general meetings today, 2 april fairrffoorrrdd &&& … apr13.pdf · ·...
TRANSCRIPT
Registered Charity No 1072658
Fairford & DistrictFairford & DistrictFairford & District
NewsletterNewsletterNewsletter
Issue 194 April 2013
www.fairfordu3a.org.uk
U3A AGM 2013 followed by
Along the River Lea by John Higgs
General Meetings
Palmer Hall, 2.30pm
7 May ‘Shazam’ - a look at the old picture palaces by Rob Herring
4 June Gloucester Waterways Museum by Jill Ruiz and her team
2 July Bibury Trout Farm by Kate Marriott
Today, 2 April
After the AGM John Higgs will take us on a trip, illustrated by postcards, along the River Lea which rises in Bedfordshire and flows into the River Thames. It was th is area that was rejuvenated by the 2012 Olympics.
‘Shazam’ is an affectionate look at the old picture palaces. Every town had its much-loved cinema and we look at one in particular which achieved legendary status.
In June a team from the Gloucester Waterways Museum, dressed in traditional costume, will tell us about ‘The Lives of the Narrow Boat Women, their Children and their Crafts’, and show us some traditional items.
Tea Rota
May 7 : Pétanque June 4 : Philosophy
July 2 : Poetry Circle 1
2
Chairman’s update
As you all know, Alison Hobson will be retiring as Newsletter Editor with effect from the AGM in April when we shall have the opportunity to vote in the new editorial team. On behalf of all members I should like to thank Alison for her contribution to the success of the U3A and for the outstanding Newsletters she has produced over the years. We all wish her well in her ‘retirement’.
I should like to take this opportunity to remind members who submit items to the Newsletter of the requirements as indicated by Don in his report.
Reg Thoburn 01285 712397
Photo Album Ann Wightman has taken over the photo album. Please give any new photos to her.
01285 712723
3
New members
We welcome the following new members:
Judith Dudley Jackie Ephgrave Deborah Hobbs Marian Lawrence Annee Mannall Sue Purry Roger Roberts Karen Taylor Ron Taylor
Chris Watson
From the new Newsletter Managing Editor
Alison is retiring as Newsletter Editor at the AGM this month. We thank her for the admirable work she has done over several years in maintaining and improving the standard of our Newsletter set by her predecessors.
Subject to approval at the AGM, I shall become the ‘managing editor’ (that sounds a bit posh!). The work of editing the Newsletter will be in the hands of a team of three: Sarah Bottomley, Marilyn Gibbon and myself, taking turns to edit an issue. The printing, labelling and distribution will remain with Michael Yorke. He will be assisted by Heather Baber and Alison Hobson (still helping!) producing the labels. John Yorke will also be on hand in the printing department. Nick Humphris will put the Newsletter on our website, both for people to print their own copy and for the benefit of visiting readers to our website. We must not forget our proof readers, Chris Pooley and Barbara Cobbett.
Initially, there will be one major change. The copy date will usually be the 17th of the month. There will be a reminder about the copy date in each issue but contributors are asked to make a note of the date since there will be no further reminders after that date.
Some groups hold their meetings in the first week of the month, sometimes even before the main monthly meeting. If your meeting does take place early in the month – any time up to the 10th – it would be a good idea to include details of the following month’s meeting as well as the current one.
Electronic text (WORD) (major preference) should still be sent to [email protected], maximum of 250 words. Typed text (second preference) and manuscript, from the May issue onwards, to my house, ring for details. We hope to arrange a collection point centrally in Fairford later.
Don Cobbett 01285 712692 [email protected]
4
FAIRFORD & DISTRICT CHORAL SOCIETY – MUSIC FOR TWO ELIZABETHS
FAIRFORD & DISTRICT CHORAL SOCIETY looks forward to your company at its next concert ‘Music for Two Elizabeths’ on Saturday 13th April at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Fairford. The programme will include music by Byrd, Britten, Elgar, Finzi, Gibbons, Parry, Tallis and Vaughan Williams.
Tickets (£10 or £5 for under 18s) will be on sale from 1st March, from Blenheim Antiques, Market Place, Fairford (01285 712094) or by telephoning 01285 713681 or via the choir’s website (www.fairford.org/choralsociety).
