Category: Trip to Europe

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

~ Janet McKee ~ 1 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.

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

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

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

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

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

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

 

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)

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

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

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

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

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, Alice)

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

Liverpool approximately 1907

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Mrs Dalloway

~ Janet McKee ~ Leave a comment

IMG_5407Mrs Dalloway, written by Virginia Woolf in the early 1920’s.  I can’t help but compass this cover with the photo of my mother Dorothy and her sister Elizabeth (Libby).  The sisters were traveling in England and Scotland in 1934.

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