40 The Horsham Society Newsletter May 2010 Newsletter May 2010 Kites around Horsham ed kites used to be familiar scavengers through the streets of London, but persecution took its toll and they became a lost species R– until their successful reintroduction in the last century. They are now a familiar sight in many parts of the country. Keep a watch out, for example, for those characteristic forked tails while driving along the M40 towards Oxford, and feeding time at Gigrin Farm at Rhayader, overlooking the Wye and Elan valleys, is an astonishing spectacle. Every afternoon at 2 pm the farmer has been putting out off-cuts from local butchers, and now up to several hundred kites gather there, along with assorted ravens, buzzards and other opportunists. Closer to home my wife thought she saw one passing over the garage out at Manning’s Heath, and a few weeks ago we spotted a pair on the Horsham to Guildford road, not far from the county boundary. This is excellent news, and see if you can add to the local sightings. Do write in. Directory By The Way Mrs Alex Tweedie on cycling for women New members From the 26 December 1896 issue of our local paper: The Horsham Society is an independent body supported by members’ subscriptions, a registered charity (No.268949) and affiliated to the Just two names so far this month, and a very warm welcome to That cycling for women is a beautiful or graceful exercise cannot be admitted. A woman never looks more hideous than on a bicycle Campaign to Protect Rural England. Mrs Williams, Parkside Mews, Hurst Road, Horsham, and Mr. It is a member of the English Historic Towns Forum. – unless perchance she is remarkably tall and thin. It is a very strange fact that while nothing is more becoming to the female form Fletcher, The Causeway, Horsham. than a riding habit and a side saddle, every curve of what constitutes a well made woman’s figure seems out of place on a bicycle. PRESIDENT: Dr Annabelle Hughes Cycling is in fact the most unbecoming innovation possible to the daughter of Eve. VICE-PRESIDENTS: Oliver Palmer, Rt. Hon. Francis Maude MP, Nigel Friswell Horsham English Festival There are some things, however, which are so practical, so redolent of common sense, that appearances must be thrust aside, and Jolly times in the town centre on Saturday and Sunday 8-9 May, bicycling is one of them. To a vast number of women cycling has come as a boon. Instead of idling their mornings away with a novel CHAIRMAN VICE CHAIRMAN they are often up and about on their bicycles before breakfast, and the less energetic This position Ian Dockreay when there’ll be English traditional dance, music, local produce, is currently 24 Wimblehurst Road crafts and an historic vehicle rally. The Broadwood Morris Men generally manage a spin before lunch. Life has a fresh charm, some say, headaches are vacant. Horsham RH12 2ED will feature prominently, with beards, bells and no doubt less common and hysterics are on the wane. A healthy relaxation from desk and easel, Tel: (01403) 241582 clutching a pint or two. riding with discretion is an excellent exercise. Hon SECRETARY Hon TREASURER Rod Cuming But bicycle racing for women is deplorable. In the first place it necessitates hard and Roy Bayliss 3 White Horse Road Personal & Professional Service serious training; in the second it is a most terrific strain, and may be most injurious to 15 Patchings Horsham RH12 4UL health. Horsham RH13 5HJ Tel: (01403) 268444 from a company established Tel: (01403) 262262 NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTION over 30 years Disclaimer: Before anyone reaches for their pen, can we make it absolutely clear that MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY ORGANISER the Newsletter in no way associates itself with Mrs Tweedie’s views, which are Pat Gale (Mrs) Business Stationery • Brochures • Leaflets Kathy Gleeson republished here simply as an historical curiosity. 46 Bedford Road 13 Millthorpe Road Envelope Printing • Folders • Design • Mailing Horsham RH13 5BJ Roffey RH12 4ER Tel: (01403) 253946 Tel: (01403) 210511 Digital Printing in Colour and Black & White Horsham Society website: www.horshamsociety.org All major credit cards accepted Editor’s note ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Unit D & Unit 20, Huffwood Trading Estate, Horsham Press Individuals: £5 per year Single Pensioner: £3.25 per year Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 9UR igh powered editorial meetings about the Newsletter tend to take place more by Family Membership: £7.50 per year Family Pensioner: £5 per year E-mail: [email protected] www.horshampress.co.uk Businesses: £10 per year Single Life Membership: £100 chance than anything else, usually when I bump into a contributor in