March 2007
CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
After an absence of some months, the Citizens Advice Bureau has returned to the Nap Surgery, Kings Langley and Memorial Hall in Bovingdon.
CAB was founded in 1939 and a lot of its earlier work was helping people obtain ration books, emergency accommodation after being bombed out, helping people to contact relatives or friends who were missing and a lot of problems associated with the war. Nowadays it's scope has widened considerably, although even in times of peace there is the occasional civil disaster like Buncefield, where people need help urgently.
Most of our work now is centred around problems that reflect the times we live in. Things like debt, housing, family, consumer, benefits, employment, discrimination, neighbour disputes and many others.
All our advice is confidential, independent and impartial. If you have a problem you would like to discuss, an Advisor will be available at the following locations and times: The Nap Surgery, Kings Langley Every Thursday 9.00-11.30
The Memorial Hall, Bovingdon Every Thursday 1.15 - 3.45pm
CHIPPERFIELD SCHOOL OF DANCING
This year the pupils are working towards another show for charity (the Air Ambulances) which will be performed at the Boxmoor Playhouse in July. The production of The Wizard of Oz is a combined show with acting, singing and dancing. It is, as always, very hard work - but also a lot of fun!
In the autumn term this year, pupils who are ready to take an examination with the British Arts will do so. Dancing classes are held on a Monday, Tuesday and Saturday for all ages. No previous experience necessary, just a desire to work hard and enjoy dance as a source of exercise, relaxation and fun. For further details contact Mrs Gurney 0202 428 9906 or Jean Banks 01923 400370.
Tickets for The Wizard of Oz will be available from the box office in May.
BOVINGDON LIBRARY OPEN MORE HOURS
New opening hours come into effect from 5 March. The library will now be open every day except Sunday. Times are now:
Monday 2pm - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 1pm and 2pm - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 1pm and 2pm - 6pm
Thursday 2pm - 6pm
Friday 9am - 1pm and 2pm - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm
The Mobile Library will continue to visit sites in Chipperfield on alternate Tuesdays (on the week we put out the grey refuse bins) stopping at Megg Lane, Nunfield, by the clock on The Common and in Croft Lane. Library tickets can be used both at Bovingdon and at the Mobile Library.
THINKING OF HIRING A SKIP THIS SPRING ?
Residents are reminded that they should seek permission and obtain a licence before arranging for a skip to be delivered and left in the road or on a roadside verge. Contact Herts. Highways on 01438 737320.
Residents round The Common should contact Dacorum Borough Council Parks and Open Spaces on 01442 228788.
LOCAL ELECTIONS
Parish and Bourough elections will be held on Thursday 3 May. Further information including nomination papers for prospective candidates will be available from Dacorum Borough Council from 27 March. Phone 01442 228230.
LOCAL U3A
Many readers will already know of the U3A (University of the Third Age) which is a unique self-help educational movement for people no longer in full-time work. The U3A offers shared learning experiences in a wide range of subjects and the opportunity to pursue learning for enjoyment and for its own sake.
The new Sarratt and District U3A is now up and running and the next monthly meeting will take place at Sarratt Village Hall on Wednesday 7 March from 10.30am-12.30pm. The speaker at this meeting will be Barbara Owen talking on "The Museum of Three Rivers".
Study groups in the process of being formed are on subjects such as art appreciation, antiques, languages, music, travel, physical activities, walking, books/plays, family history, local history, engineering heritage, painting, computers, card/board games, gardening - and many more.
Further details from Margaret on 01923 231726, or come to the meeting and find out more.
INSTANT EUROS
Bipin now holds supplies of Euros at the Post Office so there is no need to order in advance if you require currency for your next trip to the continent.
MARCH IN YOUR GARDEN
With Terry Simmonds
How quickly the seasons come and go! This month Spring begins officially and that means we are coming up to the busiest time of the year in the garden. The grass is growing now and will need regular cutting so it is important to keep the mower running well. Do not cut the grass too short at this stage but do spike or aerate it. Now is the time to start putting down lawn fertilizer (with weed and moss killer if necessary). After moss has been killed it turns black and the dead stuff will need to be raked out or scarified.
