Diary summary week ending 16th November 2025

[Roobarb]

Louisa Maud usually starts the new diary thread but that doesn't seem to have happened this week so I thought I'd step in. Hope you're okay LM?

A wet start today, blustery now but much brighter. Have been reading online about some very touching tributes on Remembrance Sunday and today, Remembrance day itself. 

[Roobarb]

Deleted, post duplicated in error

[Viktoria]

Yes, I was very moved as I usually am on Remembrance Sunday ,but today’s events seemed less somehow.
People moving about in the last few minutes of the silence.
Not sure where The King was but I turned the T,V on a minute or two late .

What a rainy day!
I have asked for someone to come re my Hotpoint oven ,light won’t work and not getting to temperature.
Christmas cake to make soon so don’t  want anything to go wrong with that,the ingredients are so expensive this year .

I have cover with D&G.

Had a nice long chat wit my husband’s sister, the only one left of a happy
family
She was my Bridesmaid.A year younger than me and much loved by her three brothers .
Their father always told the three boys  to treat their girlfriends as they would wish their sister to be treated .
Good advice which was taken up ,they all three were gentlemen as we three girls could say truthfully.
Oh happy days.
Well ,hope all are safe and as well as can be expected give there are some difficult illnesses out there.
Cheerio.Viktoria.

[Gillg]

I wondered where the King was, too, Viktoria.  We knew that William had been in Brazil, but Charles was not mentioned in the commentary, which I found rather strange.  It seemed to have been left to their wives to play the leading roles.

I always think about my father on Remembrance Day.  He was a Marine and was sent to Scapa Flow to guard the Navy.  When he came home again after the war I didn't remember him and had to get to know this stranger all over again.  I think, too, about my uncle who was killed at Arnhem, leaving a young widow and two very small sons, who now have no memory of their father at all.

Oh, I have just discovered that Charles was hosting a reception for war veterans at Windsor Castle.  William and Camilla joined him there, also Prince Edward and the Duchess of Gloucester.

[Viktoria]

Thanks Gillig,I was concerned he was not well,looked very strained at The Cenotaph.
It is a long stand in cold weather .
The Royal family are quite depleted ,and the Duke of Kent looked so ill.
Not long since Katherine his wife died.
We were allowed to watch their wedding on T,V. at College,Katherine Worsley ,a no nonsense Yorkshire girl .That would be about 1955.

Where are The Duke of Gloucester’s family ?They don’t seem to be taking any Royal duties nor the  older Princess Royal ‘s ( George V &Queen Mary’s only daughter’s) family from Harwood House .

Hey ho, it raineth yet again ,methinks I should build me an ark ,must look up the dimensions and what a cubit measures .
I will have to build it on Holcombe Hill in the absence of Mount Marrowfat!
Bet your bottom dollar there will then be an extended drought!

Well must get on  - some over ripe bananas to use for a banana loaf.

Look after yourselves .
Viktoria.

[radstockjeff]

I wonder what chance there is of finding the artist for this portrait. Back in 1945 my dad was serving in Kenya and had on his office desk a small black and white photo of mum. Among his labour force were some Italian prisoners of war and one one of them asked dad if he would like him to paint a proper portrait of her using the photo as his "model". The result was this picture, which I unearthed recently whilst doing a spot of "tidying". I have often thought about the artist and wondered whatever happened to him after the war. rj

[Viktoria]

Is there any way of finding out which regiment etc the Italian prisoners were in where your father was?
It is going to be difficult for sure.
That aside what a nice looking lady,can you post it again?,it seems somewhat “ stretched “ widthwise.
I wish you luck with your search.
 Viktoria.

[radstockjeff]

Thanks Viktoria. I have checked the picture in my file and cannot see why it was squashed. I have tried to re-send but it looks as though the gremlins have got into the system somewhere. Will try later.  rj

[Jebber]

I also thought the King looked strained on Sunday, his breathing seemed rather laboured.

I was quite disgusted that on the arrival of the Princess of Wales at the National Arboretum the male  BBC commentator called her Kate  Middleton instead of her proper title. Later he did use her title and I wonder if someone had pointed out his disrespect. Another case or lowering standards at the  BBC.

I believe the Duke of Kent has been in poor health for some time, it's understandable  at 90 years of age.

I don't know about the Duke of Gloucester but the Duchess of Gloucester was at the National Arboretum yesterday.

I remember meeting  the Duke of Gloucester's father when I was about ten, he was reopening a boys youth club across the road from our back garden. The GPO had to install a telephone in the club for the visit and the pole was erected in our garden. They paid rent for the tiny bit of land it stood on  until my parents sold the land for building two bungalows years later.