July - August 2006

BLACKWELL'S  THE  VILLAGE  CLUB
At last the club has now re-opened. Many villagers have already come in for a look around and, as of June 14, we have over 500 members. The vast majority are residents of Chipperfield, the rest being made up of ex-residents and members of Chipperfield organisations, school and churches.
Everyone, including ourselves, has been amazed by the transformation and for that we have to thank designers Carol Hurst and Karen Musk, and builders Paul and Gary from North and South Carpentry.
The Members Lounge is open from midday. Blackwell's CafŽ is open to members and the public from 9am and becomes a members sports bar in the evenings, equipped with a big screen television to show sporting events. The young members' room is open throughout the day and is equipped with a pool table, television and play station.
We are planning a full programme of entertainment and details of this will be published in our newsletter which will be circulated soon.
Membership is £12 per person; over 65's £6 per person; and £30 for a family of four.
Please come, look around, have a drink, and decide for yourselves if you would like to join. Paul and Di Hewetson

From Lyndon Evans, Headteacher
ST PAUL'S SCHOOL
In September 2006 I will be taking up another, larger Headship at Wheatfields Junior School, St. Albans. I joined St. Paul's Primary School over 14 years ago as the Deputy Head and took over from Chris Ward as Headteacher in September 1997, nine years ago. I consider it a privilege to have been at the heart of the school's development during this time, but I now feel that this is a good time to take on new challenges and to give others the opportunity to do the same at St. Paul's.
This decision has been an extremely hard one for me to make, as this is such a delightful school in which to work. I have enjoyed working with a superb team of staff whose support and friendship has made coming to work a pleasure rather than a chore. In addition I could not have asked for a better parent body and governing body who have the very best interests of the children and the school at heart. It goes without saying that it is the children who make the school what it is and when I leave, I will miss them all very much indeed.
Katrina Mildner, Deputy Head, will take on the role of Acting Headteacher for the autumn term 2006. Decisions about the appointment of a permanent Headteacher from January 2007 are currently being made. It is comforting for me to know that the running of the school during this time will be in the hands of someone who is so capable and committed and whose contribution to St. Paul's has been significant since joining us.
St. Paul's School is at the heart of the village of Chipperfield and over the years very strong and meaningful links have been made between the school, the Church and the community. I am sure that this relationship will continue to grow and thrive. I am very grateful indeed to all who have supported me and the school during my time here.
Of course, my commitment to St. Paul's until the end of term is absolute and I will continue to steer the school towards the important goals that we have set for ourselves.
Lyndon Evans, Headteacher

FREE BUS TRAVEL FOR OAPs & DISABLED
A free fare scheme for bus travel  in Hertfordshire has been introduced as a trial and will run until 31 March 2007.
Residents of Hertfordshire who are in receipt of a state old-age pension, or are permanently disabled,  will not have to pay for local bus fares once they  have obtained the free bus permit. 
If you are eligible and wish to apply for a permit, please telephone 01442 867870 and ask for an application form.  When you return the form, you will need to supply a passport-size photo and proof of your age/disability (full details will be sent to you with the application form).
If this trial is successful, it is hoped that it will become a permanent service in future.

CHRISTIAN AID
A big thank you to all who helped, planned, collected or performed to help us raise £1,769 in the house to house collection and £170 from the St Paul's musical evening.  A total of £1,939 has been sent to Christian Aid.

VILLAGE HALL AGM
The 22nd annual general meeting was held on 30 May 2006 at the Village Hall. The Chairman reported on another successful year and thanked the Committee for their support with particular reference to Graham Breen, the Booking Secretary, for his hard work. He also thanked Hugh Clifford and Anne Stickland for running two money-raising events, namely a Quiz night in March and a Barn Dance in May, which raised £750 per event. He also thanked Moreen Wheeler for another year of good work.
The year just passed had involved the introduction of the new licensing laws, which had taken up some considerable time for the booking secretary and himself. Government had promised to review the legislation as far as the impact on village halls was concerned, but whether this would take place was anyone's guess.
Richard Edwards then reminded the meeting that  hall hire charge out rates had been held at their current prices for three years since 1 Sept 2003. He had written to all hall users on 8 June 2005 and forewarned them of a likely 10% increase from 1 Sept 2006, which the committee had confirmed should be implemented. He would write accordingly to all concerned. Our review of the 2006/07 budget  confirmed this was absolutely essential, especially as we had had our grant from the Parish Council reduced for the forthcoming year from £2,580 to £1,600. Nevertheless, he wished to thank the Parish Council for their financial support which, duly revised, stood at 10% of the forthcoming forecasted operating costs. The Committee would need to critically appraise the charge out rates in a year's time for the year 2007/08.  
The Treasurer reported a break-even result similar to that of the previous year. Repairs and Maintenance represented roughly one third of our total operating costs. The General Funds stood at just under £30,000. After answering one or two questions, the meeting adopted the report and passed a vote of thanks to Tony Cornell who had carried out an independent examination of the accounts.
The election of the Committee Members was confirmed and the meeting closed for wine and cheese.
RAE

