful horses.

Came back to London and had dinner at The Rendezvous in Soho

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Ascot 1954  (photo from the Guardian)

My Mother’s Trip – Back in London – June 21 – Day 13

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The previous day was so full with the trip to “Shakespeare country” and then the play back in London.  They got up late.  They took the bus down to American Express (to check the mail?) and then went shopping in Liberty’s.  They had a delicious lunch at the Cheddar Cheese.- meat pies – she didn’t care for the ale.  After linch, more shopping – on Bond street horribly expensive.  They met up with their  friend Levy who had been on the trip the day before to Shakespeare Country.  Had dinner in Quo Vadis in Soho.  They tried to walk home but got soaked.  They got past Selfridges, the Grosvenor Hotel, Green Park but were so wet they had to finally take the bus.

green-park-map-maxf52f573c479b1e9ba3ae4234d9e3ba36 Getty image – around 1934?

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Hyde Park London

My Mother’s Trip to Europe -Wednesday June 20, 1934

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Again a man from American Express by taking them to Paddington Station where they boarded the train to Leamington.  She remarks on the beautiful and peaceful English countryside.  They visited Kenilworth Castle and then had a good lunch at The Porridge Pot.  After which it was on to Warwick Castle.  Very impressed by all the beautiful items exhibited. Saw Shakespeare’s birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s cottage. Saw the magnificent estate of Charlecote.  She walked around Leamington while waiting for the train back to London.  They went to see a Noel Coward play – Conversation Piece with Yvonne Printemps and Pierse Fresnay.. Adorable.  The music was especially good.  The attendees were beautifully dressed.

(They covered a lot of territory on this day in Shakespeare Country – they must have had a guide and or private coach??)

(The play had been running in the West End since February – a hit!)

220px-Conversation_Piece  scene from Conversation piece, courtesy of Google