1

The Village Link

Great Thurlow – Little Thurlow – Great Wratting

May 2015

GREAT THURLOW HALL

GARDEN OPEN DAY

Sunday June 7th

2 to 5 pm

Plan t Sale Home - made T eas

Great Wratting Village Meeting

Thursday 21st May 2015

7:30pm Welcome 8:00 pm Meeting begins

The Parish Room, St Mary’s Church, Great Wratting

GREAT WRATTING VILLAGE FETE

Save the date!!

Saturday 6th June

1 - 4 pm

H all F a rm Ga rden Gr ea t W ra t t ing

2

Editorial co-ordinator Alison Coffey 783478 Administrative co-ordinator Kevin Crowson 783654 Senior Reporters Gt. Thurlow Margaret Ince 783117 Lt. Thurlow Iris Eley 783534 Junior Reporter Vacancy Please supply all adverts in either Jpeg or Bitmap format (not PDF)

Advertising Rates (per quarter page) Single advertisement - £10 Six months advertising - £40 Twelve months advertising - £65 Back Page Advertising Rates (per month) Full Page Colour - £50 Half Page Colour - £30 Quarter Page Colour - £20 To be supplied in Jpeg or Bitmap format

The

Edito

r Co

ntac

t

EMAIL ADDRESS FOR THE VILLAGE LINK

To contact The Village Link Team please email TheVillageLink @TheThurlows.org.uk

View The Village Link Online at www.TheThurlows.org.uk

Copy Deadline 15th Of Each Month

Welcome to the May issue of the Village Link. Hope you all had a good Easter holidays and the return to term-time life has gone smoothly! Not too long to the first bank holiday... Fete and Fayre season is approaching with next month’s Great Wratting Village Fete and the first publication of the categories for the Thurlow Fayre Produce and Craft Show. Hints and tips and recipes to follow but time to start growing that prize specimen… Even though it has been many years since I last walked into the Examination Schools I can still remember the feeling of dread that May and June can bring. Now two of my favourite months, the run-up to summer does not necessarily hold the same affection for those of you about to sit exams. Good luck to everybody and just remember “Time and the hour runs through the roughest day” and the summer holidays will come! Alison

Web

site

Don’t forget to check out the Thurlow website. Keep looking as the site is updated regularly.

WWW.THETHURLOWS.ORG.UK

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Request for information about Sue Ryder

Tessa West is researching Sue Ryder's life, and has asked if any Great or Little Thurlow residents remember stories or facts about her and her family during their time in Great and Little Thurlow. Recently Tessa came across a photo of the choir, and one of the choristers was found to be Mrs Ryder - this is the sort of detail that she is interested in. As Tessa lives locally she is happy to come and chat with any Thurlow residents who have information. Please contact Tessa West if you can help with her research. You can reach her on 01787 281732 or by email: tweet@asset1.freeserve.co.uk. Some specific questions Tessa is looking for answers to are: 1) Does anyone know where Sue Ryder went to school? She was a weekly boarder, so it is unlikely that the school was far from Thurlow (it is known that she went to Benenden later on, but it would be good to know where she went before that). 2) Does anyone know in which hospital she was a volunteer, before she went off to be a FANY? 3) Does anyone have information about her brothers and sisters? 4) Does anyone know about the train that brought the Ryder family each year from Yorkshire? Presumably it arrived at Haverhill North?

5) Mrs Ryder (Mabel) was a key influence in her daughter's life. Do you have any information about her and her activities?

Thank you

Great Thurlow Hall Spring Open Gardens Great Thurlow Hall gardens opened on Sunday 29th March in conjunction with the NGS for visitors to enjoy the daffodils and flowering shrubs. The weather was not kind, with howling winds, showers and even hail at one point. Still, a good few hardy souls made the journey and enjoyed a walk around the beautiful gardens before heading back to the church for teas. A very heartfelt thank you to all those who made cakes and helped with the teas, all were gratefully received and duly demolished! Many compliments were paid including one couple who declared they visit a lot of gardens but this was by far the best tea! I would especially like to thank Thomas and Eden, (both essential members of the tea-team!) for their excellent hard work! Alison

4

Great Wratting Village Meeting G

reat

Wra

ttin

g An

nual

Vill

age

Mee

ting

An opportunity for Villagers to come together to socialize and discuss Parish affairs of current interest and importance

Thursday 21st May 2015

7:30pm Welcome

8:00pm meeting begins Drinks and Nibbles

The Parish Room, St Mary’s Church, Great Wratting.

Representatives of council and local community organizations will also be at the meeting to contribute and to answer questions.

Current Parish Affairs Include: Neighbourhood Watch St Mary’s Church Village email tree Broadband services The village website The Village Link

The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the Great Wratting Parish Council website www.greatwratting.uk, and village notice boards 7 days before the meeting.

Great WrattingGreat Wratting

Annua l Village MeetingAnnua l Village Meeting

5

Little Thurlow Parish Council Li

ttle

Thu

rlow

Par

ish

Coun

cil

LITTLE THURLOW PARISH COUNCIL Councillors were joined by County Councillor Evans and District Councillor Clifton-Brown at their April Meeting. Also in attendance was PCSO Welford who reported a stolen tractor from the village but no other crimes of note in the surrounding villages.

It was agreed that the Parish Council should support a viability study on the continuation of the Pre-School with a new committee and it was also agreed that the Parish Council should register The Cock as a Community Asset.

It was noted that the proposed start date for the erection of the new play equipment was week commencing 8th June 2015, with completion anticipated within three weeks.

Volunteers are needed to take part in an Inter Village Sports Competition during the summer. The sports in question are tennis, cricket, rounders, outdoor bowls, pool and darts, table tennis, badminton, welly-wanging and tug-of-war. Anyone interested in being part of a team to represent The Thurlows should telephone the Clerk on 01440 783259 or email ltpcclerk@thethurlows.org.uk for more details.

