The chairman’s report TED PEACHMENT HELLO TO ALL our readers and welcome to No. 54 of The Merry Mawkin where, once again, our editor, Ashley Gray, has put together another interesting and colourful edition of a magazine which is increasingly attracting compliments, not just countywide, but literally worldwide. Congratulations, Mr Editor, dew yew keep a gorn! Ashley is also doing a remarkable job with our website – Elsing Hall, a moated manor house, ably assisted on the Facebook and Twitter sites by Diana dating from 1470. Rackham – and the number of daily hits we receive on our website is truly amazing (see page 7). Regretfully, I have to start this report on a sad note, by IN THIS ISSUE telling you of the sudden death of Peter Brooks, aged 86. Peter was one of FOND’s founder members helping to draw 2 The chairman’s report up our constitution at the inaugural meeting in 1999. He 4 Obituary: Peter Brooks served as vice-chairman before becoming chairman in 2002. 5 FOND officers & committee After his three year stint he necessarily stepped down and was 6 Mardle elected as secretary, a post he served until the autumn of 2009. 7 Secretary’s report Our condolences go out to his family at this sad time. An 8 Thass orl swings... obituary to Peter will be found elsewhere within these pages together with the funeral announcement. I hope that a large 9 Notice of AGM 2014 number of our members will be able to attend to give an 10 A combined effort appropriate send-off to this true Norfolk gentleman. 11 Boy Colin’s Norfolk quiz On a brighter note, it is my pleasure to welcome to your 12 Cooking up trouble committee Marilyn Fountain, an enthusiastic and long-time 13 Moi mother, she say... member of FOND, who brings an attractive and youthful 14 Three old men and the maid... element into our midst and, furthermore, as a result of 16 What a lovely day! volunteering and not the heavy persuasion usually necessary. 17 Norfolk, a poetic county I hope that Lyn will act as a catalyst for future recruitment. 18 Ha you bin ba trearn leartly? The entertainment side of our organisation is flourishing 19 Wordsearch: Mundesley and on Sunday 29 June, at Catfield Village Hall, our youngest 20 Our own tongue committee member, Diana Rackham, and members of her family, arranged and ran one of the most successful non- 22 Norfolk place-name limericks pantomime dews that we have had for many a year. 22 Bishop Bonner’s cottage It comprised an afternoon of musical entertainment with Brian 23 Hins Gaudet and Friends, featuring songs by Harry Cox, Walter 24 Pastures new Pardon and Sam Larner. Feedback was most encouraging, 25 Baad watchin’ in Norfolk with many calls of “That wuz a gud’un, less dew ut agin!” 26 Less be a-hearin’ from yew Thank you Diana and Co. 27 At the going down of the sun The next Dew is at the Jubilee Hall, in East Tuddenham, on 28 Then and now Sunday 14 September at 2pm, and will feature a talk on the 2 THE MERRY MAWKIN AUTUMN 2014 wherries on the Norfolk Broads, by Malcolm Cooper, entitled THE MERRY ‘Wherry Nice on the Broads’. MAWKIN The AGM will be on 23 November in Yaxham village hall (see page 9) and the pantomime on 11 January next year. My personal activities have included another appearance on EDITOR/DESIGNER Mustard TV, debating whether, like Cornwall, Norfolk should Ashley Gray seek independence, and I have also been in discussion with More 4 TV about representing the Norfolk dialect aspect on a EDITORIAL OFFICE programme with Penelope Keith about rural villages, to be Ailsha 37 Ashleigh Gardens filmed during the forthcoming Bank Holiday week. I have Wymondham continued with my talks on the dialect, covering groups as Norfolk diverse as History groups to Brownies. We have bookings NR18 0EY well into 2015. With deteriorating eyesight, I am indebted to Tel: 01953 607161 Alan and Rosemary Cooper for regularly providing me with Email: [email protected] transport to these evening events. PLEASE NOTE Our Trosher Short Story competition continues to attract The editor reserves the right great interest, revealing remarkable literary skills in our midst. to amend or reject any item which has Regretfully, our education officer, Norman Hart, seems to be been submitted for publication in having less success with the junior version, which is the very The Merry Mawkin. age group we need to cultivate for the future. Hopefully, the It is the responsibility of all tenacious Norman will persevere in this very important area of contributors to ensure any material FOND’s activities. they submit, written or photographic, On the medical front, I would like to convey our best is copyright-free. wishes to our own ‘sit-down’ comedian, Colin Burleigh, still The opinions expressed by undergoing treatment for his ‘funny’ knee, and also to our contributors in The Merry Mawkin may not necessarily be held by the founder-chairman, Keith Skipper, who has just undergone Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND), eye-watering surgery on his toenails. I should hurriedly its officers or its committee members. explain that, in spite of his writing and broadcasting, this No part of this publication may be procedure was carried out in a local hospital and not by the reproduced, in any form, without the KGB in Moscow! prior permission of the Friends of In conclusion, I would like to thank our hard-working Norfolk Dialect (FOND). committee members and all those other folks who contribute © 2014 FOND so much to the success of this most worthwhile organisation. So spread the word, my bewties, the more the merrier! PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS Brenda Bizzell: p. 19 (Wordsearch) Colin Burleigh: p. 8 Tina Chamberlain: pp. 16, 24 Keep yew a-sendin’... Alan Clarke: p. 10 Alan Cooper: pp. 1, 2, 7, 14/15 ... your letters, anecdotes and poems Ashley Gray: pp. 11, 13, 19, 22, 27, 28 (preferably with some Norfolk dialect) Sharon Ingle: p. 12 Canon Peter Nicholson: p. 13 to the editor: Maggie Risby: p. 20 Ashley Gray, 37 Ashleigh Gardens, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0EY – or by email to: PRINTED BY [email protected] Harlequin Colour Print 6 Swan Drive, Gressenhall Material for the winter issue by Monday, 3 Nov 2014, Dereham, Norfolk please. We look forward to hearing from you. NR20 4SW Tel: 07941 513 683 AUTUMN 2014 THE MERRY MAWKIN 3 Obituary: Peter Brooks WE WERE SADDENED to environment topics and a history of London’s learn of the sudden Pearly Kings and Queens. He contributed to the death of Peter Brooks, Eastern Daily Press Saturday magazine, Let’s aged 86, founder- Talk! magazine, the Norfolk Journal and other member, past chairman regional and national publications. and secretary of FOND Peter’s love of all things Norfolk saw him for many years. embrace the local dialect, helping, with others, During his early set up the Friends of Norfolk Dialect. years, he studied in It had all begun with the inaugural meeting in London to qualify as an Yaxham village hall on Sunday, 3 October, environmental health 1999. As founder-member, he sat beside officer and worked in the housing department of founder-chairman Keith Skipper to set up an Epsom and Ewell Borough Council. organising committee, which, due to enthusiasm On qualifying in 1951, Peter moved to and commitment in preserving the Norfolk Warwickshire and was with Southam Rural dialect, has ensured FOND flourishes to this District Council till 1955 when he returned to day. Norfolk to Docking RDC, and from 1958–63 he Peter accepted the role of vice-chairman in was with Smallburgh RDC at Stalham. 2000, then, on 27 October, 2002, he became He then moved to Sheringham-based chairman, a post to which he was well suited as, Erpingham RDC where, from 1963–74, he was like his predecessor, Keith Skipper, he, too, had chief environmental health officer, serving also attended Hamond’s Grammar School in with the RDC’s successor, North Norfolk Swaffham. District Council. From 1974–81 he was public At the AGM of 2005, Peter stepped down as relations officer with East Staffordshire District chairman of FOND and was elected to the post Council and from 1981–93 worked with of secretary, which he held until autumn 2009. publishing companies. He died suddenly in the Halvergate House A history lover and author, Peter was an nursing home at North Walsham after two years authority on Sheringham, where he had lived for of failing health which had begun with a stroke. more than 40 years. Best known for his time as Peter leaves a wife, Naomi, a Dereham girl he the stalwart behind the local museum – where he married 66 years ago, four children and seven was vice-chairman and curator for many years – grandchildren. Peter had been one of the leading lights who set The funeral service will be held at St Peter’s up the museum in a row of cottages in 1991. Church, Sheringham, on Friday, 5 September, He was also passionate about saving the 2014, at 2pm. town’s old lifeboats, which now take pride of We are sure you will all join with us in place in Sheringham museum, ‘The Mo’. offering our sincere condolences to his wife, A past chairman of Museums in Norfolk Naomi and her family. Peter’s life enriched us Group (MING), he represented independent all and we, here in FOND, are proud to have museums in Norfolk on Norfolk County known him – a true Norfolk gentleman.