Saturday 12th August 2023

It’s the Glorious 12th. I only just realised.

Oh for the days when Uncle Harold was on the Moors at Chatsworth (or was it Bolton Abbey) for the Grouse – which Debo wouldn’t touch, of course.

With the Gay Mother I was talking about how Aunt Lavinia once lived at Sonning. ‘Sunning,’ the Gay Mother corrected at once. Later we were listing the mansions in a part of the Far West where they cluster – rather like Rhode Island. Flete, Delamore, Fitzworthy, Mothercombe, darling Blachford, of course. Which one was built as a summer residence for the Empress Frederick? The Gay Mother wasn’t sure but her mind was led to Queen Victoria and Ponsonby, her Sec, whose family were from those parts. ‘There’s another one,’ she said. ‘Punsonby, not Ponsonby.’

One day one of her friends rang up to pick over the Battle of Waterloo – not so much manoeuvres, more Who was There.

At the Family Reunion in Yorkshire, the Gay Mother remained in the Far West but somehow was connected by Zoom in the afternoon… I think Cousin Monica put her up to it. Anyway she and Cousin Monica were the stars of the Zoom, riffing freely not necessarily aware that 50 people were listening. Cousin Monica said that in 1800 or thereabouts another wing had been intended for our mansion but never built: ‘Thank Goodness for that,’ the Gay Mother said. Indeed another wing would have been killing. The upkeep.

It is thought more than likely that the Gay Mother will gain 100 in February.