Donald Scott
Donald was a long-time member of Poetry Circle 1 and we were all saddened to learn of his death. He brought to the Circle a deep knowledge and understanding of poetry, a scholarly background in the humanities and the gift of a beautiful speaking voice; his readings were a delight. He was a kind and courteous man and we shall miss him.
Donald was until recently the much-loved leader and mentor of the Philosophy Group.
We shall all miss him very much, particularly for his intellectual elegance and deep reservoir of knowledge which enlightened and informed our discussions. He was in many ways the modern Greek with his lucidity of thought, clearness and propriety of language, freedom from prejudice, openness of mind and amiability of manner which endeared him to us all and set standards for us to emulate. Donald was a man of total integrity who held that a virtue in one generation should be a virtue in the next. He was possessed till his death by the enthusiasm of learning and gave hope to those of us who might otherwise have languished by the way. We know that he never considered his shadow to be longer than that of other men - no mean epitaph for any man. We are much diminished by his passing but are enriched by having known him.
We offer our deepest condolences to Miriam and her family in their sad loss.
5
U3A March Anna Fletcher spoke about the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens near
Burford which surround the Bradwell Grove manor house built in 1804. Since the early twentieth century the estate has belonged to the Heyworth family. When John Heyworth inherited it in 1948 he had to cope with the ravages of army occupation during WW 2 and enormous death duties. Everything in the house was sold and the building leased. In 1960 he reclaimed the property with the idea of making a wildlife park. It opened to the public on Easter weekend 1970 and an overwhelming 17,000 people visited. Currently the 160 acres cater to all tastes with exotic mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, splendid gardens and a miniature railway. The visitor numbers have reached 350,000 every year.
The Walled Victorian Garden has a special walk-through exhibit which draws attention to the plight of endangered Madagascan species. In addition the management supports Sifaka Conservation, the Tusk Trust and Serengeti Rabies eradication. Several of the keepers are stud-book holders for some endangered species. Recent successes have been the births of a zebra foal, red panther twins, three clouded leopard cubs and three wolverine cubs (the first to be bred in captivity in Europe). Earlier, the first Morelet’s crocodile was hatched here and since then there have been three more births. All of this demonstrates the prime effort of the current curator and his team to share with the public their concern for conservation.
Sylvia Jones
Third Age Trust News
U3A Photography Competition 2013
What Makes Britain Great? Pageantry, people, places? It’s your choice
The twelve winning photographs will feature in the 2014 U3A calendar. Entries must be sent to National Office by post by 10th May 2013. Orientation landscape in colour, three photographs maximum. Send on CD and 7x5 inch colour print with title, entrant's name, U3A, address, telephone and email on reverse of print. To: Photography Competition 2013. The Third Age Trust, 19 East Street,
Bromley BR1 1QE
GROUP EVENTS Please contact the group leaders if you are interested in joining any of
the groups or visit www.fairfordu3a.org.uk for further information.
Birdwatching
Tuesday 16 April
We shall visit the Blashford Lakes reserve near Ringwood in Hampshire this month. The reserve is run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and entrance is free but they would appreciate a small donation. As it is a long drive we shall meet at the Fairford car park at 8am. A contribution of £6.50 from passengers would be appreciated. Toilet facilities are available at the reserve but no refreshments, so it would be a good idea to bring any drinks you might require. We shall have lunch at a local pub.
Richard Morgan 01285 712085
Book Circle 1
Tuesday 9 April
Our next meeting is at 2.30pm at Pauline's home. We shall discuss 'The Fist of God' by Frederick Forsyth.
Please let me know if you are unable to come.
Denny Rawlinson
01285 711009
Book Circle 2
Tuesday 9 April
We shall meet at Barbara’s house at 2.30pm having read ‘On Beauty’ by Zadie Smith. Please let either Barbara or me know if you are unable to attend.
Barbara Cottam 01285 711054 Sarah Basley 01285 712720 [email protected]
Bridge Improvers
The group will continue to meet every Monday afternoon (except Bank Holidays) from 2-4 pm in the Heritage room, Fairford Community Centre, for a lesson and friendly practice play.
If you play bridge and would like to improve come and join us; we are a friendly and informal group. Partners and refreshments provided.
Margaret Bishop 01285 713747 [email protected]
6
‘Moist April, clear June.’ English proverb
Chess
Please contact Mike for details.