Although there is no longer a hosepipe ban, don't be tempted to water the lawn, even in dry weather. Keep the lawn sprinkler for newly seeded areas and when laying new turf. We shall have to be sparing in our use of water and any rainwater that can be saved is a good thing. Vegetables do need regular watering but the use of landscape fabric and mulches of organic compost or bark certainly help to keep ornamental plants from drying out.
After a wet start to the year, we did have a nice dry spell in February when it was possible to get the digging finished. Now we can start to plant the early seed potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, onion sets and shallots and get the herb garden under way. Salad crops can be sown regularly, a few seeds at a time, so that a succession is produced throughout the year. Root crops such as parsnips, beetroot and turnips should be sown on ground that has not been manured. Broad beans and peas can be sown this month and these, with most leafy vegetables, do like to be grown on well-manured soil.
Bare-root plants such as hedging and raspberry canes must be planted by the end of March and this is a good time to plant shrubs and roses, conifers, climbing plants and trees.
Hardy bedding plants such as pansies, forget-me-nots, and Canterbury bells and most herbaceous perennials can also be planted now. Established herbaceous perennials can be cut back and divided. Rhododendrons and azaleas will need feeding with an ericaceous fertilizer and most other perennials will benefit from an application of Toprose fertilizer.
This is the month to prune roses, autumn-fruiting raspberries and shrubs such as buddleia.
Have you thought about joining the Royal Horticultural Society? Members receive a monthly magazine, free entry to RHS gardens and reduced prices to the Chelsea show and events such as Gardeners World Live and the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Details are available at The Garden Centre. For just £2 you can join our own Chipperfield Horticultural Society and what a bargain that is! The first show of the year in Chipperfield is on Saturday 24 March. Sarratt have their show on Saturday 31 March and Bovingdon hold their's on Saturday 7 April. Our horticultural society has arranged another talk, which takes place on Friday 20 April in the Parish Room. See the display advert on this page. Tickets are on sale now.
TRY WALKING IN 2007!
Walking is the most natural and simple form of movement, and an excellent all round mode of exercise. Yet as a nation we are walking less and less. Walking can help you to improve your general health, get fit and stay fit, control your weight, live longer!
Walking helps protect the body from many illnesses and conditions: heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, obesity, depression, some types of diabetes and colon cancer.
Health experts agree that 30 minutes brisk walking on most days of the week is sufficient to improve fitness. That might seem a lot at first but walking can be incorporated into your everyday life more easily than any other activity.
You don't need any special gear and you can do it wherever you are. It raises your energy levels, works off calories and doesn't cost a bean!
Where to start? Try looking at www.walkinginherts.co.uk This website gives you all the information you need to know to start walking. It lists guided walks taking place, leaflets and books of walks and contact details for dozens of walk groups. Why not check the site now - you know you will enjoy a good walk!
For guided local walk this month see page 11
Chipperfield Within Living Memory
JAMES MASON AT OLLEBERRIE FARM
I have learnt that many people came to live locally during World War Two, in order to escape from the bombing in London. According to Canon Jefferies, the Vicar of Chipperfield 1915-46, the population increased by 500 during the war years. Some people told me that James Mason, star of both stage and screen in America and Britain, was among that number.
So I could find out more. Peggy Harpley was the recipient of one of my many, "Do you know?" phone calls! Within twenty four hours she had produced a copy of James Mason's autobiography*. He was born in Huddersfield and came from a family of textile merchants. He was educated at Marlborough and studied classics at Peterhouse, Cambridge. His aim was to join the Indian Civil Service. He switched to architecture and gained a first but by 1932, the bottom had dropped out of the trade. So he looked for work in the theatre, where he played many minor Shakespearian roles, working with famous names such as Roger Livesey, John Gielgud and Charles Laughton.
