Trip 153 - Whittlesey

Friday 3rd October (Day 1)

So today a really short trip to Whittlesey, a journey of about fifteen miles. The rally did not start until 1730 so we did not leave home until1645 and it was in hard driving rain. Our destination was the Henry Smith School in Whittlesey. We arrived just before 1730, with the rain having ceased. We were quickly set up and then heated a pre-prepared curry. 1930 saw us over in the hall for a chat; pay for the two nights fee; pay for the Christmas weekend (already paid); buy a ‘bonus ball and also raffle tickets and, finally, the bingo cards. We did not win but one lady won three of the nine prizes. Then it was a chat with those on our table who were new to us. At about 2315 we said our goodnights.

Saturday 4th October (Day 2)

So during the night we ‘rocked and rolled’ with the effects of ‘Storm Amy’ and this was accompanied, at least part of the time, by rain. The morning started just windy. We were missing the ‘Bacon Butty Morning’ in Wimblington so joined them at a distance with a bacon sarnie for breakfast. We then got ourselves straight and around 1130 walked into Whittlesey. We found a ‘Heritage Trail’ which we decided to walk. We found out several things on the walk. First, the school we were staying at was a site for a Workhouse in the distant past. Secondly, Henry Smith, which the school was named after, was local hero for fighting in India and was eventually the viceroy in South Africa. Thirdly, there were so many pubs in Whittlesey that they were named after alphabet letters, ie ‘A’, ‘B’ etc. One other 'imteretsing' fact was the railway station is calle Whittlesea, not Whittlesey. We could find nothing to explain the different spelling. Part way around we tried one of the hostelries, The Old Crown (Pub ‘B’ in the past). We found others from the meet in there also. After a couple of pints we left and finished the Heritage Trail. Back at the motorhome we chilled until at 1500 we met four people in the hall from last night to teach them the Mexican Train Game. (They loved it.) At 1600 we had to vacate the hall as the Anglia cabal needed it for a meeting. So we sat around until 1730 when I went and picked up a meal from the local Chinese takeaway. 1930 saw us back over the hall for an evening of sea shanties, with an occasional Irish song thrown in. After a short music quiz the four in the group started around 2030 and continued non stop until 2200. We were all singing along and had a great night. Bed was around 2330

Sunday 5th October (Day 3)

With only a fifteen mile journey home we were in no rush to leave so had a ‘big boys’ breakfast and then at 1030 went to the hall for the chairman’s waffle and the raffle. The waffle was short and we won noting at the raffle. That said seven people won twenty five prizes between them. We left at 1130 and were home by 1215