Mrs Columbus Goes to Sea
British Rail Poster - Yorkshire Dales
This web site reveals the original 1948 diary of an American lady visting Britain for the first time.
Based in Richmond, Yorkshire, we can read her experiences of post-war Britain in the year it hosted the Olympics, with rationing still in force and accompany her on visits to London, Edinburgh and many other places in between.
Most of all we'll see why she fell in love with the people she met and places she visited and why she knew she was "in the right place".
LATEST UPDATES
11-Nov-2011 As part of a new project I'm researching the War Memorial of the village where I grew up - Brompton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire. PART ONE
26-Jul-2011 Added Elsa's final postscript. The diary is complete, but I will continue to write about the people and places involved and what happened to them after 1948. Also, look out for news on some other local history projects I am working on.
19-July-2011 - 63 years ago today Elsa was setting off for England. The diary is now complete as we hear about Elsa's final month in England, her sad farewells and the journey home.
13-Jul-2011 - Elsa visits London and Cranleigh before returning to Richmond
30-Jun-2011 - Elsa returns to England and visits Northallerton, London, Hampton Court and enjoys a stay with the Bowler family (yes the Bowler hat family) at Walton-on-Thames.
19-Jun-2011 - Bonny Scotland - Elsa travels to Edinburgh and the Trossachs taking us through to 24th September 1948.
14-Jun-2011 - Trips to Redcar, Kirkbymoorside, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Stokesley and Stockton as Elsa relates the first few days of September 1948. Many thanks to Joe at StokesleyPride (www.stokesleypride.org.uk) and Stokesley Local History Study Group (http://www.stokesleypride.org.uk/html/slhsg.shtml) for the photograph of Septimus Paxton's shop in Stokesley (see entry for 7 Sep 1948).
10-Jun-2011 - Trips to the coast complete Elsa's Diary for August 1948 - Redcar & Whitby
04-Jun-2011 - Elsa goes to stay in Pontefract and visits York, Leeds and Harrogate. Added a photo gallery - see People page.
31-May-2011 - Bowes Museum, Catterick Camp, a visit from the Undertaker and George's old flame!
Also added summary of Paxton genealogy on the People page.
(c) Peter Hodgson 2011
Based in Richmond, Yorkshire, we can read her experiences of post-war Britain in the year it hosted the Olympics, with rationing still in force and accompany her on visits to London, Edinburgh and many other places in between.
Most of all we'll see why she fell in love with the people she met and places she visited and why she knew she was "in the right place".
LATEST UPDATES
11-Nov-2011 As part of a new project I'm researching the War Memorial of the village where I grew up - Brompton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire. PART ONE
26-Jul-2011 Added Elsa's final postscript. The diary is complete, but I will continue to write about the people and places involved and what happened to them after 1948. Also, look out for news on some other local history projects I am working on.
19-July-2011 - 63 years ago today Elsa was setting off for England. The diary is now complete as we hear about Elsa's final month in England, her sad farewells and the journey home.
13-Jul-2011 - Elsa visits London and Cranleigh before returning to Richmond
30-Jun-2011 - Elsa returns to England and visits Northallerton, London, Hampton Court and enjoys a stay with the Bowler family (yes the Bowler hat family) at Walton-on-Thames.
19-Jun-2011 - Bonny Scotland - Elsa travels to Edinburgh and the Trossachs taking us through to 24th September 1948.
14-Jun-2011 - Trips to Redcar, Kirkbymoorside, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Stokesley and Stockton as Elsa relates the first few days of September 1948. Many thanks to Joe at StokesleyPride (www.stokesleypride.org.uk) and Stokesley Local History Study Group (http://www.stokesleypride.org.uk/html/slhsg.shtml) for the photograph of Septimus Paxton's shop in Stokesley (see entry for 7 Sep 1948).
10-Jun-2011 - Trips to the coast complete Elsa's Diary for August 1948 - Redcar & Whitby
04-Jun-2011 - Elsa goes to stay in Pontefract and visits York, Leeds and Harrogate. Added a photo gallery - see People page.
31-May-2011 - Bowes Museum, Catterick Camp, a visit from the Undertaker and George's old flame!
Also added summary of Paxton genealogy on the People page.
(c) Peter Hodgson 2011