VILLAGER The
Issue 34 - January 2015
and Town
Life
LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Inside this issue
The History of the Bicycle
Spring Clean Your Finances
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Contents
VILLAGER The
Issue 34 - January 2015
and Town
Life
LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Inside this issue
The History of the Bicycle
Spring Clean Your Finances
Win £25 in our Prize Crossword
Bringing Local Business to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month
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u E Ey FRcop
Yo
Huntingdon Romantics..........................................21 Kimbolton School Swimming Pool Timetable........22 Puzzle Page............................................................24 What’s On...............................................................26 Prize Crossword......................................................28 Golden Years..........................................................30
A ‘Class Act’
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The History of the Bicycle.........................................4 Christmas Presents - Your Rights!...........................10 Divorce - Real Danger of Doing it Yourself..............12 Spring Clean Your Finances.....................................15 A Class Kitchens of Bedford....................................16 The Truly Green Garden..........................................19
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The Truly Green Garden
7,000 copies delivered free of charge in the following areas: Abbots Ripton, Alconbury, Brington, Buckworth, Bythorn, Catworth, Covington, Dillington, Grafham, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Keyston, Kimbolton, Kings Ripton, Leighton Bromswold, Little Staughton, Lower Dean, Molesworth, Old Weston, Perry, Pertenhall, Riseley, Shelton, Stonley, Stow Longa, Swineshead, The Stukeleys, Tillbrook, Upper Dean (We also have over 150 distribution points, including pubs, garages, most shops, post offices, Supermarket Chains in all of the above as well as in Huntingdon, Lt Staughton, Grafham Water Visitor Centre’s and Kimbolton)
Editor - Catherine Rose Editorial - Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Catherine Rose, Abby Smith, Tony Larkins, Ted Bruning and Pippa Greenwood Advertising Sales - Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography - Pavla Zakova, Terry Rug Heidi Hodgson, Emma Porter, Catherine Rose and Biggleswade History Society Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460
Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.
History
The History of the Bicycle
By Catherine Rose
Dan Albone
The city of Cambridge has long been renowned for its bicycles, and with the excitement of the Tour de France last summer, cycling as a sport is rapidly increasing in popularity. What’s more, one of cycling’s most famous inventors was born in Bedfordshire. Catherine Rose takes a look at the history of the mechanical two-wheeler. Despite the existence of a 600-year-old drawing from the workshop of Leonardo da Vinci showing a two-wheeled contraption, the first bicycle is said to have been invented by a German, Baron Karl von Drais. Nicknamed the Draisine, it was patented in 1818. It is believed that he had the idea when that
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year’s crop failure led to the widespread death of horses and consequently, a transport shortage. His invention consisted of a two-wheeled wooden vehicle that was propelled by the rider’s legs and he test rode it from Manheim, covering eight miles in under an hour. Renamed the velocipede by the French (the modern French word for bicycle is ‘velo’) and the hobby or dandy horse in England, over the ensuing years, the model was refined. Then in 1839 a Scottish blacksmith, Kirkpatrick MacMillan invented a treadle driven version with rods that connected the treadles on the front wheel to crank pins on the back. The oldest existing pedal-driven bicycle is a similar design that was made by Gavin Dalzell, a cooper from Lanarkshire, who may have copied MacMillan. But it was in the 1860s that Frenchman Pierre Lallement, a mechanic, invented the Boneshaker which had pedals attached to a rotary crank mechanism on the front wheel. It was patented in 1866 and the patent sold to the Michaux family. It became very popular in England and there is one on display in the Science Museum. It is said to weigh the same as a fridge and was notoriously uncomfortable to ride. Once again this model was improved upon, most notably by James Starley in 1858 who is described as the father of the British bicycle industry. Solid rubber strips were cemented to the wheels for increased suspension and comfort, the saddle was moved forward to improve weight distribution
