Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

to the cheers of the supporters. Crawl or back-stroke seeming equally effortless, he also
played water-polo, a very strenuous sport and generally seemed totally at home in the
water. I don't think he was much "into" cricket, although I remember watching him play
in his "whites". He excelled on the rugby field, as a three-quarter and played for his
college, St Catharine's, at Cambridge, a strong rugger competitor. He was also
academically successful and obtained an ‘open exhibition’ to the College (less than a
scholarship), which at that time was to me an impossible aspiration; he seemed so far
ahead and remote.
Michael was also bright, (and was also to get an exhibition to St Catharine's). I saw
much more of him as the gap between us was smaller, and later I had the responsibility
of looking after him when we were both evacuated during the War. In those days he
was a very good looking, good-natured, gentle chap and looked up to me, as I looked up
to Peter.
I don't remember much about the extended family. There was Uncle Maitland, who
was a remote figure, trained as an engineer and employed in the motor industry; Aunt
Alice, an elegant lady who descended on us from time to time. Aunt Gertie lived near
and was a small sparrow-like personality, who often popped in to our home for a gossip
in broad Tyneside accents. Uncle Tommy, eventually became Personnel Officer with a
large international company, Unilever, and his wife Yvonne. Also there was 'Uncle'
Stan: I'm not sure where he fitted in - perhaps from my Mother's side of the family. But
he had a very broad 'Geordie' accent. He and his family lived in Jarrow and had a milk
delivery business. As a child it was always a treat to visit him because it meant a trip
across the River Tyne in a ferry, or across the Newcastle Swing Bridge - uniquely, it was
then the only bridge in the world with a 360° turn. We often returned at night - when
the river was exotic and mysterious, with lights reflected in the water. These trips were
also exciting because there was a chance to pat the horses he kept to pull the milk carts
and give them a lump of sugar and smell all the unusual horsey smells in the stable.
Another Uncle, Arthur, lived in North Shields, and there were others. Then there was
Auntie Jill, actually a cousin, who after the death of her first husband, was manageress
of the Black Swan at the little market town of [Alnwick/Morpeth]. Of her three children
Peter, about my age, became a senior legal figure, a Circuit Clerk, in government, rose to
become a senior civil servant (and received a CBE). Margaret, also became a senior civil
servant, and Pauline, married the Clerk to the Course at Gosforth Park, Freddy Newton
- later Clerk to the Course at Ripon. Of the family friends I particularly liked Marie
Galloway, her mother "Em" and her father "Dolf" Albrecht. My mother was an excellent
but plain cook and did quite a bit of entertaining so we boys met adults and learnt at an
early age to hold our own in conversation.
My grandmother on my father's side, Alice, lived with us for a number of years. I
remember her as a rather small and fragile, "little old lady", dressed in black, sequined
dresses; a bit of a ‘Giles’ Grandma, she kept Pontefract cakes (a liquorice sweet) in her
reticule, which she handed out when we were good. This must have been seldom
because we didn't like her, and on occasion I think we made her life a misery by playing
practical jokes on. Balancing books, or perhaps even a can of water over a partly open
door, to fall on her when she entered a room. In short we were horrid to her and I feel
ashamed to recall our pranks; we egged each other on. I don't remember why we didn't
like her, probably because she was rather strict and made life difficult for our parents.
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