May 2005
On Saturday 2 April, a glorious spring day, the Village Hall was full of colour, scent and a picture to behold. The exhibitors at the Horticultural Society's Spring Show had excelled themselves. The left hand side of the hall was filled with daffodils - beautiful blooms, large, small, double and miniatures. Elsewhere there were vases of shrubs and spring flowers, pot plants and heathers, tulips and camellias. The Junior Section was great, the vegetables looked wonderful, the handicraft fantastic and floral art displays were really outstanding. The Domestic Section was full to overflowing with mouthwatering entries and the photography exhibits were stunning.
All in all one of the best Spring Shows we could remember. Thank you to everyone who entered and made the show so successful.
The Abrahams Cup, for the most points in the show was presented to Jeff Norwood and the H.Simmonds Cup for the runner-up was presented to Shirley Brooks. Many congratulations to them both. Prize winners certificates and cups were presented by Revd. Jim Stevens and our thanks go to him for giving up his time to be with us.
Our Summer Show this year will be held on Saturday 2 July and there will be plenty of classes for flowers, vegetables, floral art, handicraft, domestic, juniors, and photography. There will be two categories for photographs this summer: 1. Shadows and 2. A group of four photographs of bridges.
We all look forward to seeing you and your entries for the Summer Show. Do come along and have some fun and enjoy yourself. If you don't grow flowers or vegetables, you can always get your camera out and take some stunning photos! Ann Soanes
RE-CYCLING GLASS
Our nearest collection point for glass destined for re-cycling is at Wyvale nurseries on the Chipperfield Road. However, this autumn Dacorum Borough Council plan to introduce regular glass collection from domestic premises along with the established boxes for paper and plastic/tins.
ODD PLOT RESTORED
Work is in hand to improve the odd plot of land in front of the Youth Club at the entrance to the school. Technically part of the Common, this area has been neglected for years and was full of overgrown laurel bushes, surrounded by a sea of mud created by the children using it as a short cut to the school gates.
Following reported incidents that children had been frightened by a man lurking in the bushes, the Parish Council decided to take the matter in hand and had the laurel bushes cut down. Pupils at the school were invited to give the Parish Council their ideas for the plot and as many as are practically possible will be introduced. (We couldn't manage the requested Batman hut or swimming pool!)
The old tatty notice board has been removed (to be replaced by a new one) and the broken seat removed which Terry Timberlake has kindly repaired and restored.
A properly constructed path across the plot has been created for the children to use and a new paved area installed where Terry's restored seat will be placed. This should make more comfortable place for Mums (and others) to sit.
The old hedgerow on the right-hand side of the plot has been pruned back and cleared of holly, weeds and rubbish and suitable wild flower seeds will be sown on the bank below it. Following consultation with Dacorum's Woodland Officer and the Countryside Management Service, the Parish Council plan to plant a dogwood hedge along the chainlink fence in front of the Youth Club this autumn.
If you have any shrubs you no longer want and plan to remove from your garden in the next few weeks, we may be able to provide them with a new home on this plot. Please contact Joanne Deacon, the Parish Clerk on 01923 263310 if you have anything to offer.
Liz Holliday
NEW VILLAGE WARDEN
Following interviews in March, Malcolm Durrent has been appointed as our new Village Warden and took up his duties at the end of March.
Malcolm knows the village well having lived here all his life and most residents will recognise him as the man who, for many years, has kept the cricket ground in first class condition. He is also the groundsman for the football club.
Malcolm celebrated his appointment by touring the parish and removing 35 bags of assorted litter from the road-side verges in just two weeks! He also found five old gas cylinders which had been dumped in the hedgerows, presumably by people returning from camping holidays who couldn't be bothered to take them back to a depot.
Residents will see Malcolm working all over the Parish in the coming months and with the support of our team of voluntary litter-pickers the rubbish from passing motorists and visitors will disappear almost as soon as it lands on our verges and in our hedgerows.
