The Church of St Margaret, Underriver Vicar: The Reverend Carol Kitchener Underriver Newssheet St Lawrence Vicarage, Stone Street, , TN15 0LQ Telephone: 01732 761766 Email: [email protected] FEBRUARY 2015 Church Calendar FEBRUARY 1 Presentation of Christ in the White Temple 11:15 All-age Family service Reading: Luke 2:22-40 5 08:30 Morning Prayer (CW) 8 2nd Sunday before Lent Green 08:00 Holy Communion (BCP) Readings: Colossians 1:15-20 & John 1:1-14 11:15 Matins (BCP) Readings: Colossians 1:15-20 & John 1:1-14 12 08:30 Morning Prayer (CW) 15 Sunday next before Lent Green 11:15 Family Holy Communion (Short) Readings: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 & Mark 9:2-9 18 ASH WEDNESDAY 10:00 Service at St Lawrence, 19 08:30 Morning Prayer (CW) 22 1st Sunday of Lent Purple 11:15 Parish Communion (CW) with Baptism Readings: Genesis 9:8-17 & Mark 1:9-15 26 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) 1 March 2nd Sunday of Lent Purple 11:15 All-age Family Service Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 5 March 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) This Month:

 Quiz Night—Page 8 Key: BCP = Book of Common Prayer - a service using traditional (17th C) language and form; CW = Common Worship - a service using contemporary (21st C) language and form  Sell something—Page 10 St Margaret’s Church Website St Margaret’s now has its own website. To keep up to date about services and events please see www.stmargaretsunderriver.org.uk 2 FROM THE VICAR CHURCH NEWS

At the beginning of the month of Looking back: same again. They February the Church celebrates the th Presentation of Christ in the Temple, were both content January was a quiet month, the first service of the year (4 ) was an Epiphany the occasion on which Mary and to die now that Service – we thought about the Wise Men who visited Jesus with their extraor- Joseph took their baby son Jesus to they had seen all dinary gifts. the Temple, their place of worship, to that God had Thank you to Jane Martineau and the flower arrangers who made the church, ask for God’s blessings on him and to promised come to the porch and the lych-gate look so beautiful this Christmas. Also, to the choir introduce him to the community. On pass. Simeon said for leading our Christmas worship, especially the Carol Service which was en- that day they were greeted by two “Master you are now dismissing your joyed by a good number of people. elderly people each with a message of servant in peace” (Luke 2:29a). Looking forward: joy and hope. Life can take us all by surprise, we 1st February 11.15 am: Candlemas All-Age Service as we remember the baby think that we can predict events, or One was a man called Simeon. God Jesus being presented in the Temple by his parents. influence events, but we cannot always had promised Simeon that he would th not die until he had seen God’s Son, do that. Maybe something entirely 18 February 10 am joint Ash Wednesday Holy Communion Service at St Law- the Messiah, with his own eyes. When new will happen to you this year, or rence’s Church – Lent begins. Simeon saw Mary and Joseph with to your family. Maybe it will be Lent Course 8:00pm something that you have longed for, their baby, he took Jesus in his arms 23rd February at The White House and praised God. He rejoiced because or that you have looked forward to – he knew that Jesus would bring a bit like Simeon and Anna. Maybe it 2nd; 9th; 16th; 23rd March all at the Vicarage salvation of the people of Israel and will be something you could not have that he would also be a light to reveal imagined happening. Perhaps it will Prayers: God to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. bring joy, or maybe it will make you feel sad, or maybe puzzled. Whatever For our village as people move in and out of our community and as new The other person was an elderly things begin woman called Anna. Anna was a happens be assured that you will not prophet she had been a widow for be on your own, God will be with you For elderly and housebound people during the colder and darker months though that experience. He is always most of her adult life and she For all who are sick, for those who are waiting for test results remained in the Temple night and day with us even if we forget about him, He does not forget us. God was with praying and praising God. As soon as Prayer Times she saw Jesus with his parents, she Simeon and Anna through all of the years as they waited to see the Please come to our prayer group: praised God and then told everyone 2nd February 2pm at The White House she saw all about this special child. promised Messiah, and God accompanies us through all of the ups 23rd February 2 pm: at Grenadier, Riding Lane, Two devout people saw a small and downs of our lives, from the very baby with his parents and recognised beginning to the very end. God at work in them. Simeon and Anna knew that they were standing at Thanks be to God. Underriver Newsheet Subscriptions the brink of something entirely new, Yours in the love of Christ A reminder that subs for 2015 are now due - £7 for local deliveries £13 for something that had not happened Carol postals . Please send subscriptions to Neil Fair at Westover. Cheques should be before. God had intervened in the made payable to St Margaret's Church, Underriver. world and things would never be the 3 4 Underriver Village UNDERRIVER BOOK CLUB