In 1937, many stars were leaving England and going to American but James Mason and his friends, Pamela and Roy Kellino, decided to stay and make a film of their own. James and Pamela wrote the script and Roy, as director and principal cameraman, knocked it into shape. By the outbreak of the war, Pamela and James were living together, much to the horror of James' parents. Being a conscientious objector, James was subjected to a protracted tribunal. Pamela who had become addicted to the "good life", grew copious amounts of vegetables for themselves and the locals and kept numerous poultry at their Maidenhead home. They moved to a smallholding at Beaconsfield, hoping that farming, as a reserved occupation, would keep James out of the war.
In 1941, they got married at Amersham Registry Office. The occasion was not without humour because the Registrar insisted on calling Pamela Kellino by the name Pamela Gislingham. Apparently the forbears of Pamela's first husband Roy, being circus people, had switched names from Gislingham to the Italian sounding Kellino for publicity purposes. Anyway, for legal purposes, Gislingham it had to be!
In 1945, after the war in Europe had ended, the Masons moved to a place that James described as "A lovely house near Kings Langley, with the attractive name of Olleberrie Farm, which was neither very big nor very expensive". (It is in fact, at Belsize, behind The Plough and is currently occupied by David Seaman, the former England goalkeeper.) James went on to describe the garden which had some lovely trees, a terrace and a rather neglected orchard at the bottom end.
By this stage James Mason was an international star and famous producers visited Olleberrie Farm bearing gifts and offering contracts. After a lot of discussion, the Masons decided to move to America, leaving Roy Kellino and his second wife in charge at Olleberrie Farm, with particular instructions to look after the three geese which had been inherited with the property. The Masons' maid Gladys, who was also a good cook, declined their invitation to go to America as well. Does anyone recall Gladys? Coincidentally, we learnt from the December issue of Chipperfield News that another employee of the Masons was Dorothy Gilbert (nŽe Burgess) who worked at Olleberrie Farm as a waitress.
Three and a half years later, Pamela and James returned to Olleberrie Farm, whilst using the house as background for a scene in a film. They feared that they might fall in love with the house all over again and want to buy it back from the Kellinos but the alterations made to the garden broke their hearts, so they were spared any yearnings to return to their former home and went back to California quite happily.
*Before I Forget by James Mason. Published by Hamish Hamilton.
Mary Nobbs
WOMEN IN RURAL ENTERPRISE (WIRE)
As part of the Enterprising Women programme, WIRE is setting up business networks all over Bedfordshire, Herts and Essex. The networks are for women running or thinking of running a business. The network groups meet to exchange ideas, share experiences, listen to experts and explore ways of working together to develop individual businesses.
A new network is being formed to cover the Dacorum area and meetings will be held each month at Blackwells, Chipperfield. The first of these will take place on Tuesday 13 March from 7-9 pm. All women are warmly invited.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Just before Christmas '06 the congregation at the 9 o'clock Mass discovered how much they had taken their organist for granted. John Elton has played the hymns and litany for years, formerly at St Paul's, whose organ he so enjoyed, and then once "Our Lady, Mother of the Saviour" was built, he adapted to our electronic organ. John is well known in Chipperfield for his enthusiasm for making music and organising concerts. He is very much involved in arranging training courses for organists.
The disaster for John was that both eyes developed cataracts. Very rapidly his sight deteriorated until he was nearly blind. It was a horrible time of dependence for John, unable either to read or drive.
In January, one eye was operated on. There were complications and improvement is slow and incomplete. Only when this eye is recovered will the surgeon operate again.
Although we have enjoyed and been grateful for the playing of Anne and Louise who have kept us singing, we shall all be very happy to have John Elton back fully recovered.
BAPTIST CHURCH
Our Christingle service - held jointly with St Paul's - was a happy occasion with packs of oranges etc given to everyone to make up their own Christingles as each part was explained. We are very grateful to Rev. Jim Stevens for conducting the service and to Ken for providing the music. The offering of £45 has been sent to the Children's Society.
