The newsletter about former Commission employees Issue 40 - March 2010 AGM 2010 Faskally Reunion This year’s AGM will be held in the Forest of Dean at 2.00pm on Tuesday May 11th. By Jim McIntyre at The Loft Beechenhurst Lodge. The conference dinner will be in the Speech ixteen ex-students and a lecturer from 1957-60, accompanied by their wives, met at House Hotel at 7.00pm. The Wednesday SPitlochry last September for their first reunion. On the first day a small group of early tour will take in part of the Cannop valley arrivals visited the Scottish Plant Hunters’ Garden led by Mike Cheesewright, himself an looking at mature woods. The local ex-Faskally student. organiser is Bart Venner who can be The next day began with a nostalgic visit to Faskally House courtesy of the Christian contacted on 01594 530 504 or e-mail Trust, the present owner. This was followed by a conducted tour of the Policies, known as [email protected] Faskally One. This was where students had worked in and studied 1950s management theory and techniques as planned by Prof. Mark Anderson. The current management regime based on the Continuous Cover System, was explained by the District Manager, Charlie Taylor, which led to interesting discussions. The afternoon was reserved for optional visits to local venues, another opportunity for a dose of nostalgics! As everyone was in the septuagenarian bracket, lunch was followed for some by an extended siesta. The day concluded with a formal dinner at the Fishers Hotel. Reunion group names from left: Joe Meechan, Bill Thomson, Alex MacLeod, Brian “PEB” Priestley, Esmond Harris, Keith Fletcher, Mike Oxnard, Jim (Hamish) McIntyre, Barry Auld, Basil Dunlop, Donald McIntosh, John (Jack) Brunton, Peter White, 50,000 Ancient Roger Cartwright, Roger Jackson, Pat Priestley and Peter Clark. Trees Recorded Have you recorded ancient trees for the 1959 Graduates from left: back row; John Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Hunt? If Bryson, Bill Stewart, J “Hunter” Chrystall, so, you will be pleased to know that Mike Oxnard, David Lloyd, David Coutts; through all the efforts of the volunteer middle row: Alex Robson, Jim “Hamish” recorders, the half way mark has been McIntyre, Gordon Waugh, John Thompson, passed. 50,000 really old trees have Peter Duckworth; front row: D’Arcy Black, been logged on the data base. The target J “Jumbo” James, Norman Tulloch, Esmond is 100,000 – keep going! Anybody can Harris and Ian Garrioch. record, just go on to the website www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk It’s not only actually fell the tree. native trees which can be recorded but The Holly in Folklore People would also plant Holly around their any tree that qualifies as being old and By Karen Bell homes where they would not only act as interesting. I recorded a huge Monterey hedgerows but also protect the home and cypress in a churchyard in N. Wales and Holly was considered a protective force against animals from ill luck or evil. evil. Many prickly or thorny species were The Holly was also considered a powerful an enormous sycamore with 4 trunks considered protective due to the fact that it was tree due to the fact that it was an evergreen and and a footbridge through it near Comrie. believed that evil thought forms or spirits would could withstand the onslaught of the cold winter I also verified an ancient twisted cordon be caught up in their branches or unable to pass months apple tree in an abandoned Victorian through the tree. The word Holly means holy. The Holly tree garden. and sweet chestnuts in At the Winter Solstice, and later on in time at was considered sacred to the waxing year, or their declining years can become almost people would decorate their homes winter. It ruled in duality with the Oak tree, which with Holly branches to protect them from fairy surreal. So go looking for any old tree ruled over the waning half of the year, or summer. with character. It’s pure serendipity, but mischief. It was considered OK to ask permission The Holly is also sacred in the Christian to take some cuttings from the tree as long as an religion where the jagged leaves symbolise the it’s also great fun, and with retirees of offering of some sort was made, for example, crown of thorns that Jesus wore at his crucifixion our age, the grandchildren can be leaving a piece of silver at the roots of the tree, and the berries his blood. recruited, they love measuring! but it was considered desperately unlucky to FCA Today Issue 40 - March 2010

