Tower and Town, September 2015

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Editorial: Growing Old (Dis-)Gracefully

This September Edition of Tower and Town gives a generally light-hearted view of a matter which affects us all from our first day on this earth. Of course, as the Bard noted, the most critical of the "seven ages of man" are perhaps the first: "the infant mewling and puking in the nurse's arms" and the last: "... second childishness and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything".

We probably all know people who have aged or are aging both dis- and gracefully. And hopefully we can learn from them. David Sherratt, in his article, pays a fine tribute in this respect to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, and Prince Philip (even the republicans amongst you must concede they are wearing very well!).

The tone of this Issue, however, is set by the delightful poem on p.3 by Jenny Joseph Warning! This poem gave rise to the worldwide founding of the Red Hat Purple Dress Society (see cover images). It is reflected, also, in the interview with Dee Dee Wilde, a well known name from the past with Pan's People, and who now continues to thrive close to us near Trowbridge.

John Matthewman returns to our pages with another tale of the Colonel, this time on an OAP outing to Bournemouth, and we have put together a survey of very frank and practical advice from both the aging and their carers alike - any further suggestions most welcome!

Finally the Marlborough Team Rector, Andrew Studdert-Kennedy, introduces a touch of 'gravitas' with his interesting comments on Robert Browning's poem, Rabbi Ben Ezra.

Happy Reading and enjoy the rest of our GBS (Great British Summer)!

Andrew Unwin