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ABOUT THIS PAGE
This page contains recent articles and other features that
have appeared in the Blewbury Bulletin which we
hope will be of general interest. Items in this page will be replaced from time
to time, so if you want to keep a copy for non-commercial use, take it now.
|
|
Stephen Verney |
| printed
on page 3 of issue 505 (Decermber 2009)
Stephen
came to Blewbury in 1982, when he and his wife, Sandra, bought the
Charity School House. They had fallen in love with the village,
and with the house, which they called “Harry’s gift”. Harry was
their infant son; he was born and he died while they were completing
the move to Blewbury.
After
his arrival in Blewbury, Stephen immediately took three months off
from his duties as Bishop of Repton in Derbyshire to write his book
Water into Wine . He and Sandra “camped out” in the Charity
School House, working all day, and sometimes almost all night in
order to meet the deadline.
Retirement
as Bishop in 1985 led to his moving permanently to Blewbury, and
joyfully taking part in many aspects of village life: making music
– he sang in the opera, started a male voice choir; gardening –
his love and skill with this enabled him to create a beautiful and
interesting plot; going to the village church – enthusiasm for the
ancient bells spurred him to raise money by selling boxes of seedlings,
notably evening primroses, which can still be seen blooming around
the village.
His
project in 1997 was to take a group of people on a journey from
Blewbury to the Holy Land . This pilgrimage had a great and lasting
impact on all of those who accompanied him, and he has maintained
enduring links with the university in Bethlehem .
The
island of Crete was a place which he particularly loved, because
during the war he spent time working there as a secret agent. MI6
had recruited him because they thought that reading Greek at Oxford
would be useful!
For
many people their last memory of Stephen will be of the celebrations
for his 90th birthday party in April of this year. These were held
at The Abbey, Sutton Courtenay, where since 1979 he had been responsible
for helping to found the inter-faith centre, where people with varied
and different faiths could meet to enrich their spiritual life and
explore their common ground.
Stephen
always found time for people: to listen to them, to give advice,
and above all to make them feel good. All of us in Blewbury who
knew him have been enriched through Stephen’s friendship and love.
You
can find more about this modest and remarkable man, if you google
“Stephen Verney”.
Janet
Wagon and Mike Edmunds
|
|
Blewbury Remembers |
| printed
on page 3 of issue 505 (December 2009)
“Blewbury
Remembers” by Mark Palethorpe and Karen Brooks - a review.
This
is a worthy sequel to “Treading the Path of Duty”. It is different.
It has less of the poignancy and sadness appropriate to the stories
of those village men who served so willingly and valiantly during
the First World War. We have that element of course, men did give
their lives in the same tragic yet honourable circumstances and
they are remembered. Just as important, however, we have the vivid,
personal memories of people very much alive and often known to us
in the village today. The authors have gathered and distilled first
and second hand memories both from here at home, in the lanes we
know, and from far-flung places where the war affected them in all
kinds of ways: some ordinary, some horrific with much between. They
are the memories of childhood and youth in a war torn world, now
vividly recounted, with both humour and nostalgia. I felt that a
foreword was needed to match the first book but that is my only
criticism. I look forward to seeing the next in this important series,
which is preserving a precious and elusive part of our heritage.
The work is thoughtfully dedicated to Derek Smith, DFC who died
earlier this year.
Peter
Cockrell, November 2009
|
|
Astronomy Notes for December |
| printed
on page 5 of issue 505 (December 2009)
We
are fast approaching the Winter Solstice on the 21st, when the Sun
reaches its lowest point in the sky. The longest, and what should
be the darkest night of the year. Unfortunately, this will probably
not be noticed, due to the horrendous light pollution which has
spread everywhere. This should be the best time of year to appreciate
with awe, and to be inspired by the beauty of the night sky. With
all the talk about climate change and carbon footprints, I find
it shocking that we still waste so much energy through careless,
unnecessary lighting.
There
is a current trend being followed by some local authorities around
the country to switch off the street lights for a number of hours
in the dead of night, when most of us are asleep. This can save
huge amounts of money, and make a considerable reduction in emissions.
