PURLEY PARISH NEWS
NOVEMBER 2004
35P
For the Church & Community of PURLEY ON THAMES
ST. MARY THE VIRGIN PURLEY ON THAMES
RECTOR Rev. Roger B. Howell The Rectory, 1 Westridge Avenue Purley on Thames Tel: 0118 941 7727 Email: [email protected] CURATE Rev. Jean Rothery —Oaklea“, Tidmarsh Road Tidmarsh Tel: 0118 984 3625 ORDAINED LOCAL MINISTER Rev. Andrew Mackie 12 Church Mews Purley on Thames Tel: 0118 941 7170 CHURCHW ARDENS Sally Robertson Lorna Herring Tel: 0118 962 5978 Tel: 0118 942 1547
CHURCH HALL BOOKINGS Lorna Herring Tel: 0118 942 1547
BAPTISMS, W EDDINGS AND FUNERALS All enquiries should be made to the Rector
www.stmarythevirgin.fsnet.co.uk
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FROM THE CURATE Dear Friends Whether or not you are a regular churchgoer, it is very likely that you enjoy singing hymns. Of all church related activities, the singing of hymns seems to be one of the most popular. ”Songs of Praise‘ is watched by many people who do not come to church and sing exactly the same hymns. It is difficult to speculate on why this should be so, and no doubt there are as many reasons as there are people, because staying away from church may not be a deliberate decision, but more a habit born of individual circumstances. The singing of hymns however, does seem to meet a deep need within many people, which attendance at church does not. Those of us who believe God offers everybody so much more through church life need to understand why this is so, if we are to attract the interest of non church goers. Hymns and religious songs are often sung to very singable tunes, so is it the tune that attracts people? Certainly we soon get complaints if we introduce dreary or difficult tunes into our church services, whether they are traditional hymns or more modern songs. Somehow I feel that there must be a deeper reason than this for the popularity of ”Song of Praise‘ For people above a certain age hymns can represent memories of childhood, whether of school assemblies or Sunday school. Again this does not seem a strong enough reason for people of all ages to have an interest in continuing to sing hymns. The only explanation which rings true to me is that there is a deep need or yearning within each one of us which can be expressed in the singing of hymns. There is something about singing a hymn that is deeply satisfying. The words of our favourite hymns are very meaningful and express thoughts which perhaps we cannot find words of our own to express. The wonder of nature for example may be something we want to give thanks for and we find a ready made way of doing this through hymns such as ”All things bright and beautiful‘, still one of the most popular of hymns. In the same way the sheer act of singing enables us to express feelings of joy, which we may find difficult to express in other ways. Singing is a healthy exercise spiritually as well as physically. Perhaps you share the views of the Cornish lady who was heard to say ”They ”ymns mean more to me th‘n all they preachers‘
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It would be interesting to hear from you why you like singing hymns, but better still, why not come and join us in singing both traditional and modern songs during our church services. You are warmly invited. Jean
PARISH REGISTERS FUNERALS 22 Sept Raymond Joseph Chaplin aged 79 years (Cremation) 11 Oct David Arnold Pamment aged 63 years (Cremation) 19 Oct Emily Grove aged 81 years (Cremation)
COMMUNITY HARVEST SUPPER About 105 people attended the Community Harvest Supper this year, which was held at The Barn and sponsored by Purley Parish Council and St. Mary's Church. A sit-down 2-course meal was provided with wine and tea/coffee, during which Brenda Jenkins spoke briefly about the work of Macmillan Cancer Relief. At the end of the meal an auction of donated items was held and the goods were sold by Auctioneer Simon Jones. There were about 90 separate lots, and some amazing bargains were had! A total of £859.85 was sent to Macmillan Cancer Relief. It was an enjoyable event and served once again to draw different sections of the community closer together.
MOBILE LIBRARY
Orchard Close 1.45 œ 2.00 Memorial Hall 2.05 œ2.20 Hazel Road 2.40 œ 3.05 Farm Close 3.15 œ 3.30 Purley Church 3.35 œ 4.20
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
11 2 23 13 3 24 17 7
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CHURCH SERVICES
7 Nov 9.30 a.m. Family Worship with visiting speaker 11.15 a.m. Holy Communion with visiting speaker 6.00 p.m. Holy Communion
14 Nov 9.30 a.m. Family Worship 10.55 a.m. Remembrance Day Holy Communion
21 Nov 9.30 a.m. Family Communion 11.15 a.m. Morning Worship 6.00 p.m. Evening Worship
28 Nov 10.30 a.m. Advent Communion - St Mary‘s Purley Advent Sunday 6.00 p.m. Advent Carols - St James the Less, Pangbourne
5 Dec 9.30 a.m. Family Worship 11.15 a.m. Holy Communion 6.00 p.m. Holy Communion
ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR We hear a lot about anti-social behaviour these days in the papers and on TV news. What do you think of when you hear about it? It is quite likely that such things as smashed phone boxes come to mind, and we have had many instances of that in Purley! I had a new slant on this one recently whilst waiting to conduct a funeral service. Standing at the Lych Gate at the entrance to the Churchyard I had to be careful where I placed my feet, for there was vomit on the floor tiles. Not very pleasant at any time, least of all for mourners to negotiate when coming to the church for a sad event! I suspect that this was connected with youngsters (under-age?) using the churchyard as a drinking place. There are often empty beer cans and bottles thrown on the ground - despite the fact that there are no less than 4 bins into they could be placed. In the car park on the same occasion I also noticed a dirty baby's nappy that had been discarded! Roger Howell (Rector)
29 NOVEMBER Don't miss the opportunity to pray with Christians from many denominations about issues that affect everyone living in Purley. We meet at St. Mary's church at 8 p.m.
