Tempus Pro Arrestio

Arrests are imminent

May we present for inspection a recent portrait of Sam Carter Morrison WRC, our High Commissioner, who is looking increasingly like a no-nonsense sort of member. With the Vice Chairman being within arresting distance (well, seven hours or so in a car), I would advise that he be on his guard at all times. After all, idleness is still a crime in Victoria, especially when it comes to ironing ones kit.

Pretty in pink (as well as green & white)

Butter wouldn’t melt, would it?

A proud Chairman and his Secretary

Molly Irene Campion WRC is almost 9, but she has got the better of her Chairman many times over. Not for her a birthday party at any old stately home, the Secretary will this year be celebrating her birthday at Blenheim Palace, if you please. Knowing the Mollster, she’ll probably be invited for tea with the Duke.

You have been warned

Never a truer word said in jest

I had occasion to discuss with the Captain pressing impending matters of an important constitutional nature yesterday, only to discover after 10 minutes that the Captain was holding court in his “office”. Ever dutiful for a man denied a seat in the House of Lords, even when “sitting comfortably”, the Captain is braced and ready with his mobile by his side on the off-chance that his Chairman might call. Bearing in mind how long he spends in his “office”, however, he probably will be getting a television installed presently. And a lock, one hopes……

Henley through the years – 2005 : The Captain's Year

The Captain and his splendid shoes

The Captain grandstanding, with amused onlooker with a proper badge

Another Henley, another Pimm's

Off with his phone!

A vintage year at Henley (well, every year is a vintage Henley, really), with the club being represented by a coxless (and wifeless) pair. Highlights included the Captain meeting a Leander chap from Bedford Rowing Club, resulting in our loosing not one but two “sculling races”, hence the photograph of his being “assisted” by the Thames Valley Constabulary which I have omitted to include on the grounds of probity if not my wicked personal inclination. It’s always as well to keep the Captain on his toes, not to mention out of the clutches of PC Plod, as we say in the WRC.

Henley 2006 revisited

Liz & Bev under "the tree" at the Champagne Bar

Ladies at lunch

The Captain, who arrived after a day at work in full club kit

The Chairman & Treasurer discussing important financial matters

Club socks and co-respondents

As promised, a selection of photographs from Henley 2006 for your amusement. Quite why I only included 3 photos last year is anyone’s guess, but I am hopefully redeeming myself here.

It's all French to me

The Bunkers Hill Mafia taking off from Lincoln Airport

The view from the the apartment window

A selection of the Bunkers Hill Mafia including all of the WRC Lincoln parentage (combined age 415), have just returned from a pleasant sojourn in the South of France courtesy of Bomber Campo Tours, with Alan flying them over in a Vulcan via Dresden and the Ruhr Dam and doing a loop the loop in the process, causing the Cox to spill her port. All was well (bar the blisters), apart from when they tried to visit Cap D’Antibe one day only to realize that their movements coincided with human and motorized traffic resulting from the impending Monaco Grand Prix…….

First (Lady) over the line

The First Lady in action last week

The First Lady had a big day out last week at Bedford Autodrome, enjoying what the Palmer Sport website describes as “the ultimate corporate driving day” courtesy of her benevolent employers in which she drove, amongst others, a Porsche 911 JP3, a Jaguar XKR, a Palmer Jaguar JP1 and a Formula Palmer Audi in which she is pictured here (top speed 165 MPH, 0-60 in 3.4 seconds). Although she is of course the First Lady, on this occasion she was the second lady on the day, although she managed to beat most of her colleagues, the majority of whom were men.

Tempus Pro Thrashtheblokesio

Hosiery for gentlemen

If an idea's good enough for Leander....

...well, what more could you ask for?

The Chairman is delighted to announce that after an extensive search, club socks have been sourced and are available on line.

Ribbed for your personal pleasure in the same way as those made for Leander as you will observe above and thoughtfully manufactured by Woolsey, who it goes without saying are by royal appointment, these are currently on offer priced 3 pairs for the price of two.

Despite extensive petitions to the manufacturers, Wolsey have chosen to describe the WRC socks as “Loden” in their online catalogue. Due to their sizing, these socks are currently only suitable for gentlemen members. Unless, of course, any ladies have particularly large feet.

More news on club kit shortly – your Chairman has the bit between his teeth, and is keen to proceed a pace (and not before time, I hear you cry!)