Underriver Village Association membership £10 per household per annum. The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier Please contact [email protected] This book was entertaining and generally enjoyed but not considered "great". Pilates Classes BOOT CAMP It is the story of a Quaker girl, Honor Bright, who journeys to America, accom- Mondays 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm Fast paced circuit based workout panying her sister who is to marry, but who dies of yellow fever. Almost alone Tuesday 9:25 am Every Tuesday 7.30pm Honor becomes involved in helping slaves escape to Canada, an Amish family Contact: Zoe George 07950 494 335 Contact: Charles on 07759479179 or find us Email: [email protected] on www.facebook.com/ and quilt making. She is critical of almost everything: the countryside, the food, CharlesCrouchBootcamp www.zoetgeorgepilates.com the sewing skill but slowly over comes her prejudices and finds contentment. Tracy C does an enormous amount of research before she starts on the story

and this shows, I think, in a lack of driven passion. The problems of duty and Dates for your diaries: conscience are well described.

Jennifer Fair  Horticultural Society Spring Show—Saturday 28th March  UVA Quiz Night– Saturday 7th March (see page 8) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  Horticultural Society Plant Sale—Saturday 9th May I really enjoyed this book but some people were put off by the concept and the unusual style which made it difficult to get started.  UVA Golf Day—Saturday 16th May Some important information.  UVA Family Fun Day _ Saturday 7th June  The novel is narrated by death  Horticultural Society Summer Show (with Cream Teas)—Saturday 25th  It’s a small story about a girl July  An accordionist  Some fanatical Germans  A Jewish fist fighter  Quite a lot of thievery The Children's Society It is a story about a girl, Lisel, who is 9 years old and lives with foster parents, The Underriver box collection reached a record in 2014: £403.20. Thank you her parents have been taken to a concentration camp, Lisel steals books. The to all box holders. I have put up in the church porch a letter from the society. story unfolds revealing normality in un-normal times – delightfully but quirkily written – the characters are totally believable, especially the children and it is The money changes lives every day by providing funds needed for vital services, sometimes very sad but it is a great story. like drop-in centres for young runaways and help for drug and sexual exploita- Markus Zusak is an Australian, his parents came from Germany and Austria and tion. stories of their childhood during the war and incidents that happened became Is there anyone else who would like a box to put their pennies (pounds?) in. the inspiration for this book. Angela Ridge Jennifer Fair

5 6 THURSDAY UNDERRIVER GROUP UNDERRIVER ARCHIVES GROUP

The Chairman, Wendy, warmly welcomed 18 members to the first meeting in The Underriver Archives Group met that of the Underriver Home Guard 2015, who all enjoyed an excellent cold buffet and admired the fresh table flow- at Absaloms for the first time on 21st taken outside the Village Hall in 1944. ers. January. Though a cold and murky day, We were able to identify 6 gentlemen th This was the AGM lunch and in her report the Chairman said that our 10 year Mary welcomed us with tea and cakes in the group and hope to find the in 2014 had proved to be most successful. The new programme for 2015 is and a huge log fire for us to enjoy. We names of the remaining 21! We are once again both varied and interesting and there will be three evening meetings hoping that folk will be inspired to when guests will be most welcome. The group charities for 2014 were The had an overview of the information contribute more items for these Ar- Children’s Liver Foundation and the new school at West Heath, both of which that is being gathered relating to the received donations of £400. For 2015, one charity will be ‘Mind’ and sugges- history of houses, the Church and the chives whether they be photographs tions are required for the second one. School, and snippets of stories about or memories of times gone by. Our next meeting will be at 2.30pm on Two committee members, Jenny and Caroline, are standing down and were folk who have lived in the Village. We given a big ‘thank you’ for all the hard work they had done over the past years. also talked about events that have af- Wednesday 25th March at Absaloms A new committee with two replacement members is being arranged. fected the Village - in particular the when we will look at the 1839 Tithe The Treasurer, Brenda, gave a report on the finances, which showed a healthy planes that crashed in the Village dur- Map of Underriver. bank balance of £2010. One increased expense is the postage but otherwise ing WW2. We have a wonderful col- Everyone is welcome. they remain much the same. The speakers give their fees to their own selected lection of old photographs including Judy Graydon charities. Finally, a vote of thanks was given to the excellent and hard working committee members who are much appreciated by the group. THE ANNUAL

Sylvia Davis. UNDERRIVER QUIZ NIGHT Saturday 7th March 2014 in the Village Hall UNDERRIVER HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Teams of 6 – 8 people Tickets now available at £12.50 per head to include Our forthcoming events: a one-course fork supper  The Spring Show 28th March, BYO drinks (Schedules will be included with March Newsheet) To enter a team please contact Mary Owlett a.s.a.p.  The Plant Sale 9th May, on: [email protected] or tel: 838716 th  The Summer Show and Cream Teas 25 July This year we again welcome our Quizmaster Lucy Hatley, who will test us on our all-round knowledge.