We are preparing for the Women's World Day of Prayer service, which involves 6 local churches in our group. This is on March 2nd at 10am at the Baptist Church and we'll be pleased to welcome you.The following week we have Tear Fund Sunday when Rev. Andrew Cowley, who works for Tear Fund, will be speaking about the work. Lunch afterwards.This year is the 170th anniversary of the Baptist Church in Chipperfield so we have much to celebrate.We look forward to the Mothering Sunday service at St Paul's so please come and join us there!
ST PAUL'S AND HOLY CROSS
It is a very special and precious thing, freedom. Perhaps in this land of ours we do not fully appreciate the privileges we have, that so many in the world are denied - in political, economic, religious spheres just for a start! Rightly we seek to preserve, even expand our freedoms. Yet there have to be boundaries which restrict me, in order to give others freedoms. Two examples spring to mind:
¥ a red traffic light sets limits to my freedom, in order to give to someone else - indeed the restriction seeks to preserve both me and others;
¥ more globally, freedom to use energy which builds up the level of greenhouse gases, impacts on the freedoms of the generations to come, unable to speak up for themselves!
It is rarely easy to discern where the boundaries of my and others' freedoms rightly lie. To what extent should the conscience of some result in the (seeming) prejudicing of others, or rules whose intent is to give one group "rights" walk all over the conscience of others. Too easily a law, in seeking to provide for one group, denies the freedoms of others, which some would believe a law should protect!
At the time of writing the debate about legislation concerning the offering of goods and services is in full swing - I think particularly of the debate regarding adoption agencies. How do we hold others in genuine respect, acknowledge the importance of conscience, minimize discrimination, thus protecting the integrity of others?
I am reminded of the scripture "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
God given advice - or common sense - or ...? It needs to work both ways.
With my greetings, Jim Stevens
KATHLEEN MABEL BUNKER
(25. 9.14 to 27.1.07)
Kathleen Mabel Carpenter was born on the 25th September 1914 at Waterside, Kings Langley. She was the eldest child of five children born to Thomas and Mabel Carpenter. Kath's younger years were spent in Watford and she was raised at 117 Chester Road, West Watford and she attended the old Victoria school.
As a young women, Kath worked at John Dickinson's, Croxley Mills. During this time she went to a local dance where she met and fell in love with a young man called Fredrick Bunker, from Chipperfield. She married Fred in 1935 and together they had four sons, Alan, (the oldest, who sadly died when he was seven, but Kath never forgot him) Den, John and Richard.
Kath and Fred first lived in Dunny Lane and later moved to a bungalow in Chapel Croft which they built themselves with help from family, friends and their eldest boys.
Once their children had left home, Kath and Fred liked nothing better than to travel round Britain in their caravanett. Once packed, they would be off in their self-sufficient home and come back with all sorts of stories of their adventures.
Kath was a lady who was game for anything. When Fred passed away her thirst for travel and adventure did not diminish. Even in her eighties she was flying on her own taking 23-hour flights directly to Australia to see her son John.
As she got into her late eighties and needed assistance when the family were not available, she would call on Chipperfield Care to go to the chiropractor in Berkhamsted and always said what nice people she met through this service. When it came to shopping, Dr West would collect Kath and with a car full of other ladies, off they would go to the supermarket. She was taken to the Lunch Club and the Evergreens Club in Bovingdon. Kath always appreciated this.
Sadly Kath left this world peacefully in Hemel Hempstead Hospital on 27th January 2007 at 6:49 pm aged 92. She will be missed by all her family and friends but she has left great memories and happy times for us all to share.
Den Bunker
EDWIN THOMAS PORTWIN
(Ted Portwin)
2 November 1912 - 16 December 2006
In 1966 Ted Portwin and his family moved from Watford to Braziers, Chipperfield and in 1978, they moved into Little Braziers, a more accommodating bungalow, which he had built in the grounds of the larger home. He finally retired in 1992 at the age of 82. Two years ago his wife Elizabeth died and after seventy years of marriage, Ted was lonely.
