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The Newport News team and some regular contributors (all are volunteers)

John Gordon

Tricia Rose

Barney Miller

Anthony Tuck

David Evans

Mark Pender

Miriam Pender

Vic Fowler

Max Rollin

Tricia Priest

Julie Pampling

Julie Maylin

Alison Lecky

John Oswin Smith

Berenice Smith

Jeremy Rose

Andrew Blatt

Cherry Mitchell

Karen Fiske

Neil Byford

Managing Editor John Gordon, The Old Maltings, High Street, Newport, CB11 3PQ (542090) email: john@newportnews.org.uk Editor Tricia Rose, The Brown House, High Street, Newport (541114) email: editorial@newportnews.org.uk Joint History Editors Anthony Tuck 8 Cherry Garden Lane (543833) David Evans Cotefi eld, 19 Wicken Road (540235) Advertising Miriam Pender (540465) Max Rollin Julie Pampling Berenice Smith Tricia Priest Julie Maylin Directory John Oswin Smith (541498) Berenice Smith (541498) Salley Ann Yates (541609) Treasurer Mark Pender Baby Photographs Gina Holley (543046) Newport News by Post Sue Vance, Larkfi eld, Debden Road, Newport, Essex CB11 3RU (540322) Newport News has a circulation of 1,600 and is published twice a year, in June and December. It is delivered FREE to every household in Newport, with extra copies available from local shops at £2.50. The magazine is also sent away to many people; see ‘Newport News by Post’ above.

CONTRIBUTIONS Bari Hooper

Roz Saggers

Janie Watson

Don Alexander

Andy Sivell

We welcome contributions on Newport’s past, present or future. Unless otherwise agreed, articles should reach us by 1 April (Summer issue), or 1 October (Winter issue). editorial@newportnews.org.uk Digital submissions are preferred (digital photos and copy emailed or on disk). Articles should be approximately 25 0–1,500 words.

Gina Holley

Cecilia Gordon

Emma Bradshaw

Chris Murphy

Nina Jones

Please note: contributions to Newport News come from various sources and the editors cannot hold themselves responsible for their factual accuracy, and may not necessarily agree with all views expressed. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the editor. We also reserve the right to edit any articles submitted.

ADVERTISING Janet Schofi eld

Howard Schofi eld

Jane Murphy

Olga Bak

Elaine Murphy

If you want to advertise in Newport News please contact John Gordon (542090) or Miriam Pender (540465). advertising@newportnews.org.uk Artwork supplied in PDF format is preferred, however we can also design adverts for you. Design, Layout & Production Barney Miller – www.design-mill.co.uk (540173) Cover Sandra Amos, The Post Offi ce.

Maureen Gordon

Salley Ann Yates

Yvonne Hannant

Susan Vance

Alasdair Kelly

Photograph Mike Cameron, www.c-lutions.co.uk

ISSN 0956-487X

Winter 2013 Newport News 1

EDITORIAL

Contents REGULARS

3 Letter from the editors 5 Letters to the editor 6 Newport neighbours 4 1 Good moaning, Newport 42 The farming year 49 Newport weddings 50 Newport fi re station 55 Neighbourhood Watch 96 Gardening with Vic 105 Newport directory 110 Our representatives 110 Newport diary 111 Travel information 112 List of advertisers

THIS ISSUE CHARITY

52 Kyangala Trust 53 Gace’s Charity 76 St Clare Hospice

CHURCH

21 Roll on up to the Big Top! 47 St Mary’s update 78 Restoration work and two ‘fi nds’

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS 62 68 70 85 89

1st Newport Brownies Girls Go Out 1st Newport Scouts Newport District Brownies Newport Art Group

COMMUNITY 14 16 17 22 23 34 46 56 65 69

ave Newport Village S A fi rst class service Buffy Playbus Parish Council Report Newport Youth Club Improving Newport Village Hall Newport Open Gardens 2013 The Pottery Bungalow Frederick House Why build affordable houses?

EDUCATION

64 Newport Primary School 66 Leading his charges

2 Newport News Winter 2013

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT 12 NATS ‘A Motive for Murder’ 74 All the fun of the Fete

HISTORY

18 R ainfall data for Newport 2003-2012 20 Newport Census population changes 2001–2011 24 Memorial pictures 25 Newport local history group 26 The old Newport telephone exchange 28 Nellie Pavitt and her descendants 36 Newport rocks and fossils 38 Ancient round tower churches 40 Goodbye to Roy and June 98 A day and a night to remember 100 A personal account

OBITUARIES

101 Joan Alice Howard 101 Eileen Miriam Holland 102 William (Bill) Saich 103 Herbert Harold Kirby 104 Alan Bolton

PEOPLE

19 H ealth walks 32 Private Rushforth 45 Elizabeth is the queen bee of baking 48 Norway in a nutshell 72 Susan Brown and her photojournal 86 Voices of Newport – Gordon Wheeler 90 A chance remark 95 Cars of a certain age

SPORT 80 82 83 84

Newport sports committee Tennis Club Newport Football Club Newport Croquet Club

WORK 58 61 77 92

Newport Business Association iriam’s New World M Newport Barber Shop Waterloo Gallery

EDITORIAL

Letter from the editors JOHN GORDON, MANAGING EDITOR TRICIA ROSE, EDITOR

nd so we have reached our 80th issue since we started Newport News in 1974, and covered some 40 years since then. It has been great fun sailing our craft through the choppy waters of succeeding events, and so far we are still here. This is thanks to the support of our advertisers, who provide the bulk of our income, currently around £8,000 an issue, a figure which just about covers our costs. It is also due to the involvement of the 40 people pictured on page 1 of the magazine who go out and get the advertisements, write the articles and do the endless things which are necessary to bring Newport News to your door. We thank them all. As we write we have recently heard the result of the two applications to develop part of Whiteditch Lane. Despite well-reasoned arguments against the granting of permission on the grounds of sewerage capacity, water supply, traffic problems, the proximity to the Grammar school, pressure on the doctors’ surgery, schools, and general sustainability, both applications were granted. One was for the building of a Care Village on the old nursery site at Whiteditch Lane, together with five residential luxury homes put in by Pelham Structures. The other was for the erection of 84 houses to the west of the nursery, put in by Sworders. Despite excellent representations made by members of the ‘Save Newport Village’ campaign, individual members of the Parish and District Councils and members of the public, plus Neil Hargreaves’ inspired letters, the applications were granted by the Uttlesford District Council. This is a very disappointing result when one had thought that the protesters had common sense, logical argument and compelling facts on their side. We send our thanks to everybody involved in trying to limit

Newport’s expansion to sensible levels. Doubtless there will be other battles ahead and we will have to man the barricades once again if Newport is not to become a sprawling, traffic-ridden town. This leads on to the re-emergence of Stansted Airport as possibly due for expansion. We understand that the current position is that the Government has asked the Airports Commission, led by Sir Howard Davies, to examine the need for additional UK airport capacity, and a report is expected in December with a short list of options. Stansted Airport has been taken over by the Manchester Airport Group who have made plain that they would be willing to consider it not just as a two runway airport but also as a mega-hub with four runways to replace Heathrow. These are worrying words for local communities who would no doubt suffer from greatly increased noise, traffic and general blight. Fortunately we have the hitherto very successful and professional protest group,

‘Stop Stansted Expansion’ (SSE) - do please support them in their efforts. In addition Uttlesford District Council has reaffirmed its opposition to any further expansion. It must not be forgotten that the Airport already has permission to expand passenger numbers to 35 million a year and currently it is barely operating at roughly half that number. A landmark event for the village has been Sandra Amos’s retirement from running the Post Office. For 27 years she has provided a wonderful service, not only as post mistress but also as adviser, social centre and sometimes a shoulder to cry on, all with great good sense and cheerfulness. We are pleased to feature Sandra on our cover, the first time ever we have honoured a single individual like this. We are delighted that Alan Carr at NISA opposite has picked up the baton; the Post Office has been transferred to his store and doubtless he and his team will run it with their usual efficiency. On the Church front, October 1st

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EDITORIAL marked the start of the new benefice of Newport with Widdington, Quendon and Rickling, led by the Revd Neil McLeod. This expansion of his responsibilities will place an additional burden on Neil’s broad shoulders but doubtless he will bear it cheerfully and effectively, supported as he is by an excellent team. A matter of some concern is the fact that the Newport Fire Crew is well below strength, as are so many similar groups in the country. They currently have eleven crew out of the usual sixteen. They desperately need another five to meet their responsibilities adequately. They particularly need people who can respond to call-outs during the daytime. If you are interested do please contact Officer in Charge Neil Byford, mobile number 07850 230466, who will be delighted to hear from you. Alternatively, call in at the Fire Station on a Thursday evening between 7pm and 9pm. We were delighted that Newport once again held a Fête, organised by Neil Saville, Mike Hannant, Elaine and Mark Murphy and Sharon Bonnington with a remarkable team of helpers. A total of some £3,000 was raised for a number of

4 Newport News Winter 2013

village organisations. It is wonderful to see the community spirit flowering in this way, and the organisers told us that they were enormously grateful for all the help received from so many villagers. Turning to the surgery we are very sorry to hear that Dr. Basra is on long term sick leave and will be away until at least next March. We send him our very best wishes for his recovery. In Dr Basra’s absence the practice has employed Dr June McLennan to provide cover and she will be working full time. A further difficulty is that one of the key nursing staff is also on long term sick leave but fortunately two part time nurses, who have worked at the surgery before are returning to provide cover. All the above will put great pressure on the other doctors and staff. We rely and value the surgery team to keep us fit and healthy and long may they do so. We are very pleased to hear that the Practice manager, Nicola Jackson is proposing to widen the ambit of the Patient Participation Group (PPG), the successor of the old Patient Council, by holding twice yearly meetings with a chairman drawn from the members

themselves. At present communication is only by email and it is felt that the six monthly meetings will provide a direct face to face conduit between the patients and the surgery so that any points can be dealt with straight away. We very much welcome the move. Next year marks the centenary of the start of the First World War, and to mark this Jeff Bines has been compiling a list of those who died in both World Wars showing when and where they were killed, and where possible the circumstances. We would like to illustrate the feature with photographs of the fallen. On page 24 we list those who died for us. If you are a relative or friend and possess a photograph of one of them, we would be very pleased if you could kindly lend it to us for scanning and return. Please contact Jeff Bines on 540599 by 1st March 2014. And so, after our first forty years we look forward to our fifth decade with our usual mix of trepidation, expectation and hope. We came across a rather good “mission statement” somewhere which seems to summarise our purpose: “Discovering the Past, recording the Present and informing the Future.” NN

EDITORIAL

Letters to the editor Dear editor We are writing to pass comment on the new houses, which have recently been unveiled in London Road Newport. We were intrigued whilst the build was in progress, as the houses were obscured behind high hoardings and when they were revealed, could understand why! Whilst the style of the houses is OK, we were somewhat disappointed at the choice of brickwork, which makes them stick out like a sore thumb against the surrounding properties. Even fairly newly built houses around them, blend in very well with the older properties, and red brick and plaster work have been used to one degree or another, making them fit in. Did Lego sponsor these houses? As they remind us of a child’s construction using the multi-coloured bricks from this toy. Did the developers consult with the planners fully on the materials used? Surely, a more subtle facade would have been favourable. Will the future purchasers have to apply for planning permission, if they too decide that they feel that calmer hues were more appropriate, and paint them? I’m sure it is not just us who feel this way. Laurie and Carole Poole

Dear editor In the article about the Hi-hello’s Concert Party in the last issue (page 26), I found myself described as “unknown” in the top left photo. I am second from the left, next to Denny Palmer. I was then called Lorna Goudie, and I married Percy Turner in 1949. Lorna Turner

LEFT TO RIGHT: DENNY PALMER; LORNA gOuDIE; JOAN HARVEY (LATER JOAN BRACE); DEREK HOLLAND; MARY HARVEY (LATER MARY POWELL); BERT SELL; THELMA RuSHWORTH (LATER THELMA BOOHER); gEORgE CHESHAM; LENA RICHARDSON (LATER LENA SCHNEIDER); STAN PALMER.

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Call Dave Winder, Track and Test 01799 540726 or 07751 153991 Winter 2013 Newport News 5

PEOPLE

Newport neighbours FRAMBURYLANE JOHN GORDON

The Bungalows in Frambury Lane Once again I stepped out, notebook and biro in hand, to visit some of Newport’s residents in my long-term quest to visit all of the village’s 1,000 homes. For this issue I first called on the bungalows numbered 56 to 70, which I believe were built by Glasscocks of Bishop’s Stortford in the 1950s. I quickly found that my job was complicated by yellow stickers on doors saying that Cold Callers were not welcome and certainly No Hawkers or door to door salesmen! I hadn’t thought of myself as such but it was obviously a sensible policy of which I thoroughly approved - though it did complicate the project. “No answer at the first two, numbers 56 and 58. I remember that Mrs Lillian Cage, Bev Baker’s mother, lived at no. 56 from 1998 until she died last year.

60 Frambury Lane Pat Whitehead Here I was welcomed in by Pat Whitehead, who told me that she had lived here since 2007. She was born in 1947 in Liverpool, where she was educated at Waterloo Grammar school. She left at 16 to go to the Ballet

PAT WHITEHEAD

6 Newport News Winter 2013

Rambert Ballet School in London, graduating as a professional dancer. She then had a variety of jobs in that capacity, which she said were “great fun and hard work”. In 1970 she married her husband Tom, also in the theatrical world, and they had two daughters, Neenya in 1971 and Bekki in 1974. Sadly Tom and Pat divorced in 1976 and Pat went back to Liverpool to teach dancing part time at the university. In 1992 Pat began to work in the hotel industry and in 1999 she came to work in this area as a housekeeper. She retired in 2007 and it was then that she came to Newport. She loves it here and is very happy. She has lots of friends, goes to the gym and enjoys life in a quiet way.

66 Frambury Lane Pamela Pinner No one was in at numbers 62 and 64, but at 66 Pamela Pinner invited me into her spotless sitting room and told me that she was born in 1925 in Stoke Newington, one of three children. When she was 11 the family had been struck by a terrible tragedy. Her father, a stockbroker, had taken Pamela’s elder brother to the library to change a book. A car mounted the pavement, killing her father aged only 42, and badly injuring her brother. The family was devastated and Pamela’s mother had to go out to work as a machinist to make ends meet. Pamela left school aged 15 and almost immediately the war broke out, whereupon Pamela and her younger sister Peggy were briefly evacuated to Kettering, but soon returned to their mother. In 1941 the front of

PAMELA PINNER

their house was blown off by a bomb - luckily the family was sleeping in an Anderson shelter at the back and were unharmed. Pamela became a machinist like her mother, and in 1946 she married Ron Pinner, born in 1924. During the war he served in the Arctic convoys to Russia on HMS Cumberland but also went to Australia and many other places. Upon his demob he worked in the electrical industry, retiring in 1986. They lived for 12 years in Potters Bar before moving to Royston and finally to Newport in 1999. Ron died in 2005. Pamela’s brother, who had been so badly injured in the motor accident in 1937 lived on, dying last year aged 90. Pamela and Ron had three sons, Roy, born 1947, an accountant, married with two children and living in Stansted; Stephen born 1951, a recruitment consultant who also has two children and lives in Chingford; and Colin, born 1957, married and divorced, also with two children and who now lives near

PEOPLE Cambridge. He is of course our own Colin Pinner who started the “Get up and Go” gym in Newport and used to live in Wicken Road, and is the reason that his parents moved to Newport. Indeed Colin’s former wife Angela and her two children live in Cherry Garden Lane and are very supportive to Pamela, as indeed are the whole family. To finish the tale, Pamela’s mother died in 1996 aged 97 after a lifetime of hard work. As Pamela remarked, “hard work never killed anybody”. I left her filled with admiration at how she and her family had overcome difficulties and made such a success of life.

He has had a variety of jobs including farm working, welding and being a coal merchant, then retired in 2010 and two years later moved to Newport to be near his brother. He likes it here and very much appreciates the lack of planes, as at his former home in Hallingbury the noise was dreadful.

68 Frambury Lane Ernie Osborne At number 68 I found Ernie Osborne, brother of Ossie Osborne at number 49 who I interviewed for the last issue. Ernie, born in 1951, was one of the seven children of a coalman from Little Hallingbury. He went to school in 1956 and left ten years later at 15. He married and had three children but sadly later divorced.

ERNIE OSBORNE

72 Frambury Lane Harry Monk I failed at number 70 so moved on to the more modern bungalows, 72 - 88, built I believe in the 1960s by Browns of Epping. At no. 72 I found Harry Monk, born in Clavering in 1924, a retired farm worker and gardener. His wife Elsie wasn’t present as she was temporarily in a home in Thaxted recovering from a broken ankle. Harry told me that he was one of the six children of Herbert Monk, a stockman at Wood Hall, Arkesden, and Gladys Harvey. When Harry was quite small the family moved to Newport to a cottage, now demolished, in Church Street, when his father worked for Jesse Heaton at Palletts Farm. The family then moved back to Clavering for a while before settling in Arkesden. Harry began his working life as a farm labourer for Mr Hickley who owned Wood Hall Estate in Arkesden. After the war the farm was sold to a Mr and Mrs Leonard who bred horses, and later Harry became the farm foreman, a job he did for some 20 years before Mrs Leonard sold the estate and

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Winter 2013 Newport News 7

PEOPLE HARRY AND ELSIE MONK

WW1, tending the war graves. She was a marvellous sitter as she only charged 10p an hour and didn’t mind how late she was. I remember her with great affection.

76 Frambury Lane Eileen Blackwell

Harry was made redundant whereupon he became a jobbing gardener who was very much in demand. On the family front Harry married in 1952 Elsie Whitmore from Chrishall where she had been born in 1928. She was the daughter of Harold Whitmore, a lorry driver and Evelyn Clarke. Initially Harry and Elsie lived in Arkesden before moving to Wood Hall and much later came back to Newport. Harry and Elsie have two sons, Andrew, born 1955 and Colin, born 1959. Andrew lives just down the road at number 41 Frambury Lane with his wife Cheryl and children, Ben, a Chartered accountant and Becky who is in the legal world. Colin lives at Brent Pelham with his wife Sandra and two children, Matthew and Jasmine. I took my leave after a most interesting half hour in which I felt that I had looked briefly into a bygone world of a self-contained model estate at Wood Hall in which Harry had played an important part as the farm foreman. I liked the fact that he had lived in Newport as a young boy and had retired here many years later. No one answered at no. 74. I remember this one so clearly as it was where our old babysitter, Norah Barker (1893-1990), lived from when the houses were first built until she died. She had been a gardener in France in

Eileen proved to be the perfect interviewee with a pin sharp memory stretching back over 80 years. She hails from Brent Pelham and was born in 1932, one of a family of three. She left school at 14 to work briefly at Teal’s eiderdown factory in Clavering, then spent seven and a half years as a children’s nursery maid for the Faure Walker family at Sandonbury Farm near Buntingford, a very happy period in her life. In 1953 she married Norman Blackwell whom she had met at a dance in Furneux Pelham. Norman was a lorry driver for 15 years for Barnard Brothers and then for a further 25 years he drove for Sainsbury’s, a job he loved. When they first married he and Eileen lived with Norman’s father, William Blackwell, in Gace’s Acre until 1957 when they moved into one of the new council houses at 51 Frambury Lane, taking William with them and looking after him until his death in 1973 aged 78. After her marriage Eileen got a job helping Annie Moule cook the primary school dinners at the Studio in the High Street, now the Reading Room. In 1955 Anthea, the first of their two daughters, arrived, and in due course Anthea married Alan Barker from Littlebury and they had a son, Ashley.

80 Frambury Lane Ray Blatt At no. 80 Ray Blatt invited me in and told me that he was born in 1940 in Holloway - not the prison, he hastened to say! Almost immediately he was evacuated for four weeks, but grew up and went to school in the Holloway EILEEN BLACKWELL

8 Newport News Winter 2013

Tragically, seven weeks after he was born Anthea died aged only 26. Eileen’s second daughter was Brenda, born in 1959. She eventually married Colin Lippitt from Birmingham and they now live in Great Sampford. They have three children, Stason, born in 1990, Ross, born in 1991 and Titian, born in 1995. In 2001 Norman sadly died aged 69 and Eileen moved to 76 Frambury Lane, a bungalow which she loves. She has family close by, runs a small car and is much involved with the village, though not so deeply as once she was. Over the years she did a long stint as caretaker of the Village Hall, on whose committee she sat. She said proudly that at the time it was the best dance hall in Essex with a sprung floor. She was involved with the old horticultural society, the now defunct WI, the former Over 60s and much else. Currently she is part of the Newport Flower club, the Clavering Over 60s and Girls Go Out, a very worthy and active successor to the WI. She looks back at 60 years of living in this village and remembers so well the time when she knew most people, when there were two large farmyards, Barnards and Jack Hill’s Pond Cross Farm, the wonderful fetes, the happy times spent picking potatoes, the dances in the Village Hall, the quietness of the High Street and the numerous shops in the village. Yet she appreciates all the modern amenities, loves her easy-to-run modern bungalow and seeing her neighbours. She tries to do the bulk of her shopping in the village to support local shops. We are lucky to have Eileen Blackwell, and if ever I need to know something about the past 60 years I know that I can find out the answer from her. I next tried number 78 where I understood that Barbara Arran lives, who moved here 20 years ago from Berden but sadly I couldn’t make contact.

PEOPLE ROY BLATT

area, leaving at 15 in 1955. He started off in the Law Courts proof reading the law reports and then taking them round the lawyers in the area. After about two years he went to work for the family electro plating business, a very skilled job, and after five years at that he did a stint in a pipeline warehouse, sending equipment all over the world having carefully tested it for quality. Three or four years later he was lured back to electro plating. In 1973 he changed course completely, becoming a milkman for a year or so before doing nine years electro plating in gold. He then took voluntary redundancy before starting another career, this time as a driving instructor in Harlow for 15 years. “By this time Ray’s health was beginning to give way – I gathered that electro plating can be a dangerous occupation due to the fumes and in Ray’s case he developed angina which led to a bypass operation in Addenbrookes and later in Papworth. He then retired to Newport in 1997. In 1960 Ray married Gwendoline Mansfield from London, born in 1939, a comptometer operator. They had two sons, David born in 1960, who is married with two children and living in Haverhill, and Colin, born in 1963, married with two children and living in Harlow, a retired banker. David and his wife Debbie both work at the Saffron Walden Golf club where Debbie has been the manageress for the last 18 years. Ray’s wife sadly died in 2007 aged only 67 after ten years in Newport. Ray does all his own shopping and generally fends for himself. He is a member of the Newport Club and has lots of friends in the village.

82 Frambury Lane Joan Brace My next visit was to number 82 to visit Joan Brace who has been an invaluable help to me in connection with the Harvey family from which she originally sprang. She reminded me that she was born in 1929, the fifth of the six children of Bertram Harvey, who died in 1967 aged 77, and Lily Flack, who died in 1955 aged 55. I won’t go into the history of Joan’s five siblings, as that would be a subject for another article. Joan and her family lived in a thatched cottage, now demolished, next door to the old primary school in Wicken Road, which she attended, going on, in 1940, to the County High where she got a scholarship. She left at 16 in 1945 to join her father at Newport station. Bertram was a porter and Joan a booking clerk under the station master, Mr Marritt. She described to me how extraordinarily busy the station was at the time with constant traffic and bustle. In 1951 she married Geoffrey Brace, who worked for the co-op for 50 years

JOAN BRACE

and died in 2011. They had three daughters: Sylvia born in 1957 who is married with one son and lives in Somerset; Clare born in 1959, also married and with one daughter and living in Cambridgeshire; and Jill, born in 1961, married and living in Meldreth. Joan says that she is very lucky with her family, who all keep in close touch. She loves her corner bungalow, to which she moved in 2010 from number 67 where she and Geoff had lived since 1961.

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PEOPLE VI AVESTON

told me that it goes right back to Piers de Gaveston in Edward II’s time who came to such a sticky end. Vi told me that she was thrilled to be here where she feels happy and contented. Sean takes her shopping and the whole family is very supportive. She is also very pleased with her neighbours.

86 Frambury Lane Derek and Lil Lee

84 Frambury Lane Vi Aveston Joan then took me next door and introduced me to Vi Aveston, who took over Will Saich’s bungalow following his death in June aged 96 - he had lived here for 36 years. Vi told me that she was born in 1932 in Omagh, Northern Ireland, the eldest of nine children. As the eldest she had to help her mother look after the younger ones. Vi left school at 14 to work in a draper’s shop for two years, followed by a stint in a shirt and collar factory. In 1949 she married a soldier, Hugh Aveston, who was doing his two years National Service. Upon demob they went to live with his parents in St. John’s Road, Stansted, whilst Hugh worked at the airport. Vi stressed to me how in those days her motherin-law would insist that when they went shopping after lunch they must wear hat and gloves - things were very different then. Vi told me that she had four children, first Stephen, born in 1950, a builder living in Steeple Bumpstead with two children. Next Paul, born 1954, working in Security, married, also with two children and living near Doncaster. Next Amanda, born 1958, married, again with two children and living in Fowlmere. Finally Sean, born in 1966, married with a daughter and living in Great Chesterford. After her children were born Vi went back to work at the airport, finally retiring in 1980. Sadly her husband died in 1997. I asked her about her very rare name of Aveston and she

Here again I struck gold and was invited in. Starting with Derek, I learnt that he was born in 1934 in Bethnal Green, the youngest of five children. His father had a horse and cart grocery delivery business and in fact young Derek was actually born in the stable. One of his earliest memories is being bathed in a tin bath in front of the kitchen fire. Tragically Derek’s father died in 1945 aged only 45 when Derek was but 11. The family then moved to Hackney next to the Grand Union canal and his mother went out to work as a French polisher. The whole family went hop picking in Kent during the summer holidays, always popular with the children. Derek went to school locally and left at 15 in 1949. He had already started earning through a part-time job in a Pie and Mash shop, and upon leaving school went to work for a firm making tubular furniture. He then did his National Service in the Green Jackets between 1952 and 1954, mainly in Winchester. He had married, in 1952, Lillian Church, born in 1934 in Hackney, one of the eight surviving children from a total of 12. Her father was a cabinet maker and he also died young, at 43 when Lil was but four years old. Derek

DEREK AND LIL LEE

10 Newport News Winter 2013

remarked at this point that he thought that Lil’s mother was very posh as she had an indoor bath! After his demob Derek did a further stint with his former employers but in 1960 Derek and Lil decided to chance their luck by moving to Harlow New Town to a new two bedroomed house, and Derek went to work in a series of jobs in the electrical field. In 1974 they took a complete change of direction when Derek became a publican, taking over the Cock at Parndon and later the Chequers at Old Harlow. In 1981 he made yet another change by becoming the manager of the Golf Driving range in Little Walden Road in Saffron Walden. A period with UTP followed and then a further period running a shop selling reproduction furniture in Saffron Walden High Street, after which he retired in 1993. They had moved to Saffron Walden in 1981 and later had ten years in Widdington before coming to Newport in 2007. They are very pleased to be here and find everyone very friendly. Derek and Lil have two sons. The eldest is another Derek, born in 1953, married and living in Harlow; he is a heating and plumbing engineer. Peter, their younger son, was born in 1960 and is a caretaker at the Grammar School. He has been married and has two daughters, Sarah, born in 1990, and Nicola, born in 1992. As I left, Derek let slip the intriguing fact that he has written a book for his family about his early years in the East End of London, and is currently working on a second volume. I tried next door at 88 but could raise no response, so that brings me to the end of “Newport Neighbours” for this issue. NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 11

ARTS

NATS ‘A Motive for Murder‘ YVONNE HANNANT

wo murders took place at Newport Village Hall on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd June 2013. Curiously, both victims were the same person. Inspector George Bassett who was assigned to the incident said ‘there was a contusion to the back of the victim’s head and a cricket bat was found lying close to the scene of the crime. The victim was identified as Professor Marcus Wilberforce, late of Melbury Manor Grammar School where he had been principal for a great many years’. The Inspector indicated a number of staff working at the school were prime suspects. During interrogation much was revealed including the Professor’s long lost daughter who was working at the school as a domestic helper under the pseudonym of Agnetha Andersson. Further questioning also led to the revelation that two members of staff were involved in affairs, one with an ex pupil and another with the school’s accountant, all of whom would benefit financially from the Professor’s demise. A very suspicious relationship between a young ex pupil and the professor also came to light which raised many eyebrows amongst the collective staff present. But who killed him and why? The murder drew many inquisitive people from the village to the hall, all of whom had their suspicions as to who was the murderer. It was with relief that the murder was in fact staged by ‘Newport Amateur Theatrical Society’ for their summer play. In three acts we were introduced to the characters, given reasons why they all had ‘A motive for murder’. After supper was served, the murderers were revealed. For those that were not there to witness this

12 Newport News Winter 2013

revelation, the murderer on the first evening was the professor’s daughter (played by Lisa Hannant). She was angry and upset that the professor had ignored her and her mother for many years, preferring to give up his time and money to ‘his precious school’ and ex pupil Justin Penrose (played by Kyle Banks) for whom he had ‘a special relationship’. The second evening’s murderer was the school’s accountant Norman Philpott, (played by Matthew Fyleman), who was being led along by Miss Bingham, a teacher at the school (played by Jaqueline Pullen). Norman, believing that Miss Bingham actually had feelings for him had murdered the Professor (played by Tony Pullen) to gain money so he and Miss Bingham could run away together. The other suspects were the School Secretary Belinda Hopkins (played by Yvonne Hannant) who was stealing money from the school to pay for a lifestyle way above her means and having an affair with an ex pupil Angus Patterson (played by Will Murray). Stella Paterson, Angus’s wife (played by Michelle Preston), was eyeing up the school building as potential real estate to convert into luxury apartments. Coleen O’Hara was the professor’s personal nurse (played by Becky Monk), as it was revealed that Professor Wiberforce was in fact suffering from an

inoperable tumour and had just a few months to live, did she wish to quicken the process? Through much questioning and intuition the murders were cleverly solved by Inspector George Bassett (played by Alan Bywaters). NN

The Author’s Account Alan Bywaters

Writer and Director, ‘A Motive for Murder’ One of the perennial problems facing small groups like NATS is the availability of suitable scripts. Certain playwrights, such as Nick Warburton and Norman Robbins, have a bountiful supply of suitable material available but even then, finding an appropriate cast is not always easy. That’s not to say we’re not up to the job, more a case of not having the right people from our willing contenders to fit the roles. This thought was in my mind late last year when we were rehearsing the panto and someone asked the inevitable question, ‘what are we doing for the adult play this summer?’ Ideas were kicked around and a suggestion was made that for a change, we should consider a murder-mystery event. Now there’s plenty of this material available on-line, but frankly, much of it isn’t very good and once again, we’re faced with the problem of casting against someone else’s script. I can’t quite remember what happened next, but I mentioned that I had an idea in mind and, as the genre is formulaic, was prepared to see if I could

ARTS work up something for NATS. And that was it! I was writing the play this summer and ‘when can we see the scripts please’! There had to be some conditions. First of these was that I would write parts for each individual actor. If you’re going to burden your chums with your own offering, at least make it easy for them. Write parts that they can imagine themselves playing and let them be themselves. Second condition was that individuals were either in or out. The set-up I had in mind had each of the characters interacting with the others, so there would be no dropping out half way through rehearsals as a re-write would be out of the question. To my delight, everyone bought into the concept – down to work! I followed the format often seen in many TV programmes, Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders and the like – a plot, some players, a murder, a dodgy copper, a few red herrings (will he get the right bloke?), and then a fraught few moments when the arrest is made. After a while, the script and characters took on lives of their own. For example, the character Norman Philpott, was never originally going to be a suspect. He was nothing more than the accountant. Then he became the love interest for Miss Bingham and this infatuation eventually evolved into a motive for murder. To make the evening a little more interesting, the cast, still in character, circulated amongst the audience during the interval. The audience was allowed to ask questions, which the cast had to answer honestly, with the exception of the murderer who was encouraged to lie! On top of all that, we managed to prepare and serve 160 suppers over the two evenings. That, however, is another story for another time. And unlike the storyline of our murder-mystery event, no one died! Incidentally, ‘Midsomer’ is reckoned to be the most dangerous place to live in the UK, with more murders per year than the Bronx! Would I do it again? Time is the enemy here for although ideas ebb and flow, getting them from head to paper is a different story. And what of our production for next summer? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. How about a group of disparate characters working in the local Post Office - a young man, an older woman? Or the goings-on of a certain drama group during rehearsals for the next play? Life is full of so much good material, if I only had time! NN

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COMMUNITY

Missing!

