Category: England

Day 29 – July 7, 1934 Stamford to Cambridge and London

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

At the start of the day they were eager to see if their trick Mr. Thomas had worked. It made for much laughter at breakfast.

They were impressed by Peterborough Cathedral.  The architecture is graceful though it doesn’t soar as muck as Gothic.  Passed through Huntingdon and saw the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell.  In Cambridge they visited    King’s Cpllege Chapel.  They visited Clare College and Keyes College nd Trinity College.  Lunch at the Bull Hoyel.  After lunch Mr. Thomas took her and Lib to Corpus Christie College.

They reached London late in the afternoon.  Went to their hotel and later walked down to Lyons.   Waited a long time for Lois and Mr. Thomas.  Had a wonderful steak and a chocolate sundae.   Went to the Regent Palace and met Dr. VanderByl and the Lewises.  They all walked down to Charing Cross.  After Lois sent a cablegram they walked back to the Regent Palace Hotel and had drinks in the lounge.  Mr. Thomas put her and Lib on the bus and then took Lois home.

peterborough-cathedral-church-st-peter-450w-177935447  Peterborough Cathedral

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Kings College Cambridge

 

regent palace hotel  Regent Palace Hotel

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Day 20 – In the Lake District – Grange Over Sands – Windermere – Grassmere – Keswick

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

Another long day riding in the coach.  She liked riding up front part of ye time. They went to Dove Cottage of Wordsworth and De Quincey, a very pretty garden.  They road around Lake Windermere.  She notes the usual things – boats, islands, beautiful cloud shadows, foxglove, rhododendrons.  They stopped for a cold lunch at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Grassmere.  Afterward she “putted terribly” – (was there a miniature putting green attached to the hotel?}

More riding in the coach to Keswick.  A delicious tea at an “old fashioned” hotel with china all over the walls, big vases, pictures.

She and Lib and Lois went downtown – they got bridge tallies and prizes for the big party planned for later.  They dressed up for their big 6 course dinner.  They played 3 rounds of bridge, then trades and professions.

She, Mr. Thomas, Lib, and Lois walked down to the lake.  Great to get out and walk.  It was very dark – seemed romantic.

img_1012 Grassmere POW Hotel

Prince of Wales Hotel, Grassmere

img_1025 Prince of W Hotel

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Keswick Market Square

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Walking near Keswick

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n.b all images from Google

Following My Mother

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

In tracing my mother’s trip to Europe in 1934 I am learning more about the geography of England in particular.  For example yesterday I bloggedabout her stopping in Ormskirk for ginger cookies.  I had never heard of Ormskirk before.  Today as I was working on my genealogy project – tracing my ancestors – I find that a 13th Great Grandfather was born in Ormskirk.  Bingo!   Lancashire = not a part of England that I am familiar with.

Ormskirk_Parish_Church  Ormskirk Church

And as I follow her footsteps I also am reminded of my travels and I can “compare and contrast” as examiners love to design exam questions.

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

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

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

From Day 11 Onward – Arriving in England

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

Most of the day was spent in doing the usual round of deck and gym activities.  Getting ready to land just after 6 p.m.Now we shift to land based activities.  She hated to say goodby to her many onboard friends.  She is very sorry the boat trip has ended and it takes a day or so to move on and enjoy getting acquainted with England via Liverpool and London.

She and Libby were met by a representative from American Express who took good care of them.  There was a boat train from Liverpool to London.  (A forerunner of my experiences 60 years later in the 1990’s of the boat train which carried Irish Ferry passengers from Dublin to Holyhead in Wales.  The train went to coastal destinations in northern Wales and and then in a southeast direction to England – finally arriving in London)

The rail trip was enjoyable – pleasing interesting scenery.  They arrived in London at midnight and again were met by someone from American Express who guided them to their hotel.  Very comfortable spacious room.  American Express had 3 letters for them..

liverpool yrain google image     train for a Cunard liner arriving in Liverpool

 

By chance I have come across a photo of my mother and her sister Libby on a cruise in 1974 – 40 years on from their Cunard trip to Europe in 1934

2019_03_24_17_09_15.pdf000 St Lucia, 1974    Libby the woman in the white blouse, my mother beside her

(and a third sister, the woman with the white handbag)

(And that’s me with the 3 little boys)