From Hugh Carson - Old chorister

Dear Chris

First of all, thank you for arranging such a generous buffet reception after Peta’s requiem. We enjoyed meeting your family and many familiar faces - but much lived in now - from Canterbury days.

I’m sorry Penny and I had to return so promptly to our home in the Peak District.

Understandably you and Tim had so many to speak to and each time we tried to make contact you were engrossed with someone else. We didn’t want to barge in but I was sorry afterwards to hear from Barbara Coker that you had missed us.

I apologise - and please, if you are ever in these parts, do come and see us. We are near Wetton, where Peta stayed a year or two ago. Our telephone number is 01 298 84544.

The service itself was very moving and to Penny and me; it all seemed so appropriate.

There was much that was reassuring and happy, indeed uplifting. I hope you were able, despite the sadness, to appreciate it too.

I have many, many fond memories of Peta.

My parents were living in Libya when I join the Choir School and I fear I needed rather a lot of support.

Clive and Peta were wonderful with me; including during a nasty bout of dysentery which struck soon after my arrival in England. These days I would have been categorised as an attention seeker and they somehow knew how best how to deal with me without crushing me. So much better that the terrifying Miss Skinner!

My favourite memories must be to do with her reading to us. She was so good at it, and on special evenings (was it Sundays?) we used to be read to in her study rather than in the dorm - Paul Galico’s ‘Jenny come home’, the Mayne stories, and of course C S Lewis. What a lovely coincidence that the latter went to Malvern - he hated it though!

I have a picture of either you or Tim, perched on Peta’s lap during a school photo, in my study here at home!

They were happy days - made happier in my last year for me when our football team was unbeaten!

Thank you again for everything last week.

Yours sincerely,

Hugh Carson