u3a Tewkesbury and District

TUTA News No. 159

November December 2020 January 2021

Meetings and Speakers Zoom Meetings and AGM Currently via Zoom Members will be sent an email 9th November, the week before the proposed Paul Robbins ‘Great British Eccentrics’ Zoom meetings. This will contain the time and date of the meeting plus the 14th December, AGM link to be clicked on. Members may have to join the meeting Steve Rowley, ‘The History of with a password which is also Mumming Plays in ’ sent with the link. (after AGM) The AGM booklet will be posted/uploaded to the website/ emailed with this edition of Please look at the U3A website for TUTA news. up-to-date information on monthly meetings and speakers. In addition members will receive a companion booklet The committee will endeavour to keep in which outlines how to vote by touch via email. post. It includes forms that can be cut out or downloaded. If you do not have email please phone the committee or your group leader with If you can, please join the queries. TUTA News will be posted to AGM by Zoom and vote at you. the meeting. The meeting has to be quorate.

Front cover photo taken at Westonbirt Arboretum

Our monthly meetings are now free. (£1.00 charge for non-members) They are held on the second Monday of each month, at the Baptist Chapel, Station Road, Tewkesbury. Tea and coffee, also free, available from 10am for a meeting start of 10.30 Currently online

Further information about talks can be found on the TU3A website. 2 Contents Page 3 Contents Page 4 Notes from the Chair Page 5 From the Editor Page 6 TUTA News Editor Vacancy Page 7 Insurance, Membership Secretary Page 8 September Zoom Meeting Page 9 Third Age Trust AGM Page 10, 11 Everest the Easy Way Page 12, 13 I Can’t Stay Long Page 14 I think, I think, I smell a stink…. Page 15 u3a radio Page 16, 17 Groups List Page 18, 19 Lockdown Lookdown Page 20,21,22 Treasure Discovered During Lockdown Page 23 Keep Smiling Page 24 Discovering Britain Page 25 White Leaved Oak revisited Page 26 27 Family History Page 28 29 Anne Trott Page 30, 31 Walking group Page 32 The Committee

Deadline for contributions to the next magazine - 7th January

3 Notes from the Chair

As I write, my daughter, who lives in Lancashire, has been put in a new ‘lockdown’, so her visit to Tewkesbury has had to be cancelled! Life is currently very unpredictable on many levels, lots of us are struggling to get back to a ‘bit of normal’, which is somewhat different from the old reality. So, I am really grateful to all Group Leaders, who are working hard to keep up some form of contact with members, putting in place all necessary measures to reopen groups, where possible. Members of your committee also deserve gratitude from us all, everyone has learned about new technology (well new to most of us!) and the attendance at our first Zoom Monthly Meeting was amazing with at least 60 members on computers, tablets and smart phones. Please support our Zoom AGM on 14th December. Given all this activity, I was surprised on two recent occasions, to have the Tewkesbury u3a described as ‘apathetic’ in relation to committee membership! So surprised that I checked its meaning; Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm or concern I am very sure that the majority of u3a members are not indifferent to the fate of the committee. However, in 2021, there will be a new Treasurer, new Membership Secretary, no Chairman or Vice Chair and at least two other committee members would be useful to the committee. As quite a few members can state, this situation is not for the want of trying! I do hope that members will realise the importance of the committee in the functioning of our u3a. On a personal note, I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement over the last five years. Fran Valentine

4 From the Editor

I want to thank all contributors to this edition for taking the time to write and send in articles. I think we have an interesting read and hope you enjoy it. I shall be editing the next edition in January for publishing in February and would love to have some uplifting items for the new year so please get creative over, what may be, a relatively quiet Christmas. As we approach the end of the year it is startling to look back at how our lives have changed. I commented to one of my children that it would be nice to wipe out 2020, but he pointed out that I am to be a grandmother in 2021 and that would not have been possible if we lost the year. In fact many good things have happened and we should all look towards a better future for ourselves, our family and friends. I am heartened to see that a few groups within Tewkesbury u3a are meeting and others stay in touch. It is also great to see that the committee are meeting regularly via Zoom and are planning for the future with a re-launch at the appropriate time. The committee, and all members, are grateful to Ian Barber for his offer to take over as Chair. He will require a Vice Chair to take over when he is unavailable so PLEASE offer to help him out. We are also looking for someone to become our Group Liason Committee Member, an interesting but not onerous role. I am planning to leave the committee, and the role of Editor in March next year but I will be very happy to help my replacement settle in. This year the committee will be losing three very valuable members, namely our Chair, Fran Valentine, Treasurer, Terry Clynes and Membership Secretary Calvyn Price. They have all worked hard to update Tewkesbury u3a and have supported its development. They have made real progress and have all managed to retain their sense of humour through difficult times. The committee will miss them. If you are interested in local walks please read the Walking Group article as it explains how to obtain a copy of a booklet produced by the members. Mary Mulrenan

5 TUTA News Editor -Vacancy from March 2021 After more than four years involvement in editing the TUTA News I feel the time is right to hand on the reins to someone new. The newsletter is produced 4 times a year, in February, May, August and November and involves approximately 2 weeks work each time. For ease of communication the Editor is expected to sit on the u3a committee which meets every two months. I produce it using Microsoft Publisher software, but other software could be used. Submission of contributions is by email and the completed newsletter is sent to a local printer, also by email. The local printer takes responsibility for posting the newsletter to members. A laptop is provided by the u3a. It is preloaded with the necessary software and an email address.

