Friends of Tilling

Happy heavenly birthday to actor Geoffrey Chater who played the courteous, monocled Algernon Wyse in the 1980s LWT tv series #MappandLucia born 105 years ago today. He died in October 2021 aged 100.

One wonders this month of March what blooms will be seen in sweet Perdita’s border at The Hurst. Daffodils, pale primroses and violets dim... #MappandLucia

#InternationalWomensDay #Lucia ! #MappandLucia

#InternationalBookDay #EFBenson #MappandLucia

Published by Ye Signe of Ye Daffodille, no expense was spared in the printing, illustrating and binding of Pepino’s Fugitive Lyrics, as you can see. #MappandLucia

Lamb House, Rye, showing the lost Garden Room. Where Fred wrote some of his novels, Miss Mapp spied on residents from its window and where Lucia played her Steinway. Source: Taken from a recently acquired vintage postcard #MappandLucia

#NationalHatDay #MappandLucia style.

Have you piled on the pounds over Christmas? Well, new year... new regime... Lucia style. You’re never too old to take up callisthenics. #MappandLucia Happy New Year!

Recalling….. Boxing Day 1930, during a flood Lucia and Miss Mapp were swept out to sea on Lucia’s upturned kitchen table, as a result of the sea defences near Grebe having been breached. So great the expanse of water it reminded Major Benjy of the Jumna in flood #MappandLucia

Wishing all friends and followers a very happy Christmas. Our card selected from the shilling tray. #MappandLucia #YuletideFelicitations

Remembering the actress Irene Handl, who played a delightful Duchess of Sheffield (Poppy) in the 1985/86 LWT adaptation of #MappandLucia who died on 29th November 1987 aged 85.

It is said that Lucia may have in part some characteristics of best selling novelist of the period (and Shakespeare devotee) Marie Corelli. On a visit to Warwick Castle Corelli admiring a portrait by Frans Hals turned to Fred Benson and said “Dear Canaletto”. #MappandLucia

Sad to hear that #PaulineCollins OBE has died aged 85. She was a marvellous Susan Leg (Rudolf da Vinci) in the BBC radio dramatisation of Fred’s comic novel #SecretLives which originally aired on the radio in 1987.

Major Benjy tucking into one of Mrs Dominic’s curries, a taste for acquired during his time serving in India. #MappandLucia #QuaiHi !

Hmm, do I see Elizabeth as mayoress?

We are so very sad to report the news of the passing of #PrunellaScales at the age of 93. A quite fabulous Miss Mapp in the LWT 1984/85 adaptation of #MappandLucia We had the great pleasure of meeting Prunella at Lamb House last year along with her husband Tim. RIP Miss Mapp

Whilst we all love Fred’s #MappandLucia novels he did also pen a few biographies including The Kaiser and English Relations. A copy of which we picked up last year. Fred’s biographies also include Queen Victoria, Ferdinand Magellan; Alcibiades and Charlotte Brontë.

A copy of #MappandLucia spotted in our local Waterstones on Saturday and then another - a second hand copy spotted in St Giles Hospice charity bookshop same day.

The late Anna Quayle, who played opera diva Olga Bracely in the LWT adaptation of #MappandLucia was born 93 years ago on 6th October 1932. Pictured here as Baroness Bomburst in film classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Thought of dear Daisy Quantock and her pruning of the roots of her own mulberry this evening as we dined al fresco under this mulberry tree on this the last night of our Greek holiday.