A Busy Day in Derby

Today while Lynn was at her hairdressing appointment we went to an indoor mall with Pat to walk around the shops. Peter bought some really nice shirts, one of them being his first with the color pink!!

When Lynn was done we went to the Royal Derby China facility. They have been making fine china for many years and were one commissioned to make dining sets for the Titanic. We walked through an exhibition depicting artifacts and recreations of life aboard the Titanic. Jane found out that the Titanic left Southhanmpton, UK, and made stops in France and Queenstown, Ireland before crossing the Atlantic. It left Ireland April 12, 1912. This date is significant because her grandfather immigrated to Ireland in April of 1912. Thank goodness he was not aboard the Titanic!  It was a fascinating tour and we left buying another little china bird to join the one Lynn & Pat gave us one when they visited a few years ago.

Kate Winslet'ws dress from the movie

Recreation of first class suite



Royal Derby china for Titanic's first class dining



Petere, Steven, Pat



After lunch Steven Wilkins and his wife Wendy arrived from Wales. Steven was also a Blackrock schoolmate of Peter and Pat who we met at the school reunion in 2007. Steven is responsible for reconnecting Peter with his cousin, Terry Bugg. He had met Ann Bugg while on business in Bury St Edmunds and made it possible through phone calls to Ann for us to meet them last year on our UK trip. It was that meeting that began the Bugg family reunion process. 

We drove to Atwell to see the "well dressing". This is an annual event which has groups decorating well locations with pictures created from natural items like stones, flower petals, vegetables, twigs, etc. They are really beautiful to see.

 

After our little trip to Atwell we had dinner together and then said our goodbyes. It was so nice to see Steven and meet Wendy. We are forever grateful to Steven for his insight in reconnecting Peter's family.