The date of the next meeting is 19th May 2015. This will be the Annual Meeting which will commence at 7.30pm and this will be followed by the Annual Parish Meeting at 8.15pm. The Annual Parish Meeting is an opportunity for all the parishioners of Little Thurlow to have a say in what the Parish Council does for the community over the next year, so everyone is encouraged to attend.

As always, full Minutes of the meeting will be displayed on the Parish Council Notice Board at the Village Hall and on the village website in due course.

M. Hawkins, Parish Clerk

6

Thur

low

Vill

age

Hal

l Upd

ate

Thurlow Village Hall Update

Report of the Thurlow Village Hall Annual General Meeting Thurlow Village Hall held its AGM on 20th April, 2015 at 7:30pm • At the meeting Treasurer Anne Patient presented the 2014/15 accounts (see next page) which were adopted by the meeting. Anne pointed out that the VH needs to generate more income if it is to cover ongoing costs without relying on donations. • Chairman Ros Bunting gave an update on the work of the committee since their appointment at an Extraordinary General Meeting in December 2014. This included revising the Constitution, seeking expert advice on improving the Hall and making it more energy efficient, obtaining a grant to replace the floor covering in the Entrance Hall and planning a monthly Farmers’ Markets to generate a small regular income. • Bookings Secretary Diana Allin outlined the types, patterns and costs of bookings. Ideas for publicising the VH were discussed. xThe present five members of the Management Committee (Diana Allin, Ros Bunting, Kate Griffiths, Heather Hunt and Anne Patient) were unanimously re-elected. These were proposed en bloc by Janice Klimicke and seconded by Molly Hawkins. • The Representative Members who had been elected by their organisations before the AGM were welcomed onto the Committee. These are: Alison Coffey, Great Thurlow PCC; Naomi Sharrod, Great Thurlow PC; Vicky Hogg, Thurlow CEVCP School; Allan Loveday, Thurlow Sports Club; Allan Loveday/ Alison Coffey Thurlow Fayre; Janice Klimicke, Thurlow WI and Sue Bambridge, Thurlow Gardening Club. • The revised Constitution was adopted by the meeting. • Many ideas for improving what the VH offers the inhabitants of The Thurlows and for fund raising were discussed. • The date of our next Annual General Meeting was set for Monday 18th April 2016. The Committee are delighted that the Thurlow Fayre Committee has decided to donate the proceeds of the raffle to the Village Hall and that the Thurlow Gardening Club has offered to tidy the garden at the front of the Hall and plant up the window boxes. They wish to thank both organisations.

7

Thurlow Village Hall Accounts 2014/2015 G

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£3,2

41.0

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43.8

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£728

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18.6

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Thur

low

WI

Thurlow WI

THURLOW WI REPORT A fun evening was had by all at the WI meeting as we had the opportunity to play some old fashioned games made from wood and all made locally. Remember Solitaire before iPads? We were joined by the federation advisor Sue Bevan who talked to us about the running of a WI and the officer’s roles. This was mainly because our annual meeting is in May and we are looking to elect new officers. Tea, biscuits and raffle were all part of the evening as usual. Please do come along and try us out, it will only cost you £1 for the evening. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month in the Village Hall. Garden meeting is coming in July and this is a very popular evening. Hope to see you there. Dawn Abbey

Thur

low

Gar

deni

ng C

lub

Thurlow Gardening Club

THURLOW GARDENING CLUB REPORT A wonderful meeting was held at the home of Allan and Sue Loveday whose garden in April looks stunning with lots of cheerful aubrietia, wallflowers and Lily of the Valley about to bloom as well as many perennials and fruits showing signs of healthy growth. What a fantastic time of year it is just now and how it lifts our spirits when the sky is blue, the sun is out to play, the lawn gets a haircut and the garden starts to waken. Business discussed this month was mainly the Produce Show categories for the Thurlow Fayre. We would love to encourage new entrants to this and therefore the categories have been simplified and the gardening club will publish top tips and rules for displaying your entries so if you are thinking about it, we can help you. Watch out for the rules in the July edition of the Village Link or come along to one of the meetings for advice. If you are new to this and would like to enter, let me know via telephone or email. We are happy to offer you free seeds for the categories you wish to enter. Next month we are at the village hall helping to spruce up the garden area so any support is welcome. We always meet on the second Friday of the month at 6.30pm. Hope to see you there, spade in hand. Dawn Abbey (01440 783646 or dawn.abbey@btinternet.com)