Mike Bennett
01367 252379
Family History 1
Wednesday 17 April
Ray Russell will be telling us about his family history discoveries. You will be contacted about the venue for this meeting.
Miriam Scott 01285 713441
Family History 2
Wednesday 17 April
We shall meet at my house as usual at 2.30pm to look at old family correspondence. If members have any old letters they would like to share with us please bring them along.
Michael Johnson 01285 712637 [email protected]
Computer Group
We meet every week on Tuesday mornings at my home where I aim to help members in the use of computers, the internet and more. If you are interested in joining, please contact me and you will be welcome.
For those just starting, I have a desktop computer that is available for members to use although it is helpful if you have a laptop to bring along. If you want to start using email, I can allocate you a personal email address for your sole use.
Nick Humphris 01285 711740
7
Cycling and Pub Lunch
Wednesday 24 April
Difficult to believe but the cycling season is upon us once again! Time to dust off the saddle and oil up the gears. As a gentle introduction, and with the sun on our backs, we shall head across the lakes to Ashton Keynes, via Meysey Hampton and Cerney Wick. We shall refresh ourselves at The Baker’s Arms before dawdling home via Down Ampney. A nice easy flat ride on a lovely sunny day. Distance - not too far. Meet at Fairford car park at 10.30am.
Paul O'Shaughnessy 01367 850262 [email protected]
‘Fogs in April, floods in June.’ English proverb
Keep Fit
The Keep Fit class usually meets at the Palmer Hall weekly on Tuesdays at 9.15am.
Eddie Rosser 01367 252504
French Conversation
Intermediate
I will be in touch about future meetings.
Rosemary Westlake 01285 712329 [email protected]
Advanced We start by reading a couple of pages from a magazine published for groups like ours, and then discuss matters arising from that, and anything else that takes our fancy! This is done in two small groups of generally not more than six people. New members are always welcome!
Barbara Cartwright 07989 353726
Geology
Wednesday 10 April
The Geology group meets regularly at the Chapel in Milton Street on the second Wednesday of the month at 2.30pm.
Clive Watson 01285 713003 Brian Routledge 01285 712853
Five Rhythms Dance
We dance regularly at the Palmer Hall on the third Wednesday of the month, at 10am. New members welcome.
Gillian Bilbrough 01285 712579 Joyce Deane 01285 851408
Garden Group
Thursday 18 April This month we are hoping to visit the North Meadows at Cricklade to enjoy the Snakeshead Fritillary display. However, due to the prolonged cold and wet weather the flowering could well be delayed and an alternative may have to be arranged. I shall keep a check on their website to see how things are going and shall inform members accordingly nearer the time. If all is well we shall meet in the Fairford car park at 2pm. Fingers crossed for some warm and sunny weather to speed things up!
Penny Phillips
01285 711360 [email protected]
8
'Women are as fickle as April weather'
German proverb
Model Group
The Model Group meets weekly on Thursday mornings. Please contact:
Jim Sullivan 01367 252539
Latin
The group meets on the first Thursday of the month at 2.30pm at my house. Please contact me if you are unable to come.
Susan Greig 01285 810274
Music Listening
Friday 19 April
We shall be meeting in the Tame Room this month at 2.30pm as usual, sharing music relating to the letter 'R'.
John and Joyce Dear 01285 653338
Needlework
This month the Needlework group will meet at Fairford Community Centre on 10th and 24th April.
For further details please contact:
Thelma Hardie 01285 713971
Pétanque
The new Pétanque season will begin on Wednesday 10th April, at the piste in Farmor's School. Everyone to meet at 9.45am for a prompt 10am start.
David and Heather Baber 01285 711343
Industrial Heritage
Thursday 18 April We shall meet at 2.30pm in the H e r i t a g e R oo m , F a i r f o r d Community Centre. Guests welcome.
As this year is the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the London Underground, there will be an illustrated presentation, ‘A Really Remarkable Railway’. Using many coloured magic lantern slides Pete Martin will chronicle the history of the first electric London Tube.
The history of Fairford Gas works, in booklet form, will be available at the April main U3A meeting. This is an aspect of local history that has been overlooked until now. For the cost of £1 I am sure it will invoke memories of a town lit by gas.