Effective Governance

(if found please return to Uttlesford District Council)

he UDC Planning committee have voted outline permission for two large developments in Newport. These are for a total of 89 houses and a care complex on Whiteditch Lane/Bury Water Lane. During the consultation period Newport residents sent over 200 objections to these applications. All well argued, well researched and valid. The objections were not against development, but primarily against the unsuitable location and also the overloading of our village infrastructure, about which nothing material will be done. Objectors have proposed a better place for the houses, a vastly better place for the care complex, and even an excellent profitable alternative use for the glass house site, consistent with government policy.

Many residents attended the planning committee meeting. Save Newport Village had been briefed by our Saffron Walden colleagues WeAreResidents as to how bad it would be, but the meeting was still a shock. No doubt most of us think of local councils as benign providers of services. There was nothing benign about the way serious concerns were ignored, or swept away using plausible sounding non-answers from officials, the applicants, and the Essex Highways officer. On the day there appeared to be no effective scrutiny by the committee. The professionals, seemingly driven to push building everywhere regardless of how damaging it will be, ran rings around our elected planning representatives, who appeared mostly ill prepared and ineffective. This is what happens. Objectors speak

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14 Newport News Winter 2013

first and have 3 minutes each, strictly enforced. After that the developer speaks; then it is open house for the committee and the officials. Objectors cannot cross examine the developer, officials or the committee, so they can say whatever they wish, true or false, or miss the point entirely and there is nothing you can do. Once approved on a show of hands (individual votes are not recorded, except by us), objectors have no right of appeal. But if the developer loses they can appeal. The vast majority of appeals are upheld. Thousands of hours will have been spent by the many objectors preparing their letters; there were none in support. We think you should know that we believe they are not shown to the committee. The case officer does a brief summary, sanitised and edited, puts it near the back of the brief for the members, and in our case added what appeared to be a disparaging comment. SNV prepared its own comprehensive material, complete with photographs starkly illustrating the serious deficiencies of the proposals, such as flooding, the blatant inaccuracies of statutory supporting material, demonstrably unbelievable untruths from both Sworders for the housing application, and from the planning officer who supported the applications. (For example, the Sustainability Appraisal, a fundamental document, says there is no primary school in Newport). The officer stated that the site only fails on three sustainability questions. Even as presented the Appraisal has fourteen red flags, and when corrected it has over twenty. UDC

COMMUNITY knows about this but hasn’t corrected it. We printed every one of the objection letters, combined them with our material, and sent a package to every committee member. In the open session the planning committee questions were mostly superficial. Such as ‘should we ask for some street lighting?’ instead of for example ‘Our site visit minibus had to go up the kerb, then reverse to let a car go by and knocked a wall down. Is there not a serious traffic and safety problem already?’ A few planning councillors remained silent for three hours, and none of them were our direct representatives. There were however some notable exceptions. One councillor from Saffron Walden picked up the serious sewerage problem (ably presented by objector Tony White, a microbiologist). Head of Planning Andrew Taylor dismissed this saying Anglian Water (AW) had ‘added conditions to their consent’. We were prohibited from pointing out that these were standard ones typical of all applications, and had nothing to do with the question, or AW’s statement that they have no plan to improve Newport’s system, which they themselves have reported as not fit for purpose. (A correction to the July SNV Newport News article: AW has confirmed that Newport does not have a storm tank. This is the most basic safety measure for our combined foul and storm water system. This means that in heavy rain, such as we had in 2012, the works is releasing raw or under treated effluent into the Cam. On one occasion this was witnessed, but despite having a clean up team on site, AW now say they are unaware of this. Pollution incidents are required to be reported to the Environment Agency but their website shows nothing.) The councillor for Saffron Walden (Shire) said Newport Free Grammar School’s strong objection, on safety and other grounds, and supported by an independent traffic survey, was

‘a red herring’, and Sworders gross understatement of walking time to the station, repeatedly highlighted by people who live here, was accepted without one councillor asking ‘exactly what is the distance?’ But the lowest point was the Chair, who represents Takeley and the Canfields, not understanding that disabled access within a care facility is a given. She talked about adding a condition to enforce it, entirely missing the point that there is, and will not be, viable disabled access outside the care complex to anywhere in the village. No councillor thought fit to draw this to her attention. An Essex Highways expert was present. Despite saying Bury Water Lane is narrower than the minimum standard, so his computer model did not cater for it, he said it could take 2,500 movements an hour. This is the maximum flow rate of a US Freeway lane with a 60mph limit. We looked about in amazement, but no committee member commented. District housing statistics presented earlier in the same meeting (for an application at Elsenham for 800 houses) contained different figures to those presented for the Newport housing application. Again the committee sat through this without comment. This is such a serious flaw that UDC now says the Elsenham application may be called back to the committee. This may have implications for the Newport application, but this is uncertain at the time of writing. A few councillors did however see through all of this, and voted against the applications. Both Newport’s representatives Cllrs Parry and Rose who are not on the committee spoke strongly against the applications, as did Newport Parish Council Chairman Ted Denyer. He also voiced the opinions of those in Newport who favour the care home but perhaps feel intimidated from speaking out. We would like to stress that SNV is

only against the location (isolated, with impossible wheelchair access and just too far away from everything) not the principle. We think people should also know that if a care home is built it will be a private facility. These cost between £30,000 and £40,000 a year and unless you have very limited assets you pay all of this yourself, except some medical care costs are refunded. At a recent Newport History Group meeting Essex County archaeologist Maria Medleycot told us that Uttlesford’s magnificent upland views are largely unchanged since medieval times. Like the one of Newport below, hidden in the valley except for the church. These views are specifically protected by UDC and national planning policies. This was illustrated to the committee. Their decision means this view is now very likely to include a housing estate, highly visible on the first large field left of centre. What now? SNV, and also the Parish Council, are considering options, including a judicial review. And this may not be the end for large applications here. UDC’s woefully poor and slow performance on the Local Plan means we remain unprotected. From what we saw at the UDC Planning Committee it seems they are minded to pass whatever comes before them. Concerning the Local Plan, UDC have just issued altered housing requirement figures, but no revised Plan to address the overwhelming vote against the last draft plan and the many issues raised. And the alternative use for the glasshouse site? We often heard ‘if you don’t want building what do you suggest? It is 5 acres and as a solar farm would be rated at 1MW, capable of powering 300 homes. NN

The Save Newport Village campaign committee: Susan Cameron, Neil Hargreaves, Mandy Hatcher-Ingham, Roy Ingham, and Joanna Parry

Winter 2013 Newport News 15

A first class service SANDRA AMOS REFLECTS ON 27 YEARS SHE SPENT RUNNING NEWPORT POST OFFICE

POST OFFICE CHANGES: NISA TAKES ON POST OFFICE SERVICES IN THE VILLAGE. ABOVE: EVIE, SANDRA, KYLE AND YVONNE - PROUD TO HAVE SERVED THE COMMUNITY Y

ost Offices services have restarted at Nisa Store in Newport after the previous Post Office and shop, run by Sandra Amos in The High Street, closed on 29 September 2013. “My husband, Ron, had contract work all over the UK and we were looking for a place to settle down in,” said Sandra. “Newport looked a lovely village and Mrs Brown was selling the Post Office. We thought we could build up a great business to serve the village.” “I took over the Post Office in February 1986. People would send cheques, withdraw pensions, cash money and deposit savings as well as buy their vehicle licences… and post parcels and letters! We helped sort out problems. Small things would worry people - we’d spend time talking through different options before they became bigger problems. It was a community service - a place for people to sort out their lives.”

BELOW LEFT: VILLAGE SUPPORT FOR SANDRA, RIGHT BELOW: ALAN CARR TAKES OVER POST OFFICE SERVICES AT THE NISA STORE - OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK: MONDAY TO SATURDAY: 7AM TO 10PM; SUNDAY 7AM TO 7PM

Through Sandra, Newport Post Office supported a whole range of events, selling tickets for village and church events and nd the much loved Coffee Mornings for Macmillan Cancer Relief R lief and Red Nose Day. Sandra reflected: “After 27 years of getting up early for the postmen, working six days a week, I’m looking forward to visiting old friends and family. I’d like to thank all the staff who have worked with me over the years. All the cards, letters and gift tokens from the village were much appreciated. Thank you.” Sandra recalled the most difficult year when the Government decided to phase out pension books and replace them with the Post Office Card Account: “We had hundreds of customers who had never used a plastic card and PIN, and we were very anxious about how they were going to draw their pension. An elderly gentleman had to remember his PIN number. He’d served in the Armed Forces and so always knew his Service Number. Wee registered all his details and madee W sure he could withdraw his pension su money. A month later he came back m and was upset when it wouldn’t an work. It was a small problem really: w he h couldn’t remember whether it was w the first four or the last four numbers he had used!” n

Superfast broadband Buffy Playbus Buffy Playbus has started visiting Cherry Garden Lane, NEWPORT from 9.15am until 10.30am, every WEDNESDAY MORNING during term time and at half terms. We have many exciting toys and activities available for pre-school children to enjoy. Buffy Playbus gives you and your child an opportunity to meet and make new friends within your own community. We make a charge of £2.00 for a child to visit Buffy, and £3 for a family. NN

Essex County Council is leading the Superfast Essex Broadband Project – an investment in Essex’s broadband infrastructure. It will bring much improved and superfast broadband to homes and businesses across the county. By 2015 90% of the whole country will be able to access speeds of at least 2Mbs. However, Newport and Saffron Walden residents and businesses are missing out on superfast broadband – with fewer than 100 of 3,000 premises signing up for the service since BT’s roll out in July. Slow take up of the £2.5billion high speed network is down to a lack of awareness about how to get faster internet speeds. Register your demand at www.superfastessex.org to prove this is where people need superfast broadband. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 17

HISTORY

Rainfall data for Newport 2003-2012 CHRIS MURPHY DATA FROM ERIC BYFORD

r E S Byford has kindly lent Newport News the data he has collected in his garden in the High Street every morning at 8.30am for 10 years from January 2003 until December 2012. I have analysed the figures to see if there are any patterns. The data is very interesting for the year on year differences. I am glad I’m neither a farmer nor a serious gardener as I would be having lots of problems. There is a spreadsheet included of all the raw data. All the figures for rainfall are measured in millimetres but for those who prefer there are 25 mm in 1 inch. The only month where there was no rainfall at all occurred in December 2010. The wettest month was May 2007 when 133mm or about a quarter of the annual rainfall fell. I have produced 2 sets of graphs to help readers with the following analysis. Average rainfall over the 10 years is 550.9mm per year. The driest year was 2003 when only 373mm fell and the wettest 2012 when 759mm fell double the lowest. If you remember 2007 and 2008 as being wet you would be right as both were well above average. On average the wettest month is August with 65.1mm though June, July and November are close. The driest month is February with 29.3mm. Snow does count in its melted form. March, April and September are also drier than average. However as the raw data shows April 2012 was one of our wettest months in the 10 years with 100mm and August 2003 one of the driest with only 2mm. So the figures above mask these anomalies. 2006 is the most consistent year of the 10 with a dry spring and wet late summer and autumn. I’m sorry but if you are planning any sort of event in Newport next year you are equally likely to be lucky as unlucky in choosing a dry sunny day as there seems to be no way to predict what the weather might be in any month if the data is anything to go by. NN

18 Newport News Winter 2013

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like many in the village have walked most of the footpaths in & around Newport, so when it was suggested by a friend to join the local walking group organised by UDC, I thought why not? The group meet every Tuesday at 6pm at the Doctors’ surgery in Frambury Lane. The group are of mixed of ages & abilities but all very friendly. The group is lead by two great volunteers Fiona Strachan & Sandra Cunningham. Various walks are available around the village & depending on your ability you can either take the shorter route of 2-3 miles or for the more regular walker, a longer route 3-4 miles. I take my Labrador Molly along with me & providing your dog is well behaved (Molly is most of the time) they are welcome along. The walks will be finishing at the end of September and starting again on the first Tuesday in April. For the winter a monthly walk takes place on the third Sunday of each month starting at 10am. If you are interested in coming along just turn up on the night, it is a great way of keeping fit while having an interesting chat with one of the group along the way. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 19

HISTORY

Newport Census population changes 2001–2011 RESEARCH BY CHRIS MURPHY

ensus information for Newport collected in April 2011 was released in July 2013. Here is an analysis of some of the changes in the village since 2001 using data from the Office of National Statistics. The population of Newport on the 2001 census is recorded as 3184 or 4.7% of the population of Uttlesford. By 2011 this number had risen to 3440 but was only 4.4% of the Uttlesford population. This decline suggests a much more dynamic population in other settlements within the district. The number of households in 2001 was 1272 whereas by 2011 it was 1361. 37.5% of residents in 2011 live in 2 person households which is almost exactly the same as in 2001 although the number rose from 479 to 511.

However, those living in households of 6 or more people in 2001 were 30 households or 2.36% but fell to 23 households or 1.69% in 2011. So in Newport there has been a decline in larger households in the last 10 years. The number of dwellings in Newport was 1312 in 2001 and by 2011 had increased to 1416. An increase over 10 years of 104 dwellings and 55 more than the total households recorded on the census date in 2011. This came as a bit of a surprise to me since the total population has only risen by 256 in the same period. It seems that some of the properties remained empty when the census was taken in 2011. The number of rooms is defined by the census as living spaces not including bathrooms or kitchens. The number of very small dwellings with fewer than 3 rooms fell from 29 in 2001 to 18 in 2011 suggesting that they some may have been extended or knocked together and are therefore not classified as very small anymore. The biggest increase has been in larger dwellings where those with 7 or more rooms went up from 493 or 38.8% in 2001 to 583 or 42.84% in 2011 a total of 90 properties. This suggests that most of the dwellings built between

2001 and 2011 were either larger ones or where the smaller ones have been extended. Although at the same time larger households in Newport had declined. This suggests that in Newport people are living in larger properties now compared with 2001 but in smaller households. Council band tax band C and D accounts for 656 properties or 45.97% in 2011. Those in band A and B account for 165 properties or 11.56% and those in G and H 228 or 16%. There are therefore 63 more very large houses in 2011 compared with the smallest. It will be interesting to see how this changes in the future. In 2011 there were 2487 adults aged 16-74. Of those 756 were not in employment. 152 worked mainly from home. 253 commuted to work by train, 24 by bus, 90 on foot, 11 by bike with 3 on a motorbike and 1123 by car or van. This means just under 15% commute by train. Again it will be interesting to see how this changes by 2021. Additional information can be found on the neighbourhood statistics for Newport and in the Uttlesford census article published in the previous Newport News but for now this analysis should give food for thought. NN

Stansted Airport Community Trust

uring the year 2013 the Stansted Airport Community Trust awarded capital grants to the value of £111,000 to a wide variety of organisations within a ten mile radius of Stansted Airport. One grant for £1,500 was to the Dunmow Majorettes for new equipment for the group and another grant was awarded to the Herts Hogline who needed new hutches for their rescued hedgehogs. If you think that your organisation qualifies and could benefit from some additional funding of up to £2,000

20 Newport News Winter 2013

to help with a project that you have in mind then please contact SACT, PO Box 11, County Hall, Chelmsford CM1 1LX or email cllr.susan.barker@essex.gov.uk for an application form or advice. The closing date for the next round of applications is 28 February 2014. The Trust does not fund projects for parish councils or individuals and does not grant money for completed projects. NN Cllr Susan Barker, Chairman Stansted Airport Community Trust Tel: 01245 231250 Email: cllr.susan.barker@essex.gov.uk

NN_BURITON_1/6_Layout 1 18/10/2013 16:58 Pa

CHURCH

Roll on up to the big top! REBECCA MONK

BS stands for Vacation Bible School, a holiday club run every year for local children. It is run by the churches of Saffron Walden and the surrounding villages, and is a week of lively Christian biblical teaching, craft work, worship and games. This is the second year that VBS has been held in the grounds of Newport Free Grammar. Once again John Hardwick led the assemblies, teaching songs and telling bible stories. The theme for this year was ‘The Big Top’. The children

had great fun watching Yo-Yo the clown and Doug the juggler, there was also a daily drama performance and a visit from Charlie the cheeky monkey. There were approximately 370 children aged 5-13 on site, in nine different tents, with around 100 adults and young helpers who gave their time voluntarily. Everyone seemed to have a great time, making friends, singing songs, playing games and learning stories such as Jonah and the big fish and Daniel in the lion’s den. On Thursday evening the site was open for parents to come along, look around the tents and see the work the children had produced. We then all joined together for a service, where the parents got to listen to the songs and see the actions that the children had been learning during the week – and try a few themselves! If you would like any more information about VBS please visit our website www.vbs-sw.org.uk. NN

HISTORY

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Winter 2013 Newport News 21

COMMUNITY

Parish Council Report

t came as rather a surprise at the annual meeting in May that I was elected Chairman. I have been on the Newport P.C. now for some years, the TED DENYER, last four as Vice Chairman. CHAIRMAN This, however, has allowed my fellow Councillor, Andrew Yarwood, who has been Chairman for the past six years, and done a great deal for the village, to be able to have a somewhat less pressured role on the council, given that he now travels a lot for his employer. He has, I am pleased to say, remained as Vice Chairman and continues to have a very active role on the Parish Council, and I would like to thank him for his hard work whilst chairman. For a while now there has been a shortfall of Councillors on the Council. There are supposed to be 11 Councillors for Newport but we have now, I am pleased to say, managed to co-opt some new members and now currently running at 10 members. Being a Parish Councillor is a voluntary role and if anyone feels that they would like to be co-opted to the Parish Council they should contact the Clerk, Christine Griffin, at the Council Office: newportparishcouncil@hotmail.co.uk. Talking of the

m . p. b at e m a n fine joiner traditional craftsman s p e c i a l i s i n g i n t h e wo o dwo r k o f h i st o r i c a n d l i st e d b u i l d i n g s s y m pat h e t i c r e pa i r s t o a l l a s p e c t s o f j o i n e ry t o b e st s av e h i st o r i c fa b r i c h a n d m a d e n e w j o i n e ry u s i n g t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s t o m at c h o r i g i n a l d e s i g n s o r b u i lt t o n e w s p e c i f i c at i o n s i n c l u d i n g d o o r s , f r a m e s , w i n d ow s , sta i r b u i l d i n g , pa n e l l i n g , f l o o r b oa r d s r e pa i r a n d r e p l ac e m e n t o f d e c o r at i v e a rc h i t e c t u r a l e l e m e n t s s u c h a s c a rv e d o r t u r n e d f e at u r e s f i n e f u r n i t u r e r e st o r at i o n u s i n g l o c a l ly g row n t i m b e r s f ro m s u sta i n a b l e a n d e c o l o g i c a l ly s o u n d r e s o u rc e s w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e r e f e r e n c e s a n d p o rt f o l i o o f p r e v i o u s wo r k ava i l a b l e o n r e q u e st a n d o n l i n e

m p b a t e m a n . c o. u k m a t t @ m p b a t e m a n . c o. u k 0 75 25 759592

22 Newport News Winter 2013

Council Office, we moved, in February, to our new premises at Waterloo House in the High Street. The office is manned Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 13:00.

Village Enhancement We have been allowed an amount of money, known as the New Homes Bonus, from Uttlesford District Council. We have allocated some of this to different causes within the village that applied for a grant under the allowed rules of distribution. The Council did set aside an amount for traffic control Vehicle Activated Signs to help stop speeding on the main road through the village but this has now been refused by Essex County Council, as the speed trials did not meet the required criteria. The money allocated will now be used to further enhance the look of the village, as allowed by the rules of use. I have re-started a ‘Village Walkabout’ to try and highlight some of the issues that need dealing with.

Housing Development The ongoing threat of new large housing developments within the village is still an issue we are having to deal with. The Parish Council does not have the power that many think we have when it comes to Planning decisions. The final decision lies with Uttlesford District Council. As your representatives, we are in a position to comment and voice our opinion to the Planning Department and also at the Planning Committee Meetings and will always send a representative (usually me) to speak on behalf of the Parish Council or a resident of the village in some cases. We are lobbying for improvement to Bury Water Lane at the Cambridge Road end and also for improvement to the narrow path from the Grammar School Grounds to the new crossing at Belmont Hill and also the sewage problem. I would like to thank those who have been very active in coming to the Parish Council meetings for public participation sessions. Your views are a valid part of our remit as we are here to represent the views of the whole village.

Recreation Ground We are working with the Sports Committee (now a subcommittee of the Parish Council) towards improvements at the Recreation Ground for the good of the Clubs that meet there and also for the general public. We would appreciate that dog owners using the grounds would please pick up their dog faeces to ensure the cleanliness of the playing fields and the whole area in general.

Newport Grammar School The Parish Council welcomes the appointment of the new headmaster Mr. Gordon Farquhar, and we have already begun to forge a relationship that will be of benefit to the village and the school. In closing this report I would like to thank my fellow Councillors for the time and effort they give voluntarily to many tasks involving the good of the village, and to Christine Griffin our Clerk and Jessica Bowen our Treasurer, who do a great job of keeping us informed and on track. NN

COMMUNITY

Newport Youth Club club often leave with something from our artists. This has included regular visitors from the police, Mike, Rosie and Hannah who now have a name plaque each.

MATT YARWOOD

Award Success Hollie, Jasmine and Andrew put together an application which the judges could not refuse. We went to the awards ceremony and picked up our award and a cheque that has helped provide lots of art equipment and a new computer.

Football Tom Myers came to us and suggested setting up a football side, and offered to help us do some coaching. We now have a growing group of boys and girls working with Tom on a Friday evening. Thanks also to Mike Hannant and Mike Spraget who have helped us with some goals, and nets, kit and advice. Thanks also to Newport Pharmacy who gave us a first aid kit and health advice. IF YOU WANT TO JOIN IN WITH FOOTBALL PLEASE COME UP ON A FRIDAY EVENING AFTER 7pm.

Art Room Speaking of art, we now have an art room that lots of people have enjoyed using. Hollie generally looks after things and makes sure that we have enough equipment. Visitors to our

Fundraising Ben and Dan Cornell opened a car wash on alternate Saturdays which between June and August raised some money. Being rather enterprising, Ben also sought some sponsors for the club from local businesses, and we are grateful for Newport Pharmacy, Central Garage, Hilbery Turf, Labcraft and Lovett Landrovers for their support. In common with all voluntary groups we need help and more volunteers to survive. WE NEED YOU, if you could help us one or two evenings a month please let Sharon know (07770 766380). Also you can rent the hall or rooms in the centre at very reasonable rates. We have very flexible terms, you pay by the hour, just call Sharon on 07770 766380 or Andrew on 07714 708815 if you want to arrange a booking. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 23

HISTORY

Memorial pictures JEFF BINES jeffbines@waitrose.com

n the next issue of Newport News we are going to print photographs of those killed during WWI and WWII, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War. Please could families who have pictures of their relations who were killed in either conflict, please let me have a photograph to copy or email them to me (all will be returned). NN WW1 Memorial Sidney A N S Barthropp John Holland Horton Sidney Pallett Alfred Webb John Cann Charles Barker Frederick J Sell W Jackson George Law William Palmer William Drury William J Miller William E Francis Victor Searle Thomas Whyman Bernard Trundle Arthur G Wright W Brett Charles J Judd

3rd Royal Sussex Regt 5th Australian Infantry 9th Essex 2nd Bedfordshire 11th Essex 5th Essex 6th Essex Queens Royal West Kent 9th Essex 10th Essex Royal Warwickshire 11th Essex Australian Troops 11th Essex 5th Grenadier Guards 102nd Canadian Infantry Reported as serving with the Essex Regt. 6th Yorks and Lanks but later Northamptonshire Regt. Gordon Brace orthhants, later with 1/4th Suffolk Regt. N Frederick Wedd 1st Essex William Camp 5th Essex later 10th Btn. Thomas G Wilson Essex Lt. Godfrey Evans Royal Defence Corps. Ernest Shuttlewood Essex but later Border Regt. George F Westwood Norfolk Regt. Fred Lavender 9th Essex Yeomanry later Essex Regt. Charles Cracknell Essex Capt. William G P Hunt MA MC 10th Essex Hugh Barnard 8th Essex trans to 1/1st Kent Cyclists Ernest Jeffery Essex later Hertfordshire George Searle Canadian Forces Sidney Searle 10th Essex later 12th Royal Scots Lothian Edward Searle Essex later 1st East Surrey

24 Newport News Winter 2013

ABOVE: LAWRENCE PIPE LEFT: MICHAEL BARNARD

Robert C Barnard Harry Clarke Harry Cornell Ernest Cole George Cook John Hanchett Edwin H Berry

8th Div, Training HQ Royal Army 5 Service Corps and RASC 10th Essex 5th Essex Essex later 4th Bedfordshire 11th Essex

520th Co, 60 Div, Train Royal Army Service Corps Albert ‘Bertie’ Francis Essex Yeomanry later 5th Essex later 2/5th Gloucester Ernest S Searle Royal Garrison Regt. Walter A ‘China’ Searle 1st Essex Frank Turner Johns Essex later 2nd Lancashire Fusilliers Richard S Dellow D company 8th Royal Winnipeg Rifles Sydney C Saville 1st Hertfordshire Ernest Reynolds 10th Essex William Poulter Royal Field Artillery (Royal Horse). Herbert H Mansfield Duke of Cambridge’s Own 17th Lancers George Norfield Canadian Field Artillery Charles Swinscoe Royal Army Service Corps 52 Names total, 41 shown on Newport Memorial WW2 Memorial Joseph A Clover Michael S Barnard George S W Whyman Rowland B Cox Harold F Wilson Ronald L Dix Donald S Camp Olive D Scott William J Scott Frederick L Palmer Lawrence A Pipe

Royal Natal Carbineers RAFVR Royal East Kent The ‘Buffs’ RAF (RAFO) Royal Norfolk 2/5th Essex 2/4th Royal Hampshire ATS Royal Marines Royal Navy HQ Base Ordinance Depot Royal Ordinance Corps. 11 names total, 9 shown on Newport Memorial

HISTORY

Newport local history group ANTHONY TUCK, CHAIRMAN

he autumn programme of meetings began in September with a scintillating talk by Maria Medlycott, Historic Environment Officer for Essex County Council, on the historic environment of Uttlesford. Drawing in part on her own work as an archaeologist, she stressed the continuity of human settlement in this part of Essex from pre-Roman times to the present day. Some of her images showed very clearly how much archaeological work had been done, as rescue digs, along the line of the A120 and on the site of Stansted Airport! Now that the research and writing part of the Newport Victoria County History Project is almost complete, Gillian Williamson, David Evans and I gave a presentation on 24 October of some of the new light that the project has

thrown on Newport’s history. Topics covered included the Jewish community of medieval Newport, the activities of the Salvation Army in the village in the late nineteenth century, and the philanthropic work of Lady Meyer, wife of Sir Carl Meyer, the owner of Shortgrove Hall in the early twentieth century. Finally, on 21 November, Vic Gray is to give a talk on ‘My Darling Daisy’, the Countess of Warwick, and her circle. She lived at Easton Lodge in the first half of the twentieth century, and was a leading (and colourful) figure in the intellectual and social life of this area. We arranged two excursions during the summer. The first was to 25-27 Church Street Saffron Walden, part of the former Sun Inn and next to the bookshop. The two houses have been bought by Douglas Kent of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (who gave us a talk a few years ago), and he is renovating them to preserve as many of the original features as possible. We also went to two churches in Cambridgeshire – St John’s Duxford (now out of regular use), and Ickleton. Both have important medieval paintings, and we were shown round both churches by expert guides who explained features of the churches which we would probably not have seen without their help. The Annual General Meeting of the Group will be held on Thursday 5 December, at 8.00 p.m. in Church House. NN

Programme of Meetings for 2014

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Thursday 23 January. Sarah Kirkpatrick: ‘The Countess of Portsmouth, Saviour of Audley End.’ Thursday 20 February. Jeremy Collingwood, ‘The Gibson Family of Saffron Walden.’ Thursday 20 March. Herbert Eiden, ‘The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 in Essex.’ Thursday 18 September. Paul Rusiecki, ‘The Home Front in Essex during the First World War’. Thursday 16 October. Neil Hargreaves, ‘The Restoration of Newport Church in 2013’. Thursday 27 November. Fred Nash, ‘World War II Defences in Essex’. All meetings are at 8.00pm in Church House. Admission is £2, but free to members. Please contact Anthony Tuck, telephone 543833 for further information.