competent to become foresters and posted to locations throughout the U.K. Some opted for private forestry while others went overseas Glentress Recalled to some of the developing countries. By John Keenleyside. How does all this training look when viewed over 50 years later in the 21st century. This training produced foresters with the As a student at Glentress FTS from 1951-53, I was in the last class practical skills which were needed at that time to enable the F.C. to which completed training there before it moved to Faskally. The meet the targets imposed on it by government, and to restore the training was conducted in a military manner. The camp had been woodlands after the massive war time fellings. Modern machines built pre World War 2, occupied by the army during the war and had have taken over the whole harvesting operation and axes and cross become a FTS post war. There was adequate accommodation for cut saws have been consigned to the museums. The need for around thirty students in first year. Usually huts were divided into numerical skills has been taken over by calculator and computer. cubicles with each student having his own corner, and a common Surveying with compass and chain has long since gone. The mystery area with wood burning stove. Those who survived first year moved and art of thinning has been replaced by machines which gobble up on to huts which had individual rooms with central heating. everything on site and in sight in a short space of time. I arrived at Peebles station and was met by Tom Robbie, Head of In conclusion it shows that the whole picture has changed in the School, who took me to Glentress in an old ex army ambulance. My last 50 years. new case with all my worldly goods was thrown in the back beside The discipline and training given then were good for the F.C. in dirt and dust that had fallen from the boots of countless previous the early afforestation phase and created the timber industry as we students. know it today. On arrival I was handed over to the catering officer an ex-army You will be pleased to hear that one of the Glentress huts still Sergeant Major. He took me to a hut and said “Select a corner remains in use but is under threat of demolition. I consider it should cubicle, they are best. Help yourself to your furniture from the pile be retained as part of forestry heritage. Does any ex Glentress on the floor. You can have a bed, a single wardrobe and a bedside student wish to take up the crusade? Meanwhile, Glentress has cabinet complete with towel rail”. developed as a national all terrain cycling centre with a big cash On the second day, we were divided into working squads of six investment. The Anderson Plots continue to be maintained and have and sent out to work in the forest with a second year student in become part of an attractive irregular forest. Much thinning has charge. Our first task was the brashing of Scots Pine in Shiel Green been neglected in the name of cycle safety, but last autumn I saw its and our target price was a half penny per tree. This was a tough reintroduction and it was being carried out very effectively by young target so we tended to brash whips and class many rough branched men on big machines. Skills live on. Ed. trees as wolves. The instructor soon rumbled to this one and sent us back to brash these rough trees. This sent unit costs through the roof and our practical marks spiralling downwards. Innovative Resource Management It was a five and half day working week then. Lectures were By John Martin scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday morning. The working periods were carefully monitored. One student I enjoyed the recent series of articles in the FCA about the varied in each squad was appointed ganger for a week. He was responsible experiences of the student foresters whilst at FTS. Although all the for motivating the squad, filling in the time book and calculating unit schools were all closed by the time I joined the FC in 1975 I soon costs, all of which were carefully scrutinised for accuracy and gained lots of experience dealing with their graduates. legibility. No calculators then but a few had the luxury of a slide rule. What struck me as an engineer was how robustly HFs and CFs Thus things proceeded with exams at end of term, after which a defended “their” forest to the extent that senior staff would almost Practical and Personal Assessment (PA) was allocated to each have to ask permission to pay them a visit. The schools seem to student. The exam marks depended on one’s ability to memorise the have turned out very independently minded individuals. facts and to write them down in orderly manner. There were no This fierce independence may have allowed a foresters to marks for waffle or original thinking. Practical marks depended on develop skills in managing local facilities and natural resources to physical skill. The ability to wield a large axe or plant huge numbers generate income to supplement what was, so I am told, quite low of trees per day was all important. The P.A. system depended to a pay in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. None of this income, I assume, ended in large extent on how your face fitted and how you obeyed the rules. an FC account but it did keep squads busy when other work might There were additional jobs which had to be performed. Duty have been scarce. I recall two examples of such skills. squad, cleaning huts, providing firewood, kitchen garden duties, In Lincolnshire a HF realised that forest rides were ideal for harvesting vegetables for the cookhouse, meteorological station growing carrots and the squad was set to work sowing and tending readings, fire ratings, fire duty, fire tower and fire standby with the crops. Sadly this enterprise came to an end when the high level vehicles and pumps ready to go at a moments notice. of drains maintenance was questioned given that the forest was in When we moved into second year we became “The Seniors” and an area of low rainfall. were treated