Yesterday was 10th September – a day that always enjoys good weather and I know this because at one time I contacted the weather forecasting headquarters and they had a look back and confirmed this. Thank goodness it was the same this year in time for the proclaiming ceremony in Friary Court at St. James Palace and the glorious parade outside the Royal Exchange. Strange that The Met Office has said it will only be posting daily forecasts and warnings during the 10-day mourning period? What about sailors, fishermen and farmers? You know what they say about the weather, if you don’t like it just wait a minute! Or is that only in Ireland?
I am submerged by royal television, even this morning watching the funeral procession, and yet I`’ll come up for more. What an exceptional four days it has been and more to come. There will be those who will be unable to understand someone being riveted to a television set to follow the life and death of a queen and a king. For me the traditional pageantry is staggering, ceremonial that is centuries old, to watch the exact same procedures as in the reign of Henry VIII. The pike men and musketeers mingling with the precision of the scarleted coated bandsmen and soilders. The words and the costumes are the same only the names and faces have changed. Historic.
Modern methods have caught these ancient ceremonies live as they happen, crowds often with arms stretched up holding mobile phones looking like a flock of flamingos, their necks and beaks all pointing one way.
When it comes to coverage I and others I have spoken to have turned to ITV because BBC had too many studio discussions whereas the rival channel was out and about much more reporting from the spot where ever that may be. ITV were blessed to have Chris Ship who was playing musical chairs around London, the only place he wasn’t was Balmoral! It surprises me that people are disappointed that she has died as if she should have gone on for ever, the woman was tired and ready to rest in peace so to me, although sad especially for the family, a woman to celebrate which I expect will happen once the ‘shock’ has passed.
And I’m surprised that people talk of her being one of the family, of course she was thanks to television. In no other reign has there been this method of bringing someone into our homes. When the two brothers and their wives appeared at the gates of Windsor I gave a whoop of delight, at last reunited. Then I watched as the two women ignored each other, William was making all the conversation – it was awkward to put it mildly. A set piece? And today, as typical, the spotlight was taken away from the main players basically onto to two visitors from the USA. We’ll see how this plays out after the funeral is over and everyone gets back to their own lives and responsibilities.
On a couple of occasions I met the King, when he was Prince Charles obviously, and he is a most charming character, full of humour and a real twinkle in his eye. I hope that won’t change. I also have a precious parchment on the wall signed by both the late Queen and Prince Philip.
This was on the occasion of becoming a Member of the British Empire. I’m not a great imperialist but I was thrilled to be nominated and excepted and so to have the experience of attending an investiture at Buckingham Palace – not the Queen but the delightful and tall and now `Prince of Wales, King William in waiting.
Yesterday morning was very spectacular with the proclamation of Charles as King. He looked tense and tired, holding his emotions in check as he performed his duties. His “darling” wife looked very strained, not surprising, she wasn’t born to shoulder these new responsibilities as consort.
It was a personality spotting moment in the members of the Privy Council inside St. James palace – all those tall ex-prime ministers blocking the view of those shorter people behind including Nigel Dodds and Arlene Foster and especially Geoffrey Donaldson.
I feel very much for David Attenborough who loved the Queen, I’ll never forget their stroll through her forest talking about the trees at Buckingham Palace, they were like two shy lovers finding it difficult to be natural in front of the camera. He has spoken of her genuine laugh and his respect is obvious and I’m sure he’ll miss her.
And I’m sure he liked the story about her walking in the grounds at Balmoral when a member of the pubic stops to say hello and tells her she looked very like the queen to which her majesty remarked to her member of staff: “How very reassuring.”
Apart from her wit and wisdom and fortitude, her dress sense was second to none. Her styles were modest beautifully designed, the tailoring superb, the material and the colours were delightful. I hope the queen consort will have a notable wardrobe as well.
So there’s much more plumes and pageantry, pomp and circumstance to come and I for one won’t want to miss it.
A HISTORY OF FASHION AND FAMILY
Last month it was reported that the Kremlin is attempting to close down Russia’s Jewish Agency, a Zionist organisation that helps Jews emigrate to Isreal. Some believe this is to try to stem the ‘brain drain’ caused by mass emigration of Russian Jews since the start of the Ukraine War.
