Cambridge for two nights

My friend and contemporary Tom, who is a widower lives on Chesterton Road close to the middle of the city of Cambridge. We both rowed (he still does go sculling on the Cam), were at the London Hospital together for our clinical years and were in the Public Health field. One of his last responsibilities was as manager of the UK’s National Cancer Registry. I have stayed with him several times. The first evening a couple who we had known as undergraduates came to dinner - Nick and Jo. They had got married we think while we were still undergraduates. He became a Pediatrician in Cambridge and she a GP. They had three children, adopted two more and now have ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren! On the last day I visited the Cambridge Museum which my Grandfather had played a big role in getting started in about 1935. Tom came with me as he knows a great deal about the history of rowing in Cambridge, in particular the Rob Roy Boat Club which was for the Townies. I am hoping the Museum may pick up on some of his knowledge. They will need to interview him and take and oral history because it is too much to expect home to write it all down.The museum is focused on Cambridgeshire life over the centuries rather than anything to do with the University.

While staying in Cambridge the British political soap opera/fiasco has been playing out. One  political commentator Peter Osborne who used to write for the Daily Telegraph, wrote a piece for the New York Times saying “the country has been reduced to a global laughing stock”. It has been interesting to watch some of the BBC coverage with commentary from people in Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales and Ireland - not all of which would make it to BBC world.

Tom in front of Cuise College Boat house.

Emmanuel College Boat House (where I rowed every afternoon on the river).

There are many more canal boats moored on the river nowadays. It restricts the width available for rowing.