SCA Newsletter Summer 2014

The Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter Summer 2014

Contents 1

Chairman’s report

2

Editor’s report

3.

Reunion 2014 report

4.

Draft Minutes of the Association AGM 2014

5.

Prize draw advert

6.

College Director’s report

7.

Members news

8.

The Flooding Crisis of 2014

9

The Burgess Brothers’ story: Produce World

10

To the Lords with a Lord

Click on any item to the left to skip forward to that section

11 Obituaries 12

SCA Merchandise Advert

13

Shuttleworth College Advert

14

SCA Officers for the year & contact details

Chairman’s report – May 2014 Did you know that the business which makes the most use of Twitter is farming? We had a very good example of this during the recent floods. As you were probably all aware, there were some farmers here in Somerset whose livestock ended up being stranded in their housing with the water rapidly rising around them. Their plight was made known through Twitter and Facebook, and the rescue of these animals was then organised by other local farmers, again through the social media.

I have to admit that in the past I have been somewhat dismissive of this area of electronic media until I heard about the rescue mission. We have also spoken to other old Shutts students who are Twitter users who sing its praises because it gives them the chance to keep in touch with a large group of people, some of whom they would not necessarily have had any contact with otherwise. I am still not a complete convert, but I can definitely see it has its good side.

So having got the electronic newsletter up and running one of the next projects for the SCA committee is to get ourselves a bit more up to date in other media. Charlotte has already set up the Shuttleworth College Association Facebook page. Watch this space, or rather the computer screen/smartphone/ipad etc, for our Tweets – they are bound to happen sooner or later.

Sarah Perrett (77/80) – Chairman, SCA

(The 2014 Reunion - Read all about it in the following pages…)

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Editor's report Well here we are, a year on from the publication of the first edition of our new online Newsletter.

I believe it has been a success, but to measure the degree of success is a different matter; however I have received a good number of complimentary remarks. We have listened to you and tried to keep you all happy by distributing it in two forms, the flip page and the PDF versions. Anyone can now ‘save’ it to a file on their computer or print it in any form to suit their needs. We have also continued to produce a slightly simplified annual printed version for those not yet able to access the internet. If anyone is still experiencing problems, please contact me or any member of the Committee and we will do our best to help you.

I did say I would now be stepping down as Editor: with no one person being prepared to take on the role, I have now suggested that the work load should be divided between several members of a team, drawn from our committee, with me taking the position of a co-ordinator. If you would like to join the team we would love to hear from you: yes, you could join the committee, but that would not strictly be necessary.

A newsletter, according to my dictionary, is ‘a letter sent out periodically with news to groups of interested people…It often contains advertisements and literary matter. ’ There you have it, what could be more simple? My problem is finding the news and items to include in the publication. That is your job: you, the members, are the people that have the news items and stories, even the pictures. Please remember me and the struggling team, and keep sending in your stories – the Newsletter can only be as good as the material you submit.

Tim Bryce (65/67) Heritage Project – Shuttleworth History Book.

Please remember that this project is still ongoing; we really do need your stories about your time at Shuttleworth – about the place, what you enjoyed and about those characters you met and remember.

We would also love to know what you have been doing since you left College. Any pictures you might find will also greatly enhance the book. I am sure many of you have old editions of our newsletters or the earlier Furrow Press publication – we would just like to borrow these to extract key pieces of history.

Please contact or write to Eric Yates or myself: contact details available on the last page of this publication. Thank you in anticipation.

Memories of Mrs Shuttleworth.

Could I please remind you all that in the last Newsletter I passed on a request from Princess Charlotte, asking you to let her have your memories about her grandmother, Mrs Shuttleworth. In particular she was hoping to find out more about those ‘sherry party’ meetings we were all invited to. She suggests you should e-mail her direct at twickel@tirol.com, or if you wish you can send anything to me and I will pass it on to her. My contact details are on the last page.

If you would like to contribute an article to the newsletter, or have any feedback, please click here or email tim.bryce@hotmail.co.uk with your comments

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Shuttleworth College Reunion May 2014 This year it was the turn of the 1964/66 year to organise as it was 50 years since the start of their course.

Dave Valentine (1964/66), ably assisted by Mike Anyan (1964/66) (who, incidentally, was the Students Union president for 1965 -66), organised and cajoled their course members to attend. As always the 1962/ 64 course tagged on and provided some extra numbers. Also, our 1965/67 course joined in, together with some old students from other years.

We started on the Friday evening with the ‘Tavern’ being open from 5.00pm – not in the place where us ‘oldens’ would have known, in a nissen hut behind the canteen (now the Garden Restaurant), but a much plusher affair next to the Russell Hall. This was followed by a buffet in the old library in the Mansion attended by about 50 members. We then retired to the Tavern where many a pint was sunk and a lot of reminiscing took place.

Most of us took to our bed either in the College accommodation or at the Holiday Inn at Sandy. The New Block as we knew it has been renamed the Chris Smart Block and has been converted to en suite accommodation.

Saturday morning saw us holding the College Association AGM followed by a light lunch in the Tavern.

Mike Johnston (Executive Director of the College) then arranged a tour of the College farms (including Kings Hill Farm which has been taken back in hand. Older students will remember it as Mr. Capon’s farm). I was unable to go on the tour this year but I am sure other old students will be able to comment on it.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

After the farm tour Cyril Thomas gave us a fascinating talk and tour around the mansion, taking us to rooms that we were never allowed to enter when we were at College. Cyril was one of a group of staff who came over from Saint Helena (a small island in the Atlantic Ocean which can only be accessed by sea). Some of his colleagues worked in the kitchen but Cyril was selected to be Mrs. Shuttleworth’s footman, and as such was privy to some very interesting information. Cyril stayed on working at the College and has only recently retired. He has an amazing memory and recognised quite a few of us!

Cyril Thomas

Listening intently

The Second Year Lecture Room – in our day!

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

The lovely old Library as I remember it – where are the books?

Saturday evening saw the reunion dinner held in the Russell Hall, with about 140 old students and their partners enjoying the meal, the main course being some very tasty slow-cooked Bedfordshire beef.

Mike Anyan (64/66), Student Union President for 1965/66, was in the Chair.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

The speaker was a past student and local farmer Peter Kendall (72/73), who for a number of years was the NFU president and is now the chairman of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). He gave an interesting talk about the current state of UK agriculture and the need for us to be more self-sufficient and therefore the requirement for a highly skilled workforce. We then adjourned (once again!) to the Tavern.

On Sunday morning a group of 30 or so attended a short service in the local church at Old Warden led by Revd. David Creasey (1964/66).

Left: Top Table.

Above: Dave Valentine, Cyril Thomas and others Left: Cyril (on the right), our Guest of Honour, talking to old friends.

I am sure that everyone enjoyed the weekend and the reminiscing. It was good to see that old students had come from far and wide to be there and we plan to hold the next one in 2016 – we hope to see you there!

Tony Abbott (65/67) Editor: I would personally like to congratulate Dave Valentine, Mike Anyan and Tony Abbott for organising such a successful and enjoyable Reunion weekend.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

A selection of pictures from Ken George (62/64)

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Shuttleworth as we remember it

A few more pictures from Ken

Editor: well done Ken.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Draft Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Shuttleworth College Association held on Saturday 17 May 2014 in the Lecture Theatre, Shuttleworth College Present: Sarah Perrett Tim Bryce Mike Williams Patrick Godwin Nick Drury Tony Abbott Charlotte Scott Roger Buswell Tony Lister Tim Evans Robert Kilbourn

1977-80 SCA Committee Chairman 1965-67 SCA Committee & Newsletter Editor 1965-67 SCA Committee & Treasurer 1977-80 SCA Committee & Database / IT 1981-84 SCA Committee 1965-67 SCA Committee 1990-92 SCA Committee, Secretary NDA 64/66 NDA 64/66 HND 81/84 HND 81/84

Mike Anyan Mike Laflin Claire Van Leersum Mike Ings

NDA 64/66 62/64 HND 81/84 NDA 63/65

Sarah Perrett opened proceedings at 11.20am.

Apologies: Eric Yates George Nell Jon Mitchell Sally Cartwright

College Staff 1969-71 1992-95 1980-82

Vice President & SCA Committee SCA Committee SCA Committee – Vice Chairman SCA Committee

Minutes of the 2013 AGM The draft minutes were circulated in the Annual Newsletter, and were also available at the meeting.

Dave Valentine proposed their acceptance, seconded by Tim Bryce. They were accepted unanimously by those at this meeting who had attended last year as a true record.

Matters arising from previous AGM There were no matters arising from the minutes that would not be dealt with by the new committee who were meeting immediately after the AGM. Officer’s Reports Chairman – Sarah Perrett First Sarah thanked all members of the committee for their continued work over the past year, which had been a relatively quiet one in terms of Association activities. We have funded a new screen for the students so they have an electronic noticeboard showing what is going on at the College. We are still in discussions with the College regarding the SCA providing funding for bursaries. We have also been approached by the College asking if we can provide some assistance to students struggling to fund their exam fees for external exams for specific qualifications such as PA1 and PA2 Spraying, which now have to be paid by the students themselves.

The Newsletter has now gone electronic and is being published twice a year. Sarah thanked Tim and George for all their time and effort spent on this. It should be noted that an annual version of the Newsletter is still available in printed format, for those unable to receive e-mails or if specially requested for other reasons.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Treasurer – Mike Williams Mike had presented the accounts to the meeting, with comments as follows: The Newsletter costs have been reduced from £1,696 in 2013 to £629 in 2014 – this is due to the newsletter being sent out electronically, therefore printing and distributing costs have been substantially reduced.

Sales of memorabilia have increased from £85 last year to £165 in 2014.

Gross interest on our capital continues to follow the national trend of poor returns from low interest rates.

The final result for 2013/14 was a very creditable excess of £2,253.73 Charlotte Scott proposed the adoption of the accounts, seconded by Tony Abbot and the vote was unanimous.

The meeting thanked Mike for his continued work as Treasurer.

Secretary – Charlotte Scott Charlotte had little to report, however she did point out that we have started to hold some of our committee meetings via conference call, and so far this has been quite successful. It has reduced travelling time and costs for many.

IT Manager – Paddy Godwin Paddy commenced by stating that ‘the database is only as good at the information in it’. Paddy, with assistance from some of the committee members, carried out a search to find Old Students’ email addresses to update the database this year. If anyone has any updates for the database of people’s contact details please pass them on to Paddy.

