Editorial policy Roundabout aims to promote local events, groups and businesses and to keep everyone informed of anything that affects our community. We avoid lending support (in the form of articles) to any social, political or religious causes, and we reserve the right to amend or omit any items submitted. The final decision rests with the editors. While Roundabout is supported by Woodhouse Parish Council, we rely on advertisements to pay production costs, and we accept advertisements for local businesses as well as those that publicise charitable and fund-raising events. Brief notification of events in the ‘What’s on’ schedule is free. Copyright in any articles published is negotiable but normally rests with Roundabout. We apologise for any errors that might occur during production and will try to make amends in the following issue. Roundabout needs your input. For guidelines on submission, please see inside the back cover. Management and production Roundabout is managed on behalf of the community and published by the Editorial and Production Team comprising Richard Bowers, Evelyn Brown, Peter Crankshaw, Amanda Garland, Andrew Garland, Tony Lenney, Rosemary May, Neil Robinson, Grahame Sibson and Andy Thomson. Content editor for this issue: Evelyn Brown Cover: Neil Robinson Advertising managers: Amanda and Andrew Garland Desk-top publishing (page layout) for this issue: Richard Bowers Printing: University Printing Services Roundabout is available to read or download from the parish council website at www.woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk/roundabout.html Distribution: Roundabout is delivered by volunteers to every address within the parish boundary – just under 1000 households and businesses, including all the surrounding farms. Please let us know if any house or business in Woodhouse Parish is not receiving Roundabout, or if you can help out with deliveries.

2 Roundabout March 2012 Contents

Page

Editor’s note 5

Parish council news 5

News in brief 7

A Wren in wartime 13

A village quiz 17

Tales of the doctors’ surgeries 18

The Diamond Jubilee draws closer 22

Look behind you! The long awaited village ‘panto’ 24

Access to paths and the countryside: notes from your heritage wardens 27 Garden matters for March 31

Local History Group 32

The last word 34

Contributions to Roundabout Inside back cover

What’s on in March Back cover

Deadline for submissions to the April 2012 issue: Saturday, 10th March Email to [email protected] or hand in at the post office Content editor for April 2012 issue: Peter Crankshaw

Roundabout March 2012 3 4 Roundabout March 2012 Editor’s note This month’s issue of Roundabout is full of nostalgia, with Hilary Selby and Sue Dryden looking back to a time when there was no dedicated doctor’s surgery in Woodhouse Eaves and so ad hoc arrangements had to be put in place if patients wanted to see a doctor locally (p.18); then even further back to the whole-community celebrations held in the village to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee (p.22). Meanwhile, Dorothy Jones recalls her life as a Wren during World War II, assigned to dangerous wartime work that required competency, a steady hand and a great deal of courage (p.13). Moving to the present day, tribute is paid to the cast, producer and behind- the-scenes members of The Beacon Players for producing yet another fun- packed pantomime at the end of January to entertain large audiences (p.24). Finally, with the prospect of spring on the horizon, our heritage wardens take a look at the various sorts of public rights of way and permissive paths that allow us to gain access to the beautiful Charnwood countryside (p.27). Evelyn Brown Parish council news Return of the village stocks? A resident has asked whether the parish council could replace the village stocks that used to be on the triangle outside St Mary’s Church in Woodhouse, as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Members expressed the view that, although this was an interesting idea, there were no plans to replace them. Goodbye to the piano Following advice from a piano tuner, who came along in preparation for the Beacon Players’ pantomime, the council reluctantly agreed to dispose of the village hall piano as it was thought to be beyond tuning, unless a lot of money was spent on it. The piano was bought second hand in 1994; however, with the rise in the quality of electronic keyboards, it has been little used in recent years. If you are willing to take it away and work on it, please get in touch with the clerk as soon as possible: tel. (01509) 890 050 or email: [email protected] Health and safety checks One of the jobs on which the council spends parishioners’ money is a series of health and safety checks each year on items such as fire extinguishers, toxic materials such as asbestos, gas supplies and fittings, electrical systems and water systems. The checks are not cheap because the council

Roundabout March 2012 5 has to employ appropriately qualified professionals. This year some important electrical and water system work will be carried out in all the parish council buildings. As it isn’t always possible for staff to work during hours outside those of regular group bookings, the council hopes that this work won’t disrupt community activities going on at the time. Car park closures With so many visitors coming to Woodhouse Eaves, the car park is sometimes congested at periods other than school-time. The car park is owned by the parish council but is a Charnwood Borough Council public car park during weekday office hours, for which a small annual contribution of £100 is paid to the parish for upkeep and lighting costs. The parish council has decided to have two sets of road signs made, which can be used for big local events, e.g. the May Day Challenge, the Horticultural and Craft Show, Open Gardens weekend, and the Scarecrow Festival, so that event organisers can restrict who has access to the car park. One of these sets will be used to warn the public during the weeks ahead of an event. This might encourage people to walk, or other groups of visitors to consider using different parking locations. The second set will be used on the day of the event. Scout hut The Woodhouse Eaves Scout Group is making great progress in fundraising for new accommodation (see, also, p.17). The council has now received architect’s plans and a quantity surveyor’s costings for a village hall extension to house scout group meetings and also those of other groups and societies wishing to meet in the parish. The estimated cost of the extension, which includes re-modelling the rear access to the car park, is around £160,000. Planning and external funding applications are underway but if, in a couple of months’ time, it looks unlikely that this amount can be raised, there is a ‘Plan B’. Meanwhile, hearty congratulations to all scout group members and parents whose fantastic efforts have already generated funds which continue to rise in total. Next meeting See ‘What’s on’ for details of the next parish council meetings. If you would like something to go on an agenda, please get in touch with the clerk a week before the meeting; email: [email protected] or tel. (01509) 890 050. Ann Irving, Clerk to the Council For Parish Council information, including meeting dates and minutes, see http://woodhouseparishcouncil.org.uk/

