Malden's Village Voice May 2021 by jenny stuart

Malden’s

illage oice

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Welcome to YOUR Village Voice May

from jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk

We are social animals, us human beings. Yes, we appreciate having TV, online shopping, social media and group calls, but their benefit to our wellbeing and morale is tiny when compared to physical interaction with other people. I know that there were a couple of occasions I went to a local shop for a change of scene and someone different to talk to, rather than because I couldn’t buy what I needed elsewhere. It cheered me every time. Shopping online is certainly convenient, but it’s often soulless. We are saving time, but to do what? To spend hours looking at our mobiles or watching TV? As restrictions are lifted in the coming weeks and months we should be able to start including club and community information again and, maybe even some What’s On listings. If you have something to contribute, or, would like to

& Since ‘05

Since ‘08

Published by Malden Media Ltd Editor Jenny Stuart jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk 020 8336 2915 www.maldenmedia.co.uk 36 Rosebery Avenue KT3 4JS

advertise in our June edition please do get in touch. And thanks so much to all our advertisers this month, I do hope that you’ll support them and our other local businesses during continuingly difficult times for many. Remember, we deliver to most homes every second month but if it’s not delivered to you, you can read it on your phone, tablet or PC or collect a copy from Waitrose, The Malden Centre or New Malden library.. But remember, copies are limited. The copy dates for the next couple of editions are below. If you’d like to advertise or have a local story to tell, please call or email. So just a reminder that using local shops is good for us and is appreciated by the business owners so much more than any spending we do with detached online businesses who know nothing about our town. Support our community by shopping here! Until next time, very best wishes,

Jenny Deadline for our June editions is 20th May

20th June for July

Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of the editor. All advertisements are commercial and not indicative of any endorsement by the editor who accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered directly or indirectly by any reader as a result of any advertisement or notice published in this magazine. All in-house artwork and editorial presented in this magazine remains the copyright of Malden Media Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored on any retieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical. recording, photocopying, or otherwise without prior permission from the Publisher.

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Deadline for our May editions is 20th April

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New Malden History A day at Decca for the Duke by Robin Gill As far as I am aware the late Duke of Edinburgh visited Malden on one occasion (Unless you know otherwise), and that was his informal visit to the Decca buildings on Thursday March 7th 1957. The building had been a record producing company (Duophone) from 19281929, and before that a car tyre and jack company (Rapsons) 1922-1927. and before that a proposed domestic road called Vincent Road leading from Beverley Road across Burlington Road to link up with Albert Road just within the border of Merton. Duke becomes a Prince While he was Duke Of Edinburgh after his marriage to the Princess Elizabeth in 1947, he was only made a Prince a few days earlier in that year (1957) after giving up earlier Princely titles (those of Greece and Denmark) on his wedding. On his visit to Malden, he still bore the suntan he had got during a recent fourmonth Commonwealth tour. On the River The Prince started his day at 11 o’clock boarding the Motor Yacht “Navigator” at Tower Bridge to be shown new developments in radar. He was accompanied by the Decca chairman Mr Ted Lewis, who had led the company since 1929. Under his leadership the “Decca Navigation System” had become the major navigation system in both maritime and aviation until the arrival of GPS in the 1970s. Mr Lewis introduced the Prince to other Decca employees. The vessel then proceeded down river under Tower Bridge to demonstrate the equipment which was able to constantly track the ship’s position on a chart called “true motion” In Malden, everything was in readiness for the Duke’s visit. A Union Flag flew over the factory and coloured pennants could be seen strung from the windows of a block of flats nearby. By 12.15 there was a crowd of about 300 at the junction of Albert Road and Malden Way. Further along the bypass outside the Odeon there was a crowd of about 60 children, many with flags. Of course, many dignitaries including Malden’s Mayor Frederick Augustus Gear were present and had lunch. The Prince had arrived at the main Decca factory in Albert Road at 12.30 in his Austin Princess. After lunch and formal greetings, he was able to see how LPs were pressed out of a roll of PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). Prince Philip watched as vast rolls of the acetate are prepared for pressing into long playing records; metal stampers being grown in

chemical baths; detailed inspections with microscopes; the web of hydraulic cables leading to the pressing machines; He was fascinated to see Paddy Dooley of Thorne Road (now Georgia Road) happy at his job smashing and destroying rejected records on the side of a large container without any form of protection. while pieces sheared off in all directions, He later visited the record packing room where presents for the Queen, Prince Charles (9), and Princess Anne (7) were received. Records produced included Debussy’s Children’s Corner, Delibes’ Coppelia, military marches from the Trooping of the Colour played by the Grenadier Guards. This was before the days of the Beatles who Decca famously rejected, and the Rolling Stones who they signed. Up On The Roof The Prince was then shown the various radar scanners on the roof of the factory, and spoke to employees Joy Robbins, and Lilli Dawson who was the oldest employee at Decca though living in Rotherhithe. Decca’s chairman, Ted Lewis, lead the party on to the radar assembly production line and testing laboratories, with displays of radar antennae, and hundreds of industrious employees engaged in jobs that are large-scale, physical and yet precise. The Prince proved a big hit with the girls both inside and outside the factory even though not dressed in his naval uniform, and the Surrey Comet even reported the visit with the headline “Girls Welcome The Prince”. The visit attracted a large crowd including children from the nearby Burlington Schools, and the Prince with “his ready smile and friendly manner” quickly put people at their ease And with the aforesaid smiles and handshakes, the Duke got into his car and was swept away out of Malden. The visit was recorded by Pathe News but unfortunately the commentary was either lost or never existed. The film is a showcase of the breadth of the company’s development and manufacturing might in recording, technology and engineering. This, as I said previously

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was as far as I am aware the only engagement in the old borough of Malden and Coombe, but the Royal Couple used to pass the building every year on their way to Epsom for the Derby until the completion of the flyover at Shannon Corner in 1967.

