THRILLS ON THE ICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 24 November 1943, Page 3

THRILLS ON THE ICE

SKATING EXPERIENCES ENGLAND AND SWITZERLAND As a family, we were "mad” on every form of sport and game—all eleven of us—but particularly on ice skating, writes H. G. Foster Barham. Nelson, relating his experiences in winter sports in Europe 1 came number 8 and had a fairly “rough and tumble” time of it with the elder ones. I took it out, in return, on our French governesses. I think as a bunch we rather fancied ourselves. Didn't old Dame Mansfield, the sewing woman who visited us regularly to turn and cut down our outgrown clothes and to fit the budding juniors, tell my mother, that though she had "had her brood regular like,” there wasn’t, in her opinion, “a finer family this side of London.” No wonder the old humbug was in constant demand, lor she sewed well, took her beer like a man and was always entertaining. Little Miss Dyer, who patched and made our shirts and underwear, was less robust, and less outspoken. One hot morning she fainted in the nursery, due. so my sister alleged, to the racket I had kept up. It was one of those new experiences children delight in. but scared me. I must admit, especially when my sister yelled out. “There now, you've killed her.” I thought I had!

As winter approached the question always arose “Will there be skating?” We studied the barometer and wind, and would rush out before breakfast to test the ice thickness on the garden tub We favoured the north-east wind, because it induced “black” frosts, and clear, snow-free ice—our dream of perfection. Charles Kingsley wrote an “Ode” to it. you remember, calling it “wild.” and "brave,” compared with the soft south-western-r-the less robust — "ladies’ breeze.” OVER LANDS OF SOMERSET Once the ice bore, nothing could keep us off it and lessons and everything went by the board. Lunch was cut, and off we tramped with our wooden skates for the day. My recollection of terrible tiredness during the long return journeys home still lingers. The wide flat lands of Somerset, which often became flooded for miles, were ideal for skating, because the water was shallow. Unfortunately numerous ditches—called "rhines” —had been cut in past centuries, for drainage purposes. These were often deep and dangerous. and it was in negotiating one of these, in our explorations from field to field that I got my first immersion. My elder brother would usually go first to test their safety, taking them, one foot before the other, and wide apart, at full speed. The danger naturally gave zest to our operations.

Those were the days before bicycles and we had no carriage. Later, as business improved, a pony for riding and later a horse were added to the cow. pig and poultry already kept at "The Mill.” Old “Treble.” who looked after them, was promoted to coachman, put into livery, becoming more than ever one of the family. I remember visiting him during his last illness and the tears that were shed at his death. He was a very wonderful and dear old man. Sidney, his son, succeeded him. but was never quite the same. People began to be class conscious, which for centuries had been almost entirely absent from nine-tenths of the population There was much more mutual respect and obligation between employer and employee under the old arrangement. though no doubt it was occasionally abused. Strikes were almost unknown. Everything was cheap, and house and garden work light because of the numbers. THIN ICE

The delight and satisfaction in figureskating lies largely in its difficulty, and the fact that there is an immense and-never-ending amount to learn. Real proficiency can only be reached after years of nard practice—started when young especially in days before the construction of artificial ice rinks. The first of these to be made in England—and I believe in Europe—was at Southport. in Lancashire. In 1888 I made a special journey there from Liverpool to obtain a few hours’ skating. I had by then become fairly proficient by working early and late and by taking advantage of every possible opportunity. This got me into trouble on several occasion and led to more immersions. Once, when alone under a canal bridge, with deep water and steep brick sides, I \vas exceedingly lucky to escape drowning. On another occasion the same thing happened on Regent’s Park Lake, in London, when I broke through the ice, and was ignominiously hauled from rar out at the end of a long rope, before a crowd of cheering spectators I also got into trouble with the London Police by skating at dawn on the Hampstead and Highgale ponds before they were considered safe. On other occasions, when I deemed it necessary 1 dressed au rieeur—donned my top-silk-hat—and walked boldly into the exclusive Skatins Clubs at Wimbledon and the Round Pond in Regent’s Park where I was admitted without question and experienced the delight of the ■combined’’ figure work with some of the best skaters in England. My people were rather critical about these ast escapades—rightly so. perhaps—but I was young, and it really was good tun to see if one could carry it off. IN SWITZERLAND In the meantime England had become laigely responsible for the introduction of winter sports into Switzerland. It took on tremendously, and raised the standard of skating still further. No opportunity, however, occurred for me iL tak , e mn',' ant! : !?e of tllis until the win--5° f ,! 901 ’ when, on my day out to Australia—as water engineer to Brisbanc I took the overland route to Naples and, breaking the journey in Switzerland, had my first experience of skiing, and enjoyed the wonderful ice rinks at Davos Plalz. Except for a little skating on the rice fields of Korea, no further opportunities occurred uni I moved with my family from Genoa to Switzerland early in 1!)14. There we spent two delightful winters at Chateau j"l , elevat| on of about 3500 ect. I had taken up art seriously, and later on when we had moved to Lugano —where the subjects were better—l had held an exhibition of my work at Zurich, Unfortunately it didn’t pay me my Enthusiasm. and dUp.5

In Switzerland 1 experienced my first leal mountain climbing. The familv fhe viiPJ Cked , Up . French and Malian at the village schools, and ir, winter were seldom off skates, skis or toboggans We even attended church, and did our shopping on them. The standard of skating had made great strides, and the ( ontinental style had become all the vogue. This I adopted, abandoning the rigid English Style I had been accustomed to. I found it much easier, and won many races and prizes, my greatest success being the Open Figure Skating Championship at Gstaad in IJIS. when I was only beaten by that great Swiss skater Megros. since become famous in the cinema arid icecarnival world.

In 1917 I spent a week at Engelberg among the French war prisoners and their many friends and visitors—a very good centre, with a wonderful bobsleigh track. 1919 found the family back in England, and as there was little demand for pictures. I took up engineering again.

My last skating holiday was in the winter of 1923-24, when I was appointed secretary of a large winter sports club at Klosters. one of the best localities for sport in Switzerland. All my expenses were paid, and I took mv two eldest children with me. We certainly

had a glorious time. The skiing is particularly good at Klosters, as the bulk of the climbing together with the return jonrney, is facilitated by the electrically-driven railway. I got even to prefer it to skating. Readers will, I think, admit that I had a very good time, and the memory of it all is very precious. Skiing is a clean, healthy, and very practical sport, bringing different nationalities together—especially in Europe—under ideal conditions, and making for mutual respect and understanding, in a way that years of diplomacy fail to accomplish. It deserves every possible support and encouragement in this country where, however, the conditions for it are not really very favourable.