6 Roundabout March 2012 News in brief Woodhouse Eaves in bloom Following the outstanding successes of the annual Woodhouse Eaves Open Gardens in June, the Horticultural and Craft Show in September, the scouts’ Scarecrow Festival in October, and the Beacon Players’ pantomime in January (see p.24), a small committee from the village has entered Woodhouse Eaves in the ‘ in Bloom’ competition. No expense will be incurred and the village will be judged in July. Pamphlets giving more details are available from shops in the village; alternatively, telephone Eric Allsop on (01509) 890 054. Eric Allsop Things that go crash in the night Just after 7.00am on Saturday, 21st January, while it was still dark, the residents of the row of cottages to the right of The Wheatsheaf on Brand Hill were woken by a whoosh, a crash and a dog barking. A large beech tree, situated in the side garden to no.80, had been felled by the wind, its fall broken to some extent by the stone wall The tree blocks Brand Hill (courtesy of Sarah Morley) which it demolished. Sarah Morley, who is training for the London Marathon, was on her way back from an early morning run when she saw the tree, which she describes as having fallen squarely across the road. As she comments, ‘Luckily it had missed the nearby buildings and any traffic.’ Inspecting the damage (courtesy of Carl, who lives at no.80 Brand Hill, told Peter Crankshaw) Roundabout how his son went out to flag down approaching traffic. One car coming at speed had a near miss, as did Carl’s son, when the driver appeared oblivious to the blockage and only just managed to stop in time. By the time Sarah arrived, a policeman on a mountain bike had turned up to assume control and representatives from the council were waiting for a team of tree surgeons to arrive.

Roundabout March 2012 7 8 Roundabout March 2012 Roundabout co-editor Peter Crankshaw photographed the clearance operation while Carl helped Col Martin, on whose land the tree had been growing, to load the cut logs into a trailer. Within a couple of hours the drama was all over. Evelyn Brown Local area forum The next meeting of the Bradgate, , and Birstall Area Forum will take place at 7.00pm on Wednesday, 14th March at Birstall Social Club, Lane, LE4 4JS. The agenda, yet to be finalised at the time of going to press, will include updates on projects that were awarded funding at last year’s Community Forum Budget Workshop, as well as information about how community groups can apply for funding from the 2012 budget. Although the meeting will be held in Birstall, issues relevant to Woodhouse Parish can still be raised. For example, at the October 2011 meeting Liz Randall, Woodhouse Parish Traffic Watch Co-ordinator, expressed concern at the speed of vehicles entering Woodhouse from the Quorn direction and the large number of cars ending up in the hedge on the sharp bend. No change there, then, since last October! Editor Ideas for heritage projects There has been a recent rise in the grants available through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Ironically, this is because the current recession has caused an increase in revenue from the National Lottery. We are interested in trying to bid for some of this money for suitable projects for the two villages in Woodhouse Parish. Our initial ideas have concerned developing community footpaths in the villages and we have started on planning for this; however, we would like to hear your ideas. Which parts of our heritage would you like to see improved? Are there any sites of historical, archaeological or natural heritage that would benefit from funds? For small projects we can bid for anything from £3000 to £100,000, so projects could be quite significant. If you have ideas, or would be interested in joining a heritage team to work on a project, please contact us at: [email protected] Kate Moore and Cathy Schou, Heritage Wardens

Roundabout March 2012 9 ’S no problem for Woodhouse Eaves Adverse conditions seem to bring out the best in people, including a sense of humour. The sudden heavy snowfall in early February was no exception. Rumour has it that some local lads decided to erect a snowman (well, part of a snowman) in the Woodhouse Eaves car park. However, the phallic monument did not last long. Whether it was deliberately demolished (feminists on the march?), The 2012 igloo or simply wilted, Roundabout cannot confirm. Meanwhile, another igloo appeared on the ‘donkey slip’ at the top of Victoria Road – presumably the work of young Michael Cooke again (see Roundabout, February 2011). If not, perhaps the real snow builder would let Roundabout know. Sadly, the igloo was a little past its best when it was spotted (see photo). Despite the snow, a camellia was still bravely blooming in a garden on Church Hill. A brave camellia Evelyn Brown

