Christ Church

Last week saw our approximately annual visit to Christ Church, Epsom, a large church on the edge of the Common, usually shut during the day - as it has been for some years now. The gift of one Miss Elizabeth Trotter in 1868, sometime owner of the Horton Manor which was eventually bought by LCC for its Epsom Cluster of mental hospitals. Also home to a large number of Wellingtonias and other impressive trees; now repurposed as housing for the population at large.

Our visit was hosted by Age Concern and took the form of a Christmas concert. A concert in two parts: part 1 was four short sets from local singers and musicians; part 2 was a rather longer set offered by the Heart & Soul Choir. The whole being supported by various offerings for sale, both in the church itself and in the church hall adjacent. Offerings which could be eaten, drunk, worn or added to one's Christmas tree.

One result of which was that I took my first two beers ever in the nave of a church, working or otherwise. But we failed to win anything in the raffle.

PS 1: some readers might be interested to know that Christ Church also does bubble church fun, outdoor baptisms and outdoor chapel. And, should you get stuck in the aisles without a decent view of the action at the altar, both aisles now have large repeater screens.

PS 2: later today a 1948 copy of the slim book at reference 2 arrived on the mat, a copy which is just three years older than I am, having somehow made its way across the Atlantic to Hay-on-Wye, from where it reached out to me. The trouble was that I could not remember why on earth I had bought it. But Microsoft came to my rescue. From Abebooks, I found that I had bought it on the 7th December and from my Edge browsing history, I found that I placed the order shortly after taking a look at reference 3 in connection with the pineapple business of reference 4. O. Henry invented the phrase 'banana republic' - or at least popularised it - in his book of stories which came out of his stay in the Honduras in 1896-7. So that sorts that one out.

PS 3: I might also say that I am pleased to see that Hay-on-Wye, a place I know only by repute, still appears to have plenty of second hand book shops, a breed which seems to be near extinct in London, the shop which appears at reference 5 notwithstanding. And Addyman Books, from where I got this one, is one of them.

References

Reference 1: https://www.heartandsoulchoir.co.uk/. Possibly the start of a larger organisation?

Reference 2: Cabbages and kings - O. Henry - 1904, 1946. Penguin book No.595. 25c.

Reference 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic.

Reference 4: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/12/more-pineapple.html. Plus the previous post on this subject.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/12/bantu.html. For Walden Books. Whimsically named for the Waldens of reference 6?

Reference 6: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2023/10/walden-two.html.