Under the Sun
Page 54
BC’s articles: on an Algerian in Marseilles (‘Fatal Journey to Marseilles – North Africans in France’) and n
on Mrs Gandhi (‘On the Road with Mrs Gandhi’)
on Shamdev the Wolf Boy (‘The Quest for the Wolf Children’)and n
Sunny Bank Anglo-American Hospital, Cannes
Sutherland, Alistairand n
Sutherland, Grahamand n
Suzdal
Svevo, Italoand n
Swartkrans cave
Swat
Swayne, Dinah
Sweden
Sweet Briar Farm, Geneseo
Switzerland
Sydney
BC writes from
Sydney Morning Heraldand n
Sylvester, David
Symes, Robinand n
Tabriz
Tahiti
Tahoua
BC writes from
Taiwan: Taipai Museum
Takla-Maklan
Talbot Rice, Davidand n
Talbot Rice, Tamaraand n
Tamworth-in-Arden
Tangier
Taoism
Tarquinia
Tate, Sharonand n
Tatlerand n
Taxila
Taygetos range
Taylor, Gloria see El-Fadil el Mahdi (née Taylor), Gloria
Taylor, Robert
Teheran
British School in
Telstar/Early Birdand n
Tennant, Emma
Tennant, Stephenand n
letters to
Writings:
Madame is Resting
‘Supreme Vision’and n
Thatcher, Margaretand n
Thaw, Eugeneand n
Theroux, Pauland n
letters to
The Old Patagonian Express
Thesiger, Wilfredand n
Thomas, Charlesand n
Thomas, David
letter to
Thomas, Hugh: Cubaand n
Thomas Cook Travel Award
Thoronet, Le (monastery)and n
Thubron, Colin
letters to
Behind the Walland n
Tibet
Tierra del Fuego
Tilbury
Time magazine
Times, The
Times Literary Supplement (T.L.S.)
Times of India, The
Timewell, Richard S.and n
Tisza, River
Togo
Tokyo
Tomlinson, Brenda, letter to
Tomlinson, Charlesand n
letter to
Torecilla, plateau of
Torontoand n
Royal Ontario museum
Tosi, Maurizioand n
Tournier, Micheland n
Gemini (Les Météores)and n
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Tower, The, Scethrog
BC writes from
Towers, Robert
Trammel, Captain Billand n
Transylvania
Transvaal
Traquair
Traugott, Maggie
Traveller’s Club
Traveller’s Guide to Health
Tree, Penelopeand n
letter to
Trevor-Roper, Patrick
Tringham, Ruth
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trisov
Trujilla
Truro murders (Australia)
Tucci, Giuseppeand n
Tu Fuand n
Tunis
Turbat-Jam
Turgenev, Ivan
Turkey
BC writes from
Turks
Turnell, John (BC’s uncle)
Turnell, Margharita see Chatwin (née Turnell), Margharita
Tuscanysee also Florence; Siena
Tweedie, Dumand n
Tyler the Tack, Miss
Uaua
Ubeda, BC writes from
Udaipur
Uganda
Ukraine
Ultra Violetand n
Una Estate in Siberio
Ungaretti, Giuseppeand n
Up-Helly-Aa
Upper Swabia
Urumchi
Utah
Utz
BC in process of writing tale about porcelain collector
BC finishes writing
Ignatieff makes annotations in copy of
sent to agents and publishers
publisher is enthusiastic about
BC disappointed by blurb for
BC sends copy to Murray Bail
publication
praised by BC’s father
shortlisted for Booker Prize
reviewed by Alberto Moravia
brief references
Uzbeks
Uzès
Vaarzon-Morel, Petronella
letter to
Vaizey, Marinaand n
Valdivia
Van, Charles
Vancouver
Vargas Llosa, Marioand n
War at the End of the World
Varig
Vassar
Vassiltchikov, Princess Marie (‘Missie’)and n
Vaughan, Henryand n
Vaughan Films
Vaynol Parkand n
Velasquez, Mariano Riveraand n
Vence, postcard from
Venice
Venturi, Robert, and n
Verger, Pierreand n
Veronese, Paoloand n
Viceroy of Ouidah, The
idea for
BC travels to Benin to do research