I hope and pray that this trend will spread further! It is worth
noting that, contrary to popular belief, when this has been tried
some areas report a drop in the crime rate.
Are
there certain things you only do “Once in a Blue Moon”? Well now
is your chance. December has two full moons, and, traditionally,
the second one, which this month occurs on the 31st , is known as
a Blue Moon. This tradition is fairly modern. The true meaning of
a Blue Moon seems to be lost in the mists of time.
If
you go out on New Years Eve to see the Blue Moon, unless there has
been a huge volcanic eruption on the scale of Krakatoa, you will
not see it turn blue. But you might notice the moon looking a bit
odd. Not only a Blue Moon on New Years Eve , but
also a Partial Lunar Eclipse . How about that!
A
Lunar Eclipse occurs when the moon moves across the shadow cast
by the earth into space. The eclipse on the 31st is only partial,
with the shadow covering a mere 8.2% of the moon. If you look around
mid eclipse (7.23pm) you might notice that the moon appears a bit
fainter than normal. This is the penumbral part of the shadow. But
look for a small bite of the main shadow across the lower edge of
the moon. Binoculars would be ideal for this event.
The
other significant event this month will be the annual Geminid meteor
shower – so called because they appear to radiate from the area
of sky occupied by the constellation of Gemini. For several years
this event has been on the top of my list, as the most reliable
and spectacular of all the showers. This year is very favourable,
as there will be no Moon around to spoil the show. The peak is predicted
for the night of the13th but it would also be worth looking out
on the evening of the 14th. The last time this shower peaked without
the moon being around, (1997), the meteor count reached over 110
per hour. I remember it well.
If
we are lucky enough to have a clear sky for this event, do wrap
up warm and go outside to have a look for meteors. Any time will
do. But the later you look the better your chance of seeing them.
Obviously, the darker the sky, the better your chances. So once
again, for many people, one of nature’s most spectacular displays
will be spoilt by the appalling and costly light pollution.
Full
Moon 2nd Oak Moon (Oak being a sacred tree of the Druids)
Wolf
Moon (The fearsome nocturnal creature represents the night of the
year)
New
Moon 16th .
Full
Moon 31st Blue Moon
Happy
Solstice and a Merry Perihelion.
John Napper – Starfields 818853
|
|
Poem |
| printed
on page 5 of issue 505 (December 2009)
Perhaps
Life’s Metaphor
Autumn
is contrary - scary - contrasting with sudden storms and beautiful
fair weather
It
chooses to confuse - as we question our expectation of this supposedly
settling Season.
Fickle
and unpredictable life’s weather may be
Yet
has it not led to a splendidly adaptable people?
Freda
Chapman
|
|
Nature Notes for December |
| printed
on page 15 of issue 505 (December 2009)
Visiting
a lovely old house this autumn I was asked to identify a cluster
of twenty or more ladybirds in the corner of the sitting room window.
My friend thought they were the dreaded Harlequin ladybird. To me,
at first, they looked like the eyed ladybird with at least fourteen
spots. Closer inspection however proved them to be the Harlequin
Harmonia ayridis .
Identification
can be confusing because there are just over one hundred different
forms. They come in disguise - all shapes and sizes with a variety
of patterns, multicoloured and with varying numbers of spots.
They
have come here from eastern Asia and are said to be the most invasive
ladybird on earth. They are not welcome because they compete
with our ladybirds for food and space but worse than that that they
attack our ladybirds and eat them as if they were aphids.
Our
indigenous ladybirds hibernate in gardens under leaves and bark.
It is the Harlequin that comes indoors, perhaps because it originated
in warmer climes. Since seeing the first lot I have been told of
several other householders who have been unwittingly sheltering
them. DON'T. Get rid of them.
Sadly,
entomologists prefer the name ladybugs to ladybirds. More
correct but not so attractive.