10 Roundabout March 2012 A thank you from the village ‘posties’ Thank you to all the villagers who cleared their paths, driveways, and steps after the recent snow. Woodhouse Eaves is a very difficult village to work in when there is snow and ice because of all the hills and inclines. Many houses have steps or a sloping path; very rarely are we on level ground. We walk more than seven miles a day, so any areas cleared of snow really help us to get around and stay on our feet. Dave, Jim, Linda and Tony Snow clearing Is anyone willing to become a snow-clearing warden in Woodhouse Eaves? County Council will repay the parish council for the work at an hourly rate of £7.00 but the person employed must first undergo a three- hour training session from highways staff; suitable clothing will be provided (but you must like yellow!). The official places to be cleared include pavements outside (and between) shops, village hall and The Cottage Surgery but the parish council might be willing to use its own money to pay for extra work. If you would like to help the community to keep moving, please get in touch with the Clerk to the Parish Council on (01509) 890 050 or email: [email protected] Highways road-clearing and gritting routes are on the parish council website (see web address inside the front cover), together with insurance company and government guidance on why you have a responsibility to clear snow from your own property, to make access safe for those who visit you. Ann Irving, Clerk to the Council Stuck on the job PC Matt Orton and PCSO Chris Kendall report a rise in the number of burglaries (other than dwelling offences), including break-ins to sheds, outbuildings and unoccupied houses. The importance of securing all external sheds and buildings properly, and leaving unoccupied dwellings with signs that they are occupied, can’t be stressed enough. It’s not often that a crime can prove a source of wry amusement but it does when the potential perpetrators’ plans are foiled. From what Roundabout can gather, it seems that on Saturday, 4th February, thieves broke into a house on Maplewell Road while the owners were away, loaded up the owners’ car with their valuables and tried to make a getaway up Maplewell Road. It was snowing hard and the car became stuck. Motorists and other

Roundabout March 2012 11 helpful people tried to push them up the hill but failed, so the thieves turned the car round and then couldn’t turn at the end of the road. Unable to go any further, they abandoned the car sideways-on by the Oakwood Pharmacy. If you were one of the well-intentioned good Samaritans and can offer descriptions of the red-faced thieves, please ring the police on their new non-emergency number, 101. Meanwhile, we hope that the victims of this attempted crime have recovered from the experience. Editor Fight for Sight Thanks to a massive gift of two large bags of unwanted spectacles from an OXFAM volunteer, we have started this year with a total of 152 pairs, already on their way to the Fight for Sight charity. Can you help us to double this number by Easter? If so, please hand in your contributions to the Oakwood Pharmacy, Eric Allsop

Woodhouse Eaves Open Gardens 2012 Let's celebrate the Jubilee! After the huge success of last year, thanks to all those who opened their gardens (and allotments and woods!), we are looking forward to another good year again in 2012. Coincidentally, the Open Gardens event this year falls on the Jubilee weekend, so we will have the Monday and Tuesday in which to recover! We therefore plan to do our gardens up in proper ‘Blighty’ style and hope that you will join us and celebrate. Our local WI are organising a wishing tree outside the Village Hall (later to be planted in King George's playing field, with a plaque commemorating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee), for us all to send good wishes for the Jubilee and for our community. We are especially looking for people to open gardens in Paterson Drive and Rawlins Close (current blank spots for us); however, all new gardens would be very welcome, as well as those from last year! If you are interested, please ring Liz Wilson on (01509) 890 181 or 07814 788503. Alternatively, email Rochelle Foster at [email protected]

12 Roundabout March 2012 A Wren in wartime Every year, when ‘Poppy Day’ approaches and service people assemble in Whitehall, we learn something more about the exceptional experiences of ordinary people caught up in the demands of warfare. Some have only recently felt able to talk about the work they undertook and how their lives were affected; it is not unusual to find that many were women. One such is Dorothy Jones, who has Dorothy Jones in 2012 lived in our parish for over 50 years and will shortly be celebrating her 90th birthday. From Wiggeston to underwater weapons Dorothy was born in Leicester where her father ran a cabinet-making business and where she attended Wiggeston Girls’ School. There was some talk of her going to ‘finishing school’ in Switzerland but the impending war intervened and, as she wistfully puts it, ‘I remain unfinished and went instead to study domestic science and qualify in hotel and institutional management.’ After the outbreak of war, and with a brother in the marines, Dorothy was picked to join the Women’s Royal Naval Service (aka the Wrens) on the basis of her excellent school reports and soon found herself on an electrical training course in Hounslow, West London. From here she was selected for a role in the underwater weapons unit based at Roedean School, the prestigious girls’ establishment near Brighton, the premises of which had been taken over by the Navy. She recalls how sailors were amused by the notices in the former girls’ dormitories which read, ‘If you require a mistress in the night, please ring the bell.’ The training was highly technical and rigorous, and vital for the war effort in that it enabled Dorothy as a Wren women to take on predominantly shore-based work and thus released skilled and experienced men to return to active service at sea. A testing time with torpedoes Wrens assigned to the underwater weapons unit had to sign the Official Secrets Act, which I am sure is one reason behind the reluctance of Dorothy and her colleagues to give details of what they did and what could go

Roundabout March 2012 13 wrong. As well as boarding warships to check the effectiveness of ship/shore communications, they had direct experience of weapons handling. In outline terms, Dorothy’s work necessitated stripping and cleaning torpedoes and depth charges which had been returned to base unused and needed to be made safe before being re-primed for future use. Work could also involve capping (i.e. making safe) mines which were placed at key locations around our coastal waters but had broken free from their moorings. The work was carried out by leaning over from a rocking boat; one slight slip and the mine could explode. Torpedoes, however, seemed to be Dorothy’s staple fare and I noticed that in her torpedo exams she was assessed ‘exceptional’ in scoring 92 per cent – not bad by Ofsted standards! My capacity to understand naval weaponry is very limited but in the initial stages of the war it appears that torpedoes were fired by compressed air; later they were powered electrically. In order to render them safe for future use, the air had to be released; a process which was dangerous and occasionally lethal.