Bridge Master II series followed, with a Motorola68000 CPU and software options like vector traces showing the trajectories of other ships as part of the ARPA package.

Odeon safe? Later that year (1957) the public were reassured when the Rank Organisation and Decca denied that the Odeon at Shannon Corner (Malden’s only cinema) was to be sold by the former company to the latter. The cinema which opened in 1938 with 1500 seats was closed in January 1960, converted into offices by Decca, and demolished in 1985. Decca Radar was bought in 1979 by Racal Electronics forming Racal-Decca Marine and related companies. Early Racal-Decca radars had dropped the Decca name, but it was later restored. At this time the business was run from New Malden. In the mid-1980s, Decca introduced the Bridge Master series of radars, which used a rasterized colour display. The

Records of records According to the Kingston RPM website if you want to determine whether the record you own was produced in New Malden from 1929 to 1967 be it a 78, 45, or 33 rpm disc, it will clearly state Decca on the label and the matrix stamped across the bottom will usually contain the letters VGMT followed by a four-digit number then a number 1 and a letter. From 1968, it will again clearly state Decca on the label, and at the run off groove (near the centre of the record) at the 3 o’clock position there should be one or more letters from the word BUCKINGHAM. So, if you have a Decca and a BUCKINGHAM code you are holding a piece of New Malden history, as at New Malden they had their only pressing plant in Britain.

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A different type of chart This was not the only time that the area around the Decca buildings had been the place for a part of Malden’s history. In 1936 with the granting of the Borough’s Charter when the boundary was the point the first part of the ceremony was conducted. On the boundary, where Malden met Merton, at the bridge across the Beverley Brook in Burlington Road, a large banner displaying the word “WELCOME” was attached to two tall pylons. A large crowd had gathered, some standing on the bridge parapets, and others on the roof of the Decca Records building (now Comet and B&Q). A big cheer went up from the crowd close to the allotted time for the beginning of festivities, but it turned out to be the arrival of a rag and bone man complete with horse and cart, who proceeded to drive along the road oblivious to the excitement around him. A few minutes later the state coach of the Lord Mayor was seen to be approaching and this was the signal for activities to begin. The Charter Mayor’s procession of six carriages left the Council Offices in New Malden, and peals of bells rang out from the building, and other municipal centres enroute. The parade proceeded to the borough

boundary at Burlington Road where the High Sheriff of Surrey (Captain Charles Edward Hoskins) presented the Mayor John Hill to the Lord Mayor Sir Percy Vincent under a specially constructed awning outside Decca Records. After the greeting the two parties proceeded to the Council Offices to begin the celebrations.

Illustrations 1) Original Decca Factory 2) Decca Advert 3) Crowd waiting for the Duke

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New Malden Rotary Open again … let’s keep them open It’s great to see our shops and restaurants beginning to open again. And now it’s up to all of us in New Malden to help keep them open, particularly our local independent retailers who have suffered so badly over the last year. Our retail outlets are such an important part of our New Malden community but they need to be supported as best we can as we ease out of lockdown. There is a lot of talk about the ‘death’ of High Streets in the UK. We need to ensure that this does not happen in New Malden.

Jiang Festival showed, if the English weather pushes events under cover, that is also do-able. All of this will hopefully encourage residents and visitors but also persuade local businesses to sponsor and organise using their own talents and products.

With a grant from central government being made available to support businesses severely impacted by the Covid restrictions it will now be possible for the Council to spend some monies across the Royal Borough on activities to this end. New Malden Rotary in conjunction with other local organisations were asked to contribute ideas on how the High Street might be made more attractive; and in this way encourage footfall and thereby support local businesses in their recovery. The decision on which applications might be supported is being made in May by the Council and projects have to be completed by the end of the fiscal year in March 2022. The hope is that whatever the Council will decide there will be scope for wider community initiatives.

‘Acorns and oaks’ springs to mind. Small beginnings leading to bigger opportunities. The starting point of the activities is to support the recovery of our local businesses, particularly our small independents. Longer-term though we could anticipate sparking a much greater interest in bringing New Malden together as a community. People in New Malden often talk about ‘The Village”, not least in this publication. In the early days of Rotary in New Malden that may have been physically true. Over time, though, our ‘Village’ has become a much larger and more diverse community with a wealth of different cultures, experiences, languages, all of which add to the area’s local heritage. As we emerge slowly from the most traumatic period many of us have known, a period in which the ‘old normal’ has been turned on its head and we cannot yet be sure what the ‘new normal’ will bring, perhaps now is the most appropriate time to get together and plan the future of the community we still call ‘The Village’. For information about Rotary in New Malden or to support us go to www.newmaldenrotary.org.uk

Rotary’s Community team have been talking to other local organisations and we also consulted our Members and Friends for ideas. It has been a hurried but a stimulating exercise and good to see how local like-minded groups, working together, can respond. There is no shortage of ideas for the Council to be able to pick through in relation to New Malden High Street. Ideas ranged from introducing more flowers and seating to add colour and give people an opportunity to linger to colourful banners to better lighting to make evening visits to our restaurants more interesting and more secure, particularly in the winter months. Not to mention the possibility of making the High Street’s two ‘entry points’ – the station and the Fountain roundabout more attractive. In terms of possible local events to organise, if only a portion of the suggestions became implemented New Malden would finish up with a steady programme of activities throughout a year. We certainly have the parks and open spaces for them - St George’s Square, Beverley Park, the new ‘town centre’ being planned for this summer near the Malden Centre – and as the Kim

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Community Malden Fortnight As with many functions that were planned for last year and subsequently for this year, decisions have to be made in line with governmental guidelines and restrictions. Regretfully, as last year the committee has decided that there are too many constraints which necessitates the cancellation of this years Annual Parade and Craft Fair which were due to take place in the first two weeks of July.

