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This time my yearly visit to Cambridge had a bad start. When I arrived at Harwich from the boat of Hoek van Holland I was confronted with the notice that the train to Cambridge was cancelled. The ticket office wasn’t operational anymore and the ticket machine did not accept my bankcard. Which was a big problem as I did not have enough English cash with me to buy a ticket. Luckily a British Rail Employer was also a mobile ticket office and one of the ticket machines he carried did accept my card. After a railway journey of 3,5 hours (normally 2 hours) I finally arrived in Cambridge.

I took my usual stroll towards the old CCAT-school from the railway station through Tenison Road and  Mill Road stopping at Guest Road nr 1. This house, where Steve and Di used to live,  was the centre meeting point of our group of friends. Barbara came here often during break time.  The house is still in a bad state. It was a dirty badly maintained house when Di lived there in 1977/1978 and it seems that nothing has changed.  Looking at the bikes near the front door it seems nobody lives there anymore.

Guest Road nr.1

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My next stop was the library of the Anglia Ruskin University (former CCAT).  I had a walk through the corridors of the old buildings, looking inside class rooms. It pleased me that the ghastly pre-fab container-offices in front of the art building have finally been removed, showing the old building in full glory.

 

The art building, the building with the sloping windows, for good lighting for the art students, this is where Barbara made her art work for two years.

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2018 ccat 01

The science building with the trees in front is still there

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I left the Anglia Ruskin University and headed to the centre of Cambridge to reward myself with some books from my favorite bookstore, Waterstones.

Following my tradition I had lunch in Charlie Chan Restaurant. From a notice I read that this place of memory is unfortunately closing down soon. Barbara had her 19th birthday party here and came here with her mother and uncle every Monday evening to play Mahjong.

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After lunch I took the bus towards the graveyard to see the new gravestone for the first time. The bouquets of wildered flowers on the grave indicated that there have been many visitors and also that there was a lot of clearing up to be done.

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Satisfied with my cleaning action I had a long sit in the sun in front of the grave.

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It was time to meet Andrew in the pub The Green Dragon, an half hour walk from the cemetery.

We talked for several hours about all types of subjects and of course also about Barbara. From what Andrew told me I understand that Barbara had a hard life in Hong Kong and that Barbara’s mother and uncle were very worried about her.  As Andrew and I had other appointments and there were still many things to talk about, we decided to meet tomorrow again.

I went to Di’s present house to meet up with Di, Chris, Yolande, Fred, Nick and Steve, for our yearly reunion.

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On Saturday afternoon I met up with Andrew again, this time in another pub,  The Haymakers. Andrew had been to Barbara’s mother house that morning to look for things related to Barbara. He found the awards Barbara received, from which the glass one surprised us as we did not know she was given this one. Later I asked Chak (from the Hong Kong fan club) about it and he told me that this award was given to Barbara at a Red Cross event where she performed on the 9th of may 1985.

 

TV-star award 1983

  1983award cermony      

 TV-star award 1984

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Red Cross award 1985

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There was also a drawing Barbara made, if you look closely you can see that Barbara’s signed it.

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And a framed painting for a wallpaper design, this painting is also signed by Barbara.

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Andrew also found a photo album with pictures of Barbara which I had never seen before. Together we tried to figure out where and when the pictures were taken. The pictures show Barbara modeling in the sitting room of the Chip shop, with two girl friends in Italy, her uncle’s wedding, in her mother’s house in Burrough Field in Histon and many more. In some pictures she looks very natural and sometimes happy, in other pictures  she puts on her modeling look.

With the promise to see each other again next year, Andrew and I said goodbye.  I went back to Di’s house to meet the others for another long night of chatting about our futures, present and past (we are all nearly sixty years or older now, some are a grandparent  and some live alone) . This time there were many memories about the Guest Road house.

 

 

 

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Wentsing Chen
5 years ago
Mr Jin passed away in HK yesterday.That is a breaking news.We miss Barbara and Jin.
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Wind
5 years ago
It's always nice to check your site once a while and find out an update post like this one. As we get older, there are fewer things we can remember, but Barbara will never be forgotten.
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Melissa from Brisbane Australia.
5 years ago
Both trophies, flower drawing and the painting are all so beautiful. Barbara’s site is neat too, nice job Rob!
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1
王永强
5 years ago
thinks for your share
----rob
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Dwain
5 years ago
Nice update, thanks.
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wentsing chen
5 years ago
Is the statue of little weeping angle still there?
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Rob
5 years ago
No, it isn't. I don' t know where it is gone.
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1
longtime fan
5 years ago
Thank you, Rob, for cleaning the area around her grave. You did a fantastic job as usual. I wish I had more time to sit and reminisce a bit before catching a train back to London. Regardless, I'm very glad that I got this chance to finally pay my respects. Her LOCH series was the first ever HK show I watched and it still holds a special place in my heart. Barbara was great talent and one of a kind.
It makes me happy that Barbara is still remembered by her fans, many who are now probably entering middle-age like me. I was just a kid when she passed away, but still remember the grownups around me shocked and saddened by her loss.
Thank you for keeping her memory alive, truly. Your dedication is heartwarming and amazing. Kudos to you! Btw, I'm very glad that your youngest daughter is now a Jin Yong fan. Please let us know what she thinks of Barbara's LOCH series, if she ever gets the inclination to watch. I wish you and your family good health and happiness! 2/2
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2
longtime fan
5 years ago
Hi Rob. I'm so glad you continue to update this site. I stumbled upon it back in 2011, I believe. You've accumulated vast amounts of info. about Barbara since then, I'm very impressed and grateful for your dedication. Anyway, I wanted to say that by chance I had an opportunity to spend a few days in Cambridge this June, left right before your visit, in fact. It is a beautiful place and as romantic as you've described.
On my last day in Cambridge, I made a quick stop to visit Barbara's grave site. It took me a quite a while to find, but luckily I remembered that you had posted some pics and by basing where the background homes were in your pics plus a little bit of luck, I was able to locate her grave finally. If you look closely in your pics above, I believe the mini yellow potted roses I left are still there. It seems that Barbara had many more visitors since then as there are lots flowers and gifts that I hadn't seen during my visit. 1/2
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5
fans
5 years ago
It’s so moving. Rob Barbara loves you to death. You love her too. You are doing very well. If barbara is spiritual in heaven, she will be moved to cry. You are the only one who really loves her. The only thing she loves is you. I do not understand why barbara does not contact you in Hong Kong. She obviously missed you very much. There is no doubt about this. If you contact you at the time, at least she will not die. Because you know her best, you can convince her. Even your marriage is very likely. Not being contacted when you are young is the biggest mistake, yes. Finally, I wish you good health and happiness in the family.
Also, her last sentence was written to you, no doubt, I went through the story and thought it thoroughly. Hope to leave the book early. Bless your family again.
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3
fans
5 years ago
太令人感动了。rob芭芭拉到死都爱着你。你也爱她。你做的非常好。barbara如果在天有灵的话,会感动哭的。你是唯一真正爱她的。她唯一爱的是你。我不懂为什么barbara在香港不和你联系。她明明非常想你,这不用怀疑。如果当时联系你,至少她不会死。因为你最懂她,能说服她。甚至你们结婚也很可能。年轻时不联系是最大错误,没错。最后祝你身体健康,全家幸福。
还有,她最后那句话是写给你的,无可质疑,我钻进故事里想透彻了。希望早日出书。再次祝福你全家。
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王永强
5 years ago
如果他们两个在一起会不会拥有不一样的结果
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