Pete Martin 01285 713908 [email protected]
9
Recorders
April dates for the recorder group will be Fridays the 12th and 26th, starting with anyone who would like to play the treble (please come and have a go) from 2-2.30pm followed by the main group at 2.30 to finish at 4.30 with a break for tea. We should be in the Farmor room on the ground floor of the Fairford Community Centre and will let you know if we have to use another room.
If there are any more recorder players who would like to join a friendly, non-judgemental group please contact: Hilary Bradshaw 01793 720037 [email protected] or Jay M a t h e w s 0 1 3 6 7 2 5 3 5 1 0 : [email protected] for further information. We have some spare instruments and stands; please ask if you would like to borrow one.
Poetry Circle 2
Friday 5 April We meet at Lucy’s house at 2.30pm and the poetry subject is ‘Trees’. Next time, on 3rd May, we shall look at the poetry of G K Chesterton, meeting at Eileen’s house (01285 712927).
Barbara Cobbett 01285 712692
Philosophy
Wednesday 17 April Our next meeting will be at Verna Reay’s house. The subject will be ‘The Written Language'.
Verna Reay 01367 253470
Poetry Circle 1
The Poetry Group meets on the first Friday of the month.
Barbara Cottam 01285 711054
Postcard Group
Tuesday 16 April
The meeting as usual will be at my house at 2.30pm. The subject will be Postal Stationery and Advertising and the theme letter will be 'Q'. (This should get us thinking!)
John Higgs 01285 712488
10
Scottish Reels
Our group will re-commence on Wednesday 18th September and fortnightly thereafter.
If you would like to receive our emails (no more than one a month) please email: [email protected]
Richard Thompson 01285 712123
Short Tennis
Short Tennis takes place in the Palmer Hall on Mondays, starting at 3.30pm.
As membership has increased recently, we are unable to accept new members at the moment.
Margaret Trickett 01285 712421
Spanish
This Spanish group is for beginners, but those with some Spanish are welcome. Meetings are on the second and fourth Tuesday mornings, 11-12 noon, at my home.
Frank Hall 01285 712583
Rummikub
Thursday 11 April
The group meets on the second Thursday of each month at our house in Lechlade from 2-4.30pm for some friendly games of Rummikub.
For further information or explanation please refer to the Fairford U3A website or telephone me.
Mary Bennett 01367 253287
Solos
Monday 8 April
We shall meet at my house on at 10.30am and then go on to Burford Wildlife Park for the day. It will be a perfect spring day to enjoy the grounds and wildlife and, of course, lunch.
Michael Johnson 01285 712637 [email protected]
11
Straddlers
Thursday 18 April The April walk starts from Cold Aston, 3 miles north of Northleach. Parking is on-road near the Plough Inn, currently undergoing a major £500,000 renovation. Our walk goes southbound from the parking area and follows the Macmillan Way to Turkdean where we join the Diamond Way. We shall then remain on the Diamond Way all the way to Notgrove via Hazleton; at Notgrove we return to the start using the Gloucestershire Way. The route is mostly on open tracks or pastureland and is just over 8 miles long. Please meet at the Fairford car park at 9.15am or at Cold Aston ready to walk at 10am. Bring coffee and lunch as normal. Cold Aston is about 17 miles away and the suggested passenger contribution is £2.50. I would appreciate an email/phone call if you intend to walk. If any walkers would like a list of walk leaders email addresses or
Strollers
Our walk this month will be a variation on the walk we did in pouring rain last April – let’s hope for better weather this time. The walk will be based at Eastleach and will be on grassy field tracks and a woodland footpath. At the time of going to press the ground is still very soggy and muddy so the definite route will be decided nearer the walk date. There are no stiles but it does include one very short steep hill and a long gradual incline towards the end of the walk – all of it through very attractive Cotswolds countryside.
Meet at Fairford car park at 9.45 am or at the Victoria Inn, Eastleach (GL7 3NQ) at 10am where we shall order our lunch before setting off. Suggested passenger fee is 50p.
Special Appeal: Strollers are in need of a leader for the walk on Friday, 26th July. Would anyone be willing to arrange and lead this? A volunteer is urgently required. If you can help, please get in touch with Michael Yorke on 01367 253286.
