Reflections on Holiday in Hampstead 2023
with contributions from Annie Duarte, Sue Garden, Sue Kirby, Sue Kwok and Chris Weatherhead
The eighth year of Holiday in Hampstead attracted a record number of people (105) to HPC in the first week of August.
The week started with Moragh Gee’s Comings and Goings, a superb mixture of poetic food, ranging from W.H.Auden’s energetic ‘Night Train’, read in concert by all four readers (Moragh together with Barbara Alden, Virginia Stevens and Adrian Hughes) to the solemnity of Leigh Hunt’s ‘Abu Ben Adam’, which fittingly rounded off their performance.
This was followed by Jim Walters’ talk Jerusalem: one city, three faiths, which took us on a fascinating excursion through the difficulties which beset the Middle East, revealing that – far from being separate factions – the three main religions in Israel are inextricably linked by historical and religious traditions. However this is not the current mainstream view, and Jim has long been focused on encouraging dialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims to increase their understanding of each others’ perspectives and sensitivities.
After lunch our Church Warden, Martin Evans, entertained us with tales from his professional life. Who could have guessed at the challenges involved in producing live outside broadcasts? The competition between channels, the huge financial penalties when things go wrong (such as a missed goal) and the daily dramas of setting up programmes beyond the studio…
This was an intriguing glimpse into the world of television.
Tuesday began with Summer’s Here. Stephen Clarke presented solo songs accompanied by violin, interspersed with poetry, for a touching presentation. Items ranged from Gershwin’s ‘Summertime’, performed by Dorothy Jenkins and Shereen Abdullah, to Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Blackberry-Picking’ read by Stephen.
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Frances Spalding’s illustrated talk The Real and the Romantic, based on her acclaimed recent book, charted the importance of the work of English artists between the two world wars. Between commemorating the awful reality of the Great War in its aftermath and responding to darkening political clouds in the mid-1930s, there was time for a romantic blossoming of the avant-garde. This richly diverse period in English art made for a fascinating presentation.
Stephen Tucker’s talent for bringing places and events to life enabled us to experience being Visitors to Venice on Tuesday afternoon. The ‘too much’ and ‘too many’ of the Venetian summer, the heat, the architecture, the green canals, ‘seeing’ Dickens and D.H. Lawrence on the palazzos…. Stephen gave us so much more than any guidebook.
Wednesday morning began with Sue Kwok’s welcome gentle exercise regime, which was followed by Andrew Lloyd Evans’ slide show of a fascinating trip to Neolithic Orkney and Shetland. Andrew’s talk painted a picture of life in those early settlements, founded on the discovery of many ancient buildings and artefacts. More recent discoveries, dating from before the Pyramids, continue to shed light on those bygone times.
In the afternoon we went to Henderson Court for ‘Tea at the Ritz’, where guests were entertained by the HPC Community Choir singing a medley of songs from the musicals, with much audience participation and enjoyment.
On Thursday Margaret Willmer, describing herself as an amateur bookbinder of thirty-five years’ experience and ‘still learning’, covered the history, terminology, techniques and tools of book binding, as well as giving practical advice and useful tips in a beautifully presented talk and demonstration.
This was followed by a highly entertaining talk by the journalist and author Andrew Gimson entitled On being Boris Johnson’s Biographer, and based on Andrew’s insightful 2022 biography Boris Johnson: The Rise and Fall of a Troublemaker at Number 10. He demonstrated his ability to encapsulate complex issues and personality traits, sensitively treading a path between the roles of chronicler and friend.
After lunch Caroline Barron shared with us findings from her ongoing research into the stained glass window in the vestry at HPC, dedicated in memory of Frederick Wilfred Haeffner who died aged 26 at the Battle of the Somme. We learned about the Haeffner family of Netherhall Gardens, who commissioned the work, and about local artist Joan Fulleylove (1886-1947), whose design so movingly commemorates the fallen soldier.
On Friday we were treated to contrasting talks on bellringing by two experienced campanologists. First, Martin Clode, from St. Mary’s, Hendon explained the intricacies of ‘English’ bellringing, which ended with a chance for those in the audience to try their hand. It was then the turn of Alan Regin MBE to outline what he has discovered about the Great War and the brave exploits of many of the ringers who fought and died in it. He went on to explain his pivotal role in organising the replacement of lost bells at Ypres. His photographs of French graveyards, both large and very small, were a sad memorial to so many brave young men.
The final talk of the programme was delivered by art historian John Iddon, who asked us “Who is the greatest: Lucian Freud or David Hockney?”
John’s engaging and detailed explanation of their very different lives and developing styles may well have changed a few minds in this richly illustrated talk. (Hockney won the vote!).
The week concluded with a short service of thanksgiving, led by the Reverend Graham Dunn.
Subsequently we were pleased to receive constructive feedback from participants. The standard and range of talks attracted many positive comments, as did the high quality and variety of food offered throughout the week. Thanks are due to those who volunteered their skills to make the week the success that it was.
Prompted by some of the responses, we will seek to improve the audiovisual experience in time for next year’s programme.
The 9th Holiday in Hampstead will run from August 5th-9th, 2024.
Diana Finning
Sue Kwok
Julia Scott
Rosemary Loyd