AN ENJOYABLE EVENING OF MUSIC
Chipperfield Choral Society's well-supported concert on 12 March at St. Clement Danes School, Chorleywood, fully lived up to the expectations of its enthusiastic audience. They gave a powerful account of the opening work, Haydn's short but lively Te Deum of 1800, with strong, confident entries and skilful negotiation of some florid vocal lines, although clear enunciation of words was sometimes lost across the orchestra's accomplished playing. By contrast Five Mystical Songs, Vaughan Williams lovely setting for baritone, chorus and orchestra of words by the 17th century poet George Herbert was the perfect vehicle for displaying the choir's nicely blended tone and expressive singing in the many quiet moments. The hushed ending to the second song, "I got me flowers", was particularly effective. Alex Ashworth's mellifluous baritone was a pleasure to listen to, his attention to dynamics and sensitive shaping of words and phrases reflecting his experience in Lieder singing.
After the interval choir and baritone were joined by the remaining three soloists: Amanda Forbes (soprano), Anna Huntley (mezzo-soprano), and Richard Rowe (tenor). Beethoven's Mass in C does not provide many opportunities for individual soloists to stand out, but they were all excellent and their voices blended beautifully, particularly in the Benedictus. The choir evidently enjoyed singing this piece and made the most of the contrasts in volume, showing good control in the softer passages. The conductor, Delia Meehan, kept all the forces together with her clear and intelligent direction and ensured, as always, a most enjoyable evening of music.
Liz Hart and Ruth Hellen
VILLAGE PEOPLE
Alan and Moreen Wheeler are proud to announce the birth of their
grandson Samuel Lewis who was born on 9 March weighing 8 lb 8 1/2 oz.
Both baby and mother Amanda are well and his sister Hannah adores him.
Amanda is well known to a lot of people in the village as she worked at
Garden Scene for nine years. She would like to thank everyone for their
cards, gifts and good wishes.
Christine Summers and Paul Cashmore would like to express their thanks to everyone who sent kind meassages of sympathy and for the generous donations to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in memory of their mother, Peggy Cashmore. Full obituary below.
People who remember John and Rene Holt who lived in Little Windmill
Hill will be sorry to hear that John has now died. He was very much
involved with St Paul's Church and was a Church Warden for some years.
They both left the village to live in Hampshire about twenty years ago.
We regret to announce the death, on 1 April, of Mary Loveband. A Service of Thanksgiving for her life was held at St. Paul's Church on 12 April.
We send our sympathy to John Prestwich whose mother died on 5 April
after a long period in hospital.
We also send sympathy to the family of Hubert Praat who died on 29
March. For many years he served as a magistrate on the Watford Bench.
The death has also occurred of Mona Lavers who lived in Windmill
Cottage. The funeral was held at the Church of our Lady in Dunny Lane.
WHY WINDMILL HILL? Part 2
An article on windmills by Cyril Moore states that Richard Cromack was the miller when the smock mill was advertised in 1828 and that he was still there in 1832.
The following details acquired from census returns are quite informative about the fortunes of the mill:- 1851 William Rogers aged 32, who had a wife and three children, employed one man and was a Master Miller. 1871 John Loves, aged 31, had a wife, was in partnership with his brother Alfred, employed one man and was a miller and baker. 1881 James Wiggins, who lived at the Mill House, was a groom and a gardener and his wife was a laundress, so by this date it appears that there were no longer any resident millers. Perhaps the mill had been taken over by Tooveys of Kings Langley Mill who were sending their millers in to run it, as and when required.
Miss Liddle records in her book that a Mrs. Walker could recall the wagons going in and out of the mill gates and that the mill was still working in 1877. Also Mrs. Goodman, born in 1858, recorded in 1935 that she was one of the children allowed to go and cart wood home when the mill was broken up. Even more helpful was the information from Mrs. Durrant, who was told by her grandmother that the mill was still standing in 1881.
Sadly mechanisation brought about the demise of Chipperfield's windmill. It could no longer compete with mills fitted with steam operated rollers which could work for longer hours and were not dependent on the wind alone.
Still the memory of the village's mill lives on, in the names of Windmill Hill, the Mill House and The Windmill pub.
Mary Nobbs
HELP WANTED
Susie and Ben Candlin live in the centre of Chipperfield and are looking for a lively, friendly Mum or an older lady with experience of children to look after their two (very well-behaved!) boys, aged 9 and 8, on occasional afternoons or evenings when they are both at work.
