Phil Evans R.I.P His Life As a Rambler, Ramble Leader, Musician, Raconteur
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Phil Evans R.I.P His Life as a Rambler, Ramble Leader, Musician, Raconteur. 21 November 1940 – 2 March 2012 Born 21st November 1940 Died 2nd March 2012 First Ramble 9th April 1967 Number of rambles led 167 Distance covered in miles 1959 This booklet has been prepared as a special memorial to our great late friend and ramble leader, Phil Evans. If you would like extra copies of you will be most welcome. Just let me know – Tony Finnegan, 30 Avarn Road Tooting. London SW17 9HA. E mail [email protected]. Phone 020 8767 5293. Alternatively you can simply download it from the website of the St Francis of Assisi Ramblers Club. Phil Evans Rambler, Ramble Leader, Musician, Raconteur. This photograph is one of the earliest I have of Phil, taken, I think, on a walkout in the late 1980s The ramblers programme for Summer 1967 included the following unimposing announcement. The secretary of the day, Gill Fogden, can hardly have realised that, by listing Phil Evans among the club members, she was starting something which we would still be celebrating 43 year later. No one will ever know how many days Phil has spent rambling, leading and walking out but it must all add up to what would be a tidy proportion of an average lifetime. We do know how many walks Phil has led thanks to the efforts of our late lamented Vice President, Fred McAndrews, who preserved copies of nearly every ramble list covering the period of Phil’s first 25 years’ membership, and it amounts to a massive 167 rambles. I have copies of the programmes for the time since then. As a special souvenir of his lifetime as a ramble leader this booklet contains details of all of them as they appeared on programmes over the years, as well as records of his many years dedication to the club committee. Committee Membership: Phil’s name appeared on a committee list within a year of the first ramble he led. He appeared as a member of the social committee on the first programme for the 1967-68 membership year. He told us he was prepared to step up to the main committee that year but there was such competition for places that he had to begin by being a member of the social committee (happy days which alas are now long past!!). Just to prove that he was not a sleeping member of the social committee the following item appeared in the programme for March 1968: The 1973 Winter Programme saw the first of many appearances of Phil on the main club committee, this time as “Map Librarian”. The photographs that are interspersed in the remainder of this booklet will show the social and entertainment side of Phil in addition to his prowess as a ramble leader. The first walk Phil was to lead appeared in the 1969 spring programme as follows: WHIT MONDAY [26 May 1969]: Meet at 10 30 a.m. at Victoria for l0 45 to Merstham (Surrey section). Lunch: The Mint Arms Tea: The Fort, Boxhi11 Fare: 5/2, 6/- from Boxhill Distance: 11 miles Leader: Philip Evans Duty: Bill McCarthy Thus began a lifetime of ramble leadership that was to extend over more than 40 years and 1959 miles. Phil’s second ramble followed on 20 July in the same year: SUNDAY Meet at 10.30 at Victoria for 10.45 to Salfords. 20th July Fare: 9/- C. O. P . Tea: Gala Restaurant, Salfords [1969] Lunch: Prince of Wales Distance: 8-10 miles Outwood Leader: Philip Evans Duty: Barbara Lawless 8th FEBRUARY [1970] Meet Victoria 10.30 for 10.45 a.m. train to Merstham Fare Approx 9/- (Book sinqle Distance: 11 Miles (plus 3 after tea optional) to Merstham, Lunch: Mint Arms, Lower Kingswood Tea: Upper Farm Troons, Box Hill Leader : Philip Evans Duty: Richard Sumner EASTER MONDAY 30th MARCH [1970] Meet Victoria at 10 30 for 10 45 to SALFORDS Fare 9/- C.O.P. Distance: 9 Miles Lunch Prince of Wales, Outwood Tea Gala Restaurant, Salfords Leader Philip Evans SUNDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER [1970] , Meet Baker Street (Met. Line) 10.45 for 1,1 .01 to GT. MISSENDEN Fare - 10/- plus excess from Wendover Distance - 10 miles Lunch - The Bull, Ballinger Tea - Friar Tuck Wendover Leader - Philip Evans Duty - New Committee Sunday January 24 th [1971] Meet Waterloo for the 10 44 to Boxhill Fare: 6/9 single to Boxhill, return from Salfords 7/3. Lunch: Betchworth Tea: Gala Restaurant, Salfords. Leader: Philip Evans Duty : Fred Mc Andrew. Distance 13 miles. Sunday February 28 th. [1971] Meet at Marylebone St. For 10.25 to Princes Risborough. Fare 14/- C.O.P. Lunch: Loosely Row. Tea: Princes Risborough. Leade r : Philip Evans , Duty Peter de Smith Distance 9 - 11 Miles Monday May 31st [1971]. Meet Charing Cross for l0.43. train to Bexley. Fare:3/5 to Bexley Lunch: The Chequers,Crocken Hill. Plus 6/9 from Tea: Cavalier Tearooms, Shoreham: Shoreham to Victoria Leader: Philip Evans. Distance : 12 Miles . Duty: He who comes. SUNDAY 27th Feb. [1972] Meet Victoria for 10.44 train to Salfords. Fare: 40 P single Tea: Upper Farm plus approx. 