RICKETT'S - A LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS
There can't be many small villages that can boast of a butcher's shop that has provided the highest quality meat and excellent service for 47 years. Rickett's Family Butcher has been serving the village since 1959 when Stanley Rickett took over the shop in Chapel Croft from Charlie Wingfield. Stanley's son, Michael, who has been running the business for the past 17 years, is the fourth generation of butchers in his family.
Over the years Michael has seen many changes in his customers' requirements, from the demise of the traditional Sunday roast to the rise in demand for meats suitable for barbecues. He has responded to all these changes but the most devastating effect on his business was the arrival of Sainsbury's at Apsley. Within four months of the supermarket's opening his turnover had dropped by half!
As a small, quality butcher he cannot compete with offers of '2 for 1'. However, what he does offer is meat, poultry and game of the highest quality, a personal service and, if required, advice on different cuts of meat and how to cook them.
Michael sells Scotch beef matured by traditional methods, Devon lamb, free-range chickens and ducks, home cooked gammon ham and home made sausages (traditional, pork and leek and barbecue), and local farm eggs. He provides free-range turkeys at Christmas and game in season - to order. If you are holding a party or barbecue, Michael will take your order and have it ready to collect.
The shop, next to Stanley's Stores, is open on Tuesdays from 8am - 5pm, Wednesdays from 8am - 1pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 8am - 5pm and Saturdays from 8am - 1pm (closed on Mondays). Telephone 01923 262556. Parking available outside the shop.
Michael is just as happy to provide small quantities for single people and small families as he is to fulfil orders for large joints and functions. "My grandfather's original shop opened in Bovingdon in 1907 - it would be nice to celebrate 100 years of service to local villages in 2007" he says. To borrow a cricketing phrase - 99 not out - yet.

VILLAGE PEOPLE
Christine Simmonds  was married to Steve Moore on May 20 at Berkhamsted. Christine is the eldest daughter of Terry and Jacky Simmonds of Orotava, Chapel Croft, and Steven is  son of Kirby and Linda Moore of Reidsville, North Carolina. The couple met while Christine was doing research at the Rhine Institute at Durham (North Carolina). After the wedding, family and friends attended a reception held in the Barn at Hillmeads Farm, Chipperfield. Christine and Steve spent their honeymoon in the South of France and have set up home in Liverpool where Christine is a lecturer at Liverpool Hope University.

Fay and Mick Dent would like to announce the safe arrival of their fourth grandchild Harry. Harry was born to Naomi and Paul on 22 May weighing 7lbs 8ounces, a lovely brother for Faith. Everyone is doing very well!!

Congratulations to Anna, daughter of Pat and John Cherry,  of Flint Cottages, The Common, on passing her Finals at Liverpool University.  Anna can now realise her life-long ambition to become a vet.

NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES
BAPTIST CHURCH
Our May Fair held on the 20th May, had to be inside as it was very wet! However, it was well supported and many folk sat in the church chatting to friends while they enjoyed their cream tea after they had bought from the stalls. We raised a little over £600 which was a terrific result. Thank you to everyone who came to support us.
On July 16th we will be joining St. Paul's for their service on The Common.
We look forward to joining together in future services and groups which have been discussed by the Chipperfield churches.

ST PAUL'S AND HOLY CROSS
Jim Stevens writes...
Summer is with us - together with, hopefully, some long lovely summer evenings. One of the joys at my vicarage is that our patio is in just the right place to catch all the evening sun.
There are so many good things we have to enjoy: many of which we easily take for granted. Perhaps as you relax (one sunny evening!) you might like to make a list of the good things which make so much of your daily life rich and full. (Yes, I know there are pains and difficulties - sometimes even these have their positives in terms of building character, patience in us, and even in others ...)
Where would our list of good things start? For each of us, it would be different. Mine would start with Judy, my wife, my family, friends, good health, a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in, clean water on tap, that I'm well fed:  good sanitation, the dustman, the electricity and gas supplies -  wonderful countryside to enjoy, eyes to see it, the ability to walk  - gifts and abilities I have which can be helpful to others -  as I think on the list just grows.
      "Oh give thanks" - to whom?
Centuries ago the psalmist wrote:
      "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good."
The apostle James wrote:
      "Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father ..."
All you and I have is, ultimately, a GIFT. Yes, we work, we put in effort, but the root of all we enjoy is gift: gift, from our exuberant, extra-ordinarily generous Creator. He tops my list, is at the bottom of it, and round the sides!
Do we give Him thanks? Thanks enriches the gifts we enjoy.
On July 16, the Morris men are here in Chipperfield. They celebrate and give thanks in song and dance. Why not make that Sunday morning (10.30 outside St. Paul's) a special occasion to come and give thanks to God, for your list of good things? It will be health to your soul, indeed, to your whole well being.
With my greetings,      Jim Stevens
PS: One further thought: Why not ask yourself - What might I, in a spirit of real generosity (mirroring the Father in heaven), give in some direction, which would  cause someone in need to give real deep thanks and praise to God for me, and my generosity?

