The Chronicle for December 2013 and January 2014 – P a g e 1 The Chronicle for December 2013 —January 2014 - Page 2 The Chronicle for December 2013 and January 2014 – P a g e 2 From the Editorial Team . Our recent storms and waterlogged fields are put into perspective when we look at the horrors wrought by the Philippines tornado. We are truly lucky in this country to have weather that is a target for grumbles rather than a threat to existence. On a very different type of loss, Peter is stepping down from the Chronicle editorial team, as he explains on page 3. The rebirth of the Chronicle seven years ago after Alan gave up producing it almost single-handedly was due to Peter’s initiative, and he has been a mainstay of the team ever since. He is, of course, still much involved in other activities in our community, but we shall miss him on the Chronicle – although we hope that the odd phone call or e-mail will still come our way. Finally, may we wish to all our readers a very happy Christmas and New Year. From Peter, Anne, Kathy, Marion and Kate THE CHRONICLE is published six times a year by St. Margaret's Church, West Hoathly for the benefit of the communities of West Hoathly, Sharpthorne, and Highbrook. The publication is edited, printed and distributed entirely within the parish by a dedicated team of volunteers. We welcome reports of regular and one-off events and meetings, notices of forthcoming activities, reminiscences, poems, line drawings, short stories, individual viewpoints, letters, information and news of other matters. Items for inclusion should be sent by e-mail to all five editors; typed or short handwritten items can also be delivered to any of the editors. We reserve the right to edit any articles submitted. THE EDITORIAL TEAM: Peter Hartley, Old Timbers, North Lane, West Hoathly, RH19 4QF Tel: 01342 811238 e-mail: [email protected] Anne Thorne, Chiddinglye Farmhouse, West Hoathly RH19 4QS Tel: 01342 810338 e-mail: [email protected] Kathy Brown, Ashurst, Bulldogs Bank, Sharpthorne, RH19 4PH Tel: 01342 811866 e-mail: [email protected] Marion Jones, 6 Glenham Place, Top Road, Sharpthorne, RH19 4HU Tel: 01342 810143 e-mail: [email protected] Kate Wiseman, Dalingridge Place, Chilling Street, Sharpthorne, RH19 4JB Tel: 01342 810411 email: kate @katewiseman.com PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION ADVERTISING & SMALL ADS Goo Coomber at 01342 810298 leads the production Sue Billings at 01342 810049 handles boxed business team, collating all copies in the church on the Thurs- advertisements, which can be included for £30 annu- day afternoon before publication. ally, and also the Small Ads, which cost £1 per issue Rosemary Watson at 01342 810800 heads the team for two lines of copy. of distributors, and she can arrange for the Chronicle Inclusion of an advertisement does not imply any to be form of delivered to your home, or posted to you. Some The Cover Next Issue Many thanks to Gary Coxall for the cover of The next issue of the Chronicle will cover the months this issue of the Chronicle. Please keep those of creative ideas and artwork coming! February and March 2014. Latest date for the The Chronicle for December 2013 and January 2014 – Page 3 The Chronicle for December 2013 and January 2014 – P a g e 3 Dear Friends A lot of helping, caring, and involvement also goes on in our normal village life, but, if we are Lionel has kindly offered his normal space to me honest with ourselves, probably it’s never on this occasion. This is the last issue of The enough. In times such as we now live in, there are Chronicle in which I shall have an “active” instances where people are finding life a real involvement as part of the editors’ team. I still struggle for themselves and maybe for their hope to write from time to time, but now seems family – for a whole variety of reasons. We will all the right time to me to be handing over my probably know of some in this situation; life can editorial role to others. be far from a ‘bed of roses’ for them and maybe We set up the new Chronicle team 7 years ago we need to be more aware of this kind of thing, when Alan Carr stopped ‘doing’ the Chronicle. for it is certainly here amongst us. We adopted a new way of working in that we The value of a village community is that it should have 7 people doing the preparation work and a be possible for us all to reach out helping hands further team of people who do the production to others. Whether we are linked together by our side; then there are all the deliverers. All in all, faith, by our neighbourhood or just by our