35P From Boxhill. Tea Rooms,Boxhill Road. Lunch: The Dolphin, Betchworth. Distance: 12 Miles Leader: Philip Evans. Duty: Maurice Hickman SUNDAY, 6th AUGUST [1972] Meet Victoria for 10.44 train to Merstham, Tea: “Upper Farm Tearooms Fare: 36p single Boxhill Lunch: “The Mint Arms", Lower Kingswood Distance: 14 Miles Leader: Philip Evans Duty: Peter Webster BANK HOLIDAY- MONDAY, 28TH AUGUST [1972] Meet Charing Cross for 10.43 train to BexIey, Fare: 25p single (Returning from Shoreham.) Tea: The Cavalier Tearoom Lunch: “The Chequers", Crockenhill Shoreham Leader: Philip Evans Distance: 9 Miles Duty: Mary Walsh Following the AGM in 1972 the role of secretary did not appear on the programme of rambles. Maurice Hickman appeared as “Compiler of Ramble Lists”, a role which he and Philip between have filled for a total of nearly 30 years. From the programme covering December 1972 to February 1973 the list of rambles appeared in two columns and coincidentally the frequency of Philip’s appearance as a leader also increased. As he was elected to the committee (and became the club’s map librarian) in 1972 he also began to appear as duty member on the programmes of rambles. 11th [February 1973] Leader - Philip Evans 15 th [April 1973] Leader - Philip Evans Meet Marylebone B.R. for 10.25 to Princes Meet Baker Street at 10.45 for 11.00 Risborough train to Gt. Missenden. C.O.P. 80p) Lunch at Loosley Row (The Whips) Lunch at Ballinger (The Pheasant) Tea at Grannie's Pantry, Pr. R’boro Tea at Wendover, Friar Tuck. Fare 83p C. O. P. Distance 8 miles Distance 10 miles. Duty member: Joan Colthup Duty-member: Joan Colthup 29th [April 1973] Leader- Philip Evans 15th [July 1973] Leader- Philip Evans Meet Victoria at 10.30 for 10.44 train Meet Victoria at 10.30 for 10.44 train to Merstham (Book single ticket) to Salfords. Lunch at Outwood, Lunch at Lower Kingswood, Mint Arms Prince of Wales. Tea at Gala Restnt, Tea at Boxhill (Upper Farm Tea Rooms) Salfords. Distance 9m Fare 70p Awayd. Distance 12 miles Duty-member: Angela Cahill Duty member Peter Webster 27 th [August 1973] BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 10th [February 1974] Leader- Philip Evans Leader - Philip Evans Meet Baker Street 10.45 for 11.01 to Gt. Meet Charing Cross (B.R.) at 10.35 for 10.46 Missenden. C.O.P. 80p). Lunch at Ballinger Common (The Train to Knockholt. Lunch at Knockholt, Pheasant). Tea at Wendover (Friar Tuck). .Pound, Three Horseshoes. Tea at Cavaliers Sevenoaks, Shoreham. Buy Awayday to which is valid to Distance 10 Miles Fare 74p A/day to Knockholt and from Shoreham Duty: Joan Colthup Wendover Distance 10 miles. Fare: 62p Awayday At the AGM in 1973 Phil began his first term as Compiler of Ramble Lists AND Map Librarian June 30th [1974] Leader - Philip Evans July 21st [1974] Leader - Philip Evans Duty member: Joan Colthup Duty member – Bernadette Cahill Meet Baker Street at 10.45 for 11.01 Meet Victoria at 11.00 for 11.14 train train to GREAT MISSENDEN. to FARNINGHAM ROAD. Lunch at BALLINGER COMMON (The Pheasant). Lunch at (Chequers). CROCKENHILL Tea at Wendover, Friar Tuck. Tea at SHOREHAM (Cavaliers) Fare approx 50p A/D to SWANLEY, plus Fare 80p A/D Approx. Distance 10 miles excess to Farningham Road and from Shoreham or Eynsford. Distance 10m plus optional 2 after tea. Mon Aug 26th [1974] Leader - Philip Evans Meet Charing X (B.R.) at 10 30 for 10.43 Train to BEXLEY (calls London Bridge 10.50) Lunch at CROCKENHILL (Chequers). Tea at SHOREHAM (Cavaliers) Buy single tickets Distance 9 – 11 miles The AGM in 1974 recreated the post of Secretary and Therese O’Brien was elected. The programmes then reverted to the single column format. 15th Dec [1974]. CHRISTMAS RAMBLE Meet Euston Station at 10.50.am. for 11.05. a.m. train to Kings Langley. Lunch Clarendon Arms, Chandlers Cross Tea - Rickmansworth. Distance 6 miles Fare Single to Kings Langley 5lp. Single from Rickmansworth to Baker Street 35p Leader-Philip Evans Duty - Joe O'Reilly 26th Jan. [1975] Meet Waterloo Station at 10.30. a.m. for 10.44. train to Boxhill. Lunch-Dolphin, Betchworth. Tea-Fortes, Redhill. Distance 13 miles Fare Single to Boxhill. Single from Redhill. Leader-Philip Evans Duty-Therese O'Brien 9th Feb. [1975] Meet Baker Street Station at 10.45.a. m. for 11.