John Arlott and T.H. White on Alderney

Mentioning the Alderney Railway reminded that me that the island was at different times home to two of my heroes: John Arlott and T. H. "Tim" White.

In his memoir of his father, Timothy Arlott recalls their first encounter, at a time when White lived on the island and the Arlott family was on holiday there:

The first time they met, my father and Tim were so captivated by each other's company that they went out for a drink and did not return until late the following morning.

That is a conversation I would liked to have eavesdropped on.

If you are an admirer of John Arlott, incidentally, his son's book is a better memorial to him than David Rayvern Allen's biography or Arlott's own Basingstoke Boy.