A World War II German torpedo, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa (courtesy of Tony Lenney)

She rose in the ranks from Leading Wren to Petty Officer and was recommended for Chief PO but at interview expressed the wish to continue with a practical hands-on role in charge of instruction, rather than move to an administrative commission. Incidentally, although they were

14 Roundabout March 2012 accommodated on land, Wrens were subject to exactly the same discipline and regulations as sailors on board ship. Dorothy recalls that one evening when she was returning to base, she stopped to offer assistance at a fire which was raging; as a result, the time limit for her evening pass expired. Her punishment was being confined to barracks for a week. Invalided out Dorothy moved from the south coast to the northeast, near South Shields, and then to Northern Ireland; first near Londonderry and later near Belfast. During this last posting she had a serious accident one evening when she was knocked off her bike. She suffered a compound fracture of the knee and was sufficiently incapacitated to be registered disabled and discharged from the Wrens in 1945. Subsequently, Dorothy returned to her career in catering management, including a period in Toronto in the 1950s where she also did evening work with the Canadian Voluntary Naval Reserve. When she returned to Britain, for many years she was in charge of catering provision and teaching at Loughborough College – on the site of what is now Loughborough University. Although many local students will have cause to be grateful for her catering courses at Loughborough, I have a feeling that Dorothy may attach more significance to the fact that she mastered the art of climbing a rope ladder (on one occasion to be greeted by a surprised commander with the words, ‘You’re a woman!’) and received a commendation from the Commander-in- Chief Western Approaches for ‘Devotion to Duty and Good Services.’ Tony Lenney

Roundabout March 2012 15 16 Roundabout March 2012 A Woodhouse Eaves village quiz As Roundabout readers will know, the Woodhouse Eaves Scout Group is busy raising funds for the group’s new scout hut because the old one needs replacing. During the autumn, 92 beavers, cubs, scouts and explorers undertook an apprentice challenge when they were each given £2 start-up money to invest in materials for their individual projects. Enterprises included selling home-made produce such as jam, ice cream, cakes, sweets, cards and little gifts, and undertaking chores such as shoe-shining and car-washing. Molly and Iwan Pavord hit on the idea of making up a Woodhouse Eaves quiz. For this they had to do some research, which took them around the village, learning something of its history and noticing local landmarks. They identified many interesting features along Main Street and Church Hill, which were used as the basis for devising 27 questions; some cryptic, some straight forward. Quiz sheets were sold around the village for 50p Working on the quiz questions each, by knocking on doors and meeting people at the Beacon Players’ pantomime. Adults and children say they have enjoyed walking around the village and observing historic features they had never noticed before, in order to work out the answers. It also gave Christmas visitors to the village a chance to explore the area, leaving the host families in peace to cook the dinner! The £5 prize, something of an inducement, was won by Matthew Woolhouse of Maplewell Road, whose correct answer sheet was the first to be drawn out of a hat. If you entered the quiz and would like to know the answers, you can find them below. With additional activities such as the Scarecrow Festival, auction of promises and a cook book, over £14,000 has been raised so far but there is still quite a way to go to meet our target! Good luck scouts! Answers to the quiz: 1. 1920s; 2. Karate classes; 3. Picardie; 4. The Cottage Surgery medical centre; 5. July 6 1877; 6. Gifted; 7. Sweeps Cottage; 8. Cars and Valuables; 9. 1846; 10. 01509 891361; 11. Badgers Cottage; 12. 1885; 13. Long Close Cottage; 14. Lion and Unicorn; 15. 8pm–8am; 16. 2000; 17. the weather vane; 18. the Newsagent; 19. Elite Hairstyles; 20. 32; 21. Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire; 22. Oakwood; 23. Dun Caning; 24. War memorial; 25. Day nursery; 26. Pear Tree; 27. Spar.

Roundabout March 2012 17 Tales of the doctors’ surgeries Parish residents, especially those in Woodhouse Eaves, are very privileged. Not only do they have their own surgery but also an attractive building with a spacious waiting room and a range of modern consulting rooms. However, it was not always like this. Hilary Selby and Sue Dryden, who were brought up in Woodhouse Eaves from babyhood, recall that although there have always been doctors practising in Woodhouse Eaves during their lifetimes, in the 1950s and 1960s surgery provision was not as patient- friendly as it is now. A different meaning to ‘home visits’ Dr Tuckett, after whom Tuckett Road is named, practised from his own home at 57 Main Street but after his death in 1950, Woodhouse Eaves relied on two visiting doctors, one from Mountsorrel (Dr Walton) and the other from Quorn (Dr Wykes). As they had no building of their own, they set up surgery in the front rooms of whoever was willing to house them. Whether it was because of the poor financial return, or the inconvenience of having patients constantly traipsing through their living rooms, the hospitality of home-owners was usually short-lived. One of the first surgeries was in a large house to the left of The Cottage Surgery, on land now occupied by the three houses opposite the village hall. The doctors also rented a room in ‘Wayside’, the cottage on Main Street from which Mr Toone ran his stonemason's business. At this time there was no pharmacy in Woodhouse Eaves and so warm-hearted resident Emily Taylor, who was the Barkus bus conductress, would collect up the villagers’ prescriptions after morning surgery and take them into Loughborough, bringing them back on the afternoon bus.