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Malden Memories Beverley 90 Years … the experience changed my life by Fr.Clive Piggott In 2021 the former Beverley School - now Coombe Boys School celebrates its ninetienth anniversary. It has served the community of New Malden in many ways during that time and I had the privilege of being a schoolmaster there from 1969 to 2005. Here are some of my memories as Head of Religious Education and the wonderful life the school has given me. Originally I was only going to be at Beverley for one year but the Headmaster, Mr.Clifford Fisher, was an inspirational Head and I enjoyed a fantastic career for the vast majority of my time there. He allowed me to introduce R.E. in a completely different way and to get the students involved within the community. His support was invaluable. In the first term I was asked to arrange the annual Carol Service at Saint James Church and had to meet the Vicar Rev.Francis Butcher. Although not an Anglican I found in Francis another person who greatly influenced me and within months I was appointed a Reader within the Church and that brought the Church and School into a partnership. I was also involved with Cancer Relief as it was then and gradually that became the major school charity which has lasted to this day. Witin the R.E. Department we introduced project work and stimulated discussion to encourage the students to form their own ideas.Gradually I got to know many of the parents well and from the middle 1970’s they established the Cancer Relief Committee. In fact we opened the first Cancer Information Table in the Reception in the early 80’s. A student Committee followed. The Department organised February Half Term trips to the beautiful village of Kandersteg in Switzerland by train and eventually these were opened for parents of the school,members of Saint James and Cancer Relief. They operated from 1973 to the late 1980’s. After their Summer exams some fifth form students could join a trip for five days staying at the beautifully sited Denstone College in Staffordshire… walking and meditating on The Prayer of St.Francis and enjoying the swimming pool and excursions thanks to the school having a Crew bus. Of course, under Clifford the school was noted for its sporting successes in so many areas including rowing, fencing, rugby - to name but a few.

social and religious matters and various religious groups. A Christian Union run by the students was formed and the Founders Days Services were held at Saint James. Each year the Department organised an Exhibition on a topic taken from the RE syllabus – 1972 was Tutankhamun,1973 Roman Empire,1974 Indians of the Americas,1975 Medieval Britain and in 1977 Royal Households of Europe to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabth II.

Between 1500 and 2000 people visited each of the exhibitions and many firms supplied display items. In 1977 there were so many items from various royal households that we had to have people staying overnight for security! From 1974-77 all the building work was carried out by the PSA Chairman Mr.Peter Feltham. We even had a complete replica set of the Crown Jewels. In 1973 we also started theme parties and these continued until 2016 with students acting as waiters in costumes. These were open for the School Staff, parents, members of Saint James and Cancer Relief Friends. Some took place in Church Halls or the school sports hall where on one occasion we had 250 plus to one of our Bavarian Beer evenings. Later some took place in historical locations. The Imperial Russian night at Chiswick House where we were dressed in some of the costumes from the film Nicholas and Alexandra, the Imperial Viennese Night at Headley Court where we borrowed the Dress Uniform of the Governor of

Within lessons in the senior years we had many speakers coming to talk to the boys about 14 Please remember to mention the Village Voice when you speak to our advertisers

the Tower of London and many many more. We also organised year trips to the Manor House Hotel on Dartmoor for the parents etc. Having been priested in 1997 I became Hon. Chaplain to the School following the departure of Rev.Slattery.

I left Beverley in 2005 since the education system had changed drastically for my subject - but the Cancer Suite continues to this day and I have close contacts with the school…many ex-parents and former students and staff.

In 1996 a Cancer Information Suite and chapel was constructed in one of the Department’s huts accommodation on the school field by parents and senior students and later this was transferred to a site in the playground. This was officially opened by the Mayor and the MP for Kingston upon Thames Edward Davey. Finally in 2010 with a school rebuild a purpose built place was sited just inside the school main gate and in the year 2019 it had 120 footfalls in one year on the opening days of Thursday each week or by appointment at other times.

I consider I was very, very fortunate to have taken that post for one year because it changed the whole of my life both within the school and the community. I learnt so much from the young men and later women that I was supposedly teaching and made many lifelong friendships - in fact all the members of the Malden McMillian Committee are former parents of Beverley students and all bar one have served this charity committee for over 45 years each.

I also had the privilege of organising the fourth year two week Work Experience for four years and became the school Community and Industry Links co-ordinator organising through the Midland Bank a student run school bank and a discount card for local shops including MacDonalds which was well used. We also established the position of a R.E. Dept. Prefect a position held annually by a senior student who was part of the Cancer Relief Junior Committee.

It is now Coombe Boys School and has progressed in leaps and bounds firstly under the leadership of Carol Cambell from Coombe Girls, then Deebie Walls and now David Smith. I value greatly my continued association with such a wonderful educational establishment which gives the students a fully rounded education and start in life. With great facilities. Is an ideal school for any young man.