If anyone is trying to track down any old friends please contact Paddy and he will try and help you.

On another note Paddy is also responsible for merchandise and during a recent clear out of the Butlers room he found several boxes of baseball hats. These were starting to go mouldy so it was agreed that we would donate some to the current Students and also hand them out at the Reunion which is taking place this weekend. We also have Polo Shirts, Rugby Shirts, lapel badges and ties for sale.

Newsletter Editor (Newsletter Co-Ordinator) – Tim Bryce Tim reported that he can only measure the success of the newsletter by the feedback he receives.

Success is also based on the number of contributions he receives.

Tim has asked to stand down as Editor of the Newsletter but at present there are no obvious successors, so following discussions with the committee it has been agreed that Tim will continue as Editor but will delegate tasks to members of the committee to spread the workload. Tim would also appreciate any typing assistance for typing up letters and reports etc for inclusion in the newsletter. Tim’s new job title will be ‘Newsletter Co-Ordinator’.

Tim thanked all the Newsletter contributors. It is generally the same people who contribute year on year and their contributions are much appreciated (approx. 50/600 subscribers contribute on a regular basis).

We really need to get more recent Old Students on board and present leavers to join the association to secure the future of the Association.

Social Media is something that the committee need to start looking at (eg Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc.)

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

College Report from the College Director.

This was handed out in print form to everyone attending the AGM and is included in full in this publication.

Re-Election of Officers Nick Drury would like to remain on the committee but stated that he may not be able to attend as many meetings as he used to due to personal commitments. The committee are pleased that Nick wishes to remain on the committee and will welcome him as and when he is able to attend.

Chairman

Sarah Perrett – proposed Charlotte Scott, seconded Paddy Godwin

Vice Chairman

Jonathan Mitchell – proposed Paddy Godwin, seconded Nick Drury

Secretary

Charlotte Scott – proposed Sarah Perrett, seconded Dave Valentine

Treasurer

Mike Williams – proposed Charlotte Scott, seconded Tony Abbott

I.T. Manager and Assistant

Paddy Godwin & Sarah Perrett – proposed Mike Williams, seconded Tim Bryce

Website

Vacant

Editor

Tim Bryce – proposed Tony Abbott, seconded Paddy Godwin

Committee

Sam Donald, George Nell, Nick Drury, Eric Yates, Daniel Silson, Tony Abbott and Richard Infield – re-elected en bloc

The following people were also voted onto the Committee: Sally Cartwirght (86/89 HND), Robert Kilbourn (81-84 HND) and Claire Van Leersum (81-84 HND).

Any Other Business Tim Evans asked if the SCA was a registered Charity. Mike stated that we are looking into this to see if this would be an advantageous route to go down.

The Annual Prize Draw was made and the following names won this year’s prizes: 1st Prize 2nd Prize 3rd Prize

No.51 J Haylock No.75 AJ Ducker No.74 A J Ducker

£250 £150 £50

Mike Williams thanked all members who supported this draw, and reminded those present and readers of the minutes that they too could be in with a chance of winning. He hoped that even more members would sign up before next year’s draw.

Sarah thanked everyone for their contributions to the meeting There being no further business, the meeting was closed at 12.15pm.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

THE

S.C.A. Annual Prize Draw Your chance of winning a BIG Prize Every year at the AGM we draw 3 Prizes 1st £250.00, 2nd £150.00, 3rd £50.00 Cost is just £10 per Annum and you can buy as many tickets as you wish!

Details and entries from Mike Williams: E-mail michael.williams19@sky.com

SHUTTLEWORTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT MAY 2014 Academic Recruitment for September 2014 start is looking very good, especially in Agriculture, Equine and Fish Management, although the numbers in lower level courses in Animal Management are down. This may be a reflection of schools’ responses to raising the participation age and limited information, advice and guidance for their pupils. We anticipate having in the region of 700 full-time students studying at Shuttleworth next year, which will be a record.

The number of students progressing from their vocational course to their chosen employment has been very encouraging, with some top jobs being secured, particularly in the farming and the horticultural sector. The number of applications for university places has been very high from students leaving us at the end of this year. It is great to see students with confidence and high aspirations for their future.

The College is very pleased with the progress that has been made with apprentices, particularly in Horticulture where we have over 30 Level 2 and Level 3 trainees, and we are developing the breadth of opportunity to include Sport and Equine Studies. We are delighted that Shuttleworth is now able to offer the full BSc in Animal Science in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire, which will really add to the depth of the studies on offer at Shuttleworth. We are now in discussion with the faculty to review the programme and to develop additional Level 4 and 5 units that will lead to qualifications in land and environmental topics. The political turmoil of the current HE territory has made it difficult for us to negotiate a clear direction.

The number of 14 to 16-year-old school students studying at Shuttleworth appears to have stabilised.

We have strong recruitment in Animal Care, Equine and Agriculture, which is particularly encouraging. The disappointment is that school students are coming from a few of the larger and more successful schools; smaller and more challenged schools appear to have greater pressure on their already stretched finances.

The students’ performance has been very strong this year and retention figures for long courses for those students leaving in June are at 94%, which is outstanding. While this is an early indicator of success rates, we have to ensure that these retained students lead to success. Last year’s success data was 89%, which is excellent, and if we are able to maintain these high standards we will be in a position to grade some of our areas ‘outstanding’.

We are really pleased to be hosting a fourth Agriculture course in partnership with the Marshal Papworth Trust for seven agricultural technicians from African countries. As part of their studies we have again included the delivery of a discrete qualification in ‘Training the Trainer’, and there is a particular focus on development of demonstration gardens and practical, mechanical skills. We believe that these skills will enhance the benefit of the programme to the graduates when they return to their homes.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

The relationship between CASE International Harvester and Shuttleworth College is developing a much stronger foundation. We are again pleased to be hosting their farmers’ training courses as it gives our own students access to a wide range of up-to-date advanced technology and raises the profile of agriculture and agricultural machinery within the farming community. We have recently hosted a training course to farmers and agents on self-steer tractors – while these sound simple and technologically advanced pieces of equipment, some of the older students were really quite challenged!

Our work with the RSPB is very exciting for us: we have completed the Level 3 Countryside units and have acquired the contract to deliver their national programme for Livestock Handling and Husbandry.

Practical activities at Kingshill Farm have demonstrated the importance of continuous improvement of resources as students have been inspired by the increased access to practical animal handling, and the planning, cultivating and planting, along with monitoring the development of a range of agricultural crops. Silt has been spread on the land adjacent to the lakes, and while this has been a challenge to cultivate we have been able to establish satisfactory crops of spring barley and grass. The crops have come through the winter very well indeed and are currently on target to produce high yields.

The College has continued its programme of developing teachers as a focus of its developmental activities and was delighted with the recent Ofsted inspection. The inspectors reported that “teaching, learning and assessment are good, which is reflected in the high student success rates” and our “method of delivery enabled students to develop good levels of self-esteem and confidence”. They also observed our use of ILT and found that “students’ independent learning skills are developed particularly well”. I have been really impressed by two of our Fish Management students who have, as part of their course, undertaken work experience at a fishery in France. One of these students landed a record breaking 62lb carp, which reflects Ofsted’s comment that “meaningful work placements enable students to develop good levels of self-esteem and confidence”, which we knew anyway, but it is great to see it acknowledged.

Our Horticulture students and staff worked very hard to build a show garden at the Ideal Home Exhibition in March and we were delighted that they were awarded the Silver Medal out of the top six colleges in the country.

The project developing the use of QR codes and Layar technology to enhance and extend teaching and learning has been further enhanced with an additional grant. We are now a recognised national leader of this technology.

Furthermore, we have been nominated as a Centre of Excellence for Equine in Education in the Blue Cross Awards, who carried out a review on Wednesday 14 May and we await the outcome. As a result of our success in this national award last year, Shuttleworth has been awarded a contract to host a Blue Cross Cattery which has vastly improved the students’ experience. This is beyond anything that I could have anticipated and demonstrates the commitment and achievement of the teaching teams.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Resource Planning We have been successful in our application for developments at Kingshill Farm and look forward to the continued development and capital investment on the estate to ensure that the resources and facilities are kept up to date, and to provide the best possible experience for our students.

The initial proposals are very exciting and, when realised, will hugely enhance the students’ learning experience and will raise the profile of the college. Students do need to be taught in appropriate accommodation with up-to-date facilities if they are to compete in the employment market.

We are particularly keen to focus developments on: 1. Kingshill Farm Estate to provide an improved teaching and learning space for land-based studies and activities, which includes a livestock housing and handling area to provide a safe and contemporary place for students from Agriculture and Animal Care to work with a range of farm animals. We also need to create some good quality classroom and social space to enable an effective learning experience.

2. Animal Care facilities to enable a more contemporary and improved learning experience for this significant and growing area of our activities, which will include a visitor attraction feature to enhance the curriculum with a more customer and business oriented offer to reflect employment opportunities.

3. The creation of an improved refectory and student social area to cater for larger student numbers and to develop a collegiate ethos with learning at its heart.

Mike Johnston - College Director.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Members news Lynn Churchill (78/79) Well I have never sent any news, and it’s been a long time since I left Shuttleworth. Once I got over the initial shock of being kicked out of the College, I managed to find employment on a beef arable farm near Market Harborough, and had a brilliant year. The folks in the village of Arthingworth were brilliant and very welcoming to a poor Ag student. The local pub helped me survive the winter in a house with no heating! Amazing how long a half pint of lager can last!

I got back into College the following year, went to Hadlow in Kent, and studied OND Ag, and managed to not get booted out this time! I stayed in farming for some time, working in Essex, Worcestershire and South Wales, finally ending up on a fruit and vegetable, self-pick farm.

The main event in my life, apart from marriage and family of course, was buying an old ruin in Brittany, France – a labour of love if ever there was one. Harvey and I carried out all the work ourselves, including new roof, dormer windows, floors, stairs, and then putting in wiring and plumbing as there was none! The house is very old and hadn’t been lived in for 100 years. It had been used as a cattle stall. I enclose a photo (Editor: sorry I can’t show it here), it doesn’t look at all bad now – it’s still got its rustic charm! We are still building, though at home in England now. We had to convert the loft to get an extra bedroom in our tiny house. I am now working as a civil servant for my sins, in London, and work in the fruit and vegetable wholesale markets some of the time, so I still have to start early in the morning. At least I have a job, I can’t complain.