18 Roundabout March 2012 From Main Street to Maplewell Road Possibly the first surgery in Maplewell Road was held at the Tansleys, a Victorian house at no.17. Hilary remembers having to tug on an old-fashioned, curly bell-pull to gain admittance to a black-and-white tiled hall which was furnished with two benches. When the benches were full, patients sat on the stairs. However, according to Sue it was worse if you didn't No.17 Maplewell Road notice that you were the last one on the end of the bench when the patient before you stood up. The bench would tip up, depositing you in undignified fashion onto the floor. The surgery itself was singularly uninviting; very bleak, with bottles and potions on shelves lining the room. For a short while in the 1950s the surgery was located away from the village centre at 15 Beacon Road, where the previously mentioned benches reappeared in the narrow hallway. Moving on, the surgery down-sized and down-classed as the doctors moved to one of a small row of cottages situated between Le Fevre's and The Pear Tree, later demolished to provide a beer-garden for the pub. It was here, in 1965, that Sue came with stomach pains on her way home from work and was rushed to hospital with appendicitis. The surgery then moved on to Hunts Row. This was a row of cottages at the side of The Drive (formerly known as ‘Post Office Drive’); part of the site is now occupied by the new houses to the right of the post office. These little cottages, with latch-doors that wouldn't close properly and with six-inch gaps at Hunts Row pre-demolition (courtesy of the bottom, ensured that there were few Brian Axon) secrets between doctor and patient that weren't broadcast to those in the waiting area. Hilary and Sue remember that most of the village gossip about ailments was gleaned from listening at the waiting room door. Pikelets and a pianola In the 1970s, a move to ‘Bali Hai’, the Smith's house at 20 Maplewell Road (now called ‘Church View’), represented a step up again and provided some interesting entertainment. The 'hostess', Maisie Smith, would often toast

Roundabout March 2012 19 20 Roundabout March 2012 pikelets (crumpets) in front of the waiting-room fire. If she was in the mood and deemed a patient worthy, that person would be offered one. There was also a pianola (self-playing piano) in the waiting room and occasionally she would put a roll on the drum to play for the patients’ entertainment until the doctor arrived. It was in the late 1950s that Mr Preston moved his pharmacy and shop from Loughborough to the one- time bake house and then hardware shop, on the ‘Church View’, corner of Main Street and Meadow Road (then known formerly ‘Bali Hai’ as ‘Bakehouse Lane’). The village now had its own pharmacy again. In the late 1970s a surgery was purpose-built by Mr Preston behind what is now the Oakwood Pharmacy. It was accessed from the too-cosy-to-be-comfortable waiting room at the rear of the shop by crossing a narrow passageway. Patients were given numbered tickets and then waited to be called by a bell. Although a vast improvement on what had gone before, it was still far from offering the facilities enjoyed by patients in Woodhouse Parish today. Evelyn Brown, Sue Dryden and Hilary Selby

Roundabout March 2012 21 The Diamond Jubilee draws closer The 2nd June 2012 is the day the nation has been waiting for; the Diamond Jubilee (60 years) for Queen Elizabeth II and an opportunity to celebrate, and remember the changes that have taken place since her accession in February 1952. This is only the second time in our history that this has occurred (the previous Diamond Jubilee was that of Queen Victoria, 115 years ago); so how did villagers in Woodhouse Eaves celebrate the occasion in 1897? On 22nd June, for more than 12 hours they took part in a hectic programme organised by the local sports committee and the school headmaster, Mr Jesse Gibson. Singing and dancing while the band played on At 10.00am the Union Flag was hoisted by Mr Gibson, while the village band met at the infants’ school on Main Street where they played until noon. At 2.00pm the Royal Standard was hoisted by Mr William Buckley, the oldest inhabitant of Woodhouse Eaves, aged 93, while the band played again and the school children sang the national anthem. From 2.30–3.30pm there was dancing in Mr Lester’s field, behind the former Fountain Café on Beacon Road, and then tea was served in two of the village coffee houses. At 5.15pm the band led a parade from the new coffee house (presumably the one in the village hall – see the December 2011/January 2012 Roundabout) to Hanging Stone Rocks on the south side of Beacon Road, where a large sports competition took place, together with further dancing and other amusements. Races and prizes There were events galore; flat races, egg and spoon, and bottle races for children under 16 years of age. Prizes were generous for those placed in the first five; toys and games for the younger ones but more practical prizes, such as workboxes, inkstands, an alarm clock, a desk, and a watch chain, for the older children. For the adults, there was a sack race, a ‘3-leg race’, a jockey race, and other races, including a ‘slow bicycle race’, in which the last competitor home was the winner and was given a clock as the prize. The sports finished with a ten-a-side tug-of-war, married versus single men, with a cash prize of 10 shillings to share among the winning team. This was 50 pence in today’s currency, which doesn’t sound much but in 1897 just three shillings and sixpence (17½ pence) was enough to provide a nutritionally balanced diet for an adult for a week. The day’s celebrations ended with a huge bonfire and a grand display of fireworks on Beacon Hill.