Rates negotiable. References required.If you could help please phone Susie or Ben on 01923 263647.
YOUR GARDEN IN MAY
This month is probably the busiest for the gardener. As the month proceeds frosts do become less likely and it becomes safer to plant out the tender bedding plants in beds and borders. A weekly visit to the garden centre is a good idea so that tubs, containers and window boxes can be planted up. Hanging baskets can be planted with geraniums, pelargoniums, begonias, fuchsias, buzy lizzies and a host of new and traditional trailing plants. Some bedding plants and perennials can now be sown direct in flower beds. Always watch for plants drying out, for attack by slugs and pests and for the surprise late frost. Keep plants fed with fertilizer or liquid feed.
In the kitchen garden seed potatoes can still be planted and it should be safe soon to plant outdoor tomatoes, aubergines, runner beans, marrows and courgettes. Use 8ft canes to support runner beans. Herbs and strawberries can be planted and soft fruit, except raspberries, can still go in. If not already done apply Coolglass shading to the greenhouse. Roses, climbers, trees and shrubs, conifers and perennials can be planted, provided they are container-grown. Put a little bonemeal in the hole and mulch well, watering plants in dry weather. Lawns need regular cutting now. During dry spells don't cut grass too short and avoid using a lawn sprinkler except on newly-sown or turved grass. Trim evergreens and early-flowering shrubs and climbing plants and dead-head tulips and daffodils.
It is International Compost Week from 1 May so why not purchase a compost bin for just œ7 from Garden Scene (Herts County Council pays the rest) and compost all the prunings and grass clippings. Be very careful trimming hedges because birds are still nesting. Water might be in short supply this summer so it is a good idea to conserve moisture by covering beds and borders with a thick layer of mulch such as bark chippings. Roses need to be regularly sprayed against pests and diseases and Toprose fertilizer should be applied to roses and to shrubs and perennials. Keep blanket weed and duckweed cleared from ponds and plant out the aquatic plants now. Softwood cuttings can be taken this month too.
The Chelsea Flower Show this year is from Tuesday 24 May to Saturday 28 May. Tickets may be purchased beforehand (Ticket Hotline 0870 247 1227). The Urban Gardens Show is at London's Olympia from 5-8 May. The Malvern Spring Show is from 13-15 May (tickets 01684 584924). Local gardens open to the public include the Abbots House at Abbots Langley on 1 May and Great Sarratt Hall on 29 May. Rhododendrons will be at their best this month at the Saville Gardens, near Windsor, and the Royal Horticultural Society's gardens at Wisley in Surrey.
Terry Simmonds
GARDENING TALK THIS AUTUMN
Chipperfield Horticultural Society have arranged another prestigious gardening talk this year. Pippa Greenwood, of Gardeners World and Gardeners Question Time fame, will be speaking at The Parish Room on Thursday 22 September. Doors open at 7.30pm and the talk begins at 8.00pm. Tickets, price œ7 (œ5 for society members) will be in great demand and can be obtained from Stanley's Stores, Ann Soanes (01923 262756) or Horticultural Society committee members.
FORD END WATERMILL
Ivinghoe, Bucks
The only working watermill in Buckinghamshire with original machinery has been restored by members of the Pitstone and Ivinghoe Museum Society, re-creating the atmosphere of a water corn mill of the late 1800s.
The mill is open to visitors on most Sundays from March to September. Admission costs œ1.20 for adults and 40p for children aged 5 to 15. There is ample car parking although no toilet facilities and restricted disability access.
The mill is open on 2, 8, 22 and 30 May from 2.30pm until 5.30pm and on 2, 8 and 30 May will be milling between 3-5pm when stone ground wholemeal flour will be on sale.
The mill is located in Station Road, Ivinghoe, 600 yards from the church on B488 towards Leighton Buzzard.
PHOTO COMPETITION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The Hertordshire Building Preservation
Trust, in association with Photography by Louise, Hertfod is running a competition to take a photograph of a listed building in Hertfordshire.
There are four age groups: 7 and under;
8 - 11; 12 - 15 and 18 - 18.