Environ Construction Sharon,Thaxted Rd, Debden Contact Ron Chapman 01799543864 07957220322

Winter 2013 Newport News 25

HISTORY

The old Newport telephone exchange MARY MILLWARD Reprinted from ‘Newport News’ number 13, June 1980

oming in the summer of 1941 from Bradford in Yorkshire and a busy town life, my mother Mrs L.E. Rushworth, my sister Thelma and I arrived to take on the running of the Telephone Exchange which was situated in part of the White House in the High Street, Newport, opposite the Hercules Public House. I have been told that the telephone switchboard had first been installed at Newport Post Office, but had to be moved when it became too busy to be operated by the Post Mistress. I believe a Miss Dimmock was one of the first operators there. Mr and Mrs Slater and their two daughters ran the exchange before we were appointed in 1941. My mother had been trained at Sawston exchange by Mrs W. Bebee, as the switchboards there were similar to the Newport ones, and Mrs Bebee came with my mother to assist in the first few weeks. The Exchange was run by day operators from 9am to 5.30pm and from then until 9am the next day by the Caretaker-Operator, who lived in the premises. As it was wartime, the exchange had to be manned all night, so my sister was the relief operator. I was the eldest daughter, then 17 years old, so I had to go to Bishop’s Stortford Exchange to be trained not only in operating procedures but also in the numerous rules and regulations of the job, including the clerical side of it, ordering of stores, pricing of calls, as a ticket had to be made out for each call showing number making call and number being called and in cases of calls over a certain distance, they had to be timed on and off and charged accordingly. These all had to be datestamped and priced and sent to Head

26 Newport News Winter 2013

Office the following day. To call Police, Fire or Ambulance, the subscriber would call by picking up the receiver in the usual way, but to show it was an emergency call, they would press the receiver rest up and down in quick succession, which gave us a “flashing” signal, and priority in answering was given to that signal. We would then enquire which service was required and connect directly to the Police Station or Ambulance. In the case of Fire calls, we had to note address of fire and name of caller, and set in motion a system of bells which rang in the firemen’s houses and places of work. After the war when the air raid siren was no longer needed, it was used as a call-out for the firemen and again was started from the exchange. Telephone subscribers in those days seldom bothered to consult the directory for the required number, but would just ask for people by name, so we found it necessary to memorise all our 200 plus subscribers’ names and addresses. Calls to London or further afield had to be connected to “TRUNKS”, which was the Cambridge Exchange, and they then controlled the call. We were a busy little exchange covering the Widdington, Debden, Wenden, Wicken and Quendon areas. During the war we were even busier, as army units moved in at Quendon, Widdington and Debden. Later an American Hospital was constructed in the grounds of Shortgrove Hall and that made a lot more work for us. The Home Guard also used to have 48 hour exercises which kept us busy; these usually took place over the weekend. All air raid warnings came to us and had to be passed on to the Police and Air Raid Wardens’ posts. They in turn passed them on to other country police houses and other wardens’ posts. These warnings came in a series of colours, yellow alert, purple alert and the final red alert when the siren would be sounded. Sometimes we would keep getting the first ones off and on all night without ever reaching the stage for the siren to sound, and people would say next morning “Nice quiet night” without realising what had been happening during the night in the Exchange! I do not think I would be breaking

Mrs Lilian Rushworth operating the switchboard at the White House

any secrecy rules now by saying how amusing some of our “instructions in case of invasion” were. We were supposed to disconnect the generator which supplied the power to ring subscribers’ telephones, and take it with us if we had to evacuate the building. It took all our strength to even lift it from the shelf, so we would not have got far carrying that. Steel helmets were issued to be worn during air raids and special gas masks with hearing and speaking places built in were provided. We had to wear these to test them weekly for a short time and people complained that they could not hear us properly. After the war things changed. The caretaker-operator was supposed to go to bed between 11pm and 7am and wages were reduced accordingly. A bell was installed in the bedroom and all calls still had to be answered. People would often call from a call box at Audley End Station about 1am and again at 5am to arrange transport, usually asking if we knew of a taxi. Calls were of course made to Doctors, District Nurses or Hospitals so we never had unbroken sleep. Holidays were the most difficult things to arrange. A relief telephonist was only sent out to cover the day duty, 9am to 5.30pm, and the Caretaker-Operator had to find her own relief operator or

HISTORY Mrs Lilian Rushworth

go without a holiday. We were allowed a part-time day operator to assist the full-time operator during the busiest time of the day. My sister was the first, then later we had a Mrs D. Robinson for a short time and Mrs Joan Bush came later. She had been an operator at Newport before we came, and was one of the training telephonists who helped to train me in 1941 at Bishop’s Stortford Exchange. She had decided to take a part-time job after her husband was demobbed from the Air Force. She would also help out in the evenings when someone was on holiday. I was married in 1944 and took the part-time operator’s job when it became available in 1946 when my first baby was born. My sister left to live in America and I had also to assist my mother with the evening and Sunday work. Sheila Weavers then took the full-time day operator’s job, transferring

from Bishop’s Stortford Exchange. She later married Gordon Wilby. For years we had been warned that an automatic exchange was to be built, and being unable to find a house here, my husband, who was a night telephonist at Bishop’s Stortford, transferred to Bradford in June 1949. We came back to take over when my mother had a holiday, but she had to retire due to ill health in late 1950. Mrs L. Turner was then the day operator. She will be able to continue the story from then until the exchange became automatic. I would like to add that my husband could not settle in a town so transferred back to Bishop’s Stortford Exchange in 1956 and we came back to live where we are now in 1957. My mother became a diabetic in 1950 and later suffered from angina. She collapsed and died suddenly in 1958. NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 27

HISTORY

Nellie Pavitt and her descendants BARRY NEWMAN AND JENNY PAVITT If you visit Newport’s parish church you will fi nd amongst the graves that of Nellie Pavitt. Her story and her family’s story has been told by some of her grandchildren and put together by Barry Newman, one of her grandsons, making a wonderful record for her descendants. What follows is a very much shortened version for ‘Newport News’.

ellie was married first in 1909 to Thomas Louis Newman at Edmonton. Thomas, aged 19, was carman to a florist, and it is thought he later became a market gardener. They had five children, the first four born in Enfield. They were Winifred Blanche (Winnie), born 1910, Donald Thomas (Don), born 1911, Nellie Irene (Rene), born 1913, and Kenneth William Gordon (known in the family as Kelly) born in 1916. Around 1917 when Nellie was expecting their fifth child and Thomas was serving in the First World War in the Machine Gun Corps, the family moved to Saffron Walden to join Nellie’s sister Florence. The baby, Joan, was born in March 1918 just one week before her father was killed at the front. Thomas’s body was never found but he is remembered on the Memorial at the Faubourg d’Amiens British Cemetery in Arras. Some of his descendants took Joan to see her father’s memorial on her 90th birthday. Nellie met her second husband, Ernest Henry Pavitt, in Saffron Walden. They were married at Lambeth, Nellie aged 28 and Ernest 32. He had been born in Saffron Walden in 1888 to George, a bricklayer’s labourer and Eliza. We believe Ernest went to sea when he was 16 and we know he served on ships sailing to New Zealand and Cape Town between 1911/12 as an Assistant Steward, and at

28 Newport News Winter 2013

THOMAS NEWMAN, NELLIE’S fIRST HuSBAND.

NELLIE WITH HER CHILDREN; DON AND WINNIE ARE STANDINg, RENE STANDS BEHIND AND KEN IS ON HER LAP.

some time as a First Class Cabin Steward on The Durham Castle of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company. Nellie and Ernest had six children, half brothers and sisters to Nellie’s existing five. Ernest William George (Ernie) was born in 1920; Poppy Eileen in 1922, Pearl Ruby in 1925, Keith Brian in 1927, Brian Edward in 1929 and Raymond Albert (Ray) on 21 August 1932, a week before the family moved to Newport. Although Ernest spent a lot of his time at sea, when he came home he made up for it by being very good and kind and generous to all the family, seeing they were all well provided for. Apparently, Don and Ken Newman, Nellie’s two eldest sons, were in the Saffron Walden Church choir and all

the children went to Sunday School. Nellie was quite strict with the children, please and thank you were a must and good table manners. Don and Ken went to the Boys British School, and the Headmaster encouraged Nellie to continue Don’s education past school leaving age but she could not afford it. Winnie and Rene Newman went to the Saffron Walden British School for Girls. Joan Newman was a delicate child so she was sent to a nearer school, St Mary’s in Castle Street. The Greengrocer’s Shop In 1932 the family moved to Newport, into the house now called Regency House, in the High Street. The house included a shop that had been a butcher’s and there were slaughter buildings to the rear that carried on

THE HOuSE AND gREENgROCER’S SHOP IN NEWPORT’S HIgH STREET (THE SHOP HAS LONg SINCE gONE AND THE HOuSE IS NOW KNOWN AS REgENCY HOuSE). uNfORTuNATELY THIS PHOTOgRAPH HAS BEEN QuITE BADLY DAMAgED.

NELLIE BLANCHE PAVITT, fORMERLY NEWMAN, NÉE EDWARDS.

being used for a short while after the family moved in. Nellie turned the shop into a greengrocer’s, selling vegetables, fruit and flowers. They needed a car for the shop and bought a Swift made in Coventry, a reliable car which ceased being made in 1931 owing to the growing popularity of the mass produced Austin, Ford and Morris cars. The Pavitt children went to the Newport School at the junction of Wicken Road and School Lane. Nellie’s shop became a meeting point in the village. Everyone was welcome to call in and pass the time of day. Nellie was popular and respected. She had always had a piano in the house and loved having family get-togethers that sometimes included dressing up. Winnie, the eldest Newman daughter, had piano lessons. Don Newman, the eldest son, had violin lessons and later played the saxophone and went on to form a band called The Masked Marvels. Amongst the people who booked the band was R.A. Butler, Saffron Walden’s MP. Some time after 1935 Ernest Pavitt had to leave the sea due to a weak heart, and joined the Enfield Ordnance Factory. Sadly, in mid 1940 he died at the age of 52. When Winnie Newman was 17 or 18 she went to live in Enfield with her father’s sister Winifred. There she met Vic Buckley, whom she married in 1935. Vic had been in the Navy but when he married he became a butcher and quite a successful one, eventually having businesses in New Milton and Havant on the south coast. Vic and Winnie had just the one son, Clifford (1936-2003). In January 1926 Don Newman, then aged 14, joined Rainhams as an apprentice coach painter on a three year contract, and soon became very skilled. On Boxing Day 1936 he married

HISTORY ERNEST HENRY PAVITT, NELLIE’S SECOND HuSBAND.

Ivy Margaret Sell (known as Bet) who was 20, at Newport Church. She lived nearby in the High Street at what is now called Craft Cottage (it was two cottages then). She was a shop window dresser and her father, John William Sell, was a railway signalman. Don and Bet Newman went to live in Park Lane, Saffron Walden, and their first child Barry was born there in April 1938. It was around this time that Don Newman left Rainhams to join Marshalls Flying School Ltd., as it was known then, at Cambridge. Marshalls had developed their own systems for training pilots. During World War Two, these were eventually adopted by the Government, and Don worked on the modification, repair and maintenance of the aircraft. At the beginning of the war a Bomber Training Station

DON NEWMAN AND HIS MASKED MARVELS.

was established at Kinloss Airfield in Scotland and Don was seconded there. Around 1941 he returned from Scotland to rejoin Marshalls, staying for a short time in Cambridge before moving to a rented bungalow at Great Shelford. At the end of the war he transferred to Marshall’s new commercial vehicle body building section. He very soon became responsible for preparing all their tenders for potential new contracts. The very varied work they undertook included such special projects as television broadcasting vehicles for the BBC. When he wasn’t working, one of his great loves was to paint in oils. He could also turn his hand to all kinds of things from building conservatories to making a detailed scale model of the famous WW2 De Havilland Mosquito night fighter. In January 1947 Don and Bet had a daughter, Jean, who was followed in February 1949 by Anne. In the early 1950s the family moved into a new bungalow they had built at Stapleford. In 1985 he and Bet moved to Bishop’s Stortford. Bet died on her birthday in February 1994 and Don died in 1997. At the beginning of 1939 Rene Newman married Stanley Palmer at Royston. Their first daughter Pamela was born later that year. Their second daughter Carol was born in 1944 in Newmarket and their son John in 1950. Rene died in 1981 and regrettably her family have had little contact with the rest of the family since then. Ken Newman started work with Gillet’s the greengrocers and apparently did a delivery round with a horse and cart. When he was 19 he started playing for Saffron Walden Football Club and quickly became recognised as a prolific goal scorer. From November 1935,

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Winter 2013 Newport News 29

HISTORY

Winnnie Newman and Vic Buckley on their wedding day in 1935. Nellie is seated on the far right.

At Don Newman’s marriage to Bet Sell in 1936, seated left to right are Ernest Pavitt, Bet’s mother, Don and Bet, Nellie, and Bet’s father.

when he joined the Club, to the end of the season, he scored 37 goals and the following season 49. He was approached by a Tottenham Football Club talent scout offering the prospect of turning professional, but turned it down. In 1942, by then a soldier based in Beaconsfield, he married Joyce Helen Rowe from Welwyn. Their first daughter, Stephanie, was born in February 1947, while they were staying in telmporary accommodation in Littlebury, and later they moved to Benfleet, Essex. There, in April 1949, Ken tragically and very suddenly died of meningitis. Saffron Walden Town Football Club wrote “In a relatively short period of time, between 1935 and 1938, he built up the status of a legend... Ken was undoubtably the most deadly forward in Saffron Walden’s history.” Ken’s second daughter, Sally, was born in the September following his death, and for the next six years Joyce and the two girls had to stay with relations until they acquired a house of their own. Stephanie remembers it was a great struggle but a devoted mother got them through it. In 1939 Joan Newman met a soldier billeted in Newport. He was Joseph (known as Joe) Ellis, in the Medical Corps. He came from Edmonton. They married at Newport Parish Church in May 1940 and in October 1941 their first daughter Jacqueline Joan (known as Ann) was born while Joan was staying with her sister Rene at Newmarket. In mid 1942 Joe was posted to North Africa, Greece and Italy and didn’t see his family again until he was demobbed in 1945. Ann recalls how shy she was of her father when he first returned. In 1947 her sister Susan was born. To start with, finding suitable accommodation proved very difficult and they too stayed in temporary accommodation in Littlebury. However, by saving really hard, the family were eventually able to purchase a

30 Newport News Winter 2013

house in Edmonton in 1950. Around 1960 they moved to a pleasant house in Bush Hill Park, Enfield. After their daughters Ann and Susan had married and left home, Joan’s sister Winnie went to live with them after her husband Vic had died. Winnie then developed dementia and Joan and Joe became her carers. After attending their granddaughter Johanne’s wedding in the USA, Joan and Joe visited Poppy and Bill in Oregon. Shortly after returning home Joe had a heart bypass and with that it became too much to look after Winnie so she was found a care home nearby, where Joan and Joe visited her every day until her death in 1999. Joe died in 2005, just before their 65th wedding anniversary and following his death Joan found living alone difficult so she moved into her daughter Ann’s home, just down the road, where she remains today. In April 1939 Ernie Pavitt, now 18 and the eldest of the Pavitt children, joined the Territorials and went on to serve with distinction throughout the war, becoming an NCO and being mentioned in despatches. After the war his first job was in sales, but in 1953 he joined Wilkinson’s, the banana wholesalers based in Bishop’s Stortford, where he became manager. Ernie became the last of the family to leave home when in October 1966 he married Nesta Millwood, who was Head of Year at Hadham Hall School. They lived in Bishop’s Stortford until 1991 when they moved to Worth in Kent to be nearer Nesta’s family. Ernie, like his brothers, had been a keen sportsman in his younger days and also had many interests and hobbies including reading, gardening and D.I.Y. He was a keen member of The Royal British Legion. Ernie died in 2006 and Nesta still lives at Worth. Poppy Pavitt had always been musical and liked to perform as an entertainer playing the piano and singing. Some older residents of Newport might just remember her performing at the festivities in the village on V.E. Day, May 1945. She was 21 when she met Willard James Braunberger (Bill), an American Army Sergeant based at Shortgrove. They were married at St Mary’s Church, Newport, in May 1945, and in 1946 Poppy sailed to America as a G.I. bride, to join her husband in Salem, Oregan. They had three children, Gloria in 1947, Darlene in 1949 and David in 1952. They also fostered others – over the years they cared for a total of 57 children! Poppy returned to England in 1951, 1971 and again in the 1980s with Bill, before dying in 1994. On leaving school Pearl Pavitt worked at Woolworth’s, Sainsbury’s and then went into service before joining Carnation Nurseries. Flowers were grown here and later tomatoes and cucumbers. Pearl met her future husband Allan Smith while still at school and they married in April 1946 at Newport Church. Their only child Sandra was born in December 1947. Pearl died in September 2005. When Keith Pavitt left school he joined Acrow Engineers in Saffron Walden as an apprentice. In November 1942, at about 15 years of age, he enrolled in the Army Cadet Force and served until the end of March 1945. His discharge papers recorded that he had proved himself to be an exceptional sportsman, representing his Battalion and Company at football, cricket and cross country running for which he won a number of medals. In April 1945 he enlisted as a fitter in the Army, first of all in the RAC, then the 8th Tank Regiment, serving in Austria, Italy, Egypt and Palestine. He then joined the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at

HISTORY Bordon, Hants., where he eventually became a Higher Instructional Officer. In October 1960 he married Rita Cutter and they set up home in Portsmouth, later moving to Horndean, Hants. In November 1969 Keith demonstrated tank training techniques to the Duke of Edinburgh and in 1976 he was in charge of moving Field Marshall Lord Montgomery’s wartime field caravans from his home to the Pebble Mill Television Centre and later to the Imperial War Museum. Keith was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1991, attended the Queen’s Garden Party in 1992 and retired in the same year. Keith and Rita had three children, Sharon born in 1961, and twins Teresa and Mark born in April 1963. Just before Keith retired, Rita was diagnosed with M.S. and he looked after her as the disease progressed. Keith then himself was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia. Sharon says it was a very sad time for them all watching both parents endure such terrible diseases. Keith died in 2006 and Rita in 2007. Around 1943 Brian Pavitt left school at 14 and went to work at Emson Tanners in Saffron Walden. He then worked with Billy Newell, who operated a transport business, and followed that by going to Gingers Saw Mill. National Service in the Army intervened but he returned to the Saw Mill for a while before joining the Central Electricity Generating Board. In 1972 he started a decorating business with his brother Ray and continued with that until he retired. Brian married Audrey Wisbey in 1954 at Furneux Pelham Parish Church. They had two daughters, Dina in 1956 and Lorraine in 1958. Later Brian and Audrey divorced and in 1988 he married Jenny Johns, a local girl he had first met at the Newport Club. Brian recalls how as a small child his half-brother Kelly used to take him to his football matches in his Austin Seven. It turned out this experience was not wasted as in later years when Brian was in his early twenties playing for Newport, he scored more than 50 goals in a short spell of time. What a great pity that Kelly never knew his younger half-brother was to demonstrate the talent that he had for putting the ball into the back of the net. Brian also played cricket for Newport and still enjoys a game of snooker at the Newport Club. Brian and Jenny live in Gaces Acre.

Ray Pavitt, the youngest of Nellie’s children, left school at 13. After his National Service he went to work at Hollands Flour Mills in Wendens Ambo, where he met Florrie. They courted for two years and got married in 1956 at Saffron Walden. They started married life in temporary accommodation in Newport before moving into no. 5 Church Street, where their twins Gary and Grant were born in 1957. Twelve years later they moved to Croft Cottages and finally to Gaces Acre. Ray spent six of his best years at Gosling Brothers, who were builders at Great Chesterford, before joining Brian in the decorating business in which he continued until his retirement. Ray was a keen sportsman playing football and cricket for Newport and Wenden. He also enjoyed snooker at the Newport Men’s Club, where he was a member for 62 years, and darts at The White Horse. He was a keen gardener, cook and enjoyed summer barbecues. Ray died in February 2011 and his many friends said Sunday lunchtimes would never be the same at the Club. Florrie still lives in Gaces Acre.

Keith Pavitt receiving the British Empire Medal, presented by Archie Hamilton MP.

Florrie recalls how very kind her mother-in-law Nellie was, not only to her in helping to bring up the twins, but also to others. She loved children, and she also liked a glass of Guinness at the Star and Garter next door. However, at some point Nellie had to close her shop and when Ray’s family moved out of 5 Church Street around 1969, she moved in. This was where she was to end her days in 1973, not alone but with family around her. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 31

PEOPLE

Private Rushforth ANN SMITH

n the First World War, Private Arthur Samuel Rushforth of the Army Veterinary Corps was among the first ‘Vets’ to go up to the Front Line. He was killed at the age of 42 on 9 May 1917, and his name can be seen on the Roll of Honour in Saffron Walden church. He had already served in the Boer War; in fact by 1906 he had served 12 years in the army, over five of them abroad. His decorations included the Queen’s South African and four clasps; the King’s South African and two clasps; the 14/15

Star; the War Medal and the Victory Medal. He had married Mary Ann Start, and they had two children, Arthur Lawrence, born in 1904, and Ivy Muriel. Tragically the little girl died from diphtheria in 1921 at the age of 12. Arthur Lawrence, however, married Evelyn Barrett of Great Chesterford and they came to live at Bank House, Station Road, Newport in 1939 and remained there for the rest of their lives. Arthur, a great sportsman, died at the early age of 58 in 1963; his mother Mary Ann died in 1965, having outlived both her children. His widow Evelyn was left to bring up their three teenage children. She herself died in 1996. Arthur and Evelyn’s children were Ann, John and Peter. Ann still lives in Newport, while John now lives in Tsada, just outside Paphos, Cyprus, and Peter lives in Takeley. Sadly the Rushforth name will come to an end with them, as neither John nor Peter have had children. NN

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COMMUNITY

Improving Newport village hall NEWPORT NEWS TEAM

RIGHT: MAIN HALL 2013 BELOW: THE MARION fABER ROOM 2013

ewport Village Hall was originally built in the 1950’s on land donated by Benskins Brewery. It was an impressive feat as it was largely built by people from the village with some professional help. Fifty years on and the building had become dilapidated and looked rather sad. “It was like walking into a time warp” was one comment. Tom Archer started the ball rolling in 2001 by sending a questionnaire to every household in Newport asking for the views of residents on the future of the Village Hall. Most people favoured rebuilding the Hall on its present site in Station Road. After considering various ingenious options, it became apparent that MARION fABER ACCEPTINg A DONATION fROM CARPET BOWLS

BAR ANNExE REPAIRS DEC 2010

34 Newport News Winter 2013

aiming to build a completely new hall would prove over ambitious. Meanwhile the late Marion Faber had been appointed Chair of the Hall and began by recruiting new trustees to strengthen the management team. She also arranged for a structural and geological survey of the building. The results that came back from the Snow Walker structural report were surprisingly upbeat. The Hall Committee therefore decided to press ahead with a major refurbishment programme. A Steering Group was formed with representatives from Newport Parish Council and in March 2006, a detailed feasibility study was published. Most people agreed that refurbishment was the best option and the work was soon started. The first phase was to replace the old asbestos roof, upgrade the toilets, to install a new kitchen and to create two new storage areas by building cupboards off the main hall. The funding for the work came from Essex County Council, the Parish Council and the Hall’s own resources. Marion Faber also quickly put together a fundraising committee that helped to organise no less than 19 events in the first year to swell the funds. The next step was to prepare an application to the National Lottery Fund for the remaining £180,000 required to complete the refurbishment. The Newport appeal was still in the running for a grant after all but 11 out of the original 212 applications had been rejected. However, the Lottery Board decided to turn down Newport’s application. The present Hall Chair, Peter Gibson, says it was very disappointing as the application process was both costly and time

consuming. “The whole exercise set the refurbishment project back two years”. The next step was far more successful as the Hall Committee won a £50,000 grant from Biffa Landfill Fund to turn the old side annexe into a separate comfortable meeting room. Peter Gibson says that “This turned out to be even more successful than we had ever hoped as the room is used extensively and has proved a real money spinner”. This summer the Hall Committee decided to change its name from the Green Room to the ‘The Marion Faber Room’. The change recognised all the tremendous hard work that the late Marion Faber had put in to improving the Village Hall. The Hall’s plans have encountered some serious setbacks. The complete refurbishment of the Bar Annexe (now called the Green Room) was initially budgeted at a cost of £10,000. Unfortunately it was discovered that the flat roof was completely rotten and that woodworm had infested the inside timbers. The final cost of £17,000 meant that there was no money left to refit the bar. Worse was to follow in February of this year when it was planned to use a grant from Essex County Council to replace the main hall’s suspended ceiling. The ceiling installers discovered that the roof void contained scattered remnants of the old asbestos cement

COMMUNITY roof. The original roofing contractors had not completed the work properly when the roof was replaced. Perhaps not surprisingly, the firm subsequently went bankrupt. Although technically not essential, the Hall Committee judged that as a public building the roof should be completely cleaned by a specialist firm for a cost of £8,500. The Hall had to be closed for five weeks while the work was completed. To add to the already strained budget, the Hall boiler had to be replaced the previous October for £5,000. In March, the amateur dramatic group NATS was able to greatly improve the Hall’s stage by installing curtains and new lighting bars; the work being funded from its own resources and a grant. Peter Gibson says that working on the Hall is time consuming and often frustrating but there is always a real buzz when a project is completed. “Just like any other small business, we also seem to be swamped by endless red tape. However, the effect of all the improvements is reflected in the staggering 70% rise in bookings over the past five years. We still have some way to go. For example, we are planning to make grant applications to refit the bar area and to clad the exterior walls to improve the overall appearance of the Hall”. Looking back, Peter Gibson says “None of the past work at the Hall could have been done without the help of so many people in the village. It would be impossible to name them all but I hope that they all feel that their contribution has given the village a far better community facility” Since the beginning of the project, Peter Arscott has been the volunteer project manager. He retired after a lifetime of experience in the building industry. Peter Gibson’s background was in finance in the City before moving on to become involved with various local and national charities. These days he divides his time between Newport and Cambridge where his partner Leonie lives and teaches in an Independent Sixth-Form college. Each year they organise with friends a very successful Strawberry Tea in Cambridge in aid of Breast Cancer Care - raising £1,390 this year. Together the two Peters form a formidable team to drive the Hall’s refurbishment project forward. Next year the Hall Committee hope to upgrade the Hall’s status from a registered charity to the new legal entity of being a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Among other advantages, this move will substantially reduce the personal liability of the Trustees. Peter Gibson admits that the Hall team is rather shorthanded and would welcome any additional members. You can contact Peter on management@newporthall.org.uk or check on the Hall’s website www.newporthall.org.uk for information about the Hall and for bookings. NN

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HISTORY

Newport rocks and fossils DAVID THEAR

everal years ago we found an unusual fossil in the garden. It was about two inches thick and looked like the stem of a plant with small circular marks along the surface. Last summer I took it into Saffron Walden Museum where it was identified as a Stigmaria; part of the root of a Lycopod, which is a kind of club moss. We are used to mosses that are low growing, but ancient Lycopods were like trees, growing up to 100ft high. You won’t see any these days as these giants grew among swamps in the North

West during the Carboniferous Period between 290 and 360 million years ago. That makes my Stigmaria much older than the dinosaurs as they first appeared 231 million years ago.