We are now planning a rally through France in an old Post Office van, to be made up to look like a garden shed, complete with plastic grass on the bonnet, and hopefully a garden gnome. It’s not designed to be a race, more of a fun trip with places to see and fun on the way to Nice. As the vehicles can’t cost more than £250 to buy in the first place, I don’t think Harvey will be travelling that fast with his buddies; there are three of them going together, but I can’t go as it’s in term time.

Andy Davies (68/70) Sorry to be so long getting back to you. It would appear the closer I get to the mythical retirement age the busier I get! The Davies family finally sold the last of the land at Haynes, many old students will have been on visits with Charlie Lye, and had just got our lives organised when my brother Neville Davies (65/67) was diagnosed with cancer. Sadly, after a courageous battle he passed away last August. It was a great blow to us all at Haynes and of course his many friends. He leaves a widow, Pat, and three sons. (Editor: an obituary appears at the end of this Newsletter.)

On a more positive note, Woburn Country Foods, the meat company started by the family in 2002, goes from strength to strength. The online website was launched in March and the company has been given the contract to supply the new Woburn Forest Center Parc, which opens in June. They are presently having a soft opening for staff and associates, and the sales are most encouraging. It is bringing 1,500 jobs to the local area, which should give a tremendous boost to the economy.

I see Rob Watts (69/70) quite often and he is keeping fit and well. I also hear about John Mawle (68/70), who now farms near Christchurch in New Zealand. He and his sons are now milking thousands of Cows. Quite a change from the cereals and OSR he grew while farming in Bedfordshire. It just goes to show that all the knowledge gained at Shutts is never lost.

I hear from Austin Felgate (68/70) every Christmas and he is still milking cows and as miserable as ever!

If anyone fancies a fantastic box of Bedfordshire meat or some of the best bacon in the world have a look at www.woburncountryfoods.com

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Michael Clark (65/67).

You may remember me from Shuttleworth – happy days. I have just been reading the 2013 newsletter forwarded on by Richard Calver (65/67), who is currently staying with us on holiday at Chris Fyson's (65/67) holiday house in Margaret River in the south west of Western Australia. Richard, Chris and I with our respective wives have had a glorious time over the past few days catching up on old times.

Richard and I reconnected some years ago when I was on a trip back home, but we have been mates and a great support to each other since 1969 when we bumped into each other here in Perth – we have been in WA ever since.

I’m Delighted to see Tim has settled in my old home town of Banbury and will anticipate being there in September, so we may be able to catch up.

Richard is contemplating going to the reunion in May as he believes this would be a reunion for our year; I don't think this will be possible for Vicki and I but next year might.

Tom Butler (67/68), Richard Tyrell (65/67), Colin Clay (66/67) and Roger Harper (64/66) are all exstudents that have been in contact whist here in WA – I am sure there are others but it was many years ago and I must have forgotten their names. I would be most interested in contacting any other exstudents who are in WA. Mike Hastings (61/63) You asked for feedback and I can only hope you receive plenty of accolades – you certainly deserve them. The newsletter is great, very easy to handle and plenty of lively material. The old photos are a particularly good hook for us readers. I was very interested to see a number of faces I recognised in the Rugby 7s photo, Dick Broughton (61/63) who was at Sparsholt with me before Shutts; also a fellow squash team member Pete Gilbertson (61/63), Frank Pitkin (61/63) in the background, John Huntley (62/63) and others.

Mike Holliday (56/58) I regret that there is nothing new to report from Grange Farm this year. Now nearer to 80 than 70, Jean and I aim to stay as fit as we can by keeping on farming for as long as we can.

Pete Rollings (65/67) Carole and I are thoroughly enjoying our retirement, having sold BOCM Pauls, as you know, to a Dutch company in mid-2012. Still doing a bit for the National Pig Association and keeping in touch with the industry. I have been trying to get in touch with Joss Cleeve (65/67) regarding the reunion but I suspect the email address I have is out of date. If anybody has up-to-date contact details I would appreciate being given them.

Peter Langley (61/63) Congratulations on your continued good work. I am attaching a poem I came across the other day; the author appears to be unknown and it may help fill up space! (Editor: look out for the poem at the end of these notes.)

As for myself, I am still enjoying retirement, living in Co. Cork, Ireland and keeping going with investigating local history, my genealogy, and am currently Vice President of our local Toast Masters.

I ran into Richard (Paddy) Tyrell (65/67) a few months back. He is hale and hearty.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

1960-62 report for 2014, submitted 28th April 2014 by Phil Cuttell (60/62) I would like to send our condolences to Tom Griffíths’ family on his death late in 2013. He was a great lecturer, tutor, mentor and above all a dear friend to all us students at Shutts. Thanks Tom. We will all miss you, as will the College.

Apologies for minimal contact with everyone. I am pretty fit except for trapped sciatic nerves. I returned from Malaga to get another operation at RD& E here. I'm still waiting in anticipation. In the meantime my bridge play is improving. After the next 'op' I will be returning to Spain, probably setting up a bridge club in Alphaurin de la Torre. My BXRD Estate is reaching "Vintage Status", being 25 years old in April 2015. MOT and SORN-registered yesterday, and regularly serviced – it’s in good nick. I have written and offered this vehicle to the College to use as a promotional vehicle, at no cost except the £250 MOT charges. Mike Johnston, the current CEO at Shutts is considering this offer in the next month.

Still being a fervent Coventry R FC supporter I travelled up and back by National Express to see an impressive game – particularly the second half performance – against Hull RFC. This was the last game of the season played on the 26th April. ‘Cov’ look a good prospect for consecutive promotions into the Premiership.

History records that we may unearth the current whereabouts of James Banks, now thought to be in New South Wales after starting his farming career near Stroud. Dave Critchley is still at Chorley Lancs after a tip off from "JP" from the Russian Steppes last week, who revealed that JB's origins were a big Hall near Wigan. This may well be so.

John Pawlyn is currently very active advising very big cereal growers managing 20,000 hectares in Russian Provinces. DC within minutes of my phone call turned up this info, which is quite an ‘original’ story from his tablet.

Dave and Joyce have recently upgraded their Camper Van and are preparing for a long European Holiday touring in S. East Europe. Careful planning saw them test the ‘new van’ up in the ‘walk zone’ around Penrith, Barnard Castle and other sites adjacent to the A66. It’s a pity the Carlisle to Robins Hood Bay isn't on the 2015 Agenda. (See Below).

In 1595 at Winstanley Hall a James Banks, a Wigan Goldsmith, invested £2100 in Farming in the area and also in Scotland. The Wigan land included 6 Coal Mines that had been established in l507.

Presumably this was the substance that supported the investment in the 80 Roomed Mansion in the early 1800's by ancestor Joseph Banks. The gardens and house are now derelict. James Banks can you please confirm or disprove you are the descendant of the above even though you are reportedly living in Australia. Dennis Nicholls you may be able find James in New South Wales, if so please report back to me.

Sam Bratley says: "when not Spray Testing or fettling up his wife Diana's horse tack, stables and schools, or supporting the local Point to Point”, unbelievablly Sam is quite a thespian. Acting in popular productions of Snow White or Jack and the Beanstalk staged at Masham Town Hall. He has become well known for his contribution to these amateur productions. Well done Sam – stardom at last! He told me that even if you have been spraying for 50 years or so, everyone will need to have a competence license in 2015! En route to a cycling holiday in Bordeaux by plane from Stansted, Dave Jackson tapped him on the shoulder. Both had not met since leaving Shutts. Fortunately Sam had got his NFU insurance for the trip, so Dave was happy!

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Tony Bradley and Amanda are "roaming in the gloaming" but still up to scratch. Using the latest technology with 8 metre drills used for cereal/oil seed rape production, Tony is producing some quality yields in a 4/5 year rotation. Thriving as the Chairman of CM Groups, he must be congratulated for producing such good performance in the Newbury region. Free peas for seed is one of the advances incorporated into the management programme. Tony reports that Andy John has been elected to become a ‘Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society’, which 1 am sure we all applaud. Danny Davies was out on a farm when I phoned this afternoon. He and Anne are taking a break in May to near Fingorola. It’s not far from Marbella rugby club or where I reside near Alphaurin de la Torre, so it should be a great break with easy access from Malaga Airport.

At last Dave Goodgame has completed building his family home near Brisbane. We wish you and ‘Marg’ a very enjoyable retirement. If you send a short summary of recent events in Australia, I am sure it will be of considerable interest to all SAC members Dave Jackson and Anne have very kindly been sounding out the St. Bees to Robin Hoods bay trek for 2015 in the last few weeks. The outcome is that the project is being shelved, which is unfortunate. It may however stimulate interest in a less ambitious activity – any suggestions? Many thanks must go to Dave for all his input.

Haydn Evans and his daughter Judith have recently moved house and now reside at 111 Croston Road, Garstang, Lancs. BR3 IHQ. Tel: 01995 604822, mobile: 0777 9505630. Hadyn was in Pembrokeshire visiting his relatives and meeting Danny Davies and Ann, who are still golfing, travelling and active in the Garstang community.

Don Stuart reports that Jean is in fine form. Glen his eldest son is 50 this year. Time flies but Don is still very active, having operated successfully as the Chairman of Howden Probus Association (Retired Business Professionals), for the last three years. Always good with money, he copes admirably as treasurer for the local ‘Ramblers Association’. He and Jean are committed to the local Civic Enforcement Operation, and to relax Don has become a ‘decorative’ gardener.

Late news: John Walker is recovering after a recent heart attack. He sounds pretty chipper and his family who live nearby are helping to keep him on track. He is now 78.

Arthur Davy and his wife are now both in a Cullompton Care Home – age is unfortunately catching up with them.

Richard Bampton (Past College Director) Many thanks for your excellent e-newsletter. You may remember that I was in charge of Shuttleworth from the year after its restart by Writtle until I retired as College director, to be succeeded by Mike Johnston.

It is so good to hear that Shuttleworth is progressing so well with Bedford College and under Mike.

Since I now live in New Zealand, your newsletter is now almost the only news I receive about Shuttleworth. Keep up the good work.

Graeme Brown (77/80) I have just browsed through the newsletter - I have to say that I prefer the e-newsletter to the printed version. 1, it seems to have more immediacy to it; 2, it doesn't get all soggy when stuck in the letterbox all morning (8:30 post here); and 3, I prefer the PDF version to the flip-over. Most importantly, I think that you and the rest of the team have produced a splendid newsletter!