7 8 pudding or chorizo. Or stir fry with crops. Early forced rhubarb is the February (Continued from page 9) ginger, garlic, shredded pak choi and a cook’s friend now – wonderful in tradi- at Farmers dash of soy sauce, or serve on a tional crumbles, compotes and pies, it Local fruit is sparse this month but Market creamy puree of wonderful seasonal also goes well with rich flavoured meat cauliflower. there are still apples to be enjoyed – and fish so serve a rhubarb sauce with the storing varieties keep well until Although we reached the ‘top 10 mar- For meat eaters, game is an excellent grilled mackerel or spice it up with April so make sure to go on buying kets in number of votes, we did not choice for seasonal healthy eating. Chinese five spice and serve with slow local when you see them. The flavour have enough to make it to the finals of Venison, guinea fowl, wood pi- cooked belly pork. is still sweet and fragrant for many the Produced in Kent Awards. geon, partridge and hare are all (However, our consolation is that we good in February. Most modern game won the ‘Best Farmers Market in is lean and full of flavour so cook Kent’ for 2015 organized by Kent Life). steaks or breasts simply on the griddle Thank you to all who voted for us. or quickly stir-fried, or braise tougher Christmas now seems quite a long way cuts or older birds with wine and ba- away already but the market fared real- con and serve with pureed celeriac. Memories of the Great War ly well over the Christmas period even For comfort eating try mutton for its Stories about friends or relatives who served in the Great War are still sought the extra pick up market was fairly rich flavour or a lovely piece of rare _ there must be more lurking out there !! If you have any information _ please well attended. However as I write this breed pork – stuff a shoulder joint contact Tim Tawney on 01732 832331. the weather in January seems just as with rosemary, garlic and slices of lem- bad as last year with never ending grey on and slow cook for 12 – 14 hours skies, rain and wind !! (find a recipe on the internet) for a If it’s February then it really should be Sunday celebration . Underriver Market fish on the menu. Buying produce in Serve your meat with steamed kale or season ensures you get the best quality Brussels sprouts, both at their best Do you have Something to sell? at the cheapest price and for fish that this month. Savoy cabbage and pur- There will be monthly table top sales in the Village Hall, Starting on means they are also at their most ple sprouting broccoli l work per- 28th February. To cover the cost of hall hire, tables will be available to abundant. Lemon sole, halibut, fectly in stir fries and curries, or serve skate (more properly called ray) and them simply shredded and steamed rent at £8. (Trestle table provided). monkfish are all good. Shellfish fans tossed with a little seasoning, and a There will also be sales tables for items and produce which have been should keep an eye out for clams, dash of cold pressed rapeseed oil. mussels, oysters and cockles. Local Main crop potatoes, Jerusalem donated. Takings from these will be donated to charity. scallops come in this month – and artichokes, parsnips and turnips The sale will be open from 10:00am till 11:30am their very own festival to celebrate the provide the starch that keeps us going season (check out Rye Bay Scallop in the cold so mash them together to Do come and have a nice cup of coffee or tea, and homemade cake, also Week which this year kicks off on Sat- go with your game dishes. Or try a mix in aid of a charity. urday 21st February at http:// roasted in rapeseed oil and scattered scallop.org.uk) so make sure you don’t with sea salt. Further dates are: miss one of the region’s most enjoya- 21st March, 25th April, and 30th May ble treasures. Try them wrapped in For further details phone Mary or Sarah Owlett – 01732 838716 local streaky bacon and baked or with (Continued on page 10) cooked on a griddle with slices of black 9 10 MEMORIES OF THE GREAT WAR LINDA CRAMMOND managing the BBC's Economics Unit, and I worked just down the road in Long-time residents of Underriver 1942 - 2015 Fleet Street as a News Editor. he enjoyed his last leave in January will remember the late Sylvia Ball, who 1918, and returned to France from Vic- It is with great sadness that I must in- Linda loved her life in Underriver, the lived at The Forge. Not many will toria Station to rejoin his unit. The know that tragically she lost two uncles form you all of the death of my wife horses, the dogs, the friends, the walks Royal Sussex Regiment was in the in the Great War. Linda Crammond. Linda died from a and the pub. front line at Quinchy, and was soon in brain tumour on Monday, January 19, The two young brothers were action at the opening of the offensive Her illness, though relatively short, was killed within eighteen months of each known as the Battle of the Lys. His just 13 weeks after diagnosis. horrendous and it is with some relief other, in France, Alwyn the elder serv- wife Sylvia's diary tells the blunt facts. Linda and I first bought land on Rooks that Karl (my son) and I can say she is ing with the Royal Naval Division, and “ April 9th. Early Hill in 1980 to keep our lovely horse now at rest. the younger Arnold with the Royal Sus- morning “stand to” when Foxy but it soon became apparent that sex Regiment. Both had lived in At her request her cremation on Feb- Bosche put over a bit of a Chart ; Alwyn, a distinguished the commute from London to the ruary 11 will be a private family only