Yorkshire Pudding, Castles, B&Bs and Pubs!: An American Family's 1984-85 Sabbatical in England

In 1984-85, my wife (Cecelia) and two children (David & Rebecca) traveled to England where I served a 10-month sabbatical at Durham University studying classroom discipline in British schools. I was awarded a sabbatical from the Pennsylvania State University, and my wife was granted a sabbatical from her local school district. Off we went with 18, yes, 18 pieces of luggage including a steamer trunk and an Apple IIe computer. We were traveling to James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small, territory. We faced many challenges including renting a home, securing a car, driving on the other side of the road, learning the language (i.e., crisps = potato chips) , getting money transferred, and meeting lots of friendly and helpful friends. Upon arrival in Durham, we took too long to unload our luggage from the train's baggage car and off the train went towards its final destination - Edinburgh, Scotland. "No problem, it will return in a couple of hours," said the station master. One, among many, charming experiences at pubs is highlighted by my family's first visit. Earlier in the week I had retrieved our car from a colleague in Lincoln, and on the way home stopped at a local pub. I ordered a pint and fish & chips. Now it was time for the family to enjoy this same pub experience. When the waiter (earlier in the week, he was the bar tender) approached, he greeted us and placed several coins on the table, saying "Here, you forget your change last time!" We learned that you do not generally tip, the cost of the meal covers it. It was an interesting time to live in England with the miners' strikes and the teachers' strikes and with Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady, as Prime Minister clashing with both. Our closest neighbors and friends were John, a 200-pound plus policeman and, his wife, Eileen, a schoolteacher. The trolley lady with her tray of pastries, treats, and drinks, rumbling through the halls about 10:00 in the morning, is a service that should be provided in every office. Milk delivered to our door each morning, too, was a typical British service. Non homogenized milk left a layer of cream at the top for whomever, usually me, got their first. Among the other challenges faced, was driving from Durham, England to Berlin, Germany, where the "wall" was still up. Having my family stand on the platform at Checkpoint Charlie and peer into East Berlin was sobering. Add to this experience is our sitting in the roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris with our hood up and engine overheating, while twelve lanes of traffic entered and exited at a blinding clip. My wife, a high school English teacher, got her fill of Shakespearian plays, both in Stratford and London. I was hosted by numerous primary and secondary schools, including in one case, the Newcastle Royal Grammar School, being treated to some libation before taking lunch. My daughter, having turned 9, seems to have numerous teas and sleepovers with school mates. My son, one year older, came home and announced that he held the school record at Lanchester Primary School - not for maths or science, but for holding his breadth under water! We lucked out with the dollar / pound exchange rate because in early 1985 the pound had dropped almost to parity with the US dollar. This meant, jokingly, that my whole family could now afford to eat - as well as to travel across England, Scotland, and Wales. The discovery of the classic Yorkshire Pudding, along with visits to more castles than you could-shake-a-stick at, made each day a wonderful experience. When you stir in our stays in charming B&Bs, and our regular visits to pubs, it made everything that much better. These are just of few of the memorable experiences from our stay in England. Some 37 years later, my wife retrieved her day-to-day diary from then, and transcribed its events for all to enjoy. Feel free to retrace our travels. Luckily for you, much today in England is just like it was in 1984-85.