December 3, 2017

1973

On one occasion, somebody managed to match the wrong date with the wrong day of the week, and we found ourselves contracted to perform an evening concert at Bryanston School, and an after-dinner appearance at Goodwood House, near Chichester, on the same night. Various fanciful schemes were floated as to how to fulfil both engagements, including a speed-boat and our agent’s Rolls-Royce with high-speed police escort. In the end, a helicopter seemed the only solution, despite the expense. Before the concert at Bryanston began, two helicopters touched down on the field by the concert hall. Once over, we raced to changed clothes before emerging from the dressing-room, clambering aboard, and lifting off into the night sky to further waves and applause from the audience who had gathered outside. On our journey to Chichester, we were fascinated to discover the pilot using an AA road map to navigate - it was a case of: “Well, you start off on the A303, then pick up the A27 coast road, turn left at Chichester Cathedral, and you can’t miss it…”. Eventually, we landed on the front lawn of Goodwood House, which, since that event was in aid of the Flying Doctors, seemed to be entirely appropriate.