strafe. It had finished and architect, designed and built a house for horse was ridiculous so, after much affair but I will be hosting a Celebration Arnold was turning a corner his brother in Mark Cross; Arnold and looking, we bought 1 Underriver of his trench when a shell of her Life from 1pm on Sunday, his family moved there in 1915, and by exploded behind him, a piece House Cottages in 1985. Needless to March. This will be well catered and 1916 he was already serving in France, hitting him in the temple and say I am still there! watered!. We invite all our Underriver and only having brief spells of leave killing him instantly. Captain with his wife and four children. Linda and I had a great and very full life friends to this. It will be very informal Jacques took off his ring and together. She was an accomplished with very bright and colourful casual Sub-Lieutenant Alwyn Ball had locket and sent them to me. equestrian and skier and we were both clothes as the official Dress Code. If already served in Gallipoli; by the au- He was buried in Cambrin, tumn of 1916 he was acting as a com- the funeral having been in- very keen on trips to the Arctic, large- you can come please email me on pany commander on the Somme. After terrupted three times owing ly to photograph polar bears. [email protected] so that several weeks of trench fighting he led to gas attacks.” Her early life was spent as a teacher the caterers don't have to take too his troops, on 13th November 1916, in The names of Lieutenant Arnold culminating as a lecturer in Spanish at much food away with them. storming the strong German front line and Sub-Lieutenant Alwyn Ball are in the sector from Beaumont Hamel to the University of the West Indies. She Malcolm Severs recorded on the memorial in St Martin's the Ancre River; he had already distin- always wanted to be involved in film Church, Brasted ; Arnold's appears as guished himself by capturing the vil- however and, after a spell making cof- well on the memorial in St Mark's lage of Beaucourt. But he did not sur- Church, Mark Cross. fee in Wardour Street secured a posi- vive to hear the plaudits for himself and tion as a producer for the now defunct his men. That day he was killed by a COI. From there she moved to ITN as sniper, aged just 32, one of 80 losses in Story supplied by an ex-resident the RND alone. of Underriver. a journalist before moving even further to New Zealand. It was there that we Arnold fought on through 1917 ; met, both working as journalists for Radio New Zealand. Back in Linda worked for the BBC, rising up the ladder until she was 11 12 LOCAL THEATRE (Continued from page 13) Wednesday 18th February. Tunbridge Wells Odeon will screen the Royal Opera House’s performances of Giordano’s Andrea Chenier on Sunday 1st February and of LIVE PERFORMANCES Wagner’s Der Fliegende Hollander on Tuesday 24th February. It will screen the th On Thursday 5 February (one night only) Tunbridge Wells’ Trin- New York Metropolitan Opera’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and ity Arts Theatre (01892 678678) will present a stage version of Bartok’s Duke Bluebird’s Castle on Saturday 14th February. The performances on Henry James’ famous spine-chiller The Turn of the Screw. In the 14th and 24th February will be live: the 1st February performance will be a recording. autumn of 1897, a house party starts telling stories. Then from a locked drawer comes a manuscript - written by a woman dead for Arthur Rucker . twenty years, who had been a governess caring for two young children on a remote country estate. After a while, she became convinced that they shared the house with ghosts from the past. But were these horrors real or imagined? And what could the ghosts have wanted with the children? As the story is acted out, the house begins to echo with discordant voices … From Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th February at Sevenoaks’ Stag Theatre (01732 450175), Surrey Opera will stage Camelot, Lerner and Loewe’s spectacular take on the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Expect chivalry, ro- mance, pageantry and treachery, with a score that includes If ever I would leave you, Cam- elot and How to handle a woman. From Saturday 21st to Saturday 28th February Tonbridge’s Oast Theatre (01732 363849) will present Andrew Bovell’s Speaking in Tongues - described as an intri- guing play where nine people’s lives become intertwined through their infidelities, their deceptions and a missing person. The New York Times described this play as “clever, provocative and elliptically resonant”. As the pre‑show publicity says, if you want to know what means, you will just have to go and see the play. From Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th February, Trinity’s own amateur company will perform And Then There Were None, the stage version of one of Agatha Christie’s best books “Ten Little …….” (we can no longer use the last word of that title). Ten strangers assemble on a remote holiday island off the coast of Devon. One by one, they are poisoned, strangled, stabbed, drowned, shot, etc, in the order of the old nursery rhyme. Can the survivors work out whodunit before they too meet the same fate? SCREENED LIVE PERFORMANCES The Royal Shakespeare Company’s highly praised production of William Shake- speare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost will be screened live on Wednesday 11th February at the Stag, Trinity and the Tunbridge Wells Odeon. The National Theatre’s production of RL Stevenson’s Treasure Island will be screened at Trinity on