Ted remained in good health, marred only by deafness, and enjoyed his passion for gardening and opera. Fortunately, he was only incapacitated for a short while before his death just prior to Christmas. He had been well looked after by his immediate family of four children, eleven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren. His recipe for a long life was one of hard work and dedication, which he clearly exemplified.
Ted was born in Islington, won a scholarship at the age of 11 and, on leaving school, joined his father in Covent Garden, where he learned about the cut and thrust of trade while selling flowers from 4.00 o'clock each morning. He went on to study writing at evening classes and, through early interest in wireless technology, became proficient at reading Morse Code at 20 words a minute. All this led to a job with a new Wireless Trader magazine. He even interviewed John Logie Baird, the inventor of television at the time of the Crystal Palace fire. Ted claimed he changed his name from Portwine to Portwin when he was offered a job on the Methodist News, a journal that opposed alcohol! As a sideline, Ted wrote short stories for boys' and women's publications.
During the Second World War Ted joined the London Fire Brigade as Station Officer, but was soon recruited into Naval Intelligence. It was the years spent in headphones that caused the damage to his hearing. After the war, he went into partnership with the owner of the magazines, which he had previously worked on. After years of expansion, he became Managing Director of six businesses. In 1966 he consolidated the businesses based at Watford into Turret Press (Holdings), one of the largest of its kind in the U.K., publishing over 30 trade and professional journals and organising major national exhibitions..
Ted was a great supporter of Freemasonry and had also been a member of the Rotary Clubs at Hampstead and Watford. He was an articulate man with many stories to tell about life's experiences. Above all, he was outwardly always placid, calm and without resentment. 'Exactly the sort of person', a close acquaintance said 'I would want as my comrade'.
(Extract from the funeral address)
TONY LOVEBAND
We regret to announce that Tony Loveband died suddenly on 5 February.
We extend our deepest sympathy to Richard and Shelagh Nichols and all members of their family.
JEFF BECK
died on 9 January 2007
J.B., as he was affectionately known to his intimate friends, gave me more than forty years of his unique companionship. Here was an honest man with deep integrity, a person that you could confide in. I never saw him angry. He dealt calmly with life, applying his own principles quietly attracting friends along the way. He always had the time of day to share with anyone, leaving whoever he was speaking to feeling that he was really interested in them.
J.B. was the very epitamy of a perfect gentleman. In his youth he possessed a wisdom beyond his years and a sharp brain. He was a person that could converse on any subject with a depth of knowledge that was refreshing. He was always doing good turns for others less fortunate: he cared about other people. J.B. will be sadly missed by all the people of Chipperfield. He has certainly left a big hole in my life.
Clive Stokes
WANTED . . .
Your used postage stamps and tin foil to help raise funds forthe RSPB
If you could tear off all postage stamps from your incoming mail and any tin foil (washed please) that you may have, please put them in the marked cardboard boxes in the back of the Narthex in St Paul's Church.
I will then send them to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds to help raise funds for their very worthwhile and necessary conservation work. Thank you. Ann Soanes
STAKING A CLAIM
The first few days of February and already I am gardening in my shirt sleeves. The birds in the garden are marking out their territories. Blackbirds chasing each other through the borders and over the lawn, Song Thrushes singing their hearts out from the conker tree and the ash trees in the hedge. Robins are always the first to stake their claims and they have been fighting since Christmas. I noticed one that looked rather scruffy hopping about by the compost heaps at the beginning of January and now he is completely bald, but he does seem to have hung on to that desirable area which includes the vegetable garden. Although always the gardeners friend, they are very belligerent to each other. If you see two Robins together that are not fighting they are a male and a female! They do seem to come to an arrangement around bird tables, but it is strictly one male at a time and if one stays to long a fight will soon break out. Little Baldy is very distinctive and it will be interesting to watch his progress.