Contact Sally Robertson (962 5978) for more details.
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HOT FLUSHES AND MR. DARCY. There can't be too many TV screens which in 1995 on a Sunday night, didn't smoulder as Mr Darcy invaded our sets in hot pursuit of the taunting Elizabeth Bennett, alongside the neurotic Mrs. Bennett trying sadly to marry off her five daughters. With this in mind, an advert in the Newbury newspaper sent an avalanche of would-be "extras" along to Basildon Park to sign up for four days of cinema filming of Pride and Prejudice. We arrived and were asked for name and addresses and given a tape measure for vital statistics (HELP!) and after a week were invited along to the House for costume fittings. This was every little girls dream, a large marquee full of ball gowns, satin slippers, long gloves, pretty headgear, and boxes of corsets and bodices. After 2 hours of trying on five gowns my "dresser" then happy sent me through to another marquee to be fitted and glued into a wig. The attention for EXTRAS was phenomenal - detailing was very exacting. Catering for the mass was satisfactory, breakfast, dinner, tea and bottled water was always available, even while on set, trying to get the many scenes just right. With foresight, you didn't have another breakfast until you were corseted up! Laces became tighter and tighter, and bosoms were reshuffled somewhere else, like so high you ended with "ear muffs". Needles to say if your satin laces came undone, bending down was a no go area. What a good excuse to ask a young handsome and virile soldier to help out. Even taking a natural break was a marathon effort, especially as your gown could be wider than the w.c. It rained heavily for the first two days and in respect of costumes and satin shoes, we were ferried from the marquees to the House in mini buses. (Mr Darcy in a Mercedes of course!). An amusing sight was soldiers in their striking red jackets, gold braiding and white breeches, plus their trainers, chatting on their mobiles, a real ancient and modern syndrome. You are aware there is much hanging around, so you prepare with your favourite activity, reading, tapestry work, word and card games. We even became involved with a lady making fairy dolls that occupied one whole day. There were many new friends to be made; after all we were a very mixed bunch. There were noisy hod carriers, delicate upholstery ladies, musicians reviewing their scores, plus many young students with time on their hands needing cash, which included us O.A.P.'s. Muslin gowns were mostly cream or off-white in colour, remembering that the Bennetts were not high on the social structure, and the upper crust wore clothes of lusher colour and material. So many young girls looked a dream, with much detail on their ball gowns, including buttons, gathers, feathers, beads and fanciful fobs for the men. Every possible precaution was taken into consideration to say nothing of the safety and care from the National Trust stewards who saw that the fabric of the house was always observed. First day we were "padding" out for the ballroom scene, as Basildon Park represented Netherfield Park, where Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy became acquainted, and the love- hate relationship began. The third day, meant waiting outside the House
5 to join the celebrations, because in the village, the ball would have been the high-light of the year. For two hours we waited for the sun to disappear behind the clouds, it needed to be dusk, so the urns were lit, the atmosphere was now right, so on came the horse and carriages. It really was a sight for sore eyes. Those well-groomed horses just stole the show. After filming four fantasy days, you come down to earth with a bang! Arriving home to builders fighting councils and depressing national news, was difficult coping with reality. Having said this, the camaraderie was superb and as we hugged and kissed our new friends goodbye I realised they'd made an —olde“ lady very happy. I'd love them all, especially Mr. Darcy.
MESSAGE FROM HOME FARM I thought last month‘s front cover of the Parish Magazine very appropriate. Now there‘s a challenge, who can remember it? Well it was a picture of a harvested field, with big round bales of straw scattered over it. Underneath was an extract from the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, one of the Books of the New Testament. ”Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!‘ Of course I immediately thought of the literal meaning and related it to my farm. The linseed crop turned out to be an unmitigated disaster due to some poor advice from my agronomist but the maize turned up trumps, filling the clamp with ease. This of course is the advantage of mixed farming; even if one crop fails there is usually another one that does well. This is similar to Council work. Plenty of effort is often put into some projects/causes and yet we seem to make little difference to the outcome. However, I am not one to give up and I hope we will be able to reap a little harvest for the Eastern Area of W. Berks over the next couple of years or so. For my sins, I have been handed the chair of a new committee to be known as the —Eastern Area Vision Task Group“, which aims to create and deliver a bold action plan for better services for those living in the Eastern Wards of Birch Copse, Calcot, Westwood, Purley On Thames, Pangbourne and Theale. It has long been recognised in Newbury that there is a feeling in the east, particularly on the urban fringes of Reading, that we are the forgotten part of West Berks. This feeling has been exacerbated in recent months with the level of council tax catching up with Reading. People have started to ask themselves what benefits they get by being part of W. Berks rather than neighbouring authorities. There is an urgent need for the Council to demonstrate that it is committed to better services in the east and prepared to consider a wide range of projects to improve life for local residents. Over 20% of the district‘s population live in this eastern area and without us the authority would simply not be viable. So with the help of council officers I would like to see this exercise carried out as swiftly as possible,
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but it is important that we listen carefully to the aspirations of residents, the parishes and any interested local organisations. We aim to find out what services and projects would make a real difference to people‘s lives in this part of West Berks and how they can be delivered. Now perhaps you can see why I was amused by that last front cover, as one or two councillors have shown surprise that I was prepared to lead the task group; thereby trying to do ”good‘ and reaping ”a harvest‘ if we do not give up! Mind you, talking of harvest, I remember reading at a Rogation Service a few verses from Luke chapter 12. If you start at verse 17 you will understand my conundrum! Tim Metcalfe Parish and District Councillor
The Spirit of Christmas
An evening of Carols, Christmas Music and Readings Performances at: Pangbourne Village Hall, Pangbourne ~ Friday 10 December 04 Purley Memorial Hall, Purley ~ Saturday 11 December 04 Both Performances will commence at 8 p.m. Tickets cost £5 for Adults and £4 for Senior Citizens and Children To obtain your tickets or for more details please contact Peter Farrow, TVS Chairman on (0118) 941 3887