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Allen Ennew (56/58) Good'day Tim, reporting from East Ballina in NSW, Australia. My wife and I will be moving to Hythe, Hampshire in early 2016 when we finally retire, and I hope to be able to attend the 2016 reunion. I have lived here for 44 years after 10 in East Africa and one in England after Shuttleworth. I have been meaning to make contact with old boys for years and with the move this should be possible.

Dick Tinley (87/90) Thought I would drop a few lines with news on who I still keep in touch with from 1987 -90 and what they are doing: Me, Dick Tinley – After 10 years in farm management I set up a business supplying autogas equipment for vehicles, which I am still running, along with a self-storage business. Married to Liz with one son and living near Cambridge, too broken for rugby now but still keeping fit and coaching the youngsters at Cambridge.

Michael (Gappy) Dunn – Running his very successful land/property development business based near Milton Keynes, married to Amanda (Stanford) with three strapping sons (who are big enough to turn him over now), still a keen rugby fan and world champion drinker/Marlboro red smoker.

David (Gardener) – Running the family farm and developing his massive industrial estate, now needs to ride around in a Gator on rent day to fit all the money in. Has developed excellent building skills and still one of the most laid back men in the world.

Olly Buckingham – Still working hard in the depths of the fen running his potato, arable and beef farm; has specialised in potatoes and also caught the building bug constructing all types of farm buildings including potato fridge stores. Married to Rachel (nee Tinley) with two nearly grown-up children.

Richard (Moaner) Birks – now living in New Zealand, last heard of working for a very large dairy processor; has had a somewhat eventful personal life, still moaning last time I saw him.

Andy Bateman – Running the family farm with brother Rob, married with two kids but still hard charging on the roads I believe; he has an impressive fleet, including a London black cab!

Guy (Zippy) Leonard – Also running the family estate/farm, married with children, still talking.............

Pete Organ – Another still farming, but this time in the parallel universe of Gloucestershire. Married the lovely local vet and has three children; still playing a little rugby and enjoying life to the full. Minor disasters never seem far away but Pete always comes up smelling of roses, guaranteed a great night out if you visit!

Dick Samsome – moved to New Zealand with wife Helen, running his own turf business; still likes a roll up and a drink if he has time between shooting and mowing the turf.

Amanda Stanford – married to Gappy – see above Fiona Benson – Married Taff and happily living near the Wales border with 3 sons, tries to keep control of Taff’s and other local farmers spending on machinery by doing their books.

Nick (Taff) Powell – as above, still dreaming that one day Wales will win the World Cup (it may be a long wait).

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Jeff (Wilf) Wilson – married to Karen and living in Nottinghamshire, three kids pretty much grown up. Last heard running a large outdoor pig herd and working on behalf of Walkers crisps keeping the growers in order.

Mike (Wong) Nix – married Sally and living in Bedfordshire; was working in family haulage business but I believe onto pastures new now.

Toby Sexton – To my knowledge still running the North Norfolk farms with Ben growing spuds, veg and cereals, last heard still rather ‘lively’ on the social front.

Adrian (Beast) Howes – Also in North Norfolk running large estate, married to Dennis with kids. Still a bit (lot) close to the edge of tastefulness but highly amusing; was still playing hockey last I heard.

I have run out of time! Apologise for any inaccuracies.

Geoff Bigg (69/71) I was an NDA student 1969/71 and I took these pictures of the Swiss Garden in 1970. I found them while digitally scanning my slides taken around that time. They remained unseen until now. I was going to just chuck them away, but just wondered if they would be of interest when I read your latest on line magazine.

Keep up the good work on the magazine. The two years I spent at Shutts were thoroughly enjoyable and a few of us still meet on a regular basis.

Barry Shears (70/72) Well done and congratulations to everyone involved in contributing and producing the Newsletter.

Keep it coming – it is well worth the effort!

I was SU president on the 2nd year of my course for my sins. There must have been many as I recall being summoned more than once to John Scott's study to account for the various misdemeanors committed by (nearly) all and sundry on many a Saturday night. Evidence of a certain amount of unsanctioned behavior was nearly always plain to see on a Sunday morning at the College's sewer bed!

I seem to remember that SU meetings were rowdy affairs to which JS invited himself more than once in an attempt to calm things down – it never worked.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Having said farewell to a career in Corporate management in May & Baker, Rhone Poulenc (France) Sandoz (Switzerland and Spain), about twelve years ago my wife and I decided to return to England and take it easy (but not THAT easy) by investing in the Care Home business for retired folk. Thought it a good idea to make sure there was somebody to look after us in our dotage! (Still a long way off, we hope!). So, here we are in Crediton, a small town close to Exeter, Devon, working as hard as ever.

Whilst visiting another Care Home in Cullompton, Devon a few months ago I met Arthur Davey, our well-respected retired Machinery lecturer who spent many years at Shutts. He lives there with his wife who, sadly, is suffering from dementia. I was able to spend an enjoyable time with Arthur recounting our various memories and experiences both at Shuttleworth and afterwards.

If anyone from our course is passing the back door we would be very pleased to see them. Email on barry@shears1.eclipse.co.uk beforehand.

Carol Littlewood (86/89) In the cricket photo on page 45 of the last newsletter you have a couple of question marks. I know it is too late to add names now, but just for the record the one on the left is Steve Hammond (HND 86 /89) and Jim Rees (HND 86/89). I hope I have got those right anyway!

Will Mumford (88/89) mentioned here in a cutting from the Farmers Weekly: Farms and contracting businesses are getting bigger and more complicated, making it harder to keep track of a large of number machinery and drivers. Many manufacturers now offer electronic telematics that help monitor machines from the office or smart phone. Cambridge farmer Will Mumford, owner of precision farming company AS Communications, has retrofitted telematics systems to his machinery fleet and will be fitted to any new machinery. This is partly to demonstrate the system to potential customers but also to help him manage two full time businesses at once. The system can also be used to extract other important data via a modem and GPS sensor.

George Munns (81/84 ) ‘Farmer joins with hauliers to provide vital food for livestock.’

George, who farms in the Cambridgeshire Fens, had a couple of mentions in the Eastern Daily Press in February. George posted a message of support for farmers in Somerset and the surrounding areas affected by the flooding. He called on local farmers and businesses for help to send sugar beet to the region. Within hours he was overwhelmed by offers of help and support from local hauliers and farmers.

George and his family coordinated the relief effort, which had grown from an initial 70 tonnes to 230 tonnes being transported to Bridgewater in Somerset for distribution.

(See the article about the Somerset floods elsewhere in this publication).

Philip Bradshaw (ND82/85) Has featured regularly in the Farmers Weekly ‘Farmer focus’ and has also voiced and given his support to George Munns’ (81/84) relief effort to the flood hit farmers of Somerset. After just over six years of writing for the Farmers Weekly and writing approximately 72 articles, he is calling it a day, having enjoyed the writing and feedback he has received. He hopes to still write occasional articles in the future and having recently started using twitter would like to continue to hear from you: philip.bradshaw@flegcroft.com tweet @FarmerPhilB

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Richard Hirst (80/83) – another snippit from the farming press.

Richard Hirst, who farms at Ormesby near Great Yarmouth and heads one of the country’s largest pea groups, has branded the Natural England proposal to give pests, including pigeons, appropriate warning before shooting. He called the shoo before shooting policy “ridiculous and bonkers”.

Richard, who is chairman of the Anglian Pea Group, will plant more than 8600 acres of peas for the table this year and said that “pigeons were a major threat to the crop and a serious problem. We don’t wipe them out completely, they need controlling.”

Natural England wants shooters to scare or shoo away feral pigeons, wood pigeons, rooks and crows before resorting to shooting them if flags, scarecrows and gas guns have not been effective. Richard even resorted last year to having people walking fields of newly drilled peas to keep pigeons off. Last years’ dry weather meant the pigeons targeted the ripening crop for moisture too.

The proposals made in a consultation document threaten legal action, fines and prison sentences.

“The proposals would be completely unenforceable who will be going around farms checking if each pigeon shooter has tried scare tactics. How many civil servants would be going around and counting the number of times we flap out hands or count the scaring equipment.”

(Editor: Don’t forget we live in 2014 – Many of the Health and Safety rules are equally mad) Simon Dann (80/83) – from Eastern Daily Press 02/11/13 Simon farms at Pound Farm, North Tuddenham, Norfolk and is a specialist dairy and egg producer, supplying McDonalds etc. He is keen to find an apprentice through the new apprenticeship scheme, to work on the farm’s growing free range poultry business. The farm has 16,000 hens and employs three poultry staff, two of whom are due to retire in 2014. ‘It will be a responsible job, they need to be keen and want to prove themselves, it is an excellent opportunity to learn in a growing and busy business’.

As well as the poultry, there are also arable and dairy units. The dairy operation also employs a dairy apprentice and a full-time member of staff making the farms well-known Norfolk Farmhouse Ice Cream.

(Editor: Shuttleworth College would be a good place to start looking for your apprentice, or you could have advertised in these pages as I have suggested to our members in the past.)

William Martin (86/87) At the Norfolk Farming Conference William Martin, who is chairman of the NFU’s sugar board, said the final campaign yields are likely to be about 68 tonnes per hectare. February 2014: a remarkable final month for the latest beet campaign. The final fortnight of the beet campaign saw average sugars peak at more than 18pc. Beet growers’ leader William Martin had predicted that growers might achieve the third highest production ever recorded in a campaign, with the Cantley factory recording sugars approaching 18.4pc.

Andrew Burgess( 83/86) – Award for country's top vegetable grower.

One of the country's leading growers and suppliers of vegetables, Andrew Burgess, of the Produce World, has been honoured at the House of Lords. He was presented with the prestigious award of an Associate of the Royal Agricultural Society for his outstanding contribution to the industry.

Andrew, who is director of agriculture of the Produce World Group, which is based at Peterborough, has sites in Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. As the biggest grower and supplier of high quality vegetables in Britain, it focuses mainly on field- scale vegetable production including potatoes, root vegetables, onions and brassicas. In total, the business farms more than 5,000 acres with an additional 5,000 acres in eastern England.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

‘Farmer Andrew’, as he has become known following his appearance on BBC Harvest programme last autumn, was presented with the award at the House of Lords by Baroness Byford. "I am honoured to be receiving this award. 1 have worked in the agricultural industry for my entire working career and have done just about every job in farming," he added. The selection was made by the Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies, which recognises outstanding efforts in all aspects of practical farming, including research, economics, commercial and administration every year. He is a trustee of LEAF and serves on several Soil Association committees. He is heavily involved in championing and helping to steer the future of environmentally sustainable and organic farming. He is a former member of the British Carrot Growers Association and the Horticulture Development Company.