This job would lend itself to job sharing. It requires good organisation and attention to detail. A job description is available on the u3a website and I am more than willing to discuss the role with anyone who may be interested. I did not have prior experience of editing so a willingness to learn and competent computer skills are all that is needed. For further information email [email protected] Mary Mulrenan

6 Insurance

A few months ago I wrote an article about the insurance cover provided by the u3a for its members. The committee would like to stress that this insurance would only be effective whilst members are taking part in group activities which are officially sanctioned by the u3a. During the COVID restrictions, therefore, any members who engage in group activities outside of the u3a COVID guidelines may find that they do not have insurance cover. This applies in particular to the hire of premises where Public Liability insurance may be required. If in doubt, please consult your usual Group Leader or the Groups Liaison Officer. Terry Clynes Treasurer

Now it’s October I will be planning to put up a marquee in my garden with flashing lights and funky music. Will this be the winter of my disco tent? In the meantime ..... With the continuing situation the committee feel the best course of action is to extend everyone's membership until end of March 2021, at which point we will review the situation again. You will continue to receive our newsletter and any other communications. If, however, you do not wish to be contacted by us and let your membership lapse then please email me at [email protected] To get the latest news from us and notifications of Zoom meetings etc. it is important we have a current email address for you. If you are not getting our occasional emails from us (and who wouldn’t want to) then after checking your junk folders please drop an email to me at [email protected] and I will check and amend our records if needed. Stay well & stay safe Calvyn Membership Secretary

7 ‘Our own Bill Shakespeare, Bathurst and the Band of Tewkesbury Boat Builders ’. A neglected history. This talk launched the first of our new monthly u3a meetings. It was given by John Dixon for members to see on Zoom, on Monday 14th September.

“ Tewkesbury should be proud of this photograph (albeit taken in Evesham) of the fleet built by Bathurst in Tewkesbury. He was our first industrialised boat-builder and the standards he set were passed on to apprentices like Durrant and Vickeridge (who both worked in their spare time for the youth of Tewkesbury). The firm was taken over by Robinsons in WW11 and it built 14 yacht designed naval boats, one of which fought the Japanese in the Pacific. Bill Shakespeare was another apprentice from the war years, who adapted to the time and started building his boats using glass fibre. This 'Tewkesbury Stinger’ set water speed records of 113 mph in 1969 but his further quest for excellence caused his tragic death in 1971. The photo below was taken five minutes before, on Windermere, where he was attempting to break his record. It really is time that Tewkesbury put up a tourist plaque to commemorate our boat building heritage”. A summary of John Dixon’s presentation.

8 Carefully prepared by our Tewkesbury u3a Speaker Secretary Gillian Griffiths this first successful Zoom broadcast enabled u3a members to receive this inaugural meeting in their homes. There were about 52 participants joining the experience on screen, representing more than 70 members, an excellent first time response. For this launch we were indeed fortunate that one of our members, John Dixon, was able to use his considerable local knowledge of the Tewkesbury boat builders. John is Life President of the Tewkesbury History Society and is known in his email address as 'John History’. It was a presentation we all enjoyed and was Tewkesbury’s history brought to life. It couldn’t have been bettered on this memorable occasion, I think u3a members will say well done to John & Gillian for this enjoyable taste of things to come. Graham Mealand

Third Age Trust AGM

The AGM was held via Zoom on September 29th. A recording of the event is still available on YouTube . A new logo was launched at the meeting and we now have an online ‘u3a brand centre’. It includes a range of different logos and colours, along with new merchandise. This is the reason, throughout the publication, I have been using u3a instead of the old U3A. Also u3a has now to come before our district name. I remain sceptical about the use of brand and marketing advisors. Ed.

