Our last summer outing for this year was to Bateman’s, the home of Rudyard Kipling.
The day was mainly dry with just a few brief showers and we were able to sit outside at the café, visit the gardens and walk to the mill.
The house is as Rudyard left it, with lots of antique oak furniture and the family obviously loved the “oldness” of it. Many had never been there and others had visited many years ago and were pleased to renew memories.

Kipling’s gramophone was demonstrated to us with a rendition of Alexander’s Ragtime Band. The sound was poor, but it must have been considered stunning at the time. The strange tubes contained the recordings.