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Parkin’ some thoughts Historically Speaking by Nick Hazell Some things just stick in your head. Births; deaths; marriages; Bristol City winning the Freight Rover Trophy in 1986... They all have their place in my addled brain. The other day though as I battled my way down a crowded High Street having secured my second dose of anti-Covid juice, the words of my university history tutor came to mind. “The only thing we learn from history,” he said “is that we learn nothing from history.” I’m fairly sure he got most of his imparted wisdom from an ageing stash of Christmas Crackers acquired over the years from Boswells, the Oxford department Store, but the words have resonance 30 years on. He was slightly eccentric, somewhere between 55 and 85 and had a style which I can only describe, acknowledging its political incorrectness but accepting its accuracy, as camp; a sort of thinking man’s Larry Grayson. He was brilliantly intellectual, great pals with rock stars and had a wonderful way of politely conveying the inconvenient truth that my fabulously crafted essays on the subject of the symbolism evident in portraiture of the Tudor and Stuart eras were in fact Bollox. He also had the most ridiculously valuable collection of antiques, including papal medallions, portraits by Old Masters, Louis XIV furnishings and his most prized possession, a pair of the poet Rupert Brook’s underpants, the crafty acquisition of which he was absurdly proud.

nature. We’ll go out again, see friends and generally get back to our lives. So we should. It’s been a miserable 14 months. A return to normal is what many of us want. But if nothing else, now might be the time to reconsider whether the status-quo was really working and how we might change what wasn’t. You see. History doesn’t have to repeat itself. We can’t control whether someone, somewhere is about to tuck into a super spreader reptile soup, but this pandemic has shown that just because we’ve always done something a particular way doesn’t mean it always has to be done as such. But enough of this. I’ve more important tasks now at hand. I’m off to wash some boxer shorts. They might be worth something to somebody someday.

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Folk Law from Pearson Hards Where there’s a Will there’s a way ….. But if there is no will then complications and difficulties usually follow. The law makes a distinction in the way a person’s estate is dealt with after they have died, between people who have made a will and those who have not. Where the person has a left a valid will setting out their wishes, the estate is usually dealt with in accordance with those wishes. Where no will has been made, the person is said to have died intestate. In that case, the provisions of the Intestacy Rules apply and the estate is divided amongst the family of the person, very often in a way that the person would not have wanted. The Intestacy Rules can deal with a variety of situations depending on the nearest relatives to the person who has died. If the person was survived by a spouse and children the estate passes to them. It is a common misunderstanding that a spouse would receive the whole of a person’s estate. In fact, the Intestacy Rules provide that a spouse receives the personal effects and household goods for a person and then up to £270,000 from the estate. The remaining estate is then divided into two parts, with one part passing to the spouse and the other part divided amongst the children. In cases where the family home is owned by one person and intestacy could mean that the spouse might have to leave the family home to satisfy the legacies due to the children. The situation for people who have not married is even worse. The Intestacy Rules do not recognise partners who are not married. In that case the surviving partner would not inherit anything under the rules and would be left in a very difficult position. If there is no spouse or children the estate gets divided between more distant relatives. This often causes difficulty as it is necessary to get a full understanding of the family tree. Usually it is necessary to involve a firm of genealogists to research the family tree so that everyone who is entitled gets their proper share. This process adds expense and can cause substantial delay. The Intestacy Rules provide a pecking order for the people entitled to share in the estate of a person who has died without a will. This pecking order is used to identify the people who are entitled to apply for a grant at the Probate Registry. This can sometimes cause a problem as the people entitled to take the grant might be unsuitable or unwilling to get involved. All in all, dying without having made a will often leads to uncertainty and delay and can give rise to unfairness and hardship. The moral is – make a will before it is too late!

There are many advantages in making a will. Each person gets to choose who they wish to deal with their estate after they have died and how they wish their estate to be distributed. The person can make proper provision to protect their loved ones, especially any who might be vulnerable for one reason or another. The Intestacy Rules are very much “one size fits all” and do not cater for the needs of people with particular needs, such as those with a physical or mental disability. In addition friends and charities can benefit from the estate, which would not otherwise happen. A further reason why a will should be made is to ensure that Inheritance Tax is minimised. As part of the willmaking process decision can be made that would save Inheritance Tax, either on the person’s death, or perhaps for future generations. It would not be right to say that simply having a will stops any problems arising. Unfortunately, too often people think they are able to draft their own wills and get things wrong, either making the will invalid or open to misinterpretation. A famous example of this arose out of perhaps the shortest will ever written. The will simply said “All to Mum”. An argument then arose between the man’s mother and his wife, who he frequently called “Mum.” It took a court case to sort it out. There is an increasing trend of people challenging wills and it is important that any will is made in the correct way, after proper consideration of all the circumstances. So, another moral is to get professional help in making a will. Many people delay making a will because the process is a bit daunting. Perhaps they are unsure about how to protect their children, or a vulnerable parent. Perhaps people have a second marriage and want to balance the needs of the new spouse against the children from their first marriage. Perhaps a couple are unmarried and not sure how best to deal with their assets. Whatever the circumstances, it is likely that the Intestacy Rules would not result in an outcome that would be better than if there was a will, and very likely the outcome would be much worse. At Pearson Hards we have specialists who are able to assist in making wills to help and advise people in a wide range of situations. Why not give us a call? If you call and give instructions before the end of May and quote VV3, we will give you a discount of 10% on the cost of the will. Please call Marie Simmonds today to fix a time to discuss your situation, so everything can be put in order – just in case

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Pearson Hards Solicitors LLP Fountain House 2 Kingston Road New Malden Surrey KT3 3LR 19 To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

Malden Wanderings Love where you live in terms of those you are helping: many state school kids just wouldn’t play cricket without local cricket clubs and the game of cricket confers many skills beyond the technical.