DAVID PAMMENT Words seem inadequate but I would like to say thank you to all my friends in Purley/Tilehurst for their love and support given to me now and during my dear David‘s illness. I will never forget your kindness. I would also like to thank Roger for his pastoral care and calmness in times of great stress. Thank you so much for your contributions made to Macmillan Cancer Care œ the total collected being over £600. Pat Pamment
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PURLEY ON THAMES PARISH COUNCIL There will be another Public Meeting held in the Barn at the Goosecroft Recreation Ground, Goosecroft Lane, off Beech Road shortly after the Village Plan launch held on 2 November. This meeting to be held in the Main Hall of the Barn on Wednesday 23 November at 7.30 p.m. will be an opportunity for the public to meet with representatives of Thames Valley Police to air their concerns over crime and anti-social behaviour in the district and to establish priorities. This will be the first of a series of meetings to be held in the Eastern area of West Berkshire District by the newly formed Neighbourhood Action Group who are seeking to build on the success of similar ventures in Burghfield and Greenham. Representatives of the Parish Councils of Purley on Thames, Pangbourne, Tilehurst, Basildon, Holybrook, Theale, Sulham & Tidmarsh are likely to be represented on the group together with other organisations such as the Church, Local Schools & Housing Associations as well as District Council officers. Please come and make your view known so that we can seek a way forward together. Further information will be posted on the Parish notice boards nearer the date and there may also be a leaflet drop. One of the issues from the Village Plan is already being addressed, with the ordering of further litterbins for the Goosecroft Recreation Ground & Play Area, Pikeshaw Woodland and Purley Village by the Highways & Footpaths and Recreation Committees. As part of the ongoing budgetary process additional funds will be sought to add further bins in the Parish over the coming years. STEPPING STONES TO THE FUTURE Community Action West Berkshire will be holding a Training & Information Fair for the Community & Voluntary Sector at the Thatcham Memorial Hall on Tuesday 30 November between 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. This is an opportunity for local organisations to obtain free finance or legal advice so if you are interested or involved in a local club or other voluntary organisation, please contact Maura Livingstone on 01635 523861 for further details, or you can e-mail her on [email protected]. Brian J. Smith Clerk to Purley on Thames Parish Council The office is located near the tennis Purley on Thames Parish Council courts and is open: Parish Office Goosecroft Lane Mondays: 5.45 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. off Beech Road (except bank holidays) Purley on Thames Reading Thursdays: 9.00 a.m. to 3.15 p.m. RG8 8DR
Tel/fax: 0118 984 4507
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PURLEY PATHFINDERS A WALKING GROUP FOR LADIES
Autumntime. What a wonderful season to be out, walking in the glorious countryside that surrounds us! This week, while admiring a tree flaunting an amazing myriad of colours, one of the group said, —Look at that! Only God could create something like that!“ At that moment, the following poem sprang to mind. It was written by Alfred Joyce Kilmer, and is called, simply, ”Trees‘ I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed against the earth‘s sweet flowing breast. A tree that looks at God all day and lifts her leafy arms to pray. A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair. Upon whose bosom snow has lain, Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree! Beneath a wonderful canopy of trees, The River Thames meandered as we walked beside it for 2 ² miles from Sonning to Shiplake. Our route proved quiet and peaceful with fields stretching out on one side of our path, and the Thames gently lapping on the other. It was at this time of year that Keats walked along a riverbank in Hampshire and wrote his Ode to Autumn - Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. (I make no apology for the poetic references in this report - the beauty on our walks this month has been enough to make anyone lyrical!) With ”Michaelmas Day‘ looming we were pleased to spot several clumps of cheerful purple Michaelmas Daisies beneath boughs of hawthorn dripping with berries, and amongst rosehips, elderberries and blackberries. On the water, swans, ducks, cormorants and coots busied themselves, while herons rose in ungainly fashion, heading skywards where several geese flew in perfect formation. We arrived at Shiplake College Boathouse and, after pausing on the bridge to watch a family of swans with four cygnets, we left the river to take the short climb to Shiplake Church, which dates from the 12th century. We peeped inside to see where the poet, Tennyson, married Emily Sellwood in 1850. As a Red Kite took to the skies we continued, now through meadows, and through fields of stubble left after crops have been safely gathered in - appropriate with ‘Michaelmas‘ heralding the end of the farmer‘s year. This theme continued as, after passing through the lovely woodland of Shiplake Copse, we arrived at Binfield Heath, where the church windows were decorated with baskets of flowers in celebration of the Harvest. Back at The Flowing Springs we enjoyed lunch under the gazebo in the garden. After crossing wide, open fields to Chalkhouse Green, we joined a bridleway, following its contours beneath an archway of trees. Although
9 muddy in places, this proved a very pleasant ½ mile none the less, with rural views on either side with, at times, donkeys, geese, or fine horses looking on inquisitively. We entered Clayfield Copse, Reading‘s first Nature Reserve, and an area of ancient woodland. Here we followed a trail to discover several of the thirteen sculptures within the reserve. These intricate carvings were made by Berkshire Wood Carvers from a mature cedar tree which succumbed to gale force winds in 1990. From here a pleasant tree-lined path took us to Dunsden Green and on to open fields once more from where we gained excellent views as far as Woodcote on the distant hilltop. Back at Sonning Common we enjoyed lunch in the restaurant of The Bird in Hand. We took full advantage of the autumn colours as we climbed out of Goring, with superb views across the Thames Valley, to enter The Great Chalk Wood. The leafy canopy held a multitude of colours, and orange beech leaves lay at our feet. After a very pleasant walk through this lovely woodland we emerged near Upper Gatehampton Farm. We were delighted to see a medlar tree full of its strange fruit. Paths between rose-hips and autumn berries took us to the BBONT Reserve. We climbed to the top of the reserve to gain the best view œ a breathtaking sight œ the Church at Lower Basildon nestled amongst a gathering of russet trees; the patchwork of autumn colours on the wooded hillside of Upper Basildon; canoes gliding along the River Thames, and trains snaking through the countryside to cross the Brunel Bridge. Dropping