NEWSLETTER No. 48 July 2021 Protecting Wadhurst’S History for Future Generations
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WADHURST HISTORY SOCIETY NEWSLETTER No. 48 July 2021 Protecting Wadhurst’s history for future generations. As Covid restrictions have not entirely left us, it is beginning to seem that nothing is ever going to change, or, if it does, it may never go back to where it was before. This old photograph looking up the High Street proves that latter point. When you study it, look at the trees on the left : this is where the forecourt of the Commemoration Hall now welcomes us; pavement on only one side but what other features can you still recognise though not perhaps exactly as they are today? As we often find in the Centre, it can be so interesting, to spend time perusing pictures and documents and seeing what is visible even now. This image shows a Wadhurst which looks very peaceful and tranquil and no two ladies today would dare to stand where these two are! What a striking contrast to the High Street of today! As a result of having time to look around properly during lockdown, this bright idea might appeal to you as a means of making sure we know what used to be there and how it has altered. Herewith an appeal to you. When you notice/learn that a shop is about to change ownership, that a development is being planned, that a house or fields are going to disappear, please could you take some photographs BEFORE any changes are made and then take more DURING and AFTER the project (ideally taken from the same spot) so that we are able to have a verifiable record of Wadhurst and its environs as it was and as it becomes. It will be valuable to future generations if you could give us annotated copies identifying the location to catalogue for the archives. Thank you. www. wadhursthistorysociety.org 475 The Trustees – Charity No. 1113106 An Update on the Chairman Heather Woodward Chequers Secretary Stone Cross Road Wadhurst History Society 01892 783212 Wadhurst TN5 6LR Treasurer / Ian Adam-Smith Trewyck Over the last few months, a number of our members Webmaster Woods Green have been facing serious health issues and we do wish 01892 782835 Wadhurst TN5 6QS them well as they begin to recover from major surgery Neil Cumming Dumelm 8 Bocking Close and long-term problems. This includes members of the Wadhurst TN5 6HZ Committee and so the urgency of the appeal I made in the John Phipson Olives Manor last Newsletter is now even more acute. Churchsettle 01892 782244 Wadhurst TN5 6NQ Please will you help? Rachel Ring Chestnuts Stone Cross Road • We do need a new Talks Secretary. The Talks 01892 783455 Wadhurst TN5 6LR programme could be shared by two people and the Secretary/ Secretaries would not have to be on The Management Committee the Committee if they did not wish to be. BUT we Chairman Heather Woodward and Newsletter Editor do need your help, please. Contact me to find out Treasurer Ian Adam-Smith and Webmaster more (01892 783212). This really is urgent and we are all fully aware of how much the Society thrives Secretary Peta Hodges 41 St James’s Road Tunbridge Wells on the success of this aspect of our programme. 01892 536354 TN1 2JY Anthony Cosham has kindly undertaken to deal Centre Rachel Ring with the administration of the talks from September Manager to December 2021, and the programme for 2022 is Talks already planned so just needs administrating. The Secretary new organiser(s) would therefore be planning the Committee Anthony Cosham 6 Lavender Hill programme for 2023 as from September/October this Members 01732 669297 Tonbridge TN9 2AT year. Arthur Dewar 8 The Leas 01892 783935 Wadhurst TN5 6ES • Following that, I hope you have now all paid your = a not particularly subtle hint! Joan Grace 10 Woods Green subscriptions! 01892 783721 Wadhurst TN5 6QN • Members of the Committee have been “revitalising www. wadhursthistorysociety.org the Centre”, something which we have not been able to do since October 2011 when we first opened the premises. Since then, we have acquired thousands of documents etc, plenty of furniture for working and You will realise from previous correspondence storage, many artefacts and much equipment. One that work continues in the Society and we are positive outcome of lockdown now that restrictions really looking forward, we hope, to seeing you have begun to lift, is that we have started a massive all again on Thursday 16th September in the “Spring” clean, polishing and tidying project, plus Commemoration Hall when a major checking and re-organisation of filing and storage so that, once we do eventually re-open to the public, it will be as welcoming as ever