There
is a harlequin beetle Acrocinus longimanus, not a
ladybird but with the multicoloured diagonal patterns of the entertainer
from the Comedia del Arte who has crept into pantomimes
and fancy dress. He is called Harlequin.
Bernardine
Shirley-Smith
|
| Mary
Ritchie |
| printed
on page 4 of issue 506 (Christmas 2009)
Mary
and John’s contribution to Blewbury cannot be overstated. From their
arrival at Borlase in the early 60s they both entered wholeheartedly
into village events.
Borlase
Gallery became a cultural centre and Mary ran the Box Office for
Peter Sheldon’s pageants, Music Halls, Operas, Blewbury Festivals
and many Blewbury Players productions. Many artists owe a real debt
of gratitude to Mary for her promotion of their work. She was herself
an enthusiastic artist and a regular member of the annual Venice
painting course. Borlase was also the focus of much music-making
in Blewbury and after John died, Mary donated his Bechstein piano
to the Village Hall.
During
the past few years, despite memory loss, she was always smilingly
ready to welcome her many friends for
tea, biscuits and a long chat . Mary’s great charm and personality
will always be in our memories.
Ron Freeborn and Peter Saunders
|
| Mrs.
Ruby Weeks. One Hundred and Going Strong |
|
printed on page 4 of issue 506 (Christmas 2009)
photo:
Bernard Mattimore
On
Friday December 11th this year Ruby Weeks celebrated her 100th birthday.
She was born in Somerset and lived in Dorset for much of her life.
If you ask Ruby what she remembers about the War she’ll tell you
about the day her father was called up, August 4th 1914. Her memories
of growing up during the First World War are even clearer than many
75 year-olds’ memories of WW2. She was born in Dulcote, near Wells.
The day her father received his calling-up papers her mother retired
to bed and had Ruby’s youngest sister. She went to school in the
nearby village of Dinder , which she clearly enjoyed mostly, except
when she got hit with the ruler usually for talking in class. She
still recalls sitting at the desk with her best friend at one side
and a ginger-haired boy sitting between them, and all three getting
into trouble by the sound of it. As soon as she reached her 14 th
birthday she left home to go into service in Brighton . She was
not treated very well there, being fed mostly on lentils, and having
to look after two ladies Upstairs. She was able, however, when she
had a penny to spare, to go on the beach and hire a swimming costume
and a bathing hut. After Brighton she got a couple of other jobs
where she met her husband-to-be and was married by the time she
was 20. They had three children, and life was not easy in the 1930s.
Her husband served with the Royal Artillery during WW2 and when
the war ended he became a thatcher. Sadly, he died relatively young,
aged 62, but characteristically finished the house he was thatching
the day before he died. After that Ruby had to work as a cook for
a dozen years before she came to the village to live near her son.
The garden of the Almshouse where she now lives is always worth
looking at, and she still tends it herself.
Congratulations
Ruby. The village is honoured to have such a lively happy centenarian
in its midst.
Audrey
Long
|
| 40 Years
of the Boxing Day Walk - Wow! |
|
printed on page 13 of issue
506 (Christmas 2009)
Christmas
1970, with snow thick on the ground, Ted Kennings (my father) in
his gown and mortar board, started the first Boxing Day Walk organised
by the BVS. The walk had two sections:
(1)
Speedwalking, heel and toe with judges around the course looking
for cheats!. Mary Siebold won the speed cup for walking the fastest
time for most of the four legs between the pubs. (Where beer or
whisky was drunk!)
(2)
Fancy dress entries, individuals and teams. (Tied together with
string !) All participants raised sponsorship money for charity
and despite freezing temperatures felt they must walk, even John
Grice as a baby wearing only a nappy. He had bad flu as a result.
For
years the walk remained the same but eventually the speed walking
died out and the idea of tying individual members of a team together
was abandoned.
There
were some very memorable entries: Individuals- Concorde, Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang, The only gay in the village, A Victorian lady
and of course Ron Freeborn who has walked all but two of the forty
years. This was marked by a team of thirty ‘Rons’ at the thirty
year anniversary.