down to the Thames, we followed the towpath back to Goring, surrounded in trees draped in orange and yellow. In keeping with our ”River Thames‘ theme, our ”Autumntime Special‘ took place at the Thameside Hampton Court Palace. Through the ”Lion Gate‘ we entered the ”Wilderness‘. With its splendid trees sporting a wide range of autumn colours, this area was the perfect place to start our trip. We left the Palace grounds to drop down to the Thames towpath to follow it as it loops around Home Park. The trees, their colours glowing in the sunshine, made this part of our walk all the more special. Across the sparkling water we enjoyed looking at the interesting and varied houses of Thames Ditton. Eventually, through a gateway, we left the river to enter Home Park. Before us lay a lovely pastoral scene. Various wildfowl enjoyed the peacefulness of the secluded and unspoilt Ricks Pond. Several fallow deer grazed beneath a spinney of trees, while the stag lay close to our path. Ahead we could see and hear the water spouting from the fountain at the end of Long Water. We made our way towards it, dodging the spray from
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the high jets of water. We walked beside the Long Water between an avenue of young lime trees which replaces an avenue of 300 year old trees. All manner of wildfowl have made this artificial canal their home. Re-entering the Palace Gardens we headed for the 20th Century Garden. Here in the sunshine we found plenty of benches, cosily set amongst fine, labelled trees. After lunch we had plenty of free time to explore the formal gardens of the Palace œ The Great Fountain Garden with its fountain and large clipped yews; The Privy Garden with its statuary, intricate patterns in the grass, Tijou screens and splendid hornbeam bower; The Pond Gardens with their sunken flower borders and topiary, and The Great Vine in its glass house. Planted in 1768 by Capability Brown, and believed to be the oldest vine on record in the world, it still produces around 250kg of juicy red grapes each year. We also took a peek in the wonderful Royal Tennis Courts where a game was in progress; in the Banqueting House with its amazing painted ceiling; in The Lower Orangery with its important collection of paintings of the Triumphs of Caesar and then made our way through the interesting and informative exhibition, which told the history of the gardens. There was just time to browse in the gift shops before finishing with tea and cake in the tearoom œ a satisfactory end to our excellent ”special‘ day out. Our November walks will find us making the most of the last of the autumn colour as we explore the woodland of the wonderful Warburg Nature Reserve, and woodland around Westridge Green, Upper Basildon and Bucklebury Common. If any ladies would like to join us then do give me a ring for a programme of walks, which take place on weekday mornings. Nicki Woodward 984 2112
CAN YOU BEILVEE TIHS! I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?
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PURLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY W INTER TALKS On Wednesday, 20 October Dr. M. Keith-Lucas gave us a very interesting slide show and talk on the —Natural History of the Shetland Islands“. On Wednesday, 17 November, Mr. N. Glover-Wright will give a slide show on —Tsavo West, Amboseli and Sambru“, commencing at 8 p.m. Please try and come along as I think it will be a very interesting evening. TRADING The Shed is now closed for the winter months and will re-open the first weekend in February. Marion Dabbs 942 2349
If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that: Electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed and dry cleaners depressed? Laundry workers could decrease, eventually becoming depressed and depleted! Even more, bed-makers will be debunked, baseball players will be debased, landscapers will be deflowered, bulldozer operators will be degraded, organ donors will be delivered, software engineers will be detested and even musical composers will eventually decompose. And on a more positive note, perhaps we can hope politicians will be devoted!
Do you belong to a group or organisation in Purley and wish you had a way to tell more people about what you do? Why not send me your news and views for inclusion in the Purley Parish News? Both regular and occasional contributions are most welcome and submissions can be made in various formats, including handwritten, typed and computer files. Please see page 26 for details.
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REMEMBERING HUGH LISTER (1901-1944) Many of you will have seen the plaque in the church dedicated to the memory of Hugh Evelyn Lister, MC Welsh Guards. You may also notice that he was a priest as well as a Major - a somewhat unusual combination. He was a really remarkable man and in this short article I can hardly do him justice. He was born in Aberdeen on 15 May 1901 the grandnephew of Lord Joseph Lister, the father of antiseptic surgery. He was educated at Lancing College and earned a degree in Engineering from Cambridge University. After graduating he went to work for the GWR and travelling around he usually stayed in workmen's dormitories and got to know something of the lives of industrial workers. In 1926 his mother came to live in Purley and bought the Old Rectory located in what is now Lister Close, which was named in his honour. Hugh had felt the call of the church and was ordained in 1929 into the Church of England even though his family were Quakers. His first curacy was in Poplar where he came into contact with the poverty and unemployment that was rampant in the area. He decided to try to live on the amount given as unemployment benefit and succeeded in ruining his health and contracting tuberculosis in 1932. After a spell in Switzerland he returned to England in 1934 and embarked on a remarkable career as a curate at Hackney Wick and chairman of the local branch of the Transport and General Workers Union. Here he helped organise strikes to improve the lot of workers in local factories and achieved national fame by standing up to the fascist William Joyce who later achieved notoriety as Lord Haw Haw. When he stayed with his mother he often helped out in Purley Church having considerable empathy with the Rector, Ernest Skuse, who had also had first hand experience of poverty. When war came he felt so strongly about fighting fascism that he enlisted as a combatant, rather than as a chaplain and joined the Welsh Guards where he was offered a commission and participated in the Dunkirk evacuation. After a spell of home duties he returned to France shortly after D-Day. He won the MC for a particularly difficult job when he reorganised a company under heavy fire and lead it to its objective after it had almost been wiped out. In September 1944 he was leading his troops as they liberated the town of Hechtel close to the Belgian-Dutch border. The Welsh Guards entered the town on 9 September and as Hugh went forward to take the surrender a party of Hitler Youth opened fire on him and killed him. The Germans then counterattacked and as a reprisal for celebrating their liberation 13 men from the town were taken out and executed. Eventually the British forces completed the liberation on 12 September.
