Thanks Marcos, for your latest photo to follow my latest Blog. A marvellous photograph and am glad you want to include this in your next book,
Here it is anyway . . .
What’s News?
August 30, 2009
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Gareth didn’t get around to doing his Borley write up on Friday. We had three other people in transit, and quite apart from that there
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Hi David,
Hope you are well and in good health.I’ve finally plucked up the courage to write to you after following you and your writings over the past couple of years.I used to live in the Girdlestone Estate back in ’75, at the back of the Whittington.I and a friend used to go to Highgate Cemetary almost on a daily basis in school holidays etc.I think i must of been about eleven or twelve at the time.The gothic grandeur of the place was simply the place to be at that age.
We had had heard,through newspapers and magazines that a so-called”vampire” had roamed in the cemetary which made it all the more exciting,hoping to catch site of him but,of course, we never did.School boy dreams i guess!The place was very over-run in ’75 almost to the point of vandalism.I guess it was all the black magic rituals and people just walking through the gates with the intent on doing damage that made it look like that.
Anyway back in 1990 i had a nervous breakdown and ended up in the Whittington for a few months to recover.I used to got to the cemetary for theraputic relaxation and it seemed to be looking a lot better even back then.
I haven’t read any of your books yet but am thinking of ordering a few from Amazon.I would really like to hear your account of the “vampire” legend from you who was there the first time and not just hear-say from people who don’t even know you and the tons of garbage written about you over the last forty years!
Anyway i’m rambling.It’s good to talk to you and look forward to reading your books with interest.
David
Fantastic photograph, it was worth sitting in the dark for all that time, even if I did have to wear shades for the flashlights!
Thanks David for that interesting account. It is always refreshing to get genuine accounts, when many others – as I believe you point out – are only concerned with sensationalism . . . and ‘vampire’ sensationalism at that!
I would also have to agree that the Friends of Highgate Cemetery” did a good restoration job after they took over. They prevented most of the wanton vandalism for one thing, and deterred cranks from just wandering in there at night.
Anyway, just to welcome you here and please do post further if you want. (I have been accused of neglecting my Blog, but the truth is I have been finishing another book, so just not had so much free opportunity).
Please do order anything from Amazon (or anywhere else) if you want to. Just contact me personally if you have any problems in this respect. If you mark your post “personal” in the latter respect, then of course I would not publish it.
Thanks again for your interest, and good to learn we are both ‘local’!
For the moment,
David (Farrant)
For Della,
Yes I know Marcos’s photography was a little different; especially for me having to keep absolutely still for each shot for 10 seconds at a time. But you cooked a marvellous meal (as did Marcos and Crystal) so I think everybody was happy!
David
Thank you Christine,
But all I really did was just sit there having to keep perfectly still. Not easy when you know there’s a glass of wine nearby just waiting to be ‘reached at’! Seriously, though, Marcos is quite gifted in that sort of photography. Well he must have liked it as he’s using it in his next (French) book for next year.
Hope everything’s well with you, and to see you again soon in the future,
David