Visiting the Mechanical Music Museum in the heavy rain and then arriving at Freda and Alf’s menagerie where Christopher and Stacey also greet us
Awake in time for our morning drinks and glad they arrived without reordering. We all sleep well after our exertions of yesterday and get washed and dressed for our morning breakfast together whilst Daniella sleeps. Time to let the children swim in the hotel swimming pool and I get some beautiful photographs of them before we all set off in the car for the Mechanical Music Museum near Holsworthy, arriving in the heavy rain. The rain does not disturb our enjoyment and we run to the nearby farmhouse for a nice rest and ploughman’s lunch. Then to the museum itself which the children thoroughly enjoyed – more than they expected. There were examples of the smallest and largest instruments from the hand rotated ‘Fisher Price’ type, of early record players to the full roundabout organ the size of a wall, and loud to match. Back to the hotel for lunch and to change, then off to see Freda and Alf in Holsworthy.
They are out to greet us after 9 years apart. Freda has put on weight and pleased to see us, but visibly drained with her illness and worries. Alf has hardly changed and looks 40-odd for all his 62 years. Stacey and Christopher, their youngest children, are still at home, though not in great sympathy with their situation – both missing the entertainments and pursuits of the larger town. We talk for hours, film the family and go off to see their 4 acre field with barn, ducks, turkeys, geese, hens, quail and the Lord knows what. They recently had sheep and cattle but had been running down the stock due to Freda’s illness and their financial circumstance. They still have three goats and Debbie and Daniel are fascinated. We get a good chance to talk to Alf and break the ice with Stacey, but Chris, in his dog collar and private world, slips away. Their other daughter, Jane, is living with her boyfriend in Southend. They had moved into their present house less than a year ago and are busy restoring it. Near the end of the visit, I promise financial help so that they can keep the land and animals, and we all hope that Freda’s operation goes well. Back to the Grenville Hotel for dinner and then to bed, but I get little sleep worrying about the Butterfield’s financial and family future. They have to turn their 4 acres into some economic worth, and interest their children in helping them, otherwise advancing age and ill health would make it increasingly unviable. News today of the NUM unloading the coal carrier and prediction of a vote to strike has already sent shares down. I am sure tomorrow will see a greater collapse.