(Editor: Please read the article about the family business included in this publication.)

Sadly I have to report the death of Bernard Cale(65/67). At this moment I have no details but I understand that it was sudden and unexpected. I hope to be able to include an Obituary in the next edition of the Newsletter.

(Editor Tim. Thank you everyone for all these little pieces of News -Keep writing to me!)

A prayer for a Five Day Cow. I long for a cow of modern make That milks five days for leisure’s sake; That sleeps on Saturday and rests on Sunday, To start again afresh on Monday.

Oh! For a herd beyond suggestion Of staggers, bloat or indigestion; That never bothers to excite us With chills or fever or mastitis.

I sigh for a new and better breed That takes less grooming and less feed; That has the reason, will and wisdom To use a seat and flushing system.

I pray each weekend long and clear, Less work to do from year to year; And cows that reach production peak All in a five-day working week.

Oh why don’t the scientific bods, Firmly entrenched in their cushy jobs, Show these ignorant breeders how To propagate a five-day cow?

Author unknown.

If you would like to contribute an article to the newsletter, or have any feedback, please click here or email tim.bryce@hotmail.co.uk with your comments Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Flooding Crisis (From the Farming press) A 500 metre track is under 7ft of water separating the farmyard and a barn housing 100 cattle. The cattle have been marooned on higher ground six times since Christmas. Mr Tedbury has been using a canoe to paddle to his stock to feed them. Berkshire Farmer and Tory councillor Colin Rayner(76/79) said all his riverside farmland has been flooded out.

Water levels at Berkyn Manor Farm in Horton were the highest since 1947 – after the River Thames burst its banks and spilled water on to thousands of acres of farmland.

“The water came down the river like a tidal wave,” said Mr Rayner. “All our riverside farms have been under water, but the water is now slowly running away. It would have drained away quicker but for a lack of river maintenance over the past 50 years.”

Mr Rayner called on Lord Smith, chief executive of the Environment Agency, to resign for the “amount of misery he has put the Somerset farmers through.”

“The Environment Agency has been banging on that dredging doesn’t work,” he added. “If that’s the case, the Dutch have been wasting their time for the past 50-60 years”.

(Editor: We all know the stories that came out of last winter’s disastrous rain and flooding, but Shuttleworth’s past students have been at the forefront of providing help to the stricken. You will see mentioned in these page the names of several past students involved in organising the provision and transport of cattle feed from farmers in the more fortunate parts of the country to those in need in Somerset and other places.)

Colin Rayner (76/79) – Another piece from the press concerning Colin Rayner.

On Sunday 9 February I had a call from Bronze Control to go to a meeting at the council control centre. At 2.30, I was informed by the EA that Wraysbury, which I am the ward councillor of, would have catastrophic floods within 24 hrs. Any house that was flooded in 2003 would be flooded and any house nearly flooded in 2003 would be definitely flooded. I was informed to tell the residents to prepare to evacuate.

Luckily a local builder, a flood warden, had arranged with me to have a meeting at Wraysbury school at 4.00pm on the same day to discuss with the residents what to do if we have a flood emergency. This meeting had been arranged three weeks in advance. I had to inform 450 stunned residents to start plans to evacuate. Residents were crying and gasping when they heard the news.

We thought the national authorities would have a plan, but there were no evacuation arrangements in place. We instantly decided we could not wait and local farmers and businessmen set up an impromptu emergency committee, consisting of local builders, farmers, project managers, off duty fireman, off duty paramedics, flood wardens and residents. For the next 48 hours we found we were on our own with very little support from the police, fire brigade and the ambulance service. They were only responding for 999 calls.

Local businesses and farmers supplied men, machinery, sandbags and vehicles to rescue people. Local supermarket chains supplied food and drinks at the rescue centre and many local restaurants supplied food.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

For over 2 days over 200 volunteers helped the residents evacuate and make safe their houses. Local businesses were first on the scene to rescue people. It was not until the Defence Secretary arrived in Wraysbury on Tuesday the 11th to be told the truth by our project manager that we needed the help of the army.

I had known the Defence Secretary for some years, so we held a meeting and I explained he had been misinformed about the situation. After our conversation, the army arrived within two hours. Local businessman, including the flood wardens and I, worked with the army carrying on the role that had overwhelmed the volunteers. Further, I met again with the Defence Secretary on Thursday the 13th, to update him. On the 18th I met the Home Secretary Theresa May MP to discuss the flooding in the Royal Borough. On Thurs 20th, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, visited Wraysbury school, where he met local volunteers and local businesses that had helped during the floods.

(Above: David Cameron and Colin Rayner.)

(Editor: You can now read an article written by one of our own committee members who lives in Somerset.)

The Great Flood, 2014 – by Patrick Godwin. (77/80) It was all my fault, you can blame me. On the twelfth of November I emailed my fishing buddy Pat and told him that if it didn’t start raining soon then the lakes we usually fish in, which at the time were perilously low, would be dry by the spring. It started raining the day after and didn’t stop until the first week in March!

We live on the Somerset Levels, or as they are known locally The Moors. This area of land, between Yeovil and Bridgewater, forms the flood plain for the River Parrott and large areas sit only a few feet above sea level. The inhabitants have for generations been fighting to keep the water off this low lying marshland, either from intrusion by the sea or by flooding from the rivers. Battles have been fought over it; the Battle of Sedgemoor was one of the final and deciding skirmishes of the Monmouth Rebellion, and the Isle of Athelney is the place where, it is said, Alfred burned the cakes.

The River Parrett rises in the north Dorset hills where it flows at a goodly pace, slowing to walking pace by the time it meanders past the villages of Thorney and Muchelney (an old English term for great island). Here it is joined by the Rivers Isle and Yeo. Its route then takes it to Burrowbridge and the River Tone and then on in a very sedate manner to the Bristol Channel beyond. The river is tidal between the sea and Langport, and this natural effect has a huge bearing on the flow of water. At times, either side of high water, the river flow reverses, bringing water back up the channel. As the tides change and the current in the river becomes slack the silt that has been carried from the catchment is deposited on the river bed, slowly filling up the channel. Up until the 1990s the River was managed by the local Levels Drainage Board and men and machines kept the channel clean. The Drainage Board was then subsumed by the Environment Agency and all dredging was stopped and the men and machines discarded. “You’ll regret doin’ this. In 20 years’ time the place will be awash with water if you don’t keep the channel clean” were the mutterings of the dredgers as they switched off their diggers for the last time. Oh how right they were.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

The Moors are used by the Environment Agency to store water during periods of high rainfall. A series of pumps is then used to raise the flood back into the river when the river levels permit. The winter flooding has been happening for years and is extremely important in maintaining the biodiversity of the area, but the management of the water is a very complicated and delicate operation requiring great skill, teamwork, communication and, above all, experience to ensure that the water is kept at the correct level. After years of underinvestment these skills have been denuded along with a degree of pumping capacity. This year when it started raining and the river levels rose, some of these skills and pump capacity were shown to be lacking.

An aerial view of the floods at their fullest extent.

By Christmas Eve the Moors were flooded and carrying their normal winter levels. But it kept on raining and this time we had the perfect storm of very high tides exaggerated by strong westerly winds pushing water back up the river from the sea. Combine this with strong downstream flows from heavy rain inland and where the two meet the river overflows and bingo, it floods. The rivers are aided in their drainage efforts by manmade drains or rhynes, which carry water towards the pumping stations.

The rivers and some of the rhynes are designed to spill water into designated areas at times when they are full, one side being lower than the other. Following the abnormally high rainfall at Christmas and into the New Year the rivers and some of the rhynes did spill water onto the Moors as the volume of flow in the River Parrett exceeded the capacity of the river.

As I look out of my upstairs office window I can see a five bar gate out on West Moor, just west of the village of Thorney. We can judge the height of the normal winter floods by how many rungs of the gate are missing. One rung gone means about 18 inches of water across an area of about 800 acres, occasionally two go adrift but never all five. By Christmas Eve we couldn’t even see the gate post that the gate hung on and it didn’t come back into view until the first week of March.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

This suggested that there was about eight feet of water across the Moor. The village of Muchelney was marooned and remained so for the next 63 days, and Thorney village was flooded to a depth of about two and half feet invading a dozen houses. There is nothing like a natural disaster to bring communities together and that is exactly what the floods did here. As soon as it became obvious that Muchelney would be marooned villagers moved their cars out onto dry land, or the mainland as it became known.

A very rural bus service, tractors and trailers mainly, began to operate for commuters to cross the floods and get to their cars for their daily commute to work, school or shops. The same service took them back home again at the end of the day. St Peter and St Pauls the local church on the ‘island’ of Muchelney was once part of Muchelney Abbey and dates back to the middle ages. It became the village hub during their 63 day island existence.

Aerial view of Muchelney at the height of the floods

The local ‘Flood Bus’ in Thorney

Inevitably there are some good stories to be told. The English have a strong tradition of laughing in the face of adversity, and so it was this year.

Many of the flood affected dwellings had to have portaloos positioned so that ‘normal’ life could continue as much as possible. One little girl came home from school to her flood affected home with a question posed by her teacher. ‘Daddy we are doing a project about the olden days and we have to ask you if you have ever lived in a house with no inside toilet?’ ‘Not until about two weeks ago’, was the terse reply.

Aerial view of Muchelney at the height of the floods.

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Necessity is the mother of invention and at times like this some ‘out of the box’ thinking is required; ‘blue sky thinking’ doesn’t seem appropriate for this occasion! A farmer friend of ours from a village nearby has 500 head of beef cattle in yards not fifty paces from his house. By the beginning of January his house and yard were both under about a foot of water. By mid-month the water had receded a bit and he was able to begin the process of cleaning up his home. Heavy rain again in early February threatened to re-inundate the house, so using all his farming logic he put all the plugs in the sinks and bath and turned on the cold taps. If he was going to be flooded again he would rather it was with tap water and not slurry. It worked and although his house flooded it was with clean water this time.

The Prime Minister, seeing an opportunity, came the following week and promised that the government would pay ‘whatever it takes to stop the floods happening again.’ Few took him seriously but since then the dredging has started. Perhaps our most prestigious visitor was Prince Charles (right). Ironically his visit had been pencilled in some time ago to check on the recovery from the floods in November 2012. As always a Royal visitor boosts moral and it did on this occasion.

