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My art week

I cannot really add to Derek Williams’ appreciation of the Tudor Portraits at the Holburne gallery in Bath. I’m not a huge fan of royal portraiture as it constrains a great court painter like Velazquez, but thankfully not Gustav Klimt who left the court of the Habsburgs in the secessionist [...]

February 4, 2022 // 0 Comments

To Bath (and back again one day)

I had previously visited Bath only five times in my life – three of them day expeditions to watch the Harlequins play “away” Premiership matches against Bath Rugby – and so my wife and I, delighted to take up the suggestion of the Rust’s esteemed sports editor that we join him at The Rec [...]

February 2, 2022 // 0 Comments

Those were the Krays, my friend

Last night I watched the second part of an ITV documentary Secrets of the Krays on the Kray twins. My immediate reaction was that this all happened so long ago – their hey day was the late 1960s – and most of those on the programme were necessarily quite old now. The point was made that [...]

February 2, 2022 // 0 Comments

My sporting weekend.

The two hot favourites to win the Farmers at Torrey Pines San Diego and the DP event in Dubai – Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy – were off the pace and Luke List and Victor Novland emerged as winners. Jon Rahm had two poor final rounds. He now has a Major but doubts still remain about his [...]

January 31, 2022 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard /The Royal Crescent and Bath experience.

After my third visit the Royal Crescent remains one of mt favourite hotels in the world. It’s immediate location in the Crescent itself is a great plus but the welcome, service, room and garden all add to the enjoyment. My only criticisms would be the muzak in the dining room and its [...]

January 30, 2022 // 0 Comments

The decline and fall of Marks and Spencer

Many conventional reasons are given to explain the decline of Marks and Spencer – their failure to adapt to the digital age;  the dowdiness of their womenswear; the arrival of new kids on the block like Primark, New Look and Boohoo; the reduction in value of their high street sites; and a [...]

January 27, 2022 // 0 Comments

There are two sides to every situation, including life

Regular readers will be aware of The Rust‘s mission statement and purpose – i.e. watching, reviewing and analysing events in the 21st Century world from the perspective of those of us who are slightly beyond the first flush of youth. One of the fundamental challenges of the human condition [...]

January 20, 2022 // 0 Comments

Dame Stephanie Shirley/Private Passions – Radio 3

The above – known by her family nickname Steve – was the guest on Private Passions hosted by Michael Berkeley. She led a remarkable life. Separated from her parents aged 5, she was put on a train as one of the Kindertransport. These children were sent to western countries and some [...]

January 18, 2022 // 0 Comments

Brighton 1 Crystal Palace 1

This fixture is known for its toxicity. The clubs are 55 miles apart. Portsmouth and Southampton are nearer Brighton – Charlton and Millwall nearer Crystal Palace – so you cannot call call it a derby, although it is has been termed the M25 or M23 derby. Both of these are geographically [...]

January 15, 2022 // 0 Comments

Remembering my father

Yesterday was my father’s birthday and – had he not passed away nine years ago – he would have been 99. I think of him every day now, less in terms of loss, more of legacy. He was a wise, gentle man, a superb, much-loved and respected doctor by his general GP practice as well as his [...]

January 14, 2022 // 0 Comments

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