Chipperfield News October 2002 Village Of The Year Success Chipperfield has done it again! At a prize ceremony at County Hall on September 5, it was announced that we had won an award in the Hertfordshire Village of the Year Competition 2002, this time in the ‘Business category. The prize for our success is a commemorative plaque, a cheque for £50 and a framed certificate to be presented by the Lord Lieutenant on September 21 at Redbourn, the village winning the overall Village of the Year award. In their summary report the judges said, ‘It is heartening to see so many villages managing to retain shops, whilst encouraging new businesses both at home and in converted farm buildings. The winning village not only has a comprehensive range of shops and services, but many businesses provide support for the community activities, such as the local football team, drama group and village events. There is a flourishing delicatessen in the village. Using local staff and, where possible, local ingredients, it is well-known for the quality of its products, which include full meals. It has already been awarded a Herts. County prize for its entrepreneurial skills. Well done to all concerned! James Alexander Collins St. Paul's Church was full on Sunday 1st September for the Christening of James Alexander Collins (first grandchild of Richard and Jackie Nice of Commonwood, son of their daughter Samantha and her husband Andrew). It was an extra special celebration, as James was born very prematurely on August 24th 2001 weighing just 1lb 12oz - less than a bag of sugar. He spent 4 months in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Watford General Hospital undergoing treatment for numerous complications, and a further 5 months on oxygen at home. His fight for life has been an inspiration to us all - he has touched the hearts of so many people, not least the doctors and nurses in SCBU - we cannot thank them enough for their wonderful care and support. A special thank you also to Peter Hart for conducting such a beautiful Baptism service - a very moving and happy occasion. Richard and Jackie Nice Chipperfield Horticultural Society Due to unforeseen circumstances, our collectors did not visit a small number of members to collect their 2002 subscription. This oversight is very much regretted and we apologise to those affected. However, we now have a new membership secretary (Max Edney) who is in the process of ensuring that all members receive a visit in 2003. We thank those members who have undertaken to continue collecting subscriptions next year, but we are still in need of help for some roads on the Croft Estate. All that is required is to distribute our handbook and membership cards, and collect £1.50 subscription per member during the early months of 2003. In most cases your area would consist of just a single road. As a small "thank you" for your help your own membership will be FREE. Offers of help from members or potential members with the Croft Estate distribution would be greatly appreciated, or if anyone has any queries please call me on 01923 264243. Max Edney Adopt A Footpath 1 / 5 A resident has kindly volunteered to pick litter from the footpath behind the hedge in Kings Lane and has suggested a scheme for residents to "adopt a footpath" to help keep the village tidy. All volunteers will be supplied with a litter-picker (no need to bend!) and will be insured while collecting litter. Please contact me if you would like to help. Liz Holliday (01923 267483) Chipperfield Within Living Memory Looking Back to 1909 Copies of St Pauls Church magazines have been deposited over many years with the County Records Office at Hertford. My son Andrew recently referred to a batch from 1909-14, which Lieut-Colonel "Bob" Morkill sent there when he was churchwarden. They make interesting reading and the following notes about 1909 are based on Andrews researches. For example, the magazine cost one penny and baptisms were conducted at 3 p.m. on the first Sunday in each month. Generally the times of services were not that different from those of today. In January 1909, people were pretty confident that building work would have commenced on the new Church Institute (now the Village Hall) by the time that next months magazine was in circulation. Funds were being raised to cover the cost of the new building and details of amounts being given by subscribers were published on the back page. Mrs. Blackwell of the Manor House gave £100 and several people donated £10, but the majority of contributions did not reach double figures. A rummage sale raised £13 and a concert £5. A couple of months later, the magazine was saying that people had been deterred from donating because they couldnt match the sums that had already been given. It was stressed that donations of any size would be welcomed. Mrs. Machin, the vicars wife, was able to announce that a "Maternity Club" had been formed through the kindness of various friends. The benefits would be available to working-men of the parish and their families. By paying a small weekly subscription for six months beforehand, members would have free use of the maternity bag at the time required, a pint of milk daily for the first fortnight after the birth and a bonus of 2s 6d would be added to the money saved weekly. In addition, all offerings presented to the Church, at the ceremony of Churching women after the birth of a child, would in future be given to the funds of this club. In February it was reported that 140 children had enjoyed a Christmas tea party with a good supply of crackers, and that every child received one more cracker and an orange, when Mrs. Blackwell presided over the Christmas tree. There had also been a social gathering in the schoolroom on New Years Day, for 120 people. It was a very informal evening enlivened by dancing, interspersed with songs and recitations. The March edition reported that Mr. Hudson, the headmaster, had suffered a breakdown in his health. (He lived in the School House, which was the left hand section of The Two Brewers) In April George William Bunyan was baptized. (In later years he ran the shop at the right side of The Two Brewers and at the end of Queen Street) The progress of the building of the Church Institute was being watched with interest. In June1909, the Church Accounts included: Income from pew rents --------- £35. 10. 6. Expense of organ blower --------- £2. 10. 0. …………..coal and coke --------- £8. 18. 0. New Bell and Turret: Bell and hanging same --------- £20. 10. 0. Building Turret (E. Waterhouse) --------- £27. 5. 6. Architects fees --------- £5. 5. 0. Lightning Conductor --------- £6. 2. 6. (The new bell which was twice the weight of the old bell and carried sound further, had necessitated structural alterations) By July, the large room, of the Church Institute, was almost finished. Insufficient funds had been raised at this stage, to build the planned smaller room. Unfortunately, there wasnt a copy of the August 1909 magazine on file and so the opening of the hall passed by without mention, at this stage. In September, the committee met in the hall for the first time. October brought Chipperfield Working Mens Club back into the news. There was talk of re-forming the club on a more extensive level.(See Chipperfield News, March 2002, for details about formation of club in 1901). Mr. Allen (presumably of Commonwood) donated a full sized billiard table, complete with accessories and lights, to the Institute. In the same month, the Harvest Festival was postponed until 14 October, due to a late harvest. 2 / 5 As a final highlight, it was noted that in November, the Working Mens Club became Chipperfield Village Club. Mary Nobbs Jasmine Safety Track Trust The Trust was founded in 1994 when a much loved pony was killed on the Bucks Hill Road and is dedicated to buying or renting tracks of land for safe off-road riding. The tracks are funded by local businesses, borough councils, livery stables and individual riders and all funds raised go directly towards the purchase, rent, fencing and maintenance of the tracks. The Trust managed to collect the £700 required for the annual rent of the Great Westwood Track and would like to thank all those who contributed. It is a large amount to raise each year and makes us extremely grateful to the landowners at Whitedell Farm and Newhouse Farm who allow us to ride their land at their discretion. As you may have seen from our notices, part of the Moonshine Farm Track has to be re-routed or we are in danger of losing it. Mr. Allen and Mr. and Mrs. Weil have kindly given us the option of a new route, which includes getting horses off the road at a dangerous bend in Bragmans Lane. The new track depends entirely on getting enough funds to pay for fencing and landscaping and the quotation for the work required is £2,350. Although we have some funds in the bank, most of the money for this project still needs to be raised and the Trust relies on donations from all riders who use the tracks. If anyone has any ideas for fund-raising and would like to help, I should be only too pleased to hear from them. Tina Robinson (01923 267519) Kew Gardens Select Local Garden Company The Garden Company, based at Wyevale Garden Centre in Chipperfield has completed a project for The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew when it was commissioned to construct 4 new show gardens entitled ‘Ideas Gardens as part of the Colour Sensations Exhibition.