Voice Magazines - Sutton-in-Ashfield and Huthwaite Edition - June 2024

DAY 21ST JUNE 24

11 EDITIONS READ, BY OVER 152,000 RESIDENTS SUTTON & HUTHWAITE

GIRAFFE

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THE AWKWARDLY ELEGANT GIRAFFE

It may be just me but in the pantheon of weirdly designed animals, the giraffe has to be at, or near the top of the list.

Evolutionary theory tells us that they developed their extraordinarily long necks in order to reach the most succulent vegetation found at the tops of trees.

My simplistic brain can’t help but think…well why did they not just eat something lower down? And what did they eat before their necks stretched so much?

Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against giraffes. In fact their faces are really rather appealing, all angles, big eyes and long, long eyelashes. They even have the equivalent of fingerprints as no two giraffes have the same coat pattern. But they just seem so blinking awkward!

It’s a wonder any baby giraffes survive the fall from mum’s…errr…rear end… to the ground. Given the fragile nature of the long newborn neck, it must be very easy for it to break in the event of a less than safe landing.

That fact alone has me amazed that the species managed to survive and evolve. And have you ever seen giraffes fighting?

Apparently they find it very difficult to lift their legs off the ground to kick out, which is what most ruminants would do. So, instead, they bash their necks together…really, really hard.

Honestly, they are so badly designed that their necks are too long for them to drink unless they splay their legs out before dipping towards the water source. I mean… really!

Their circulatory system also has to cope with the fact that their blood pressure dips dangerously low when they bend their head to drink. The jugular veins have developed incredibly elastic walls and large one-way valves that allow the veins to expand significantly and prevent the blood from flowing back to the brain when the giraffe’s head is lowered.

The poor creatures can’t even lie down for a proper kip either. They do “lie” down with their long legs tucked underneath them, but the neck is usually still upright. Occasionally, and only for very short periods of normally not more than 5 minutes, giraffe can sleep with their head resting back on their rump.

Five minutes sleeping!

I could not be a giraffe!

Joking apart, there is a serious side to this article – June 21 is World Giraffe Day – a day to remind us that giraffes are in fact an at risk species. There has been an almost 30% population decline over the past three and a half decades, leaving an estimated population of 117,000 individuals.

They may be ungainly and awkward, but they do deserve to be respected, cared for, and allowed to flourish, as does every other species on this planet we all call home.

Sutton Heritage Society

JUNE 2024

MORE CHOIRS

The number of choirs that have been in Sutton over the years must be staggering.

If you think that the majority of schools had a choir and many still do. At some points they had more than one. The workplaces had choirs. The churches, the groups/clubs –It soon starts to mount up. In

the years before TV appeared on the scene, probably most of the residents belonged to one.

One of the earliest listed school choirs was Miss Limb’s Ladies School Choir C1901, they held a concert in the town hall with singers being Misses Summerfield, Searson, Revill, Gamble, Crocker and Louie Limb. Duets were played by Misses L and E Pickard of Kirkby, Misses Gamble and Hollingsworth, Crocker and Masters, and J D Needham and A Littlebury. A trio of Misses M Taylor, Evans and Nowell. Soloists were played by Misses L and E Pickard, Straw, J Bonser, P Walton, Revill, Morris, Clarke, Shacklock, Dove, M Marsh, K Wilby, E Taylor, F Allsop, and Master’s A Littlebury, and J Needham.

In 1923, the Huthwaite Wesleyan Church Choir gave a concert to the Mansfield Workhouse inmates. Donald Weston was organist, and also conductor. Some members were Mr A Barnes, H Weston, J Limb, W Bostock, F Davis, W Hill, C Wilson, Doris Holland and Fanny Ball.

In 1971, St John’s Methodist Church Choir sang from “The Gondoliers” in the church. Narrator was Gladys Bowen, with Ralph Bowen being the accompanist. Renee Marsh was conductor. The principal

singers were Margaret Pearson, Estelle Bacon, Cyril Owen and Roger Nicholls. Also in 1971, The Mansfield and Worksop Co-operative Girls Choir won the under 18’s section of the Cardiff Eisteddfod singing their entry in Welsh. The choir was conducted by Kathleen Cox, and accompanied by Mr S J Cox.

In 1980, Sutton Centre Choir took five trophies at the Mansfield Music Festival.

In 1989 The Ashfield Ladies Choir under conductor Joan McCourt was set up following the closure of the Phoenix Choir. Beginning with eight female members, and soon progressing to twenty-five, it shows how important music is to the local area. The group met at the Victoria Street Baptist Church for rehearsals on Thursdays.

Nottingham Trent University continue to deliver the Enterprising Ashfield project to businesses, residents and employees within the Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield Towns Fund area.