The Ice Age Much later, during the ice age, much of Britain was covered with an ice sheet that was 100 feet thick in places. The great weight of the ice, ground up the

rocks beneath it; carrying them along as the glacier moved slowly south. As the Carboniferous Period was millions of years before the Ice Age, my Stigmaria was already fossilised as rock when the ice covered it and dragged it slowly in this direction. The glacier travelled as far south as Hornchurch in Essex. Later, as it retreated, the melting ice produced an enormous amount of water that carved

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36 Newport News Winter 2013

NEWPO R LEGAL T SURGE RY

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13:12

HISTORY

ARBORESCENT LYCOPOD.PICTuRE BY 19TH CENTuRY DuTCH BOTANIST ELI HEIMANS.

CMY

Project2_Layout 1 25/07/2013 11:06 Page 1

deep ravines through the chalk. One of these is the Cam/Stort tunnel valley that runs from Great Chesterford to Bishops Stortford and passes directly beneath Newport where it is 300ft deep, with half of this depth below sea level. This deep valley filled with glacial drift with a covering of boulder clay. The composition of the clay varies depending on the rocks that the ice sheet passes over. Around Saffron Walden boulder clay can be creamy white in some places, as can be observed on the open fields on the way to Saffron Walden.

Large stones Not all the stones carried here by the moving glacier were ground into small pieces. At the entrance to Saffron Walden Museum there is a rock brought down by the glacier from the East Midlands that is 6 ft across and weighs two tons. There are also large old stones in Newport. The hard sandstone rock that stands on the right hand side of the road on the way out of the village to the north, and which is sometimes referred to as the Leper Stone, is a Sarsen. Some of the giant stones used at Stonehenge are Sarsens. The stone by the telephone box in Station Road is a Puddingstone, so called because it resembles a plum pudding. Both types are common in Southern England and are remnants left behind by soil erosion; becoming exposed on the surface about 20 million years ago. A characteristic of Puddingstone is that the embedded pebbles and the surrounding quartz-cemented matrix are of the same hardness. Because of this hardness, Puddingstones were used to make querns for grinding corn in the past. There have been many remarkable fossils brought into this area by glaciations. The geology section of Saffron Walden Museum has a fine collection, including a great spiral ammonite, bigger than a dinner plate that is about 150 million years old. There are still fossils here in the boulder clay. If you should be lucky enough to find one, the museum will identify it for you. It could start a new interest in our local geology. My thanks are due to Saffron Walden Museum and to Gerald Lucy of the Essex Rock and Mineral Society for allowing me to quote from his excellent book Essex Rock. Sadly, this book is out of print, but the library have a copy. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 37

HISTORY

Ancient round tower churches Round tower at Bartlow, Cambridgeshire, to the North of Saffron Walden, Essex

Prof. H.T. Norris (ABOVE) AND Dr. T.S. Norris

ewport Church in its present form probably dates from the first half of the thirteenth century. It had a nave, a chancel, North and South transepts and possibly a tower at a crossing point whereat the nave, the chancel and the transepts mutually spatially abut; the tower at the crossing is most likely to have had a rectangular profile in horizontal cross-section; examples of such crossing towers are to be seen today at nearby parishes of Ickleton and Anstey. Around the year 1500, when carved angels were installed into the nave of Newport Church (possibly carved in workshops located in Newport that also made furniture for Tilty Abbey), the tower at the crossing was dismantled and a first West-end tower was built; this first West-end tower had a rectangular profile in horizontal cross-section. As previously reported in Newport News, this first tower was damaged by lightning during the 1800’s, and a local architect G.E. Pritchett was entrusted with a task of constructing a replacement second West-end tower at Newport Church which we see today, and from which teddy bears with parachutes have been thrown in more recent times to raise funds for the church; this second Westend tower also has a rectangular profile in horizontal cross-section. However, not all church towers are rectangular in horizontal cross-section, and examples of church towers, and even churches, with round horizontal cross-section, namely round ground plan, are to be found, or have earlier existed; for example, churches at Wicken Bonhunt, Arkesden (Norman period), and Birchanger (Norman period) have earlier had round towers which have subsequently been removed

38 Newport News Winter 2013

Contemporary church with round tower, Little Walsingham, Norfolk

or have fallen into a state of dilapidation. At Bartlow Church (Norman period), a fine West-end round tower is to be found today. Essex now has less than a dozen remaining examples of churches with round towers, which derive from Norman and/or Saxon times. In fact, Suffolk and Norfolk have the greatest spatial concentration of churches with round towers in the world, namely a unique situation which is not generally appreciated. For example, our previous vicar at Newport and Widdington Churches, namely Rev Dr Barbara Sherlock, moved to Suffolk, where she now has Little Saxham Church with a fine round tower in her portfolio of parishes. Churches with round towers are not unique to the United Kingdom, for example such churches with round towers are to be found in Ireland, France (for example in the Alsace region), Germany (for example in the Schleswig Holstein region), Sweden (for example in the Skåne region), Denmark (for example in the Bornholm region), but not limited thereto. Other examples of local churches with round towers are to be found at Pentlow (Norman period, near Clare), South Ockenden (late Norman, in the outer periphery of Greater London), Lamarsh (Norman period), Great Leighs (Norman period), to mention a few. The round towers were most probably originally built for defensive purposes, wherein their bells could be employed for “highspeed” peer-to-peer acoustic network

communication to warn of attacks from Vikings and similar raiding parties attacking from coastal regions and river estuaries, namely providing rapid communication at a time before contemporary wireless and optical fibre communication networks were invented. Norfolk provides a wide diversity of churches with round towers, for example at Eddingthorpe in Norfolk (with thatched nave, situated near Mundesley and Bacton), and at Little Snoring (with detached tower, east of Wells-on-Sea). Other churches with round towers which are readily accessible from Newport are situated at Bartlow, Cambridgeshire (Norman period) as aforementioned, at Bardfield Saling (early 14th Century, east of Dunmow) and at Broomfield (Norman period with Roman bricks) (Chelmsford, Essex). Round churches are to be found at Little Maplestead, built in the year 1335 by the Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, a crusading order similar to the Knights Templar, who built the Temple Church (London), and Cambridge, where the littleknown Fraternity of the Holy Sepulchre built the Round Church opposite St John’s College. Churches with round towers have inspired the establishment of a society which is especially dedicated to their study and preservation, namely the Round Tower Church Society, founded by Mr W.J. Goode, which has the Prince of Wales as its patron. Further details can be found at: www.roundtowers.org. uk (registered charity no. 267996). The

HISTORY Round tower at BARDFIELD SAILING

Round Tower Church Society organizes conducted trips to visit the churches with round towers, allowing climbing of the towers, wherein the trips are concluded by delicious teas with home-baked cakes and scones. At one time, several churches with round towers were within walking distance of Newport, for example at Wicken Bonhunt, as aforementioned. The round tower there was pulled down in the 19th Century and stones from the original round tower were embedded into the structure of the present church (ref. “The Builder”, 1st October 1869, Vol.17). However, all traces of round towers have now disappeared at Arkesden and Birchanger Churches, although the nave at Birchanger Church is substantially Norman, but subject to Victorian restoration. More recent round towers are to be found at High Wych, namely a design by aforesaid architect G.E. Pritchett (year 1861), who was responsible for the design of the present West-end tower at Newport Church. Just over the Essex county boundary,

west of Clavering, and not far from Brent Pelham, is the fine church of Anstey (early 13th Century) which has a defensive side round tower, which dates from the early English period. Despite the loss of these other round tower churches local to Newport, Anstey Church does at least give us an idea of how round towers local to Newport may have earlier appeared. One may ask: why were round towers built for churches in preference to towers with a rectangular horizontal cross-section profile? Was it a lack of building stone in this part of England around Newport? Alternatively, was it because in earlier times large parts of eastern England were threatened by Danish (Viking) invaders and other intruders. Round towers avoid a need for costly corner stones required for constructing towers with rectangular horizontal cross-section. Moreover, a round tower can be constructed relatively inexpensively, with relatively modest skills, by a method including:

(i) employing a plumb-line to define a central vertical axis, defined by (for example) an erected upright tree trunk aligned parallel to the plumb-line; (ii) attaching a loop of cord loosely around the tree trunk for defining a constant radius from the central axis; and (iii) attaching using lime mortar stones at the constant radius from the central axis for defining the walls of the round tower. A robust cylindrical structure is thus obtained without a need to cut corner stones. It has been speculated that such a method of constructing a round tower was first developed when the Romans built Borough Castle, and such expertise was later used for constructing round towers for churches. In conclusion, it will be appreciated from the foregoing that round towers for churches are a fascinating and complex subject which has, over many years, received much study both in the United Kingdom and abroad. The tradition of constructing round towers has been perpetuated to contemporary times, for example as in the new Catholic Church at Little Walsingham, Norfolk. In the city of Brest, Belarus, a cathedral there comprises a configuration of five mutually abutting round towers, wherein even the porch of the cathedral is of rounded form. However, next time you travel from Newport to Wicken Bonhunt and glance at the church there and admire its Victorian tower, it is kindly worth a thought to consider how the church at an earlier epoch appeared, mutatis mutandis the church at Newport with its rectangular cross-section tower over the crossing. NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 39

HISTORY

Goodbye to Roy and June JOHN GORDON

t is always sad to hear of an old established resident leaving the village so when I heard that Roy Murrell and his partner June Jumailly were moving to Suffolk I went to see them at number 70 Cherry Garden Lane. Roy told me that he had moved into the house in January 1978, the first resident in the road. It was snowing outside, bitterly cold and with no electricity laid on. I suggested that we begin at the beginning of his life and he then told me that he had been born in 1943 in London, the youngest of ten children. He went to school in Hammersmith, leaving at 14 in 1957 and started off as a projectionist and in the ensuing years had a wide range of jobs including driving for the Post Office, textile and sports goods salesman and involvement in the record industry. Roy also had an active sideline in being a disc jockey at local weddings, parties and dances. In 1994 he made a radical change by becoming a carer to those with learning disabilities and now works in the NHS as a senior instructor in Cambridge in the Prevention and management of violence and aggression, a job he loves. On the home front he married Sylvia, born in 1941, in 1964 and they had three children, Simon, Sharon and Tracy. Very sadly Sharon died in 2001 aged only 34. A further tragedy was that Tracy’s baby daughter; Sylvina died two years ago aged only ten months

In 1978 Roy and Sylvia had moved to Newport to take advantage of the excellent schools in the area, paying just under £12,000 for number 70. They were very happy here but tragically Sylvia developed Motor Neurone Disease and later died in 2008 aged only 67. Roy had nursed her devotedly. In this connection Roy wanted me to stress how helpful Dave and Val Clark at number 125 had been throughout his troubles. In due course Roy became friendly with one of his colleagues at work, June Jumailly, a Resuscitation officer who had been a nurse for 35 years. She had three children with her husband but later divorced. Roy and June are moving to Suffolk where they have bought a cottage, a county they know well having had a caravan in Woodbridge. They both love music, indeed Roy has a collection of over 600 long playing records. They have enjoyed their time in Newport, 35 years in Roy’s case but semi retirement and a more leisured life call. NN

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40 Newport News Winter 2013

EDITORIAL

Good moaning, Newport GOOD MOANING NEWPORT is asking all readers who may have minor or major irritations concerning the village to write in & express their thoughts, opinions and suggestions on how they can be resolved. A lot of the time these can be sorted by just letting people know how we feel. Please no personal vendettas, or issues that should only be discussed with the local authorities or Police. No names or addresses will be published.

Email: goodmoaning@newportnews.org.uk

ROAD SIGNS We are all aware what a great way it is to advertise somebody’s ‘special’ birthday or promote forthcoming events by sticking up signs/notices either on poles or on sticks by the road side but anyone doing this should be aware that on certain poles/signs belonging to BT, the electricity board or even highways that it is considered illegal to do this. If you wish to advertise by these means firstly check that where you are placing them is legal & secondly be sure to remove them after the event as they will deteriorate in time to the elements.

CAT FOULING Dog owners are required to clear up after their dogs, the same does not apply to cat owners, as can be seen in the

parking area of Bullfields off Cherry Garden Lane. A corner of the car park, and pathway leading from the car park towards Bullfields can only be described as a communal cat litter tray. In the heat as we have experienced recently, the smell from this area as you walk past is foul, and perhaps a health issue? Who is responsible to clear this away, our village caretaker, or UDC road sweepers? A solution to this problem would be for cat owners to provide their cats with a litter tray, and train their cats to use it. There is legislation in the UK that applies to dog owners, caught not clearing up after their dogs, who can receive an on the spot fine, should the same principle not apply to cat owners if caught?

GARDEN RUBBISH As Autumn approaches some of us will be busy in our gardens getting rid of fallen leaves, cutting back hedges & maybe even getting a last cut of the grass before the weather changes therefore may we politely remind Newport residents that it is not a great idea to throw garden waste onto farmers ‘fields or if you are going to burn the waste please check that your smoke will not affect your immediate neighbours, they may have washing out or their windows open. We have an excellent facility in the village on some Sundays 10am–11am, when UDC have a waste lorry parked by the allotments for garden waste only. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 41

THE SuN SHONE fOR uS THIS YEAR

WORK

The farming year ST MARY’S SAffRON WALDEN BEHIND THE COMBINE

KAREN FISKE

On the farm A fter 2012 being a very disappointing year, with very wet weather and poor yields, 2013 has turned out to be a much better one for farmers and indeed anyone growing produce. You may have noticed the hedgerows bursting with fruit, apple and plum trees have had bumper crops. It was so very close though, after the bad harvest last year, the crops for this year went in alright. We were tempted to be rather pleased, but within a few months things were looking poor, slugs, pigeons and disease were wiping out whole fields and there was a lot of pressure to make the decision to redrill. The non-stop rain was making perfect conditions for slugs, who by their million, were munching through the new crops. The decision to pull a crop up comes at a high cost, as the failing crops have already had considerable amounts of spray and fertiliser put on them, not to mention the time it took to do and the fuel used. A lot of our re-drilling was done in the spring after watching our lovely new, green shoots turn first yellow then brown as the slugs did their worst. Thankfully, after eighteen months of cold wet weather, the sun came out and

WILD BIRD MIx LOOKINg gOOD

42 Newport News Winter 2013

our crops now had the chance to make up for the last twelve months. Since the ban on stubble burning, keeping control of slugs and disease has been left to chemical applications, a yearly burn would go a long way to keeping them at bay. In a year that is wet even the chemicals have failed to have much impact. The environmental areas we have on the farm have done really well this year, pollen and nectar mixes are a mixture of legumes without grasses to provide a flower rich area. The use of this

mixture on heavy soil types is a good option where sown grasses can become dominant. The wild bird cover areas have sunflowers, kale, quinoa, triticale and fodder beet. These are all designed to feed the wild bird population throughout the whole winter. The fantastic warm, sunny summer, with just the right amount of rain made for a good harvest, both cereal and grass. It was two weeks late, due to the difficult start, but as the weather held out through to October it has been possible to get things off to a good start for harvest 2014.

Chinese Lanterns You may remember I have mentioned Chinese or Sky Lanterns previously. These things are released into the sky at times of celebration, but people just don’t realise the damage they cause. As they are a naked flame surrounded by flammable material, once they are out of sight, who has to deal with where they go? If they burn out before they land they fall to the ground and the frame which is made of thin metal is then left for animals to eat or become tangled up in. Cows, sheep, horses and deer have all been killed from ingesting them. Thatched houses have burned to the ground, straw stacks have been destroyed. There is an advert on television where lanterns are lit and float off into the distance in a romantic,

WORK A LOAD Of WHEAT AND OIL SEED RAPE IN THE BARN

glamorous way. This is as irresponsible as selling matches to small children. Glastonbury founder, Michael Eavis has banned revellers from letting sky lanterns off at the music festival. This is following several of his 400 strong herd of dairy cows being killed by remnants which have landed in their field. He even goes as far as having a team dedicated to tracking down any lanterns being brought into the festival. The devastating fire at Smethwick recycling plant, that caused £6 million worth of damage, earlier this year was reported by West Midlands Fire Service to be the largest fire they had ever had to deal with and it was very lucky no-one was killed. CCTV footage shows a Chinese lantern landing on paper and plastic recycling bales and starting the blaze. The RNLI have reported that lanterns landing near and on the sea have been mistaken for distress flares and have accounted for unnecessary call outs.

Rural Crime Due to the remote locations of most farms, it is hard to keep check on what is going on in the farm yard all of the time. Even during the day theft takes place if premises are not secured or attended. Criminals seem to be more cunning and not do a big raid, where it will be obvious that a break in had happened. The new tactics seem to be to take one or two things little and often leaving no trail, the item is not missed until it is needed and it is hard for the victim to tell when it went missing. Anything left out is vulnerable and farmers are generally too trusting leaving gates and doors open when they are coming and going. Illegal hare coursing is a big problem, as soon as harvest starts up until the fields are too wet to travel on, the hares are not safe and neither is our

property. This pasttime is popular with the travelling community, as they race through farmyards to collect their dogs they have eyes on everything. Anything lift-able, metal and saleable such as tools, compressors, garden machinery, quad bikes, chainsaws even the yard gate if it comes off, the list could go on. If you see any suspicious vehicles, usually older 4x4’s, Subaru impreza or vans, always men in their 20’s to 40’s at least two, usually more and lurcher type dogs on pieces of rope or cord not proper leads. They will appear confident and just carry on with their thing, don’t approach just note registration numbers, check the time and location and call the police on 101 as you walk away. One new favourite target is heating oil, the criminals take a few syphoned cans every week and the owner may not realise until they run out, they then don’t know when it was taken and it is not easy to find out how much has gone.

Winter 2013 Newport News 43

WORK

Protecting Bees is so important

Straw stacks

Cap reforms

You may have noticed the many, very large, stacks of straw that appeared at harvest time in the corners of wheat fields. For many years straw was seen as a bit of a nuisance, once it was burned and when that was banned it was chopped up and incorporated into the soil. Historically straw was used as animal bedding but more recently the value of straw as a source of fuel has been realised, power stations (new cleaner power stations) have been built that run purely on straw. Avoiding the burning of oil or fossil fuels is good news for the ozone layer and the environment. Using straw, which is not only a by-product (so not expensive), but very renewable, it is British so does not have the huge carbon footprint that most fossil fuels have, and grows a lot faster and covers more of the country than wood. Straw from our area will also be destined for Newmarket, where thousands of race horses will sleep on it.

The Common Agricultural Policy has been a hot topic in Brussels this autumn. European politicians have been debating how to reform it and it seems that things will be changing. These are some of the draft proposals that have been discussed; There will be a ‘young farmer’ incentive, this does not mean a member of young farmers but a person coming into farming who is under forty years old. To encourage these young people into a life on the land, it has been decided that for their first 54 hectares they will get 25% more subsidy. The present subsidy system will be replaced by a 70% payment and then a top up payment worth the remaining 30% called a Green Payment. This GP has certain conditions attached to it that are there to protect the environment, they will include any holding over 30ha have to grow at least three crops, no block cropping will be

permitted. This is to encourage the bees and insects, these pollinate our crops and feed the birds, they will thrive better if crops are mixed about and not just miles and miles of the same. Also grass that has been in a field for more than five years can’t be ploughed up without special permission. There will be a compulsory 5% (of the farm total hectarage) Environmental Focus Area where conditions need to be kept within the guidelines inside the 5% area. Entry level stewardship will be replaced by New environmental land management (NELM’S). I am not sure of the difference between the two and the impact it will have on day-to -day farming as nothing has, yet, been published. NN

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44 Newport News Winter 2013

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PEOPLE

Elizabeth is the queen bee of baking NEWPORT NEWS TEAM

ourteen year-old Elizabeth Sivell of Newport has fought off stiff competition from many older and more experienced cake bakers to win not one, but two first prizes for baking at the recent Essex Country Show. Elizabeth took top honours for her honey fruit cake, and her raisin and honey scones, in the Essex Beekeepers’ Association’s (EBKA) annual competition celebrating all things honey bee-related. In recognition of her achievement she was awarded the Horton Cake Cup and memorial cake knife. The photo shows her being presented with both by EBKA president Eric Fenner at the association’s annual conference in September. Elizabeth, who despite being a club member still admits to being a tad nervous around bees, first took up baking when

she was just seven years old. With encouragement from her parents she entered the 125th running of the competition last year, and immediately turned heads by coming third in three of the most hotly-contested categories – honey fudge, honey fruit cake and honey nut cookies – despite being the youngest competitor in the senior classes. Elizabeth’s award-winning baking and confectionery uses honey sourced from hives based in Newport village. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 45

COMMUNITY

Newport Open Gardens 2013 Berenice Smith

n July, Newport gardeners welcomed visitors for the third time. Previous events had been held in 2008, in aid of the village hall, and 2010, in aid of the Friends of St Mary’s Church. This year it was in the middle of a heat wave so we were quite relieved that temperatures were down a little on this weekend. Thirteen gardens were open to view including the allotments and the quiet garden at the United Reformed Church in Wicken Rd. Lunches and teas were served at Church House and at the URC. About 120 people from Newport, Saffron Walden and surrounding villages walked around and generally enjoyed the variety of gardens, which were open. The event raised £792.40 for the Friends of St Mary’s, which has gone towards the restoration work that has been undertaken. Thank you to the many people who were involved and made the weekend such a success. NN

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46 Newport News Winter 2013

CHURCH

C.B. MOWER SERVICES

St Mary’s UPDATE REVD NEIL MCLEOD

t will soon be Christmas (how odd to be writing those words in October), and I shall be full of the joys of the season at multiple carol services. This year I shall have even more services as I am now responsible for Quendon & Rickling, alongside my oversight of Newport & Widdington parishes. So I have four churches and two primary schools, and one secondary school that I have contact with. I love Christmas, I love revisiting afresh the fact that Jesus my Saviour was born as that tiny baby in Bethlehem. I love hearing again the account of the shepherds; those people who were on the edge of the society at that time, were chosen as the first people to receive the good news of the Saviour’s birth. I enjoy reading of the kings as they visit the baby with their gifts of gold, frankincense & myrrh. I love Christmas so I don’t mind doing a number of services because it gives me a chance to share my joy with you. Just so you know our Christmas services in Newport church are: • Sunday 8th December, 11.00am, Messy Christingle • Sunday 22nd December, 6.00pm, Carol Service • Christmas Eve, 4.30pm, Crib Service • Christmas Eve, 11.30pm, Midnight Communion • Christmas Day, 11.00am, Family Communion I know that you love Christmas as well, and I know that many of you will come into the church at some point during the season. It will be great to see you there! If you have just moved to Newport, or not been to church for sometime – please do come along; you’ll be assured of a warm welcome. What about the rest of the year? What does the church mean to you for the rest

of the year? I have previously stated that the church is part of the community, and it is here for the community. Next year the church will be linking in with a national initiative called Hope 2014, which is about sharing the good news of Jesus with the community. This does not mean just me standing and preaching at you. It could be that there are initiatives within the village that the church can be involved in. It could be that more people would like to attend the coffee mornings in the church. Or it could be that the link between the church and the schools could be strengthened There are so many things that it could mean, and maybe you have your own ideas on that. If you do I would love to hear from you, either by email (mcleod444@btinternet.com) or by phone (01799 540339). What does church mean to you? What can the church do for you? What can the church do for the community? Please let me know. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 47

PEOPLE

Norway in a nutshell LLOYD GRIFFIN

he Bergen to Oslo line offers mile after mile of mountains, sun-kissed fjords and river valleys. Its class 73 electric multiple units and 18 electric locomotives groan and squeal as they wind their way around endless spirals and through numerous tunnels, eventually reaching the summit at Finsa, 1,222 metres above sea level. Opened in 1909, construction of the single track route cost 2,000 lives. In 1940 Myrdal became a junction when the route from Flam to Myrdal was opened. Now a major tourist

attraction, it has gradient of 1 in 6! Offering stunning views, it stops at the lovely Kjossfossen waterfalls, which provide hydro electric power for the line. This is truly Norway KJOSSfOSSEN in a nutshell. NN WATERfALL

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PEOPLE

Newport weddings and civil partnerships

Jessica Murphy, formerly of Newport, married Jamie Millership,from Saffron Walden on May 25th. They were married at Widdington Church and their reception was held in Bridge End gardens, Saffron Walden.

Kelly Start, daughter of Rod & Chantal Start of Newport was married to Daniel goss son of Nick and Jane goss of Little Dunmow on 7th September 2013 at St Mary’s Church Ovington Essex followed by a reception at the Willows Ovington.

Rose Hargreaves marrying Peter Wilson in May this year at Islington Town Hall. Rose went to both Newport Schools and lived in Saffron Walden. Rose is the daughter of Sally and Neil Hargreaves of Newport.

Mark Butcher married Kate Johnson, both of Newport, on 28th March 2013 at Parklands, Quendon Hall

Ruth Millington of Newport married Matthew King, (formerly of Hemel Hempstead) at St. Mary’s Church in August.

The wedding of gary Raymond Pavitt and Jennifer Solinap Juarez was on the 29th June at Newport Church. They will Honeymoon in the Philippines next february.

WEDDINGS! If you live in Newport and would like your photograph to appear in ‘Newport News’, please get in touch with John Gordon (542090).

Winter 2013 Newport News 49

WORK

Newport fire station NEIL BYFORD OFFICER IN CHARGE W84 NEWPORT

nfortunately we still haven’t had any new recruits come forward since my last plea, so not so many incidents to report about this time round as the appliance is off the run more during the day now, due to the lack of crew. These incidents would have been attended by appliances from Saffron Walden or Stansted when we are not available.

January A lady returning from her evening jog decided to dry her running shoes out by putting them behind the flue of her wood burner one evening in Quendon. Unfortunately as they dried out they slipped and ended up on top of the wood burner and ignited, there wasn’t a lot of fire damage to the room, but the whole house suffered from the acrid black smoke that came off the plastic based shoes, it’s quite alarming the amount of smoke that comes off plastic based products. We received an early morning call to a carbon monoxide alarm going off in Wendens Ambo, the elderly occupant was more concerned about how we could stop it sounding, rather than the possibility of it actually warning of rising carbon monoxide levels. After talking to her and asking how she felt and how long it had been sounding, I decided to call an ambulance to check her over, as she was showing all the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. She said she had been feeling under the weather lately and thought she was coming down with flu. It is just as important to have a working Carbon Monoxide detector as it is as a smoke detector. With a fire you are eventually going to smell the smoke or see a flame, with Carbon Monoxide you will not see, hear or smell anything, it really is the silent killer. February A new driver, who only just passed his test, managed to write his car off outside Debden Antiques when he left the road

50 Newport News Winter 2013

and ended up on its side in the hedge, I bet that was an interesting conversation with his insurance company. Towards the end of the month we were called to assist crews from Saffron Walden who were attending a fire in an industrial premises in the town. An automatic fire suppression system had kicked in but then filled the whole building with the dry powder. We were called to use our Positive Pressure Ventilation fan to help clear the residue from the building. March A young family that had just moved from London to Wendens Ambo, had a bit of excitement when they decided to light their open fire for the first time. Within minutes flames were coming out of the top of the chimney and smoke billowing out below, after dousing it down and knocking as much residue as possible from the chimney, we suggested they get it swept before they use it again. When our alerters screeched into life at 2 in the morning, we all made our way to the station to see we were off to a house fire in Stansted. When we arrived the roof of a semi-detached house was well alight and Stansted’s crew had got 2 jets onto the building. We joined in the search of the property until it was confirmed that all the occupants were accounted for. The fire was soon under control, but it would be sometime before the occupants could move back into their roofless house. Five days later saw us racing back to the same estate, a discarded cigarette smouldered away on a sofa until it grew big enough to be noticed was burning away quite merrily by the time crews arrived, the young family managed to get out before we arrived and then the harsh reality of what could have been sank in. At five in the morning a car managed to mount the pavement in the high street and demolish a garden wall, it later transpired that he failed a breath test. A lorry and a couple of cars collided on the northbound M11 just north of Newport in the early evening, when we arrived on the scene we were confronted with 2 large gentlemen trapped in one of the cars. We removed the roof so that the paramedics could get access to them and then we removed the sides to assist with the extrication, the driver was extricated first and soon after, the passenger, thankfully the injuries were not life threatening.