Waitrose or Family Life Membership: £150 01403 782776 Hmaybe around the Carfax. The other day I spotted John Bray in the Causeway, so we £2.50 postage is added to the above rates for out-of-town members had a quick chat on the bench outside the Barn – with the happy outcome that I now have a fresh batch of his latest drawings, one of which is featured in its usual location Correspondence relating to the Newsletter and articles for submission on the back page. should be sent to the Editor, Brian Slyfield, Arun House, Denne Road, Cert no. CU-COC-807273-AE Horsham RH12 1JF. Other communications concerning the Society Copy date for the June issue is 5 May. Woman cyclist in an 1897 advertisement. should, in the first place, go to the Hon Secretary. The Newsletter is published monthly, except for August, and opinions in it, whether the © Individual contributors 2010. No material may be reproduced, copied or stored in a Editor’s or contributors’, are not necessarily the policy of the Society retrieval system without the prior consent of the relevant contributor, which should be sought via the Editor. OUR CONCERN IS THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE TOWN 34 The Horsham Society Newsletter May 2010 The Horsham Society Newsletter May 2010 39 From the Committee Letters to the Editor AGM who might appreciate membership and the sweetener, to take the edge off things? If Do please write in: letters for publication to Group for the excellent book about the similarity) lit upon the unlikely choice of Newsletter, do ask them to get in touch so it hasn’t worked, at least in this Brian Slyfield, Arun House, Denne Road, Denne Road cemetery, which I have read Bacon, Elizabethan statesman and ur AGM took place on Thursday 25 with Pat Gale (details on back page) who, household. It’s a bizarre little item, spanning Horsham RH12 1JF. with great interest and fascination. prophet of the scientific revolution. March in the Causeway Barn, and incidentally, is delighted that renewals parts of two calendar years and framed by Oconsidering the poor weather, there was an have gone so well this year. lots of small adverts – so if you need a As a native of Horsham (well, OK, nearly Poor Delia died in a lunatic asylum in excellent turnout. After the main business funeral parlour, or feel the urge for a bit of Oklahoma! I suppose as I came here in 1956!), a 1859, two years after having published was concluded Rear Admiral David Cooke, ‘spray tanning’, or fancy going to a ‘psychic HAODS’ next show is Rodgers and great number of the family names her views, but many others espoused the chief executive and clerk of Christ’s Civic Voice party’, or even decide to buy a ‘wholesale Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! It runs from mentioned were familiar to me, which cause. Another Shakespeare alternative was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Hospital, and his colleague Tony Hogarth- ast month we reported on the demise sturgeon’, then the wallplanner must be 20-24 April at the Capitol and (it says in made the book all the more interesting Oxford, and a certain Mr Looney (yes, Smith, gave an excellent presentation on of the Civic Society, with which we for you. Otherwise it seems a bit pointless. the handout) features lavish costumes, and I am now looking forward to another really) a South Shields school master, the history of their school and its place in were registered, and noted that a new colourful scenery and a live orchestra. visit to the cemetery, book in hand, to L It also lists a very odd selection of high went in to bat on his behalf in a book the educational world today. society had been mooted to take its place. Recent musicals from this group have seek them out! days and holidays (and, on another, pedantic published in 1920. Another character, This is to be called Civic Voice, and is been first rate, so don’t miss this one. level, is quite undecided as to its use of the Well done and congratulations once again Percy Allen, contacted a medium and was planned to be launched on 17 April. The Bookings on 01403 750220, or on online Notes on Christ’s Hospital apostrophe). Apart from the standard Bank to Susan and the others for their efforts able to hold lengthy consultations with organisers are canvassing membership, at www.thecapitolhorsham.com Holidays and so on, it lists Guy Fawkes and diligence in producing the book. the spirits of Shakespeare, Bacon and was founded in 1552 and its but are asking for a not inconsiderable Day (not Night?) and April Fools Day, Oxford, and they confirmed everything to original site was the Greyfriars’ subscription of £500, rising to £800 in with no apostrophe, but St Andrew’s Day Carole Sorrell the satisfaction of the latter’s supporters.