Val and John Higgs 01285 712488
'The child's bottom and April weather are not to be trusted.'
Swedish proverb
12
Striders
Tuesday 23 April This easy, completely flat six-mile walk begins and ends at The Baker's Arms in the village of Somerford Keynes. Leaving the village we quickly meet the Thames Path National Trail which we follow downstream. Eventually leaving the trail our route heads north beside lakes, crosses the Spine Road and passes through the grounds of the former Cotswold Community (now occasionally used for police-dog training activities). On reaching new gravel workings we turn west to the edge of Shorncote then across fields back to the pub. Leave Fairford car park at 9.34am. The pub will allow us to order lunches at 10am, not earlier please! Fairford to Somerford Keynes is 11 - 12 miles so we suggest a travel fee of £1-1.50 depending on passenger numbers. Please let us know by the previous Sunday if you intend to walk with us.
Phil and Margaret Trickett 01285 712421
r e c o m m e n d e d p a s s e n g e r contributions please leave me a telephone message with your own email address and I will pass the details to you.
John Burrows 01367 253056
Yoga
The Yoga group meets weekly on Mondays at the Community Centre at 10am.
Sylvia Jones 01285 712657
Traditional Jazz
Thursday 4 April
The group meets on the first Thursday of each month at our house in Lechlade from 2- 4.30pm. This month we shall include the music of such young white musicians of the 1920s as Leon Bismark 'Bix' Beiderbecke 1903-1931, Ernest Loring 'Red' Nichols 1905-1965, Irving Milfred 'Miff' Mole 1898-1961 and Orie Frank Trumbauer 1901-1956. Such beautiful stuff!!! And even Sophie Tucker!
Ian Bennett 01367 253287
13
Walking and Pub Lunch
Wednesday 10 April
The walk takes a circular route from the Falcon Inn in Poulton, passing the Church of Ampney St Mary (Ivy Church). There is some road walking but only along B roads and there are two stone stiles in Ampney St Peter, similar to the one in Milton Street.
The route (approx. 4.5 miles) is relatively flat but could be muddy, s o s u i t a b l e f o o t w e a r i s recommended.
We shall meet at the Fairford car park at 9.30am or at the Falcon Inn at 9.45am. Car parking space is limited at the inn but there is some parking on the road next to the playground 150 yards further on. The inn will not be open on arrival but we can leave our menu choices.
Recommended passenger fee 50p.
Doug Crowley 01285 711775
Table Tennis
We meet every Wednesday at 2.30pm in the first floor Keble Room at the Community Centre. Players of all abilities are most welcome. Please just come along.
Nick Stroude 01285 750646
'During April rainfalls the pig gets butchered, the oxen gets fattened
and the sheep laughs.'
Sicilian proverb
14
GROUP REVIEWS
Birdwatching Coate Water in Swindon is a man-made reservoir constructed in the
early 1820s and fed by a small feeder stream known as the Dorcan. Now it is a lovely park and extensive parts of it are designated as areas of Special Scientific Interest. Its varied water habitats are home to a diverse bird population and a trepid party of seven set off to find as many species of birds as we could. A large heronry dominates the treetops that surround the lake and it is a wonderful sight watching these birds in flight. There are only about 50 Large White Egrets (a large white heron looking bird) in the whole of the British Isles and one has taken up residence on the lake. We were lucky to see this graceful bird land in front of our hide. Bird watchers will always tell the tales of how the bird they wanted to see was ‘here yesterday’, and so it was with the Water Rail and the Kingfisher, but we did manage to see nearly 40 different species of birds and came away cold but happy with our sightings.
Maggie Burrows
Straddlers The sun was shining and a gentle breeze wafted around us as we
ambled up Dover Hill from Chipping Campden. There were nine of us and we had forsaken our usual T shirts and shorts for more practical attire, ie thermals! There were the hardy dog walkers about as we strolled along One Mile Drive (no horses allowed), a very pretty part of the Cotswold Way. Coffee was taken along this path, overlooking a hidden valley. The recent weather had made field crossings a little muddy, but as there were only two fields, this was not much of a problem. Broadway Tower with its far-reaching views was a little cool, with a placid wind blowing. Not sure where the deer were, but they were not at home. Lunch was taken at the car park near Fish Hill, with comfortable tables and benches. We arrived back at the cars as dry as when we left them, despite the forecast. A super walk, on a nice day. For those who came, thank you; for those unable to come, we missed you.
