Enjoying Tim Bennett’s ‘Seaside Homes and Fishing Boats’, about Overstrand in the early 1900s…
Remembering Reinhold Niebuhr’s ‘Serenity Prayer’:
‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.’
…Winston Churchill, then the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, often stayed with his family at Overstrand. In July 1914 he wrote from London to his wife Clementine:
‘There is still hope, although the clouds are blacker and blacker. Germany is realising I think how great are the forces against her and is trying tardily to restrain her idiot ally (Austria-Hungary). We are working to soothe Russia… But everyone is preparing for war and at any moment the stroke may fall.’
Serenity: accepting things he couldn’t change…
…Author Florence Barclay, best known for her Edwardian romantic novel ‘The Rosary’, often wrote in Overstrand. She describes her overtly Christian aim:
‘I would never write a line which could introduce the taint of sin or the shadow of shame into any home. There is enough sin in the world without any author’s powers of imagination being used to add too many bad, mean and morbid characters.’
Courage: changing things she could…
Constance de Rothschild, part of the wealthy Jewish banking family, married Lord Battersea, becoming Lady Battersea. A respected philanthropist, friend of Queen Victoria, King Edward and seven English prime ministers, she lived in Overstrand…
Edward Lyttleton had a holiday home in Overstrand Ordained in the Church of England, Head Master of Eaton, he eventually retired to Overstrand…
Lady Battersea writes of Lyttleton:
‘Edward Lyttleton has a very engaging and original personality. His preaching is most appealing, interesting, and inspiring… his greatest charm lies in his really beautiful and unselfish nature: this was daily evident in his untiring devotion to his wife during her long years of great suffering. In all things he practices what he preaches.’
Edward Lyttleton unselfish nature and caring devotion showed serenity and courage… practicing what he preaches shows wisdom and integrity.
malcolmsmusings.org 