RICHARD VENESS BROOK (1930 - 2006)
Richard died peacefully of leukaemia on the 6 February, 2006 after a happy and fulfilled life.  He was born on 17 June 1930 in Torquay, Devon and  was educated at Seafield Park Preparatory School, Kings School Bruton and the Colwyn Bay Wireless College. From 1948 Richard spent 5 years in the Royal Signals and then took a 2 year aeronautical engineering course at Chelsea College, gaining a first-class diploma. After working for a Flying School he joined the Hunting Group in March 1957,  working all over Africa and Asia.  This came to an end when, due to his approaching marriage, 6 month absences overseas would become a problem.  In 1965 he worked for the British Aircraft Corporation in Weybridge until he was invited by the Hunting Group to return there as Chief Engineer to Hunting Aero Surveys in Leavesden.  Richard accepted and  moved with his family to their home in New Road, Chipperfield. He left Hunting in 1979 after the closure of the Hunting operation in Leavesden and joined a double glazing company.
Richard  also offered for sale items which he made at home. Many will treasure examples of his beautifully finished wooden-handled  pens  and magnifying glasses as well as the bird boxes which grace many houses in the village with their clean, well-proportioned lines. He had a very deep love of fishing and country matters which originated from his time at Endsleigh House,  a fishing lodge belonging to the Duke of Bedford which housed Seafield Park School during the war.  Golf was another pastime which he enjoyed whenever he could. He was a very enthusiastic member of the Friends of Church Music Group.  He loved orchids and produced some beautiful specimens from his greenhouse.
Richard and Bridget Brook were married in 1965 and had two children,  Lynda who is a paediatrician and David who is an assistant professor (senior lecturer in UK terms) at a college in Santa Clara, California. His family and friends miss him greatly.

MRS MIRIAM JUDGE  (1912 - 2006)
Miriam was a resident of Chipperfield from around the outbreak of war in 1939, apart from a few years in Kings Langley from 1965. She died at her home, The Laurels, The Common, on 5 May with her daughters at her bedside, after several weeks of declining health and strength following a period in hospital with a chest infection and pneumonia.
The Reverend Jim Stevens conducted her Service of Thanksgiving at the Chilterns Crematorium, Amersham, on 17 May which was attended by many members of her family, and friends and neighbours from Chipperfield. Her daughters would like to thank Jim Stevens for his kindness, and sensitive handling of the service. The words given below are taken from the writing of Miriam's daughters which Jim read at the service.
Miriam was born in 1912 in Southgate, the eldest of three daughters.  After leaving school she worked as assistant to a dentist until she married Norman Bicknell in 1933. As Norman was away in the Army at the start of the war, Miriam moved to Chipperfield with her two daughters, Veronica and Hilary, to join her parents who had taken The Firs to escape from wartime London.  A third daughter, Stephanie, was born during the war. As The Firs then had stables, Miriam decided to try goat-keeping, and supplied milk to many houses in the village during and after the war, this often being delivered by her daughters. The girls were often to be seen leading the goats along the front of The Common to graze,  She ended up with 10 goats, the survivors being donated to Whipsnade Zoo in 1950. Older members of the village might also remember the WI Drama Group, led by Elizabeth Weedon, in which Miriam played a memorable Bolingbroke in an all-female production of Richard II.
Around 1960 Miriam and Norman, with daughter Stephanie, moved next door, to Sweet Briars, where they lived until 1965, when she moved to Kings Langley with her, by then, invalid husband, who died there in 1968. She  passed Civil Service exams and worked for 10 years in the Air Staff Registry at Bentley Priory.
In 1975 she married Bill Judge, moved back to Chipperfield and enjoyed 26 happy years at The Laurels until Bill's death in 2001. She was lucky enough to have achieved the unusual feat of living in three houses in a row during her lifetime, opposite The Common which afforded her so much interest in her later years where she was a familiar sight, sitting in her window seat and watching the world, and the horses, go by.
Miriam's last few years were very difficult for her, but she bore them bravely and was always cheerful and good company. She enjoyed visits from her family right up to the end, and was a loving and caring mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who will be greatly missed.