The overall competition winner will receive a portrait sitting and a 10"x8" framed photograph worth œ100 from Photography by Louise. The prize for the winner of each group is œ20 gift token and the Runner-up in each group will receive a œ10 gift token. There will also be a Merit Award of a œ5 gift token.
Closing date is 30 September 2005.
To find out which of the 8000 listed buildings is near you phone Anne Haworth on 01992 504331.
NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES
BAPTIST CHURCH
Our May Fair is fast approaching, and we are being kept busy with the inevitable preparations. (See advert on page 5 of this issue).
Please note the date now and come to support us on the day, it's always an enjoyable time. If anyone can provide items for the stalls or help to man the stalls on the day, we will be very pleased to hear from you!
We are praying for fine weather so that the Fair can be held outdoors, will you pray with us?
ST PAUL'S & HOLY CROSS
Greetings from Rev. Jim Stevens
Well, thank you; thank you for the welcome that Judy and I have received as we have moved into the village, and met all sorts of people, whose names it is going to take a long time to learn. It seems a little late to say 'thank you', but it is the first opportunity we've had of putting something in Chipperfield News.
A welcome is a real resource; freely offered, it really does help those who receive it to settle in and feel at home; for as some of you will easily remember moving home from somewhere you've been really happy is never easy. So a welcome is a lovely resource to be given to enjoy.
Resources are vital; I love walking through the trees on the Common. Their splendour is only there because of resources provided for them - good soil, air, sunshine, rain... As they receive, they grow.
And what resources do we need to be human - fully human? Well I guess we would rank love, wisdom, truthfulness, friendship, reliability, highly on our list.
One of the amazing things about Christian faith is that all the resources of Heaven, all the resources of God himself are actually available appropriate to our need, to people like you and me. How is that? Because there is Man in Heaven - the Man Jesus Christ - who lived a real human life, died, was raised on Easter Morning, and 'ascended' there! Thus He is able to resource from there anyone who is vitally connected! This is what the festivals of the Ascension (May 5th) and Whitsun or Pentecost (May 15th) celebrate. Jesus in heaven sending the resources of God - God the Holy Spirit - to ordinary people, who are by faith connected to them, appropriate to need!
My home is resourced electrically because it is vitally connected to the source of power. I can be resourced by 'heaven' - with God's truth, God's patience, God's love, God's everything - if I focus on keeping the connection open! And the connection is called faith - a resting in the Person and promises of Jesus - with a willingness to listen and trust and obey Him. Peace be with you.
Jim Stevens.
CHIPPERFIELD CARE
Chipperfield Care's 17th AGM was held on 23 March in the Village Hall. About forty volunteers attended and heard reports of the work of Care in the village during the past year. Nearly 140 requests had been received from clients asking for transport to various appointments and all had been successfully carried out by volunteer drivers.
During the evening thanks were given to the retiring Chairman, Donald Main, for his work and commitment during the past six years he has been in office. Everyone was delighted to learn that Lady Shelagh Nichols had agreed to become the new Chairman. The vote of support for her was passed unanimously and with joy.
The evening ended with wine, nibbles and lots of friendly chat.
Lesley Baker
A VOLUNTEER'S THOUGHTS ON CHIPPERFIELD CARE
When we moved to the village of Chipperfield many years ago, we were both commuters to work and dedicated 'non-joiners'. Thus we met no local people other than our immediate neighbours and local shopkeepers. However, once we retired we decided to be of use to our community and became Chipperfield Care volunteers. We could have become phone co-ordinators (duty officers), home visitors, shoppers - all sorts of things, but we felt most at home with the task of driving people who needed occasional transport.
Several years down the line we have met a succession of interesting, amusing, independent and inspiring characters, all of who are extremely grateful for the small service we help to provide. An added bonus is that we have discovered lanes, by-ways and turnings off turnings which we never knew existed in our widely spread-out village.
As drivers, we have never felt under any obligation to accept a request. It often happens to coincide with our own appointments or friends coming to lunch and when this happens we just say so and the duty officer contacts another volunteer.