I’d never live here. That’s what I’d told myself. When I first visited New Malden 30 years ago, it was to visit a mate who worked part time in the menswear section at Tudors and his job was like something out of ‘Are You Being Served?’ And this place had a dull as hell high street. It wasn’t even on a fast line to London. I concluded that New Malden was the worst kind of suburbia, neither in the town nor out of town, just nowhere. I’d never live here. So 2021 marks the 20th year I’ve lived in New Malden. And I’ve not gone hungry for words since. And, suffice to say, I’ve spent A LOT of time here in the prevailing pandemic shitegeist. I’m sure many of you would argue with my feelings in the first paragraph. What did I know about how easy it was to get into London, to two airports and down the A3, the proximity of Richmond Park, Bushy Park and all the hidden gem open spaces nearby. And the schools are pretty good too. And buses to Kingston for the shops – if you like that sort of thing. But first and foremost, there’s what the community has to offer. An article from Psychology Today (‘Right Where You Belong’, 2016) recently surfaced in my feed. There’s two aspects to liking where you live: there’s what places offer and what you choose to do in and around them, resulting in so called “place-attachment”. The article includes 4 tips on “How to love where you live”: befriend your neighbours, walk more, eat local food and volunteer. In an era of loneliness, anxiety and increased homeworking, these tips seem more important than ever.

As a volunteer, I had never realised what managing a youth team would mean beyond organisation. The strength of camaraderie to be found at the club is really quite special and it’s nice to connect and make friends with more local people. The physical and mental well-being for all involved last year was incredible. Social capital requires effort to create value. And when you consider the individual self as an ongoing production of social interaction (not just something in your head), then the more diverse and robust a self you will build by taking on a variety of roles. And roles beget knowledge and learning begets happiness and self-esteem. Volunteering is good all round and even older kids (like those pictured above) also get to volunteer at Malden Wanderers as part of initiatives like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or Cricket Leaders, better preparing young people for a positive future. There are of course many types of volunteering in your local community, especially in difficult times, so something to think about if you don’t already do so: for both the people you help and you. Find out more about Malden Wanderers on our website at maldenwanderers.org.uk. ‘im Indoors is Communications Officer at Malden Wanderers

If you saw my January article then you’ll know I was unsurprised to see ‘walking’ on the list. Ditto ‘volunteering’. That’s what my communications role is at Malden Wanderers. I’ll also be managing the fifth and final year of a youth cricket team in the summer term. The benefits of volunteering are usually obvious

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Puzzle Time fairly easy

not so easy

Clothes 1. A sporran is a type of pouch that is commonly worn on top of which pocketless item of clothing?

6. A laundry symbol featuring a circle inside a square with a cross through them indicates that you should not do what with an item of clothing?

2. What style of baggy trousers gathered at the ankle was named after a traditional character in 16th-century Italian comedy?

7. What is the only item of clothing that Bugs Bunny normally wears?

3. Following Matt Smith’s early appearances on Doctor Who, fashion retailers reported that sales of what items of clothing had doubled? 4. Flip-flops are known by what name in Australia, which in the UK would mean items of underwear or swimwear? 5. First featuring in the 1936 film Keep Your Seats Please, which song was banned by the BBC, who labelled lyrics such as “pyjamas lying side by side, ladies nighties I have spied” as smutty?

8. What did the letters stand for in the name of the online fashion retailer ASOS when it was first founded and sold imitations of clothing from the world of TV and film? 9. Which of the following wasn’t a colour of one of the skirts worn by the female members of Bucks Fizz that were ripped off during their performance at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?... a) blue; b) yellow; or c) green? 10. In 2004, which famous tennis player launched a line of designer clothing called Aneres?

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Codeword CODEWORD

Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number Eachbetween letter in 1 this puzzle is and 26. The represented a different codes forbythree letters number are between 1 and for shown. As26. you The find codes the threeletters lettersenter are shown. Once you them in the box havebelow. filled these throughout the grid you can start guessing words and reveal other letters. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

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Perfect Planting

by Pippa Greenwood Now that the weather has well and truly warmed up and you’re spending more time in your garden, you may feel the need to make a few additions to it – perhaps something to bring a little more architecture or structure, to clothe a wall or fence, or something to bring perfume or perhaps colour at an ‘off’ time of year. Whatever it is, there is sure to be a good selection of trees, shrubs and climbers available right now. At any time of year good planting is important if the plants are to get off to the best possible start, and to grow away well for years to come. But if you plant at this time of year it is all the more essential to do it correctly, since temperatures are increasing and the soil is more inclined to be dry. So, what are the top tips for tremendous planting? Make sure the plant is properly suited to the space you have available (check the label or in a good book). Dig the planting hole, making it bigger than the current root ball. On clay soils dig out the hole using a fork, as this is less likely to impede drainage, and make sure the hole is large enough to incorporate some bulky organic matter plus some grit. Fork over the sides of the planting hole. Use garden compost, well-rotted manure or proprietary planting mix to improve the soil texture and add nutrients. If the soil is really poor then you could also use some general fertiliser. Tease the roots out well before planting. If necessary, soak the root ball in water for a couple of hours first. This helps to loosen up a congested root ball and makes it much easier for the roots to move out into the planting hole and surrounding soil. Lower the plant into the hole and gradually add the soil mixed with planting compost. Check that only the roots are buried, not the stem, as planting too deep can kill and will always make the plant suffer and perform poorly. (The only exception to this is clematis, which do better if planted a few inches deeper than this.) Placing a cane over the top of the planting hole makes it easier to judge the correct height of the soil level. Firm the soil

around the roots. The surface of the compost on the existing root ball needs to be level with the soil surface. Re-check the planting depth and water in well – this is really important – and once the soil is thoroughly moistened, apply a 7.5cm (3”) deep mulch all over the root area. This will reduce moisture loss from the soil and also help to keep weeds in check. There is only a need to stake very lanky or large trees, and if you do this make sure that the stake goes in so that root damage is minimised, holding it

