Douglas Keddie was a schoolboy at St Michael's School, Otford, Kent, in 1931 when he attended the opening of the Holy House in Walsingham. St Michael's had been founded by Fr Arthur Tooth (whose catafalque is in the Shrine church). He died in 1931 and was succeeded as Warden (headmaster) by Fr Charles Harcourt Blofeld. Fr Blofeld took Douglas and another pupil, John White, to Walsingham to the ceremonies to represent the School. Douglas has wonderfully clear recollection, including that of travelling there and back in the Warden's Jaguar car.
In 2007 Douglas presented a seat for the Sunk Road, complete with a plaque commemorating his seventy-six years of pilgrimage. Most of us walk that way, and pilgrims will be for ever grateful to Douglas for this stopping place. The family of Ken Faircloth, well remembered as the village and shrine photographer, has recently added a similar seat nearby in his memory.
| Douglas Keddie MBE, May 2007 |
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Douglas managed to be photographed during a rare sunny spell at
the National in 2007. |