October 2019
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The October 2019 NEWSLETTER of the WESSEX CENTRE of the MORGAN SPORTS CAR CLUB Greetings, fellow Wessex Morganeers y quill is scratching the parchment (not quite in time with the hammering of the rain on the window), and I am conscious that this is the edition of The Morganiser just before the M clocks go back. This is when the days suddenly feel a lot shorter, and we spend dark evenings wondering where the summer went, and then hatching exciting plans for the year ahead. At this point we begin to remember those conversations with intrepid Wessex members who have toured far and wide in their Morgans in the UK and in Europe, and dream of adventures of our own. ver the year to date, Wessex has had a very busy calendar, and, checking the reports, I am amazed at how many have been bathed in glorious sunshine. The New Year’s Day outing O to Coldharbour Mill in steam, and all the Sunday lunches (including those stunningly photogenic venues at Dillington House and Hornsbury Mill) have seen a splendid turnout of topless Morgans. And, the same was true of Drive-it Day to Mapperton House and gardens, Killerton, Hive Beach, the Tinney Tribute Tour, Bennetts Water Gardens and the lighthouse at Portland Bill, Fivehead summer fête, Thornfalcon, and the Honiton Hill Rally. We have done well! The Stonebarrow Picnic was a damp exception which proves that Britain does still have a maritime climate. Bob and Jenny’s trip to Angoulême in mid-September for the Circuit des Remparts was a scorcher, too. oing forward, we still have some important Centre events which you should seriously consider, including the imminent visit to the Motor Museum at Moretonhampstead. G Wessex is celebrating its 38 years at the Anniversary Lunch on Sunday 3 November, and then on Saturday 16 November we have the Annual Dinner and Presentation of awards for achievement during the year. Full details of these events will be found inside these pages, and I encourage you to book your place now. We round off the year with our Christmas noggin at The Flintlock Inn, where, wearing seasonal ties, jumpers, hats, and beards (!) we enjoy putting our feeble minds to the test with fiendish quizzes and games amidst the usual superb food and service. It has been good meeting some of our newer members during the year, getting to know you a little, and seeing you join us at noggins and events. When you get to know the rest of us please don’t be shy to send in notes/ comments/ photographs of your own Morgan experiences to share with us through these pages. So, my Plus 4 has been prepared for the season ahead, waxed, greased, leather treated, checked underneath, and serviced, and I look forward to seeing many of you again before the end of the year. Enjoy the days ahead, get out when you can, topless when you can. Safe motoring Roger Copy date for the next Morganiser: 8 December 2019 Page 1 of 21 The Morganiser October 2019 John` s Jottings… The Centre Secretary`s report for October What a drastic change in the weather since our last Morganiser. Okay, we accept summer`s over but it`s this incessant rain that tests us. But think of all the events we have enjoyed and look at those planned to take us to the end of the year. Various detailed reports elsewhere, but I particularly enjoyed the Honiton Hill rally where Pete and Jill had `arranged` ringside seats to view exhibits entering and leaving the arena. Thanks to Pete and Jill swapping driving seats I was able to provide commentary when it came to the turn of the Mogs. Thanks, too, for showings at the AIM Classic Car Show, Thornfalcon, and the Stonebarrow Hill picnic near Charmouth, though Robert and Jane tell me views could have been better. I didn`t have any comments to feed into national review of MOG events but these will be rationalised for the future in the light of experience. I am kept abreast of developments at national level within MSCC. Centre membership continues to thrive and recently we have welcomed Les and Jean Morton, Brian Loveluck, Andrew and Sarah Goodwin-Davis, and of course John and Wendy Woodward joined us at the start of the year. It was also good to see Linda Wells and James Bairstow back at the last noggin - attended by 31 members. It was pretty full at the Royal Oak! At the same time, we were sorry to hear about poor Babs Phelps for her arm injury – third time unlucky, same arm with silly trip at home. Also Sue Sapp with her Segway safari mishap, resulting in serious injury to her knee. You will be glad to know both are recovering and being looked after by respective Morganeer hubbies. Sue sends her thanks to Wessex centre members for her signed card. Your Committee recently met to review the Centre working and programme. Lots of discussion and ideas covered. A few events had been poorly attended, but