Spring 2015
SOLITARY TRAVELLER
by Nick Lord Lancaster
It is sad that until shortly before his death, I had no real contact with my brother Richard. During
childhood we did not have much to do with, or much appreciation of each other. With an age gap
of nearly ten years, this is hardly surprising. We had few interests in common, and no mutual friends.
At the time I considered Richard a weak, sickly child. He was also prone to temper tantrums, almost
certainly a trait he inherited from our father's family. For these reasons, he often spent school holidays
in the countryside, looked after by aunts and uncles, whereas I would stay in the town with our parents.
We both went to the same primary and secondary schools but, due to the age difference, never
at the same time. Richard has since told me that, throughout his school career, teachers always re