9

Nature Note N

atur

e N

ote

NATURE NOTE This is the most exciting time of year in the natural world. Everyday something changes – a new flower opens, leaves unfurl, a butterfly emerges from hibernation, a migrant bird arrives from Africa, and the days lengthen perceptibly into summer. You can get an advance snapshot of all this if you travel south across Europe and experience there what is literally coming our way. We made a short trip to Venice in early April, where spring was already well advanced. Venice is renowned for many wonderful things, of course, but wildlife isn’t usually thought of as one of them. It is a wholly built-up island in a sea-lagoon with scarcely a tree or a blade of grass visible, except in one or two carefully nurtured gardens in the courtyards of ancient palaces. I did hear a blackbird and a blackcap singing in one of these, their voices just audible over the roar of the dozens of motorboats and the thronging tourists. But what caught my attention more were the parties of swifts, flickering through the air high overhead and chasing round the buildings like screaming Valkyries. They must have just arrived in Venice but they are not due in Thurlow until the 8th of May (they are pretty punctual!). It was a thrill to think that they heading towards us once again, the annual reassurance that ‘the world is still working’, as the poet Ted Hughes put it. But I’m afraid the world isn’t working as well here as it once did. We used to have corn buntings, tree sparrows and even a nightingale in Thurlow, but they are all long gone. Other much-loved country species like skylark and yellowhammer are declining fast. You’ll be lucky to hear a willow warbler this year, though they were once common; and sadly, it’s now rare to hear that iconic spring call of the cuckoo, while we have effectively lost the turtle dove altogether. I’ve chronicled these losses before and they constitute a real national bereavement. We also have far fewer butterflies and moths, fewer wild flowers, fewer bees and bumblebees, fewer everything, it seems, except pigeons. In Britain overall it is estimated that we have lost over half our wildlife in the last fifty years, which is a staggering figure when you think about it. Why isn’t there more of an outcry? There is an election on after all, but how often have you heard the environment mentioned as an issue, except by the tiny Green Party? There’s no one easy remedy of course, but there are partial solutions and the long-term outlook is so serious that we need our politicians to stop competing for our attention with small bribes and to start collaborating to save what is left of the natural world. Venice may not have much wildlife, but it could become the terrible catastrophe that finally gets the world’s attention if it literally sinks into the sea as a consequence of man-made global warming. Jeremy Mynott Lavender Cottage 15 April 2015

10

Prod

uce

Show

201

5

Thurlow Fayre Produce & Craft Show Schedule 2015

Here are the categories for the Thurlow Fayre Produce & Craft Show 2015: Home Produce 1. Jar of jam 2. Jar of chutney or pickle 3. Jar of marmalade 4. 3 fresh eggs 5. Shortbread biscuits – men only 6. Victoria sandwich cake – ladies only 7. Thurlow Fayre Cake - recipe to follow 8. 3 bread rolls Vegetables and Fruit 9. 4 tomatoes 10. 2 courgettes 11. 3 peppers or chillies 12. 3 onions 13. 4 potatoes 14. 4 runner beans 15. 3 beetroots 16. Largest garlic bulb 17. Longest cucumber 18. The longest carrot 19. Heaviest marrow 20. 6 raspberries 21. Basket of fruit and / or veg (min 6 types) All produce to be home-made or home-grown.

Thurlow Fayre 2015 — Produce & Craft Show

Flowers 22. A hand tied arrangement of herbs (min.

3 varieties) 23. Vase of mixed garden flowers (min. 3

varieties) 24. 3 roses (different varieties or colour) 25. Vase of 3 Dahlias (any colour or type,

may be mixed) 26. Biggest sunflower head 27. A single stem rose in bloom Handicraft/Art 26. Water colour painting—any subject but

painted in the last 6 months 27. Colour or black & white picture taken in

the last 6 months in or around Thurlow (no originals please, only copies on the day)

28. Decorated bookmark Children’s Section (see age categories) 29. 2 decorated cup cakes 30. Decorated vegetable in the shape of an

animal 31. Painting or pencil drawing of somewhere

in Little or Great Thurlow Age categories: Age 7 or under, 8 to 10 years, 11 to 16 years. For more information please contact Kevin Crowson (01440 783654), Produce Show Co-ordinator or Alison Coffey, Thurlow Fayre Chair (01440 783478) Good luck everyone!

Are you competitive or up for having some fun? Once again, as part of the Thurlow Fayre, the Produce & Craft Show returns, kindly sponsored again by TKHeat—Kitchens & Bathrooms. The Produce & Craft Show is open to everyone visiting the fayre and we are particularly looking to encourage those of you who haven’t entered before!

Points are awarded for first, second and third place and the overall show winner will be presented with the ‘Archer Shield 2015’. Children’s prizes will also be awarded in the appropriate age categories.

Details of the ‘Thurlow Fayre Cake’ recipe will be published in a later edition of the Village Link, along with full entry details, guidelines, hints and tips for all of the categories including advice on presentation and how to display your produce and exactly what the judges will be looking for in each category.

So what’s stopping you from growing some vegetables, flowers, baking, or taking a picture.... NOTHING so see you in September!

11

Tale

s fr

om o

ur G

arde

n Tales from our Garden

Tales from the Garden

By Sue Bambridge

Wow, it really is the start of the gardening year! A merging display of daffodils & cherry blossoms has kick-started the accompanying noise of our lawn mowers. The first cut results with that familiar fresh grass-scent & lovely alternating strips which then prompts more work to achieve those sharp finished edges. A well-deserved mug of tea (or glass of G&T) has never tasted better! I've been sowing feverishly since February; tomatoes are my speciality & oh how I remind everyone of this! I hope to present some more shiny beauties at this year’s village fayre too. I thought I would try a few new varieties this year with the assistance from a new propagator & they are in full growth already – Thank you Tom for the advice on the pot sizes! Also included in my batch of sowing are mini cucumber, melon melba, cosmos, beetroot, & pak-choi (very quick & easy to germinate), I'm sure there will be plenty to share around. Additionally I have sowed Zinnia seeds (very bee-friendly) with thanks to my free packet from Gardener’s World & also thought I would start off some carrots (Nantes variety works well), these are in an old wooden wine box high up on a shelf away from the beady-eyes of that dreaded “carrot fly". I wonder what happened to all that wine!! My garlic & leeks which I planted in September are all looking good; the smell that lifts up from the ground after a little hoeing is tremendously pungent. Hopefully I will be lifting them in June some time & hanging/drying them in the potting shed which is looking quite tatty & in need of a paint-job - maybe Lady Penelope Pink this year or just a loving Sage Green, we all have our favourite colours! It’s lambing season – with a gestation of just under 5 months lambs are brought into this world in March-April in time for the longer daylight & longer grass & right now they are being seen bouncing round the fields – oh, that reminds me of all the rosemary that I have planted & the mint to make lovely mint sauce! Enjoy this fine weather & don't forget keep those greenhouses well vented to avoid white fly, but also be wary of the weather as there is still a chance of frost. Happy gardening!