it is heartening to see overall good support for organised events – this month 11 Wessex Mogs due on Dartmoor Trip and 27 booked for the Sunday lunch at the Walnut Tree, West Camel. My sincere thanks to all those involved. Pete and Jill are working on draft events programme for 2020, and Graham Land joined us as Deputy Secretary to shadow me over the next year. It is also felt we should have scope for Membership Secretary role to administer membership records – and we are proposing a Wessex tag-name (more to follow at AGM). The AGM will be held on Thursday 6 February at the Prince of Wales, Ham Hill, near Yeovil. A date for those 2020 diaries when they arrive - details to follow nearer the time. Pete and Jill have published an update of remaining 2019 calendar. If you have not already booked, if possible please support our forthcoming key events of the Anniversary Lunch on Sunday 3 November at the Drayton Crown, nr Langport [contact Nick and Kate]; and the Annual Dinner & Awards Evening on Saturday 16 November at The Lanes Hotel, West Coker, nr Yeovil [Nev and Julia]. …. And that`s without mentioning our Christmas noggin Wednesday 11 December. As you can see, with Wessex it`s foot down to the end of 2019, but still drive carefully. John Page 2 of 21 The Morganiser October 2019 Annual Dinner with Awards Presentation Once again it is time to sort out the details of our Annual Dinner which this year is to be held on Saturday 16th November. Please arrive at 7 o’clock; dinner will be served at 7.30 p.m. This will be held again at Lanes Hotel, West Coker, as the majority of members seem to think there is nowhere else quite as nice in a central position, as we are a little short on ’posh’ hotels to which we can all easily reach. For people wishing to stay overnight (and this number increases each year) when you ring Lanes mention you are with the Wessex Centre as the price for us has been discounted to £110 per room. I am assured this is well below their normal rate. (Tel. no: 01935 862555). The menu is shown on the next page; the price this year is £29.00 per head (service included) which again has been subsidised by the Centre. This includes 3 courses and coffee or tea. If anyone suffers from a food allergy or intolerance, please inform me when placing your order and I will ensure the instructions are passed to the hotel. I need your choices together with a cheque by the 8th November at the latest, but in actual fact it would be useful to know who is coming well in advance of this date. For your information, we don’t cash your cheque until after the dinner. The speaker this year is Jacqueline Larcombe, Philanthropy Manager at the Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth. Jacky promises to tell us something about the history, current work and future plans of the Donkey Sanctuary. Perhaps like me, you were not aware that this is one of the biggest animal welfare and rescue charities in the world, so it should interesting to hear what Jacky has to say. We have had a number of new members join us this year and we hope that the idea of dressing up for a good night out just once in our Morgan year appeals to you. Of course, we also hope that for long-standing members this is an evening not to be missed - a really big crowd would be wonderful. Hope to hear from you soon Julia I / We wish to attend the Annual Dinner on the 16th November 2019 NAMES a) ........................................................ b) ............................................................. Menu choices for a) Menu choices for b) .................................................................. ............................................................................ .................................................................. ............................................................................ .................................................................. ............................................................................ Please return this form by 8th November together with your cheque for £29.00 per head to me Julia Lear, Toad Hall, 14 St. Michael’s Gardens, South Petherton, Somerset. TA13 5BD Cheques should be made out to the MSCC Wessex Centre, NOT ME! Page 3 of 21 The Morganiser October 2019 Page 4 of 21 The Morganiser October 2019 Treasure Hunt Sunday 21 July 2019 We arrived just after midday at the ‘Gaggle of Geese’, Buckland Newton, in glorious July sunshine. We joined John in the orchard behind the pub; he was enjoying the weather whilst cradling a pint of the finest brew (and we quickly followed suit). The intrepid few arrived within minutes of each other Dave and Sue with William and dashing Panama Hat, Rob and Jane with that fine V8 soundtrack coming through the lanes, and John and Elaine hood down side screens off (they always look the part).