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Hugh is buried in the British War Cemetery at Leopoldsburg which is the Belgian Army's equivalent of Aldershot. A short distance away is the execution ground where the Germans took all the partisans and hostages from all over Belgium to be executed. It is buried deep in the woods and has been restored to its state in 1944 - a very moving place with crosses commemorating the 204 people who died there - the bodies have been moved back to their local cemeteries. This September I was privileged to be invited to the 60th anniversary celebrations of the liberation of Hechtel. They were planning to rename the street in which Hugh was killed as Hugh Lister Straat but unfortunately bureaucracy intervened and the renaming has had to be postponed until next year. The celebrations were very moving. On the Saturday I was at an exhibition of the liberation in Hechtel where I met the mayor over lunch. Hopefully the renaming will go forward as planned next year with his and the Welsh Guard's support. The day was concluded with a military tattoo and march past at Leopoldsburg where almost the whole of the garrison troops participated. Sunday began by me taking coffee with the family of one of the victims - his son Gilberte who was 15 at the time had originally been selected to join the thirteen but after an appeal by his mother he was spared and has lived to tell the tale. Luckily almost all the family spoke English as I was the only foreigner present and their kindness and hospitality was overwhelming. There was then a procession led by the town band and a Mass at the church - half in English as there was a large contingent from the Welsh Guards there, and half in Dutch finishing up with the Belgian and Welsh national anthems - I never expected to be in a Belgian Catholic church singing 'Mae hen Wlad fy Nhadau' in Welsh with a Belgian family. Then there was a procession, again led by the town band to the cemetery where the thirteen are buried. Flowers were laid on the graves and children from the local schools read poems they had written and it finished with a salvo fired over the graves by the Belgian Army. The procession then moved to the Welsh Guards Square where there was a Sherman tank commemorating the men from the Welsh Guards who gave their lives in Hechtel and a further act of remembrance. The commemoration concluded with a civic reception at the town's leisure centre and then I had to return to England. John Chapman
Portrait supplied by Rev. William Pryor Other photographs supplied by John Chapman and Ron Denman 14 14
GENDER CONCEALMENT In the second of two extracts from his book, The Testament of a Doctor œ A Life of Contrasts, Dr Hofmeyr finds that outside appearances can be deceiving! Near the end of my time as mission doctor in Nkandhla, Zululand, in the late 1950s, there was a case of the unaccounted for death of a local chieftain in a kraal in an adjoining district 40 miles away. Why that district's own surgeon was not called I believed was due to some local superstition amongst the tribesmen. On entering the dark beehive hut in the centre of the kraal through the usual darkness of the acrid smokiness of such huts, with the aid of some candles provided by the chief's servant and my own torch, I saw the wizened up little figure huddled up on a kaross (patchwork animal skin coverlet) which had seen better days. On confirming death I had the body removed into the outside daylight for the post mortem. Only the servant and another petty chieftain and induna were allowed to watch me remove the scant tribal garb of this ancient Zulu who had been chieftain there for longer than anyone could remember. He was very, very old they said - he had been there forever. I estimated that he was over a hundred years old but he had managed until the day before to preside peacefully at local tribal indabas. The surprise was that "he" was a woman, a very old withered one at that. I did not do a full continental post mortem and concluded that the death was due to natural causes, old age. My conclusion was accepted. Some tribesmen wondered if I had used my magical powers to make out that their beloved chieftain was not as they had believed "him" to be calling upon mtagati (magic spirits). Maybe that is why I was called instead of their local district surgeon? Reprinted with permission ©2003 John Adriaan Hofmeyr If you would like a copy of this book, please contact Dr Hofmeyr at 11 Roebuck Rise, Tilehurst, RG31 6TP. The book costs £33 plus £2 postage (if required) and proceeds of the sale are to the benefit the British Heart Foundation (cheques payable to —British Heart Foundation“)
PURLEY MEMORIAL HALL The Annual General Meeting of the above mentioned Charitable Trust will be held on Wednesday, 24 November in the Memorial Hall, Glebe Road, commencing at 7.30 p.m. Inhabitants of the Parish of Purley on Thames in the County of Berkshire who are aged twenty-one and above may attend and vote at the meeting. Marion Dabbs 942 2349
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PROJECT PURLEY The next meeting will be the traditional Christmas Social evening at the Gatehouse. Project Purley's Autumn programme was opened by Kerr Kirkwood who came to the Barn on a pleasantly warm September evening to talk to us about the life and times of the farmer, Arthur Bucknell. Kerr has been involved in agriculture all his working life, originally as a herdsman in Scotland, but more recently as Thimbleby and Shorland's well-known auctioneer at Reading's Cattle Market. Kerr told us that Mr Bucknell was born in 1877 in Devon but his family came to Reading 10 years later to be near the market, eventually taking over a tenancy at Old Farm, Padworth. Farming was still difficult for the family, as the Hampshire Downs sheep they kept only produced single lambs, whilst other breeds averaged a more profitable birth rate. Furthermore home grown wheat imported from overseas was much cheaper. Then in another development, which undercut the British meat market, ships would steam from New Zealand to London carrying a total of 5,000 slaughtered but refrigerated lambs. Despite all these problems Bucknell persevered with his ambition to farm successfully and in 1908 took over the tenancy of Lower Denford Farm near Hungerford from Mr Apsley Cherry-Gerrard, who was one of Captain Robert Scott's companions on the latter's journey's to the Antarctic. Bucknell now farmed 185 acres, producing and selling milk, and paying his eight farm workers an average of 30 shillings per week. He was judged by the local community to be an excellent farmer and a fair employer. He was forward thinking