David Worboys – Christmas Messages (1 – The Privileged)

JEREMY & VALENCIA TRUMPINGTON-GADSBY

Hawthorn Lodge, Squirrels Lane, BEACONSFIELD, BUCKS

For all our many friends all over the world, here is an update on the Trumpington-Gadsby family, over the past year.

You will have read about the honour bestowed upon Jeremy’s father last June, for which we feel a justifiable pride. Indeed, his name has been forwarded by General Arbuthnot in consideration for a knighthood.

Meanwhile, the children: You may remember, from last year, that Rupert was heading for county level at tennis  Well, since took up polo, he regards tennis as rather vulgar, and has given it up, to the exasperation of Gramps, a Wimbledon semi-finalist.

Phillida will be taking her Doctorate in Land & Food Resources at the University of Melbourne. She spent half her summer holiday trekking in Bhutan and the other half learning the viola at an academy in Barcelona. Phillida is well liked, on account of her practical nature and keen intelligence.

Alistair completed a post-graduate course at Oxford and has developed a thesis on Darwinism in Lombok. He recently became engaged to the daughter of a count from Cadiz, who breeds stallions in Andalucia and beef cattle in Argentina. Alistair has an engaging sense of humour and is developing broad interests.

And Reggie?  He is also into botanical biology and has recently taken up chess and poetry in preference to the pursuits of ordinary twelve-year olds, such as football and pop music.  But, the little rascal was recently punished for pinching the bottom of another boy. Well, boys will be boys!  He has an enquiring mind and is swotting hard at school.

Finally, Paloma!  She was eight in September, and we bought her a pony which we named Alfredo, after a waiter with whom she fell in love on holiday in Martinique. She speaks French quite well now and can play Mendelssohn on the piano; in fact, she’s something of an infant prodigy herself!

We are presently enjoying the sunshine at our winter retreat in Eze, above Nice. We are refitting the “Golondrina”, and she should be ready for sailing by March.

In October, Jeremy bumped into Lord Ballinger at Whites, and they are planning some kind of venture together, involving aid for South Sudan. Jeremy’s also involved with Sir Egbert Duquesne in a prototype engine for mining equipment.

Charlotte and I are active these days with the Fine Arts Society of Richmond,

organising an exhibition due to open in February,

Last year, we reported on the affair of Lucinda Battersby-Fforde and the Master of the Kimberley Hunt. It seems that a settlement was negotiated by Alistair and one of his Oxford chums, the son of a High Court Judge.

We have a lot to be thankful for and, consequently, we shall be at St. Mary’s Church on Christmas Day (assuming we can pack everybody into the Bentley!). We hope to see some of you there!                                                                                                                                                 With sincere wishes for Christmas and the New Year.