JANUARY – JUNE 2013 April We attended a number of ‘Full Emergencies’ at the airport this month ranging from landing gear problems to the smell of smoke in the cockpit, thankfully all landed ok and we were soon on our way back. We do all get in the frame of mind that it is just another Full Emergency and we will soon be on our back, but it could all turn into the same scenario as it did in 1999 when just before Christmas a Jumbo Jet cargo plane crashed just after take-off, killing all the crew on board, I am sure that was an incident that all of us who attended will never forget. When we were called to Fire Alarm activation at Saffron Walden Hospital we wondered where the Walden crew were, as this would have been their call. When we arrived at the Hospital it became clear, crews from Saffron Walden were dealing with a car fire in the car park, and the smoke from the burning car had entered the Hospital setting off the alarms. May Turned out to be quite a busy month, starting with a van load of washing machines on fire on the A120 near the Airport. The next call became a bit more intriguing, we were called about 1.30 in the morning to an RTC with persons trapped at Priory Wood roundabout near the airport, this is the roundabout below the A120/M11 junction. When we arrived Stansted crew were already there and were stabilising the car to prevent any more movement while a plan was devised to extricate the male casualty trapped inside. The car was upside down and squashed down to about a third of its normal size and parts of the engine and gearbox were scattered all around, the man trapped appeared to be wearing some kind of fancy dress outfit and what we thought was a scalp hanging off the side of the car, turned out to be a blonde wig, they were in fact part of an ABBA tribute band. While the extrication was taking place I was still trying to work out how the car came to rest on its own upside down at a road junction with such devastating damage to it. It was at this point that a witness came forward who saw the accident, it turned out that the car was on the flyover above the roundabout when the driver lost control, the car then went over the safety barrier and fell onto the road below, the occupants were extremely lucky to have only sustained relatively minor injuries after such a spectacular crash.

WORK Rubbish was the theme of the next couple of calls, some lorry tyres dumped on waste ground and set alight late at night, caused some concern for local residents in Chrishall when they looked out of their window, and saw what they thought was a house fire. We managed to cut a padlock onto the site and extinguished the tyres with the help of a couple of tanks of water. In Clavering a gust of wind sent some burning embers from a garden bonfire into a nearby muck heap that was up against a wooden barn, again a couple of tanks of water did the trick. Dying fish was the reason for a call out on a Sunday afternoon and saw us heading to a lake in Widdington. The Fire Service would not necessarily always attend this type of call, but the environment agency had been alerted to it and would not be able to attend for a couple of hours at least, one of the possibilities for the dying fish could be that the water had no oxygen in it, they contacted our control and a decision was made, that if it was this we could oxygenate the lake by pumping water out of the lake and putting it back in again. When we arrived we were faced with hundreds of dead trout floating around and many others dying, flailing about in some considerable distress. We soon got 2

pumps running, using our Light portable pump and a major pump, built into our appliance. When the Environment agency arrived they tested the water for oxygen and it was absolutely fine, and not the cause of the dying fish, we packed up our gear and returned to the station, and left the EA to find the cause of the problem. June Saw us hold our annual Open Day, this year we also had a ‘Community Wheels’ vehicle at the station, this is a mobile unit that has a driving simulator in it that can test a driver’s reactions to situations that occur while driving along and you can see how your concentration drops as you talk on a hands free telephone; we had many participants, both young and old throughout the day. One moment a motorist was manoeuvring his car in his driveway in Elsenham, the next, he had travelled backwards across the road and embedded himself in the house opposite, breaking the gas meter in the process and causing a leak. When speaking to him he could not explain what had happened, and seemed as puzzled as we were. The next call was pretty close to home when a car went out of control and

turned over outside Dorringtons on a Saturday afternoon, it turned out he later failed a breath test. At the end of the month we went as part of an 8 pump relief to a warehouse on fire in Upminster, we were joined by crews from, Chelmsford, Billericay, South Woodham Ferrers, Shoeburyness and Tillingham. The fire had started mid-afternoon and went up to 20 pumps at its peak, we were called at 7pm to be there by 8pm. Our job for the night was to act as an intermediate pump at the entrance to the site, receiving water from a base pump and supplying the other appliances and Ariel Ladder Platform on the fire ground. Another 8 appliances relieved us at about 2 in the morning and we got to our beds by about 3am. I really do hope that in my next article I can inform you about some new recruits, we are trying our hardest to get the word out but it seems to be falling on deaf ears, with retirements coming up for some of the crew over the next few years the station has never been so undermanned. I am sure you will not want to lose your local Fire Station, so if you are interested or know of someone who is, call in at the station on any Thursday evening or call 07850 230466. NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 51

CHARITY

Kyangala Trust JOHN HARRISON www.kyangala-trust.org.uk

fter the enormous success of our visit to Kyangala in August, I would like to extend my thanks to the people of Newport who have supported our projects generously. Established in 2010 by John Harrison and Benedict Msola, the Kyangala Trust has since constructed three boreholes, constructed a 16-unit toilet block and erected a security fence and gatehouse around the girls’ secondary school, all funded through money raised by events organised in Newport. To date, events have included a series of quiz nights at the Coach & Horses, concerts and a sponsored sky dive. Most recently, we produced an evening of folk music in Great Bardfield featuring Two Coats Colder and the latest Claire Balding favourite, Emily Maguire.

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Our August trip has been our first major journey back to Kyangala since we first established the charity. On arrival in the village we were received with an overwhelming spectacle consisting of singing and dancing and the honour of a goat being slaughtered (one of the more gory spectacles). I made a speech in Swahili expressing the greetings and best wishes of the people of Newport. Aside from the celebrations we were able to assess both the completed projects and the next projects to prioritise and strengthen our relationships in the area. Our group also used their own expertise in running workshops for children in the village. At the risk of repeating too much of my previous article (Spring 2012), I will focus on the more recent projects. Our construction of a toilet block for the girls’ secondary school, alleviating the problem of a sole toilet for 400 students, has been one of the major successes of the last year, however, there is much to still be done. We are raising money for a similar project for the boys’ secondary school where there is still the problem of totally inadequate facilities. Further successes include the construction of a security fence and gatehouse around the girls’ secondary school, an unfortunate necessity, allowing the girls of Kyangala to enjoy school and learn without the fear of unwanted visitors. Despite our successes in Kyangala already, there is still much to do. The next major project is to establish regular food and medical care provision. We aim to establish a welfare programme to ensure the regular visit of a doctor to the area and regular parcels of food to be distributed to the poorest in the village. Furthermore, for the primary and secondary schools of the area we plan to refurbish and increase their teaching capacity. The primary school currently has 400 children, accommodated in only 5 class rooms, with 7 teachers teaching 5 children per desk. As such we plan to build three further classrooms and ensure the provision of meals during the school day for all students. The girls’ secondary school also is also woefully over crowded needing at least two more class rooms with the boy’s secondary requiring the aforementioned toilet block and a major refurbishment initiative. The population of Kenya as a whole is overwhelmingly

CHARITY

Gace’s Charity MARGARET BOWKER PRIMARY SCHOOL: BEfORE AND AfTER

young, with 42% aged 0-14 years. As such many of our projects have a youth-orientated focus. Therefore, apart from our infrastructure work, we have engaged in aid provision of basic needs by taking clothing on our visit. We provided T-shirts and shoes for the poorest in the community. A further 500 pairs of shoes have been given for shipping. With such basic welfare and infrastructure projects being our priorities funding is a major concern for us so look out for our next events. NN

ewport parishioners may not be aware of the Gace’s Charity, which has been established since the 16th Century. Its purpose is to provide help for Newport residents in time of need. The Charity gives small gifts to villagers who have been in hospital or been recently bereaved, as well as Christmas gifts for elderly residents or

those with special needs. If you are 85 years of age or over you are entitled to a small gift at Christmas. If you are not already receiving your gift please inform the secretary. It also helps with funding the Church’s Christmas Day lunch for people who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day. Throughout the year the charity is available to provide small grants for villagers in hardship, perhaps paying towards a new school uniform, enabling a child to go on a school’s residential trip or paying transport costs to visit a relative in hospital. All applications are treated in strict confidence and should be made to the Secretary, Margaret Bowker, 45 Cherry Garden Lane, Newport. NN

Gace’s Farmhouse, demolished in 1880.

Reproduced by courtesy of the Essex Record Ofﬁce.

GACE’S CHARITY This charity exists for the welfare of Newport parishioners. We would like to invite applications for small sums of money to assist Newport residents looking for help with worthy causes. Each application will be thoughtfully considered in strict conﬁdence. Please apply to Margaret Bowker, 45 Cherry Garden Lane, Newport, CB11 3QA (secretary to Gace’s Charity). Charity no. 212284

Winter 2013 Newport News 53

Newport Parish Council

NEWPORT PARISH COUNCIL is happy to support Newport News Current Councillors: Don Alexander Tom Archer Peter Arscott Margaret Bowker Howard Bowman Susan Cameron Ted Denyer [Chairman] Joanna Parry John Smith Andrew Yarwood [Vice Chairman]

Clerk: Christine Griffin newportparishcouncil@hotmail.co.uk Treasurer: Jessica Bowen Waterloo House, High Street, Newport, Essex CB11 3PG 01799 542541

Meeting dates usually first Monday of the month, please see parish website, www.newportvillage.co.uk for current dates. All meetings are held in Church House and commence at 7.30pm. Agendas are always placed in the village notice boards (at the parish office and Belmont Hill opposite the White Horse Public House)

Neighbourhood Watch

COMMUNITY

traffic through the villages. Speed cameras are deployed to emphasise the danger that speeding can bring. If you would like to be involved in our local Community Speed Watch activity, please contact the Parish Clerk on 01799 542541 for more information.

ALAN JOHNSON & DERRICK GIFFIN NEWPORT NHW VILLAGE CO-ORDINATORS

Looking after vulnerable neighbours The police have identified the need to look out for vulnerable people to ensure they were aware of bogus callers. As a result of these efforts, the level of this nasty crime continues to fall, but criminals are quick to change their approach and we cannot assume the problem has gone away. To reinforce this, Operation Spice will be in action again this winter with the local police offering home visits to help people identify how to deal with these criminals. As before, they are targeting people living in social housing, but still need to identify those who live alone in their own homes. So please get in touch with police if you know of anyone who could benefit from this service by calling 101 and ask to speak to the Newport Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Safeguarding your personal information

Seasonal message We’re all preparing for the festive season and we hope you have a happy time. But please be careful when you are out shopping not to leave any of your purchases on view in the car. That’s what thieves will be looking for – and please ensure that you car is locked to make entry even more difficult! Newport Neighbourhood Watch attended the Village Fete in August and we were pleased to provide advice and offer a range of home security devices. We also ran a property marking service and will be repeating this over the winter months. We live in a very safe and low crime area. By taking sensible precautions and looking out for each other, we can all help to keep it that way. If you have any issues that you would like advice on please get in touch with your Coordinator or contact Derrick (543622 or d.giffin@btinternet. com) or Alan (543153 or nhw@acjohnson4.plus.com). So please remember, Together We Are Stronger! NN

Have you been contacted by e-mail or the phone recently from (it is claimed) banks, building societies and utility companies? The message or call implies that there is something amiss with your account and all you need to do is confirm your details. Don’t give them any information! For example, a fraudster telephones you pretending to be from the police or your bank. They tell you there has been suspicious activity on your account. They might reassure you by suggesting that you hang up and then phone them back to ensure that the call is genuine. Don’t be fooled! They stay on the line before convincing you to pass them your account details, PIN or even to transfer money. So the simple advice is never to divulge any information in this way to avoid being conned. Neither should you call back on the number they provide which will not be the correct number of the company, but rather find the number yourself and report the matter to the company’s fraud department immediately, as well as Action Fraud on www.actionfraud. police.uk or 0300 123 2040.

Neighbourhood Panel The Newport NP continues to meet around every ten weeks and local organisations are invited to come along and participate in identifying the policing priorities for Newport and the adjoining parishes. This includes community groups and the local schools who have been invited to send a representative along to future meetings; so if you represent a group and would like to be involved call Derrick Giffin on 01799 543622. At each meeting we review the main issues that need to be tackled. One of the ‘ever present’ issues is speeding

Winter 2013 Newport News 55

COMMUNITY

NEW HOUSES FOR OLD

The Pottery bungalow

8TH JANuARY 2013 THE fIRST BITE! BELOW: ROSALIND COLE AT THE POTTERY BuNgALOW 14TH SEPTEMBER 2012

JOHN GORDON

n the autumn of 2012, on hearing that the Pottery Bungalow, London Road, next to the old Police station was about to be demolished to make way for the erection of two new houses I rushed down to see the occupant, Rosalind Cole before she went to live with her daughter, Linda Dutch in Hertford Heath. Rosalind told me that she had been born in Catford, South London in 1924 but brought up in Bromley. She went to school locally, leaving at 16 to go into the Land Army for three years. She later started up a dress making business. In 1947 she married Eric Cole, an accountant and they had four children. Eventually, anticipating retirement they looked at a wide variety of villages and after a lot of research they plumped for Newport, buying the three bedroomed Pottery Bungalow from Stephanie Kalan. Sadly Eric Cole died in 1983 after a stroke aged only 67 and Rosalind lived on in the house for a further 29 years. She was greatly helped in her latter years by her neighbour, Pat Lafferty who kept an eye on her, and also by

her daughter Linda who came over from Hertford every Tuesday for 19 years. Rosalind was sorry to leave Newport, where she has been very happy. As regards the previous owners I believe that Charles Gawthrop, a former stationmaster at Newport for his retirement in 1926, built the bungalow in the early 1920s. He died in 1944, aged 77 having outlived his wife Hattie by a year. Later owners were Stephanie and Toni Kalan, refugees from Austria who ran a successful pottery next door.

DBMS Ltd Design, Build, Maintenance, Solutions Limited Simon Cranstone Telephone: 020 8804 5162 Mobile: 07944 098 661 Email: simon.cranstone@dbms.il.com

www.dbms.uk.com 56 Newport News Winter 2013

Toni died in the early 1970s followed by Stephanie in 1978, after which Eric and Rosalind bought it. Returning to the present, Simon Cranstone’s building firm, DBMS Ltd bought the property in late 2012 and in January this year began the task of demolishing it, clearing the ground and laying the foundations. I went to see Simon who told me that he had been in the building trade for 30 years, starting as a bricklayer and gradually learning all the skills needed, including supervision and management and also acting as a project manager. He is extremely well qualified and is particularly excited about this project as it uses a new prefabricated material called Sips, (structural insulated panels). The panels are in kit form and have great strength and insulation properties. Indeed they provide insulation six times greater than the standard type. The houses have been

COMMUNITY CORIuM & HARDY BELOW: SIMON CRANSTON

built to a very high specification with four double bedrooms along with en-suites and a very large kitchen family room. The buildings have been finished with various eco cladding materials alongside aluminium guttering and eco roofing slates. There is under floor heating with additional conventional radiators. Maintenance and energy costs have been reduced and a feature I particularly liked was a building at the end of the garden, which can be used as an office, den or recreation room. Finally I asked Simon why the houses were called ‘Corium’ House and ‘Hardy House’. The answer is because they had to name them in a hurry and they liked the names. ‘Corium’ is the type of brick imported from Germany used on the façade whilst ‘Hardy’ is the type of cladding used on the right hand house. Those seem as good a reason as

any I thought and they roll off the tongue nicely. Good luck to the new owners and may they be as happy in these modern houses as the previous owners were in the original building. NN

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Visit us on facebook Winter 2013 Newport News 57

Newport Business Association helps to create local jobs Reading passages of the story of the man who co-founded Ryanair in 1985, Kell Ryan gave an exclusive reading ffrom Tony Ryan’s biography to Newport Business Association [NBA] meeting B members prior to a world launch. m Jeremy Rose, NBA Founder, noted: “Tony Ryan’s tenacity and determination “ tto succeed are the real lessons of the book, and as our local businesses strive b to capitalise on the economic recovery, his story is an inspirational one.” h

“NBA accounts for 5% of our turnover, so a big “thank you!” That figure looks set to increase very quickly as from this afternoon we have just landed some very nice work which is a direct result of our attendance to the NBA.” James

“Thank you once again for a great meeting this morning. I particularly enjoyed the relaxed, informal atmosphere and met some great people to do business with.” Carolyn

Winning work: Keynote speaker Andrew Harrison, MD of Stansted Airport, shares opportunities open to all local businesses

great r being a Thanks fo tute Andy ti subs

“I found this morning's Newport Business Association breakfast meeting well worth getting up for. Made useful contacts.” Alan

A typical meeting: relaxed, fun, but there to do business

www.newportbusinessassociation.co.uk

“Thank you very much for making me feel so welcome this morning, it was good to meet a number of you.” Ian

Thank you for your support…

Carr & Bircher

Essex Probation Service

Bill Flowers

Greater Anglia

rracks for the Carver Ba NBA raised £320 by selling Union flags at Fund Injured Soldiers mbers covered the en Day. NBA me the summer Op ering over 5,000 liv printing and de d over £4,600 cost of designing, se mmes, which rai Open Day progra

ColourPrint

Carver Barracks

Steve Todd

Making a bee line for Newport In 2012 Newport Business Association (NBA) launched a campaign to create a ‘green corridor’ o of lavender and other bee-friendly plants along tthe railway line: The Lavender Line idea gathered ssteam. The idea came as the NBA moved nearer iits target of sowing 3,500 bee and butterflyffriendly plants around Newport Station itself. With help from local groups, including Newport Primary School and the Probation Service, local businesses and residents. T The NBA has already removed tonnes o of rubbish and re-landscaped the area. If you’d like to turn a few commuter h heads, and help improve the local e environment, you can do so e easily by donating £5 to buy a p plant. Just send your cheque to: Newport Business Association, T The Office, Brown House, T The High Street, Newport, Essex, CB11 3BQ

www.newportbusinessassociation.co.uk

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They helped. Can you? Newport Business Association [NBA] needs volunteers for litter-picking and Ne planting herbs for the on-going renovation and rejuvenation of our station. pl Please do help, as others have done. With your help we’ll transform the station st land into a wonderful bee and butterfly friendly habitat. Anyone, big or small, young or old, can help for an hour or so. A Call C Jeremy Rose for station days: 01799 541114 or email nba@c-lutions.co.uk @

www.newportbusinessassociation.co.uk tbusi ines For meeting dates please contact Jeremy Rose on 01799 541114 or e-mail station@c-lutions.co.uk Newport Business Association, The Office, Brown House, The High Street, Newport Essex CB11 3QY

60 Newport News Winter 2013

WORK

Miriam’s new world CECILIA GORDON

iriam Pender, the leader of the advertising team on Newport News, has an alter ego. As Miranda Pender she is a singer, guitar player and composer who has found a deeply satisfying occupation in a whole new world. Intrigued by reports of her as a performer I went to see her and find out what had motivated her to take this up relatively late in life. I found Miranda in the kitchen (the best room in the house acoustically) flanked by two guitars, one electric, the other acoustic, plus microphone and an army of wires neatly stacked against the walls. It all looks very professional. After a brief explanation about the differences between the two instruments she told me that she had played the guitar at school but had not touched the instrument in the intervening years until three years ago a visit to some Canadian relatives who sang and played inspired her to take it up again. She started having lessons with Dan Ketteridge in Saffron Walden and made such good progress that he encouraged her to make her debut at a concert in the bandstand in Jubilee Gardens, Saffron Walden… It was a plunge into the deep end as she was unfamiliar with stagecraft. The experience was invaluable and taught her many things, the most basic being that your voice will disappear if you turn away from the microphone. Another essential is to know your songs inside out, so that you don’t need music sheets in front of you to distract you from the audience. I asked Miranda whether she had needed singing tuition in order to perform and she told me she now has private lessons with Sheri Kershaw but she initially signed up with Joanna Eden’s singing group. Here, would-be

singers turn up each week with a song of their choice, classical, jazz, songs from the shows. Any period, any style, anything goes. The purpose of the class is to give people confidence in singing before an audience as well as to receive constructive criticism on their performance. It sounds great fun. Now that she has ‘graduated’ so to speak, where does she perform? Firstly she goes to ‘open mike’ evenings at pubs like the Duke of York in Walden and the Queen’s Head at Littlebury. The ‘open mike’ means that anyone can turn up and have a go at performing. She has also played at folk clubs in Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and Royston. The clubs usually hire a known paid entertainer to draw the crowds in and less established musicians like Miranda can chance their luck with a couple of songs in a ‘floor spot’. She has also started attending sessions at the locally-based Livewire Rock Academy, where she is learning to play what she refers to as the ‘soundtrack of her youth’: songs by bands such as The Rolling Stones, T. Rex and Black Sabbath. I wondered if she got nervous and she admitted that on most occasions she did. The biggest dread was that her hands would become sweaty and her fingers would slip on the strings. A tall striking blonde, Miranda cuts a dash living up to her ‘rock chick’ image by dressing the part. I was

curious as to how she saw her future in this new world and she said that as well as improving and extending her guitar techniques, composition was the area that interested her the most. She has just released a demo CD featuring her own words, her own singing and her own music. I particularly liked ‘Beanfield Blues’ with its lilting melody and gently cynical words. All three have elements of unexpected satire. Clearly she is not short of ideas. As for the present, Miranda is thoroughly enjoying her newly discovered world. I salute her enterprise, enthusiasm and courage. NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 61

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS

1st Newport Brownies GUIDER IN CHARGE: LEANNE JENNINGS ASSISTANT GUIDER: CYNTHIA JENNINGS

e have had a busy Summer term. We attended St Georges Day Parade in Saffron Walden with all of the other Brownies Guides Cubs and Scouts. This year Brownies from the district decorated the church pews with cardboard brownies from around the world. Every year the Brownies support Newport Primary School’s Summer Fete. The Brownies love spending their pennies, this year’s favourite stall was the tombola and the Pony rides, and not forgetting eating ice lollies! The Brownies had fun getting messy in the kitchen doing some cooking making pizza wraps and fruit kebabs. The girls couldn’t wait to eat them! 1st Newport Brownies enjoyed another Pack Holiday weekend away to Thriftwood Scout Campsite in Brentwood. This year’s theme was Alice in Wonderland. The leaders decorated the Pack holiday house and transformed it into Wonderland! For many of our Brownies this was their first Pack Holiday and first time they have stayed away from home and great fun was had by all. On the Saturday the Brownies were up nice and early raring to go! Our first activity was Inflate-a-bull where they enjoyed knocking each other off the inflatable bull, we then walked on water in the Water roller, this year the leaders had a go too! Whilst the girls were waiting for their turn the instructors taught the girls some new campfire songs and had a little sing song of One Direction! After Lunch we had a game of Earth Ball and Demolition Derby where the girls gained points for their teams. The Brownies and Leaders then put on their Alice in Wonderland outfits for our Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. We played a variety of party games including paint the roses

red and flamingo croquet! In the evening we wrapped up warm and headed to the Campsite’s Campfire circle to join other Cub, Scout and Guide groups for a singsong. “Baby shark do do do do do do!!!!” Sunday morning after breakfast the girls did their Brownie chores and helped to tidy and pack up the Pack Holiday house. We then all headed to the Climbing Wall for our climbing session. For many Brownies this was their first time and fears of the wall have now been conquered! NN

If your daughter is between 7–10 years old and interested in joining 1st Newport Brownies, please contact Leanne 01799 543606 or Cynthia 01799 541408. Email: leanne1stnewportbrownies@hotmail.com We meet on fridays at Newport Scout Hut. We currently have a waiting list for under 7’s. Put your daughter’s name down today to avoid disappointment.

62 Newport News Winter 2013

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Winter 2013 Newport News 63

EDUCATION

Newport Primary School Cambridge Science Centre

The new Cambridge Science centre received a visit from Years 3 and 4 in the summer term. The day started with an interactive science talk by a member of staff from the centre. The children then spent a happy time exploring various curriculum linked science bases to enhance the in-class experience. It was a great scientifi c adventure enjoyed by all.

Bradwell

June 17th – 21st saw our week with Years 5 & 6 at Bradwell Outdoors. It was thoroughly enjoyable with some children really challenging themselves and proving the school statement of ‘Believe and Achieve’. The children enjoyed crabbing, sailing, high ropes, cycling, canoeing and archery. Everyone participated with many exceeding their own expectations. Behaviour was excellent with Instructors commenting on good listening skills and ability to follow detailed instruction. John Howett (Headteacher) said “I fi rmly believe these residential trips empower children and allow them to extend themselves in a safe environment whilst participating in activities that they would not normally be exposed to in everyday life”.

Jimmy’s Farm

Spring term saw the infants travel to Jimmy’s Farm in Suffolk, where they took part in a number of activities around the farm, pond and woods. The children started their day with a mini beast hunt where they encountered some woodland creepy crawlies. This was followed by a tour of the farm with the day rounded off den building in the woods, It was a great place to visit and lovely to have so many parents come along with us too.

Air Ambulance

Magical Science

As a prelude to Curriculum Week, Tony Charles brought his Magical Science Show to our school and amazed pupils and staff with his fun and exciting experiments. With presentations aimed at the varying age groups throughout the school, he showed children how to launch small rockets and how to control balloons with a hairdryer amongst other amazing things. He followed these up with the scientifi c explanations behind the ‘tricks’.

64 Newport News Winter 2013

In September, the school supported the ‘Go Yellow’ National Air Ambulance Week and were rewarded by a fl ying visit from one of their helicopters, which landed on the school fi eld. The helicopter, a MD902 Explorer, was piloted by Nicky Smith and accompanied by HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) Doctor John Ferris and HEMS Paramedic Dan Firmin. The children were extremely excited to see the helicopter arrive and land. Many children got the opportunity to board the helicopter and meet the crew. While at the school, the team received an emergency call and had to depart swiftly. However, all the pupils, staff and parents, as well as Oliver’s Lodge, thoroughly enjoyed the visit. The school raised £409.01 in donations with a further £133 in sales from the Air Ambulance merchandise stall giving a brilliant total of £542.01.

COMMUNITY

Frederick House AN ExCITINg NEW fEATuRE TO NEWPORT: THE STATE-Of-THE-ART fREDERICK HOuSE

JOSH RICHARDSON

s 2013 draws to a close, some of you may have noted a new state-of-the-art house being built opposite the Coach and Horses pub. My uncle, Jeremy Richardson, is the developer behind this new project. Jeremy has been an accountant all his life, but he also has a property development company. Frederick House was named after my grandad, Frederick Richardson, who passed away in February 2007. He was a Newport boy himself. Born and bred in Newport, he lived in Frambury Lane. My grandad was in the building trade. He married Eileen Richardson of Wendens Ambo, and in 1959 they had their first son, Jeremy. He lived with them in the Bury Water Lane area for the first five years of his life. Following his birth they had Nigel in 1962, and Michael in 1966. I’m not quite sure whether Jeremy was expecting the challenge to be as big as it turned out to be. He tells me that once they had bought the land they had to clear it. Simple enough, you might think. Surely, once this was done the development could get underway? How hard could it be? Work on the house was to have started straight after the land had been cleared. However, they then had to have the land tested for leprosy. This is because the house is located near to where the old leper hospital was, and the disease can live in the ground for hundreds of years! Thankfully, the soil passed the test and they were ready to start the footings. Footings are meter-deep trenches that mark out where the walls of the house will sit. They ensure that the house itself doesn’t sink and is stable. However, five months of persistent rain and the coldest winter for years saw progress stall. Even when the ice started to thaw work was still delayed due to the ice in the ground melting into the sludge. Approximately nine months behind schedule work on the house finally got underway. Once the footings had been dug the house could go up. It went up very quickly. However, the interior and nitty-gritty bits of the house are still in progress. Jeremy tells me that the house will be set on five levels, and each level will be separated by a half flight of stairs. The main features of each level are as follows: • Ground floor: utility room porch area and garage. • First floor: living area, kitchen and dining area • Second floor: master bedroom • Third floor: family bathroom and bedrooms 2 and 3 • Fourth floor: Bedroom 4. The house will be both modern and energy efficient, providing a perfect environment to suit everyone. It has been designed in a way that will be both warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This provides comfort and satisfaction.

Not only this, but the house will have wi-fi access, something that is crucial and relied upon in everyday life. Finer details will include oak flooring and staircases and, to top it off, comforting under floor heating, if needed. At the time of writing building work on the house was roughly one month from completion. However, hopefully by the time you read this it will be finished and possibly even up for sale. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 65

EDUCATION

Leading his charges JANIE WATSON

ordon Farquhar arrives with a smile and brings with him a four-square sense of purpose. This year’s new boy at Newport Free Grammar School, or Academy as it has now become, hails originally from Glasgow. His voice proclaims as much even though his family brought him South to Redditch when he was only five years old. The youthful new Head Teacher, 38 years old, is pretty much ‘living the dream’. He is passionate about teaching – the choice was

between professional rugby, the Armed Services or Education. Bearing in mind that battles are won and nations are governed from playing fields he chose to read History and Physical Education at De Montfort University, Bedford, and plumped for a career as a teacher to lead him forward. He has married the sister of a University friend and has a little daughter, Amelia, born in June 2012. His career developed nicely and he rose from PE teacher to Head of Department to becoming Vice Principal of Grace Academy, Solihull, before applying for his current post in Newport in November 2012. After spending one day a week in the school from January he took up the post of Head Teacher in April 2013. He has moved the family down to South Bedfordshire, a drive of fifty minutes from work for him, where his wife, Emma, is happily installed near her relations.

