Half A Century Ago

Although I was very close to my Dad at some of the most significant dates of the last fifty years I was with my Mum.
On 22 November 1963 we were standing at the big ornate bus stop outside the Ship Hotel in Weybridge when we heard about Kennedy's assassination.
Fifty years ago today we were at my maternal grandparents when the news came through about Churchill.
My Mum was determined to see him laying in state and I went with her. The three of us, Mum, Gary and I, queued all day all along the South Bank and over the river. By nightfall we were close to Wesminster Great Hall, my Mum bought us mugs of tomato soup and to this day whenever I have tomato soup I think back to that night.
Even aged eleven I was aware of how sad people were with visible signs of grief in an age when it wasn't considered 'proper' to show emotion.