The duty officers do a vital job. Their work invites being at home, once a month, between the hours of 9.30am and 2.30pm. If a client phones with a request, the duty officer links them with a volunteer willing to do the task. Care only receives about 2.5 calls per week so the task is not onerous!
Recently, several volunteers have moved away from the area or simply "retired from active service". We therefore need new volunteers and I am sure that anyone who became a Chipperfield Carer would find the experience as rewarding as we have done. The Carers and Cared-for are a nice bunch of people to get to know and if you would like to join us please ring Lesley Baker, our Organiser, on 01923 264254 to find out more. You'll be very welcome. Elizabeth Foreman
THE YEAR OF THE VOLUNTEER
People volunteer because they want to make life better for others but research has shown that volunteering has benefits for volunteers as well as the people they help. Local volunteers report that they've made new friends through volunteering and gained skills that have helped them in their paid work. National research also highlights other benefits including improving health & fitness, decreasing stress levels, and even boosting sex life!
Dacorum Volunteer Bureau will be promoting the Year of the Volunteer 2005 in a variety of ways. Watch out for the Volunteer Shop in the Marlowes Shopping Centre 1 - 4 June and a special event based on Speed Dating on 21 June
To get started: Phone 01442 247209 Call in for a chat at The Porch, 48 High Street, Hemel Hempstead (Old Town) Go to www.volunteerdacorum.org where you can choose your ideal job online.
OBITUARIES
ISABELLE SINCLAIR NICE
1916 - 2005
Isabelle was born and raised in London. She joined the League of Health and Beauty in its infancy and was to continue teaching for the next 50 years. This work took her to Canada where she was to find herself stranded and unable to leave at the outbreak of the war. Returning to London in the late 1940s she met Gerald Nice, a widower with two very young children, Richard and Bryony. They married, moved to Chipperfield in 1950 and in 1951 their son Peter was born. Isabelle enjoyed village life for the next 40 years. As well as riding her horse Bella in the early years and being an active member of the W.I., she will also be remembered for her 'Extend' classes in the Village Hall. As a well known and highly competent teacher with the League of Health and Beauty, and having overcome her own disability as a result of childhood polio, she ran these exercise classes to help people realise, and benefit from, their capabilities of movement.
Having moved from White Oaks to Commonwood shortly after Gerald died in 1977 she then moved to Framers Court in Lane End in 1990.
Isabelle had many other interests - theatre and the arts, birds and wildlife, gardening and bridge. And of course, her beloved poodles!
A strong and vibrant character, at times outspoken, she nurtured many loyal friendships which survived until today. She also delighted in her family, Richard, Bryony and Peter, daughters-in-law Jackie and Louise, her grandchildren Samantha, Andrew, Oliver, Sarah and Harriet and her great grandson James.
She had suffered several small strokes in the last few years and had always tried to put her teaching skills into her own rehabilitation, but inevitably became very frustrated at her lack of mobility, and latterly and more importantly, her lack of independence.
Eventually ill health forced an intolerable but necessary move last August, to a Care Home in Marlow, and very recently to Wycombe General Hospital where she died on 8th March.
PEGGY CASHMORE
1919 - 2005
Peggy was born on 19 October 1919 at Holloway, Islington. She was the youngest child of Charles and Alice Hilliard and had four older brothers. After leaving school Peggy took a secretarial course and began work as a secretary in a Fleet Street newspaper office, but by this time the 2nd World War had begun and she found the depressing news too stressful, and she left to serve in the Land Army.
Peggy married Geoffrey Cashmore on 11 June 1941 at the Baptist Chapel in Kings Langley and the wedding reception was held at Westwood End in Bucks Hill, the home which Geoffrey's parents rented during the war years to escape the bombing in London.
Peggy and Geoffrey had two children, Christine and Paul, and at the end of the war, the entire family moved back to Hampstead Garden Suburb in north west London. When Geoffrey retired in 1980, they moved from London and returned to Bucks Hill, near to where they had lived during the latter war days. Peggy was widowed 12 years ago.
During the past 24 years in Chipperfield, Peggy has been involved with St. Paul's Church and the Baptist Church. She helped with the Parish lunches and was a member of the W.I. She served as a duty officer for Chipperfield Care, only resigning at the beginning of February 2005 as her health failed. Just after her 80th birthday she volunteered to help with the creche at the Mount Prison.
