One item of furniture which I remember from the time my parents returned to this country in 1961 is the round wooden, inlaid table seen in this picture of my father. It was taken, I think, in 1986 when they lived in Fambridge Road in Maldon. I wish my memory was better because I do believe my father had it in East Africa, that it stood beside his chair in the big sitting room of the house at the end of Cliffe Avenue.
It has a history but, again, I wish I knew more. My mother made two lists of the furniture in the last flat she occupied in Hastings and in one of them she described it as, "A carved and inlaid table brought by Grandfather Haylett for Grandmother and kept for Cecil by Dorothy when 57 Belgrave Road was sold."
57 Belgrave Road was sold in 1955 after Grandmother Haylett died, so either my Aunt Dorothy kept the table until my parents retired or, as I think is more likely, my father - who had plenty of connections who would have helped - had it shipped out to Mombasa.
My father always had it next to his chair. On it he kept his sweets - in the pale blue china pot - his glasses - their animal skin case can be seen - and his drink. I particularly associate it with the whisky he enjoyed each evening, for which he used a rather large tumbler - see earlier post here.
When my mother moved into a nursing home the table, along with other contents of her flat, came to me, and we have used it ever since.
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