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THE FINAL MOMENTS OF SHORT STIRLING EH988

Following on from my previous article in the May edition, people have enquired as to what exactly caused the crash of the Short Stirling EH988 into the woods of Annesley Forest with the tragic loss of five young airmen.

The Met Office weather reports for Central and Southern England on that fateful Sunday morning of 14th January 1945 read “Wind East to West 20 knots, total cloud cover 1000 to 2000 feet, temperature 35 to 38 degrees, threat of snow.”

Taking flight at 10am from RAF Winthorpe to Northern Ireland, the pilot in control was war veteran Squadron Leader Steve Cockbain DFC. His crew consisted of a flight engineer, navigator, wireless operator, and an air gunner. The latter two were still in training and not usually carried on flights to the breakers yard; they were not a crew who normally flew together, being either chosen for the flight, or even volunteers.

This assembled crew appeared to experience difficulties the moment the four-engine bomber became airborne, smoke was seen coming from the starboard outer engine. With an abrupt loss of power, the only viable choice was to fly beneath the critical cloud level.

Many people were about this Sunday morning, the flightpath of the aircraft being noted all along its route, and it was reportedly seen over Bestwood with smoke streaming from the aeroplane. One eyewitness said that he saw the Stirling aircraft low overhead and on fire; by now there may have been a second engine aflame.

Was it the pilot’s intention to attempt a landing at the Hucknall aerodrome with the aircraft becoming increasingly unmanageable?

If this was his intention, then history clearly defines this never happened.

No doubt struggling to maintain control of both height and power, the aircraft turned starboard being observed over Newstead and Annesley School.

Sighted over Annesley Hall the craft appears to have turned at a very low level back onto a parallel course over the cottages of Home Farm, indeed scraping the roof of one of them.

At this time, there appears to be clear ground between Home Farm and Annesley village (now Sherwood Business Park). Had the pilot seen this space in what was a residential area and wooded countryside beyond and made a last desperate attempt to crash land in this piece of ground?

If so, his plan failed when EH988 banked sharply to the right over the A611 road before hitting the ground below the crest of Annesley Forest then continuing forward smashing trees and ploughing a deep furrow in the earth before coming to a stop with its nose buried in the earth build-up.

Witnesses to the scene reporting only the tail unit standing upright provided any recognition to its type.

Words by Roger West

The five young men who perished in this horrendous manner were: -

67707 Squadron Leader Stephen Cockbain DFC Age 28 years

1587047 Flight Sergeant Edwin Charles Barton Age 21 years

2204311 Sergeant John Littlemore Age 19 years

1651299 Sergeant Kenneth Harris Age 22 years

1874899 Flight Sergeant Terence Arthur Ball Age 20 years

Presented by Roger West on behalf of Rose and Malcolm Bryan authors of; PASSAGE TO DESTRUCTION. With credit to Chris Kidger, from the Kirkby Living Memory (Heritage Centre.)

HUTHWAITE

TUESDAY 4PM, 5.30 & 7PM

MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS SPORTS SOCIAL CLUB

The Fieldings, Huthwaite Road, NG17 2TF

HUTHWAITE

Slimming World Recipe

Sticky chicken drumsticks and chips with American-style salad

Method:

1. Put the chicken, spices and 1 level tbsp sriracha in a large bowl. Mix everything together using your hands, until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.

3. Spread the chips out on a large, non-stick baking tray in a single layer and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Spread the drumsticks out on another non-stick baking tray. Put the chips on the shelf below the chicken and cook for 20 minutes, then turn

everything and swap over the trays. Cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

4. At the same time, toss together the celery, cucumber, lettuce and radishes. Mix the yogurt with the chives, lemon juice and garlic granules, and season lightly.

5. Stir the yogurt dressing through the salad and scatter over the reserved chives. Brush the remaining sriracha evenly over the chicken. Serve 2 drumsticks per person with the chips and salad

MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS SPORTS SOCIAL CLUB

The Fieldings, Huthwaite Road, NG17 2TF

Summertime makes us think of eating al fresco whilst soaking up the sun. With a mix of spicy sticky chicken, light crispy chips and cool tasty salad, this dish is perfect for those chilled out days ahead.

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken drumsticks, skin and visible fat removed, flesh scored

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground allspice

• 2 level tbsp sriracha

• 800g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, cut into chips

• Low-calorie cooking spray

For the salad:

• 4 celery sticks, chopped

• 1 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and sliced

• 2 little gem lettuces, shredded

• 200g radishes, chopped

• 200g fat-free natural yogurt

• ½ small pack fresh chives, chopped, reserving some to serve

• Juice of 1 lemon

• ½ tsp garlic granules

in: 55 minutes (plus 1

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Flake’ s Favourites

Re-walking Rafa’s Rambles

So Summer is about to arrive and if you’re anything like me you’re more than ready for it! Whilst our furry friends need a walk whatever the weather, it’s a lot nicer when it’s not quite so grotty. This month’s walk sets off from the village of Scarcliffe. It’s a lovely, varied walk that makes use of some paths in the nearby woods allowing you to explore this lesser seen part of this beautiful area.