Teams:
Grand Prix, Barbie Dolls, 101 Dalmatians, Green House, Naked Chefs,
Synchronised Swimmers, The Chinese Dragon, 12 Days of Christmas
and many, many more.
This
year the walk has a new route. (see this Bulletin) The BVS requests
that you bring old photograph of past walks this Boxing Day. They
will be displayed in the Village Hall. Long may this annual event
continue. It is a great community occasion and such fun.
Judy
Lloyd-Jones

The
very first Boxing Day Walk on December 26th 1970 – photo taken at
the triangle on Church End
Note
from editor – we have dug out the December 1970 issue of the Bulletin
(or ‘This is our Village, Blewbury’, as it was called) Here is a
bit of it:
“GREAT
NEW EVENT” on Boxing Day
Arrangement
are now being made for a Walking Race to be held on Boxing Day,
probably at 10.30 a.m.
Provisional arrangements are that the course will pass each of
the pubs, Blueberry Inn, Barley Mow, Load of Mischief, and Red
Lion, where contestants would be required to consume a half of
best bitter, before progressing to the next vantage point.
There
will be attractive prizes for the competitors first across the
finishing line, with special awards for dress, (which will be
optional) and ‘walking style’…... There is a rumour that Westbrook
Green and Eastfields are already in strict training, whilst shapely
members of the TA are playing football matches as part of their
preparation for the event!!
|
| Nature
Notes for Christmas |
|
printed on page 25 of issue
506 (Christmas 2009)
Christmas
and Frankincense
Gold,
Frankincense and Myrrh were the precious gifts the Three Wise
Men supposedly brought to the infant Jesus. We might have
preferred gold but the other two gifts would have been of more practical
use to the Holy Family.
Frankincense
is a resin obtained from the trees, shrubs of the genus Boswellia
or Olibanum (from Arabic). When burned it gives off sweet
smelling fumes and has long been used to treat wounds and sores.
It was used in religious ceremonies, notably by the Parsees who
may well be cultural descendants of the Three Wise Men. The
Egyptians used it on mummified bodies.
The
trees and shrubs grow in the dryness of Southern Arabia where small
cuts are made in the bark. A few weeks later the resin, which
has trickled out, will have solidified into whitish lumps.
A glance at the map of Saudi Arabia shows how a trek across the
desert could have transported this valuable product to the Holy
Land . One of the most fascinating TV programmes this year
recorded Kate Humble's attempt to follow the frankincense trail.
Only men were permitted to make this journey and she was prevented
from following the complete route. Also she was whisked off
to Riyadh to meet the Sultan.
Salahah,
on the coast of the Arabian sea just inside Oman , is renowned as
the "Perfume City of Arabia" thanks to the abundance of
frankincense trees and shrubs that waft fragrances through the streets.
UNESCO now rates it so highly that the entire frankincense region
is on its World Heritage list. A more recent introduction
is the Frankincense Land Archaeological Park! Salahah
is actually a very ancient city and is said to have been the
home of the father of the Virgin Mary.
Bernardine
Shirley-Smith
|
| Blewbury
School - Moving Forward |
|
printed on page 3 of issue 507
(February 2010)
One
of the new areas that schools now have to be accountable for during
an OFSTED inspection is ‘Community Cohesion’, which will, of course,
create differing demands depending on locality. Blewbury School
was lucky enough in the inspection last January to be awarded an
‘Outstanding’ for this area of governance, and I have found myself
pondering over the last few weeks about the reality of this situation.
Before
Christmas our Key Stage 2 children, 7-11 year olds, put on an ambitious
production of ‘Macbeth’. They had all studied Shakespeare’s play
and the youngest children had learnt dances to recreate some of
the more complex scenes and passages, another class had taken the
storyline and developed a narration in rhyming couplets, whilst
the third class wrote a play script and acted out the main features
of the story. Watching this splendid scene in the Village Hall I
was struck by the audience. Yes, many parents were there, but so
were several other members of the community; friends, grandparents
and other interested parties.
