RITA THOMSON

Surname

Thomson

Forename

Rita

Date of recording

Feb 2014

Year of birth

Place of Birth

Dingwall Scotland

Occupation

Retired nurse

Fathers occupation

Present Address

Aldeburgh

Location Interview

Aldeburgh

Interviewer

Summary

Doreen Bartlett

Duration

40 Mins

No of tracks: 5

This interview is on 5 tracks.
Track 1 (0:13) Introduction
Track 2 (11:52)
Family life, early life and career. Professional training in Scotland and first posts. Transfer to London for further training. Life in London during 50s & 60s. Leisure interests including ballet, opera & concerts. Two year period in various parts of Australia travelling on £10 ticket. Mentions assassination of Kennedy. Back to Harefield Hospital and then to a senior position at the National Heart Hospital for 10 years. Recollections of first meeting with Benjamin Britten along with Sue Phipps (niece) and Peter Pears. Promise given to Benjamin Britten “to see it through together”. Transfer to The London Clinic. Anecdotes of Benjamin Britten’s meals there. Return of Benjamin Britten to Suffolk accompanied by Rita (RT). (RT joined Benjamin Britten’s household as personal nurse in 1974.) Anecdote about meeting retired colleague/friend Susie Walton (Matron, Brompton Hospital) by Aldeburgh seafront.
Track 3 (10:41)
Story of move to Red House and meeting with GP Dr Tait. Mentions Donald Ross (pioneering heart surgeon) in Harley Street and RTs role in helping to set up heart transplant unit. Staff at Red House: Heather Grant (Bryson) – domestic help, Mrs Cooper (Cook/housekeeper). RT assisting Benjamin Britten so he had energy to compose again. Details of Benjamin Britten stroke which inhibited ability to play piano. Details of modifications to help Benjamin Britten scribe compositions. Drives in the countryside and time spent  at cottage in Horham to avoid noise of Bentwaters planes. Describes routines. Visitors included Mary Potter, Beth Welford (sister), Bill and Pat Servias (?). Occasional visits to London. Continuing engagement with Aldeburgh Festival programme. Mentions recording of Death in Venice at Snape Maltings. Recalls visit to Venice with Benjamin Britten. Describes visit to Princess (Peg) Hess’s schloss in  Darmstadt . Mentions 3rd Quartet and 5th movement depiction of bells (La Serenissima) inspired by Venice. Hotel Danieli with imposing staircase.
Track 4 (11:47)
Miss Hudson’s (housekeeper) house in grounds of Red House named Cosy Nook. Describes gardens, croquet lawn, tennis court, orchard etc. Talks about dogs. Mentions holiday in Norway during heatwave of 1976. Benjamin Britten’s love of sea. Talks about church crawls from Horham. Discusses final stage of Benjamin Britten’s illness. Memories of reading aloud to Benjamin Britten. Commission from HM Queen for Queen Mother’s 75th birthday inspired by RT’s readings of Burn’s poetry. Details Benjamin Britten’s birthday party on 22 November 1976. Guests included Benjamin Britten’s sisters, Peg Hesse, Bill & Mary Servias (?), Mary Potter. Last composition “Praise We Great Men” for Ipswich schools/choral society (?). Comments on 3rd Quartet and Amadeus Quartet with amusing anecdote about RT being tone deaf. Mentions Hans Keller.
 
Track 5 (5:26)
Benjamin Britten’s death. Memories of funeral. Mentions Mr Boast, local funeral director, arriving on bicycle. Procession through town. Details of service, burial. Mourners included Murray Perahia, Rostropovich. Describes wake at The Red House. RT’s role at the Red House as hostess following Benjamin Britten’s death. Training as a health visitor in Ipswich and then working in Aldeburgh. Peter Pears illness and death.  Continued to live at Red House until 1999.
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