We had TV crews and radio programs recorded from the village. Some friends were interviewed by Al Jezeera and the Washington Post sent a reporter. Perhaps the most amusing was a visit from BBC 5 Live who interviewed an ex-Naval Officer neighbour of ours who sees the world as it really is: Radio 5

“Who do you blame for the floods?”

Tony

“Well most of us in the village blame the weather”

Prince Charles on board the ‘Royal Low Loader’

(Microphone immediately snaps off.)

Radio 5

“ No No No, you have to blame someone, we need blame.

Whose fault is it? You have to point the finger”

Tony decided that his time was more precious and moved off to feed his ducks, which by this time had taken up residence in his swimming pool, which was actually now part of his vegetable patch or at least where he thought his veg patch was the last time he saw it three weeks ago.

The fodder and bedding collection centre at Bridgewater’s Sedgemoor Market

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

The Moors are essentially a livestock area, with excellent summer grazing. So when flood waters rose to heights never experienced before, farm buildings winter housing for the area’s livestock, were affected. This led to several hundreds of cattle having to be evacuated to dryer land. Facebook and Twitter are not names you would immediately associate with farming, but both these media played a vital role in the re-housing and feeding of the stock. Fodder and bedding came from all over the country to the Sedgemoor Market centre at Bridgewater for distribution across the area.

After fifty days and fifty nights, and the importation of six very large pumps from Holland, the waters began to subside, leaving behind the mess and detritus that has become an all too familiar sight. There is very rarely a simple answer to a complicated problem, and there isn’t in this case either. The Moors need to flood, and in time of climate change will need to flood perhaps more often, but how can property be protected? A case of lateral thinking is needed, in bucket loads.

Patrick Godwin (77/80)

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Produce World

The Burgess Brothers The Produce World Group is the UK’s leading grower and supplier of field vegetables into retail. The company has five sites across the UK growing, packing and distributing potatoes, brassicas, roots, onions and organics.

At the helm of the company is the board of directors, three of which are the Burgess Brothers – William Burgess, Andrew Burgess (83/86 ) and Jason Burgess (84/87 ).

The Burgess family is steeped in farming heritage, and Produce World’s roots date back to 1904 when Harry Burgess, the Brothers’ great grandfather, started buying and selling potatoes at King’s Cross in London. Since then the business has grown and developed into what it is today.

Two of the three Burgess Brothers attended Shuttleworth College to study agriculture, with a view to join the family business. Andrew Burgess, now Produce World Group Agricultural Director, attended Shuttleworth from 1983-1986 and said: “I got a lot of inspiration from being at College, in particular during my middle year job at Greens of Soham, which at the time was the UK’s largest vegetable packing company.

“When I returned home from college I had a dream that we would supply retailers with top quality, fresh vegetables. You only have to look at the Produce World business to see that those dreams have been realised.

“After college the industry was very different to what it is now. It really was the land of opportunity and the business was there for the taking.”

Andrew Burgess

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

Summer 2014

Following College Andrew met and married his wife Louise, and now has three daughters: Harriett (24), Katie (22) and Tor (20).

Jason Burgess (pictured right), managing director of Burgess Farms, the Group’s growing arm, said of his time at College: “I had my eyes opened to what was possible. We realized soon after College that we had a great chance to differentiate ourselves from our supply base.

Our own farm was our key selling point and our USPs at the time included soil care and long-term strategic thinking.

“Innovation has also always been at the core of what we do. Back in the day we were the first vegetable supplier to use hydra-cooling for carrots and cold stores for onions and potatoes.”

Jason also has three children: Freddie (20), Eliza (18) and Jemima (16).

Jason completed two one-year courses at Shuttleworth between 1984 and 1987, with a gap year in between. The brothers admit that Andrew is the creative one and Jason is the implementer.

Andrew said: “I came up with the ideas and Jason made them happen. It’s always been that way, and it’s still the same to this very day.”

Travelling to gain inspiration is something that Andrew has done since leaving Shuttleworth. Some of his most noteworthy trips include a one-year stint in Australia in 1987, California in the mid-90s and Brazil in 1997.

Andrew said: “I’ve travelled the world and been to some incredible places but I think the best farm I’ve ever been to was in Brazil and it grew melons. I still plan and take regular trips abroad to learn about new things and these have been aptly named my Journeys of Discovery. More recent trips include Japan and Kenya. These trips have led to some fantastic new product developments, including the Devil’s onion, a super strong onion that I found while out in Japan.”

When talking about their time at Shuttleworth the brothers reminisced about some of their favourite times.

Jason said: “I very much enjoyed my time learning about all manner of things. I had a particularly strong interest in business. I remember having to visit a farming business as part of the course, and while there we would assess the business to our best ability then draw up a three year plan. The plans were then presented to real banks for consideration and I won the award for the two years that I did this activity.”

Andrew continued: “Me too!“ As I’m sure you can imagine it wasn’t all work and no play. The Brothers certainly had their fair share of fun while at Shuttleworth.

Andrew laughs: “We had a lecturer who used to teach us all about carrot growing. He got so fed up of my pal and I correcting him that one day he invited us up to take the class. I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge so up we went and to this day I reckon we knew more!”

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Jason adds: “I remember I was milking a cow during one of my lessons and the herdsman was writing on the blackboard. The cow coughed and expelled some rather nasty stuff from its rear end! As if that wasn’t bad enough, it hit the herdsman square in the face. Needless to say we all rolled around laughing, but I’m not sure he was all that happy!”

It’s safe to say that the Brothers hugely enjoyed their time at Shuttleworth and their learnings helped them along to way to making Produce World the hugely successful business that it is today.

Snowcarrots

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Summer 2014

To The Lords with a Lord From 1997 until his tragically early death at the age of 67 in December 2000, I had the honour of working for Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge, better known as the Kent and England cricketer Colin Cowdrey. To be absolutely accurate it was Lordy’s (an affectionate term for Lord Cowdrey used by everyone on the estate) wife and sister-in- law who were my real employers. Following the death of their father Bernard 16th Duke of Norfolk in 1976 the Arundel Estate was split into two parts. The Castle, Park and inner core of the Estate passed to Bernard’s second cousin, Miles, and a crescent of land around the southern end became the Angmering Park Estate which passed to Bernard’s daughters.

Angmering’s home farm was the 2300 acre Lee Farm and it was this that I managed from 1997 until 2004.

Despite not having any form of countryside background Lordy was always very interested in the estate, particularly the farm. The first time I met him was just before Christmas 1997 when I was being taken on a tour of the Estate by the Agent. The Family always have a private day shooting the week before Christmas and Lordy loved shooting. He used to shoot with his father-in-law’s Purdey, a beautiful sidelock ejector with 30 inch barrels and superb scroll work on the locks. It is actually one of a ‘triple’, three identical guns built especially for Duke Bernard by the London firm of Purdey to celebrate his 21st birthday. His mother the dowager Duchess replied to the Estate tenants when asked what his lordship may like for his birthday that ‘.The tenants will like to buy him some guns. Handmade from London.’ For those who don’t know their guns, makers Purdey are the crème de la crème of gunmaking in London, and probably the world. Today a triple of Purdeys with such provenance would easily make over £100,000.

As I walked across to Lordy he was standing in the pound seat (prime spot!) for the next drive and at any moment clouds of partridge would soon come buzzing over him like a swarm of bees. I got to within a few yards of him when just such a covey came his way. He looked up and shot two with the left and right barrels, broke the gun and hefted it into his left hand, offering me his right and welcomed me to Lee Farm. At that time he was over 60 years old but he had lost none of the magnificent hand eye coordination that had enabled him to become one of England’s finest test batsmen.

My office was in the farm yard and it was not unknown for him to ‘just pop by for a chat’. Such chats were always held out on the farm, driving around in the Land Rover. Our conversations ranged from the finer points of ewe management, the price of wheat, the speed of Jeff Thompson’s bowling to the guile of Sonny Ramadine. His interest in the countryside was not just confined to the Estate. In 1997 he was ennobled to become Lord Cowdrey of Tonbridge and was a tireless worker within the House of Lords, often speaking on countryside matters with great authority. In December 1999 Lordy asked me if I would like to visit the House as his guest, as there was a particular debate entitled ‘To call Attention to The Countryside’.

So on the morning of December 1st I caught the train from Arundel to Victoria. ‘I’ll meet you there’, he said, ‘there’s a side entrance just as you walk off the platform’. I didn’t know what to expect; a taxi maybe, or perhaps we would walk to ‘The House’. My geography of our capital was so weak I had this naïve thought that everywhere was within walking distance of everywhere else, a thought soon banished after two Countryside Marches however! Nonetheless there he was, with his official green Jaguar complete with driver. The run through London was splendid. I felt like a visiting dignitary, a prime minister perhaps from a distant colony or the Arundel Ambassador to the Court of St James, but certainly not like a Shuttleworth boy on a bit of a jolly.

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Our arrival at the House took me by surprise. I’m not sure how else you are supposed to get into the House of Lords except through the door. A small side door perhaps but when we went through the Peers Entrance off Old Palace yard I realised that it was all so very real. The first thing we did was to hand our coats over to the chap in the cloak room. The attendant took Lordy’s black town coat without a murmur; my wax jacket however was not something he was used to although luckily I had emptied the pockets of the various bits of string, staples and the odd 12 bore cartridges that forever seemed to reside there. Walking down the corridor towards the chamber we met several other peers. Some I recognised from the television, of others I didn’t have a clue. The England cricket team had just dropped to the bottom of the world test match rankings after a disastrous series against the New Zealanders and everyone wanted to hear Lordy’s opinion as to how this terrible state of affairs could be rectified. I remember standing in the Gentlemen’s toilet having a long conversation with Lord Runcie the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury about the problems associated with pig farming. For a man of the cloth from St Albans he was remarkably well informed.

We waited in the Peers Lobby for the opening ceremony to begin. The day’s proceedings were due to start at half past two and sure enough at about a quarter past the hour the lobby began to fill. The procession into the chamber was led by the Lord Speaker who was followed by the clerks and other officers. The peers who had elected to attend completed the procession. The Lord Speaker still sits astride the Woolsack but unlike his namesake in ‘the other place’ does not intervene in the debate. As was evident to me in the proceedings that followed, debate in the Upper Chamber is a civilised affair and a far cry from the Commons where, it seems to me, the rules of the playground abound. I took my seat in the visitors’ pews and tried to take in the scene. It is not a big as I had imagined, quite small in fact. The seats are covered in sumptuous deep red leather, whilst the Commons are green. This differentiation of colour is critical. All the carpets in the Lords are red, the Commons Green. There is one corridor that connects the two houses where the red carpet runs to the imagined boundary and changes to green on the otherwise invisible dividing line. Lordy advised me that I could walk on either red or green but he could not venture onto green as that belonged to the ‘Other Place’.

