To the editor:
I was sorry to learn in your October 10th issue of Meng Chi Tsen’s death. For several years he was a stalwart participant in the Monadnock Historical Societies Roundtable, the three-times-a-year gathering of local historical societies in the Monadnock Region. (Our fall meeting just recently convened at the Jaffrey Civic Center.)
Meng Chi’s house in Stoddard was a museum of British militaria. It was amazing. He coulld have outfitted a whole regiment!
We spoke on several occasions about combining forces to create a “British Militaria and Antarctic History Museum.” Wouldn’t that be an odd duck! (His interest was British uniforms et al; mine was and is the Antarctic.)
At the time we were looking at the Colony House on West Street, Keene, as a location. My recollection is that it was available at $165,000. We should have sprung for it but decided not to. (It’s now a B&B.)
He was an extraordinary man with lots of stories to tell, many of which I remember well.
I’m sad he’s gone but Cheshire County and Stoddard are fortunate to have had him here as a presence.
Respectfully,
Robert B. Stephenson
Jaffrey