9 Everest, The Easy Way

Unusual times require a different approach to life. The restrictions of lockdown have forced us all to ask the question, how can expand our horizons whilst living within the confines of our own homes? Being members of u3a we are used to expanding our outlook on life, be it physically and/or mentally. Being confined within the four walls of our homes has challenged all our imaginations. To maintain social contacts, we have discovered Zoom and our intellect has been exercised by the many opportunities offered by on-line courses. In the early days the physical was restricted to one hour in the exercise yard of one’s locality. Kathy and I both felt we needed more and so set about the challenge of climbing Mount Everest. The natural terrain of Tewkesbury does not lend itself to such exploits, but if you substitute the stairs within the home for the snow-covered Himalayan slopes then there is a possibility. Vertical height measured, calculations made, crampons polished and we were on our way. Starting at sea level we had to climb all 8,848m, or 29,029 feet. We therefore made sure the tide was in to reduce our task a little. I had calculated that we would summit after 80 to 90 days of climbing. Initially our daily target was divided into 3 stints, later reduced to 2 stints, and eventually we completed each day in one single effort……….Phew! Base Camp at 17,700 feet was reached on Day 51, and then the real climbing started. We pushed on up and across the notorious icefall, being ever so wary of the imagined dangers lying underfoot. The Valley of Silence at 20,000 feet (Day 59), notorious for avalanches, proved to be a sleeping threat and therefore steady progress was maintained. Altitude sickness, the constant threat to any mountaineer, is not a problem for those tackling the slopes of Tewkesbury, and we were able to push on towards the Lhotse Wall. This 4,000 foot steep, climb is made easy or hard depending on the weather. Fortunately, conditions inside Number 22 remained consistently good. At 26,000 feet (Day 75) we hit the ‘Deathzone’. I now quote from the log of 10 another Everest mountaineer. “……this is also the place where the media, fame, and fun of Base Camp definitely are gone. Only fear remains on everyone’s face. People don’t talk a lot. (10 weeks of Lockdown has its similarities) …………You are in the ‘Deathzone’ and you can’t help thinking that within the next 48 hours, there is a very real risk that you might not live………..As soon as you start out to climb, you will feel much better. Fear is always worse than reality.” Fortunately, the stairs at Number 22 did not present such a threat or create any fear. By Sunday 14th June (Day 83) we were ready for the final push. 442 more stairs to climb and we would be standing on top of the world. At 4.10pm we were there, dressed in the appropriate gear of Hawaiian shirt and Novel- ty Hats, drinking Gin and Tonics, and waving celebratory Union and Nepalese Flags. Over 83 days we had both climbed 41,811 stairs to achieve our goal. We now look forward to our next challenge…………the purchase of a new stair carpet! Ian and Kathy Barber

Iain

11 I Can’t Stay Long Laurie Lee . In the six months commencing March 2020 the letter L has featured prominently. Lock- down has been an experience common to us all when we could no longer use Libraries. This last situation caused many of us to hunt for something to read at home and it gave me much pleasure to re-read ‘I can’t stay long’ by Laurie Lee. As I turned the pages I remembered where I had first seen him walking on Minchinhampton Common, near Stroud, with his daughter, when we lived there in the Sixties. I had only recently moved from Birmingham to start work in a newly built Youth Centre. Life in this most English of country towns was an experience that was already very familiar to Laurie Lee who was living in nearby Slad. He recounted it in his now famous ‘Cider with Rosie’. The years went by until I saw his name on the programme for Hay-on- Wye Literary Festival. By now he was a world famous author, well worth the journey to see him again. With Betty safely sitting in a large marquee to await the great man I decided to hunt backstage to see if I might take his photo. I was in luck and I asked if he would mind? “Not at the moment” he replied and, as I was about to put away my camera, I noticed he was combing his lustrous hair. “I’m ready now” he said unexpectedly adding ‘Who are you with?’ Taken aback I answered “I’m with my wife” as I clicked the shutter. I then sought my seat in the front row ready to listen to his lecture. To rapturous applause he came on stage to announce that something unusual had just happened to him which set the audience agog wondering what this was. He then described his meeting with me and that when he had asked “who I was with?” (expecting me to name a newspaper) I had answered (and here he paused) “I am with my wife” … which brought the house down! I then realised what a fool I must have appeared and hoped that he wouldn’t then point to me in the front row to say “There he is…”. Fortunately I added to my photos after his talk when I caught Betty speaking to him after purchasing ‘I can’t stay long’ which he signed for us.

12 But sadly he is now long gone and his stories about the Cotswolds and treks across Europe remain well documented in his various works. But my memories of Laurie Lee haven’t stopped there. In our u3a Walking Group we venture far and wide, and it was with great pleasure that a few years back I joined in a walk in the Slad Valley organised by a long standing member Tony Barrett. This had to include after-walk drinks in the Woolpack which was a favourite pub frequented by Laurie Lee - where his seat is still to be seen alongside other memorabilia. Thanks for the memory… Graham Mealand.