He's not all bad, you know

A replacement portrait of the Chairman, in Tiananmen Square

The Chairman, as hung at Howards End and

I was interested to read in the Murdoch that a replacement portrait of Chairman Mao has been hung in Tiananmen Square, as a result of the original image being scorched when a man tried to set fire to it. The picture, depicting Mao in 1949, weighs two tones, although the one which hangs at Howards End is somewhat more modest, and is confined to the downstairs loo as the First Lady refuses to have the “damn thing” anywhere else.

In much the same way as I know the WRC are sensitive to any criticism of their Chairman, the same can be said of the leaders of the Communist Party in China, whose view of Chairman Mao can be summed up as “70 percent good and 30 percent bad”. Which, from one Chairman to another, strikes me as fairly good odds, especially bearing in mind the rod of iron the Chairman has to employ to keep some of the more willful of the Club’s members in check. One can learn a lot from the Chinese, as apparently, Chinese officials keep “at least one” spare portrait of Mao “just in case of emergencies”. As such, I would urge members to do likewise. Just in case of emergencies, of course.

Tempus Pro Ambassadressbirthdayio

When we were very young - Charlotte's 21st birthday on 11th May 1991

Kristin Scott-Thomas and the Consul General, for whom she babysits for some pin money whilst resting

Many happy returns of the day to the Antipodean Ambassadress, who is 37 years young today. However, let us remember her today as she was on her 21st birthday, when the Chairman thoughtfully brought the Ambassadress a hat from Laura Ashley, which was something of a fetish for him at the time. As befits an outfitter who introduced the milkmaid look, the hat thoughtfully came with curly ear-warmers which the Ambassadress though were the height of fashion at the time. In much the same way, presumably, as her blouse, perhaps?

Vivat Ambassadress, and roll on September.

One glorious year

The Consul General and the Chair of the Fine Arts Committee
discussing the pressing matters of the day in convivial surroundings

Many happy returns of the day to Ruby, who is one year old today. It seems like only yesterday that her father called to say "It's amazing. One moment there's two peolpe in the room, the next there's three. Amazing." I am sure Ruby brings the same level of delight to her parents on a daily basis, who will no doubt drink her health in the time honoured fashion this evening.

Tempus Pro Firsttriptoblightyio.

Sheiken but not stirred

Just another ordinary day at the Ambassadorial Abode

Many happy returns of the day to the Ambassador, who is 44 today. Having seen him in the flesh recently, I would say that he does not appear to have aged during the innumerable years with which we have been acquainted. Mind you, I thought he looked about 45 when I first met him.

Tempus Pro Teatowelio

Looks familiar?

Any requests?

Sometimes, one is confronted with a photograph of a child about whom there can be no doubt about the parentage. As such, I am delighted to share a picture of our Consul General with the wider world. I only have one question about Poppy however – who’s her Mother?

Charlotte Carter and the Spiders From Mars

Charlotte and her new hair

I bet you almost didn't recognise her, did you?

So, the Ambassador and I were chatting during his recent visit and I bemoaned the fact that the Ambassadress had seemed a tad reticent in her communications of late. Well, the following day the Chairman’s in-box floweth over with a deluge of missives and a number of recent photographs, including several displaying Charlotte’s flowing locks to good effect. As the Ambassador said, what with her new look, “you might not recognise Charlie”. So, I am delighted to reproduce a number of the photos Charlotte sent, so you can judge for yourself if you think that the Ambassadress has notably changed in any way.

TEMPUS PRO CELEBRITYLOOKALIKEIO

An Ambassador calls

In the pink - The First Lady and the Ambassador in O'Neill's

The Chairman & First Lady were delighted to entertain the Ambassador yesterday evening, who is enjoying a state visit to Blighty. After a snifter in the revamped hotel bar at the Ambassadorial hotel of choice (served in what appeared to be a vase, which bemused the Ambassador somewhat), we decamped to a centrally located select hostelry to watch a game of association football and chew the cud over recent events in Blighty and the Colonies, our appetites sated only by corn snacks and peanuts from the landlords larder due to the chef not working evenings. Suffice as to say that both the Chairman & First Lady were aware that drink had been taken when they rose from their slumbers this morning, the Ambassador having reeked havoc on our livers as custom dictates. As ever, always a pleasure to see Dale, never a chore.