22 Roundabout March 2012 Roundabout March 2012 23 As a permanent memorial of the occasion, a flagpole was erected on a base on the rocks above the war memorial. Although the flagpole is now a modern one, made of aluminium, the original base is still there with the inscription ‘VICTORIA R.I. 1897’. Flags are still hoisted on special occasions and most certainly will be on 2nd June 2012. The base for the flagpole above the war memorial Brian Axon

Look behind you! The long awaited village ‘panto’ Organising pantomimes is no mean feat because it involves child performers. Strict rules apply to their care so the Beacon Players don’t offer pantomimes too often. For The Wizard of Oz, they also had to manage animals – at least, one animal. Auditions were held for the part of Dorothy’s dog, Toto; some dogs were bitterly disappointed and had to put costumes away for another year. One (Amanda Hubbard’s ‘Emily’) was successful, and what a star she was, despite forgetting her lines and sometimes her entrances! Watch out for Emily at the Golden Globes. Happily, Lucy Brennan, who played the speaking Toto, was word and entry perfect. A marathon effort This year’s spectacular in late January, from a truly wonderful bunch of local people, was directed by the fantastic Jane Futcher (herself a WI calendar girl and current President of the Woodhouse Eaves WI) and played to full houses at four performances in three days (480 seats). In addition, there were more than 50 people at the two dress rehearsals, which were held in the same week. How those involved managed this was a huge tribute to their enthusiasm and friendship. With a cast of 34 and a backroom team of Keith Hague as Aunty Em, the about the same number, the total pantomime dame involved in the pantomime was over 60; then there were the scouts, who made and served refreshments at each performance.

24 Roundabout March 2012 Following the yellow-brick road The Wizard of Oz tells the story of Dorothy’s search for Toto, her dog, who goes missing. Along the way, her friends – the scarecrow, the tin man and the cowardly lion – join in. They follow a yellow-brick road to the Emerald City and search for the Wizard, hoping he can give the scarecrow a brain, the tin man a heart and the lion some courage. A wicked witch (the perfect villain, with Lion (Mick Swinfield), Toto (Lucy a cackle to be feared!) tries to thwart Brennan), Tin Man (Rebecca Konopka), Dorothy (Alicia Hand), them but a good witch helps out. When Scarecrow (Rosemary Foley) Dorothy and her friends find Toto and meet the wizard, he tells the three pals that they already have brain, heart and courage and so all ends well. Praise for all There were too many performers and helpers to name here or to single out outstanding performers – they were all delightful and audiences loved them. But special mention can be made of the young singers and dancers, whose routines were faultless and who showed not an atom of tiredness after so many late nights and hard work. It was also lovely to welcome newcomers to the Beacon Players; the group is most fortunate to have their talent. Special mention must also go to musical director, Sally Hardwick; choreographer/performer Lucy Brennan; pianist Wendy Miller; Richard Mollart’s sound and light crew; the Helen Middleton/Gillian Blatherwick costume-making team; the adults who spent their evenings off stage in the village hall annexe as child minders, and John Bindley’s set and stage- Munchkins, chickens and young Joe management team. The colourful and Bumpkin creative stage scenery and set added to the fun of each performance. The cast and crew paid a fitting tribute to director Jane Futcher on the last night, a director whose own performances at the back of the audience were a joy to behold.

Roundabout March 2012 25 26 Roundabout March 2012 The Beacon Players have been performing for us for 20 years and welcome helpers of any kind. There are lots of tasks to be done, both before and during performances. If you would like to volunteer, contact the current Chair of the Beacon Players, David Frost, on 0771 151 2513. Ann Irving (photos courtesy of Jane Futcher)

Access to paths and the countryside: notes from your heritage wardens The popularity of walking in the Charnwood countryside is evident from the number of rights of way and people using them, as well as the increasingly popular Woodhouse May Day Challenge, which attracts several hundred runners and walkers each spring. In Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves there are many non-vehicular rights of way, weaving through the countryside and around the houses. It is interesting to see how public access to the countryside is designated and how it has developed over the centuries. Public rights of way Footpaths, byways and bridle paths are designated as public rights of way. They are clearly marked on Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer series maps, and on the ground by coloured way marks along the route; yellow for footpaths, blue for bridleways and red for byways. Footpaths may only be used by walkers; bridle paths may be used by any non-motorised transport, including horses and cyclists, as well as pedestrians. Byways are open to all traffic. Highways authorities hold definitive maps of rights of way and are legally required to erect a signpost at every point where a footpath, bridleway or byway leaves a metalled road. The Leicestershire Round, the 100-mile circular walk around our county, was devised by the Leicestershire Footpaths Association to mark their centenary in 1987. It is way marked by yellow arrows, with a central ring of smaller arrows printed in the middle. Coming southwest from , the Leicestershire Round crosses Maplewell Road in Woodhouse Eaves and then heads north via Broombriggs and Beacon Hill. A new 70-mile- long path, the National Forest Way, is due to open in A Leicestershire 2014 and will link in the east with Round way mark Needwood Forest, Staffordshire, in the west.

Roundabout March 2012 27 Permissive paths Permissive rights of way through private land are paths where the landowner has given permission for access, e.g. the permissive trail from Deans Lane to the Outwoods. The trails on country parks and Leicestershire County Council land are also permissive, as is the wider free access to the landscape through which they pass. Permissive paths are accessed normally at the discretion of the land owner and can be closed at any time The Leicestershire Round through Broombriggs because the landowner is not duty bound to keep them open and available for use. However, in some cases the landowner and the parish, district or county council may make a permissive agreement for a set period of time. We are fortunate to have the Beacon Hill Country Park, Windmill Hill and Broombriggs Farm, where people are allowed access to open countryside.