Gordon arrived in Newport as the Academy was still reeling from the comments of the Ofsted inspectors which had led to the resignation of the previous Head. The interim gap of two terms had been ably filled by the acting Head, Matt Gibson, but it was time to move forward. The Midlands Man is just the one to do this and he has arrived with ideas and energy spilling out from a warm personality. He described his work as being similar to that of the Chief Executive in a reasonably sized company. There is a

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WORDS in WALDEN

large amount of administration with 150 staff to consider. The budgeting in ever straitening financial circumstances is a challenge with the fabric of both the historic and the new buildings to be kept in good repair. Public Relations is a huge area and the key challenge is to use the best part of the School’s traditional attitudes and to bear in mind the message of Dame Joyce Frankland, the founder in 1588, that they are to serve the community of which they form such an integral part. Gordon’s words tumble out faster and faster as his enthusiasm for his task and his strong desire to communicate it try to keep up with all the ideas brimming in his head. He enthuses that this is not a ‘behemoth’ of a school. There are 987 students so he feels he will be able, after a moment or two, to know each student by name. He wishes to focus on the individual and is immensely proud of each success that any student achieves both within the school and, increasingly, in the community. There have been Rotary Club awards for helping in the Saffron Walden Library, for voluntary work in Nursing Homes locally; there has been athletic success with a Bronze Medal being won in the High Jump and also musical and equestrian prowess all of which begins within the school. In the Foundation of the school was a link with Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge which still survives. Gordon values that connection highly and is delighted that Dr. Andrew Bell, Admissions Tutor there, sits on the Board of Trustees and holds Master Classes to introduce students to the idea of University and of that at Cambridge in particular. Gordon is keen to expand links with business, to improve career advice and to increase a mentoring programme. To that end he hopes to set up a ‘Parents’ Faculty’ whereby the Academy could benefit from the varied backgrounds and connections both cultural and in the world of work that parents might be able to offer students to widen their horizons and so broaden their choice of future development. Such a scheme already exists in Harvard, US, apparently, and seems to be an expansion of the PTA with which we are all familiar. Perhaps it could also embrace past pupils – was Jamie Oliver one of those, I wonder? Tapping into such a resource would be a valuable addition to the fund of information already available and would help the

Academy feel less insular and be able to engage further with the world outside away from the classroom. Obviously, Gordon needs to concentrate on the school first. He knows that ‘one size fits all’ is not an attitude that works and he wishes to emphasize that “teaching pupils the ability to learn is the school ideal” then other things will fall into place. There is the English Baccalaureate to which the Department of Education aspires as well as the International Baccalaureate which requires different qualifications. The marking system is a balancing act forever in a state of flux and can present a real opportunity or become a burden of ‘over-challenge’. This Head feels strongly that the pupils are the future ambassadors – or even the current ones – and, as such, “they are at the centre of what we do” as, of course, are their teachers. He is looking five to ten years ahead and hoping that the education on offer here will help students to widen their base of choice. “We are educating towards jobs that don’t even exist yet and our children need a large platform on which to stand and view the future.” To that end a new look

Sixth Form commenced this autumn for students both from within the school and from elsewhere who chose to continue their education at Newport. There is room for a huge improvement in results and Gordon feels that “our attainment together will soon achieve an ‘outstanding’ judgement which will be good for both the Academy and for Newport”. His optimism will surely fire both the staff and pupils with enthusiasm. Naturally, as do all teachers, Gordon misses the actual teaching that he used to do. He admires and is thankful for all the staff helping him with the school administration so professionally but he shoulders with alacrity all the actual decisions connected with that which fall to him. He enjoys forays into the community such as last summer attending the Beating the Retreat at Carver Barracks with Jeremy Rose, a former school governor, and feels that he, personally, should bear a lot of responsibility for the School’s PR. His mantra “Education is fun, and this school is a fun place to be” is a pretty good start. Good Luck on the upward and onward path, Gordon! NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 67

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS

Girls Go Out CHRIS MURPHY cmmurphy@talk21.com

ur special event this season was the Pink Event, a charity event for Breast Cancer research at Addenbrookes. We sent a cheque for over £200 which was raised through the evening and a raffle and contributions made up the rest. The event was held in Church House where we enjoyed a pink buffet and pink wine as well as getting dressed up in pink to get in the mood. We also had a pink quiz to test our knowledge of all things pink! In May we enjoyed an interesting walk and lunch in Heydon. And in June a group visited the lost gardens at Easton Lodge. Lifts to both these were shared so there are no problems getting to these sorts of venues. We also enjoyed eating out in Great Chesterford one evening in March. Our Midsummer Supper held

68 Newport News Winter 2013

in late June was a huge success with a share a plate buffet held in Church House. We held a raffle for charity during the evening. At the Newport Fete in August eight ladies took turns in making and serving the Pimms and sold over £300 worth during the afternoon. After expenses £250 was added to the Village Fete Committee’s total for village projects. Finally we put the world to rights at a wine and cheese event early in September in Church House where we consigned things we didn’t like to room 101. It was very entertaining and a good chance to get

together after the summer. As the new season approaches we are anticipating our 10th Anniversary Celebrations in November. On reflection we can’t believe it’s 10 years already and the variety of things we have done and the number of people (over 200) who have supported these events is amazing. If you would like to join in there is no membership except an emailing list and events are open to all ladies and sometimes men too. Look out for posters around the village. As you can see from the photos people dip in and out and there are usually between 12 and 20 at any one event. NN

Why build affordable houses?

By Cllr Jeremy Rose , Conservative Councillor representing Newport, Rickling, Quendon and Widdington Ward Once the comments and views have As Uttlesford District Council [UDC] puts been carefully considered and approprithe finishing touches to its Local Developate changes made, there will be a prement Framework Plan, residents and submission consultation in March/April. businesses across Uttlesford are being encouraged to ‘have their say’ on issues. The plan will then be formally submitted The next public consultation on the to an independent planning inspector LDF Plan will be in January, and a preappointed by the Government in July 2014. Following the examination of the submission consultation in March/April plan by the Planning Inspectorate in 2014. I urge you to voice your concerns. October 2014, the plan will be formally UDC’s local Plan has inevitably come in adopted early in 2015. for criticism. Some say it’s not progressAs a District Councillor I’m only too ing fast enough. Others want to scrap it aware of the serious concerns felt by and start all over again. One thing we many residents of Newport over the size should all be in agreement over, however, MAKING LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE and number of the new developments. is its importance in shaping our communi- Affordable housing offers real savings for those seeking a home. UDC properties are ties. The local plan will be the District Objectors seem to be divided into those rented out at 60% of market rental rates, Council’s primary defence against opporwho say there is no need for more housing, and those who accept there is tunistic, excessive and unwanted planning with Affordable Housing set at 80%. Cllr Redfern, UDC Cabinet member for a need, but who don’t want it in their applications. The National Planning Policy vicinity. But where does that leave young Framework (NPPF) makes clear that when housing, stated why 40% of all housing couples to live? Where does it leave the it comes to current planning applications, development should include affordable housing: “Developers would have to come expanded labour force of local businesses local plans must be taken into serious up with a very good reason why that could to live? (And with local unemployment consideration, especially where they are not be delivered. We have also introduced having fallen 1.9% year-on-year, attractat an advanced stage. a 20% affordable requirement for applicaing talented workers is an issue). Building new homes to accommodate tions of fewer than 15 market houses.” Over the years our towns and villages the projected increase in population is Government policy, and more affordable homes are required have managed to grow without being ruined, but for that to in Uttlesford – for example there are more than 1,600 housecontinue will take thoughtful input – from everyone. Have your say, and help to make the difference. holds on the Council’s housing waiting list. The Plan is also about creating new employment opportunities, creating more Your Community. Your District Councillor. Jeremy Rose open space, providing education and recreational facilities, Contact me: cllrrose@uttlesford.gov.uk • 01799 541114 new infrastructure and roads. Newport News Winter 2007.pdf

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Winter 2013 Newport News 69

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS

1st Newportt Scouts HELEN HOWETT Acting GSL of Newport CHARLOTTE SAVILLE Assistant Cub Leader

1st Newport Beavers

We have had another fun fi lled few months at Beavers and are bursting at the seams with enthusiastic young people enjoying the activities that we do. We had particular fun at our family camp in June. Fortunately the rain stayed away and the Beavers and Cubs, along with their families, had a fantastic time at King’s Farm in Clavering for our inaugural family camp. The children took part in climbing, canoeing, fi re lighting, pioneering as well as an obstacle course and the all important camp fi re. It was a great weekend and something that we plan to do again next year. On our usual Monday evenings we have tried to make the most of the glorious summer that we have enjoyed and have spent a lot of time outside playing rounders, going on a nature walk and hunting for treasure. We have been worn out with a visit from Simon Drew and his bootcamping skills and had a great time playing with the hoses at Newport Fire Station. As we look forward we have lots more indoor activities planned for the winter months starting with the infamous Newport Fireworks. As usual, should you want more information about the Beaver Colony please do not hesitate to contact me at Claire@grantsint.com.

Cubs

As a Cub Pack we have had some exciting events and challenges during the summer term! We have spent evenings taking part in fun activities to gain several badges

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70 Newport News Winter 2013

including the cookery, scientist and map reader badge as well being more adventurous and having a go at Kayaking and Fire lighting at King’s Farm. The Newport Scout leaders also ran a pack night for our cubs, where they were all able to start a fi re using a fi re steel - congratulations boys and girls! Newport Fire station were also kind enough to have us for a pack night showing us all the equipment they use, letting us have a look inside the fi re engine and even showing us a bit of target practice with the powerful water hoses. A big thank you to Firefi ghter Martin Saville and Firefi ghter Lorraine Melton for this action packed evening! This year’s Cub camp had a little twist to it as we joined the rest of Saffron Walden District in celebration of the district turning 100. The Cub Scouts came together at Belchamps Scout campsite to make new friends and enjoy many traditional and modern scouting challenges. Working in mixed teams the Cubs enjoyed climbing, archery, swimming, fi re lighting, pioneering, crafts and orienteering. We fi nished Saturday off with a huge traditional camp fi re, with a few untraditional songs, loved by all. The weekend was rounded off with ‘it’s a knockout’ competition and a fi nal parade. As well as our annual Cub camp, we had a joint Beaver and Cub parent and child camp, Claire and Tarquin, leaders from the Beaver Colony organised this event that allowed Beavers, Cubs and their parents to try out some scouting activities over the weekend. We have a joint winter Cub camp coming up with 1st Clavering in November with a ‘Horrible Histories’ theme and many spooky activities for the children to participate in – watch this space! The 1st Newport Cub leadership team consist of Helen Howett, Charlotte Saville, Andy Bowker, Rachel Smith, Matt Tookey and Hayden Plumb. Here’s to another actionpacked year!

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS Scouts

The Scout group has been through several changes over the last few months but has managed to keep thriving and the Scouts have taken part in many exciting activities! Read on to fi nd out more... Unfortunately, Emma Cotterill has decided to step down as Assistant Scout Leader and Clive Bunting, our Scout Leader has also stepped down as Scout Leader as he has increasing responsibility outside of his scouting life. After 28 years of being a leader in Scouting, he feels is now time to take a step back but cannot escape as he will still be around to help when he can. On the up side, Steve Wilkinson (Assistant Scout Leader at Clavering) and Gordon Benson (Scout leader at Clavering) stepped in to run Scouts for the summer term leading to a fantastic summer term programme and the adventurous summer camp near the end of August. We would all like to say a big thank you to all the leaders, especially Gordon and Steve who have stepped in as without them Scouts would have had to close. Steve will be with us until December but will then be moving – we would like to take this opportunity to wish him all the best for the future and hope he comes back to visit soon. Onto the action packed summer term programme! Scouts enjoyed various activities from fi re building, shooting, kayaking, climbing, round the world cooking, wood work and survival skills. At the end of the term Essex Sports Partnership came to 1st Newport Scout Group with a variety of sports for all children to participate in with a family BBQ. Mark Eldert and Andy Cook managed to organise a very exciting opportunity for us and 1st clavering Scouts at the Lee Valley Olympic centre, where we tried our hand at white water canoeing. It was an amazing day, not only because we got the whole white water course to ourselves we also had two Olympic champions to give us tips on how to do it and coach us down the course. We hope to repeat this next year! We joined with 1st Clavering Scouts for our summer camp venture this year to Biblins near Ross- on-Wye. Here we experienced many different activities such as kayaking down the river Wye, bouldering, rope adventures, biking, hiking, a dump camp, man tracker, swimming, baking and gorge walking. All the children and leaders had a fantastic time and are looking forward to next year’s camp already! Andrew Blatt has kindly moved from Beavers to help with the Scout troop, but we are trying to fi nd a replacement Scout Leader for Newport and as all of you are aware, scouting is a voluntary organisation, and therefore all our leaders and committee are volunteers. In order for Scouts to run smoothly we require more volunteers. Please if anyone is interested in becoming part of scouting, please come and speak to myself or one of the other leaders.

Explorers

The explorers have grown in numbers this year, enjoying many activities including survival skills, fi re lighting, blind drop offs and brushcraft. Unfortunately due to work commitments Chris Ansell and Bryney Cotterill have stepped back from Explorer leader and assistant explorer leader. The Explorers have a ski trip planned for later this year, and due to their great fundraising, they have manged to reduce the cost! Well Done! We are currently looking for help to run explorers, if you think you can spare a couple hours a week, please contact Helen Howett.

Executive Committee

The executive committee has been hard at work this year, doing several fundraising events including Saffron Walden car shows, Hayter fun days and the Newport Fete. They are still working hard towards getting a new hall for the scouts, and as always are looking for new members to join!

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Winter 2013 Newport News 71

PEOPLE

Susan Brown and her photojournal ALISON LECKY

All photos: © Susan M Brown – Arkensiel Photography

efore I spoke to Susan, I felt that I already knew her well. This is because I had spent a fascinating spell voyeuristically skimming through her photojournal. I felt somewhat daunted about the prospect of meeting somebody who is obviously intelligent, well-educated, highly organised, very au fait with IT, a creative writer, a talented photographer, an avid pet lover, a keen gardener, a caring wife, mother and grandmother – all this and yet she still finds time to do paid work post retirement age. After a very pleasant get-together with Susan my initial impressions were confirmed – she is undoubtedly a very capable lady. The daughter of an arable farmer, Susan was born and grew up in the Fens. She lives in Newport with her husband, Bill; daughter and son-in-law also live in the village with their two children. She worked full-time in Wendens Ambo for Monks Partnership Limited (ultimately taken over by PricewaterhouseCoopers) for 27 years in varying roles as a research assistant, proof reader, copy editor and remuneration advisor. Whilst working Susan studied a mixture of science modules as well as psychology with

72 Newport News Winter 2013

the Open University and was awarded a BSc Open degree with Honours; subsequently she achieved a Masters in Science. Since the age of eight, Susan has always had a camera. Whilst studying for an Open University module, T189 - Digital Photography, a fellow student said “Have you seen this?” It was Blipfoto, a BAFTA award winning Edinburgh website for photojournalism and social networking. A rudimentary version was set up by a Scot, Joe Tree, in October 2004 but subsequently he invited others to join. Since then it has mushroomed with ‘Blippers’ in at least 160 countries worldwide. Only one photo (a ‘blip’) can be posted per day and it must have been taken on that day, although back blips from the previous day are allowed. Pictures can be accompanied by comments and postings are moderated. Many people blip to record their daily lives; some do it intermittently. Pregnant mums, for example, might record their experiences throughout their pregnancy and then decide to continue to follow the baby’s development. Blipfoto is free for most facilities but membership allows some extra features and prevents pop-ups and advertisements. Susan set herself the target of blipping daily for a year starting on May 24th, 2011 but she has now exceeded her target. By the end of 2013 she will be approaching her 1000th consecutive blip and will reach

three years of blipping (1095) in May 2014. Her garden provides most of Susan’s inspiration; flowers, bugs and birds prevail but squirrels and deer make their appearance. Marshes and meadows are seen changing throughout the seasons. Buildings and street scenes in the village and beyond are captured for posterity. Family celebrations and holidays are recorded as well as objects as diverse as knitting in progress to cakes in Scotsdale’s café – whatever takes Susan’s fancy! When I was browsing through Susan’s journal, a particularly poignant sequence of events was documented after Susan accidentally reversed over her cat, Dougal. I was fearful that I might find on the next day’s blip that he had been put down. Over the subsequent days, weeks and months, I was heartened to discover that Dougal made a good recovery and was able to be reunited with his sister, Florence. Susan’s photographs are stunning – she obviously has a keen eye to

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capture a scene or a moment. She does not consider herself as a professional photographer but she has been approached to create photographs for calendar companies. The cameras that she uses are a Nikon D7000 or a Nikon D3 with a variety of lenses but she might also take a shot with her mobile phone. She does not like to do a lot of photo processing – just a bit of cropping if necessary. “What I get is what I have seen.” And finally... should you be keen to following in Susan’s footsteps and create your own photojournal, you can join at: www.blipfoto.com/browse. Susan is also an Associate Lecturer, working part-time for the Open University. Currently, she provides tuition for Access modules in a variety of subjects including, science, maths, technology, health and psychology using one-to-one telephone tutorials and on-line forums. For those of you who might be interested in studying with the Open University, you might like to access their website: www.open.ac.uk/about/main/ NN

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EVENTS

All the fun of the fete www.nvf.moonfruit.com www.facebook.com/pages/Newport-Village-fete/324538957600263?ref=hl

All photos: Susan M Brown – Arkensiel Photography

ELAINE MURPHY

s another year draws to a close – the Newport Village Fete seems a distant memory – but boy what a great memory it was. The Newport Village Fete Committee met again at the beginning of the year to discuss our plans for the 2013 fete. Remembering the previous year’s memorable day and weather, we decided to hold the fete later in

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74 Newport News Winter 2013

the year thus hoping the weather may be half decent. The meetings were booked, the stalls and entertainment finalised and with all the t’s crossed and i’s dotted we were ready to welcome the crowds. I am always amazed at the generosity of the people in and around Newport who offer their help so willingly to the Newport Fete and as the eve of the big day dawned and I wandered down to the Common, I was greeted by Steve Todd and his band of gallant helpers who were erecting marquees and tents. Mike Hannant and Neil Saville were

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EVENTS dashing around finalising the common, the weather was holding and things were all set for Saturday. After a busy morning of setting-up and adding the finishing touches, the Fete finally kicked off at 1pm and the crowds began to fill the Common. The Newport Great Village Bake-Off, a new addition to the Fete, was proving a great success and a beautiful array of cakes and goodies were on display. The Newport Amateur Theatre Society (NATS) performed in front of a captivated audience of youngsters and delighted everyone with their Human Fruit Machine. There was just about something for everyone including Zumba dancing, giant inflatables, mini Land Rovers and pony rides. A Licensed Bar, BBQ, tea, cakes, candy floss and ice cream were on hand to fuel the masses. The Scratch Band kept the huge crowd entertained on a bespoke stage like no other, incorporating a six-wheeled truck, turf and a marquee! Newport Fete wouldn’t be Newport Fete, without this great band and as always our heartfelt thanks go out to them. Kenny Vincent, our marvellous compere for the day, was on hand to announce our Bake-Off Winners who were kindly judged by Tracey Ellington (The Purple Sloth Cake Company) and Kim Marnie-Brown (Just-Cook School, Newport). All the winners are listed on our Website. The afternoon was rounded off with a free prize draw to win a flight from Audley End Airfield over the neighbouring villages, kindly donated by Andrew Blatt. Newport Fete has become a popular and talked about event and on behalf of Mike Hannant, Neil Saville, Sharon Bonnington, Mark Murphy and myself, Elaine Murphy, we would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who help to make it so successful and to the huge crowds who turn out in their hundreds every year! NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 75

CHARITY

St Clare Hospice

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SARAH CALDER St Clare Hospice’s community fundraiser

t St Clare Hospice we are indebted to our local communities for their support in helping us raise the funds that are so vital in continuing our services for those with a terminal or life-limiting illness – and I have been overwhelmed with the response from Newport in answering that call. The support the Hospice has received from the village’s leaders, residents, businesses and groups has been fantastic and I look forward to continuing to build strong and longlasting links with the community. It is these links that are so important in enabling St Clare to continue caring for people and their families from across the Uttlesford district. The Hospice, which is based in Hastingwood, provides specialist palliative care to our patients, offering physical, social, psychological and spiritual support at a critical time in their lives. Our Inpatient and Day Therapy staff care for 500 patients each year and make more than 1,000 home visits. About 24 per cent of our

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76 Newport News Winter 2013

patients come from the Uttlesford area. The Hospice’s annual running costs total £2.8million and we receive just 30 per cent of our funding from the NHS. This means we rely on the support of our local communities to help us raise the rest through voluntary income. I started volunteering at St Clare to make a difference in my community and was delighted when I became the charity’s full-time Uttlesford community fundraiser in October last year. As part of the fundraising team, I help organise events such as Make A Will Month and the Starlight Walk, which was held in Bishop’s Stortford on September 21. Many people I encounter through my work with St Clare tell me they have the same drive to support a local charity helping people who live and work in their area and the people of Newport are no exception. Two members of the Newport

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Business Association, Creative Solutions and Clear IT Solutions, very kindly donated the first and second prize money for our annual fishing competition at Clavering Lakes, with district councillor Tina Knight providing the third prize. Their support contributed to the success of the angling event on September 14, which raised £1,325 for St Clare. We were also grateful for the support of the 1st Newport Brownies, who took part in the Hospice’s inaugural Onesie Campaign in February. Their Brown Owl Leanne Jennings said the girls are really looking forward to taking part again in 2014. Leanne has also been great by donating raffle prizes through her Leanne’s Beauty business to many of our Scarlet Foundation events. This kind of support is invaluable to the work of the Hospice and long may it continue so together we can be there for local people when they need it most. To the people of Newport, we thank you. NN

WORK

Newport Barber Shop JOHN GORDON

eaders will probably remember that in our last issue Paul Sutton of ‘Andy’s’ barbers challenged us to come up with another name. He offered a year’s free haircuts, to which Newport News added a £25 cash prize. Envelopes were opened on July 2nd and the winner proved to be... Katie Lee, 7 of Bullfields, with her suggestion of ‘Newport Barber Shop’, a name which Paul felt was short, sweet and descriptive, his main requirements. We duly presented the cash element and Katie will I am sure be claiming her free cuts. NN NN_Saffron Apparel.pdf 1 26/10/2011

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Winter 2013 Newport News 77

CHURCH

Restoration work and two ‘finds’ NEIL HARGREAVES Treasurer, friends of St Mary’s Church

y now the latest phase of the long term project to repair the church should be finished. At the time of writing, we await the installation of the new gates by Church House. They will be a recreation of the previous ones, based on the existing remnant, which itself will be repaired, and is currently in the joinery workshop of Bakers of Danbury In the last edition of Newport News there were photographs showing the damage to the chancel roof and walls. Here we see some of the completed repairs. And also the innards of the staircase, some parts of which have not been seen since the C15th. We now have a structure which in some respects is more robust than originally built, and a significant design weakness in the chancel has been rectified. The vertical wall posts you see under the chancel roof have no corbels to rest on, neither were they in any way fastened to the wall. When the weight of the lead was removed they were completely floppy and the builders delighted in showing me how they could be swung from side to side from above. A bit of an ‘I’d rather you

78 Newport News Winter 2013

didn’t do that’ moment. They are now fastened to the wall with black metal straps which you can see, and also bolted through the posts, which can’t be seen as the drill holes are plugged with oak which has been stained. The builders of the roof structure in the C16th must have known it wasn’t good. I do wonder when we read that the tower was severely damaged by lightning in the 1850’s, whether it was already weak, and the Victorians who did a solid rebuild made similar comments about the original builders. The roof was changed from long continuous runs of lead to the stepped roof seen here. The structural engineer designed a new wood frame to support it to replace the previous one from 1911. This is to reduce thermal movement, allows

a thinner lead to be used, and makes it compliant with modern standards. The ‘mushrooms’ are ventilators. The beetle and rot in the timbers was caused by damp – previously there was nothing to encourage a flow of air. Insulation has also been included. Below is evidence of the beams having been recycled. The cuts have no relevance to the beam’s current use. This is a flat structure above the beams which you can see inside the chancel.

CHURCH On the left a specially made stainless steel flitch plate is cut into the top of beam ‘B2’ along its whole length to strengthen it. Bat access has been added to the vestry roof, which has been almost entirely rebuilt, together with the octagonal chimney. Below are the before and after pictures of the staircase to the priest’s room. The builders said it was not keyed well into the walls, and suggested it may even have been added after the porch was built. Some support for this comes from the enormously thick priest’s room door, cut out of one piece of timber and with substantial iron strengthening. Why put so much expense into an internal door?

Below is the rebuilt outer covering of the staircase. As uncovered the staircase was topped by a rough corbel dome. Corbelling means laying stones one on top of another to make an arch, but the stones are not laid end to end, and so don’t have the compression strength of a true arch. Even worse our corbel was done with round stones, like the ones which fall out of walls around the district. ‘Cheap and cheerful’ might be the description. (The masons weren’t quite so critical after they saw the massive stone slabs for the new design which were too heavy for the electric winch and had to be raised on some of the hottest days of the year). The low strength corbelling means that the stone covers seen left, are quite thin. They look pretty ordinary, but they are not! They are recycled C12th grave covers. This has been confirmed by Peter Ryder - the leading authority

on English medieval grave covers(!) The oldest part of the current building is C13th, so this find would support there being an earlier church on the site. Using something on site would surely be a priority over shipping heavy stone from elsewhere. There are photos showing crosses, but the stones are back where they came from so none of us will see them again. Also found in the rubble filling of the staircase was a quern. This is a rotary stone grinder for cereals. Our one is a top-of-the-range import from Germany, the region around Eiffel, and is a Niedermendig lava quern. The molten rock cooled very quickly and gas bubbles were left in it. These holes made the querns grip the seeds instead of sliding round, and also made the stones lighter for export all round Europe. Our one must be at least C15th, but could be much older – the same design was exported from Roman times. These pieces are just the top stone. There would have been a bottom one. Pour grain down the middle, put a stick in the hole at the side and turn it round….. It may not just have been builder’s rubble. Putting it into the church may have had a significance. If you want to see and hear more about this and all of the works then please come to the History Group meeting scheduled for 16th October 2014. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 79

SPORT

Newport Sports Committee MIKE HANNANT

ewport Sports Committee is the organisation responsible for the dayto-day management of Newport Recreation Ground and consists of representatives of the organisations that use the recreation ground as well as executive members. The Sports Committee operates as a sub-committee of the Parish Council. The terms of reference are that the Committee is responsible for maintaining the playing areas and the Pavilion whilst the Parish Council are responsible for the car

park, boundaries and general areas. The Scouts, Youth Group and Croquet Clubs will all have individual leases for their buildings and, in the case of the Croquet Club, their enclosed playing area. Once details of the Scouts’ lease have been agreed they plan to replace their existing building with a slightly larger building, on the same site, and you can understand the reluctance of the Scouts to spend money on a building they hope to replace shortly. This year we actually had a summer and the Recreation Ground was in use most weekends for cricket. The ground even had to be watered at one stage and the cricket outfield was looking a little brown. Newport Cricket Club have acquired some site screens and, I am reliably informed, these have improved the overall ground standards as well as the performances. The Ladies Rounders team played on Tuesday evenings and there was Junior cricket on other evenings. The annual applications of

fertilizer and weed killer, essential to maintain a suitable playing surface for cricket and football, were applied during the summer. There has been little or no progress on a number of planning proposals being considered for the land adjacent to the Recreation Ground and it is unlikely the Sports Committee or Parish Council will invest in drain improvement or improvements to the access until these planning proposals are finalised. Unfortunately we cannot place timescales on this. The rabbit population at the Recreation Ground has been thriving and they have been breeding like, well rabbits actually! Unfortunately they need to be controlled as they cause substantial damage to the playing areas and make them unsafe. Local individuals have been carrying this out during the evening hours. Spartak 78, a local youth football team, will again use the Recreation

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SPORT

Ground for the 2013/14 season on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. Their Saturday morning sessions are well attended and include Newport residents and it is hoped that their use of the Recreation ground will encourage more Newport youngsters to join them. They are a well established club and run teams for youngsters from under 7’s to under 20. It is, in this day and age, pleasing to see so many youngsters enjoying sport supported by enthusiastic parents. Newport Football Club, who now have three teams, will play at the Recreation Ground Saturday afternoons and Abacus First Team will play on alternate Sunday mornings. Our plans for a Multi Use Games Area behind the Youth Centre and Scout Hut have made little progress to date but the intention is to replace the worn out cricket nets, move them to the far side of the Recreation Ground, then fence off an astro turf surface that is suitable for a wide range of sports including football, netball, basketball, hockey, tennis, as well as some forms of junior cricket, etc. It is proposed to provide floodlighting and security and that the facility will be open to the general public as well as the primary school. These facilities are not cheap and initial quotes indicate we need a budget of £150,000. It is hoped that we can fund the development from the many grants that are available but they

all have to be individually applied for. It is pleasing to report that we have had no major vandalism or break-ins in the year and long may this continue. There has been a small amount of vandalism including graffiti and it only takes one individual to create substantial damage. The Sports Committee have agreed to install additional security cameras covering further areas. Breakins have been reported at a number of Sports Grounds and we are looking to increase the storage area and increase its security, possibly by the acquisition of a container. We are grateful to the local police who send a patrol to the Recreation Ground. Members of the public are permitted to use the Recreation ground field and the vast majority are welcome but, as always, there is the small minority who leave litter and do not clear up after their dogs. An additional litter bin is to be installed near to the pavilion in the hope that the youngsters who drop litter of an evening will be encouraged to actually put in the bin. I would like to thank those members of the public and dog walkers that continue to advise us of misuse and, as I have personally witnessed, clear up other people’s rubbish. The organisations that are currently represented on the Sports Committee are: The Cricket Club, Newport Football Club, The Croquet Club, The Scouts

and The Youth Club. The executive members, who are volunteers, include Sid Brockwell, Tony Phillips, Mike Spraget (Secretary) and Yogesh Bhagalia (Treasurer). All were re-elected for a further year at the January AGM. The Parish Council also send a representative to meetings. The Ground, as well as the Rob Nicholl Meeting Room, are available for hire from the Committee and anyone interested should contact Mike Hannant on 01799 541063. NN

Croquet Club Roy Darling Tel 01799 540998 Cricket Club – Senior Chris Rix Tel 01799 540609 Cricket Club – Junior Alan Williams Tel 01799 541933 Football Club (Saturday) Newport FC Mike Hannant Tel 01799 541063 Scouts Email: JIKES@hotmail.com Brownies Cynthia Jennings Tel 01799 541408 Youth Club Andrew Yarwood Tel 07714 708815

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Winter 2013 Newport News 81

SPORT

Tennis Club RIGHT: THE SPEED CAgE fOR THE fASTEST SERVE AND A PuTTINg COMPETITION RAISINg MONEY AT NEWPORT fETE

SEAN MURPHY (07767 795018)

fter Andy Murray’s triumph at Wimbledon, the courts at Newport Village Tennis Club have been at their busiest. All summer long we have had subtle spins and bludgeoning pace along with the elegant chess of a well thought through rally, plenty of physical and mental agility. Well some of the time at least. We have some great courts and some great company. Membership is a steal for adults, children and families. £35 for adults and just £12 for juniors for a whole year with your very own key. Or if you just fancy an hour on the courts then anyone can play, just book your court at the Village Stores Nisa. Get to learn the game or improve even if you’re a great player with Ollie Toms our LTA qualified coach. Contact Ollie on 07917 652014 or Ollie004@aol.com He will be pleased to help and can give you details of regular coaching sessions.

