Short back and sides . . .

Wellingtonia Avenue, Crowthorne
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

  Arthur had an appointment with the dog groomer on Saturday. Susannah unexpectedly had the opportunity to go sailing with Barry, so I said I’d take him to his ‘hairdresser.’

At first, I couldn’t think where the grooming salon was and then realised it’s where the old ‘Iron Duke’ pub used to stand. It was pulled down several years ago and in its place is a small parade of shops, including the dog groomers ‘Dog Scents,’ a pet food shop and a small development of houses in Iron Duke Close.

Sir Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

‘Iron Duke’ was a nickname for the Duke of Wellington. There are a lot of nods to Wellington in Crowthorne as his estate is just a few miles away at Stratfield Saye. Wellington College, our local independent (fee-paying) school was founded in his memory in 1859.

Duke’s Ride references his love of hunting in Windsor Forest. The Waterloo Hotel sat between Dukes Ride and Waterloo Road and was closed ten years ago and later demolished.

Wellesley Court is a gated development of apartments and Wellesley Drive is a small estate of predominantly detached houses. Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley was the 1^st Duke of Wellington.

Wellingtonia (Californian redwood, (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

There is also Wellingtonia Avenue, a road lined with giant redwood trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum) They are known in Britain as Wellingtonia, to honour the said duke. The Americans wanted to call them ‘Washingtonia’ after George Washington. They were beaten to the draw by the botanist William Lobb. Lobb returned posthaste to Britain in 1853 with seeds and seedlings collected from the huge conifers. The trees soon became status symbols in grand estates, though they will never achieve the height and girth of their Californian relatives.

I duly dropped Arthur off. He’s not very keen on going to the salon, but I left him in the capable hands of the groomers and picked him up an hour and a half later. He nearly turned himself inside out when he saw me, such was his excitement and relief. He looked neat and tidy, as though he’d lost several pounds in weight, and smelt wonderful.

Arriving home, he was greeted rapturously by Roxy and particularly enthusiastically by Gilbert. A few hours later, Barry and Susannah returned, and the whole tail-wagging exercise was enacted again.

This morning, very early, Susannah, Arthur and the cats decamped for London, and the house is ours alone again. I hope we shall see them all again soon.