Herry's Archives

The party and guests Herry's 70th birthday lunch was held at Old Swan House on Saturday 11th July 2015. 70 people came - about 20 family including all four children, and Prue and Thomas, but not Marijke and the girls as they had been at Christmas. Fortunately it was a beautiful day and everyone enjoyed themselves. Charlie Skipwith spoke for Herry and Herry in turn recalled absent friends. There was music from Do.It and catering was by John Robinson (with fish from Ashley Major at Thyme & Tides). Belin Martin did the flowers. The photo was taken by Robert Wu and included almost everyone who came, and Herry's neighbour Guy Boney as Lord of the Manor, also spoke for Herry. For photos; click here The guest list / seating plan was as follows (X indicates people who could't come) Family Ayako Kei and Oli Radha Edward Boodle and Siobhan Prue and Thomas Fuff and Lucy Luxmoore Piers and Margaret Lawford Mhairi Lawford X Patrick and Rosie Findla...

Lucie, wife of my dear friend Charlie and a dear friend herself, died in December 2014. She was the most lovely and charming person, strong and determined and a good businesswoman; but also a wonderful mother, grandmother and homemaker. I was honoured to give this eulogy at her Memorial Service in Droxford Church on 19th April 2015. Lucie at my 50th birthday party in 1995 Lucie was born Marcelle Louise Othon at Cursan near Creon on 24 th  November 1942, one of seven children to Maurice and Georgette Othon. Her father, who composed music, died in 1966 and her mother in 1992. Lucie had three brothers, Michel, Francois and Andre (‘Prosper’), and four sisters, including Therese and Mireille. Two of her sisters died young, one at six months and another in 1965, and Lucie’s brother Michel also died, in 1998. Lucie had a conventional schooling and then studied dressmaking.  So good was she that she became a pattern cutter at the Bordeaux atelier of Ted Lapidus, a fa...