13 I think, I think, I smell a stink....

As Duty Officer at a UK Army Base I was advised to expect to receive a small crate late that evening. I was made aware of what the crate contained. Sure enough, around midnight two soldiers arrived carrying a small wooden crate complete with rope handles. I dismissed the men and stuffed the crate under my bed. My family were with me at this particular station and lived a short distance away from the base. The following morning the usual routine would be for me to check in to HQs and handover any signals traffic, the event log, etc., etc. However on this occasion, given the close proximity of my family, I decided to detour via my quarter (home). We lived in a lovely old Victorian house with a large breakfast room. My sons were having breakfast before leaving for school. I opened the crate and laid the contents on the floor for my boys to see and explained what the object was The item on display was shaped like a small bowl. The boys ‘grunted’ approval as boys do first thing in the morning. However my youngest child, who should have been wearing a nappy, made his way downstairs bare bottomed and, on seeing the bowl, promptly went over and pee’d all over it. My wife hastily washed it down and I secured it back in the crate and went on to deliver it to the appropriate authority. The contents of the crate had an intrinsic value of a few pence as scrap metal but as a collector’s item it was priceless since this was the metal from which all Victoria Crosses were cut. The soldiers who had delivered it to me had returned from the Blue Peter TV programme where the VC metal had been on show and discussed. Some may remember that following the Falklands War, Lt. Colonel Herbert (H) Jones of 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment was posthumously awarded the VC for his outstanding bravery in taking Goose Green. His wife received it on his behalf. When Mrs Jones exited the Palace she was besieged by reporters. She proudly opened the jewel

14 box and extended her right hand away to her right for the press to take their photos. Like all soldiers I venerate the VC and have the utmost admiration for those whose distinguished service earns them this unique award. So without showing any disrespect I tell a light-hearted sequel. It is my belief that when Mrs Jones opened the box she went ‘phooo’ and held it away to avoid the smell!!! What do you think?

Major Robert MacRae

u3a radio The first ever u3a radio officially launched at 2pm 29th September directly after the national AGM. The National Office learning team have been working with member volunteers who are skilled in broadcasting and you can keep listening to u3a radio wherever you are as it is delivered as a recorded podcast. This pilot will feature a series of interviews and features from across the movement - for the launch - all themed around looking forward. We are very excited about this project which we aim to grow and develop over the coming year. There will be another pilot before Christmas. We hope you enjoy our first broadcast. Please tell your friends and colleagues to tune in! If you have an interesting story to tell - get in touch - you can email us at [email protected] The podcast is still available on https://youtu.be/9zGNxpUSUAc Also, for those members who use Facebook.

Top of the Hill - Graham Mealand

15 Ancient Greek John Goldsack 01684 298922 The British 3rd Tues 14:00 History Legion Ancient John Goldsack 01684 298922 The British 1st Thurs 14.00 Egyptian Legion History Art for Janet Green 01684 274008 Boys’ Brigade Fri 10:00 Beginners HQ Art in Bredon Graham 01684 773090 Bredon Village Mon 14:00 Edwards Hall Book Circle Connie 01684 275622 Various homes 1st Wed Cullingford Bridge Peter Jones 01684 293643 Methodist Thurs 13:45 Robert Wardell 01452 840501 Church Hall Computers Eileen Gilder Boys’ Brigade 4th Mon 10:00 HQ Discovering Andrea 01684 294676 To be Britain Shirley confirmed

Discovering John Beech 01531 650369 Barton Court 1st, 3rd Wed Music Melanie Kisby 01684 295466 9:45

Discussion Carol lancscarol@gm Zoom online 2nd, 4th Thurs ail.com 10:30 07885 522210 Family History Evelyn Parker 01684 294324 Barton Court 4th Thurs 10:00

French Margaret 01242 673928 Methodist Tues 10:45 Improvers Davies Church Hall French Janet Thomson 01684 294734 Marina Court Thurs 13:30 Intermediate French Anny Parkes 01684 296450 Wheatpieces Mon 13:30 Conversation Ursula Stanley 01684 274966 CC Garden Visits Veronica 01684 591513 Ripple Parish 3rd Fri 10:00 Hall (or venue as agreed) History of Art John Beech 01531 650369 Barton Court 1st, 3rd Mon and Design 9:45 Kurling Yvonne Aston 01242 621039 Bredon Village Fri 10:00 Hall Latin for Christine Peet 01684 294350 Boys’ Brigade 1st, 3rd Mon Pleasure HQ 13:45