accordingly but expected to show an example to the Foresters then often lived within the forest, sometimes in a croft new first year students. type house with outbuildings. These outbuildings in one NS forest The work patterns changed and the type of jobs became more were used to rear pigs on a commercial scale. This gave the squad technical and included surveying and timber measurement. The lorry driver regular work to haul in pig feed along with a few bits of marking of thinnings was reckoned to be the skill of a real forester fencing which justified a journey into town some 60 miles away. and we were shown how to achieve uniform stands of valuable When a visitor called at the house to speak to the forester, his wife timber. Little bits of arboriculture were introduced wherever directed him to the outbuildings saying “He’s with the pigs in that possible. Most trees planted by the F.C. trees were conifers and Prof. outbuilding, you’ll recognise him as he is the only one with a bonnet Anderson of Edinburgh University encouraged the F.C. to change this on”. Having met the forester some years later I could understand by introducing groups of broadleaved trees into the forest. His work what his wife meant. started at Glentress. There must be many stories like the above which should be After the Autumn Term in second year we were all dispatched to shared before they are lost forever. To be fair to the foresters, I have other FTSs for what was known as the exchange course, from to admit that they were not alone in their enterprises and that January until Easter. engineers (mostly civil of course)and land agents all have, I’m sure, We returned after Easter for our last term and sat the final exam similar stories to tell. and the R.S.F.S. Foresters exam. We were then looked on as Come on! Let’s have a few more stories suitably enhanced by the passage of time! Ed. FCA Today Issue 40 - March 2010

Book Reviews

The Foresters By James Miller, ISBN 978-1-841158-8339 Previously this writer had success with The Dam Builders, an account of the work done on constructing the Hydro Electric schemes. He has now looked at the industry. 90 He has researched the history of TH ANNIVERSARY forestry in extensively and By Peter Webb brought together much information from September’s meeting of the Peninsula Branch marked the 90th anniversary of the founding of numerous sources. He has valuable the FC. We had lunch at Eggesford followed by a visit to Flashdown Wood, where the first information on the formation of the trees were planted by the FC in December 1919. We are seen gathered around the and how it commemorative plaque. struggled in the early years to survive. The book has many photographs illustrating the development of Ikea and the Cross Cut Saw machinery and techniques over the Martyn Wateridge from the New Forest said that the Forestry Commission was called into years. He has interviewed people from action when the new Ikea store in Southampton opened. By Swedish tradition all Ikea stores many different grades and connections throughout the world are opened by using a crosscut saw to cut a billet of wood. with forestry and has brought it all The FC was asked if a crosscut saw was available – sadly all had been written off, “Worn together in a very readable form. Out”, on a B10. However it was known that retired New Forest timber cutter, Den Griggs, kept Ordinary people can be well informed one in his workshop sharp and ready for action. Den willingly lent his saw for the opening about an industry where there has been ceremony, when the Mayor of Southampton cut through the billet of wood, the saw doing its controversy in the past and where job perfectly. The Forestry Commission through one of its retirees, came to the rescue again. people interested in the outdoors spend No job is too big or too small for an active retiree. leisure time, whether for walking, You can see the saw in action on the clip of the store opening on the Ikea website. cycling, botanical studies, observing wildlife or just watching the majesty of growing trees. OBITUARIES This was a book that needed to be written. The real pity is that most of the Andy Neustein recalls GEORGE TAYLOR who Conservator in Dumfries in 1985, retiring in 1987 early pioneers have passed on to higher died at Inverness in November. after a typically diverse and engaging career. things. James Miller had to glean his He was born in Aldershot in 1927, coming Twenty years of retirement in Inverness information from the archives and from a military family; both his father and gave him time to enjoy his lifelong hobbies of speaking to second and third generation grandfather having served in the Gordon fishing and bridge, while also taking up curling, foresters. He has achieved something Highlanders. He was educated at Robert bowling and the academic pursuit of that is already a success as the books Gordon`s College,Aberdeen, and joined the archaeology Two married sons and five are flying off the shelves very quickly. An same regiment in the last week of the War. Most grandchildren fulfilled his life. of his army service was in India and after enjoyable read for anyone connected demobilisation he studied forestry at Aberdeen David Seal has brought together the memories with