Local Author Brings Romance To Regenerate Rise


Hugh Thompson gives a talk on his book about his great grandparents

Hugh Thompson giving his talk at the day centre
Hugh Thompson giving his talk at the day centre

Regenerate Rise the old people’s day centre at the Platt reopened at the beginning of June which has meant a programme of activities can resume.

This week local writer Hugh Thompson gave a talk based on his book about the courtship and marriage of his great grandparents Nelly and Arthur Bosworth who corresponded throughout 1885.

Centre manager Paul Beadles says, ”The twenty or so who come either four days or once a week love anything that helps them remember and reminisce, this was a perfect vehicle,”

While one remembered that she had come to Putney sixty odd years ago as a German au pair and, on her return, her husband won her back by writing to her every day.

Another told of her parents first meeting on a trip to Spain and getting lost and returning to the party riding the same donkey, just as well they got married, she laughed. Another told of the boy she couldn’t marry because he was a Roman Catholic but over the last seventy years they have written regularly to each other.

Rolande Logez loved the Nelly and Arthur story because, “It showed a different more formal old fashioned kind of courtship. At first Nelly and Arthur wouldn’t use Christian names, but within three months they were engaged.”

Her friend Anne loved the fashions saying, “The feathers, the stays, the long dresses, the starched collars. The whole business of writing letters almost every day it’s a forgotten world, it could be a TV series.”

Hugh Thompson says, ”I wrote the book for my family and friends it’s amazing that anyone else is interested.”

The book “Nelly met Arthur, A Victorian Romance, 1885” is being privately published and copies can be obtained by emailing scribbler2000@yahoo.com.

Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More

This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism.

Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets.

We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more.

However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do.

We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area.

A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site.

One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute.

If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor.

For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.

 

July 2, 2021