16 Mah Jong Veronica 01684 591513 Boys’ Brigade 1st, 3rd, 5th HQ Tues 14:00 Natural History Paul Willerton 01684 298186 Clee House 2nd Thurs 10:00 Needlecraft Brenda Taylor 01684 591546 Clee House 1st, 3rd Mon 10:00 Opera Ruth Howgate 01684 299022 Various homes 4th Wed Appreciation Painting for Jacky 01684 293543 The Roses Fri 10.00 Pleasure Monaghan Theatre Pétanque Barry Minett - 07751170833 Apperley Tues 10:00 Smith Covid 19 rules Cricket club (10:30 - winter) please prebook Photography Steve Carter 01242 609346 Bredon Village 1st Tues 14:00 07812 794293 Hall Poetry for Various homes 3rd Wed 14:00 Pleasure Roman History John Goldsack 01684 298922 The British 2nd Thurs Legion 14:00 Scrabble Val Croudass 01684 850271 Clee House 1st & 3rd & 5th Mon 14:00 Short Mat Tom McVey 01684 299876 Wheatpieces Mon & Fri Bowls CC 13:30-15:30 Solos Pauline 01684 292695 Barton Court 3rd Sat 10:00 Solos Too Anne Porter 01684 273493 Gupshill Manor 2nd Sat 10:30 Spanish Christopher 07487 535749 To be Conversation confirmed Spanish Raymond Lane 01684 772311 Wheatpieces Tues 10:00 Intermediate CC Table Tennis Stuart Payne 01684 772769 Wheatpieces Mon & Thurs CC 10:00 Walking Hugh Bennett candhben- See Group Page Wed and/or [email protected] Thurs 10:00

Sylvia Murdoch 01684437462 Walking Strolls Christine candhben- See Group Page 2nd Tues 10:30 Bennett [email protected] March-Oct

Wine Melanie Kisby 01684 295466 Tutor's home Variable Appreciation 17 Lockdown Lookdown

The days of confinement through lockdown has given us the opportunity to take a fresh approach to daily life. The one hour of prescribed daily exercise became a compulsion rather than a recommendation. The planning of which roads, lanes, footpaths, alleyways, tracks almost became mathematical in the complexity of combinations we could make to add a freshness to our strolls. The only constant was to take in the local petrol station to collect our housebound neighbour’s daily paper. The speed of our stroll was determined by the pace of my 90 year old mother. In exchange for isolation in the Peak District, she has sheltered with us during these troubled times and has enjoyed discovering a new environment. In our hour we cover just over a mile and so, during these past 3 months, little has escaped our attention, from the reawakening bird and insect life to the sprouting and blooming of the blossoms and weeds. In addition to all this my lockdown strolls have also become my ‘Lookdown Strolls’. In the roads and lanes around our home in Newtown there are plenty of reminders of Britain's rich industrial past. Whilst we gaze across fields and into hedgerows, beneath our feet there are plenty of forged industrial objects still serving a useful purpose, many years after they were installed. I refer to the drain covers at either the side or centre of the roads. Most of these grids and covers proudly bear the names of the long-forgotten foundries that once gave life and employment to men of . Many of them were small specialist works. Research shows they existed for decades, supplying the needs of councils and utility companies up and down the land, that was until the 1980's and 90’s when good honest working people were given a lesson they will never forget. The companies who provided this small area of Tewkesbury are: 1. Beck and Co of London SE. 2. Stanton and Staveley of Ilkeston and Staveley in Derbyshire. 3. Herbert and Young of Cinderford, Glos. 4. C Neville of Walsall. 5. W.T. Burden of Birmingham. 6. Needham's of Stockport, Cheshire. 7. Ham.Baker and Co Ltd, Westminster SW. 8. Mather & Smith, Ashford Kent 9. Clark Steel, Yaxley

18 10. Wrekin, now of Lichfield. The only company that appears to be still producing drain covers. This company's original foundry was situated in Wellington, close to the Ironbridge Gorge, the home of the Industrial Revolution and started life producing agricultural machinery out of iron and steel. And last but not least…………………….. 11. Collins and Godfrey, Tewkesbury. I wonder, as you go about your daily stroll, what unexpected objects of interest lay hidden around you? Ian

Written during the early days of lockdown. Ed.