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in place with a tree-tie and buffer. Short stakes are now generally believed to be best in the long term. Make sure that the new tree or shrub is kept really well watered and that the soil is not allowed to become dry, as in this establishment phase watering is the key to success.

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New addition to the High Street and a tribute to Reg Finch There is now a defibrillator on the front wall of New Malden Methodist Church in the High Street. A huge thank you to all who donated to enable the defib to be purchased and installed. This includes members of New Malden Methodist Church, friends and family of Reg Finch who were donating in Reg’s memory and the Rotary Club of New Malden including Counsellor Ha. We are very grateful that this potentially lifesaving apparatus is now available to all in the High Street.

Reg Finch was well known to those who visited the Coffee Bar at the New Malden Methodist Church. He would sometimes serve behind the counter, but in more recent years, every day Reg would join others at what became affectionately known as the ‘old codgers table ’ for coffee and a chat. New Malden Methodist Church was the centre-piece of Reg Finch’s life for many years, although this didn’t centre on going to church every Sunday. He lived his faith practically, through being of help and service to the church and others. It seems fitting that the public defibrillator recently installed on the front of New Malden Methodist Church was purchased, in part, from donations gifted in his memory.

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Reg was a familiar sight on the High Street, recognisable by his flat cap which he wore all year round – to protect his head from the sun in the summer, and to keep warm at other times of the year! A slight man, with a gentle manner, Reg was a reserved, yet a friendly kind of person. In many ways his life was unremarkable, but he would never indulge in saying too much about his experiences, not even to his family. Reg Finch moved to New Malden in 1966, setting up home with his wife Sylvia just behind the High Street. They had never intended to stay in the house for more than a few years as Sylvia really wanted a square hallway and larger garden. But it became, and remained a family home, and in recent years its proximity to the shops and amenities meant there was no need to rely on others. Reg’s paternal roots were in Hammersmith and Guildford. His father moved to Southport in Lancashire on return from the First World

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War, having been told by a fellow soldier that employment prospects were much better in the north. He settled in Southport, married Amy a local lady, and they raised three children, of which Reg was the youngest. After obtaining his School Certificate from King George V grammar school for boys, Reg enlisted in the RAF to complete National Service, as was required at the time. He was based in Wigan in a civilian role. Once discharged, Reg joined the civil service to train as an auditor. He relocated to London in the early ‘60s living in west London, then ‘in digs’ (as he would say) with an elderly lady in Southcote Road, Tolworth before moving to New Malden. He had been a keen badminton (and violin) player in his youth, and also a member of an amateur dramatic society. Reg had also been a member of the Countrywide Holiday Association (CHA), and enjoyed hillwalking in the Lake District and Scotland. He used to help MC their seasonal dances and in more recent years, helped with the administration of the association’s head office in Drummond Street, London, including its sale to developers when the association had to finally close due to dwindling membership.

Reg had little interest in travel abroad; he was much happier enjoying the British countryside. Whilst working for the Ministry of Defence in the 1960s, Reg did travel on a regular basis - within Europe and to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, and Bolivia amongst other countries. Business travel must have been quite glamorous at the time! Once he transitioned to the Commission for Racial Equality in the 1980s, there was no need for business trips, only a train ride to London Victoria thereafter. Since retiring, and the passing of his wife shortly afterwards in 1995, Reg lived very locally: enjoying the church community, his garden and Classic FM. Probably one of the council’s best recyclers, a 45-year supporter of his milkman, and someone who banked and shopped ethically, Reg was a gentleman of principle who enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. He trod lightly on the world, never taking more than he needed, and never succumbing to greed. Reg was also a man of quiet intellect with a logical, mathematical mind. Reg Finch died in November following a cardiac event aged 89. He leaves two daughters, Alison and Caroline who both live locally.

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Local people Isabel Elves I have lived in New Malden all my life and am twelve years old. I play three instruments: violin, piano and saxophone but I can also play the drums. My family is very musical and I want to do something to help other musicians during lockdown. I go to Coombe Girls School ( I used to go to Burlington Juniors) and have most of my instrument lessons with Kingston Music Service. This is a great music service which I have been in since Year 1 (I am in year 7 now) and I also play in their Kingston Youth Orchestra on my violin. Professional musicians have not been able to have the usual working year as concerts and much more were cancelled. Many have not been paid due to this and so Help Musicians provides support for them such as giving money to those with financial problems. Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. They offer support

to emerging, professional and retired musicians – whatever the genre. I will be raising money for this charity by playing all my instruments for 100 minutes (all together) on one day; it will take place on the 1st of June. During the time I will play lots of different pieces of music including some of the pieces from the ABRSM Grades for all the instruments. This is part of the Captain Sir Tom Moore 100 scheme which is in memory of Captain Sir Tom Moore walking laps around his garden till he was one hundred. His family set this up in time for what would be his 101st birthday. This is to get the country doing the same as he once did by doing something around the number 100 for a charity. That is what inspired me to do this for Help Musicians. If you wish to donate here is the link to my donations website: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/100-minutes-practice