forestry. University, graduating in 1952. of the many friends and colleagues of ROGER John Keeyleyside He joined the FC and after a short period as LINES who died in October last year. During his a surveyor in Monaughty and Glenlivet, he long career in the FC Research Division Roger went to N(S) Conservancy, initially to the brought important improvements to upland From Peat Bog to Culloden District, then to Fort William in 1954 forestry. He was well known for his experiments ,where he met Anne, his wife- to- be, and and trials of species and provenances. He was Conifer Forest subsequently to Dingwall as DO. In 1965 he was keenly aware of the crucial importance of transferred to the Northern Research Station choice of seed origin as well as species, Ruth Tittensor’s book on the recent where cultivation was his main project. This was especially for infertile and exposed sites history of Whitelee Forest was short a period when the dominant aim was the common in the uplands. His research was listed for the Saltire Society’s “Scottish achievement of successful establishment, characterised by thoroughness, accuracy and History Book of the Year 2009“ award. growth and long term stability of Sitka spruce. excellent records. Although it did not win in its category, Promotion took him to Aberdeen, first as He was born in London 1926 and after Ruth was delighted that such an unusual Assistant Conservator FM and then H&M. national service in the Royal Signals, spent book was short listed. If you were In 1978 he was moved to the H&M Division mainly in India, he read Forestry and Botany at involved in the afforestation of Whitelee HQ as Operations Manager, there influentially Bangor University. He obtained a First Class and would like a copy of this book, steering the widespread innovative changes in Honours Degree in 1952 and joined the please contact Ruth at: felling and thinning, as the use of manual Research Division in the same year. 6 Donington Street, Darval, KA17 0JR labour diminished and mechanisation An early assignment was to take part in Tel: 01560 320 543. expanded. He returned to Aberdeen in 1982 and assessing the extent and severity of the Price: £27.50 plus p&p. was promoted to Conservator there in 1983 . windthrow of January 1953 in NE Scotland. After After the closure of that office, he took over as transfer to Silviculture North Branch in FCA Today Issue 40 - March 2010

OBITUARIES Edinburgh in the early 1950s Roger worked at valued. He returned to the Black Isle in the In his time with the FC, I am sure many will Sighthill, moving to the new Northern Research 1970s and on retirement, stayed on. He was a have met Tony and remember him as a man Station (NRS) when it was completed at the gentleman of immense courage and with whom you knew where you stood, but also Bush Estate, Edinburgh in 1970. He was based perseverance in adversity, and was full of kindly someone who was more than willing to help there until his retirement in 1986. concern for those under his charge. I have had whenever he could. He was very much a family In NRS he continued earlier work by JAB many happy contacts with him and he will be man who was always proud of his daughters MacDonald in the field of species and greatly missed by friends and family. and grandchildren and gave them provenance, writing extensively on these Peter Webb has sent me news of four deaths. encouragement in everything they did. This also subjects. He saw the value of extending ROGER TWALLIN was born at Saltash in spread over into his management style which, planting on to poor, severely exposed ground Cornwall in 1921. He flew as a navigator with as those who worked for him would confirm, and into areas of atmospheric pollution and Bomber Command during the War and was a little “old school”. He was always directed his research to these ends. He took afterward he joined the FC. In the late 1950s he generous in his praise of anything you did and part in the development of tatter-flags as a worked with the late Tom Wilkinson on the would always give support whenever needed. cheap means of measuring exposure over large Mobile Show Unit but he spent most of his Tony was always held in very high regard by hill areas. His work on Lodgepole pine and Sitka career in the Education and Training Branch his staff who were fiercely loyal to him and spruce was outstanding but he also worked on which included a number of years as an showed great respect for the fact that he had a range of other species. He wrote the definitive instructor at the Dean Forestry Training School. come from the shop floor and could still roll up FC Bulletin 66, ‘Choice of Seed Origins for the Roger was an ardent Cornishman and on his his sleeves and do the job alongside you as he main Forest Species in Britain’. retirement he returned to his beloved Cornwall often did. He was always a lively character with Roger also worked in international where he died in December 2009. The funeral a vast range of anecdotes about his times in research. He was Chairman of the Working service was at St Pinnock Parish Church where various other places and experiences in the FC. Group on Provenance Research and Testing of Roger had been Church Warden. When Tony was diagnosed with his illness, the International Union