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82 Newport News Winter 2013

We play informal doubles every Saturday from 9 am. Just turn up you’ll always get a game. Ladies morning is Tuesday and social tennis on summer evenings is on Thursdays whilst we have the light. If you are competitive then you can play yet more tennis in the Essex Small Clubs League or in the Hospital Cup. The Tennis Club has an active social programme. As well as the Tennis Club dinner at Christmas we had a great night celebrating the 80s at Audley End. Thanks to everybody in the village for supporting the club but particularly to Nisa for efficiently running the booking system, to our neighbours the Church, to our landlords the Gaces Charity and the Parish Council for their continuing support. Lots more information is on our website https://sites.google.com/site/newportvillagetennisclub/ or simply Google newportvillagetennisclub or find us on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you NN RIGHT: THE DOuBLES COMPETITION. CONgRATuLATIONS TO THE WINNERS RICHARD ELLIS AND EMLYN PRITCHETT WHO WON A HARD fOugHT MATCH AgAINST JEREMY REED AND RuDY ZIJDENBOS. THE PRESIDENT’S TROPHY AND THE MILEHAM CuP WERE PRESENTED BY ARABELLE HuRLSTONE.

SPORT

Newport Football Club RIGHT: OVER 35 TEAM FAR RIGHT: OVER 45 TEAM

MIKE HANNANT

he 2013/14 season has been underway for only three weeks and we have made some major changes in the summer. The first change is that our first team have changed leagues and for the 2013/14 season will play in the Bishops Stortford and Stansted District League, playing in Division 2. This league should reduce the amount of travelling for away games and involve more local derbies. The team continues to be managed by Simon Brace and has already completed a couple of league games, registering its first victory. The first team is open to adults of all ages and training is currently held every Thursday evening at the Grammar School Astroturf pitch, at 8pm. Home games are played at the Recreation Ground, Frambury Lane on Saturdays and kick off at 3pm until November when kick off time moves to 2pm. Any Interested players should call Mike Hannant. The second change is that the club now runs two veterans teams. The additional team is for over 45’s only and has entered the Over 45’s Division of the Greene King Essex Veterans League. The existing Veterans team, is for those over 35, and remains in the Greene King Essex Vets League, Division 4 West, on Saturday afternoons. Players register for the team and are eligible to play for either team, subject of course to the age restrictions, but priority of selection is given to the over 35’s team. In order to run two teams additional players were required and following an advertising and recruitment campaign we now have additional players, including a number of new Newport residents. However there are always a number of players unavailable in any week, for a variety of reasons, and additional players are always required. Unfortunately “West”

is used rather loosely in the Division 4 West league and although the league includes a few local teams it also includes teams from Brentwood, Redbridge and Aveley. The over 45’s league in theory covers all of Essex but in practice most teams are in the Brentwood and East London areas. Veterans League football has for many years operated the roll on roll off substitute rules and games kick off at 2pm all season. The Veterans also meet on a Thursday evening at the Grammar School Astroturf pitch, for a game of 7 or so a side, at the same time as our first team (8pm). Both Veterans teams play at the Recreation Ground in the village and post match hospitality, which is a requirement in the Veterans League, is provided by Steve and Amy at The White Horse Public House. Visiting teams are required to score the hospitality when submitting their results and I am delighted to report that for the 2012/13 season Steve and Amy’s hospitality was ranked second in a Division of twelve clubs. We thank them for the quality food they offer and their general support of the Football Club. The Club also run a Sunday Vets team that plays in the Cambs Vets League, Division 2. Games are only once a moth usually on the last Sunday of each month and kick off generally at 10.20 am. The club still has two England over 60’s players playing regularly (Alan East and Dave Blaylock) when they are not on International Duty! John Shannon, a fellow England over 60’s player has also joined the club this season and players of all ages are welcome. Results, fixtures and a host of statistics can be found on the FA Full Time web site for the Veterans teams where you need to enter the league name and then the Division. Results and League Tables

are updated within hours of the games finishing and statistics a few days later. The first team results can be found on the Bishops Stortford and Stansted District League web site. We are keen to promote the social side of the game and as well as an end of season presentation evening at the White Horse, arrange an annual tour for the Vets as well as other events. The club is financed through weekly subs for playing and there is no signing on fee. If anyone is interested in joining us in a playing or social capacity please contact Mike Hannant on 07801717091. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 83

SPORT

Newport Croquet Club THOMAS TURKINGTON

Report for AGM

This was another very successful and enjoyable season for the Golf Section. With quite a few new joining members, the result of a number of open days and village and organisation events, we have 24 to 30 members regularly attending our Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions. There is also a group meeting on Tuesdays participating in both Golf and Association Croquet. There is always someone on hand to assist with interpreting the rules of the game or giving coaching advice and there is also always a warm welcome for new members.

League Newport again entered two sides in the East Anglia League, Oaks and Elms. Both teams played three matches. The first match of the season being against each other. Elms were the more successful of the two sides and needed to beat Enfield West to progress to the semi-finals. This was not to be with Enfield running out winners by 11 matches to 7. Ipswich of the North and Mid Section were the eventual winners.

B Class Tournament

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Newport again hosted a B Class Tournament which was held on Saturday 27th July. Sixteen entrants enjoyed a sunny day playing golf croquet. Newport’s Jim Potter reached the final but lost by the closest of margins 7 hoops to 6 to John Thorp of Leighton Linslade CC. An In-Club B Level tournament is to be held at the end of the season to encourage new members to hopefully participate in league fixtures.

Events In-club competitions continued throughout the season. Eighteen members entered the singles competition for the Potters Pot. This was played on a pool basis with the winner of each pool going forward to the semi-finals. The competition was won by Jim Potter who beat Adrian Seabrook in the final. Partners for the doubles competition, Gordon’s Goblet, were drawn from a hat and the competition was played on a knock out basis. The final was between Bob Leeds and Ernie Turkington against Adrian Seabrook and Jane Cowper. Adrian and Jane were the eventual winners by two games to nil.

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84 Newport News Winter 2013

This was held on 18th June and is an event where the club was opened up to the Rotary Club and several Newport players encouraged the Rotary members to get to grips with the intricacies of the game. It was a very successful fund raising evening. The lawns are in excellent condition this year and the club hosted the East Anglia Croquet Federation Club Champions Tournament, the Association Croquet Open Tournament and the EACF Level Play Golf Croquet Finals. NN

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS

Newport District Brownies 2ND NEWPORT BROWNIES AND 1ST CLAVERINg BROWNIES STANDINg OuTSIDE HAuTBOIS HOuSE.

DIANA AND SARAH CONNELL

t was a first for Guiding in Newport District when earlier this year our unit 2nd Newport Brownies, joined Clavering Brownies for a weekend away in Norfolk. We stayed in Hautbois House, Colitishall which is one of Girlguiding UK’s activity centres. Set in large grounds the centre provides a wide range of outdoor activities. With comfortable accommodation, excellent food and a busy programme of activities, we had a great weekend. As well as two Brownie units, Newport District has two other units, 1st Newport Rainbows and Widdington Guides. 1st Newport Rainbows and 2nd Newport Brownies both meet on Wednesday in Newport Village Hall, Clavering Brownies meet on Wednesday in Arkesden Village Hall and Widdington Guides meet on a Thursday in Widdington Village Hall. NN If you are interested in joining any of those units as a Rainbow, Brownie, guide, Senior Section Member or Adult Volunteer you can now register online at girlguiding uK – Join us.

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Winter 2013 Newport News 85

PEOPLE

Voices of Newport SUSAN VANCE

This is another in our series listening to people who were born in Newport and who have lived in the village all their lives. Here, Gordon Wheeler, known as Don, recounts the story of his long life, tells us about his family, his time during the war and his life here in the village.

GORDON WHEELER

on was born in Newport on 13th November 1923 to Sidney and Winifred Wheeler. His father was born in Clavering and was brought up in Ringers Cottages in Debden Road, Newport. His mother originated from Thaxted. His sister Sylvia was born in Belmont Hill and Don, in Hadley House, Elephant Green, where he lived as a child. Newport for me is home. I have now been living in my bungalow here in Gaces Acre for 36 years. Immediately before that my wife and I spent two years in a mobile home in Frambury Lane, whilst Gaces Acre was being developed for housing. Previously, we had lived in a little cottage at the bottom of Star Hill - Wicken Road today – and for many years in the prefabs also situated in Gaces Acre.

DON’S PARENTS SIDNEY AND WINIfRED WHEELER

86 Newport News Winter 2013

As a child I remember when the circuses and the fairs used to be held on the big fi eld in Gaces Acre where normally Kenny Pipe kept his donkeys. The animals would arrive by train and we children would get really excited, looking forward to all the fun we would have. I went to Newport Primary School and spent much of my working life in the village. That is apart from during the war and whilst working for an aviation company at Stansted Airport, and then later as a tractor driver at Rickling Church End Farm. I remember as a child often going to visit my grandparents in Ringers Cottages. My grandfather worked as a horse keeper at Ringers Farm. My Grandma, Aley Wheeler came from Clavering and was a Whyman. That’s the Clavering family, which still has the nursery today. My grandparents eventually moved from Ringers to Pond Cross Cottages where my Grandfather, Bob Wheeler went to work. I do remember him, as he liked to wear a red rose in his buttonhole when he went to church on Sundays. Whilst I was at Newport Primary School, I used to help Mr. Byford the butcher who

IA AS CHILDRE

S SISTER SYLV

DON WITH HI

Gordon Wheele r had a shop where the current Post Offi ce is. My job was to sprinkle sawdust over the fl oor, run a few errands and that earned me a few bob a week. When I left at 14, I went to work for Mr. Saggers the grocers until the war started. I was 18 and half when I received my call up papers and I have to say I was quite excited about being a soldier despite the idea of having to fi ght. I was in the Essex Regiment and we left by ship en route to join Monty’s Eighth Army but in the Mediterranean our ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Luckily we managed to limp into Gibraltar harbour. There weren’t any civilians on the Rock as they had all been repatriated to England. I spent the next 18 months there helping the Royal Engineers to build the runway. We all used to get very excited when we saw the fl ying boat arriving because this meant post from home. In 1944 we were sent as part of the invasion force to Italy and that same year, I ended up at the battle of Monte Cassino.

DON’S gRANDPARENTS ALEY AND BOB WHEELER

DON IN HIS SOLDIER’S uNIfORM BELOW: THE SHIP TAKINg DON TO THE MED

Unfortunately for me I, along with many others, was taken prisoner. These memories are still very strong for me. We were taken fi rst to Moosburg and then marched for 10 days to Mittenwald, a German Prisoner of War camp. This was a very diffi cult time. I remember one day, we were tramping along this road when ahead of us we saw a line of men all wearing what looked like black and white overalls. There they were digging a ditch on the side of the road. There seemed no reason for it so we asked one of our guards and he replied, “they’re digging their own graves, tomorrow they’ll be in that ditch and then the next lot will arrive….”. We were horrifi ed. Later we discovered that we had been walking past the Dachau Concentration Camp. At last we reached the camp in Mittenwald only to discover that our task was to dig ditches on the sides of the roads. You can just imagine the fear we felt. But luckily that wasn’t our fate. Instead we were being made to work for the German war effort by constructing defence ditches. And I have to say that the German guards we had, old timers they were from the home guard, treated us well. We regularly received parcels from the Red Cross, cigarettes and chocolates and we used to share these with our particular guard to make life easier for him.

But obviously we didn’t like helping the Nazis by digging the trenches where snipers could hide to pick off our guys but we had a plan up our sleeves. Several times a day allied spitfi res used to fl y overhead and when they did we would say to our guard, “Posten Posten look, look that’s one of ours!” And whilst he was staring up at the sky we would furiously shovel as much soil as we could back into the ditch. He never seemed to realize why the ditches didn’t grow faster. One day, this old guard kept wiping the tears from his eyes. He’d been on leave for a week to see his wife. We asked him what was wrong but he refused to say anything then his feelings got the better of him and he broke down. We discovered that his son was missing. He was a Messerschmitt pilot for the Luftwaffe. They obviously feared the worst. But he had just received a letter to say his son had been shot down but had been found and was now recuperating in British hands. The tears were with relief. I think it was then we realized that the people we were fi ghting were no different from us. They had no option but to do as they were told, just as we had to. One day we woke up and the camp was

silent. There was no movement outside. It was all very strange and as you can imagine we were very uneasy. Our sergeant looked through the window and he said that all the guards had gone. Struggling to peer through the dirty panes we saw a pile of guns set up like a wigwam in the middle of the yard. Then suddenly we heard bagpipes in the distance and thought to ourselves that must be the Scots but in fact it was the Royal Canadian Regiment. We called to them to shoot the lock and then we opened the doors and rushed outside to freedom. After twelve days in the camp we were then moved by US lorries to be fl own back to High Wycombe where we were deloused and checked over. I was then sent to Devon for rehabilitation and a full medical. Being classed as fi t, I remained in the army and was sent back to Germany in the army of occupation. We went to Munsterlage to patrol the streets, then onto a displaced persons camp at Celle to monitor the curfew for the refugees – men, women and children – living there. From there I was sent to Ghent in Belgium where we had to clean up the countryside. You see there were abandoned lorries, tanks,

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Winter 2013 Newport News 87

PEOPLE TRuDY THE gOOD-LOOKINg DuTCH gIRL

TRuDY AND HER SON MICHAEL IN DuTCH COSTuME IN HOLLAND

and guns everywhere. It was such a mess and our job was to take all these vehicles and weapons to a central depot. After two months I was then sent to the Hook of Holland to work in the 113 Transit Camp where as lance corporal I was assigned to the Stores. I hadn’t been there long when one of the guys asked me if I had seen the good-looking blonde Dutch girl who worked in the Medical Centre. So I got chatting to her and found out she was called Trudy and was a nurse. Then one day walking past the seats where people ate their lunch I spotted a young girl, Betsie who I often spoke to. This day though she was doubled up in pain so I rushed to fi nd Trudy who called the doctor. Betsie was diagnosed with appendicitis and Trudy and I were sent to accompany her in the ambulance to hospital. And that is how it all started. I was demobbed in 1947 after my obligatory fi ve years military service and Trudy came to work in England. In those days she was only allowed to stay for a year so we decided to RIGHT: DON WITH SOME Of HIS SCOuT TROOP MIDDLE: DON ON HIS DELIVERIES IN NEWPORT

88 Newport News Winter 2013

TRuDY AND DON WITH ONE Of THEIR gRANDDAugHTERS AND gREAT gRANDCHILDREN

get married. We were married for 60 years. We have a son Michael and now have two granddaughters and 5 great grandchildren. We regularly travelled to Holland to see Trudy’s family but unfortunately Trudy did not have good health during her life but she lived till she was 82. We had a truly wonderful marriage. After the war when I worked for an aviation company at Stansted Airport, Trudy and I could get cheap fl ights to Holland, which was really useful. We liked to go every year to see her family. I then worked for Mr Revell the newsagent in Newport, which is where I learned to drive. And afterwards I worked for the bakers delivering bread in the village. I have always been interested in anything mechanical so later I really enjoyed being a tractor driver. For many years now I have collected models of veteran cars, motorbikes, airplanes and particularly tractors. My other main interest was running the scouts here in the village, which I did for 15 years helped by Trudy. I was group scout leader and we used to take the boys camping on the Shortgrove Estate.

The meetings were held in the old youth club on the high street. This has now become a private house, The Reading Room. I really enjoyed these times. I no longer drive but I am very fortunate that my son and his wife Linda who live in Walden keep an eye on me and do my shopping. I am also very lucky to have a good friend in Sarah Reid who drives me to the doctors and helps me out. I am never bored, as I love watching the soap operas on TV and of course always watch any programmes on mechanical things. I am 90 this year. Of course I miss Trudy very much but I am very lucky. I had a beautiful wife, a good life and a comfortable home here in Newport. I have a lovely family and it is these wonderful memories, which occupy my thoughts and keep me company. TRUDY AND DON

I had never met Don before my first interview with him for this article and I have to say that it has been a real delight and I would like to thank him very much for all his help. He has had a long life, varied and happy but one that has also been touched with sadness. Yet what has become particularly apparent during our meetings has been his enduring love for his wife Trudy. Theirs was truly a marriage made in heaven! Don was 90 in November and Newport News would like to take this opportunity to wish him a very Happy Birthday! NN

CLUBS & ORGANISATIONS

Newport Art Group JANE NASH

ewport Art Group meets on Wednesday mornings in the Village Hall. Membership is for anyone who likes to draw or paint and as we are not a class there are always a wide variety of subjects being attempted in many different media. Earlier this year we had an extended workshop with local artist John Tookey giving advice on pen and wash and figures in the landscape. Our exhibition was in April when we had an enjoyable and successful weekend. As well as a large number of

paintings for sale there were craft stalls and wood turning. As usual we had a lovely display of work by pupils from the Primary School. In August we had an outing to Heybridge and Malden where some people sketched and painted and others just enjoyed a stroll round the town. We are already thinking of next year’s exhibition, so look out for us in the Village Hall on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May 2014. For further information please contact Jane Nash on 01799 540716. NN

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Winter 2013 Newport News 89

PEOPLE

A chance remark SUSAN VANCE

wonder if you have ever experienced one of those strange events when a chance remark leads to something happening which leads to another, and to another, and finally that wonderful surprise, that happy ending? Well that’s exactly what happened to me during the research for the article on Don Wheeler for Voices of Newport. One day he was telling me about his grandparents, Aley and Bob Wheeler and how they had lived in Ringers Cottages in Debden Road. Since I live nearby and have known several of the residents

of these cottages over the last three decades, I was particularly interested. So the next time I met up with Angie and Mike Reynolds, the last occupants before the current ones, I mentioned this connection. To my amazement, Angie already knew of the Wheelers. Why, how, I enquired? “Well when Mike and I bought Ringers Cottage, Alex and Eileen Snow the then owners, gave us a special framed photograph of a family standing in front of these very same cottages and written on the back of the picture is the name Wheeler.” By then Ringers was a single dwelling following the conversion by Phil and Maggie Gooden in the early 80s. So when Angie and Mike left Ringers Cottage, they in turn passed on this photo to Linda and Simon Bush, the new residents. Well as you can imagine, I was eager to see this heirloom so I rang to ask if I might possibly look at, or even borrow the picture. “Of course, that would be no problem,” said Linda. So off I trotted

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90 Newport News Winter 2013

ANgIE REYNOLDS

one snowy afternoon and armed with a waterproof bag to protect the treasure, I ventured up the hill to discover this tantalizing find. Indeed, there they were in black and white, well more sepia actually but better than I had ever thought possible, not only was the photo of Aley but also of five of her children, all standing in the front of the cottages. This was like one of those ‘Who do you think you are?’ moments when the name of a distant relative suddenly takes on a physical image thanks to an old photo found in some box in the attic. But this was no attic find but one visibly displayed on the wall. I wanted to keep this as a surprise for Don. Here was not only his Grandma but also some of his uncles and aunts, and possibly even a photo of his father as a boy. So now I really did follow the ‘Who do you think you are?’ approach and started to dig into the National Archives online site to try to establish the identity of the children in the photograph. Looking at the 1901 Census I discovered the Wheeler family was living in Bury Water, in the parish of Newport and had four children, including Sidney, Don’s Father. I next turned to the 1911 Census and hey presto I now found them living at Ringers Cottages, Debden Road which at that time were in the parish of Widdington. According to this Census, the four offspring had now become nine but only the last one Stanley, then aged 8 months, had been born in Widdington. Thus the Wheeler family must have moved to Ringers between the birth of Beatrice in Newport in 1908 and the

EILEEN AND ALEX SNOW

birth of Stanley in 1910. The photo shows Aley with five of her children but interestingly there are now two children younger than the little girl, Beatrice. According to the 1911 census there had been only one younger child, Stanley, aged 8 months at the time. Thus I concluded that between the 1911 Census and the photo, the family must have had an additional baby, now making a total of 10 children. Still wearing my Sherlock Holmes hat, metaphorically speaking of course, knowing that there were possibly two children who had been born in Widdington and judging the approximate age of the little girl at about 6 years old, my deduction was that the photo dated from approximately three to four years post the 1911 Census; namely around 1914. Since Don’s father would have been about 19 years old by then and most likely at work at the time of the photo, he was in fact not in the picture. I made copies of the photo for Don and his son Michael, set out who I thought the children were and including printouts of the 1901 and 1911 Census, took everything with me on my next visit. Without saying a word, I gave Don the photo and asked him if he knew who this was. Immediately his face lit up, his voice faltered and his eyes welled with tears. “Why” he said, “this is Granny Wheeler, where did you find this?” And I told him the story of this amazing discovery, of that chance remark. Since Don had never seen this photo, I was now very intrigued to discover where it had come from. Did each subsequent owner of Ringers Cottage become the

Wheeler Family outside Ringers Cottages c 1914 Beatrice, Leonard (?), George (?), Stanley, Aley Wheeler, Baby (?) Wheeler

PEOPLE

Bush Family outside Ringers Cottage 2013 Nathan, Simon (father), Owen, Linda

custodian of this piece of family history? Speaking to Maggie Gooden by phone, it was apparent they had never seen it. So I quizzed Alex Snow as to its source. “Well”, he said “shortly after we moved here in the early 80s a lady named Beattie Cakebread contacted us. She said she had a photo of our house that we might like. So she came to see us and brought this photo of Ringers Cottages”. Now I had to find out if this Beattie was one and the same person as Beatrice Wheeler the little girl in the photo. So

I rang Don and asked him if his Aunty Beattie had married and if so, what was her married name. “Why she married Jack Cakebread!” said Don. Now the final piece of the puzzle was solved. Little did Granny Wheeler realize then, that almost exactly a hundred years after she had stood with her young family outside Ringers Cottages to have her photo taken, that thanks to a chance remark she would once again be immortalized, this time in Newport News! NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 91

WORK

Waterloo Gallery

Graham Barclay

NINA JONES

lans in my life rarely go the way they should, and a particular Friday in late September was one such example when I had the day all mapped out but the great satnav in the sky was having none of it. Due to leave work in Cambridge at midday (after 24 hours on duty – don’t ask), plan A was I drive back to Newport, have a leisurely lunch, read the daily rag, forty winks was even on the cards. Then in a civilised manner I was going to take a gentle stroll up the village high street to the Waterloo Gallery, newly opened, next door to Saggers’ garden centre, where

I would interview Graham Barclay, a photographer, whose current and earlier work is now on display there. But at 3pm I was still in Cambridge, entertaining the Assistant Director (suffice to say, a very important person)

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and he was in no particular hurry to get on his train back to London. Oh, Lordy, and my interview slot with Graham was in less than half an hour! I had to get a message to him. So I made my excuses and with mobile in hand, I sneaked off

WORK to ‘powder my nose’ and got through to Mr. Barclay. “So sorry”, came the apology, “I’ve been somewhat held up at work. I could make it in an hour or so, I suppose, but,” I added with a tad more enthusiasm, “if it suits, we could arrange to meet another day?” With fingers crossed, I was hoping he would plump for the latter but Graham seemed totally unperturbed about my poor time-keeping skills and, in his rich, baritone voice (he was once an actor, you know, and did voice-overs for several years) proposed straight away we meet later. “4.30 would be good”. Inwardly, I groaned, brightly I agreed and said, “Yes”. Plan B was thus this. Gently but firmly steer Mr. Assistant Director out of the office door and thank him profusely for his time and input, grab bag, jump into car, pray I don’t encounter a policeman as I put my foot on the pedal and fly along the Sawston bypass and all roads to Newport, screech to a halt outside my house, leave car door open, race indoors, fruitlessly search for pen and pad (give

up on the latter and nick one of my granddaughter’s exercise books left lying about), and with a quick brush of the hair, and lipstick on in an attempt to revitalise the old, tired face, I was back in the car and on my way! “Just thirty minutes, that’s all it should take”, I assured my self, as I roared headlong to the other end of the village and the Waterloo Gallery. Fast forward two hours later, and I’m still there! Not under duress, I assure you. Graham Barclay is a fascinating guy and his landscape photographs are spectacular and stunning. Famous faces are also part of the exhibition, in black and white, moody, haunting images of Omar Shariff, John Hurt, Nicole Kidman, to name but a few. But first, let’s focus on the man himself. Graham was born in Gweru, Zimbabwe. Like me, he is a child of Africa, and that connected us both straight away, and like me, he was drawn to the stage, but whereas I never achieved the dream, Graham did. However, ‘with remarkable good fortune’ (as his website page states), in

1989, being in-between acting jobs, and to make ends meet, he became a Man Friday in a busy fashion and advertising photographer’s studio in London’s East End. And so began a lengthy apprenticeship - and love affair - with the camera and all its endless subjects. Fashion and advertising kick-started Graham’s photographic career but, as he said, “it wasn’t really for me,” and after a couple of years he moved out of the studio environment and began a much more exciting chapter in his life, moving towards reportage and documentary work. Working initially for the South London Press, he covered all kinds of adrenalin busting events – gang wars, murders, the Brixton riots – and then began picking up contracts with some of the national newspapers, including the Daily Express, Guardian and Telegraph. Graham was now on a roll and the world was literally his oyster. He became a ‘stringer’ for the LA Times, in laymen’s terms this is someone who keeps the communication line between the US and Europe open, like an unbroken thread. As a photographer, Graham’s role was meeting famous and powerful

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WORK people on this side of the Atlantic and taking their photo for the newspaper over the pond; he was at the same time working for the Scotsman (Scotland’s National Newspaper) doing features and portraitures. “It was,” Graham said, “an exciting time in my life”. Other adventures followed. From 2002, having set up his own photographic agency, but still working for various editorials, including the LA Times and Bloomberg News and TV, Graham travelled extensively, all over the world. Staying in the best hotels, his brief was ‘just do what you do’, and with his camera he photographed for posterity events such as the May Day riots, the war summit in the Azores, interviewing on a 1:1 basis some of the most well-known and powerful people around. Most recently Graham, who still works for the LA Times, did a portrait of the artist David Hockney, and the two chaps who founded Google. “There aren’t that many famous people I haven’t met and photographed,” says Graham, pausing for breath on our whistle stop tour of his extraordinary life. So, how come, one may ask, did he finally end up here, in Newport, a village tucked away in north, rural Essex? Basically, it seems his kids (now aged 17 and 12) were the main reason – good schools, nice environment. I couldn’t disagree with that, although Graham admits that when he first came down this way in 2004, moving from South London to Littlebury was ‘very difficult’. He missed the fast pace and social life of London, although initially he remained in the thick of it, spending long periods away from home as his job continued to take him all over the world. But there does come a time in most people’s lives, including