too, because at a time when bovine TB was rampant among children because milk was not pasteurised, his herd consisted only of tubercular tested Shorthorn cattle. Bucknell‘s milk was put in churns, then placed on the 5.45 a.m. train from Kintbury to London to be sold at a price negotiated with Long and Peacock, averaging 9d per gallon in summer and 7² pence per gallon in winter. This railway journey became known as the Milky Way. Bucknell later moved from Lower Durnford to Aldermarston where he was granted the annual tenancy at Forsters Farm, looking after a herd of 45 - 50 Shorthorns. Again he was successful with the farm's milk production, but now began to diversify his business interests. He started to breed horses, and when the travelling stallion man mated his shire stallion with one of Bucknell's mares, the cost was £2. By the time the new born horse had reached the age of five, Bucknell could sell it quite frequently to C & G Ayres, the coal merchants of Reading for as much as £80. Other sidelines to his main farming business were road making for Berkshire County Council, supporting the hunting trade, selling hay to Dunlops of Reading, and cutting and rolling Kintbury's cricket ground.
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Bucknell bought Home Farm Purley in 1935, but did not leave Aldermarston until 1940. In an amusing aside by Kerr we were told of Bucknell's commitment as he rode to Newbury Show, parked his bicycle for 6d, entered his best 3 acres of mangles, won first prize in that category, then rode back home to milk his cows. He persevered with his Shorthorns and somewhat ironically, British agriculture in general prospered during World War Two as the German U-boat menace stopped many thousands of tons of overseas produce from reaching our shores. Arthur Bucknell died about 1962- neither Kerr nor anyone in the audience knew the exact date - but his son John carried on the family tradition by farming beef cattle and Home Farm has now become Farm Close. The general impression we had of Arthur Bucknell was of a decent hardworking man who was very business like and if he did delay paying his bills for as long as possible, he was considered reliable by his fellow farmers. In appearance he was of average height, but quite stocky and his nine-inch long moustache earned him the nickname of 'Kaiser Bill'. In response to a later question Kerr explained the required qualities for an auctioneer. He said he had to be clear, quick and courteous but decisive. Kerr's talk to us had contained all of these things. David Downs
SCHOOLS CHRISTMAS FAYRE Purley Pre School and Purley Infant School are once again joining forces to hold their annual Christmas Fayre. This will be on Saturday 4 December at the Memorial Hall, Glebe Road, Purley between 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. Father Christmas will be in his grotto and there will be all the usual Christmas Fayre favourites including tombolas, lucky-dips, 'making table', craft stalls and raffle. Refreshments will be served, so come along and join us! Entrance is 50 pence for adults, children are free!
ADVENTURE DOLPHIN HISTORY The idea of a Club in Pangbourne was first started by a group of boys who banded together for physical recreation being given the use of a large room in The Mill, Whitchurch, by Mr John Dolphin. From this group a rowing section was formed and the Pangbourne Athletic Club came into existence.
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In 1960, when the Mill was no longer available, Mr Dolphin (who was then Chairman of the Club) felt that alternative accommodation should be provided. Plans were set in motion to raise some £5,000 for the building of a Clubhouse (in shell form only until further money could be raised) which would provide room for physical recreation, changing rooms and a bar, as well as storage room for boats on the ground floor. After a public meeting in the Village Hall, it was agreed to ask the NABC to act as Trustees and a 50% grant on building and equipment was obtained through the Ministry of Education and Science. The remainder of the money was raised through voluntary donations and special fund-raising functions and the building was ready for occupation during 1961, on land leased by the Pangbourne Parish Council - the National Trust having approved the site. For several years there was pressure to allow girls into the Club but this was impossible in accordance with the Constitution. There was, however, no objection to a separate youth club operating in the building with the agreement of the Management Committee and this facility was offered to the Area Youth Officer in July 1965. A separate Advisory Committee was formed, prospective club members formed work parties to redecorate the premises and in January 1966, on one evening per week, the first Pangbourne Mixed Youth Club was formed under the guidance of a part- time trained Youth Leader. By 1965 the Management Committee of the Pangbourne & District Athletic Club had realised that it could no longer raise the necessary funds to continue running the premises for only a few boys and decided to offer the clubhouse to the Berkshire County Council for use as a Youth Centre. Agreement to relinquish the Trust was obtained from the NABC, the Parish Council agreed to the transfer of the Lease and the legal negotiations were put in hand during 1966, the club became the PANGBOURNE YOUTH CENTRE AND COUNTY RIVER TRAINING CENTRE. The Canoeing Section of the Centre has grown in strength during the last few years and the activities that are pursued have increased in variety. There are currently groups competing in Whitewater, Long Distance, Sprint and Slalom Racing, as well as, all the different fun type activities that canoeing offers. Training courses for young people are being run in Berkshire, which in turn lead onto BCU Coaching awards staffed by members of the Thames Valley Coaching Panel. With Other groups now making good use of the Centre and in view of the limited facilities at present available, the Management Committee feels there is great hope for the future if current planned development goes ahead. The County River Training facility needs considerable expansion to cope with daytime use by schools and the Club section can only benefit from
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increased use. The Canoe Section is rapidly growing in strength and with senior members continuing to pass on their experience; Pangbourne will become a name to be reckoned with in all forms of canoe sport in the next few years. This has already been demonstrated in the Devizes to Westminster Race in the past two seasons.