12

Thurlow Estate News W

oods

Woods Aspect Forestry, who have been awarded the Forestry work on the Estate for 2015, are now busy working in the smaller/younger woodlands. This work involves removing tree guards and stakes as well as crown lifting the trees themselves. The process of crown lifting, which normally takes place when the trees are eight to ten foot high ensures the trees grow straighter and taller rather than trying to bush out at the bottom. This ensures that we optimise the value of the when it comes to felling. We have now finished our deliveries for the year but are already taking orders for next season so please call the Estate Office on 01440 783661 or email firewood@thurlowestate.co.uk to order your load of seasoned hardwood for next season which starts in July.

Farm

Farm We are finally getting some heat in the soil and as you may well have noticed over the last two weeks things have started to grow. The oil seed rape crop, which has been badly suppressed by the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle this autumn and winter, is the most noticeable crop to have grown and it is shortly to come on flower. One of the legacies of the Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle is that some fields remain patchy, and some fields, which would have been too poor to harvest, have had to be re-drilled. We have just finished the last 32 Ha of this work, with some of the fields being drilled with spring oil seed rape, some with spring beans, and some with oats. Elsewhere the wheat/barley/bean and sugar beet crop is well established having come through the winter well. It is a pity the same cannot be said about the prices, as wheat is currently trading at about £120/t, and barley at about £117/t, both below the likely cost of production. We are using this nice dry spell to harrow, roll and fertilize areas of grasslands and meadows, prior to the grass really getting going. Otherwise pigeon patrol and control continues and does the general maintenance of machinery/buildings/fences/ditches and tracks.

13

Shoo

t

Shoot The gamekeeper and several volunteers are currently taking down seven of the older release pens in various woods around the Estate, these pens have either reached the end of their useful life or require moving to fresh ground. They are also making three new pens from scratch which is no small feat. Otherwise the control of vermin continues and now the ground if drier they are able to access more of the Estate.

Hun

t Hunt The final Point to Point of the season at Horseheath, hosted by the Puckeridge Hunt, was a successful day; and the Estate team have now started the spring/summer maintenance programme on the course, with slot grass drilling, harrowing, rolling and verti-draining. The Huntsman and the First Whip are busy putting the kennels in order for the Puppy Show including painting some areas, mowing and general tidying up. They are also getting the hounds ready as they will be parading at The Royal Norfolk Show on the 1st & 2nd July. The young hounds have to wait until the Puppy Show to have their day in the ring! We are also saying a fond farewell to Paul Davis, First Whip, who has been with us for three seasons and wish him all the best in his new position. In the same breath we would like to welcome Jamie Walsh, who will be filling Paul’s shoes as First Whip.

Prop

erty

Property Renovation works to a large five-bed farm house and a smaller three-bed cottage are both progressing well and we hope to put these out to the lettings market in due course. The external repairs and redecorations schedule is commencing any day now and this will then run throughout the summer, hopefully finishing before the autumn rains. We currently have a two-bed property to rent in Thurlow, for further information please call the Estate Office on 01440 783 661.

14

Wartime memories of Thurlow

This is the third in a series of articles from John Rowling, originally from Great Thurlow, with memories of growing up in the village during the war.

Little Thurlow had a lucky escape when a Stirling bomber crashed in the Close in the early hours of 22nd November 1942. The aircraft was from RAF Chedburgh, returning from a raid but due to thick fog it was diverted to Stradishall, which was also fog bound. Running short of fuel, the crew used their parachutes, but the pilot sadly lost his life. He was found in a field at Gt Wratting by one of Mr Robert’s men. He was a New Zealander and he was buried in the war graves section of Haverhill Cemetery. On crashing the Stirling narrowly missed Lt Thurlow Church, clipped the trees by the brook, and crashed into the overhead electric cables in the Close where it exploded and caught fire. Wreckage was thrown over a wide area and set fire to Mr Tilbrook’s stackyard at Manor Farm. Stacks of wheat and barley waiting to be threshed caught fire. The Thurlow fire unit were joined by Haverhill and the stacks burned throughout the day. Us youngsters had a field day, often been shouted at to get out of the way! A tractor using a wire hawser was used to try and break down the stacks. There was also the sound of exploding ammunition! After the crash site had been cleared by the RAF, we spent a lot of time digging for souvenirs, even finding a dinghy survival kit. It included canisters of coloured powder dyes, used to mark the position of the dinghy if ditching in the sea. We unscrewed the canisters and released the contents into the river, it was said that the colour of the water when it reached the bridge at Gt Thurlow had the colours of a rainbow. No Environment Agency in those days! Another army unit had now moved into Lt Thurlow, into all the locations used by the previous units. This was the Carrier Platoon, of the London Irish Rifles, who formed part of the 56th London Division, (Black Cat). The remainder of the battalion were stationed in Haverhill and Lt Wratting. The platoon were equipped with tracked armoured vehicles which carried a crew of four. We soon made, friends with the soldiers. I was friendly with the armourer, his store was at the back of Mungo Lodge, which was all one property then. He taught me how to strip down and reassemble the Bren gun, (this was to come in handy in later years).

There were also motor cycle sidecars - 500cc Nortons which also carried machine

guns. Some Sunday afternoons the soldiers would be racing the bikes round the meadow behind Mungo Lodge, and would give us rides in the sidecars. We were much lighter than their mates which gave faster times (this was the start of my involvement in off road motor cycling). Saturday mornings the soldiers would take the carriers down to the river by Lt Thurlow Church, when there was a ford, and wash the carriers down. I was friendly with one of the drivers and when the others had gone back to Mungo Lodge, Alfie would let me drive the carrier through the river, and give me a lift back home. I had to lay on the floor so not to be seen!

