When I was about 13 my elder brother and I, with two friends, went youth hostelling. We travelled by bike. One day registering the American registering about the same time got all excited by our surnames and asked if by chance we were related to Brian Groombridge of the Libraries Association book. We were not quite sure about the latter, but could confirm that Brian was related to us and was probably the man he was thinking of. Subsequent to this I made the effort to visit the Library Association to find out what all the excitement was about but in certain fields like this (and I think it helped when I applied to be a radio journalist)
Brian was known.
Nic and I also had the fun of seeing the Tardis whilst on a visit to Lime Grove studios I think it was and seeing him interviewing a famous film reviewer. (Dilys Powell?) We or I also got to watch filming of La Fille Mal Gardee in a studio as part of the preparation for BBC2 going into colour. In fact as a result of this and the fact that I tended to see Brian in restaurants and did wildly adult things like using taxis a certain glamour clung to him from my point of view probably fostering my love of the media and my shallow desire for fame! However, my efforts as a journalist faltered so I followed him into education instead and although we never lived together doing things like visiting him at the IBA and then at the University did foster and environment where learning was a constant in our lives. He also always talked to us in a way (and others) that respected our views i.e. quite an adult way rather than being a chummy Dad - which encouraged our intellect. Given that this was also reflected in my own home it is perhaps not surprising that so many of his children have been involved with education or broadcasting at various times.
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