Press release

‘My Anglo-Russian Family’ - by Natasha Guttmann - April 22nd 2017

The Friends of St Thomas a Becket Church, Huntington held another successful event with a distinctive Russian flavour, which began with a record  audience of nearly 100 people,  being welcomed and seated to a selection of authentic Russian folk songs. 

Natasha Guttmann, who together with her husband Werner, has lived in Huntington for 45 years, gave the talk.  Her maternal and paternal forebears moved to Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century to help with infrastructure projects. They remained in Russia and their families inter-married, but retained their British passports through the generations. Natasha spoke eloquently about her family’s experience of living in both the UK and Russia during momentous times. Her parents first met on a boat on the Black Sea leaving Russia in 1917 whilst the Bolshevik revolution was taking hold of the country and they experienced many harrowing times.    Photos of her extended family and their life in Russia beautifully illustrated the talk. 

The evening concluded with traditional zakuski (Russian canapés)...and the odd shot of vodka. It was a delicious way of ending the evening and it was very much appreciated by the capacity audience.  

Enquiries: jane@janemoyle.co.uk