Page 101 - Through a glass brightly

Thank you all once again for all the contributions and memories you have brought back. I do have a few more questions but will save that for a more general email to you all.
(There were other personal messages which have not been included here)
Saturday, 23rd May cont.
From Ruth at 11.44
Hello Glenda,
Have been poring over this one! You’ve given us all so much to think about. Now I realise why I never saw you at the Old Vic – you went on the free Wednesday afternoons and I went on Saturdays!
I also went with you once to the last night of the Proms. Have never forgotten it! We actually had seats – I usually prommed in the auditorium after that, sitting behind the fountain as it was cooler there with space to sit on the floor during the performance. A seat was quite a luxury. Thank you, Miss Smith, for organising that opportunity for us! I was in her small ‘O’ level music class where we studied Brahms’ academic overture among other pieces and had to do some composition too in the theory exam.
I loved doing medieval history with Miss Mayer and went in for that special extra A level history exam getting a starred A for writing about heresies. Got quite carried away with the Albigensians, I seem to remember. Still have books about them and Simon de Montfort. How powerful those early experiences of learning are. Miss Mayer too some of us to hear Dom David Knowles talking about medieval monasticism. So from an early age we were exposed to some great minds on the subject.
Do you remember the discussions about joining the European Community when we were in the sixth form? It was a hot topic at that time. And now we’ve left – or are trying to, we’ve come full circle. I do wonder whether the world will stop being global with countries becoming more insular and self-sufficient in this fear of the pandemic we’re going through now.
I’m re-reading Jenny Uglow’s book on Thomas Bewick and his engravings in Newcastle in the 18th century at the moment and realising how strong and capable people were there then – with their trades, crafts and skills – working hard, walking miles and in close contact with the natural world. Consumption killed many at an early age and families of 9 or ten were common. Death was always round the corner and more generally familiar then than now. These days, in contrast, it seems we have become quite a soft, pampered lot – overeating, travelling everywhere and anywhere, comfortable with our running water straight from the tap and electricity giving us heat at the turn of a switch.
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