I
guess that some of the people in that audience would have reflected
on times past when they would have watched other plays and events
associated with the school, and again realised what a vital part
the school plays in village life.
This
sense of community was again reinforced at New Year when members
of the school PTA and governors worked together to provide the village
with a New Year Dance, and were aided by many other members of the
local community who gave of their time and their talents to make
this a resounding success, for which we are all most grateful. We
mustn’t forget the main driving force for everyone who worked so
hard, because this was organised as a fundraising event for the
school.
We
are fortunate to have a PTA which constantly works very hard to
raise funds for the school which help to pay towards extra facilities,
storage systems, maths equipment, extra classroom resources and
ICT consumables.
Like
all schools we are caught in the drive to become more technologically
advanced, whilst maintaining sustainability, providing a diverse
curriculum, creating global awareness among the children and providing
extended services such as after-school and breakfast clubs, as well
as being a hub for creating cohesion within our community. Oh, and
we mustn’t forget the relentless drive to raise standards.
A
daunting future, perhaps, especially in the current economic climate
and with an impending general election and all the uncertainty that
will bring. I do feel, however, that there is one area in which
I can have great confidence, and that is that the village will continue
to support us in our quest to provide a first class education for
‘your’ children, and for this I am most grateful.
Marion
Mills
|
| Poem
- Waiting |
| printed
on page 3 of issue 507 (February 2010)
WAITING
That
mistakenly casual, abstract word -
The
constant accompaniment to our natural path of existence .
It
shadows us in life’s myriad steps -
Haunts
our thoughts -
Taunts
us with emotion
Presenting
a tension of the mind .
It
captures us in all circumstance of life
And
delays us - for a necessary while.
WAITING
is a hard teacher but it can be our friend - testing our personality,
developing our patience, allaying our frustrations, calming our
annoyance , controlling our expectancy, maintaining our diligence
and managing our decisions; telling us, perhaps, to watch and wait.
Freda
Chapman
|
| Nature
Notes for February |
| printed
on page 17 of issue 507 (February 2010)
Throughout
December I watched the last of the leaves fall from the trees leaving
bedraggled skeletons. Tree skeletons can have their own
grandeur, but to me it was depressing to think that it would be
five months before their greenery returned. Curiously the
last leaves to fall were from the crack willows and it is these
that will be the first to glow green in the late winter sun.
The evergreen trees and shrubs came into their own looking like
Christmas card scenes during the recent heavy falls of snow.
I
wonder if anyone can remember Elms? Tragically they have disappeared.
Watching the landscape fill with sad skeletons will forever remain
in my memory. I have been re-reading John Betjeman who scarcely
writes without mentioning elms. His poem on Uffington:-
"Tonight we feel the muffled peal - -
- - it overwhelms the towering elm".
Yes
they did tower along the way from Blewbury to Upton , now long since
gone. Their poor, pathetic regrowth soon succumbs to Dutch
Elm disease.
My
winter honeysuckle flowered until the temperature fell below zero
and then the petals turned brown. Up until then two bumble
bees visited regularly and will soon return if they have survived
the cold in underground burrows.
January
and the daylight hours lengthen. A robin has been calling.
It is increasing daylength that stimulates birds' hormones.
Pigeons have never stopped calling. They are great survivors
but to my annoyance disdained to eat the outer leaves of cabbage
I put out for them in the harsh weather. They will happily strip
bare cabbage and cauliflower plants in the garden. Obviously
they prefer fresh food.
Tracks
in the snow revealed that hares have survived up on the Downs in
spite of persecution and cold weather. A cause for celebration.
Bernardine
Shirley-Smith
|
| Poem
- The Cat |
|
printed on page 1 of issue 508
(March 2010)
St
Michael`s Church Mysterious and Ever-visiting Cat.
Imagine
the scene on a cold Monday night - Choir practice over - the Church
put to right;
We
make for the north door with large antique key, by torch and with
strength we open - to see
Jumping
with joy, determined to stay, into Church darkness Cat scampering
away.
