April 2020

The books were due to be delivered on Monday 23 March! But there were no vans to transport them, as they were only available for carrying essential items. Eventually, after several phone calls to the lovely Theresa at Biddles of Kings Lynn, they arrived on 2April, on a palette and left on the pavement outside my house.

The first book was wrapped and handed over to Poppy Dixon the same afternoon, so that she could open it on her 92^nd birthday. Here she is with Twiglet the dog on her lap, reading her grandfather’s story.

As the book arrived in lockdown, I was restricted to selling hand delivered books, to friends in the neighbourhood.  Then sales to Ireland began, with long queues at the Post Office. By the end of April, I was getting feedback from readers. John from Crescent Road told me that a Mr J Eggington lived in his house between 1878 and 1884 approximately, also in 1895 and 1901. He had various occupations, including auctioneer and actuary. John wondered if it was Oliver’s groom mentioned in the runaway horse story of 1896. Although the names are identical we have no evidence to say if they were the same person but perhaps it was a son or other relative?