Once some of the formal business was completed the countryside debate began. I still have a copy of Hansard, which Lordy signed, giving a complete and accurate record of all that was said. Lord Plumb, one-time NFU president, and Michael Jopling ex. Minister of Agriculture spoke well, as did Earl Ferrers. I am not sure that anything good came out of the debate, or indeed if that was the intention, but many town-dwelling peers had a chance to develop a better understanding of the countryside.

After another ride back to Victoria and the train home, I came to the end of what had been an amazing day. I never dreamed that I would go back to the House again, but in March of 2001, my family and I, alongside many others from the Estate, were invited to a reception in the River Room following Lord Colin’s memorial service in Westminster Abbey. The service was a fine tribute to a great man. John Major gave a marvellous eulogy to, it transpired, someone who had become a great friend and confident during his time as Prime Minister. The River room was full of famous faces and I had a long chat with Tom Graveney and Sir Gary Sobers. Not about pigs on this occasion, I think it was about our mutual love of beer and what makes a great pint.

Paddy Godwin (77/80)

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Obituaries.

Sadly Tom Griffiths, a past student at Shuttleworth, a lecturer at Shuttleworth for many years, a very good friend of the SCA and known to all our readers, died last December.

Firstly I include a piece written by a good friend and fellow student who was at Shuttleworth with Tom.

Tom Griffiths: In praise of a good man, by John Knight (52/54) Tom Griffiths first arrived at Shuttleworth in September 1952 as an NDA student.

He was a mature student having served in the RAF in World War 2. He was disinclined to talk about his war experiences and all we found out was that he had seen more of the world in his 28 years than the total foreign experience of the rest of the student body.

Tom immediately became our eminence grise, our guide and philosopher gently advising, we, wet behind the ears, stroppy youngsters in the ways of this wicked world. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for helping us grow up during our two years at the College.

He was everybody’s friend – tolerant, kindly and wise. He had an understated, droll sense of humour.

He would not have claimed to be an intellectual but he was a conscientious, hard-working student. He was also a good sportsman, a great rugby enthusiast, as befits a son of the Valleys, and a good soccer player.

Some of the younger, wilder elements spent much time and effort in forging links with the Bedford PT College. Many of the resulting dilemmas and heart-rendings were taken to Tom for his fatherly advice and he rarely failed to soothe frayed feelings.

Tom’s subsequent career as a lecturer is well documented and hundreds of old students will bear testimony to the debt they owe him and the impact he had on their young lives.

He was my room-mate in the Mansion during our second year and I shall always be grateful for his company and wise counsel. It was with great sadness but fond memories that I attended his funeral last year.

Secondly I am republishing a piece written by a fellow lecturer for our newsletter at the time of Tom’s retirement in 1988.

Tom Griffiths: An appreciation, by Graham Amos My first meeting with Tom took place in a marquee on the lawn in front of the College. It was 1960. I had just been interviewed and appointed to the staff and it also happened to be the afternoon of the annual tenant’s tea-party, hence the marquee. I have known Tom over the following twenty-eight years and I was delighted to be asked to compile this article, and am grateful to those who supplied me with information on his earlier years.

Tom was born in 1923 and the early part of the war found him working in an office in Cardiff. The flattening of these offices by enemy bombing, and the resulting casualties, led him to enlist in the RAGF at the youngest possible age. He trained in Scotland and Cornwall before going out to India, via South Africa.

Demobilisation after the war, he worked successively on the home farm and on his uncle’s farm in Pembrokeshire. Later, he spent a year studying at Usk, doing so well that he went on to

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Shuttleworth.(1952-4) where, besides again being on outstanding student, he held one of the leading student union offices.

The Agricultural Economics Department of Cambridge University next claimed him as an investigator, giving him wide experience of a great diversity of farms, from which he collected costings and other statistics. He returned to Shuttleworth at the request of Principal Jimmy Bond as Lecturer and Warden in January 1956, occupying the room ‘Guernsey’ on the top floor.

Although his method of transport on this return is recorded as being by motorcycle, it soon gave way to an Austin 12 saloon, which featured in many farm visits, creating some exciting situations centring round the fact that the efficiency of the brakes was inversely proportional to the vehicle’s load.

Married in the summer of 1956 in Guernsey, Tom and Hazel (nee Pike) returned to live at Lakeside Cottage and their son Gareth was born two years later.

At first Tom lectured in a range of subjects including Crop Husbandry, Grassland, and Management and Accounts, but student numbers increased so a separate Crop Husbandry lecturer was appointed in 1957 and some twelve years later an assistant to help him in his establish area of Management and Accounts. For many years he was a leading member of the team that harvested the College’s grain crop. His considerable practical knowledge and experience was well applied controlling grain storage, drying, and sometimes combine harvesting. He carried arable responsibility for the farm in the period after Principal Kenneth Russell’s death.

He led the first team of successful prize-winners in the computer management game ‘Farmscan’, and as Head of the Management Department was responsible for introducing computers to Shuttleworth under Principal John Scott, gradually building up the computer facilities and awakening staff and student interest in these machines and their applications.

Tom and Hazel’s daughter Catherine was born in 1967. They had moved to Biggleswade in 1963 and when Mid Beds District Council became anxious to purchase their first property in order to create an office complex, they moved again within the town. In 1981they became residents of Wrestlingworth, moving to Bedford on retirement in summer 1988.

Finally I have included a slightly shortened version of the eulogy given by a lifelong friend of the family, Professor Desmond Hayes, at the funeral.

Tom and Hazel – Tribute, by Professor Desmond Hayes I am grateful to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Tom and Hazel Griffiths here today. As a Congregation I am sure you would wish me to convey your heartfelt sympathy to Gareth and Catherine and their children Rhys, Lewis, Bryn, Owen, Eleanor and William, in the loss of their parents and grandparents.

It is a rare occurrence for both parents to be laid to rest at the same time, and there is a real poignancy in the fact that Hazel had been an invalid for some 6 years, while Tom was for all intents and purposes, fit and well up to some 2 months before he died, and both ultimately died within a week of each other.

Some of you will have known Tom and Hazel as a mother and father, or as a Grandpa and Grandma, and some as very close friends and others as mentors or merely as acquaintances. Whichever way you knew them, all of you would have known them as a happy devoted couple, always ready to share a smile and give a helping hand when needed.

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As a result we are glad to use this occasion as a Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for the lives both Tom and Hazel.

Can you see Tom in your minds’ eye?

A cool, calm, person – smartly dressed – a gentle smile and a warm handshake.

Thomas Griffiths was born on the twelfth of July 1923 in Llanboidy in West Wales He was the only son of a farmer and attended the local village school.

When he was 18, Tom enlisted in the Royal Air Force. He was stationed initially in Cornwall, then he was transferred to the Orkneys for a few months, before being drafted to the Far East, arriving first in Bombay, then travelling by train up to Bengal where he was based near the fighting zone, repairing and servicing aircraft damaged in the war against the Japanese.

During this time he met Ken Gwylim who became a close personal friend, and who became President of the Welsh Rugby Union. This friendship led to his interest in playing rugby rather than soccer which up to then had been his main game.

Tom was demobbed in 1946 and went to work near Narberth in Pembrokeshire on his Uncle’s farm in order to gain practical farm experience. And this is where I met Tom for the first time, an event which proved to be the start of a close, and abiding friendship.

After two years on the farm Tom enrolled at the Usk Farm Institute to undertake the one-year Course in Farming and he passed it with Distinction.

He was then persuaded to study for the National Diploma in Agriculture at Shuttleworth. After successfully completing this course he started work collecting data for the Pig Meat Investigation Unit based at the University of Cambridge.

However after some 18 months Tom was invited by the Principal to return to Shuttleworth to take up the post of Lecturer in Grassland and Crops. He later developed a popular Course on Farm Planning and Accountancy.

I am told that some ex-students recall with pleasure the twinkle in his eye when he tried to explain the intricacies of Double Entry Booking to mystified students! However, there may well be many here today who benefited greatly from the wise advice he would have dispensed in the course of his lectures and tutorials.

Tom retired when he was 65.

Tom was a keen sportsman: he played rugby in the Forces, at Shuttleworth and occasionally for Biggleswade. He played tennis and badminton and squash until he was 65; he then took up golf, which he continued to play skilfully until the year before his death. Tom was a keen observer of games on TV and a critical analyser of rugby played at all levels.

Tom was a gifted gardener, often bringing ailing plants to full life in his special nursery. He was also a gifted cook who produced some excellent three-course meals from his galley kitchen.

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Tom was a pragmatic and ingenious man able to turn his hand to a wide range of practical problems.

He had a modern outlook, keeping up to date with the latest developments in computing – indeed, when in hospital for a couple of days Tom, aged 90, could not understand why the nursing staff got a bit upset, when he tried to log on to their computer to do his online banking.

Tom proved to be a loyal and dependable friend: he was self-effacing and had a quiet, dry sense of humour. When you saw him uplifting his glasses and a quizzical smile appeared on his face, you knew there was a gem in the offing.

To sum up, Tom was at heart a true countryman and demonstrated the best features associated with such persons. He was thoughtful and considerate, he had a calm soothing presence. He was kind and generous in nature, and always had a warm welcome for family and friends Tom first met his wife Hazel in 1955. At this time Tom was a staid eligible bachelor who had shown little interest in the fairer sex – that is until he met Hazel at a friend’s home in Whitland. After that the die was cast.

Hazel Pike was born in Guernsey in 1932, into a family with strong French connections. There were 10 children in all, with Hazel in the middle. When the German invasion of the Island of Guernsey was imminent, the whole family was evacuated to this country, but unfortunately the family was split up.

Hazel, about 10 at the time was billeted along with one of her sisters with the Headmaster and his wife (Mr and Mrs Cox) in the village of Marbury in Cheshire. After a year or so, she passed the 11 plus Examination and joined the Island’s Ladies College which had been billeted in Howell’s School in Denbigh and while there, she stayed again with a very supportive family (Mr and Mrs Thomas).