Paul O'Shaughnessy
15
Book Circle 2 The book we read this month was ‘The Morville Hours’ by Katherine
Swift.
Dr Katherine Swift is a historian, gardener and writer and has com-bined these talents to write about the garden she created at Morville in Shropshire and the wonderful varied lives of people who have lived there down the centuries.
She had arrived in the village of Morville in August 1988, having just given up her job as rare-book librarian in Dublin, with two removal vans of books and two car loads of plants, to set up home and create a garden. As she worked she was aware of the sound of the church clock in the village, and as it struck the hours the clock recalled for her the Hours of the Divine Office, and the monks who once worked the ground under the rule of St Benedict.
There were very mixed views of this book from our group. While acknowledging the enormous amount of research that had gone into it, some felt overwhelmed by the number of areas she tried to cover and said it should be a book to dip into. One member disliked it and thought that trying to weave the story round the Divine Hours did not fit into the book at all. I must admit that the endless lists of the plants, together with their Latin names, were not appreciated by those who were not keen gardeners. Others did enjoy the book for its description of sights and smells of trees and flowers at different times of the year, the history it taught us of people and places, and the tranquillity of sitting out in the garden at the end of a busy day.
Josephine Toomer
'The Morville Hours could easily have been just a whimsical little book, but Swift brings profound knowledge and insight to her story. She
reads the landscape like a manuscript, "a palimpsest of texts", deci-phering its history, meaning and joy. The garden itself is a journey
through the past, with garden rooms that have been inspired by the story of the house and the people who lived and worked there.'
Andrea Wulf. The Guardian Saturday 17 May 2008
Family History 1
Our March meeting was held at Alison’s house due to Donald’s recent death. Our thoughts and condolences are with Miriam at this time.
We explored BMD’s before 1837 and discussed the various problems we had had in researching these. We discussed access to Parish Registers and other online sources: newspapers, local and family history group indexes, and family search.org. Gloucestershire Archives are having their parish registers digitised so they will be available on Ancestry.co.uk in the future.
Thank you, Alison, for stepping in at short notice and for your hospitality.
Madeline Phillips
Family History 2 Our last meeting was held at the Library where the group had varying
degrees of luck. Unfortunately, some of us wanted to download newspaper cuttings for free but found we could not, maybe due to all the cutbacks being applied(and the computers were dreadfully slow).
Michael Johnson
Pétanque The Pétanque group's pre-season meeting was held on 14th March at
the Heritage Room. There was excellent support from our members and we also welcomed a few 'provisional' U3A members interested in joining the group.
The meeting covered apologies, finance, insurance and New Year's lunch. Our annual Melee will be held in August this year (weather permitting - to include a picnic lunch) and once again a Pétanque coach will be invited on a separate day to give us a few tips. We are hoping to invite players from other U3A Pétanque groups to join us in 'friendly' matches and a Pétanque weekend will take place on the Isle of Wight between 4th and 7th October. We are keeping our fingers crossed that Wednesday mornings will not be as wet as they were in 2012!
Dave and Heather Baber
16
Garden Group Several of us met at Thelma's for a very welcome cup of tea to discuss
our problem plants: nerines and peonies reluctant to flower – perhaps planted in the wrong position and/or an impatient gardener! An agapanthus failing completely and several other problems were raised. A lively general discussion followed the surprise of finding a toad in a bird's nest six feet off the ground – to mention just one topic. We departed looking forward to further meetings.
Rosemary Burridge
Philosophy
The subject for discussion was Bertrand Russell. Pam Davey, our host, gave us a synopsis of his life and some of his many interests.
After an isolated childhood, he developed into a questioning adult with a voracious appetite for knowledge. He was drawn to mathematics as a discipline requiring rigour of thought. He produced a large number of publications on many subjects, he was prepared to change his mind and to concede the possibility of his error.
Pam had prepared some cuttings with quotes from his works which gave some amusement. One that sticks in the mind is: “Men are born ignorant not stupid, they are made stupid by education,” but my favourite is that when asked if he would die for his beliefs he replied, “No. I might be wrong.”