To be continued

15

Remembering the Men of the Village Link

Rod Gibson of Kedington is researching the names and backgrounds of the men on our local war memorials. In order to commemorate their memory, the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille, together with the ringing of the relevant church bells will be organised on each of the 100th anniversaries of their deaths. If you have any information or memorabilia that would add to the stories, and particularly any family photos that might include any of the men please contact Alison at thevillagelink@thethurlows.org.uk. Thank you. Rod Gibson

ROWLING, Fred, L/Cpl., No. 40617

Formerly No. 18308, Suffolk Regiment

7th Bn. Northampton Regiment

Fred was the eldest of 11 children born to Alfred William (boot repairer) and Sarah, née Smith, Rowling, living at The Street, Little Thurlow as shown in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census returns. Sarah was born to Thomas and Lucy Smith in Kedington in the first quarter of 1861and appears in the census of that year. Four of the 11 children died in infancy. Sarah and Alfred William married in the 4th quarter of 1884. Sarah died in Woodbridge in December 1920, aged 60. Alfred William died in Thurlow in June 1935, aged 74. Fred was born in Little Thurlow in the 2nd quarter of 1886 and is shown as a bricklayer apprentice in the 1901 census. He married Margaret Annie Wimpress in the 3rd quarter of 1910 in Thurlow. The 1911 census shows the couple living at The Green, Little Thurlow in a fairly large house with 6 rooms and Fred described as a bricklayer (Estate). They had one child, Frederick R Rowling in the 2nd quarter of 1913 in Thurlow, and he appears to have married Mary G Bridgman in the 2nd quarter of 1937. Margaret Annie Wimpress was born on 12th August 1890, in Luddington, Northamptonshire, to Benjamin and Emma, née Bruce, and was a sister to Thomas, she died in July 1991, age 100. Fred enlisted in Haverhill.

Fred was subsequently awarded the British and Victory Medals.

Fred’s service did not survive the WW2 blitz but it is known that he originally enlisted into the Suffolk Regiment and was subsequently transferred to the 7th Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment and arrived in France sometime in 1916. The Regiment was a part of II Corps, 24th Division, 73rd Brigade and took part in the 1916 Battle of the Somme, at Delville Wood and Guillemont, and the 1917 Arras offensive, before being sent to the Ypres Salient. Fred died during the Third Battle of Ypres, usually known as Passchendaele. The Regiment was not actively engaged on Monday 27th August, the temperature was 57° F. 15.3 mm of rain fell and there was 50% cloud cover. It is likely that Fred was killed by artillery fire as the front line was subject to intermittent heavy shelling at different times throughout the battle.

Killed in Action 27th August 1917 AGE 31

The Tyne Cot Memorial is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, located 9 kilometres north east of Ieper (Ypres) town center. The memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F. V. Blundstone and was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20th June 1927

Commemorated: Tyne Cot Memorial. Panel 104 to 105

16

The Outspoken Theatre Returns to Thurlow

with A Midsummer Night’s Dream

For those of you who attended last year’s event with the Outspoken Theatre performing ‘A Comedy of Errors’ – you will remember a beautiful balmy summer evening in the most wonderful setting of the front Lawn at Great Thurlow Hall – along with BBQ and drinks at what turned out to be a fantastic community event for our villages and further beyond. We raised £850 on the night and the Theatre Company themselves told us that it was the best event they had been involved in to date...So – for 2015 – by popular demand... they are back on 31st July 2015 by kind permission of the Vestey Family at Great Thurlow Hall for ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. A story of love, intrigue, laughter, marriage, revelry, and of course the central character of Puck entertaining the audience throughout! We would warmly welcome you all to join us, to come and mingle, laugh, enjoy great entertainment and food, catch up with your neighbours and friends and help raise funds for our Church. Tickets are £12 each and a supper will be available for a small cost. Bring your blankets, chairs and a bottle each for what promises to be a brilliant evening out. Gates open at 7pm with ‘curtains up’ at 7.30pm. Please call either myself or Kevin for further details. Tim Gould – 01440 783654

Calling all budding young journalists and story tellers…… The Village Link is still looking for junior reporters. If you would like to contribute an article or story or report on an event you attended we would be delighted to hear from you! It doesn’t have to be long and doesn’t matter if you don’t want to write for every issue. Get in touch with Alison on 01440 783478 or email the Village Link!