Site of railway in Tewkesbury

19 Treasure Discovered During Lockdown

At the beginning of lockdown, in March, I made a ‘to do’ list, which included spring-cleaning our study. Eventually in early May, my husband and I got around to tackling this task and in amongst the books, we found an envelope, which had been forgotten. It contained the original diary, written by my father’s elder brother Bob, who had been in an Italian POW camp in WW2. The envelope was in my father’s possessions until we discovered it when sorting through paperwork after he died 10 years ago. I was determined to read it this time and on VE Day (8th May) I settled down to the task, which was quite difficult because the little notebook is very fragile and had been written in now faded pencil. My uncle, James Robert Melville, joined the army at a young age, in about 1930, and by the time WW2 commenced, he was a Sergeant in the 12th Lancers and was sent to fight in the Western Desert. He was reported missing on 28th December 1941 and confirmed as a POW on 19th March 1942 in Italy. He was imprisoned in Camp 59, called Servigliano, in the province of Fermo le Marche on the Adriatic Sea. It was a concentration camp for Italian Jews as well as POW’s, but conditions were not as horrific as in German camps. After the fall of Mussolini in September 1943, Italy was no longer at war with the Allies so the POW’s were not considered enemies of the Italian state and the camp security was relaxed. On September14th many of the prisoners took their advantage and escaped through a hole in the fence. Uncle Bob was one of the escapees. It was at this point, the diary began. In October, shortly after they escaped, the Germans took over the camp. He was with a small group of army and air force men from UK as well as Canada. This is where his account of their hiding from the advancing German army started. They tried to make their way towards the area where they could meet up with the Allied forces. This group of men was on the run and in hiding in the Italian countryside for over three months and endured heat, rain and then extreme cold. They hid in hollows, ditches, caves and in the woods, and travelled far, eventually crossing the Maiella mountain, part of the Apennine range, near Guardiagrele. The one thing they did not suffer was hunger! The Italian farmers and 20 villagers offered warm hospitality. The mamas and their daughters fed the men very well indeed, and shared the little they had. Occasionally they gave them some of their meat ration, which was a real treat. The food consisted mainly of pasta ‘ascuitta’ (which meant it had no sauce), polenta as well as lots of fruit including apples, grapes and figs. They were also given large amounts of local wine, which he said helped to “chase the blues away”! The farmers occasionally gave them shelter in their barns and in return the lads helped on the farms and even got involved with ‘treading the grapes’. The farmers took great risks helping the POW’s, not only because of the Germans but also the Italian Fascists. Bob commented on how hard the farmers worked, including children over 10 and men in their 80’s. They slogged continually from dawn till dusk. He said the women did not have a spare moment either and their clothes and shoes, or lack of them, were pitiful. Even so, the lads were given clothes so that they were not so conspicuous and Bob was given one of their hats to cover his blond hair. The two things that impressed me most, reading uncle Bob’s diary, was firstly, the very matter of fact way in which he described their experiences each day and only once alluded to fear when he said “they scurried into a ditch like scared rabbits” when they heard Germans nearby! The lads always seemed to find comfort in a ‘brew’ after any incident, which was of course very British! They were aware that some of the escapees were shot or recaptured by the Germans, which must have been distressing too. Secondly, the generosity of the rural Italians who had very little themselves, yet gave in abundance to strangers who were passing through their countryside trying to reach the allies. My uncle mentioned how good the Italians were to them and said that when the war was over, he would like to return to thank some of the people in person. Unfortunately, the diary finishes at the end of November just before they met up with the Allied Forces after almost 3 months on the run from the Germans. Bob was demobbed in England at the end of the war and he got married to Alice. He immediately accepted a posting to join the British military in Palestine and Alice was supposed to follow him, but before she

21 had a chance to go, he was killed in an armoured car incident. They had only been married for 6 weeks! It was tragic and she must have been devastated because she never married again. She kept in touch with the 12th Lancers and even attended their reunions. I understand that my uncle was a larger than life character and an admirable person which certainly came through in his diary. My brother, Robert, was named after our uncle Bob and was the only mem- ber of the Melville family who inherited the blond hair and blue eyes. VE Day 2020 meant so much more to me, reading a personal account of some of my uncle’s experiences during WW2. Sylvia Murdoch

A tribute to the NHS spotted by Graham Mealand whilst on holiday.

22

Man who ate 6 litres of margarine remains in hospital 4 months after the incident. Doctors say they can’t believe he’s not better.

I visited The Peak District yesterday...Had a quick look, then came home.

A man was attacked at the teddy bears picnic today. He is improving but he's not out of the woods yet.

Delivery driver knocked on my door and said Anybody remember Gladys “ I've got a parcel for next door” Knight and The Time Signals. I said “ You’ve got the wrong house then”.. I am pleased to announce that after three years hard work I have been awarded a first class degree in Salad Preparation. I now have lettuce after my name.

Life was so simple before I got married. I had absolutely no idea there was a wrong way to put the milk back in the fridge...

My weight goal is simple. I want to be able to lie Thank you Calvyn for on a beach without Greenpeace members finding these. Ed throwing buckets of water over me.

A Tale Of Two Cities was first serialised in two local newspapers. It was the Bicester Times, it was The Worcester Times.

I kept getting minor electric shocks My bedside light turned into a butterfly when plugging in my devices. this morning, I have been advised to self insulate. That's the last time I buy a Larva Lamp.

Last night I couldn’t undo the buttons on my jumper. I tried to pull it over my head and got stuck. I am in casualty waiting to see a Cardiologist

23 Discovering Britain

August’s Discovering Britain Zoom meeting was generously hosted by Steve and Jane Fisher, so we were not time limited, which was just as well as we had a few technical hitches to negotiate… However, once sorted, 18 of us thoroughly enjoyed hearing Mike and Jenny Barrett tell us about the millions of years of geological history under our feet, in the form of the Geopark Way, and of the places they had passed through and stayed in as they walked the largest part of this 109 mile trail, which crosses the counties of , , and Gloucestershire, from to . Thank you Mike and Jenny for sharing your knowledge and experience! Future Discovering Britain ‘Zoom’ meetings: September 25th at 10 am, will feature Richard and Eileen Hart, who will tell us some more about the Dorset coast. October 23rd. Bob and Kath Price will tell us about Shetland and the Orkneys. November 28th Sonia and Paul will talk about Cornwall and Devon. There will be no meeting in December as the fourth Friday is Christmas Day (not that we’re likely to be doing anything else at this rate!) If any u3a members would like to join us for Discovering Britain, either as a guest or as a group member, please contact either Shirley or Andrea and we will happily send you the login details. Stay safe everyone! Andrea and Shirley

