It was great for those of us who are convention-goers to meet again old
friends in the exhilarating atmosphere of Wodehouse and alcohol. Sir
Edward Cazalet
(pictured, right) gave a special welcome to the various nationalities
represented: Sweden, the Netherlands, Russia, Portugal, Switzerland, the
USA and England. He told us about his visits to PGW, his
step-grandfather, every year in the last ten years of PG's life, and
reminded us of his great powers as a story-teller, and the fact that
most of his stories were based on the far-fetched life of the old
Pelicans. He asked us not to miss the pageant on Wednesday for the Queen
Mother. She had asked for several of her jockeys to take part mounted,
and he would be doing so. You could tell him, he said, because not only
did the others look like jockeys (small etc.) but he would be wearing
spectacles, which jockeys don't, because now without them he could see
almost nothing. Those like Gruntled, who had thought of Sir Edward only
in full-bottomed wig as a High Court Judge, the embodiment of authority,
delighted to imagine this racy side to his past.
Then
our Chairman Norman Murphy (pictured, left) gave us an inimitable
slide-talk through Wodehouse's life, from birth in Guildford, School at
Dulwich, partying at Weston Park and Sudeley Castle, and so to the
significance of these places in the search for Blandings Castle, which
the tour was about. He gave us indeed what in old military language was
called a TEWT: Tactical Exercise Without Troops. This was an AWT: an
Armchair Wodehouse Tour.
And so to the table where the Penguins Kate and Michele were selling
new Penguins, with a new edition of "Sunset at Blandings"
(material added by Murphy and Ring) as well as loads of other new
Wodehouse Penguins. Beside them John Fletcher was selling other books
including the last available copies of "In Search of Blandings".
There was also an "In Search of Blandings" whisky glass, and
Wodehouse ties of a "plum" colour so arresting you needed
sunglasses to look at them. Some Californian plum-growers claimed they
had never seen any plums of that particular colour; but this tie was not
Californian-based but drawn from a Victoria plum of an excellent year.
For all the gibes, they were in steady demand, and before long had
become standard wear for tie-wearers. Perhaps it was the excellence of
the drinks to which the party had by this time returned, thoroughly
-- Gruntled
ps Here are two more pictures from the Welcome party: on the left is Patrick
Wodehouse and handing out name badges is Hilary
Bruce.
(pictured, right) gave a special welcome to the various nationalities
represented: Sweden, the Netherlands, Russia, Portugal, Switzerland, the
USA and England. He told us about his visits to PGW, his
step-grandfather, every year in the last ten years of PG's life, and
reminded us of his great powers as a story-teller, and the fact that
most of his stories were based on the far-fetched life of the old
Pelicans. He asked us not to miss the pageant on Wednesday for the Queen
Mother. She had asked for several of her jockeys to take part mounted,
and he would be doing so. You could tell him, he said, because not only
did the others look like jockeys (small etc.) but he would be wearing
spectacles, which jockeys don't, because now without them he could see
almost nothing. Those like Gruntled, who had thought of Sir Edward only
in full-bottomed wig as a High Court Judge, the embodiment of authority,
delighted to imagine this racy side to his past.
Then
our Chairman Norman Murphy (pictured, left) gave us an inimitable
slide-talk through Wodehouse's life, from birth in Guildford, School at
Dulwich, partying at Weston Park and Sudeley Castle, and so to the
significance of these places in the search for Blandings Castle, which
the tour was about. He gave us indeed what in old military language was
called a TEWT: Tactical Exercise Without Troops. This was an AWT: an
Armchair Wodehouse Tour.