DISTRICT NOTES By now most of the leaves should have gone and it is time to check that none of your branches are impeding the footpaths and pavements. As a general guidance you should cut back to your property boundary and have at least eight clear feet above the pavement. Also be sure that there are no cut branches that someone could catch their eye on. We have begun to hold surgeries at the Parish Office adjacent to the tennis courts at the Goosecroft Recreation ground every Monday. There will be someone from the Parish Council every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and from the District Council at least once a month. At the moment I plan to be there 15 November and 13 December. I have asked our engineers to look again at the speed humps in Long Lane. I have had numerous complaints from both motorists and nearby residents. We need some method of controlling speed on the Lane but the present humps seem deeply unpopular. Any comments one way or the other would be appreciated and will be passed on to the Engineers. As promised a year ago, much of Purley switched their refuse collection day from Monday to Wednesday. We had a few hitches on the first day but it seems to have settled down now. The planning applications for the houses behind Long Lane are starting all over again now that Hicks have sold on their land. I have not been impressed by the first set of plans and I hope we can negotiate some serious changes before it finally goes before the planning committee. As I am not a member of that committee I am perhaps a little freer to speak my mind but the regulations are now such that committee members are greatly constrained and not able to represent local feelings adequately. Fortunately the Parish Council is being very bullish on this issue. Since we produced the flooding report last January I have been chairing an internal West Berkshire review panel looking into all aspects of our capability to respond to emergencies. I am pleased to report that all the departments we have quizzed so far have at last got to grips with their responsibilities and the council is in much better shape now than it has ever been. John Chapman West Berkshire Councillor for Denefield, Purley, Sulham and Tidmarsh
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PURLEY W.I. The Horticultural Show proved that W.I. members did their bit and our own Sybil Pryor won the cup for most points obtained from Spring and Autumn Shows. Sylvia Conquest and Mrs Venner also shared a plaque won from another category. Two hundred entries proved a good show. We much enjoyed an invite to Tidmarsh W.I. and travelled with Valerie Masters on her adventures and musical days as an opera singer. This local lady had much to offer and with photographs of her stunning career we just sat back to be entertained by her magical world.
Flower competition 1st Pam Jamieson and Shirley Lewis 2nd Betty 3rd Lee Hall
Photo Competition: 1st Edna Bint Photo of London 2nd Ann Betts Sally Botwright enlightened us with a knowledgeable talk, illustrated with slides, on old London Docklands. We do take it for granted that our goods arrive on shelves for us to purchase but how did goods arrive years ago? Alfred the Great had the foresight to develop the land and Henry VIII realised his ships were at Portsmouth, so he needed docklands at Deptford and Grenenwich. Plans were set into place and then things got out of hand with 1800 ships and space for only 500! The West Indian Company then provided their own docks with a twenty-one year monopoly. Sugar warehouses were built and Canary Wharf was named after bananas were imported here from the Canary Islands. In 1805 tobacco, rice, wine and brandy arrived, so warehouses were needed for bottling and blending wines. Can you imagine three hundred tons of ostrich feathers being distributed to satisfy the dress conscious ladies of the time? Thanks to Brunel the railway ran alongside the docks and this provided immediate delivery. Much damage happened during WWII but then in the 1960‘s the docklands were at their peak. Sadly this is no more, labour became scarce and equipment outmoded. 1981 brought us new developments under the Enterprise Zone and now we have a new look, like green parkland. The change looks so exciting we have been enticed to take a trip with a conducted tour. Sadly, two of our members, Edna Bint and Marilyn Hoare, have lost their husbands. It was cruel watching them fade away, we felt for them. To grieve is important and so are your fiends. We are out there! The next meeting will be on Wednesday 10 November, at 7.30 in Purley Memorial Hall, Glebe Road. The speaker is M. Self on —More Carry On In The Background“. Competition: MINI Guy Fawkes. Visitors W elcome. Sylvia Conquest 941 1936
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PHOTO COMPETITION The Friends of the Pang and Kennet Valleys is a local organisation, which raises funds for the Pang and Kennet Valley Countryside projects. We aim to raise awareness of the natural life in these valleys. To this end we are holding a photographic competition, the theme of which is —Natural life of the Pang & Kennet Valleys“. The idea of this is for entrants to take photographs of, for example, landscapes, wildlife, farms, people, rivers œ any way that they interpret natural life in these beautiful valleys. We want to show people the magnificent natural views and features that there are in this area. The winning entries will be used for making notelets and postcards that will be sold to raise money for the Friends. There are some fantastic prizes on offer, as well as the prestige of seeing your photograph on postcards and notelets across the valleys. Further details can be obtained from the Project Office, at the above address. 1st Prize £150 2nd Prize £100 3rd Prize £50 10 Runners-up prizes of 1 year‘s free membership of the Friends of the Pang & Kennet Valleys This competition is open to adults and children alike. It is not aimed at professional photographers. We are working with the Newbury Weekly News who will give publicity to the competition and the prizewinners. Friends of the Pang & Kennet Valleys The Old Estate Office, Englefield Road, Theale, Reading, Berks, RG7 5DZ Tel/fax 0118 930 5336