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Friday Night Cocktail Club Rhubarb Mimosa by Ali Warner Don’t crumble it drink it. The only thing that grows without fail in my little veggie plot is rhubarb. My dad gave me a root from his own garden more than a decade ago and despite the efforts of builders, local foxes and my own wilful neglect it continues to thrive year in and year out. I like rhubarb crumble but you can get sick of it pretty quickly and then what? Well in my case I turn it into a syrup and drink it. During lockdown I started to manage the blur of weekdays into weekends by downing tools at 5.30pm on Fridays to make myself a cocktail. A bit of effort, an opportunity to reduce the number of half empty drinks bottles in my cupboards and the reward of a sweet treat at the end of it played well to my mental health and wellbeing, “Do a column on this Ali,” a good friend said on Facebook - so here it is and this is the first one. My first cocktail is a Mimosa, name after an Australian flower, rumoured to have been created by Alfred Hitchcock and not too far away from Britain’s very own wedding favourite - Buck’s Fizz. It’s got three main ingredients and needs just a tad of effort - but it is guaranteed to be a pleasant start to a Sunday lunch. It also works as a happy sundowner to transport you from the burbs to a dream about all inclusive beaches in Greece where there’s a lovely chap whose only job is to clean your sunglasses. Here’s what you need 5 sticks of the pinkest rhubarb you can find (soft fruits like strawberries or raspberries work too) Honey A splash of water A small or large bottle of fizz/sparkling water Cocktail cherry and umbrella (optional) Little pot of snacks - Roasted flava beans are nice, also works with a bag of Quavers.

How to make your syrup Cut the rhubarb into small chunks and place in a saucepan with a splash of water and cook at a low heat until the fruit is mushy - keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn and add a splash of water if it’s sticking. Wait until slightly cool and sieve the rhubarb juice into a measuring jug - my 5 stalks gave me about 250mls of juice. This juice with be TART and I mean tart - so start adding some runny hunny to it o get it to the sweetness you like. It is worth keeping a little bit of bite so don’t overdo it - try 2 tablespoons of honey and then add more from there. Pour boiling water into a jam jar to sterilise it and then chuck the water away and add the syrup to the jar. Put it in your fridge and let it chill and settle for 30 mins or so. Put a nice flute glass and fizz of choice in the fridge to chill too. When you are ready add 25-30 mls of rhubarb syrup to the flute and top up with fizzy wine or water. Get fancy fancy with a cherry and cocktail umbella. Grab a pot of snacks, find a free seat in the garden and swig to your heart’s content. This syrup is also great over ice cream or added to gin and tonic. I’d love to see your cocktail creations so if you fancy sharing yours with me send me your pictures to @alivmwarner on Instagram.

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A Photographer Dreams... by Hugh Griffiths www.creativelight.org.uk

Most of my photos for May are of the birds I saw in my garden during the first lockdown in 2020. But I also spent some time indoors (the weather wasn’t quite 100% perfect) and took photos of the cut flowers that we had, that my wife bought. The first lot were yellow tulips, and this next set were orange in different shades, but still tulips. I have really enjoyed getting some of the personalities of these flowers in their photographs; this lot were much more prone to drooping than the yellow ones, so many of my photos were of them falling over the vase they were in. Seeing them falling over the side of the vase seems a bit like looking at a collection of Bronte ladies at a Ball! I have written before about the tulip festival at Arundel Castle in West Sussex each Spring … clearly it was cancelled last year and this year. But they have put a set of tulip photographs on their website for us to get a small picture of what we are missing - https://www. arundelcastle.org/event/virtual-tulip-festival/. This particular variety is full of petals and colour – almost flame like in their appearance. They are very beautiful and very easy to photograph. One of the great advantages of still life photography, or of photographing cut flowers is that they don’t answer back, almost always stay still and can be moved around to suit your artistic vision. It’s always worthwhile to get rid of distracting backgrounds for this type of image: in this case I had put a large piece of black card behind the vase – supported by a pile of jigsaw boxes (very sophisticated!) – and that kept the background very simple. In my opinion, a backdrop like this benefits from being white, black or grey so that the colours and shapes of the object are not lost in the colour of a different backing sheet. Pigeons are our second most common visitor at home. We are fortunate to have a huge collection of sparrows who mostly live in a quince bush near the front of the garden, by our living room. I think it gives them protection from any predator birds that may threaten them … and also it has some lovely red flowers in Spring (so I’m told: my colour blindness means that I can hardly distinguish the flowers from the glossy green leaves). But the pigeons come and stand around and gawp at the garden, at the plants, the food possibilities (lots

of worms – yummm!) and, of course, anyone who sits in the garden. Our dog, Poppy, gets very worked up when she sees them and chases them away – so I need to keep her away when I want to take pictures outside. This pigeon was sitting on the back of a swinging bench we have and that I had pulled to the middle of the garden and hung some bird seed from the frame. It wasn’t a great place to sit down but we have another bench and some garden chairs that I could use. It seemed to be staring quizzically at me when I took the photo and I only noticed when I was editing it that its eyes were sticking out of its head, making it look really strange. Almost like a cartoon character!

