My plans for this month’s postings was delayed. My previous interview with Vanya Akraboff telling of her love of travel, inspired me to look back to my travels:
In January of this year I pulled out my diary of 46 years ago when Lester Barnett placed this line: “Tell Annie Where to Go” on a suggestion box in the kitchen of Vicom Associates.
Bob Buechert (head of the agency) with his New Jersey humor, said : “Annie, get outta here!”
I was their layout artist-self-employed and renting space in that agency. Word got out (by me) when, casually at a lunch at McGovern’s, I happened to say that I hadn’t had a vacation in six years. (When you free-lance, you want to stay available! And often you commit to various assignments that can overlap and require night work and often even your weekends.)
At that lunch, Rex Simmons and Nic Sutton (both, born in London and both art directors at Vicom) thought I should visit London.
They were my “Influencers”:
I had worked in graphic arts with Rex from 1965 and on. While we were at Vicom, there was a “bit of theater” about Rex, created by Vicom’s staff. It was performed at the theater of Blue Bear Music School at Fort Mason, SF. I created this program and it tells a bit of Rex’s life. (Copy and song writers, not remembered.) As you see, Rex joined the RAF when he was underage.
A few years later, Rex was also “Knighted”!
[An aside to this main story— One day (1975?) leaving our (long) lunch at Vanessi’s on Broadway and heading east and downhill (toward 300 Broadway where we worked) the toe of Rex’s shoe caught a raised edge of the sidewalk — and he fell forward! Yikes! He went straight into a “paratrooper roll” and came up and landed on his feet! Pedestrians and drivers stopped. They clapped their hands! —and we continued on to get back to work.]
Nic Sutton, was also an art director at Vicom Associates.
He was here with his family. The first three photos were in London, the last is in McGovern’s.
As suggestions for a vacation were coming to me, it all was becoming serious! I thought why not? And if I get to London, why not take the Eurail Pass through Europe — -and also why not with my “best friend”? Was I serious?
Then Nic, found that he had to fly back to get papers straight for his daughters living here in the states. He could “show me the ropes” in traveling. He could get me on my way!
In no time, I had to get luggage $92.19, a camera $259, the Eurail Pass $230 and a British Airways ticket $255 with my two credit cards.
My “friend” (I thought) was doing the same. We would meet in London and then go though Europe together.
No work and all play!
Nic got me to London, and spent time showing me how to travel: by the ‘Underground’, by busses and by, mostly, walking. He introduced me to his graphic partners in Covent Garden and their favorite pubs.
November 16, 1979, I sent a letter to my mother: “I can’t believe I’m here. It really feels un-real! So much to see!”
Nic couldn’t stay long in London. He returned to San Francisco and Marin County on November 25, 1979. And on December 17th he sent a letter to the last address that I gave him saying— if they saw her (me), ask her to let them (Vicom) know where she is and where she is going, to tell her to come in tomorrow. There’s a hot job and no one can draw!
In London, while waiting for my “friend” to arrive. I was shopping at the stores and “flea” markets.
The little enameled pin, I wore on my coat lapel. Lately, I looked on the back of the pin to see that it was made by Thomas Fattorini Ltd., Regent St., Birmingham for the Primrose League. In 1883, following Disraeli’s death in 1881, a small group, including Winston Churchill’s father, Randolph Churchill, took up the cause and founded The Primrose League that transformed and shaped British Conservatism up until the 1970’s. Credited for easing the transition to female suffrage and mass democracy after 1918 for the Conservative machine.
I was sight-seeing almost every day:
One place on my list was Rex’s suggestion…The Grenadier. It was an exclusive pub, located in a gated area in London, behind St. George’s Hospital. This was one place with a mystery that I encountered.
From my diary:
Remembered, Rex’s note on the “Grenadier”. Talked, along the street, to Howard from Los Angeles. He helped me get directions then went to his meeting. I took pedestrian underpass to corner of St. George Hospital. Found my way to Wilton Row. Raining heavier. Stepped in wet. Set down packages. Ordered a ‘half’. Noticed a young man, alone. I asked if I could sit there. Said he was a cook. Talked.