MORRIS IN CHIPPERFIELD
JULY 14-16
Greensleeves Morris Men's annual Chipperfield weekend of dance takes place from 14 to 16 July.  This year, to celebrate Greensleeves 80th birthday, the club is hosting a meeting of the Morris Ring.  Helping to make the occasion even more colourful and musical will be guest clubs from Cornwall, Tyneside, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Friday 14 July at 9.00pm sees the opening ceremony when Greensleeves dance by the tree on the Common commemorating their former Squire Les Nichols, who lived in Chipperfield.
Saturday 15 July sees the clubs out and about during the day.  At 5.00pm there will be dancing at the Windmill in Chipperfield, The Boot at Tower Hill and The Plough in Belsize.
Sunday 16 July is the big Morris day in Chipperfield, with an open-air service at 10.30am in the car park next to St Paul's Church, followed by a show by all the Morris sides at about 11am.  As in previous years, the Morris men will be providing tea and biscuits to spectators.  Following a procession to the Windmill at 12 noon, the dancing continues into the afternoon.  Just turn up and enjoy the shows or, for more details, contact Roy Fenton on 0208 879 3527, or rfenton@rfenton.demon.co.uk
Why do the Morris Men choose Chipperfield? See  article below.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED URGENTLY
The Meals on Wheels Service which delivers to a number of residents in Chipperfield, Bovingdon and Flaunden, needs volunteers urgently. Your commitment would be for 3 hours once or twice each month on Wednesdays or Thursdays between 11.00am and 1.00pm.
There are about 15 local calls to make. Meals are collected from the kitchens at 11.15am and deliveries should be complete by 1.00pm. A petrol allowance is paid. Please contact Mike Leon on 01442 833665  for more details or phone Moira Davies at the Meals on Wheels Office on 01442 228503.  Mike would be happy to accompany potential volunteers to show what's involved.
Dacorum Borough Council's Lunch Club Service has just been awarded the Charter Mark in recognition of their high standards - the only Borough in the country to receive the award.

POLICE  SURGERY
Surgeries will be held at the Police Office at Bovingdon Memorial Hall between 1.00pm and 2.00pm on the following Wednesdays: 5 July, 2 August and 30 August.
One or both your local officers, P.C. Bob Heley and P.C.S.O. Kim Ashworth, will be available.

ART EXHIBITION
Wildacre Art Group, which meets in Chenies, will be holding an Art Exhibition at Chenies School from Friday 25 August to Monday 28 August inclusive from 10am to 6pm each day. Refreshments will be available.
There will be between 250 and 300 paintings hung - a mixture of water colours, oils, acrylic and pastels. A percentage of the money raised will be donated  to the Peace Hospice in Watford.

GIVE AND TAKE
We try to garden in a wildlife-friendly way, with a bit of "give and take". At the moment the wildlife seems to think they should take,  and we should give! After a plague of slugs and snails we are now overrun with rabbits. The slugs ate whole rows of seedling lettuces, all of the summer cabbages, and made lace work of the potato leaves. We have not used the  blue slug pellets for years, and have seen an increase in the number of song thrushes as a result, so I sent off for some nematodes. These are watered  on to the soil and then seek out the slugs and eat them from the inside out!
In the meantime mice ate  the peas and beans as fast as I sowed them,  so a new cat, Charlie, has arrived.  He has proved very effective, but we do have to take a hand shovel to bed with us as he brings in live mice and wakes us up playing with them along the hall way.  A sharp thump with the shovel soon sorts them out though!
Six or seven years ago there were no rabbits in the garden at all, but oh how they have increased in the last couple of years! Just like rabbits really. The general increase has been great for buzzards and other top predators, but is not good news for veg growers. Our vegetable patch is surrounded by six foot high chain link fencing to keep the Muntjac out. Full sized rabbits cannot get through, but baby ones and teenagers just "melt" through it as if it was not there. Oh my poor peas! I have just spent the day putting fine mesh netting around the bottom of the chain link fence. As long as the rabbits do not start digging we may be all right. If not I will have to dig up some of the lawn and bury the netting!
Now I know why I like birds so much. The blue tits and great tits are all busy getting caterpillars for their young, the green woodpecker is eating ants from the lawn, and a song thrush is beating a snail to death on a stone. I do have some friends after all!
I have just looked out a recipe for rabbit pie. We may be short of veg, but there is plenty of meat about!
Wendy Bathurst

