A Special Day Out Last Thursday
By AndrewR
8 comments
During the winter months, starting in 2010, I began researching the local men named on the World War One memorials in and around Bracknell. This project was completed early in 2014 with the publication of three books.
As I had paid for these to be published out of my own pocket, I then spent many evenings giving talks in an effort to sell copies. At one such event, the local Borough Mayor was in the audience.
It was thanks to her that I received a phone call earlier this year from the office of the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire which resulted in this arriving in the post last month:
So on Thursday I got out my suit, caught the train to London, and made my way to Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea with the Queen and around 2000 other invited guests. The weather was perfect – dry and not too warm. The sandwiches had the crusts cut off, the cakes were delicious, and the gardens immaculate.
For security purposes, you aren’t allowed to take photos of the Palace or the grounds, but we did sneak one on the way out.
No-one noticed, so I am not incarcerated in the Tower of London or enjoying a holiday at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. The whole experience was wonderful and one I will never forget.
21 May, 2016
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Comments
Wow, fantastic Andrew :-))
22 May, 2016
Congratulations ,what a lovely reward for your endeavours throughout the years. I like your sneaky picture !
Best wishes
Marjorie
22 May, 2016
3d - we have a group on Facebook called 'Bygone Bracknell' which has over 4000 members.
22 May, 2016
Congratulations ! The Finedon Royal British Legion Group have done the same.
Takes a while to interest people in books. If its not on the telly they dont understand.
You have done a wonderful job. Lovely photograph.
When John Grisham's first book was written he sent it to
13 publishers who all rejected it. (Or their lackeys in the office did.)
Someone suggested he try a Literary Agent. This (salesman) read the manuscript, liked it, took it personally to 19 publishers in New York, the 20th one
accepted it, published it, and it was a best seller within a week ! Since then he has published 24 more, all world wide best sellers.
22 May, 2016
Lovely title Andrew it sound very popular and interesting shame I dont go on face book nor can I access it.
22 May, 2016
Very nice too..............I think that lady is sneaking one of the cakes out, on her head!! Don't tell the queen...and I won't tell her about your photo!!
25 May, 2016
As they say..."truth is stranger then fiction." I just read Paul's comment above ↑. That's a fascinating story and congratulations. thank you
25 May, 2016
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What a great thing to do Andrew collect and research also write about all those local men who died in ww1 we here in Coventry have a David Mc Gory who recently wrote about Coventry in ww1 he also has written of Coventry Blitz we also have two Coventry history sites forums where people chat discuss the history of two wars our manufacturing of the city prior during and after the wars some look for families that lived here and up load old photos all sorts really. Perhaps a history site of your area would be a good thing to start.
What a lovely day for you you well deserve visiting Buckingham palace for all that research how lucky to see the gardens. I dont know why they refuse to allow pictures of the gardens as Alan Titchmardh has recently filmed it shown on tv .
Lol bet the sandwiches were cut in small triangles too like I had to do for the Bablake old boys cricket club here. Lovely photo of you you look very smart and handsome
21 May, 2016