(Continued on page 14) 13 14 Rotas for St Margaret’s Useful Names and Addresses Sidesmen/-women and Readers Church Warden 1 Feb Sides: C Honnywill Andrea Pierce, 1 Grenadier Cottages, Riding Lane, Readers: Charlotte Farquharson 8 Feb Hildenborough, TN11 9QH; 832408. 8:00 Side: A Rucker Underriver Village Association Reader: Ruth Hawker Secretary: Robert Talbot, Weald Heights, 11:15 Sides: J Fair Fawke Common, Underriver, TN15 0SP; 761546. Reader: Andrew Martin [email protected] 15 Feb Sides: P Payne Village Hall Reservations Robert Talbot, Reader: tba 01732 761546 or [email protected] 22 Feb Sides: C Thornton & G Clark www.underriver-village.org.uk Robert Talbot Reader: Elizabeth Shirtcliff via the website. 1 Mar Sides: J Rucker Thursday Underriver Group Reader: Judy Hurrion Secretary: Pat Hope, 01732 833933. Horticultural Society Secretary: Mary Owlett, Absaloms Farm; 838716. Church Flowers Underriver Youth Group Charles Honnywill, 1 Feb Jill Scott Underriver Farm; 838036. Cricket Club Michael Tong, Hollandhurst; 832069. 8 Feb Judy Hurrion Scotts Project Secretary: Jill Scott, 833498. 15 Feb Michelle Andrew Neigbourhood Watch Co-ordinator: Lorna Talbot 22 Feb Sian McFadyen [email protected] Kent County Council Nick Chard, 42 High Street, Services at St Lawrence, Seal Chart Sevenoaks, TN13 1JG; 07855 787511. [email protected] FEBRUARY Church Brass Cleaning Council Ward Representatives 1 Presentation of Christ in 8:00 Holy Communion (BCP) Roderick Hogarth, 01732 760325 14 Feb Graham Clark & Arthur Rucker the Temple [email protected] 9:45 All-age Family Service 14 Mar Robert Wells & Phillip Payne Julia Thornton, 07831 234449 3 Tuesday 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) [email protected] 8 2nd before Lent 9:45 Family Communion (CW) Church Cleaning Seal Parish Council www.sealparishcouncil.org.uk Robin Watson, The Old Vicarage, Underriver; 10 Tuesday 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) 7 Feb J Hurrion & H Medlam 833930. [email protected] Clerk - Lorna Talbot; 01732 763488. 15 Sunday next before Lent 9:45 Family Communion (CW) 14 Feb L Talbot & B Tong [email protected] 17 Tuesday 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) 21 Feb J Martineau & L Weston Sam Kirkaldy; 760702. [email protected] 18 Ash Wednesday 10:00 Holy Communion with the Imposition of Ashes 28 Feb S Brunton & S Sinclair Parish Administrative Assistant Tim Pierce 22 1st Sunday of Lent 9:45 Matins (BCP) 7 Mar A Ridge & S Tawney [email protected] 24 Tuesday 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) Newssheet Editor Tim Pierce, 1 Grenadier Cottages, Riding Lane, 1 Mar 2nd Sunday of Lent 8:00 Holy Communion (BCP) Newssheet subscription: Hildenborough TN11 9QH £7.00, or £13.00 for postal subscribers (who 01732 832408 [email protected] 9:45 All-age Family Service should send cheques – payable to St Margaret’s Church, Underriver – to Neil Fair, Westover, All contributions should be submitted to the editor by 3 Mar Tuesday 8:30 Morning Prayer (CW) Underriver, TN15 0SE ) 15th of the preceding month. 15 16