PURLEY BEECHES RESIDENTS‘ ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The AGM of the PBRA will be held on Tuesday 9 November 2004 In the village at St. Mary‘s Church Hall Starting at 7.30 for 8.00 p.m. Members can enjoy drinks and nibbles from 7.30 With an 8 p.m. start for the meeting Please come along meet your committee members and air your views
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Last month I wrote an article and invited some response to it. The article arose out of the last Census, which showed that in Purley well over 70% claimed to be Christians, whereas only about 2% have any identifiable sense of belonging to St. Mary‘s Church. The question was ”Why don‘t you come to church?‘ The following are extracts from one reply received. Let‘s have some more views on this and related subjects please! Roger Howell (Rector) …Not sure that I'm part of your main target audience, because I wouldn't have described myself as a 'Christian' in the last census. I might well think of myself as 'christian' - having been brought up in a christian society and sharing a christian philosophy - but to use the capital I think you need to believe Christ to have been the Son of God, to have died for our sins and to have risen from the dead. (I know some Bishops might disagree, but there you go
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as I can get to believing in the power of prayer. I am certain that a strong sense of community is generated by St Mary's, which is reflected in the active participation of many of your members in Village activities. For instance, considerably more than two per cent of the Parish Council has a 'recognizable connection with the Parish Church'. Time I stopped waffling on. To sum up, I'm not a member of the Church and never will be, but I do appreciate its contribution to our community, would miss it if it wasn't there, will support it when I can and enjoy working with its members for the mutual good. David Betts (Chairman, Purley Parish Council)
P E AND J M WALTERS PRODUCERS OF TRADITIONAL FARM FRESH CHRISTMAS TURKEYS FOR OVER 30 YEARS
Our turkeys are naturally reared on a diet of home grown cereals and non-GM soya Barn reared white turkeys From £5.50/kg (£2.49 per lb) oven ready wt Free range bronze turkeys £7.78/kg (£3.52 per lb) oven ready wt
Phone today on 01635 578251 with your order for collection from the farm (recently improved access)
Bower Farm, Aldworth, Reading, Berks, RG8 9TR
CHILDREN‘S SOCIETY November again and the Children‘s Society likes to have our contributions in time for Christmas. So, I shall be coming round to collect and count the contents of the Children‘s Society boxes in Purley. Anyone who has a box that I may not know about, and would like me to collect it, please let me know. S Pryor 984 3589
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CROSSWORD It‘s been a while, so I thought it about time I tested your brains out with a crossword from Parish Pump. Hopefully I‘ll remember to give you the answers next month!
Across Down 7 Determine the place of (6) 1 Esteem or respect (6) 8 Married, also meaning favoured and 2 A type of priestly offering (4) blessed of the Lord (6) 3 A person not acknowledging God (7) 9 A change of position (4) 4 Commander-in-chief of Saul's army (5) 10 A collection of precious things (8) 5 Challenge the accuracy of (8) 11 Someone who speaks by divine 6 A cylindrical container (6) inspiration (7) 12 A star cluster in the constellation 13 The sacred writings of the Christian Taurus (8) religion (5) 14 Insanity (7) 15 Members of the shepherd's flock (5) 16 A woman consecrated or devoted to 17 Serious and intent (7) prostitution (6) 20 Something brought into existence (8) 18 A coin of ancient Greece (6) 21 An indication of approval (4) 19 Marked by conspicuous religiosity (5) 22 Densely wooded area (6) 21 Exchange for money (4) 23 A soft pale precious metal (6)
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THE PURLEY DIARY
November
2 7.30 p.m. Village Plan Launch The Barn
9.30 a.m. 7 Visiting speaker at services Church 11.15 a.m.
9 7.30 p.m. Purley Beeches Resident‘s AGM Church
10 7.30 p.m. Women‘s Institute meeting Memorial Hall
11 Various Mobile Library See page 3
17 8.00 p.m. Horticultural Society Talk Memorial Hall
20 7.30 p.m. Murder Mystery Evening Church
23 7.30 p.m. Neighbourhood Action Group The Barn
29 8 p.m. Pray for Purley Church
December
2 Various Mobile Library See page 3
2.00 p.m. 4 Schools Christmas Fayre Memorial Hall 4.00 p.m.
11 8.00 p.m. Thames Vale Singers Memorial Hall
21 6.30 p.m. Carol Singing around Purley Details soon
23 Various Mobile Library See page 3
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PURLEY PARISH NEWS
EDITOR: Matthew Slingsby 24 Skerritt Way, Purley on Thames, RG8 8DD Tel: 0118 961 5585 Fax: 0118 961 5125 Email: [email protected]
ADVERTISING: Liane Southam 27 Waterside Drive, Purley on Thames, RG8 8AQ Tel: 0118 942 8243 Email: [email protected]
CIRCULATION: Les Jamieson 58a Wintringham Way, Purley on Thames Tel: 0118 941 2342
I welcome all contributions to this magazine, particularly on local issues and events. Contributions can either be delivered in writing or by email. Please note however, I reserve the right to edit contributions to suit space availability and to maintain consistency of style (font etc). Local event adverts can be accommodated but space is limited; landscape format copy is preferred in this case as it allows a ² page entry to be published. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or the P.C.C. of St. Mary‘s Church, Purley on Thames œ publishers of Purley Parish News œ nor is any endorsement of the products and services of our advertisers implied by their inclusion. This magazine is published on the first Saturday of each month (except August). The price of each issue is 35p with a discounted annual subscription price of £3.50 for eleven issues. If you are new to the area and would like to subscribe to Purley Parish News, please contact the Circulation Manager, Les Jamieson.
This edition published 6 November 2004
Next edition paper copy to be received by 15 November 2004
Next edition —electronic“ copy to be received by 22 November 2004
Next edition published 4 December 2004
Cover image © Kevin Brandon, CrossDaily.com (used under licence) Purley Parish News is printed by Richfield Graphics Limited
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