of Forest Research PETER STONE completed training in the he accepted it in his usual style by facing it Organisations. He travelled in Europe and Dean, went briefly to the New Forest and then head on and managing to fit in as much as he America to study provenances of species for to the old South West England Conservancy could in the time he had left. This included planting in Britain. He was awarded a Nuffield where he spent the remainder of his career experiences as diverse as microlite flying and Fellowship in 1968 to travel round the world mainly at Haldon and Eggesford Forests. He taking a trip to the Isle of Man motorcycle studying the organisation of research institutes. retired to Exeter. He visited Iceland three times to give advice at races, as bikes were always his passion. EDDIE CAVELL spent his whole career in the I spoke with Tony shortly before his passing the request of the Icelandic government. A old East England Conservancy starting at notable recorder, his expeditions at home and and although he was obviously not well he was Willingham then moving to Rockingham, the same happy joking person and still showing abroad were always meticulously reported. Bramfield and finally Thetford Chase. He will be Roger was a Fellow of the ICF and a member concern for others. I hope all those that had the best remembered for the sterling work on pleasure of working with Tony will remember of the RSFS. He was awarded an OBE for behalf of the Foresters Section of the Civil him with fondness. services to forestry when he retired in 1986. Service Union in the 1960s. He retired to A devoted family man, he and his wife, Burnham on Sea in Somerset and died at the Obituaries for Jock Chrystall and Charles Taylor Jane, had two sons and two daughters. He age of 80. will appear in the next issue. retired to Somerset in 1987 and, as Roger and VALERIE WILLIAMS who worked in the Jane enjoyed gardening, he selected this District Office in the Forest of Dean died during location after a meticulous study of climatic, December 2009 at the age of 72. FCA Today Correspondents lithologic and pedologic features revealed it to I have also heard of the death in July of be the most benign and productive area of GB! LESLIE GROVES who started with the FC in 1944 1. Bryce Reynard: 01463 225887 He maintained his lifelong interest in and retired as forester in Ringwood in 1991. He 2. Vacant archaeology and continued his involvement in was born and lived all his life in Verwood and 3. Coll Gardner: 0131 336 3223 forestry as a member of the Wessex Silviculture was both passionate about his job and enjoyed 4. Elizabeth Capstick: 01439 771249 Group and as a Tree Warden. He was very well his hobbies of organ playing and photography. 5. Vacant liked and will be long remembered. 6 John Thomas: 01179 863869 Alwyn Warriner has fond memories of TONY 7. Lena Birchall: 01420 23213 Finlay MacRae recalls WILLIAM NICOLSON who WITHYCOMBE who died recently. He will be 8. David Williams: 01766 762280 died in November aged 86. A native of Uig in remembered by many during his long career Skye, he lived near Munlochy on the Black Isle. with Mechanical Engineering. He first came to GROUP CONTACTS Willie joined the FC on the Black Isle in 1939 work for the FC at the old Kielder workshop, Inverness (1) having been selected for forester training. He after starting his working life as an apprentice N & NE Scotland

Eric Urquhart: 01463 221989 Edinburgh (3) was soon called up and served in the RE with blacksmith in the mining industry, and a spell as (2) Glasgow great distinction throughout the war. In a fabricator/welder in the dock yards at Mid York (4) particular, he was involved in bomb disposal in Tyneside when that was a vibrant industry. Vacant HQ & South Scotland London and with nerves of steel, disarmed He then moved to the new workshop at (8) Flestiniog unexploded bombs embedded in the London Bellingham where he became foreman and then David Chadwick: 01383 821216 clay. Yorkshire later moved to Low Dalby as Workshop (5) Cardiff Bristol (6) Farnham (7) He rejoined the FC and completed forester Manager. During this period, Tony spent time Geoff Barry: 01751 472575 training at Benmore in the early 1950s covering for a colleague at Cairnbaan Workshop Brecklands subsequently serving all over Scotland. In 1955 before eventually returning back to Dalby. In the Margaret Mayes: 01842 811920 he contracted polio but with the care of his wife 1990’s Tony was on the move again due to a Alice Holt Mike Whitlock: 01428 723 213 and his sheer determination, he bore this reorganisation within MES but this time it was Forest of Dean Bart Venner: 01594 530504 illness and incapacity with exceptional as Manager at Creebridge workshop. West Country Peter Webb: 01837 52926 fortitude. He was promoted to CF in the 1960s Regrettably during this time Tony lost his North Wales Eifion Jones: 01745 814857 taking charge of Skye. While there he was a beloved wife Anne so decided to return to North South Wales Peter Walker: 01291 424291 leading light in Portree Gaelic Choir where his Yorkshire where two of his daughters and family with contacts for exact area covered. good voice and exceptional Gaelic were greatly still live.

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