28 Roundabout March 2012 Old village footpaths Within Woodhouse Eaves there are several old footpaths which can be used as shortcuts. Church Walk (known to some people as the ‘donkey slip’) leads from Church Hill to the top of Victoria Road; the actual donkey slip is sign posted between the Stone Hole and the day nursery at the bottom of Church Hill; it cuts steeply upwards to join Church Walk. There is also a short cut between Bird Hill Road and The top of the donkey slip The Curzon on Maplewell Road. An ancient path links the two parish villages, starting in King George V playing fields in Woodhouse Eaves and emerging in School Lane in Woodhouse. This path is marked on the 1808 Charnwood Enclosure map. The protection of footpaths Protection of footpaths and the origin of ramblers’ groups can be traced back to the early nineteenth century when, increasingly, people living in industrial cities were enticed to seek recreation in the fresh air and open spaces of the countryside. Several groups started campaigning for greater rights to use common land and to protect ancient rights of way. These included the wonderful-sounding Sunday Tramps, formed in 1879 near London. Due to disagreement between ramblers and landowners over access to the Derbyshire grouse moors, a mass trespass on Kinder Scout in 1932 led to the arrest and imprisonment of several ramblers. The Ramblers’ Association was formed, officially, shortly afterwards in 1935, although the Association did not agree with the protest. Continued pressure finally saw legislation opening up access to certain areas of open countryside and the ‘Right to Roam’ in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (the CRoW Act). The nearest access land under CRoW legislation is Charnwood Lodge and Timberwood Hill near Whitwick. Maps of access land can be found at http://magic.defra.gov.uk/ Today the Leicestershire Local Access Forum, set up under the CRoW Act, represents the interests of everyone concerned with public rights of way (footpaths, bridleways and byways) and access to the countryside in Leicestershire. This includes walkers, horse riders, cyclists, land owners

Roundabout March 2012 29 and public transport providers, among others. Regulation of use of the countryside is administered by Natural : www.naturalengland.org.uk/ Following the Countryside Code The Countryside Code sets out the responsibilities of both land managers and people using the countryside. There are five main responsibilities for the public: • Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs • Leave gates and property as you find them • Protect plants and animals and take your litter home • Keep dogs under close control • Consider other people The history and heritage of countryside access ensures that our parishes are wonderful areas for walkers, riders and cyclists to enjoy. Kate Moore and Cathy Schou, Heritage Wardens

30 Roundabout March 2012 Garden matters for March 1. March is the month to work on herbaceous borders. Make sure weeds are removed before working on the soil. It is also a good time to plant new perennials so that they will have time to establish themselves before they flower. 2. If the weather is very cold and frosty, put off cutting back roses until early next month. If the roses are starting to grow and the shoots are 2.5cm (one inch) long, they must be pruned back to save energy. 3. If you are growing summer bedding plants, clean boxes after last year’s plants and buy in new compost ready for the ‘off’. If you are not setting seed, buy in the bedding plants and set them out in boxes or pots. 4. It is also time to get ready in the vegetable garden. Make sure the ground is clear of old crops and weeds and add compost or a general fertilizer, e.g. chicken manure or ‘Growmore’. Do not set if the ground is cold and wet as the seeds will only rot. 5. March is a good month to set a new bed of rhubarb. The plants like really rich soil so dig a hole and fill it with rotted garden compost. Set the crowns level with the surface of the surrounding soil and top with compost. 6. If the ground is not too frozen, this is also a good month to set new fruit trees, and currant and gooseberry bushes. Do not set them too close together. Remember how large they will be in five years’ time. Finish them off with some ‘Growmore’ – spread it over the area and overlay it with compost to keep the ground damp. The Garden Club meets monthly from September to June. See ‘What’s on’ and p.18 for details of the next meeting. Neil Roberts

Roundabout March 2012 31 Local History Group A most enjoyable talk was given to Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves Local History Group on Monday, 13th February by Alan Tyler, Chairman of the National Trust Leicester Association. His well-illustrated talk was about the history and development of Calke Abbey. The early history The site of Calke Abbey, near Ticknall in Derbyshire, was an Augustinian priory from the 12th century until its dissolution by Henry VIII. The present building, named Calke Abbey in 1808, was never actually an abbey but is a Baroque mansion built between 1701 and 1704 by the 4th baronet, Sir John Harpur.

Calke Abbey (source: www.historicalromanceuk.blogspot.com)

The estate was bought by the Harpur family in 1622 and they also purchased a baronetcy. Later baronets were noted for their reclusive eccentricity. A memorable example of the idiosyncratic nature of the family is the star exhibit of a stunning state bed given to the family as a royal wedding present in 1714 and never erected! Complete with Chinese embroidered silk hangings, the bed can now be seen in an air-conditioned display; it is ‘as new’ and meticulously preserved. An ardent collector of specimens The 10th baronet, Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe, was devoted to his collection of natural history specimens, spending substantial amounts of money on them. At the time of his death in 1924, his collection numbered several thousand and had invaded every floor of the house. His daughter Hilda Mosely sold some of his collection of birds, butterflies and fishes to pay death duties. When she died in 1949 she was succeeded by her nephew, Charles Harpur-Crewe. His sudden death in 1981 led to crippling death duties of £8m on an estate worth £14m and so the estate was handed over to the National Trust by his brother Henry in 1985.

32 Roundabout March 2012 Preserved by the National trust Set in the middle of a landscape park, the National Trust has preserved Calke Abbey as an illustration of an English country house in decline. A massive amount of remedial work, but no restoration, has been done and the interiors are almost as they were found in 1985. The decay of the buildings and interiors has been halted but not reversed. Before the National Trust work of the late 1980s, everything had remained untouched for 100 years.

