Frank Bond

Tuwsday swam 20. To Christ Church priory Eltham for the funeral of Frank Bond. 90 year old veteran of the Arctic campaign and Catenian for 50 years. The organist is Mark who is young and he played nothing beforehand. The coffin was brought in covered in the white ensign with the flag.Music was deifnitely needed. Only 3 hymns and no penitential rite! The priest sang into the mike so why ahve a choir at all. They sang Mozart Ave verum during communion and attmepted the descant to Crimond - not a good idea! I spoke to the organist afterwards and he said he did not know if the family had chosen a CD! Pity I did not push harder to play myself. We discussed with Pauline form the choir supporting youngsters who wanted to learn the organ. Nice reception at the club across the road but no hot food! Sat with Eddie and John and Anne. Home to change and to London school for girls at the Barbican for BBC singers workshop on James MacMillan. 3 tenors but a very enthusiastic conductor. Sang 4 motets. We enjoyed it. Got to Acton at 10.
Wednesday Louise took them to school and Sean enjoyed music. When I collected Ciaran I passed the photos to Miss Sutcliffe. C was insistent he would not talk about them at Show and tell. I went to the cathedral hall for the Aid to the Church in Need event with Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil on Chrisitans in Iraq. Well attended but a pity we could not ask questions. The chair claimed Uk might suffer something like what had happened in Iraq - on what evidence? Home and match on. Watched Wolf Hall, Up the women and Still open all hours.