BC’s ideas about how to approach the subject
further researches in Brazil
process of writing
delivers manuscript and is paid an advance
BC works with Jim Silberman on
pre-publicity for
publication
disappointing reception of
made into film by Herzog
brief references
Vichy
Victoria and Albert Museum, Londonand n
Victoria Falls
Vidal, Yves
Viedma (Carmen Los Patagones)
Vienna
BC writes from
Schatzkammer
Volkerkundes Museum; postcard from
Vietnam War
Viking Press
Vikings
Villa Malcontenta
Vionnet, Madeleine
Virago Press
Vix Crater
Vlachs
Vogue
Volans, Kevinand n
Songlines string quartet
Volga, Riverand n
Volkerkunde Museum, Vienna
postcard from
Vraca
Wade-Gery, Sir Robertand n
Wadi Halfa
Wales/Welsh borderssee also names of places
Wali Jahn
Wallace, George
Wallace Collection
Wanger, Shelley
Ware, Kallistos
Warner, Roger
Warrell, David
Warsaw
BC writes from
Washburn, Gordonand n
Watson, Iainand n
Watlington
Watzdorf, Stephan vonand n
Watzdorf, Thilo von
Way, Charles
letters to
Webster, Ken
Weidenfeld, Lord Georgeand n
Weiss, Theodore (Ted)and n
Welch, Cary
BC’s friendship with
BC confides his frustrations to
joins the Chatwins during their honeymoon
and BC’s decision to study archaeology
and Sassanian dishes
enthusiasm for the Beatlesand n
recommends BC to curate exhibition at Asia House Gallery
buys farm in New Hampshire
purchase of Maori board from BC
praises In Patagonia
and book by Jackie Onassis
letters to
brief ref
erences
Welch, Edith
letter to
Weldon, Hugh
Wellington College
Welty, Eudoraand n
Weoley Castle
West Kennet Long Barrow
Westminster, Loelia, Duchess of Westminster and n
Westminster, Sally, Duchess of Westminster and n
Westonbirt
What Am I Doing Here
Where the Green Ants Dream (film)and n
Whinney Murray
Whitbread Prize
White, Edmund
White, Theodore H.: The Making of the President and n
White Mountains
Whitman, Walt
Whitton, Mr
Wiesenthal, Simon
Wilkinson, Martin and Stellaand n
letter to
Willey, Peterand n
William, King of Sicily
William, Prince of Gloucester
Williams, Lloydand n
Williams, Shirleyand n
Wills tobacco company
Wilson, Peterand n
letters to
Wiltshire Gazette & Herald
Winterbotham, Hiramand n and n
Wisconsin, University of
Wollaston, Nicholasand n
Wollcott-Behnke, Rogerand n
Wood, Billy
Wood, Clemand n
Wood, Jessieand n
Wood, Mia
Woodhouse, Tommy
Woodward, Mr
Woolmer, J. Howard
letter to
World Health Organisation
Worrell, Christopher
Worth Maltraversand n
Wotton-under-Edge see Holwell Farm, Wotton-under-Edge
Wroth, Lindaand n
Wu-Ti, Emperor
Wylie, Andrewand n
Wylie, Aitken and Stone
Wyndham, Francis
letters to
Wyndham, Violet
Yaddo
BC recommended for
BC at
Yazilikiya
Youngstown Ohio Vindicator
Yountville
Yucatan
Yugoslavia
Yunnan
Yuste
Zambezi river
Zamzama Gun (Kim’s Gun), postcard of
Zanzibar
Zavaleta, Jorge Ramon-Torresand n
letter to
Zàvist
Zazzo, Professor R.and n
Zelenka, Jan
Zimmer, Dieter
Zoroastrianism
Zuluetas, the
Zulus
Zurich
1 The younger and more extrovert of his father’s two spinster aunts.
2 Out with Romany By Meadow and Stream, Bramwell Evens (1942).
3 John Kearton, nephew of explorer Cherry Kearton, gave a talk on the African veldt, illustrated with photographs of man-eating lions and rhino.
