The Crown

Jane Lapotaire appears in The Crown 3rd season (episodes 4 and 5) released on Netflix 17 November 2019. She plays Princess Alice of Greece, Prince Philip's eccentric mother.

Memories of Ipswich

I recently read Jane Lapotaire's book "Everybody's Daughter, Nobody's Child" published 2007 being an update of her autobiographical book "Grace and Favour" published in 1989. My attention had been drawn to this book by a comment on the Facebook page for "Northgate Grammar School for Girls and Boys, Ipswich".
I attended Northgate Boys from September 1953 to December 1960 and my late wife, then Janet Gant, attended Northgate Girls from September 1955 to July 1962.
Jane Burgess, as Lapotaire was known at school, was fostered by Grace Chisnall. It was a poor household. Jane passed the 11+ exam to gain entry to Northgate Grammar School. Janet Gant was in the same year as Jane and had told me about Jane Lapotaire's acting career. So this blog focuses on parts of the book that illuminate Janet's life.

Lorna Mayon-White

Lapotaire mentions Lorna Mayon-White a few times. Lorna lived in a posh part of Ipswich near Rushmere Heath. Jane envied Lorna who wore the expensive version of the V-neck uniform pullover from Edwards, the outfitters. Lorna was (with Bridget Newson) in the group of clever girls with nine O-Levels and destined for Oxford or Cambridge. Jane got her first and only prize on leaving school. It was for English and shared with Lorna. Jane had never been in such exalted company before.

This photo from 20 Sep 1960 shows Lorna wearing the envied pullover, with Janet Gant and Bridget Newson. This is shortly after I met Janet on 9 July 1960.

Bridget Newson

Lapotaire couples Bridget Newson with Lorna Mayon-White twice in the context of the clever set. Bridget is also in the photo above. Bridget was the younger sister of my great friend Roger Newson, now living in Switzerland, who shared with me his education from St John's CofE Primary School through Grammar School to Cambridge University.

Anne Kerr and Cathy Roberts

Lapotaire mentions these two as being good at games, playing netball and hockey for the School.

Anne Kerr is front row left and Cathy Roberts is next to her in this Rounders team photo from 1958. Janet Gant is back row left.

Anne Kerr played tennis at St John's Tennis Club in Westbury Road near Roger and Bridget Newson's house. Roger and I were junior members there too. Roger and I were rivals in infatuated love for Anne Kerr. Roger says that I actually dated Anne. My memory is vague, but possibly she came with me and my parents to the first night of the BBC Proms 1959 when I was 16.

Ipswich

Many of the locations in the book are familiar to me, so I'll just mention a few. 

Jane lived on Cliff Lane in South-East Ipswich. Janet live on Norwich Road in North-West Ipswich, but after the death of her mother, her father Fred Gant ran a fish and chip shop in Cliff Lane and Janet lived over the shop in 1962.

Holywells Park, next to Cliff Lane, was forbidden territory for me after an RAF Vampire crashed there in 1949.

Jane joined the Alan Road Youth Club run by the Alan Road Methodist Church. Ray Whymark, who married my cousin Jane Singleton, remains a devoted member of the church and was at Cliff Lane primary school with Jane Burgess

Derby Road train station was a few paces from Alan Road. It was the gateway for Jane and for my family for trains to the seaside resort of Felixstowe. The sidings served a large coal depot.

Jane describes the Gondolier coffee bar as the most exciting place she knew, spending Sunday evenings drinking frothy coffee there. It was in Upper Brook Street at the junction with the Buttermarket. It was indeed an exciting place and I remember the frothy coffee out of Duralex cups (on a Saturday morning for me). The likes of Trevor Nunn and Melvyn Gooding hung out there.