(This blog is inspired by photos of two RI [Raffles Institution] classmates taken with Sir Stamford Raffles: one with Lay Geok laying her hand on his left shoulder; one with Yee Jing standing by him, copying his typical arms-across-the-chest pose. How chummy, I said. [Yes, yes, it was only a statue, so he had no choice... — I mean Raffles having no choice about Lay Geok and Yee Jing doing a chummy pose with him... hee hee hee.])
One summer (1980? 1981?), I was cycling with two friends from one place in north London (Golders Green, a predominantly Jewish area) to another place in north London (Mill Hill East).
After leaving a busy road and entering a totally deserted road, Michael and Valerio whizzed ahead down the long slope (which then went uphill) towards Mill Hill East.
With my bad hay fever, I thought I should give my nose a quick wipe/blow before tackling that long slope, first down, then up.
I normally use my left hand to wipe/blow my nose, so with my right hand, I gave the brake lever what I thought was a little squeeze to slow down while I quickly wiped/blew my nose.
Unfortunately, it was more than a little squeeze.
The right-hand brake lever controls the front wheel, so the next thing was: I was catapulted over the handlebars and ended up lying there in the (fortunately deserted) road — until my friends came back for me after I failed to show up.
There was a church right there, where I had my accident, so we went in to get some first aid.
I saw them decorating the church for some commemoration of Stamford Raffles! When I asked why they were commemorating him, the answer was, “He’s buried here in the churchyard!”
I went to check it out — yep, he’s there.
That quiet road in Hendon (area near Golders Green) leading to Mill Hill East is not one I’d normally take. Spook factor 1.
It was chosen by Michael because he was living in Golders Green at the time. It was his idea to cycle to Mill Hill East and to get there down that totally deserted road. London is so big. Why did he choose Mill Hill East and why that route?!? Spook factor 2.
That road was totally deserted, with no cars or pedestrians around to cause my accident. Yet, I had to get myself catapulted over the handlebars doing something as minor as wiping/blowing my nose. Spook factor 3.
And why right there, just outside the church?!? Not earlier, not later. Spook factor 4.
I believe to this day that it was he, Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore, and founder of Raffles Institution where I’d spent two unique-experience Pre-U years, who’d stuck out a foot/leg to trip me up, “You’re not going to cycle past without dropping in to say hello!”
(London, 1980? 1981?)
(i) https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=64b03f60-837e-4565-b26d-d7c12d7ed8a4
Quote
Raffles was buried in the Hendon parish church. No memorial tablets was permitted to be set up for Raffles until 1887. The location of the grave had been lost until accidentally discovered in April 1914 in a vault beneath the church.
Unquote
Hendon Parish Church (Grave Of Sir T Stamford Raffles)
Volume 36: debated on Tuesday 2 April 1912
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