So,
put music bags down and we set out to seek for a sign of this
feline - in corners we peek,
Under
pews, round the altars , down aisles we call, but Cat stays silent
- he loves this great hall.
Then
at last kindly Organist finds tabby dear, gently cradles it out
to the night bright and clear.
Be
sure, Cat, we welcome you in light of day,
With
your sociable attitude helping us pray - for Patience, of course.
(Freda
Chapman - with apologies for not knowing Cat`s name or gender).
|
| The
Battle of Fromelles |
| printed
on page 13 of issue 508 (March 2010)
The
Battle of Fromelles, which took place in France on the night of
the 19th July 1916 has been in the news recently. The discovery
of a mass grave of unidentified soldiers, buried by the German Army,
has led to requests for DNA to identify them.
At
least one Blewbury resident took part in this battle and fortunately
survived. Private 3980 Ernest (Val) Street was a bandsman in the
2/4 th Royal Berkshire Regiment.
Before
the battle took place it was decided to get intelligence by way
of trench raiding parties on the German lines and on the evening
of 13th July four officers and one hundred men of A company 2/4
th Royal Berks were summoned by a bugler, and it is known that Ernest
played the bugle. The only identification the men were allowed to
carry was their identity discs and all other markings such as badges,
letters, and paybooks were removed from them. This goes some way
to explain why so many men who were killed were never identified.
The
plan was that at midnight they would leave the trenches and lie
in no mans land, only seventy yards from the German lines. However
they began to move out at 11pm through one exit and were immediately
hit by heavy fire. One group of twelve men did manage to make it
through to the German lines but were never seen again. The rest
lay out in no mans land, with sporadic fighting, until at 4:15am
stretcher parties were sent out.
Ernest
was amongst these bearers and as dawn was approaching they darted
from shell hole to shell hole to avoid being spotted and also to
treat the wounded men sheltering in them. The Battalion war diary
states that two NCO’s (Non Commissioned officers) and six men `showed
fine spirit in bringing back their wounded comrades from the enemy
wire’. It also states `much gallantry was also displayed by several
men in bringing in the wounded’ when assessing the attack and Ernest
is named amongst them. One officer and six men were killed, the
other four officers were wounded along with fifteen men and the
men who made it to the German wire were listed as missing.
Ernest
was recommended for a gallantry award and was issued a parchment
in recognition of the bravery he displayed at Ferme Du Bois that
early morning. It stated he behaved with the utmost coolness and
set a fine example to his comrades. Six days later he took part
in the main attack which has been so well documented in the news
programmes of late.
The
original parchment is in the safe keeping of Blewbury Local History
Group. The Military Medal that Private Street was awarded for bravery
later in the war is in the care of his family in the village.
Mark
Palethorpe
|
| Nature
Notes for March |
| printed
on page 14 of issue 508 (March 2010)
A
lone swan visitor on the Manor Moat was a puzzle but mercifully
it flew away again. Swans need to live in a suitable habitat
with long or wide reaches of water and plenty of vegetation.
They pair for life and in the spring young birds are looking for
a mate. They will have been driven away by their parents.
I saw a herd (yes that is the correct name for a group of swans)
of them in a partly flooded, snowy field. It could be
that they had mistaken it for a lake or they may have been feeding
there. Whatever they need a long runway for takeoff.
The
Common or Mute swan may not actually be indigenous but it has lived
in the British Isles for centuries. It is very distinctive
with black tubercles on its beak and head, orange bill and
uplifted wings. It is said that the wings are sufficiently
powerful to break a leg but I have never heard of anyone brave enough
to test this theory. The are quite formidable and may
attack if the nest or cygnets are disturbed.
Other
recent visitors are two little egrets, pure white and smaller than
a heron. The egret is a wanderer and has visited here before. It
is a social species and these two will probably rejoin their colony,
most likely in Devon .
A
friend of mine was spotted carrying two harlequin ladybirds on his
overcoat; they have highly original ways of getting about!
Bernardine
Shirley-Smith
|
|