History has a habit of repeating itself. In 1881 17 year old Philip Leopold saw a dark future in his native Ukraine and came to England and put down roots in Leeds. With his knowledge of Russian flax and linen he worked in the ‘rag’ trade using mankind’s oldest woven fabric, the basis of the famous Jewish tailoring houses. Two of his closest friends were fellow Jewish immigrant Michael Marks and his partner Tom Spencer.
His story is fascinating and takes the reader of Geraldine Connon’s book The Russian Trailer of Belfast through the history not only of Philip’s family and the history of the Jewish community in Belfast but also a social history of the city.
Geraldine’s great grandfather came from Leeds to Belfast 1920. He and his wife Rose, also a Russian Jew, settled and grew an important business and a family of influence. His tailoring enterprise thrived especially during war years when his company gained the order for military uniforms back to the days when it was a crime to have too many pockets in a suit and making trousers with a turn up was frowned upon.
The Jewish Community
The communitywas one of great influence in Belfast. In 1914 Otto Jaffe was the largest exporter of linen. He held many civic offices including German Consul in Belfast and the city’s Lord Mayor. Sadly anti-German feeling, although not anti-semitism, drove him from his home on the Antrim Road to London never to return. There are many lasting tributes to the Jaffe family’s impact on Belfast including the bright yellow Jaffe fountain in Victoria Square which Otto commissioned in honour of his father Daniel Joseph Jaffe who died in 1874.
During the 1920s, P. Leopold and Son had a lucrative government contract to make prison and military garments, so they were well placed to take advantage of a surge in demand at the beginning of World War Two.
Geraldine has uncovered a story full of drama, in 1940 life was good but in September of that year Philip’s son Sonny received an urgent call to a meeting in London where he was privy to top secret military intelligence that would lead to a drastic uprooting of the company’s workshop.
“The ultimatum was: ‘Get out of Belfast or lose the contract – Belfast is going to be bombed.”’
So, months before the 1941 Belfast Blitz, this highly classified Downing Street information led to their Donegall Street workshop being boarded up and relocated to Dromore, County Down.
Two disused mills became dispersal factories working 24 hour shifts seven days a week manufacturing British army uniforms. When Geraldine started her own successful deign business in the early 80s after the wedding of Charles and Diana when interest in fashion design exploded, she had little idea of how she was following in her great grandfather’s footsteps, since then she has taken haute couture design and tailoring to a new level.
During The First Lockdown
In 2020 the fashion designer found herself with more time on her hands and when her mother Beryl became ill she came to live with her daughter; the two, who had always shared a close bond, had time together and their reminiscences became intriguing. “Mum started telling me all these stories about her family and I realised that if I didn’t record them they’d be lost for ever.” The two worked closely to record a remarkable history not only of the family but of the years of strife, political unrest and every day life in the city. When it was finished throughout one night Geraldine read the complete book to her mother just before she passed away in March this year.
They Had Achieved Something Important.
She approached a number of publishers, one phoned immediately saying they receive over 2000 manuscripts each year and agree to publish 100 at most. “I asked when they would make up their minds whether or not they would take The Russian Tailor to be told – this phone call is it! When the centenary of Belfast was announced articles were written from the point of view of the city, I decided to write about the people who want to live and work together peacefully, I felt writing about a family would make it easier to understand and with the lock down years I was free to concentrate on gathering the history and tracing my family roots.
The weekend before last, during the burial of the Belfast patriarch of the family Dr. Leslie Leopold, Geraldine met many of her relatives who had travelled to honour this figurehead in the Jewish community. The Russian Tailor will be a revelation to many of them.
What Surprised Geraldine Most In Her Research?
“That my mum had kept it all to herself for all those years. When she came to live with me she was 89 and she brought with her boxes and bags full of letters and cards it took a month to sort though this wonderful treasure trove, a joy to sit with her and listen to her memories then it was my responsibility to take it from there – 46 thousand words typed with one finger!”
A delight to read. Short chapters, the author’s own poems and a library of historic photographs.
“It’s not an emotional book but it is a book written from the heart.”
Even though it is on Amazon, it is not yet launched locally, that will be a red letter day.
The Russian Tailor of Belfast by Geraldine Connon and Beryl Connon published by Clink Street £12.99
