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Last night I had a dream about my cousin.
This morning 'tapping away on the net and I have re-found him after nearly 50 years.
He is Brother John Leathes of The Holy Cross Winchester… http://www.stcrosshospital.co.uk
Aged 15 I ran to London and lived with him for 6 months he was then a very successful couturier.
My dilemma is do I try to contact him this Xmas via the internet or get someone in Blighty to post him a card which I could have forwarded from here.
Any forthcoming suggestions would be greatly received…..
Brother / Cousin John.
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
A letter is a more personal touch, but I see no problems with using the internet. If he wants to correspond he should not be bothered by whichever method you use. Not that I think that you will have the same experience that I had, but when one of my former wife's brothers contacted her via the internet, FB, that she had not spoken to for thirty years and vowed never to do so for the rest of her life, relented and allowed contact, within two years he was one of the governing factors in the ending of my marriage.
Life is your's to do with as you wish- do not let other's try to control it for you. Count Dusak- 1345.
I would send him a letter and a card Who, more personal than the internet. Good luck and as a great believer in the message of dreams something must have triggered your memory of him at this time.
Reading some internet links he tends bees and sells honey probably leading a very cloistered life So I don't wish to shock him knowing I'm alive rather than he would expect lying dead in some foreign land or languishing in a prison somewhere.
Thanks for your responses, Bon Noel….
Ps: I was thinking of keeping bees on my roof perhaps it's fate...
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
Who2 wrote:Reading some internet links he tends bees and sells honey probably leading a very cloistered life So I don't wish to shock him knowing I'm alive rather than he would expect lying dead in some foreign land or languishing in a prison somewhere.
Thanks for your responses, Bon Noel….
Ps: I was thinking of keeping bees on my roof perhaps it's fate...
Contact him on line first - as soon as possible so you don't dither about and then find reasons not to. Then take it from there.
He lives in a most beautiful part of Winchester, down by the water meadows and with easy walking to the Cathedral and city centre. When I first moved here the Brothers (there are two different groups living at The Hospital of St.Cross) would often be seen walking around the town in their red or black gowns depending on which group they belong. Nowadays they tend not to wear the gown when in town. Assuming all goes well with your communication with him, visit him when you are next in the UK - but make sure you claim the Wayfarer's Dole on arrival.
For the other Dr GD.
In 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in America, 360 years before this Henry of Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, founded this place he is over 73 years old so doubt that he is or could be to bothered to be conversant with the internet….
Ps: He probably thinks the net is something aligned with apiary.
Pss: Anybody in Winchester wishes to visit him and let him know that this 'old rascal is alive & kicking, please feel free to do so…cheers !
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
Who2 wrote:For the other Dr GD.
In 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in America, 360 years before this Henry of Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, founded this place he is over 73 years old so doubt that he is or could be to bothered to be conversant with the internet….
Ps: He probably thinks the net is something aligned with apiary.
Pss: Anybody in Winchester wishes to visit him and let him know that this 'old rascal is alive & kicking, please feel free to do so…cheers !
OK I've just tried to ring them to check on whether the brothers have internet access down there but at the moment there is no one in the office. Don't rule out age vs internet ability though - some of my nonogenarian friends are more conversant with it than I am!
How about this for an idea? I'll pm you my email address. You can rattle off a few lines to him and I'll print it off and see that it gets delivered to St. Cross over the Christmas period.
You were given this dream of him for a purpose. Don't put off making contact with your cousin now you've located him.
Experience is not what happens to you;
it is what you do with what happens to you.
-Aldous Huxley
They have an email address on the site. Even if he doesn't use it himself, someone probably could print out a message from you and deliver it to him.
I agree with those who say don't put it off. It's not like you are contacting him to ask him to let you sleep on his couch again or that you need anything from him. He might be suspicious you are contacting him because you need something, but once he sees you just want to get back in touch I am sure it will be fine.
Well I have her 'indoors Simona, back in Blighty sending him an express 'religious and hopefully tasteful Xmas card asking her to explain a few things to him, from me.