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Our

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Our Rector Writes

OUR RECTOR WRITES Many years ago as I walked around a certain village in north Nottinghamshire a gentleman asked me, “Are you going to come and read my meter? “I’ll come and read your meter if you like,” I replied, “but I’m not sure what good it will do.” Then he spotted my clerical collar. A long time ago it may be, but I have never forgotten it. And every time I saw him I reminded him of it too! Another person I remember well from that first incumbency is Mrs P. Mrs P. came to the door of the Vicarage one lunchtime. I was busy cooking lunch. Mrs P. (who was not a lady of few words, let the reader understand), had already been to one of the local pubs and had her lunch. “I’ve got a problem,” said Mrs P. “I have now too,” I thought to myself. Mrs P., having reached a certain age, had had two forms from the DVLA about renewing her driving licence. She had, she told me, filled one of them in and sent them both back. The DVLA, of course, had returned them to her. I went carefully (but swiftly) through the forms and sent Mrs P. away to look for her passport (she wasn’t sure that she had one), her birth certificate and “marriage lines”. “Come back when you have found them,” I said. A few days later she was back, at exactly the same time of day (whilst I was cooking lunch). “I’m going to have to give up my car,” she said. She hadn’t made any progress with the forms, but she had found her documents. So I told her I would see her at her home at about four o’clock. When I arrived, she let me in and asked me if I had “come about the boiler”. I told her that no, I had not come about the boiler. I had come about her driving licence. “Oh yes,” she said “now where did I put it?” She told me that it was in a plastic carrier bag. The only trouble was that you couldn’t see the floor for plastic carrier bags. There was hardly room in the lounge to stand up, let alone sit down. So I stood and waited while she found the bag in question. We went through the forms with a fine tooth comb, and put them both in an envelope with the supporting paperwork. I told Mrs P. that I would take the envelope to the Post Office for her and send it by recorded delivery. And then came another of those questions which I shall never forget. “Did you see military service in the war?”. Well you could have knocked me over with a feather! I was not expecting that! “Mrs P.”, I said, “my parents weren’t even married until 1952! I’m not even old enough to have done National Service.” Either I was looking a lot older than I was, or Mrs P. needed her eyes testing, I thought! I had just countersigned her application for a driving licence too! “You are getting a bit thin on top,” she commented. Mrs P. died a couple of years later, or I wouldn’t tell the story. I seem to think that her funeral was actually at the local Methodist Church. It was that question about my having seen military service in the war which came to mind today as I began to think about this article. May 2015 sees the seventieth anniversary of the day we know as VE Day. Last year we remembered the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. This year we see the seventieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. The day was marked by street parties all over Britain celebrating the news. Since then was can thank God for many years of relative peace, at least here in Europe. The men and women of our armed forces have been involved in numerous parts of the world of course, and still see their share of conflict. As I write this we are just a week into the Easter season. At our Good Friday devotional this year I read the script of “Pause for Thought” which Bishop Nick Baines had delivered that morning on Radio 2. Here is part of it: “Far from being a deeply meditative religious experience way back in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, everyone was actually going wild. There was a massive political ferment, and loads of the people hoped they were on the brink of being liberated from Roman occupation. The city was full of parties and lots of red, red wine was flowing down the throats of people crying for freedom.” It all sounds a bit familiar, doesn't it?

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Our Rector Writes O

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OUR RECTOR WRITES ctd Anyway, the man of the moment - and the cause of the trouble on this particular Friday - was being built up as the great saviour of the people by some, and the great enemy of the people by others. It's a terrible position to be in, isn't it - especially when you've just spent the last few years telling everyone to love each other to death. But, Jesus of Nazareth has a final meal with his hopeless mates, gets arrested while praying in a garden, then gets tried before an embarrassed judge, and, finally, gets nailed. What a waste. Well, the reason we call this Friday 'good' is not because it's a good story; it's because the death of this Jesus changed the world. It also changed the personal world of people who were part of it. Jesus's friends had just bigged themselves up: "Jesus, if they're going to get you, they're going to have to go through me first." Then the big men caved in under challenge, and most of them ran away when it all got too hard. Betrayed, denied and deserted: that was how Jesus experienced Good Friday. But, the good bit is that this wasn't the end of the story. The misery of Friday's crucifixion was followed by the unbearable emptiness of Saturday, but opened the way to a surprising Sunday.” Conflict is there in the Old Testament too of course, and there has been conflict in every age and generation. Our faith teaches us to pray for the coming of God’s Kingdom. It’s there in the prayer Jesus taught his own friends to pray “thy kingdom come, thy will be done”, and in the nineteenth Century Lewis Henson wrote Thy Kingdom come, O God, Thy rule, O Christ, begin; Break with Thine iron rod The tyrannies of sin. Where is Thy reign of peace, And purity, and love? When shall all hatred cease, As in the realms above? When comes the promised time That war shall be no more— Oppression, lust, and crime, Shall flee Thy face before? We pray Thee, Lord, arise, And come in Thy great might; Revive our longing eyes, Which languish for Thy sight. Men scorn Thy sacred Name, And wolves devour Thy fold; By many deeds of shame We learn that love grows cold. O’er heathen lands afar Thick darkness broodeth yet: Arise, O Morning Star, Arise, and never set! Amen to that. Derek Hollis

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Mon

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Rota

May to June 2015 Church Services

Date Day Time/Event Time/Event Time/Event Time/Event

3rd May Sun 9:30 HC

Kedington 11:00 HC

Little Bradley

10th May Sun 9:30 HC

Barnardiston 9:30 SOTW Kedington

11:00 HC Great Bradley

17th May Sun

10:00 Benefice HC

Great Thurlow

24th May Sun 8:00 HC

Kedington 9:30 HC

Little Thurlow 11:00 HC

Great Wratting 18:00 ES

Kedington

31st May Sun

10:00 Benefice HC Kedington

7th June Sun 9:30 HC

Kedington 11:00 HC

Great Thurlow

14th June Sun 9:30 SOTW

Kedington 11:00 HC

Great Bradley

The Benefice service rota is also provided online at http://www.stourheadbenefice.org/Stourhead_Benefice/Service_Rota.html

Obituary

Terry Clark, who died on the 29th of March, was a valued member of our community. He lived at Ainslark, Lt Thurlow Green for almost fifty years before leaving to live with his daughter Caroline when he found living alone too difficult two years ago. He was a Parish Councillor for many years and together with his late wife Dorothy served on the Village Hall committee and was involved with much fund raising. Many of us will remember the “Sausage and Mash Suppers” held in the garden at Ainslark. We remember him with gratitude, well done Terry. Iris Eley

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Month Date Day Time Event Location Information

