Memories

Why is it that as we age memories come flooding back?

My great aunt, who died at 103, found in her latter years that 50 years ago was fresh in the mind, but yesterday was remote.

In fact as I watched Lark Rise to Candleford today my mind turned to realisng that my great aunt, born in 1879, was a young girl at the time the series is set and would have lived in a world not dissimilar in some ways, allowing for authorial licence and the rose coloured tinge of the scriptwriters. After all she too lived in a rural village.

What sparked this train of thought? An article at The Spectator site on Matthew Parris’s attempts, ultimately successful, to send a case of English wine to his Spanish nephew.

Why this article? Well many years ago I remember going into Berry Bros & Rudd in their rather august premises in St James, the heart of English clubland, to buy a bottle of what, from memory, was termed Good Ordinary Claret. I cannot remember the price, but think it had been recommended in Time Out, and the year was from memory 1973.

Based on what I had previously been drinking it was verygood. In fact it may well have been excellent in reality, but I was then but a novice in the realms of wine from the point of view of quality and taste. I suspect my intent in buying the bottle was to seek to impress a young lady.

What really impressed me though about Berry Brothers & Rudd, the recollection/memory, of which remains with me to this day, is that although my purchase of one bottle was small and I was a young and obviously not a wealthy person, I was treated with consummate courtesy.

Consequently, I became a more regular customer and bought a variety of wine from them over the years. Always whether by mail, phone or in person the service and advice was good.

I well remember their Rainwater madeira and also buying some malt whisky which they had had aged to their.own requirements.

I do not know if they still do it, but they had maintained for many years the tradition of London aging and bottling of cognac, thus engendering a particular flavour to the resulting spirit, reflecting the Thameside cellars originally used.

I am no longer a regular customer, but Matthew Parris’s article reminded me of great customer service, great times, friends and good bottles.

One other fact, if memory serves me correctly, in the alley behind the shop in the 1840s was located the Texas Embassy to England at the time Texas was an independent republic. I think there was a fish restaurant there – Overtons?