Peggy was a devoted and helpful grandmother to five grandchildren. She willingly helped out whenever asked and was a great source of comfort and support in times of difficulty. She also delighted in her four great-grandsons and loved to see them and hear of their progress and achievements. Her eldest great-grandson is 13 years old.
During the past few months, as Peggy's health began to fail, life became difficult, but she was determined to remain independent and continue to live in her own home to the end, and this she achieved. Peggy had a keen wit, a great sense of fun and a mischievous sense of humour. She will be very much missed not only by her family, but by all who knew and loved her.
Christine Summers and Paul Cashmore
NOT REALLY 'ANORAKS', BUT CLOSE
Residents of Chipperfield seem to be very interested in wild life and particularly in birds. I, like many I am sure look forward to Wendy's Bathurst's regular article in Chipperfield News. So, carrying on the theme I hope others will be interested to hear of our birdwatching outing in February. No, we are not 'anoraks' but always love watching the birds and would not go for a walk without taking the binoculars with us.
A friend came for supper with news that there were some interesting birds who had taken up residence outside a mutual friend's house in a built up area of St. Albans. We were not very impressed when she could not remember the name and thought they were 'lapwings'. Next day some knowledgeable bird watcher friends were round and reliably informed us that the birds were not lapwings but WAXWINGS and they had seen about eight of them that afternoon. We were very excited about this, because as many of you bird fans will know these are very exotic colourful looking birds which most people do not get a chance of spotting. Our enthusiasm at telling everyone after Church next day met with a stony response except for some visitors from Cornwall who were visiting friends. We were most disappointed that 'Chipperfieldites' did not share our enthusiasm.
With undampened excitement we set off to look for them in the Verulamium estate behind Waitrose in St Albans. A small crowd of folk complete with telescopes and binoculars soon helped us locate the birds. We felt a little out of place with the real 'keenies' but were rewarded with thrilling views of these wonderful birds. We saw about 12 of them close up, and could see their plumage and crest as they feasted on some berries of a rowan tree right outside the window of our friends house. Another of our friends had been there earlier in the day and had witnessed the poor demise of one as it flew into a window and unfortunately was killed but they had a really close view of one of these beautiful birds.
We called at our friends house for a cup of tea and had further viewings from the comfort of their home and then returned home very pleased with our first 'twitcher' experience.
Anne Stickland
A NEW WEBSITE FOR WALKERS
www.walkinginherts.co.uk gives you all the information you need to get started.
Guided walks: more than twenty walks detailed every month. The website tells you how long the walk is, which group is running it, when and where it starts and a contact number in case of questions.
Books of walks: Did you know that there are more than twenty books of walks for the County? All the details are here - including direct links to Amazon if you can't wait to get to your local bookshop to buy them!
Leaflets of walks: There are loads of leaflets produced around the County, many of them difficult to find. Not any more! www.walkinginherts.co.uk list them all.
There are also links so that you can check: the weather for your walk, on Defra's local access sites, how to get to your walk by public transport - and more is being added all the time. So check out the website and get walking!
LONDON BRIDGES WALK
21st May 2005
Help raise kidney awareness and organ donation by walking eight of the London Bridges on Saturday 21st May 2005.
The Bridges Walk starts and finishes at Potters Fields on the south side of Tower Bridge and walkers will snake across the eight bridges, including Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Millennium Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge.
Registration fee is œ5.00 per walker, there is no minimum sponsorship but walkers are encouraged to raise as much sponsorship as they can. Proceeds will be used to further the work of The National Kidney Research Fund and help improve the lives of people living with kidney disease.
At present there are over 180,000 people in the UK suffering with some form of kidney condition and 35,000 are on renal replacement therapies, which include dialysis and transplantation. As yet, there are still no cures.
Community Fundraising Manager, Elizabeth Wright, says, "The walk is a wonderful opportunity to view the many historical sites along the Thames and the route offers great views of the London. It is open to anyone who wants to help make a difference in the kidney community.
For more information or to take part in the London Bridges Walk please call The National Kidney Research Fund on 0800 783 2973