A short walk from the house is the estate church which has, perhaps due to Calke’s monastic origins, an unusual status as a ‘peculiar’, outside the normal diocesan The Old Man of Calke, a 1000-year-old oak organisation. The original church tree was built in the late 16th century and re-cased in Gothic style by Sir George Harpur in 1827–1829. For details of our next meeting, see ‘What’s on’. Stuart Tyler

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Roundabout March 2012 33 The last word Gardening tip ’Ello, ’ello, goodbye! The gardening tip in the photo below can be found nailed to a According to Yahoo! News online trellis in a front garden in on 8th February, a probationary Woodhouse Eaves. Do you know police officer from Sussex, where? If not, see the bottom of working undercover in plain the page. (We apologise to clothes, chased himself for nearly readers for the sexist overtones!) 20 minutes while on the lookout for someone ‘acting suspiciously’, having been alerted by a CCTV operator about a nearby suspect. The operator eventually realised that every time the ‘suspect’ darted into a new alleyway, the policeman had simultaneously Horse home-comforts done likewise but was reporting no An animal lover has enraged her sign of his quarry. neighbours on the Hebridean island of Lewis by moving her Groans of the month horse into her semi-detached Two hats were hanging on a hat house. After a dispute left [the rack in the hallway. One hat said horse] without a field, Stephanie to the other, ‘You stay here; I’ll go Noble converted her living room on a head.’ into a stable – she is using an upturned chair for a manger and And for the literati… has covered the floor with 60 litres A backward poet writes inverse. of cat litter, and rubber mats…she What’s your excuse? leaves the front door open giving the horse access to her small The i newspaper of 17th January garden. – The Week, 21st January reported a US poll which had 2012. surveyed employers and employees about why they were Who’s the dummy buying this? late for work. Among the most An American firm is marketing a inventive were: 14-carat, white gold, diamond- • My leg was trapped between the encrusted, baby’s dummy, selling train and the platform. for $17,000. It was reportedly [Apparently this was true.] designed for Angelina Jolie and • A fox stole my car keys. Brad Pitt’s daughter, Shiloh. – The Week, 7th January 2012. • My cat had the hiccups.

34 Roundabout March 2012 Contributions to Roundabout We publish items of interest to the communities of Woodhouse and Woodhouse Eaves, such as news of local events, groups and businesses in accordance with the editorial policy (see inside front cover). We can write up people’s stories for those who prefer to talk, rather than write. We do not publish notices of births, deaths or marriages. Most articles are under 800 words and we think they should be! Format: electronic copy in ‘Word’, using ‘Arial’ font, is most useful, although we accept hand-written items that are legible. Pictures are welcome; digital if you have them, otherwise prints. What’s on: brief notification of events in the ‘What’s on’ schedule is free. Send event details to Roundabout at the addresses below. Note that we normally include only ‘in parish’ events, may abbreviate the details and are not obliged to include all items submitted. Adverts: requests for further publicity, even for charities, incur a charge per issue of £8.50 for a quarter page or £17.00 for a half page. Full-page advertisements are not normally accepted. Contact the advertising managers, Amanda and Andrew Garland, on (01509) 890 839 or via the methods listed at the bottom of the page. Copy deadline: please see the bottom of page 3. Send any material for Roundabout by: Email: [email protected] Hand or post: Roundabout, Woodhouse Eaves Post Office, 45 Maplewell Road, Woodhouse Eaves, LE12 8RG .

Roundabout March 2012 35 What’s on in March

March Sat 3rd 7.00 Loughborough Choir, ‘Viva la musica’, St Paul’s unaccompanied choral music. Tickets Church, £5 from PO, church or on the door. Mon 5th 7.00 Parish council meeting. All welcome. Village Hall Sat 10th 1.00 Maplewell Hall School rummage sale. Village Hall, Rummage to village hall at 11.00am. adults 50p Sun 11th 10.00– Conservation volunteer day, habitat Beacon Hill 3.00 conservation tasks. Tel. 0116 305 5000 Country Park, for details. free Mon 12th 7.30 Local History Group, (revised title) Methodist ‘Loughborough Carillon’, Mel Gould. Church Wed 14th 7.30 Leics. & Rutland Wildlife Trust, Group Village Hall, AGM followed by ‘Hares’, Derek non-members Crawley. £2 Thu 15th 7.30 W’houses Garden Club, ‘Restoration Village Hall, of garden & growing cut flowers’, non-members Esther McMillain. See advert p.18. £3 Sat 17th 10.30– Table-top sale in Woodhouse. To book Community 3.30 a table, see advert p.26. Hall, adults £1 Sun 18th 10.00– Conservation volunteer day (as 11th As 11th March, 3.00 March, above). above Wed 21st 7.30 WI, ‘Nigel’s bittersweet chocolate’, Village Hall Nigel Holling. Comp: A ‘fab’ chocolate recipe. Sat 24th 7.30 ‘Musical Arson’ (see advert p.26 for Village Hall, £8 details). Sun 25th 10.00– History Fair. Local history stalls, talks Beaumanor 4.00 (incl. W/E LH Gp); children’s activities. Hall, £3 www.le.ac.uk/lahs/HISTORYFAIR.html Tue 27th 7.30 Film show, The Help (tbc). Inc. Village Hall, £4 refreshments. April Mon 2nd 7.00 Parish council meeting. All welcome. Village Hall

Check for more local event details on these web sites: www.woodhouse-eaves.co.uk/diary/ www.leicestershirevillages.com/woodhouseeaves/local-events.html