The Lovers' Garden

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White Leaved Oak revisited Following Jenny’s article in the June magazine, and the fire that destroyed the famous oak tree, we took our daughter and two granddaughters to visit the area, and to climb Ragged Stone Hill. The old, decaying oak tree and whatever charms remained were in a sorry state, but we were heartened to find a small oak sapling nearby, appropriately guarded from nibbling sheep. The old tree would have become dangerous for those visitors climbing to its highest Elizabeth reaches to hang their charms, so nature’s, or Gaia’s, intervention may have been for the best. The hamlet of White Leaved Oak, as you know from our previous TUTA News, sits astride the Three Counties. So we photographed our daughter and her two young maidens, one in each county. (See attached picture). Those of you who have climbed Ragged Stone Hill from its southerly side will recall that it is ‘quite a pull’. Not so for our granddaughters, who ascended like fairies, floating over rocks and tree roots. We are so pleased that all six of our grandchildren enjoy country walking, and that they enjoy doing so with grandparents in tow. Elizabeth Mike Barrett 25 Family History

My mother was born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1913. Both her parents were also born in New Zealand. The family moved to Nelson when her father, a doctor, became medical superintendent of the mental hospital. My grandfather died in 1930 and the family had to leave the superintendent's house and move into their summer house, on the Monaco peninsula in Nelson. They were the first people to live there all year round, and sometimes had to wait for the tide to go out before they could get home. My mother made the long sea journey to London in the winter of 1938/39 to take her PhD from Imperial College. There she met my father and never returned to new Zealand, (except for a short holiday with my father in 1964). Her two sisters came to Europe during the war and my grandmother followed in 1950. I grew up with stories of New Zealand. We had a painting over our fireplace of the view from the gate of the house on Monaco, a boat on a beach with snowy mountains in the background.

When Mike retired, we took the opportunity to visit New Zealand in 2002. Unfortunately by then my mother had died so we were never able to talk to her about it. We visited Nelson and Dunedin. In Nelson we were able to find my grandfather's grave. The cemetery was large, on a hill, with a lot of trees and all I had was a photo of the new grave in 1930 without a tree in sight. We were able to find it, hidden under trees, because of a very distinctive monument in the background. We found the mental hospital but not the superintendent's house as that had been pulled down in the 1970s to extend the hospital. But we did see in the grounds a short flight of steps looking much the same as steps my mother and her sister were seated on in a photograph as children. The summer house on Monaco had also been replaced, but I was able to take a photo to match the painting, complete with boat.

In Dunedin we went to the Settlers Museum. I already knew some family history. My mother's paternal grandfather arrived in New Zealand, on the 'Maori' in 1852 aged 12, with his family and several younger siblings. At the Settlers Museum the archivist was able to show me an original document my great-grandfather had written in 1897 and photocopy it for me. This gave an account of his arrival in New Zealand with his family and how the Maori, having safely made the long journey from England, was nearly driven onto rocks just outside Dunedin, only

26 saved by the wind changing and a breeze coming from the land.

We did not know when my mother's maternal grandfather arrived. We have since found out he went to New Zealand later, probably in the 1870's as a young man going out to join his older brother. Their mother later left Scotland to join them.

My mother kept in touch with her cousins, and I met some of them on visits to England, but am no longer in touch with any relations in New Zealand. Jenny Barrett