Graham’s, when it gradually dawns that east, west, home is definitely best. “After 25 years of running around the world at other people’s beck and call, I realised what a tough industry I was in and was after a change”. And the ‘change’ brings us nicely back to The Waterloo Gallery and Graham’s landscapes. About four/five years ago Graham began a journey around Britain, he said he wanted to work on his own and get back to why he had become a photographer in the first place. Capturing the backdrops of our own fair land, he called his collection of visually inspiring imagery: “This Other Eden”. Graham says this has been the most challenging work he has done. ‘If you are outside in January you might

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just have a couple of minutes of the right light, and you’re either in it or you’re not”. A year ago, he began looking around for a suitable venue where he could exhibit his photographs, and it was by accident rather than design, that he ended up doing just that in Newport. He had taken his car to the local garage to get his tyres done, and whilst waiting, had a little stroll around the village. It was thus he spotted the “For Let” sign outside the front of Saggers’ and in that moment realised he had found his perfect venue! On the 21st September, old Fleet Street chums were amongst those who came to a private viewing of his work, and on the 23rd September, the gallery was open to the public. “All this”, Graham smiled, looking around his gallery, whilst the early evening traffic trundled by us outside, “has totally changed the way I am. I have never been happier. My landscapes have given me the opportunity to look at the country we live in and capture its magic.” I couldn’t disagree. It was with great reluctance that I finally made ready to go. Two and half hours later!!! NN Contact Graham Barclay: 0044 (0) 7802 306616 Email: pictures@waterloogallery.net www.grahambarclay.com

PEOPLE

Cars of a certain age JOHN GORDON

The problem of fi nding suitable candidates who fi t the criteria to qualify for the ‘Cars of a certain age’ spot in ‘Newport News’, i.e. being made in or before 1974, the year the magazine started becomes more and more diffi cult as the years roll by. You can imagine my joy therefore when I spotted a 1963 Land Rover series 2a in Bridge End. Further enquiries revealed that Simon and Kate Ollerenshaw of The Crown House owned it. Accordingly I knocked on the door one June morning and introduced myself. I explained my quest to them and asked if they would like to write a brief piece about themselves and the Land Rover, which they later did and below is the result. That we came to live in Newport is partly down to the encouragement of the editor of this fine magazine. We had lived abroad for six years. Having emigrated with a few bags and no children, we moved back to the UK in 2007 with three small nippers and a container load of accumulated baby gear. We had always had it vaguely in mind that we would end up in this part of the world (Kate’s mother’s family are from Essex), but no idea of exactly where. We rented a house north of here, in Balsham, and enrolled the children in a school in Saffron Walden, thinking it would be easy to find a house to buy nearby and at least then they wouldn’t have to move schools yet again. Nearly two years later we were still looking, when Kate heard about the Crown House. It clearly needed some care and maintenance, and it was - through a friend of ours who knew the Gordons well - John who gave us a lot of

confidence that it was worth taking it on. Right he was - it has been a wonderful house to live in, full of stories, memories of Christopher Fell, places to hide in, and very few flat floors. We should mention our gratitude to Steve Minchin for all of the help he has given us since moving here. His knowledge – from the intricacies of the heating system to what Christopher used to do about moles in the garden - has been invaluable. The spiders sometimes seem to be taking over, the dog tests the patience of our neighbours, and the garden has faded a bit since Christopher’s days (although Ben Hornby is doing great works now and we may be confident enough about the state of the border to participate in the Newport Open Gardens next time round!). But we wouldn’t live anywhere else, and look forward to many more years in Newport. John also asked us for an explanation of the archaic Land Rover which we have. We have no great tales, other than the winter of three years ago when our Swedish (supposedly all-weather) car couldn’t even get out of Bridge End without spades and sand and salt. Just in case the new ice age were to set in even further, a battered Landie seemed a sensible back-up. The windscreen wipers work when they want to, the heating alternates between “none” and “brutal”, and the windows fall out when you shut the doors. But it has nothing electronic to go wrong, always starts, and for that we are grateful to the skill and patience of Paul and the team at Premier Garage. Simon Ollerenshaw

Having read this further questions popped into my mind and I later called on them to take some photographs and jot down some basic facts. Luckily the whole family was assembled. I began with Simon, who is with Barclays Bank in London. He told me that he was born in 1969 in Surrey and after leaving school read Anglo Saxon and Old Norse at Durham University. Kate then explained that she had been born in 1971 in Taiwan and had also been to Durham where she read Classics and where she met Simon. She then qualifi ed as a Solicitor and works part-time as a regulatory lawyer. She also copy-edits legal text books, is a school governor and helps out with the junior choir at St Mary’s Church in Saffron Walden. Simon and Kate married in 1998 and after a stint in London served three years each in Hong Kong and the US. They returned in 2007 and rented a property in Balsham whilst they looked round for something suitable and were delighted when they found The Crown House, a grade 2 starred property. Meanwhile their three children (Sophie, Tilly and James) were putting in an appearance. Sophie goes to school in Cambridge whilst Tilly and James are at Dame Bradbury’s in Saffron Walden. The whole family very much enjoy living in Newport and love their home where they have every intention of putting down roots. NN CLASSICS! If you have a classic car, motorbike, van, lorry or bus (or any other kind of vehicle!), and would like to be featured in Newport News, please get in touch with John Gordon (542090).

Winter 2013 Newport News 95

HOMES & GARDENS

Gardening with Vic BREATH Of LIfE

CLIMBINg ENA HARKNESS

Hybrid teas These are what most people consider what a true rose should look like. They are large, double flowered with long conical petals in the centre sitting regularly on flatter crown of petals. Most are so symmetrical that they are chosen by those gardeners who enter specimens in horticultural shows. They produce blooms in flushes; some only flower once, like most of our other flowering shrubs, others have several flushes in the season while a few are continuously flowering. All the ones I have mentioned are fragrant. Royal William is the best of the dark reds. It has long stalks so is good for cutting. Dawn Chorus is an orange coloured rose, with a high centre, borne in clusters, it is perpetually flowering. Double Delight is unusual in being bicoloured with pale yellow centres and red outside. Good for cutting. Dutch Gold has large, well shaped golden blooms produced in abundance. Elina has ivory coloured, well shaped flowers, borne singly on long stems so is good for cutting. Elizabeth Harkness has large, high centred, cream coloured

flowers borne throughout the season, also good for cutting. Silver Jubilee has shapely coppery pink blooms, produced regularly throughout the season. Finally, The McCartney Rose named after the Beetle. It has large, well shaped pink blooms and has won several awards throughout the world.

VIC FOWLER

Roses

The rose is our most popular flower, an accolade shared with many other countries. In the last 25 years or so the number of pot roses and cut flowers produced has rocketed. The former are grown mostly in Holland and Belgium and the latter in sub-tropical Colombia and under protective structures in Kenya, where they are cut and sent to wholesalers, then packed for flight to their destination where again they first go to wholesalers, before ending up in the shops. Here they are known as florists’ roses. The process takes about 7 days and they have no smell. So if you like roses to be fragrant, then why not grow your own. I have selected ones I recommend in three categories - hybrid teas, floribundas and climbing roses. THE MCCARTNEY ROSE

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Floribundas Also called cluster roses or perpetual flowering ones. They lack the size of the hybrid teas (H.T.s) but they make up for this in other ways. Whereas H.T.s mostly flower in flushes, floribundas will provide colour from June to Autumn, providing they are regularly dead-headed, removing the whole of the spent truss. Floribundas are H.T. like in shape but are smaller in size; others have been developed by breeding modern varieties with old, very fragrant tea roses; these have flatter blooms but are nevertheless attractive. So the purpose of floribundas is to give persistent colour in the garden which is why they are so popular. The most vigorous floribundas like the still popular pink flowered Queen

HOMES & GARDENS Elizabeth or the later yellow rose Mountbatten grow up to a height of 6ft so need to go in at the back of the border, otherwise look at the label when buying, the majority grow between 2.5ft and 4ft. The following varieties are worth growing. Korresia is yellow with H.T. like flowers. Fragrant Delight has copper coloured flowers, fully double. Arthur Bell is also yellow with free flowering H.T. like flowers and reaching a height of about 4ft. Margaret Merril, which is pearly white with H.T. type blooms and should be in everybody’s gardens. The rest are the ones derived from the old tea roses. Octavia Hill is a delicate blush pink. The flowers are produced in profusion and they are good for cutting. Sexy Roxy, despite its name, or because of it, is one of the best pink floribundas with flowers in large trusses. There are many others to choose in garden centres. Ramblers and Climbers Ramblers are vigorous growers and bear large trusses of small flowers, usually flowering only once, when they can look spectacular on say the side of a house for a short period. Climbers are a better choice. They have more erect, stiffer stems, have larger blooms and are perpetual flowering. Also easier to prune. Most are grown against trellis, arches, pillars, or allowed to push up through other shrubs. The ones I have selected grow to about 9ft in height. Breath of Life is one of the most popular climbing roses. Has large

apricot coloured, H.T. like blooms and is repeat flowering from June to autumn. Good for cutting. Compassion is another climber with H.T. like flowers. Also apricot coloured like the above. Its offspring High Hopes has pink H.T. like blooms and has won many accolades. It is repeat flowering. Climbing Ena Harkness has blooms that are H.T. like a rich crimson colour. Although it is perpetual flowering the autumn display may be less impressive. If you want a climber make sure you get one that is not the bush form.

Pruning climbing roses These can be left, often for several years but then the shoots have become old and woody, recognisable by their colour, should be removed down to ground level to encourage more long greener shoots to emerge from the bottom. NN

Pruning bush roses I lived in Bath for 40 years and had a much larger garden than I have here so I was able to grow many more roses, certainly over 40. So I adopted the National Rose Society’s method. They use a hedge trimmer reducing the roses by half their height in February or March. All small shoots, normally pruned off, are left on and it is these which encourage the plants to flower earlier than traditionally pruned ones, where they would be cut off. This latter type of pruning requires you to prune just below on outward facing buds so that the bush remained open. Occasionally congestion occurs in the centre of the bush, and then some branches should be removed entirely in February or March. Of course whichever method is used you need to collect the parts chopped off so wear tough gardening gloves.

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Winter 2013 Newport News 97

HISTORY

A day and a night to remember BARI HOOPER

The remarkable discovery last year of the skeleton of King Richard III buried beneath a car park in Leicester has prompted our regular contributor and amateur archaeologist Bari Hooper, to recall a time when he too took part in the unearthing of an ancient warrior. The subject of his investigation was not a king, but an English nobleman who served his sovereign in France in the 14th century during the Hundred Years War. He recalls his tale.

hen in 1978 I received an early morning telephone call from Andrew Rogerson, a senior member of the Norfolk Archaeological Unit, requesting me to come that day to Elsing to examine the mortal remains of a medieval knight entombed in the parish church, my response was immediate. As an amateur archaeologist with a particular interest in palaeopathology this was a summons to be obeyed posthaste. Within minutes of voicing my acceptance I was in my car and heading for the venue. The subject of the post mortem examination was Sir Hugh Hastings (c. 1310 – c. 1347) a distant kinsman of King Edward III. The son of John, 2nd Baron Hastings of Abergavenny (1216-1313), Sir Hugh married Margery, daughter of Sir John Foliot, in whose right he acquired estates in Norfolk at Gressenhall and Elsing. In 1340, the year of his marriage, he was present at the great naval Battle of Sluys that resulted in the destruction of the French fleet. Five years later, as King’s Lieutenant, he was ordered to Flanders to recruit Flemish mercenaries for Edward’s army, which at the time was rampaging across Northern France while seeking to engage the French in a decisive engagement. The sought for confrontation

98 Newport News Winter 2013

finally took place at Crecy in 1346 in a momentous battle at which Sir Hugh was present, in which the French forces were decisively defeated. All this I learned later, for I must confess that when I set forth for Elsing, I knew nothing of the gallant knight and his exploits. Elsing Church was founded by Sir Hugh at some time after 1330, and after his death his grieving young widow honoured his memory by installing a richly enamelled memorial brass in the floor of the chancel above his tomb. In the succeeding centuries the brass was damaged by disrespectful visitors, and in the 1970’s it was removed from the church for professional restoration. Before it was returned it was decided that the grave slab upon which it rested should be lifted and placed on a plinth to save the monument from being walked upon by careless visitors. It was this enterprise that provided the unique opportunity in 1978 for Rogerson to investigate the grave beneath the slab. The narrow brick-lined burial chamber was filled with earth to a depth of 1. 3 m. (4 ft. 3in.), at the bottom of which, beneath some decayed fragments of a wooden coffin, lay the skeletal remains of the church’s gallant founder. In a ‘normal’ archaeological burial investigation the skeleton is removed to the laboratory for anthropometric examination, but in this instance the church authorities insisted that the work be carried out within the chancel. A time limit of 48 hours was also imposed, after which Sir Hugh’s bones were to be shrouded once again by the same soil which had concealed them for the previous six centuries. Storm clouds were gathering ominously overhead as Rogerson greeted me at the door of Elsing Church. The chancel was veiled in gloom when we entered, but to enable me to carry out my examination an electric lamp had been installed above the open tomb. There was no room for a step-ladder within the narrow tomb chamber, so I lowered myself into it, taking care to avoid treading on its long-deceased occupant. As I did so a tremendous clap of thunder echoed through the church, the noise of which bespoke a storm of considerable magnitude

breaking overhead. For the next few minutes the storm raged above, each flash of lightning causing the lamp to flicker, creating the curious illusion of movement in the skeleton at my feet! The storm eventually passed over, and with the light source now steady I was able to proceed with my measuring of the bones. The skeleton when first unearthed by Rogerson presented a gruesome spectacle, the head and face being partially covered in blackened flesh upon which lay a liberal amount of short brown hair. The ‘flesh’ however, proved illusory, -- it crumbled to powder when the skull was lifted, though the hair remained (of which more later). Sir Hugh’s bones revealed his having been a man of good physique, and using the standard regression equation formula for stature, I calculated that he had been 177. 07 cm. (5 ft. 9¾ in.) in height. I also concluded that he probably died between the ages of 35 and 40 years. (At the time of my examination I had not been apprised of the date of his death, so it was with some satisfaction that I subsequently learned that my estimate tallied with the historical evidence of his demise.) His bones unfortunately provided no clues as to the cause of his death. The teeth of the dead often yield important information. The grinding surfaces of Sir Hugh’s molars were found to be moderately abraded, the most likely cause being the consumption of coarse bread made from stone-ground flour containing a high level of abrasive grit particles. (It was not until the 15th century that the upper classes were privileged to eat bread made with refined flour made from wheaten manchet that had been bolted through fine cloth to remove most of the bran and the coarser particles of grit.) While his molars provided a testimony to the coarseness of his diet, his upper and lower incisors bore witness to an episode of violence -- a heavy blow to the mouth that broke five teeth off close to the gumline. A faint coating of dental plaque upon the damaged surfaces of the teeth indicated that the trauma had been sustained several months before his death. A sixth incisor had

HISTORY been previously extracted, possibly after being loosened by the same blow that demolished the others. Like other active men of the era, Sir Hugh suffered from osteoarthritis, a common degenerative condition of the joints caused by wear and tear. I noted it in his lower spine, right hip, and the joints of both shoulders and the elbows. The presence of the condition in the shoulder and elbow joints I found of particular interest as these areas are not commonly subject to the disease. A woodsman might expect to be so affected after a lifetime of axe-wielding, but it seemed unlikely that a nobleman would have regularly engaged in such an activity. Another explanation needed to be sought. Noble youths were early initiated into the martial arts and were expected to keep fighting fit by engaging in regular military exercises. An early 14th century French MS entitled Les Etablissmentz des Chevalrie, recommends a regular exercise in which the trainee warrior while on foot and armed with a sword and shield strikes blows at different levels against a post-quintain or pel (a stout wooden post fixed firmly in the ground), representing the head and body of an opponent. This practice is endorsed in an anonymous early 15th century poem entitled Knyghthode and Batayle, that advises the ’yong knight’ to pit his strength and skill against the pel using a mace and a shield of ‘doubil wight’ (weight). Thus by practising with extra heavy weapons he might acquire greater facility in battle with weapons of normal weight. If from his youth Sir Hugh had adopted this rigorous routine of battle training his shoulder and elbows joints would undoubtedly have been heavily stressed making them prone to osteoarthritic disease in middle age. The osteoarthritis in his right hip was probably a consequence of a previous injury to the joint, perhaps in jumping or falling from a moderate height (from a horse?) with the unflexed leg taking the shock of the impact. I found further evidence of his active life, on his left tibia, which bore evidence of the patellar tendon having been torn at some time. Though Lord of the Manor of Elsing, Sir Hugh, it seems was a man whose disposition was more suited to the warrior life style than manorial business. I return now to the perplexing

it was made of had presumably been treated with an unidentified chemical which acted as preservative for the hair, though not for the hide upon which it grew. Coincidentally, later that year at a British Council party in Rome I was introduced to Edward Astley, 22nd Baron Hastings. A meeting which provided me with the not to be missed opportunity to open the conversation with the words, “I met your longdeceased ancestor the other day. NN Reference

presence of the quantity of hair about the Sir Hugh’s head and face. Previous to examining his remains I had excavated many skeletons, from Iron Age peasants to French Napoleonic sailors, but not once had I come across as much as a single hair. In hope of solving the mystery a sample of the hair from the tomb was sent to the Home Office Forensic Science Laboratory, where it was identified as closely trimmed cow hair. Sir Hugh, it seems had been interred wearing a tanned cow-hide headdress, perhaps a hood worn beneath his iron battle helm. The hide

Hooper, B., Rickett, R., Rogerson. A. & Yaxley, S. The grave of Sir Hugh de Hastyings, Elsing, in

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HISTORY

A personal account

George Middleton on being a Royal Field Artillery gunner in WW1

PAT WESTWOOD (daughter)

orld War 1 began on 28 July 1914. I was 27. I attested as part of Lord Derby’s scheme (a voluntary recruitment policy) in 1915 before joining up in Saffron Walden on 7 April 1916. I was immediately sent to Warley, then Woolwich, and finally Weedon in Northamptonshire where I spent ten weeks training to be a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery. On 13 August we were shipped out to France, crossing from Southampton to Le Havre before being marched to a camp five miles out, where I passed out at gun drill before going up the line. I was attached to the 32nd Division Ammunition Column for three days, and was then posted to A Battery 155 Brigade. At the time A Battery was in action at Cambrai, a small village between Béthune and La Buissee. It was there that I heard my first shell. The Germans were shelling Béthune. I was sent to the gun position in one of the detachments. That shelling notwithstanding it was a relatively quiet front at that time, so we ended up doing a lot of fatigues (menial tasks) up in the trenches. At one point we dug a gun pit between the front line and the reserve line, close to the noted brick stacks where Major Michael O’Leary won the VC. That turned out to be more dangerous than expected as there were some heavy trench mortar duels. We left La Buisse front about the second week in October and travelled by road to the Albert front, taking up a position between Meurly Maley and Beaumont Hamel – five hundred yards from the enemy. We stayed there nearly a month all told, until after Beaumont Hamel fell on 13 November. At one

100 Newport News Winter 2013

point we were shelled non-stop for two days. It was one of the worst experiences I had in France. None of our gun pits escaped the shelling, one receiving seven direct hits. Having survived that we were obliged to move to a position a thousand yards back, where we stayed briefly before getting a month’s rest. We were back again on 2 January 1917, though – except that I didn’t stay there for long. My thigh went septic and I had to return to hospital in England. I was out of action for nearly two months. Come May I was back in France, with the 61st Divisional Ammunition Column, Small Arms Section. Our work was supplying infantry with small arms ammunition and hand grenades etc. We stayed round Arras until the end of July, before moving up to the Ypres front. I was sent on a fortnight’s course on the field howitzer and then joined A Battery 306 Brigade, in action at Wieltje, just by St Jean. I had several narrow escapes while on the Ypres front. On one occasion my steel helmet deflected a piece of shrapnel that would otherwise have hit me in the neck or shoulder. On another, a gun in rear had a premature and a piece of the shell smashed my mess tin to ribbons, just as I was picking it up. In the months that followed I moved around a lot: first back to Arras, then Cumbrai, Flesquieres, St Quentin, Vermand, Ham, Nestle, Roye, and finally Moreuil. We had rather a bad time at Moreuil, with quite a few injured and killed. It was also difficult to get the wounded taken away. Sometimes we would have to wait all day for a Red Cross car. At other times we had to take them in a shaky old mess cart the twenty kilometres to one of our dressing stations. When the news of the armistice finally filtered through you might have expected there to be great cheering and shouting for joy, but that wasn’t the case with our battery. You could have heard a pin drop, I think our hearts were too full to give vent to any feelings. Instead, we all set to work cleaning our muchneglected horses, harness and guns. We were at it nearly a week before we

started back to Cambrai. I eventually made it home in January, but I was only on leave. Fortunately, I didn’t have to return to France. When I got to Victoria Station on my way back I was sent to Wimbledon, where I was demobilized. After spending more than two years in continuous discomfort I was thankful of the return to civilian life. One of our biggest worries in the trenches was lice, which we were scarcely ever free from, especially as we could seldom get clean clothing, couldn’t hang out clothing while in position, and weren’t allowed to undress. I could fill pages with tales of the discomforts, but I prefer not to. Something I shall never forget, however, is the sight of French women, children and old people leaving their homes during the retreat in March 1918, often drenched to the skin, with nowhere to go but to keep trudging wearily along day after day. Some had a few belongings. Many left them by the roadside. They were just too tired to carry them any further. Those scenes touched me more than witnessing death on the battlefield. I thanked God that the same wasn’t happening in England, and to our loved ones at home. Gunner George Middleton (123828), Royal Field Artillery, was born in 1887 and died in Newport in 1961. He returned to France – once – in 1927, to revisit the trenches in which he and so many others gave their all. His account was saved by his daughter Pat Westwood (nee Middleton). NN

OBITUARIES

Joan Alice Howard 1919–2013 ANGELA HOWARD

oan was born in Birmingham on the 12th June 1919, where she lived until the age of 82. She was a very happy and sociable lady who had a very cheeky sense of humour, she enjoyed going out and the company of other people. She was very family orientated and a devoted mother to her son Allan, he truly was the sunshine of her life. As a younger woman Joan loved dancing, music, reading, doing crosswords and going out with family and

friends. She worked at The Morris Commercial in Bordesley Green as the Staff Restaurant Manageress, she was also the Captain of the Ladies Darts Team there. After 59 years of marriage, Joan became a widow in the year 2000, and shortly after this she was diagnosed with having Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s, and so her journey through this illness began by her moving to Reynolds Court, Newport on the 26th August 2002 to be close to her son and daughter-in-law Angela who live in nearby Saffron Walden. Joan settled into the village life, and with a lot of support from Allan and Angela, excellent care from the Care Plus Agency and staff at The Saffron Day Centre she had 11 very happy years here before sadly at the grand age of 94 she passed away peacefully at home on the 24th July 2013. NN

Eileen Miriam Holland 1926–2013 JOAN BRACE

ileen was born 17th September 1926 to Bertram and Lily Harvey. She was sister to Joan Brace, Mary Powell, Vera Jaggard, Len Harvey and Don Harvey. She gained a scholarship to the Herts & Essex High School and left in 1943. As it was war time she went to work at Quendon Hall Farm. In 1957 she married Gerald Holland and lived for a time with her father at the ‘Limes” London Road. After a while they moved to Sawston where she lived until her husband died. She spent her last days at “Highfields” nursing home at Saffron Walden. She died 15th February 2013. She is missed by her nieces, Clare & Jill and her sister Joan. NN

Winter 2013 Newport News 101

Cambridge & Uttlesford

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OBITUARIES

William (Bill) Saich1916–2013

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ill Saich, his mother and older sister Alice came to live at no. 4 Church Street in 1917 when he was a year old; his father, who served in the 1914-18 War, is likely to have been away at the time. Before the Saich family came to no. 4 it had been occupied by Bailey Sell, who drove the horse-drawn mail coach to Bishop’s Stortford. There was one room downstairs, 2 bedrooms and an outside lavatory, and in 1917 the weekly rent was 1s.6d. (about 7.5 pence). Bill’s parents were Alexander and Martha Saich. He told John Gordon that his mother, whose maiden name was Norton, was a niece of Miss Susan Millard, Newport’s Postmistress for many years – Bill thought 47 years – until she was succeeded in 1920 by her assistant Miss K.A. Saban. Bill also said that his greatgrandfather, George J. Saich, born in 1811, kept the Neville Arms at Audley End station. He and his wife retired to Cambridge House, Newport. He was followed at the Neville Arms by Bill’s grandfather, who died aged 40 from being bitten by a horse during a storm near Newmarket in 1888. As a result of the same storm his wife caught pneumonia from which she died aged 40. They left ten children, among them Bill’s father. As well as his older sister, Bill had a younger brother, Harry, born in 1919. His father, Alexander, died aged 63 in 1940, but his mother Martha lived on, still at no. 4 Church Street, to the age of 91 and died in 1972. Bill and his younger brother Harry (who died in 1983) spent over 60 years there before Bill moved to a bungalow in Frambury Lane.

Bill told John Gordon that he could remember a cattle market in Church Street, and gleaning in the fields as a small boy so as to earn a few pence for the corn. With his brother, he said he used to drive Bert Newell’s herd of Jersey cows ‘up the Blackhorse Lane’ (Debden Road) to eat the grass at the side of the road, and when he was older he would help Fred Newell on his farm (Belmont Farm). When he was five Bill went to the local school at the corner of School Lane, and then at twelve he went to a school in Chelmsford. His working life was spent mostly in helping at local farms, and he had the useful talent of water divining. With his memories of times long gone, Bill Saich was a link with the past and we all regret his passing. NN

OBITUARIES Relatives and friends of recently deceased Newport residents who wish their loved ones to be remembered with an obituary in ‘Newport News’ are invited to contact a member of the team.

OBITUARIES

Herbert Harold Kirby 1916-2013 It was north of Rome that he met his future wife Rosa. In 1945 he was demobbed at RAF Duxford, and he and Rosa were married in the Catholic Church in Saffron Walden on 10 August 1946. In 1950 their first child Carolina was born, followed four years later by their son Roberto. For the next 40 years Herbert worked for Billy Newell in Newport and then Barnards, driving a lorry all over the country. He had no need for maps or a watch, yet he was always in the right place and on time. Upon retirement at the age of 70 he started a new career by working for his son at the Premier Garage in Newport, where he was Roberto’s right hand man for the next 20 years. He also took great pride in his grandchildren Max, Harrison, Arabella and Laurence. At 90 years of age it really was time to retire and he took a well-earned rest for his last few years. He died on the 8th January 2013 and is greatly missed. NN

Rob Kirby

erbert was born on 26 March 1916, the youngest of the four children of Ernest and Ethel Kirby of Catmere End. From the age of four he walked to school at Littlebury every day with his two sisters and brother, leaving home at 7.45 to be in class by 9am. About 20 children each from Catmere End and Littlebury Green would meet at the cross roads (often indulging in a customary fight) for the walk to school. The lucky ones had sandwiches, but some had none, and at the end of the day there was the long walk home. At the early age of five he used to take two horses to be shod at Ickleton. The horses were tied one behind the other, with Herbert tied on to one of them so that he wouldn’t fall off. At the blacksmith’s he would be untied and given some bread and jam by the blacksmith’s wife, then tied on again for the journey home. At 14 he went to work for Emsons, farmers at Strethall, where one of his tasks was to collect milk from the Chesterford milk cart and walk back to Strethall with two buckets suspended from a yoke across his shoulders. At 16 he started work with haulage contractors Taylors of Littlebury. Herbert joined the RAF in 1939 and was stationed at Biggin Hill before being posted abroad. He was attached to the 8th Army in the Western Desert and his role was to recover any shot down or crashed fighters so that they could be rebuilt and returned to action. Then he went across to Sicily, and later at Naples he contracted malaria which put him out of action for a while, before he went on to Monte Cassino and further north to the liberation of Rome.

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Winter 2013 Newport News 103

OBITUARIES

Alan Bolton 1944–2013 CHERRY MITCHELL

etired publican Alan Bolton had his last wish fulfilled when his ashes were catapulted high into the sky in a specially built rocket at a family gathering at the Coach and Horses in August. Alan who with his wife Rita ran the Fighting Cocks in Wendens Ambo until 2008 rarely left the pub for social events but would never miss the annual firework display in Newport. Family and friends watched a colourful display by Essex Pyrotechnics which culminated with Rita blasting Alan’s rocket on its heaven bound journey. During their time at the Fighting Cocks, Alan and Rita were always keen to support the local community and hosted countless fundraising events for various charities. In recognition of their efforts they were awarded Uttlesford District Council’s Community Achievement Award. Alan will be greatly missed by his family and many friends and always remembered for his generosity and kindness. NN

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104 Newport News Winter 2013