So what has happened since that New Year’s trip to Grasmere? – Not a lot, just a frustrating and unsuccessful effort to find an Amdram company – or create one – to put on ‘The Ghost Train’ (by Arnold Ridley) later in the year. For years it’s been my intention to produce it – and be in it – this year, because this is the centenary of the first production in the West End. Why does this matter to me? Because I was in it in my last year at school, used excerpts from it for one or two of my acting exams, and have produced (directed) it many times over the years. The last time was a 75th annivesary performance in 2005.

However, not having joined any group, other than G & S, since I came here, nobody knows me, and I don’t know the right people. One group, the Honley players, who have their own theatre, did seem interested, but they have their plans for the year already mapped out. I’ve been surprised and disappointed by how many people have failed to return phone calls or reply to emails … I thought better of Yorkshire folk!

So we come to this month, April. It will be no surprise to most readers of this journal that I turned eighty years old on the 8th. Some time was spent discussing with Rachel and Chris what sort of event to hold, untill I suggested we should visit The Foxglove Inn at Kirkburton to see what we thought of it. The group I do folk dancing with on Tuesday evenings had been there for our pre-Christmas lunch together last year, and they put us in a nice private room which I though might be suitable. So we had a 3-some lunch there on Saturday 18th January, and thought … ‘yes, this could be right’, then when we approached the staff about it, they were extremely helpful, showed us the room, gave us the menus of the two types of buffet that they do and we made a provisional booking for April 5th.

April 5th, 2025: At about 12.15, as pre-arranged, my family from Linthwaite arrived at my door:

So, of course, I presented myself, new suit and all:

Rachel had arrived earlier, calling first at the Foxglove to make some preparations, then coming here to park her car up (in front of mine, on the drive!), before Sean came with Shannon and Ava and took her back to the pub.

So Michelle and family (above) took me down to discover what Rachel had done to the room:

Guests were beginning to arrive. In fact, Cousin Chris Jaques, his friend Anne and his brother Mark were already there, so were my sister-in-Law, Christine, and my neices, Carol and Judi. First drinks were ordered ‘on the house’ (= my house, not the pub’s!) and folk began chatting. Our hope was that people would meet and introduce themselves to people they didn’t know, and and find a way to circulate in spite of the rather formal layout of the room! We suggested that whenever someone got up to get food or another drink, or whatever, they should, on returning, sit somewhere else!

Those pics were taken before the buffet was served, which was the cue for a bit of (non-)musical chairs! The food was excellent (wot? no photos?!) and I’m pleased to say that many guests have said how much they enjoyed it. Then there was cake, made by my daughter-in-law, Michelle:

The little one with the 8 – 0 candles on was placed in front of me ….

… and I blew out BOTH candles, in ONE breath! Let’s look around:

They seem like a happy crowd!

Then the singing started! Not just ‘Happy Birthday!’ – but thanks! But some old favourites with audience participation and guitar accompaniment; and somehow, the conversation led to a recitation of ‘Jabberwocky’!

“Come into my arms, my beamish boy!”

Later, the ‘party’ (= the people and the event) moved to 141, Hall Cross Road. I’d prepared an over-long set of photos under the title ‘Special People, Places, and Memories’. I’ve been wondering whether I could put 3 pics here – a place, some people, and a particular memory. But choosing is too difficult. Maybe I’ll reduce the set a bit and put it on One Drive and send you the link … Then you can choose whether to look at it or not.

People were kind enough to look at the display for as long as seemed reasonable, but there were other items on the agenda. I’d invited the accompanist from Meltham G & S Society to come and play for me, and I’d had the piano tuned; that same piano that has been part of my life for 80 years! (Even though I was separated from it for quite a lot of them, and I don’t play it.) But to have a professional accompanist come and play a selection of G & S patter songs for me to sing was a big thrill – for me, if for no-one else. I’d changed out of that suit for reasons which will become apparent, so my appearence is not quite so smart for the singing:

By the time the G & S mini-concert was over, a fire had been lit in the basket on the patio. (That’s why I didn’t want still to be wearing the suit.) On the back wall of the garage was a new addition:

I don’t know whether anyone actually used it, or took a photo of it after dark when it might have looked better, but chilled drinks, e.g. Vouvray or Crémant de Limoux (special memories!) were brought out from inside. I had suggested we might send for takeaways at this point, but I’d also bought some food in, which Rachel and Chris heated, as needed, and served.

Before they left, Chris ‘interviewed’ each family on video, which produced some interesting comments, especially when asked for advice about how I should spend the next eighty years!

I think I can say that a good time had been had by all! Rachel and the little Granddaughter, Ava, stayed overnight, and I’m pleased to report that thanks to Rachel and Chris having monitored my alcohol comsumption during the day and the evening – at my request – there were no unfortunate repercussions next day. If fact, I was up and at it in time to prepare bacon and egg for breakfast before Rachel and Ava left! My thanks to everyone who came, helped, or contributed; of course, everyone contributed just by being there!

But it wasn’t over! There are no photos, but there are two events left to narrate:

Tuesday April 8th: Tuesday is my regular folk dance evening. Rachel said she’d like to come with me and meet my ‘dancing friends’. She was made very welcome. Next week someone told me she danced better than most of us!

Friday April 11th: We (Rachel and I) went to Leeds Grand Theatre to see ‘Les Misérables’. It’s a favourite show of hers and this was the first (legal) production by amateurs. Three local groups had combined to put it on and it really was a magnifient staging. I hadn’t seen it all through before, and I’m glad I have – now I am thoroughly miserabled …

My message to some (if not all) of our politicians: “do you hear the people sing? …”