6-MILE CIRCULAR WALK FROM SCARCLIFFE START: CHURCH OF

A mid distance walk which should take you and your dog around 2½-3 hours to complete. The walk is mostly on trails and paths but there may be some uneven and muddy terrain, particularly with inclement weather so please wear appropriate footwear. There is also a couple of roads to cross and one short section of road to walk along, so please take plenty of care. As always, follow the countryside code, keeping dogs on leads where appropriate.

1. Standing with your back to the church turn left and continue along the road. After a short distance and just prior to a road on your right, turn right onto a lane and signposted footpath to thread between the houses. At the end of the lane/driveway continue straight ahead onto a footpath. After a very short distance, ignore the stone stile on the right and climb over the stone stile in front of you.

2. Now continue straight ahead and walk along the edge of a field with a hedge on your right. After some distance follow the footpath sharp right and immediately cross over a stone bridge. Now continue straight ahead to cross a field with a hedge on your left.

3. After some distance continue along the footpath with a hedge on both sides and then cross over a wooden footbridge. Now continue straight ahead going gently uphill into some trees. After a short distance you will reach a lane. Turn right onto the lane and pass a marker post on your right and continue straight ahead.

4. Continue straight ahead for a short distance and then the lane splits into two. Take the left split and then curl around to the left to continue along a lane with trees on both sides. After a long distance you will continue straight ahead with trees on your left and open views to the right.

5. Continue until eventually reaching a road. Turn right along the road for a short distance and then turn right again along ‘Common Lane’. After a short distance and at a bus stop on your left bear slightly left onto a footpath running parallel with the road. Then after some distance the path comes back alongside the road.

6. Continue along the road for a long distance, passing an academy on your left. After passing the academy and upon reaching two no entry signs on your left, turn right along a lane and signposted footpath on your right.

7. After a short distance pass by a large gate and then continue with a hedge on both sides. Continue for a long distance until reaching a footpath on your left which is marked by a marker post on your left. Immediately after the footpath on the left and at a junction of lanes bear to the right and then continue straight ahead with a hedge on your left and trees on your right.

8. Continue along this lane for a long distance and eventually reaching a T junction of lanes. Turn left at the T junction and continue along a lane. After a short distance ignore a lane on your right and continue straight ahead along the lane heading into the trees.

9. Eventually the lane begins to climb steeply. At the top of the hill the lane splits into two. Take the lane on the right and continue straight ahead heading through the trees. After some distance

you will pass by a gate and come out of the trees to a T junction of paths. Standing with an open field in front of you turn right and continue along a footpath with trees on your right and open views on your left.

10. Continue straight ahead and you will begin to drop downhill. At the bottom of the hill upon reaching a small fence directly in front of you, turn right, continue for a very short distance and then pass through a gap in the fence. Turn immediately left, ignoring the path going downhill through the trees, continue straight ahead for a very short distance, and then turn right to continue downhill through an open field.

11. At the bottom of the hill cross over a small wooden footbridge and bear left. Then head diagonally right, heading uphill and through the woods. Keep to the path for some distance to reach a gate.

12. Pass by the gate to join a lane. Continue straight ahead with a hedge on both sides. After some distance you will pass through a small metal swing gate adjacent to a large metal gate. Continue straight ahead until reaching a road.

13. Turn right along the road heading downhill and back into the village of Scarcliffe. Eventually you will reach the church.

This walk is for illustrative purposes only. Voice Magazines Ltd takes no responsibility for anyone who chooses to follow this route and encourages all walkers to obey all byelaws and signs and to respect the area they are walking in, ensuring they pick up all dog mess and obey the countryside code at all times.

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All Around the Shire

THE RECKITT’S COMPANY

I have recently acquired a magnificent piece of social history: a Reckitt and Sons vintage demonstration box of the type used by travelling salesmen. It contains sample items of many of the products Reckitt’s made. Their earliest creation was laundry starch in 1819. The dolly blue bag and black lead followed in 1852. It is now a worldwide company.

Alongside the dolly blue bag is a “cream tint” bag. We have asked many people through our social history talks, and no one is able to remember the red and cream bag or knows what it was for.

We would welcome any information on this item. One of my favourite products was, and still is, Windowlene -pink and fragrant, smeared on your glass would bring your windows up a treat, polished to a shine with newspaper. Reckitt’s has been at the forefront of health and household products for two hundred years, developing brands like Dettol, Steradent, Harpic and Strepsils.

