In September 2021, I was hand delivered the most incredible letter
from a wonderful woman called Anne,
who had been running a group for men
living with the challenges of alzheimer’s.
In doing so, she became friends with Albert,
who, then in his 80s,
was full of stories from his 26 years in the Royal Navy,
followed by a further fortyish serving as the personal chef here
at Admiral’s House.
Slowly,
Anne realized it was this admiral’s house he had been talking about,
and the letter included a photo of Albert in the house itself,
shaking hands with surgeon Vice Admiral Anthony Revel
in front of one of the fireplaces here.
Well, I was absolutely elated and we arranged for Albert,
Anne and Albert’s daughters
Caroline and Lindy to come for afternoon tea here.
They were still keen to visit despite the chaos at the time,
I was very much knee deep in renovations.