4 The Open Road: A Little Book for Wayfarers, anthology, ed. E. V. Lucas (1899). ‘A garland of good and enkindling poetry and prose fitted to urge folk into the open air, and once there, to keep them glad they came.’ With a green buckram binding ‘and a flight of gilded swallows on the cover’, it was Chatwin’s most cherished travel book, along with Osip Mandelstam’s Journey to Armenia (1933) and Robert Byron’s The Road to Oxiana (1937).
5 Humphrey Chatwin worked for the Gold Coast Railway. On 8 December 1949 he was murdered by his cook-boy in Takoradi.
6 Hugh Chatwin: ‘Brig was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier pup whose pleasure was to play boisterously with all our farmyard creatures. Alas, undeterred by useless scolding, he went the way of all hounds that worried neighbouring farmers’ sheep.’
7 1944 film based on a story by fighter-pilot Richard Hillary about Air-Sea rescue launches that patrolled the Channel picking up downed airmen.
8 Chatwin’s first proper stage role, in A. P. Herbert’s Fat King Melon and Princess Caraway, performed in December 1949. The reviewer called him ‘a good-looking chap’.
9 E.C.: ‘He had great skill with his hands. He could paint and sew and mend things, stick handles back on, so that you could never see the join.’
10 H.C.: ‘Form masters had different means of achieving discipline. Mr Peregrine (Latin) kept a slipper handy; Mr Pye (Maths) preferred to beat with the flat side of a set of wooden board compasses. For more serious misdemeanours, a “chit” would lead to an evening interview with the headmaster. Usually, Boss followed his reprimands with two to four neatly laid cuts of his four-foot bamboo cane. The bruised backsides were there for other boys to comment upon at bath-time. This was Bruce’s only whacking – compared with my four. He did not complain.’
11 H.C.: ‘After we moved to Brown’s Green Farm, Bruce quickly became proficient in recognising all the woodland birds to be seen there; an aptitude rewarded by great-uncle Philip passing on his four volumes of Thorburn’s British Birds. This gift, with gold-edged coloured plates, was the first antique thing for him to own.’
12 Performed on 14 December 1950. ‘Perhaps pride of place should go to Bottom the Weaver. A very young member of the cast this one, who had a lot to do and did it with great gusto. Ass’s head or no ass’s head, you did well, “sweet bully Bottom” . . .’
13 Philip Howard. The ordeal took place in Hall. Boss wrote that Chatwin proved ‘a hard, relentless hitter and gives the impression of immense solidity’.
14 Charles kept 37 pigs at Brown’s Green Farm, driving the pigswill from Birmingham in the same all-purpose grey Ford van that shuttled Chatwin’s trunk back and forth to Old Hall.
15 H.C.: ‘As a stamp collector, he went on to specialise in unused “British Colonials”.’
16 H.C.: ‘Months before, I had accompanied Bruce to Birmingham’s Model Aerodrome shop where he bought this birthday gift. Formally presented on the day, the toy became mine to enjoy – albeit one of several “elder brotherly” things that remained in his custody, lest I should break or lose it.’
17 Raymond Ghalib (b.1939).
18 Tommy Garnett (1915 – 2006) had been appointed Master of Marlborough in 1952.
19 Christopher Massey (b.1939).
20 E.C.: ‘Bruce never learned to play an instrument.’
21 A renowned English designer of cruising yachts.
22 The pine houses were painted blood red with iron oxide from the copper mine. One day, Chatwin would paint his house near Oxford with the same Swedish oxide. E.C.: ‘He was always in love with Sweden. It’s where his colour sense gelled. The moment you go to Stockholm, there are his colours. Grey green, grey blue and contrasted with amazing ochres.’