For me, the smell of Brasso particularly brings back memories of my father polishing his army buttons and buckles. He was a regular in the Sherwood Foresters and is still as well turned out as ever. He used to sing a song about “Shine up your buttons with Brasso” but only the clean version! My husband, Paul, learned the other version in the school cadet corps. When we show this very special item at our presentations, it elicits warm and fond memories of familiar items we have grown up with and will continue to grow old with.

Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information. Janet

Guess the words and Fill in the crossword !

Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures.

Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing!

The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours.

Across

1 Go round a meerkat duo? Not likely! (4,1,6)

8 Near to shut, say, the shop (5-2)

11 Break it, upon a state that’s ideal (7)

16 Correct level of fancy trim to hang out (5,6)

Across

5 Basking shark spotted in the resort (3)

7 Under-water replacement player? (3)

10 Producer of brewed Red Beer (7)

14 I’ve come to compete (3)

15 Good enough to have some sticky stuff (3)

Down

2 Turn out a selfish leader? (4)

3 Alternative of fermentation lees (4)

9 Over-priced soak? (5)

12 Push out on arduous trip (4)

13 Two people, together with a bit of a list? (4)

1 It’ll be getting foggy if you badly mis-govern it (7,4)

4 Bunny-walker to be made into abbot’s fir (7,4)

6 Lie about cube being jeans colour (3,4)

7 Frugal cutting down under Swedish leader (7)

event, 6 Crop, 7 Din, 8 Lush, 9 Woodland, 11 Grey area, 14 Kilt, 15 Oar, 16 Anti, 17 Wellington.

Down: 1 Feeling low, 2 Archway, 3 Vapid, 4 Nadia, 5 In addition, 10 Leaking, 12 Eyrie, 13 Avail.

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WATCHING THE ‘WINDHOVER’

Often mistakenly called a ‘hawk’, the kestrel or windhover is perhaps our most familiar bird of prey, and it is a falcon related to the diminutive merlin and the awesome peregrine. This was the bird of prey which seemed to survive the nadir of our raptors during the bad days of the 1950s to the 1980s. Ruthless persecution and use of persistent pesticides eradicated most birds of prey like common buzzards, sparrowhawks, peregrines, and red kites. These species hung on in the western parts of Great Britain but were largely extinct in and around the Peak District. The exception to this was the kestrel which seemed to quietly go about its business and was largely under the radar. This species also benefitted from the new motorways and dual carriageways which proliferated from the 1960s onwards and provided abundant verges full of mice and voles for kestrels to hunt. Indeed, it was in such places that most people became familiar with the windhover. They also adapted well to high-rise living in towns and cities and to disused or abandoned old quarries. In the absence of predation by or competition with the other raptors, the kestrel thrived, and along Peak District gritstone edges, it was possible to see ten or more birds in a single afternoon. However, in recent years it seems that the kestrel population has shrunk somewhat, and this may be because the other birds of prey have recovered

considerably and re-colonised the region in good numbers. Both common buzzard and peregrine falcon will compete for space and even predate the smaller kestrel, and so their numbers and distribution have now reduced. Indeed, the most frequently spotted birds of prey are probably sparrowhawk (a species which is certainly thriving), and common buzzard. The latter can be seen soaring over breeding sites with several birds in the air at any one time. The other coloniser is of course the spectacular red kite, though these still lag behind buzzards in the Peak. Another bird of prey yet to recolonise is the osprey which passes through on migration but as yet (I think) has not nested. Hopefully, the moorland hen harriers are starting to return, though peregrines still seem to do better in the urban areas than they do in the wild spaces of the Peak.

As numbers of these species continue to grow, there will be more competitive interactions between them, and with other potential rivals for space such as the raven. None of these birds likes its neighbours to be too close!

Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues in the Peak District and elsewhere, is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/

FEMALE KESTREL AT SUNSET

KESTREL IN FLIGHT

KESTREL DROPPING KESTREL IN FLIGHT

KESTREL HOVERING

MALE KESTREL

YOUNG MALE KESTREL

Four Winds Landscaping

You might think you’re doing them a favour, but it usually leads to floppy soft growth, which is more likely to collapse in rain or wind – not that we’re expecting this summer to have any of that! Staking is pretty important but don’t tie them in too closely, they need to bend with the wind but if you do lose stems, cut them back cleanly and you may get new growth below.

Prune philadelphus, forsythia and currant now they’ve finished flowering. They produce next year’s flowers on this year’s growth so pruning early gives more growth before winter.

If you want to lift this year’s tulips to clear beds or pots, wait till the foliage has turned yellow – generally about six to eight weeks after flowering. Cut off the stems, remove the foliage and leave the bulbs to dry then store in a paper bag somewhere dry and cool. Offsets –the little bulblets which grow alongside the main bulb can be pulled away, and treated as above then replanted in autumn about eight to ten inches deep. The main bulb can be planted around six inches deep in late autumn and even through until December or early January, although that display will be later.

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