May 8th Fri 18:30 Thurlow Gardening Club

Thurlow Village Hall

Dawn Abbey 01440 783646

May 12th Tue 19:30 WI meeting Thurlow Village Hall Iris Eley

May 14th Thur 19:15 Thurlow Fayre

Committee Meeting

Thurlow Village Hall

Alison Coffey 01440 783478

May 19th Tue 19:30 Little Thurlow PC meeting

Thurlow Village Hall

Molly Hawkins 01440 783259

May 19th Tue 20:15 Little Thurlow Parish Meeting

Thurlow Village Hall

Molly Hawkins 01440 783259

May 21st Thurs 19:30 Great Wratting Village Meeting

The Parish Room

St Mary’s Great

Wratting

May 27th Wed 11:45

to 12:10

Mobile library 109 Bury Road Great Thurlow 01473 263838

May 27th Wed 12.45

to 13:05

Mobile library Thurlow

Sports Club Little Thurlow

01473 263838

May 27th Wed 14:00

to 14:20

Mobile library

Coronation Cottages

Great Wratting

01473 263838

May 30th Sat 10:00

to 13:00

Farmers’ Market

Thurlow Village Hall

June 6th Sat 13:00

To 16:00

Great Wratting Village Fete

Hall Farm Garden Great

Wratting

June 7th Sun 14:00

To 17:00

Great Thurlow Hall Summer Open Garden

and Plant Sale

Great Thurlow Hall

Alison Coffey 01440783478

What’s On! D

ates

For

You

r D

iary

!

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The Thurlow 10 2015

This year’s Thurlow 10 running event will take place on Sunday 18th October. The event organised by Haverhill Running Club will once again start and finish at Thurlow Village Hall, and this year for the first time will feature a 5 mile and 10 mile race. In order to ensure the safety of competitors the running club will be applying for two temporary road closures: 1) The B1061 between the village hall and Little Thurlow Hall, and Church Road from the ford to the church. The closure would be put in place at 9.55 am to allow competitors to assemble on the road in front of the village hall, in preparation for the start of the races at 10 am. Those taking part in the 10 mile race will turn left into Temple End Road. Those taking part in the 5 mile race will carry straight on until they reach Little Thurlow Hall, at which point they will turn right onto Church road (through the ford). They will run along Church road as far as the church, at which point they will turn left onto the Stour Valley footpath. The B1061 will reopen once all runners have turned right onto Church Road (approx. 10:05), and Church Road will reopen once all runners have turned left onto the Stour Valley path (approx. 10:07) 2) Withersfield Road between Withersfield and Thurlow, with traffic diverted via Great Wratting. Runners competing in the 10 mile race will run through Temple and Farm and past High Noon, emerging onto Withersfield Road at approximately 10:20 am. This road would be closed to traffic from 10:15 am until 11:15 am or the last runner has reached Thurlow (whichever occurs first). Please refer to the following scribblemap for further details: http://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/qzyTDBIcW5 If anyone has any concerns or objections regarding the road closures or the event itself, they can email chairman@haverhillrunningclub.com or call Trevor on 01440 705191.

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We are fast approaching that time of year again when the air will start warming up, the bluebells will be blooming and the Suffolk countryside will be enticing us to dig out our walking boots and start exploring. What better way to do this than to join in the annual

Suffolk Walking Festival which takes place 9th - 31st May. The programme is packed with over 90 guided walks around medieval villages, market towns, along the coast and through

gentle landscapes across the county.

The eclectic mix of walks includes Sketch Book Strolls for children (there's also one for adults) with a local artist around Brandon Country Park; a seven mile hike called Food

Glorious Food through Thetford Forest to the award-winning restaurant at the Elvedon Hall Estate for lunch; A Scottish Visionary and His Fairytale Village, starting from Thorpeness

along the coast as well as Beachcombing for Beginners on Felixstowe beach.

You can follow in Benjamin Britten's footsteps along 'Curlew River' and learn about the composer, his music and the wildlife that inspired him; walk the Horseshoe Trail and learn

about horse racing in Newmarket; explore the Ponds of Helmingham Hall, walk in the footsteps of Thomas Gainsborough around Sudbury or learn about John Constable as you

amble through 'Constable Country'.

There are far too many walks to list here, so please visit www.suffolkwalkingfestival.co.uk to look at the programme and to book your tickets.

You can also pick up a brochure from you local tourist information centre.

We hope you will be inspired to join in this fun and sociable festival to enjoy Suffolk at its very best.

The Suffolk Walking Festival is a partnership project involving all the local authorities in the county, many countryside agencies, local businesses, tourist attractions and private individuals. Sponsored by Discover Suffolk (Suffolk County Council); Babergh, Mid Suffolk and Forest Heath District Councils and Ipswich and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils; Vitavia, Cotswolds Outdoor and our media partners EADT Suffolk Magazine and BBC Radio Suffolk

Suffolk Walking Festival 9th - 31st May 2015

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topsoil mixes barks

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INFORMATION FOR RESIDENTS. This is a brief guide, intended especially for newcomers to the villages, with information about the facilities and services available locally and some useful telephone numbers and addresses.

Services and Societies in Thurlow Telephone Thurlow Garage – Ray Sharrod 01440 783248 The Cock Inn 01440 783224 Plumbing Services – TKHeat – Kevin Crowson 07966 208794

01440 783654 Parish Clerk – Little Thurlow – Molly Hawkins 01440 783259 Parish Clerk – Great Thurlow – Diana Allin 01440 783560

Thurlow CEVC School – Head Teacher 01440 783281 Thurlow Pre-School – Helen Frost (thurlowpreschool@hotmail.co.uk.) 01440 783688 Thurlow Mother and Toddlers – Ond Zoe Wednesdays 10 am - 12 noon during term time

077872 92294 078911 46931

Thurlow Fayre – Allan Loveday 01440 707416 Thurlow Gardening Club – Dawn Abbey 01440 783646 Thurlow Sports Club Secretary – Allan Loveday 01440 707416 Thurlow Village Hall Committee – Ros Bunting 01440 783528 Thurlow Village Hall Bookings – Diana Allin 01440 783560 Thurlow Womens Institute – President Iris Eley 01440 783534 Thurlow Tennis Club—Andy Quick 01440 783070