Although Robins pair up in early January, they won't start nest building until a warm spell in mid February. They do not always choose the best nest sites. A couple of times they have built in our spare flower pots, an easy place for cats to attack. Last year one pair managed two broods from some thick ivy on an old bit of wall. As one pair often raises two broods of five or six young, one would think we might be overrun with Robins, but many perish in the first few days after leaving the nest. It takes them a few days to become competent flyers and as they sit under bushes waiting to be fed they are easy pickings for cats, foxes, owls, etc. They start out with speckled brown feathers as camouflage and do not develop their red breasts until later in the summer, but still only one in six make it.
We are hoping the Buzzards will nest in my wood again this year. They gave us a miss last year, but yesterday we saw three soaring high above Scatterdells Wood in a clear blue sky. Two were flying together whilst the third was being given a hard time by two carrion crows. Eventually it got too high for them, but not until we had seen some spectacular manoeuvres. Evan though the buzzard was twice their size, the crows would not tolerate it on their patch and fearlessly dive-bombed it. They do not want a top predator on their patch but I love to see it on mine! Wendy Bathurst
CHIPPERFIELD HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Spring Show on Saturday 24 March in The Village Hall
Our Spring Show has classes for daffodils (19 classes!), all spring flowers including tulips and wallflowers, hyacinths and polyanthus, camellias and heathers and much, much more. There are classes for pot plants, both flowering and foliage, vegetables from rhubarb to cabbages and the popular floral art has 3 classes. Handicraft welcomes exhibits of paintings or drawings, hand knitting, embroidery, soft toys, sewn garments, canvaswork, woodwork, soft furnishing or indeed, any other craft article.
The domestic section includes marmalade, chutney, filled homemade rolls, chocolate sponge, shortbread and a quiche. Photography subjects are: First Sign of Spring; Canal Scene and Cobweb/s. Print size to be a maximum of 7" x 5" and may be mounted but not framed.
Our junior section this year has been divided into 2 age groups; up to 10 years and 11 to 16 years. School work may be entered. An Article of Handicraft or An Easter Card in the up to 10 years group and Computer Generated Artwork and A Hand Decorated T shirt for the 11 to 16 years group. This year we are awarding a new Junior Trophy with a £10 W.H. Smith voucher for the junior gaining most points in all 3 shows. There really is something for everyone, whether you knit or carve wood , take photos or make marmalade, so come along and join us, it's great fun and there is always help and advice for newcomers who will be made warmly welcome.
Entry forms should be handed in by Friday, 23 March to any committee member, at The Post Office Stores or Stanley's Store. Exhibits can then be brought along to the Village Hall between 10.00a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday. Judging will commence at 12.15p.m. and the doors re-open at 2.30p.m. when you can see how well you did and have a well-deserved cup of tea and a piece of homemade cake! Prize giving is held at 3.30p.m. followed by a raffle and an auction.
Ann Soanes 01923 262756
TRAIDCRAFT SPRING CATALOGUE!
Traidcraft's vision is a world freed from the scandal of poverty, where trade is just and people and communities can flourish. The Traidcraft Spring Catalogue - a collection of the best fair trade craft, fashion and food items from around the world - is now available at the back of St Paul's Church on the Common. There is a regular monthly Traidcraft sale after the 10.00am Benefice Service at St Paul's on the third Sunday of each month.
Another major Christian organisation that shares Traidcraft's vision of a world freed from poverty, is Christian Aid and St Paul's will again be organising a house to house collection in Chipperfield during Christian Aid Week, 13-19 May. We hope to have more collectors and cover a wider area of the village this year.
LOCAL WALK IN MARCH
Tuesday 13 March 10.30am-1.00pm
Sarratt Commons Walk 4 miles; graded moderate
Meet at the car park at Commonwood Common (Contact 01727 848168)
Sarratt Commons have a range of habitats from woodland, to acid grassland and chalk pits. You can learn about their history and management of the Commons on this walk.