but a lot Helen Poole tidier and efficient. Two or three at a time have been working on it, being very careful about masks and/ will be talking on or distancing etc. The Centre is now a very useful and accessible resource which will give future Charles II and generations a wide-ranging insight into Wadhurst, its the Civil War surroundings and its world. in Sussex -o-o-o-o-o-o- ********* Following the publishing of Covid-related accounts IMPORTANT in previous Newsletters, here is a completely different viewpoint from Ian Adam-Smith. Please let me know if you intend to come to this meeting -o-o-o-o-o-o- (01892 783212) or by e-mail. This will ensure we know how many seats to arrange appropriately, if necessary. 476 Covid-19 and the Weather for much of the month until the 29th when it turned much warmer, with 33°C recorded locally and 37.8°C at Heathrow, almost a July record. Nationally rainfall was The origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain unclear, but in February 2020 most of us viewed the scenes aboard the Diamond Princess, quarantined in Yokohama Port, with horror as hundreds of passengers and crew succumbed to a mysterious disease. Its ineluctable spread across Europe above average but again this was not the case in Wadhurst soon forced Britain into lockdown and on 23rd March where only 42mm fell. 2020, freedoms taken for granted for generations were The holiday month of August started showery but turned removed at a stroke. Now people were only permitted hot between the 6th and 13th creating a balmy period of to venture outside their homes to purchase essentials beach days, country walks and al fresco dining. It was and for a short daily period of exercise. Suddenly, the particularly hot in the southeast where the temperatures weather became an important issue. Early March had locally reached 35°C. Unfortunately, the hot weather was been unremarkable but by the 22nd the southeast was dry followed by an unsettled spell and then between the 20th and sunny a pattern that would continue through April and the 25th Storm Ellen was followed by Storm Francis until heavy showers developed during the 28th and 29th. bringing heavy rain and unseasonal strong winds. Except By the 30th the sun was back and for those lucky enough for the southeast rainfall was generally well above to live in the countryside or close to a park, long daily average but in Wadhurst, at 73mm, it was just 10% above walks in the sunshine were quickly becoming a popular the norm. family routine providing a welcome break from home schooling and the ubiquitous laptop. September, in the south, was generally a benign month. High pressure brought a hot spell between the 13th and Throughout May the Northern Polar Jetstream, a relatively 21st and it was only towards the end of the month that any narrow body of fast-moving air, normally located high significant rain fell. The monthly figure was little more in the atmosphere at or close to the tropopause, lay well than half the average while hours of sunshine were almost to the north of Britain. Moving around the world in an 20% above normal. easterly direction at speeds of up to 250 MPH it marks the boundary between cold Polar air and the warmer October proved to be quite different and, more often than mid latitude air mass. With high pressure dominating, its not, the family walk would now be in the rain and buffeted position during the month allowed the country to enjoy an by strong winds. Was more time inside beginning to unusually long period of stable, sunny and dry weather. contribute to the rapid increase in the national Covid-19 Surprisingly, the May average temperature was only infection rate? By the 15th it had climbed from a daily slightly above normal, but the amount of sunshine was low of 550 in early July to 19,724 and a 7-day average exceptional and with 266 hours it became the sunniest of 15,767. Nationally the month was the fifth wettest and month ever recorded in Britain. Even more impressive dullest since 1919, Wadhurst recording 245mm of rain. were the figures for the spring, with an average of 696 hours being logged in England beating the previous 1948 By November 1st infections had risen to over 22,500 record by a staggering 101.2 hours. In England it was per day forcing the country into a second lockdown also the driest May on record. Did the complete lack of on 6th November. Fortunately, the weather was vapour trails play a part in this? In June, the weather became unsettled, and parts of the country experienced above average rainfall. Largely cool and dry conditions prevailed in Wadhurst until the 23rd when it became very warm reaching 30°C on the 25th.