When I last knew him he drove an old 'John Steed's speed six type Bentley and I looked like this:…
Now I look like this:..
Not really more like this….
But love both your ideas Hepzibah & Glyph and will ponder what I should say after all these years, he has no money as I notice unhappily that they donate all their worldly possessions to the Order, but sounds like good fun and he always knew I was a 'nutter…
Ps: This could turn into a bit of a christmasy saga…ding-dong-ding..
Pss: On the other hand he might just have died it used to happen to my Granny all the time…..she stopped thinking of her friends..
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
Glad you are going to make some contact with him. Let's face it, you have nothing to lose by doing so. If you do need my 'on location' help send me a pm.
Experience is not what happens to you;
it is what you do with what happens to you.
-Aldous Huxley
I'm enjoying this, his Dad my Uncle was Managing Director of Harrods for 15 years and I had the run of the place on a Sunday knowing everybody and them knowing who the 'little brat was.
My aunt flew her own plane and they lived opposite in Lancelot Place, John once tried to borrow 15k off her to buy a windmill she refused so he bought some stables & barns off John Paul Getty III and auntie Jill promptly turned part of it into a granny flat, typical of my aunt always trying to organise one's life..
When I first moved to London he was 'dating both one of the Springfields and one of Mr Pastries' (Richard Herne) daughters at the same time they used to do our washing and cooking both confiding in me their inane intentions to marry him….
Ps: By coincidence 30 years later the S.F.O. 'felt my collar in their jewellery department something to do with mortgage fraud ? who me ? officers..
Last edited by Who2 on Mon Dec 22, 2014 2:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
The internet, he had once given a lecture to the local W.I. talking about his time in the 'rag-trade and I suppose becoming a 'brother obviously 'radicalised…
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
My only contribution is to say IF you contact him by internet and he doesn't respond back don't give up cause your email might have gone into his Spam and he may not have noticed it. Contact asap and follow up hard copy with enclosed email addresses, phone numbers and addressed stamped envelopes so follow up back to you can be simple for him.
BEST of LUCK! I'd be thrilled to re-find long lost relatives. Be a great thrill and adventure
….dateline Luxor……1827hrs...
My Transylvanian bas***d back home, Simona bless, has sent him this card which he will receive tomorrow express and this is what she said…
"You are welcome. The card already had a Merry Xmas message. I added a hand written Merry Christmas, May all your wishes come true.
Separately, had a piece of paper telling him shortly that Im your daughter and im staying in your place while you are away in egypt with work.. you found him and asked me to send a card on your behalf"
So we await developments, 'exciting I reckon. t.b.c. we hope!….
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
Brother John (the radicalised) has replied by a 'snail mail hand written in a spidery quill, my Dr's writing is easier to decipher, but the ******* daughter, she who speaks 4 languages translated the gist of it, he mentions his sister, it's what caused me in the first instance to remember him because I couldn't remember if he had a sister, but I remember a story of her being head girl of Beneden Girls school where years later I had the window cleaning contract. weird….
So Simona wants to pen friend him and he wants us to visit which could be fun in the summer plus I could give him the 3rd degree about my youth, and there must be a couple of nice pubs and restaurants in Winchester. I sang there there once as a nipper chorister..
'they have king arthurs round table hanging on the wall I remember that!
http://stcrosshospital.co.uk Dear Simona + G W 26/ December 14
Such a surprise to receive your card and letter as George William had completely disappeared from our lives.
We checked on Becky`s funeral but could not find G. W. anywhere.
Sorry I am very poor at Photography and printing and these are the only two I have of my self. One was when the Brothers and I went to the Mary Rose museum and conveniently were joined by my Sister who volunteered to push a wheelchaired Brother. It was a fascinating trip out. Other photo is Italian Clum (???? didnt understand that one) taken by her husband. They came to visit at St Cross last year.
Do come with G. W. it should be a laugh
Best of health to you both in 2015
Sincerely
Brother John
PS: Hope the other side makes you giggle
"The Salvation of Mankind lies in making everything the responsibility of All"
Sophocles.
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