Dan Deane
Postcard Group
At our March Meeting Reg Thoburn gave us an insight into postmarks and cancellation stamps. Though this might sound a bit uninteresting it was in fact very informative. He also told us about early postal services such as the ancient Egyptians’ and Roman postal services. Postmarks prior to the introduction of the Universal Penny Post in 1840 showed only the day and the month in a small circle. These were known as Bishop Marks, named after their inventor. Postmarks are a fascinating subject and needless to say collectors (and there are such people and groups) have their own name for this; it is known as Marcophilately!
John Higgs
17
Strollers
Seventeen members ignored the weather forecast, which was dreadful, and undertook a walk around Poulton, ordering their lunch at the Falcon Inn prior to setting off. Parts of the walk were very muddy as it had rained heavily the previous evening. The wind was cold so we were glad to get back to the pub to warm up. We all felt good that we had made the effort and thankful the morning had stayed dry, although cleaning the boots and walking gear may take some time.
Jen Thoburn
Table Tennis
Attendance grows and both of the tables are in full use during the sessions. We have had nine persons attending each time for the last few weeks. When all have played with and against each other as pairs, with just one person sitting out each game, we have been hard pushed to keep to the hour booked. The time booked will be extended as necessary. If the fee per person is kept at £1 per session, this should be fine.
Michael Yorke has had the offer of another table tennis table. If attendance demands use of another table, then hire of an additional room will be investigated.
Nick Stroude
Walking and Pub Lunch
On 13th March Judith Butler led sixteen hardy walkers who turned out to walk in sunshine over Cotswold countryside from Cirencester to Daglingworth. The weather was very much in our favour as the previous few days had been bitterly cold with roaring easterly winds. Nevertheless the fields and tracks were less muddy than expected.
Lunch was enjoyed at The Plough in Stratton where the staff were very welcoming, efficient and accommodating. In all a very good walk after the long, dull days that we have endured this winter, giving us optimistic thoughts that Spring is just round the corner!
Jenny Kinch
18
19
From the outgoing editor. The first verse inspired by Rudyard
Kipling, with apologies to him.
Our Newsletter is a journal, and such journals are not made
By saying:--"Oh, how interesting!" and sitting in the shade,
Take up your pens and write some notes and send really worthwhile
quotes
in sentences with punctuation, to cover every situation.
Commas, full stops, days and dates.
BUT please with copy don't be late
In future the 17th is the copydate
or the editors you will aggravate
Thank you all for your emails
Walks, talks, books, poems, meeting details
Philosophical musings
(To me, were sometimes quite confusing)
I've enjoyed them all.
BUT please with copy don't be late
In future the 17th is the copydate
or the editors you will aggravate
So please help your new eds with plenty of copy
Clearly typed with grammar properly!
Short and interesting and you will be credited
BUT Warning—you may be edited
PLEASE with copy don't be late
In future the 17th is the copydate
or the editors you will aggravate
Alison Hobson
Thank you for all your kind messages.
That’s all, Folks!That’s all, Folks!That’s all, Folks!That’s all, Folks!
Please send items for the
May issue to Don Cobbett 01285 712692 email:
Wednesday 17th April
Timetable of Group Activities
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Monday am
French, Yoga, French Yoga
French Yoga
French Yoga
pm
Bridge, Solos Short tennis
Bridge Short Tennis
Bridge Short Tennis
Bridge Short Tennis
Tuesday am
Keep Fit Computers
Keep Fit Spanish Computers
Keep Fit Birdwatching Computers
Keep Fit Spanish Striders Computers
pm
Main meeting
Book Circle 1 Book Circle 2 German Beg
Further German Postcards
Wednesday am
Pétanque
Walking & PL Pétanque
Five Rhythms Pétanque
Cycling & PL Pétanque
pm
Table Tennis
Geology Table Tennis
Family Hist 1 & 2 Philosophy Table Tennis
Chess Table Tennis
Thursday am
Model Boats Model making Model Boats Straddlers
Model Boats
pm
Latin Traditional Jazz
Rummikub
Garden
Friday am
Strollers
pm
Poetry Circle 1 Poetry Circle 2
Recorders
Music
Recorders
Needlework and Recorders meet twice monthly. Pétanque and Cycling April-October only. Scottish Reels on alternate Wednesday evenings, September to
March. Industrial Heritage monthly.