After a years’ courtship Tom and Hazel were married on the 23 August 1956 in the Vale Methodist Church in Guernsey. I had the privilege of being best man at the wedding. In the toast at the wedding breakfast, I wished them a long and happy life together, and for over 50 years that was abundantly the case.

They started their married life in Lakeside a rustic, but idyllic Cottage near the Swiss Garden at Old Warden. Their son Gareth Thomas was born in 1958.

The family moved to Biggleswade before the arrival of Catherine Mair in 1967. This proved to be a difficult period for the couple, with Hazel being ill after the birth, and later receiving cancer treatment from which happily she recovered fully.

Both became heavily involved with the social life of Biggleswade. They played tennis and other games and Tom, at 40 years of age, learned to swim and became a swimming instructor at the Biggleswade Swimming Club.

In 1980 the family moved from Biggleswade to Wrestlingworth but after some eight years moved to Brickhill. Here again they became involved in various social activities; they made a lot of new friends through their membership of this Church. They organised theatre trips to London, and shopping trips across the Channel, and amongst other things Hazel became a member of the Bedford Retirement Society.

Tom joined Biggleswade Probus and he maintained close links with Shuttleworth Old Students Association Tom and Hazel had, previous to Hazel’s latest illness, enjoyed a full and happy family life, with wonderful family holidays in Guernsey during the Easter and the Summer vacations and on the Continent, plus three visits to the United States.

They were blessed with six grandchildren: four boys (Rhys, Lewis, Bryn and Owen from Gareth and Penny) and two, Eleanor and William, from Catherine and Tony.

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Grandma idolised the boys, but sadly she did not really get to know Eleanor and William but they loved, and were loved, very much by their Grandpa who lived next door.

As we say good bye to Tom and Hazel, we realise that they will leave a big gap in our lives, but they also leave a legacy of happy memories.

We give thanks for their countless acts of kindness and help often given to persons during their hours of greatest need, and for the friendship we enjoyed with them – and so let it be.

Neville Davies (65/67), by Andy Davies(68/70) Neville was born at Home Farm Haynes and was educated at Bedford School. As was the fashion in those days he was a boarder and went right through school in the same house and dormitory as Simon Bath (65/67).

Neville did his year on a farm prior to Shuttleworth in Suffolk with Robin Dennis-Jones. Simon worked on a farm in Hampshire and then when they both arrived at Shutts they shared a room at Home Farm.

For many years after Neville was married Simon would tease his wife with the fact that he had slept in the same room as Neville more nights than she had!

Neville thoroughly enjoyed his time at Shuttleworth and played soccer for the college, which was slightly unusual as he had only played rugby at school. I understand he perhaps lacked the finesse of a soccer player as numerous opposing players were heard to say “Watch the one in the rugby boots; he knows how to use them!” His tackling was slightly clumsy. In recent years Neville, Simon Bath, Arthur Adams (65/67) and a few others from Shutts have had an annual get together.

Neville’s love of livestock was nurtured under Charlie Lye and he went home to run the sheep and pig enterprises on the family farm after completion of his NDA. He set about increasing the productivity of both units, but made the biggest impact with the sheep flock when he pioneered the carcase quality payment system with John Deighton (52/54) of the MLC (also ex Shutts) and Canvins abattoir. He won the MLC Golden Hoof award for producing the most amount of lean meat/acre in the 1970s and greatly helped the standard of lamb production in Bedfordshire.

The Haynes herd of pedigree Livestock exported to 27 countries around the world, but then had to move with the times and began exporting F1 hybrids to Europe to compete with the large pig production companies. Sadly after the massive foot and mouth outbreak it became a real problem to export breeding pigs and with general decline in the pig industry the family took the very difficult decision to go out of pigs in 2008. I don’t believe farming was ever quite the same for Neville.

Woburn Country Foods had been started as a farm diversification in 2002 and relocated back to West End Farm in 2008 just as the pigs departed. This gave Neville the chance to try his hand at something completely new and he soon became a popular member of the team. The butchers loved his ‘can do attitude’ and sound common sense. He also became a mentor for the young apprentices who appreciated his encouragement and enthusiasm. During his illness he would visit at break time to chat to the team and such was his cheerfulness they had no idea how ill he was.

Neville loved all sports and in particular country sports. He ran a very good shoot on the home farm producing some spectacular high pheasants for Bedfordshire. Neville always had a good Labrador and particularly enjoyed picking up at each week at Home Farm Silsoe and many other local shoots.

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Neville married Pat while he was at College and they went on to have three sons, two of whom now live in Australia. The whole family made detailed plans for a long and peaceful retirement which led to the sale of most of the farm land, and Neville and Pat moved to a delightful barn conversion at Barton Le Clay in 2011.

It was therefore a huge shock when Neville went to the Doctor with a minor problem, which led to the eventual diagnosis of cancer. Neville put up a courageous battle and remained remarkably cheerful and positive throughout, but it had gone too far and he passed away in August 2013.

Jim Cook (64/66) – by David Creasey (64/66) Jim died on 3rd February 2014, aged 70.

Jim (known to us all as Aubrey) was always popular. He had inherited a certain Lincolnshire rural style that made him stand out as a character.

He played rugby for the College 2nd XV and ran the shop alongside the Tavern.

I guess that was his first and last foray into the world of retailing.

Jim was already experienced in farming from home and had no problems with the course, except in one respect – machinery! He was not mechanical. His problem was made worse because in those days the method of teaching was for our lecturer to draw various bits of equipment freehand on the blackboard. We then had to copy them, and Jim was no artist! His impressions of, say, a carburettor, or a baler knotter were something to behold. They would have been of little use to anyone trying to mend them.

He drove a Morris 1000 pick-up, with the open back covered by a sheet. In our second year Jim's room was above the back door of the College. He shared it with Geoff Laughton. I remember at the end of one term he backed his truck under his window and threw all his clothes down into it. That was his idea of packing!

He played an active part in student life and came with some of us on a week touring farms in Wales during the Easter vacation.

Following College three or four of us from Lincolnshire met regularly for meals at the Berni Inn in Lincoln. These eventually grew to include different generations of old students.

Jim cemented our particular relationship by asking me to be Adam's godfather.

He spent his entire life after College on the small family farm at Osbournby near Sleaford. He married Lesley and fathered a son and three daughters. He had a pen-full of grandchildren. Sadly his marriage fell apart but in later years formed a friendship with a retired headmistress, Bernice, with whom he seemed so very happy.

He contracted out his farm and became a district councillor, having chaired the parish council for many years. He was known for the kindnesses he showed to all around him and for his steady, reliable, genial character.

Osbournby church was packed for his funeral, attended by six of our year: Dave Valentine, Mike Anyan, Stuart Rankin, Roger Woodroffe, Geoff Laughton and David Creasey .His loss so suddenly has affected us all greatly.

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S.C.A. MERCHANDISE 1. A superb mounted framed picture of the College viewed from the Warren and painted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Shuttleworth College (1996).

Size: 17.5" x 21.5". Cost: £45.00 Unframed @ just £25.00 both plus p&p. (subject availability)

2. Shuttleworth ties with a single badge, produced for the 40th anniversary of Shutts. In four colours: navy blue, maroon green or brown. Cost: £5 each (clearance offer!) plus p&p.

3. New! Silk ties to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Shuttleworth College.

Cost: £10 each + p&p

4. Also, Navy Sports Cap with College Crest, @ £5.00 inc p&p

5. Lapel Badges @ just £2.00 each inc p&p

6. Polo Shirts – This popular item features the Shuttleworth crest on a Navy Blue shirt - £15.00 each

7. Rugby Shirts have also been secured in Blue with a white collar and the crest. @ Just £25.00 each inc p&p

All available from First Call — Sarah Perrett. 01458 251523 or e-mail: perrett_sarah@hotmail.com or Margaret Curry at the College. 01767 626222 or e-mail: mcurry@bedford.ac.uk

All cheques payable to Shuttleworth College Association, With Orders please.

Please also remember to Telephone for postal costs, where applicable.

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COMMITTEE & OFFICERS S.C.A. 2014-15 Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Treasurer Database Mgr.

Sarah Perrett Jonathan Mitchell Charlotte Scott Mike Williams Patrick Godwin

HND 77/80 HND 92/95 ... 90/92 NDA 65/67 HND 77/80

Somerset perrett_sarah@hotmail.com Lincs jonmitchell.9@btinternet.com Bedfordshire charlotte_scott@hotmail.com Peterborough michael.williams19@sky.com Somerset patrick.godwin@btinternet.com

Committee Sam Donald George Nell Nick Drury Eric Yates Daniel Silson Tony Abbott Richard Infield Sally Cartwright Robert Kilbourn Claire Van Leersum

HNDBF 93/95 NDA 69/71 HND 81/84 Retired Staff 2001/03 NDA 65/67 ND 90/93 HND 86/89 HND 81/84 HND 81/84

Clwyd Oxon Cambs Norfolk Beds Hants Beds Beds Cambs Cambs

Sam@samdonald.com lesleynell@yahoo.co.uk nickhan.drury@ntlworld.com ericandjanet@moggerhanger.orangehome.co.uk dasilson@ic24.net tonyabbott1@hotmail.co.uk richardjinfield@btconnect.com sally.cartwright@virgin.net bertie4bassett@hotmail.com cgvanleersum@googlemail.com

College Contact

Margaret Curry

01767 626222

Student Representative on College staff Jo Norman

mcurry@bedford.ac.uk jnorman@bedford.ac.uk

President

Charlotte Friefrau John Von Twickle.

Vice Presidents

J.E. Scott, S.C. Whitbread, Bill Bedser, Eric Yates and Professor Mike Alder.

Secretary

Charlotte Scott, Unwin Cottage, 5 Pear Tree piece, Old Warden, Biggleswade, SG18 9FD. charlotte_scott@hotmail.com Tel: 01767 626311 Mobile: 07717862747

Newsletter Coordinator

Tim Bryce 37 People’s Place, Warwick Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire. OX16 0FJ. tim.bryce@hotmail.co.uk Tel: 01295 271366 Mobile: 07734455472

(In the event of an email failing to respond please contact another committee member and request your message be forwarded to your intended recipient.)

(The editor is looking for material for the next Newsletter as soon as this one goes to press, so please don’t delay, get writing, look for stories and send them to him as soon as possible) *New Officers and Committee will be elected at the 2015 AGM But even after that date please use the addresses above.

Website

Shuttleworth College Association Newsletter

www.shuttleworth-sca.co.uk

Summer 2014