27 ANNE TROTT (22.5.44 – 26.9.19). As I remember her…..

For me, remembering Anne is rather brief in nature, for I only came to know her during the last year of her life. My first encounter was simply from the leaders’ list of walkers, high up there. The name itself suggested someone keen to be off. It was borne out on the walks. The question was, would I ever catch up with her? This was only resolved when SHE approached me. ‘I hear you know about map reading?’ ‘Well, er…..yes,’ and within a week we were walking in the Bourton-on-the-Hill area, above Moreton-in-Marsh, maps in hand. ‘As we can see, the path splits into two either side of the coppice. The one on the left takes us to Longborough…..’ As I looked up, Anne was already two paces ahead, veering off to the right, up into the hills around Sezincote….. As might have been intimated, we did not always quite see eye to eye. At one coffee break Anne appeared to be down to her last tissue, so I gave her a couple of mine. ‘But these are only two ply,’ she announced with a hint of exasperation. ‘That’s why I’ve given you two,’ I replied, thinking rapidly. ‘Two twos are four…..four ply; even better!’ However, this feeble reasoning only elicited the three letter feminine response: ‘MEN!’ It was only in the springtime when we were on the south-west side of the Malverns and the path split three ways. I consulted the map and eliminated one of the paths and, with the aid of a compass, was considering….. Anne didn’t need to consider. ‘But, you haven’t looked at the map…..’ Anne didn’t need the map. For a woman who had helped to bring new life into the world time without number…..instinct was enough; onwards and upwards and back to the car…..and, she was right; …..‘and besides, Michael and Alan (husband and son) will be arriving at the Duke of York at 12.30!’ But instinct isn’t the only thing. Discovering the unexpected is what can make a walk memorable and, at the back end of winter, she had discovered a walk in the Bisley area. Six miles, fairly hilly from a pub with an Elizabethan feel to it; flagstones and a log fire…the Bear Inn. Miles into the walk, we found ourselves losing our sense of place along a long green lane, ending up at a T-junction of trackways. Ahead of us was a

28 rising field leading down through what seemed a relic of ancient woodland covered with dog’s mercury and bluebells, yet to flower. Out of the woodland, we came upon it; a quiet, green valley, hardly a mile in length, seemingly forgotten by the world beyond; a valley off a side valley, itself off from the main valley. No roads, no sign of civilization, the only sound being that of a brook flowing east, down into the Holy Valley…..no sign of any waymarks of course, and yet, as we gingerly crossed over a couple of rough stepping stones, we were less than a mile from the Bear Inn. Besides the many plants she offered me from her beloved garden, there is just one more thing that was impressed upon me. Well before my alarm had awoken me in the morning, she would be seated at her piano playing and practising J S Bach. As we know, there is a particularly strong spirituality to his music, but Anne would insist upon its emotional aspect too; that the rise and fall, the ebb and flow of the music also reflected Johann Sebastian’s own emotional story at the time. And all this was being played out to herself before I had even re-joined the world each day. Little wonder that I could never hope to draw level with a woman such as Anne.

Noel Slaney

With permission from her husband Michael

29 Walking Group I did not anticipate having to write another article with the pandemic still raging around us but that’s how it is and we all just have to soldier on as best we can, concentrating on what we can do rather than on what we are not allowed to do. The walkers have proved to be quite resilient although not everyone has been confident enough to walk in groups which are limited to between 6 and 12 in accordance with the u3a guidelines. The walk programme was launched in mid-August, but participation on most walks has been low as many were either shielding themselves or their families. The new programme for October and November has been circulated and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the leaders who have made great efforts to organise walks, using their discretion as to the number of people they take on their walks. We would be very grateful if more leaders would offer to submit their favourite walks to Hugh for future programmes. The Walking Group have continued to communicate with each other in various ways and many enjoy the Zoom quiz meeting which is held every two weeks on a Tuesday evening. A very big thank you to Steve Fisher for hosting these fun evenings. Regretfully we had to cancel our annual meeting last month and sadly have also had to cancel the Christmas lunch which is very disappointing for many of us. Hugh, Tony and I have agreed to continue in our positions organising the Walking Group in the meantime. Recently Andrea Walton had the wonderful idea of collating some of the local walks, discovered during lockdown, and putting them together in a very attractive little booklet. It consists of 13 interesting walks submitted by members of the Walking Group. The u3a has paid for the printing of the booklet and it will be used for publicity and to raise awareness of the Tewkesbury u3a. The booklet will also be available on the website and those members who are not on the internet, can request a hard copy by contacting Lesley Offer, the Publicity Officer. The booklet confirms the commitment of many of the walkers, especially Andrea, to the group and to the u3a.

30 A very big thank you to Hugh who has diligently kept the walkers up to date with all government and u3a guidelines, which has been a big undertaking due to the constant changes. Finally, I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and all the best, especially health, in 2021. We hope and pray that the new year will be a good one, with a return to some kind of normality. Sylvia Murdoch

31 Telephone number for all calls: u3asites.org.uk/ tewkesbury/ 01684 325013 home [email protected] Chairperson Fran Valentine [email protected] Treasurer (Assistant) Terry Clynes (Sophie Franklin) [email protected] Membership Secretary Calvyn Price [email protected] Minutes Secretary Duncan Fraser [email protected] Business Secretary Duncan Fraser [email protected] Equipment Officers Justin Gowthorpe [email protected] TUTA Editor Mary Mulrenan [email protected] Webmaster Shirley Channing [email protected] Publicity Officer Lesley Offer [email protected] Group liaison Ian Barber Duncan Fraser [email protected] Speaker Secretary Gillian Griffiths [email protected] Barry Minett-Smith [email protected] General enquiries [email protected] New Members Officer Sylvia Murdoch

Meetings organiser Bill Bush [email protected] Vacant

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