23 Percevald Bratt – ‘A delightful old gentleman always dressed in a white smock and sun hat . . . he lived in a log cabin lit by crystal chandeliers,’ Anatomy of Restlessness. Peter Bratt (Thomas’s brother): ‘Shortly before his death, Bruce came to Stockholm because he wanted to revisit us. He mostly talked about the conversations he had had with my great-uncle [Percevald], who was erudite and knew classic literature very well, and Bruce said this was what incited him to start writing.’
24 E.C.: ‘Sailing wasn’t his great passion, as it was with Charles and Hugh.’
25 Grängesberg.
26 In The Songlines, Chatwin meets a young ébéniste (cabinet-maker) on the road from Atar. ‘Although he had no passport, he had in his bag a book on French eighteenth-century furniture.’
27 John Wilson Carmichael (1800 – 68).
28 The original schooner.
29 Philip Boughton Chatwin (1873-1964), architect and amateur archaeologist dedicated to the restoration of old buildings. E.C.: ‘I met him once, a beautiful old man, very civilised, tall, thin, with white hair.’
30 Hugh O’Flaherty (1898-1963), Irish Catholic priest and notary of the Vatican who saved up to 4,000 Allied soldiers and Jews during the Second World War.
31 E.C.: ‘For him to complain about the heat means it’s desperately hot. Most of the time he didn’t notice.’
32 A
huge cost, when you could take only £50 out of the country.
33 Roasted Englishman.
34 John Peregrine: ‘This refers to my mother arguing what they were going to do with both pictures and feeling Sotheby’s were out to swindle her.’
35 Carmen Gronau was organising the sale. Some friction may have been caused by the amount of restoration required. The restorer Herbert Lank had sent a bill of £231. 10. 9d. On 22 July 1960 Gronau wrote to E.F.P.: ‘As you know it was a terrible business getting the blue over-paint away from the gold which had to be done immensely carefully by hand and penknife and could not be done by solvent.’
36 Rawlinson & Hunter, accountants representing an American client interested in the second panel of St Anthony Abbot.
37 Charles Chatwin had served in the Mediterranean on the light cruiser Euryalus. ‘Bruce was very cross because we bombarded the grain stores on Rhodes. “You bombarded beautiful windmills.” It was a show of force.’
38 Royal Cruising Club to which Charles belonged.
39 At Easter 1960, Charles had launched the Rakia, a 26-foot family cruising boat, to be shared with his partners at Wragge & Co. Hugh Chatwin: ‘Father had me ask Bruce’s classics master at Marlborough the ancient Greek word for rags. Hugh Weldon gave us: ro, alpha, kai, iota, alpha – hence the name RAKIA.’
40 Ivry had married Paul Freyberg, second Baron Freyberg, in July 1960.
41 Avril Curzon had lived with Ivry at 34 Boscobel Place.
42 I.F.: ‘He was going to paint my bedroom and then had a cold.’
43 E.C.: ‘He later took me. It was like stepping into a rainbow.’
44 They met by accident in the Via Veneto in Rome in August, Chatwin on his way back from Greece; Hugh from Africa, on the last leg of a 10,000-mile hitchhike from Cape Town.
45 New York dealer and collector. On 15 April 1964 Chatwin sent Peregrine a cheque for £6,000. It can be assumed that he took a commission.
46 This is the first suggestion that Peter Wilson had lured Chatwin with the temptation of becoming a Sotheby’s director, only to renege on the offer.
47 David Nash, or ‘Nashpiece ’. Chatwin had known him at Marlborough. Before joining Sotheby’s he worked as a gravedigger in a Wimbledon cemetery and as an electrical engineer at the Horton lunatic asylum.