“A Book, about a Bear, by a Boy: The Life and Strange Times of Archibald Ormsby-Gore”

A talk by Garry Gibbons, a volunteer at the Uffington Museum and a personal friend of Archibald Ormsby-Gore or, as he is known to his close friends, Archie.

Archie is at least 110 years old and from a very early age owned a human named Sir John Betjeman. Archie and Sir John were virtually inseparable throughout their time together. Sadly, Sir John had to leave Archie in 1984. Archie supported Sir John throughout his eventful life, at times offering him succour, a kind word or, if necessary, a stern talking to. Sir John wrote an action-packed story about Archie’s adventures entitled, ‘Archie and the Strict Baptists’; the story was eventually published as a book in 1977. Of course, Archie is the book’s central character but it also features his close companion, Jumbo. This talk explores the story behind the book which offers a small but fascinating window into Archie and Sir John’s world.

The speaker and host encourage the audience to bring along their teddies — after all, Archie and Jumbo love meeting new friends.

The talk is a prelude to a new Exhibition at the Oxfordshire Museum: ‘Archie and the Poet’, opening on January 13th 2024, it is a tribute to the poet, Sir John Betjeman. Here you will meet Teddy Bear Archie — his lifelong friend.

Tickets: £5 payable on entry. The talk will also be on Zoom; please contact the organiser as below for details.