David arrived with his chauffeur. Asked if Peter & I were married and said we should be! Jumpy. Friendly. Strange. Said how he’s been 35 days, trial at ‘Old Bailey’ for murder! Said he was a big “Club Man” “the Talk of the Town”. That he, too, was a caterer. I asked, “How?” ”Don’t tell me.” Heard him tell someone he shot a person.
Said he could get out of town, but he preferred to fight the case. Said he’d already spent 300 thousand pounds. When he stepped away, his chauffeur said he was a “bad type”, to beware of him.
(Howard arrived. We each bought a round. )
After bragging of having one of the three Mercedes Daimlers, he offered to show it, then asked of we’d like to all go with him to West End. We all declined. Bid Farewell. He left. Barman came over and said also that he was a bad type. Hadn’t been in before but he sensed he was trouble. When Howard left, Peter and I decided to go for something to eat.
(I, with the searching available now, cannot find who this “murderer” was. My diary shows “David” but I didn’t ask his last name at the time.)
During December, after many phone calls (which had to be made at 3:00am at a public phone) I found that my “friend” wasn’t going to join me. (Then the overseas operator, who tried for an hour to place my last call, offered to travel with me !)
I knew, then, that I was to travel Europe alone! I reached Kirsten, back at work, and she said that I could spend Christmas (just a few days away) with her and her family in Esbjerg, Denmark. That trip north was the first day of my 28 day Eurail Pass.
Kirsten and her family shared their holidays with me. I witnessed lit candles on their tree. They gave me the support that I needed facing the rest of the Eurail Pass, traveling alone by train.
(This was before the EU,The European Union.) I had customs checks at every boarder, currency changes, few people speaking english, few public telephones. But one nice thing, the trains were quite empty in mid-winter. I let the Eurail Pass expire in Paris because I wanted to spend more time there. Then I paid my way back to London.
This, below was the end of my 168 page diary, which was a MEAD notebook with six pockets.
I wish I could tell, here, all of my trip. Rewrite it all for a book with photos? In my diary, I did describe most every detail, street names, purchases, people that I met (who I wouldn’t have, had I not been traveling alone).
A few visitors here at home, in later years, were the connections from that trip.
A follow-up from November 1979
At the first of this year I reached Lester Barnett
by email 1−20−25
Hi Les,
Since you travel so often, you might want to review your suggestions from 1979, and the suggestion box in the kitchen: “Tell Annie, where to go”.
As you see, I planned to do them all!
I, the other day, opened my diary from the trip with photos and souvenirs attached. I found, for the first time, that I was GONE for 70 days! 11−15−79−−−1−24−80. After visiting with Kirsten in Denmark at Christmastime, I traveled alone on my 28 day Eurail Pass, seeing the countries down as far as Rome. On the way back I ended the Pass in Paris and then paid my way back to London and home.
I only remember, once, checking in with a call to Kirsten at Vicom to see if I still had space there.
On top of that — at the end of 1980, I left again! Helped drive Murray Armstrong and his lady across (Rt. 66) to NYC and caught a Freddie Laker flight to London and then visited Wick by train to visit Murray’s parents. And then back to London to catch up with the friends I made in London from the first trip.
Lucky my furniture at VICOM wasn’t shipped to my home.
Ann
1−23−25
from Les:
Annie you’re astounding! You’re an archivist’s archivist.
That list, along with your comments and photo, are treasures.
I reviewed the points and have done all many times over, but you suggest another important point — buy a one-way ticket and decide during the vacation when to come home.
Love,
Les
Note 1: Here are photos of a Vicom creative staff meeting showing persons mentioned.
Note 2: The second trip was from 9−20−80 to 10−21−80. Driving across the states. We planned to rotate every 100 miles.There were many photo stops. M & M had friends in Cleveland, then we went on to NYC! We took photos from the top of one of the Twin Towers and we bought our plane tickets there. On take-off, the Laker plane played “Muppet” music.
I have the cards that I sent to my family. My mother had been looking after my house and bills and my “friend” even reached her, for me, during the time of the phone calls. He, too, was an artist, self-employed with work commitments and responsibilities at his location…so we did remain as friends.
Ann Thompson