THE BLACKWELL FAMILY OF CHIPPERFIELD
John Parsley, the rather reclusive farmer and Lord of the Manor, lived in Pingelsgate House, which we now know as the Manor House. He is best remembered now as the man who sold the land on which St Paul's Church was built in 1838.  He was married to Mary Finch, daughter of John Finch of Redheath, which is now York House School at Croxley Green. John Parsley died childless in 1850 and left his estate to his nephew Robert Blackwell.  Robert had been apprenticed to a grocer and tea dealer with a view to working with his brother, who had just established Crosse and Blackwell in 1830. However, he opted to work in Oxford Street with another brother, who ran an extremely successful saddlery business.
Robert was in quite a dilemma when he looked at the properties he had inherited, because both the Manor House in King's Langley High Street and Pingelsgate House in Chipperfield were in a dilapidated state. He opted to come and live in Chipperfield and transferred the wooden panelling and the Kettell Coat of Arms from the King's Langley building to Pingelsgate House and took up residence there as Lord of the Manor. He married Mary Wotton, grand-daughter of Dr Wotton of Haverfield in King's Langley.
Both Mary and Robert dedicated themselves to village affairs. When Robert died aged 79 in 1893, the same problem occurred as had 43 years earlier.  There was no heir apparent.  He had outlived his nine brothers and sisters, so had to look to his nephews for an heir. Even there, the choice was limited to two people, because the younger generation were heavily committed to Crosse and Blackwell.  The lot fell to Samuel John Blackwell, who had retired from active service with Crosse and Blackwell, although he still sat on the Board. He did not accede to the property until 17 years after Robert's death when Mary died in 1910. By then he was 69 years old. Samuel and his wife Elizabeth had eleven children, so prior to moving to Chipperfield from Harrow Weald, he arranged for two wings to be added to the Manor House. Both Elizabeth and Samuel were strong supporters of the Church. Samuel took his duties as Lord of the Manor very seriously and was particularly strict about the Common being kept in good order. The Blackwells provided employment for many people in the village and there were tied cottages for some employees.
In 1915 Samuel and Elizabeth celebrated their Golden Wedding, but it was not a happy year for them as it brought the news of the loss of their son Charles, who was killed in action. The following year, a second son William Gordon, known as Don , was also killed in action in Flanders. The loss of these two sons was a great blow to Samuel and Elizabeth and, after the war in 1922, they had the Social Club built in their memory.  In fact, Samuel never got over his loss.  His health deteriorated and he died in January 1923.  He was buried in the family tomb in Chipperfield churchyard.
Mary Nobbs  

WHY MORRIS MEN LIKE CHIPPERFIELD
A frequently asked question is why Greensleeves Morris Men, who are based in Wimbledon, travel all the way to Chipperfield to hold their annual weekends.  Well, when we were based in inner London, some 40 years ago, our Squire (Morris-speak for chairman) lived in Chipperfield, and assured us it would be an ideal place to hold a weekend of dance.  Leslie Nichols proved absolutely right, and Chipperfield has proved ideal.  Its inhabitants, officials, publicans and vicars have been immensely hospitable and accommodating.  From the Parish Room to the school field, and from the showers on the football pitch to the Village Hall, there are few facilities in the village of which we've not made use, with immense help and friendliness from those involved.  And that's not even mentioning the pubs and clubs, for the Morris men do appreciate a decent glass or three of beer in pleasant surroundings.  In turn, we believe the Morris men and the guest clubs have been reasonably well behaved. 
Chipperfield weekends have become something of an institution amongst Morris men, and some clubs return again and again, year after year.  One side, Dolphin Morris Men from Nottingham, have even adapted the word's of a well-known fisherman's song, now known as 'Chipperfield Green' in affectionate tribute to the welcome they get in the village.  Greensleeves are very attached to Chipperfield, and we hope to go on holding our meetings there as long as we can.  And, clearly, as long as the good people of Chipperfield to continue to welcome us.
Roy Fenton

CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM
The Chiltern Open Air Museum at Chalfont St Giles is open daily until
27 October from 10am - 5pm.  Forthcoming special events include:
July 22/23 - Classic Vehicles Show
July 29/30 - Romano-Celtic Week-end
August 5/6 - Hands-on Holiday Spectacular
August 12/13 - Medieval Pageant
August 19/20 - 1940s Week-end
August 26-28 - Pets & People Show

For further information telephone:
01494 872163
Web site: www.coam.org.uk