I took the photo with a relatively small aperture, so that the background would be blurred, leaving the pigeon as the centre of attention. It’s well worth thinking of this when you take a picture – “How can I get my viewer’s attention on to the object of my photo?” Some photos are artistic, some are fun – this one falls definitely into the latter category. Now, the sparrows. Of course, Spring is the time for chicks, and we had a lot in the garden last year – both sparrow chicks and a robin chick. They can be so lovely to take pictures of, and some are not as wary of us humans as they later learn to be. Again, sitting in the garden – the weather was glorious for a lot of the spring – and watching the birds as they came to the bird feeder hanging on the swing bench was a great way to spend the lockdown. I had a great

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combination weigh about 3-4 kilos and I wasn’t able to use a tripod to keep them steady as the birds, darn them, didn’t ever get the hang of posing in the same place each time. I had to life the camera etc. and focus on the sparrows and then take a rapid-fire set of photos, hoping that there will be some successes. This was one!

book to read on my iPad, my camera all set up with a very long lens and my seat was a short 4 metres away from the feeder. I probably missed a fair number of pictures when I got absorbed in my book, but there are usually second opportunities. We all know that chicks are fed by their parents putting food directly into their mouths, but I haven’t seen it happen very often. So, it was a thrill to see this female sparrow and her baby sitting on the back of the swing bench and feeding her offspring. It isn’t a great photo – the birds are not very sharp, but the scene is cuteness personified! My camera and lens

The Malden Camera Club has cancelled its physical meetings while the coronavirus is around, but we still have virtual meetings through video conferencing and other online tools. We expect to be meeting in person at the Malden Library from September on Thursday evenings, but will be keeping this under review. If you want to know more about us, then contact us via the details on our website … www.maldencameraclub. org.uk And you can, of course, contact me via my website: www.creativelight.org.uk

The best apps for food

BBC Good Food There are two BBC Good Food apps: the magazine, and this one. This app has over 13,000 recipes that you can save and sort into your own collections, and as you’d expect from the BBC it’s beautifully presented and photographed. It’s a constant source of information.

Paprika Recipe Manager This app for iOS and Android devices is our must-have for any kitchen. It enables you to send online recipes from your web browser and store them in one place. Not only that, but it automatically separates ingredients and instructions, can adjust quantities for more or fewer people and can even create your shopping list.

Readly This isn’t a food app, but this Netflix for magazines has tons of UK and US cooking magazines in it, each of which is reproduced perfectly. And when you’re finished cooking you can kick back and relax with men’s and women’s magazines, music magazines and every other kind of magazine.

To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

Solutions

CodeWord

Quiz

1. A kilt 2. Pantaloons 3. Bow ties 4. Thongs 5. When I’m Cleaning Windows (by George Formby) 6. Tumble dry it 7. Gloves 8. As seen on screen 9. b) yellow 10. Serena Williams (the label’s name is her first name spelt backwards)

Sudokus

Pictograms

1. Bend Over Backwards 2. Life Goes On 3. Play The Fool

Wordwheel ASPIRED / DESPAIR

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Royal British Legion Malden & Coombe Branch Malden and Coombe Royal British Legion were instructed not to hold services on the passing of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh due to Covid 19 guidelines. However we did lay a wreath in his memory and gave thanks for his Military service during his life. The Royal Navy had been in his blood from his earliest days, through services in the Mediterranean and Pacific during World War 2, to post –war command and honorary roles with the Fleet and Royal Marines up to his retirement from public duties. The Prince’s Royal Navy career began aged 17 when he attended Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. It was there that he first met Her

Tree Surgery • Tree Felling Stump Grinding Tree Surveys and Reports Planting• Hedge Maintenance Fruit tree management Fully qualified Arborists £5 Million Liability Insurance Local Authority Approved Free Quotations and Advice

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Majesty, then the Princess Elizabeth, when he escorted her family on a visit to Dartmouth. He passed out of Dartmouth in 1940 aged 19 and excelled there, receiving the King’s Dirk and the Eardley Howard Crocket prize for best cadet. This was now World War 2 so from there as a midshipman, his career started on HMS Ramillies escorting troops from Australia to Egypt before joining HMS Kent and Shropshire in the Asia–Pacific region. He saw action off North Africa in particular victory over the Italian Fleet at Cape Matapan in March 1941. He was mentioned in Despatches for “bravery and enterprise” in controlling HMS Valiant’s searchlights in the night action which “greatly contributed to the devastating results achieved “by the guns. In 1943 whilst on HMS Wallace, which escorted and helped Canadian landings during the invasion of Sicily, Prince Philip was described as an “officer of unusual promise “and predicted he would “make his mark in the Service” He was promoted to First Lieutenant on HMS Whelp and was present in Tokyo Bay on the surrender of the Japanese in September 1945. He continued his service after the marriage to Princess Elizabeth and they lived in Malta between 1949 and 1951.During that time he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and given his first sea- going command on antisubmarine frigate HMS Magpie. His naval career ended in January 1953.He received many Naval titles and supported naval charities during the transition from Service to Royal Life. Prince Philip continued to support the Royal Navy and on his 90th birthday the Queen conferred the title and office of Lord High Admiral upon him. A fitting title to a war hero whose last public engagement in August 2017 to review a parade by Royal Marines at Buckingham Palace. May he rest in peace IN THE MEMORY OF THE FALLEN AND THE FUTURE OF THE LIVING

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about your business in your local magazines in 2021 from just £28 plus vat a month Be seen and heard by the your local market in the Village Voice and Worcester Park Life.

With competitive pricing, friendly efficient service and helpful advice it’s simple and effective... But then the best ideas always are.

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35 15/12/2020 12:48

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