Services and Societies in Great Wratting Telephone Neighbourhood Watch —TBC Red Lion, Great Wratting – George and Linda Sykes 01440 783237 The Great Wratting Book Group – Jean Newlands 01440 783111 Great Wratting Email Tree — Dawn Fisk— dawn.fisk@btinternet.com 01440 783993 The mobile library service stops at Coronation Cottages from 2.00 to 2.20 pm every 4 weeks, on Wednesday afternoons

01440 702638

Emergency Telephone Police Response – any officer, non emergency 101 Police Response – Emergency 999 Suffolk Fire Service 01284 558888 UK Network (Electricity) 24 hour Emergency helpline 0800 7838838 Anglian Water 24 hour Emergency Helpline (water/sewage) 08457 145145 British Telecom 24 hour fault reporting 0800 800151 Floodline 24 hour with recorded update 0845 9881188 In case of disaster or village is cut off, go to Thurlow Village Hall. Key Holder is Diana Allin – 89a Hill House, Great Thurlow

01440 783560

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Community Contacts Telephone Churches – Stourhead Benefice – Rev. Derek Hollis 01440 763066 Haverhill Social Services 01440 764949 Haverhill Citizens Advice Bureau 01440 704012 St Edmundsbury Borough Council Planning 01284 763233 District Councillor – Robert Clifton-Brown 01440 783562 St Edmundsbury Borough Council 01284 763233 St Edmundsbury Borough Council (Haverhill office) 01440 702271 County Councillor – Mary Evans 01284 789478 Suffolk County Council General Enquiries 08456 066067 Age Concern – Heather Hunt 01440 783573 Thurlow Estate – Tim Barling, Agent Thurlow Estate – Tom Duffin, Assistant to Agent

01440 783661

Libraries – Haverhill Libraries – Bury St Edmunds A mobile library visits the villages every 4 weeks on a Wednesday stopping at Sowley Green, 150 Bury Road from 11:30-11:40 am; Great Thurlow, 109 Bury Road from 11:45-12:10 pm; Little Thurlow, Thurlow Sports Club from 12:45-13:05 pm and Great Wratting, Coronation cottages from 14:00 –14:20 pm.

01440 702638 01284 352545 01473 263838

Suffolk Radio – BBC FM 103.9 or 104.6 01473 250000 Refuse Collection Every Friday early morning – Black bin on week one, blue and brown bin week two alternating

01284 757320

Environmental Health and Pest Control 01284 757084

Health and Wellbeing Telephone Doctors – The Christmas Maltings and Clements Practice Doctors – Selby Practice Doctors – Stourhead Medical Practice

01440 269366 01440 702010 01440 761177

Chemist – Boots, Haverhill Chemist – Sainsburys Pharmacy Chemist – The Co—operative Pharmacy

01440 702058 01440 708043 01440 702079

Hospital – West Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds) Hospital – West Suffolk Accident and Emergency Hospital – Addenbrookes (Cambridge)

01284 713000 01284 713333 01223 245151

Vets – Swayne and Partners (Haverhill) Vets – Lida Vets (Newmarket) Vets – Hawkedon Veterinary Surgery

01440 702007 01638 560000 01284 789428

Church Wardens Telephone St Mary’s Church, Great Wratting—Simon Corbett 01440 783698 St Mary’s Church, Great Wratting—Ben Stanton 01440 783103 St Peter’s Church, Little Thurlow—Robin Vestey T.B.A. St Peter’s Church, Little Thurlow—Iris Eley 01440 783534 All Saints Church, Great Thurlow—George Vestey 01440 783240

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Great Wratting Parish Council Contacts Telephone Chair – Gavin Acheson 01440 783515 Councillor – Anthony Lundrigan 01440 783817 Councillor – Dawn Fisk 01440 783993 Councillor – Petra Stephenson 01440 783384 Councillor – Steven Robinson 01440 783131 Councillor—Diana Curtis 01440 783898 Vacancy Parish Clerk – Emma White—gtwrattingpc@yahoo.co.uk 07792455030 If you would like information about joining Great Wratting Parish Council, please contact the Parish Clerk. www.parish-council.com/greatwrattingparishcouncil

Little Thurlow Parish Council Contacts Telephone Keith Bunting – Chairman 01440 783528 Chris Field –Vice Chairman 01440 783697 Will Griffiths 01440 783496 Heather Hunt 01440 783573 Chris Lowe 01440 783891 Andrew Dickson 01440 783385 Jessica Hale 01440 783190 Molly Hawkins—Parish Clerk 01440 783259

Great Thurlow Parish Council Contacts Telephone Peter Thomas—Chairman 01440 783700 Stan Cook—Vice Chairman 01440 783532 George Vestey 01440 783240 Conrad Hawkins 01440 783259 Naomi Sharrod 01440 783923 Rod Pass 01440 783610 Jane Sheppard 01440 783209 Diana Allin—Parish Clerk 01440 783560

Parish Council Notice Board

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Anyone for Tennis? Thurlow Tennis club is seeking new members for 2015 – 2016

Annual family membership: £52.50

Single adult: £25 Junior (up to 18 yrs): £15

This is fantastic value compared to other options to play locally. The Club Coach, Michael Billson, is offering a free 30-min lesson/taster session for all members. Plus as we are now affiliated with the Lawn Tennis Association, membership of the Club gives you entitlement to free membership of British Tennis and entry into the ballot for discounted Wimbledon 2016 tickets.

For further information contact Andy Quick at andyquick01@gmail.com/783070 or Richard Shipp 07852187734

The Outspoken Theatre A Midsummer Night’s Dream Great Thurlow Hall Gardens

7pm, 31st July 2015