some 40+ people from our community are association of common interests and problems, I involved in one way or another in the whole often feel that many of us, together, can do process of getting this issue to more. The example of the baby your doorstep – a goodly Jesus, born so long ago at this number! very time, stands before us: he Elsewhere in this issue, Marion was born in the stable – the talks of the many people who outside shed, in other words in are involved in different a far from comfortable place – aspects of village life; as always, and his first visitors were those the same names tend to come who were on the bottom rung up in different organisations, of society, for shepherds were but even so , these are the universally regarded as such in hearts and minds of the the Palestine of those days. community – the ‘movers and There was no tinsel, no magic shakers’ that we have here in the different parts and no wonder in any of this, except for the of the Parishes. They provide a rich variety of natural wonder of two young parents at the birth attitudes, skills and interests, yet all are different of their first child; they were probably confused, in their own right and as individuals; they provide and terrified, at what had happened to them! the ‘glue’ that holds our community together and Whatever you may think of the Christmas story, it which enables it to move forward, (sometimes it is a tale that continues to resonate down the feels at ‘snails pace!’) often trying to create ages. We, too, would do well to wonder at what better and more interesting lives for all of us and our lives have given to us. But above all, we are for our families. all here to help one another. May that spirit of The recent Bonfire Night was a prime example, more involvement, more helping, and more reported elsewhere in this issue. A small group of awareness of others, lift you all into the New Year people form the Bonfire Society: they organise with hearts on fire and resolve rekindled. everything for our enjoyment and, on a With my very best wishes to you, your families, thoroughly miserable and damp November night, and your loved ones, for a Happy Christmas and a many of us had a really good time – and there fulfilling New Year, 2014. Peter Hartley were lots of villagers there! The Chronicle for December 2013—January 2014 - Page 5 IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR 2014 DIARY January Monday 1st School Spring Term Starts February Saturday 15th] Local History Group Archive Annual Exhibition Sunday 16th] including WW1 Exhibits March Wednesday 19th Emma Johnson, world class clarinet player will be in concert at Chequer Mead Theatre in aid of the Loiyangalani Trust Saturday 29th Village Hall will be closed for kitchen refurbishment April Friday 4th School Easter Holiday Starts Sunday 20th EASTER DAY Monday 21st Village Hall Open Tuesday 22nd School Summer Term Starts May Friday 16th] Sharpthorne WI present “Showtime” Saturday 17th] in the Village Hall Sunday 18th] Three Performances June Thursday to 5th] SOUTH OF ENGLAND SHOW Saturday 7th] ARDINGLY Monday 9th FOOTBALL WORLD CUP START Saturday 14th West Hoathly & Sharp- thorne Garden Trail Saturday 21st School “Masquerade Ball” July Sunday 13th WORLD CUP ENDS th Saturday 19 STREET & FOOD FAIR, to be held in Village Hall The Church and the street from the Cat to Luctons. Theme will be the Football World Cup 2014 in Brazil with competitions for: - A Hat with a world cup theme - A Scarecrow dressed in the National Costume of a participating country - Fancy dress featuring National Costume of a participating country Teas in Village Hall organised by Sharpthorne WI Monday 21st Village Hall shut for 4/6 weeks for new heating System to be installed. Wednesday 23rd SCHOOL SUMMER HOLIDAYS START TheThe Chronicle Chronicle for for DecemberDecember 20132013 and JanuarJanuaryy 22014014 –– PageP a g e 66 Through trains to the Bluebell – first for nearly 60 years! Tuesday 10th September 2013, witnessed the first through train from London to Sheffield Park since 1955 operating via our new extension to East Grinstead. The train was hauled by the famous “Tornado” locomotive, a new steam engine only a few years old; this locomotive has been built as a replica of the old L.N.E.R. Class A-1 “Pacifics” which were introduced just after the 2nd World War. At the rear of the train was a modern diesel, something we have to live with in the privatised world of today’s railway; it’s a safety net in case the steam locomotive gets into difficulties! More through trains are planned for the future.