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and the handlebars widened and became higher. A ladies’ side saddle version also became available (although it must have been very difficult to ride!) The first cycle race was held in Paris in 1868 with an Englishman, James Moore, being the winner. That same year, the Phantom cycle became available. It was hinged in the middle to aid steering and was the first to use metal wire instead of wood for the spokes. Another Frenchman, Eugene Mayer is credited with inventing the high bicycle, the most famous of which is the Penny Farthing, in 1869. The large front wheel had the effect of increasing the bicycle’s speed and minimized road shocks but it was very difficult to mount and dangerous to drive. In reaction to this, the first ‘safety bicycles’ were invented in the 1870s. These were deliberately made to be low to the ground. The Shergold Safety bicycle is believed to be the oldest surviving vehicle with a chain driven rear wheel. This was closely followed by the Bicyclette designed by H.J. Lawson who registered the term ‘safety cycle’. Rover was one of the main manufacturers of the safety bicycle bringing out a version in 1885 with direct steering and rear chain drive that is very similar to our bicycle design of today. In 1884, Hilman, Herbert & Cooper brought out the Kangaroo, a gear and chain-driven bicycle that that was the first bicycle to be ridden for 100 miles. During this era, tandems, tricycles and even
quadracycles were brought out as the bicycle craze exploded. Four years later, John Boyd Dunlop, a Belfast vet, invented what the revolutionary pneumatic tyres with an inner tube, which he first made for his son’s tricycle. These quickly took over from solid tyres and by 1892 practically all bicycles had them. One of the most famous cycle inventors is Dan Albone, affectionately known locally as ‘Smiling Dan’, who was born in 1860 and grew up in Biggleswade. For his ninth birthday, he was given a Boneshaker which began a love affair with mechanical transport. Four years later, he had already built his own version of the Penny Farthing complete with suspension and was using it to win local races. When he left school, he became an apprentice at Thomas Course & Son in Hitchin Street, learning to be a millwright and engineer. By 1880, he had founded his own company in Biggleswade, the Ivel Cycle Works where he produced racing bikes – the Ivel Light Roadster and the Ivel Racer. He became known internationally, attracting custom from all over the world. When James Starley exhibited his Rover safety bicycle at the Stanley show, Albone took the design and adapted it, producing his own Ivel Safety Cycle which went on to beat world cycling distance records. He was to win many more cycle races, including two in Northampton (in 1885 and 1887) and in 1885 he founded a local cycling club. He even invented a bicycle child carrier. Unfortunately, there was a downturn in the economy in 1893, and Albone’s cycling business was forced into liquidation. However, he carried on producing motor cars and tractors and his name has gone down in history as a pioneering inventor of mechanical and motor vehicles. Bicycles continued to evolve over the 20th century and today they are multi-geared, hi-tech and lightweight. Although the advent and popularity of the motor car meant that there was a significant drop in the number of bicycles being used to get around from the 1950s onwards, today, a resurgence in cycling interest coupled with the opening of new cycle routes mean that hopefully, Cambridge will not be the only city to be populated with bicycles in the future. Photography: Biggleswade History Society
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Three Counties Radio
By Jonathan Vernon-Smith
Christmas Presents
Your Rights!
At this time of year with the sherry flowing and the credit card making a frequent appearance, I always think it’s worth reminding ourselves of what we are and are not entitled to as consumers when it comes to Christmas presents. The first thing to consider is the returns policy of any company your purchase from. Many consumers wrongly believe they have the right to return non-faulty goods to a retailer and that they are duty bound to give you a refund. Although many companies have their own ‘goodwill’ returns policies, consumer law does not provide for this. Therefore if you are purchasing a present for someone and are worried that they may want to change it, or in the case of clothing, that it may be the wrong size, always ask the retailer what they will allow after you’ve left with the goods. If you want clarification, ask to see their official returns policy. To save on embarrassment, NEVER buy clothes as a present from a company that does not accept non-faulty returns. Please also bear in mind that even if the company DOES allow non-faulty returns, the present must be returned in re-saleable condition. Tearing of packaging, removal of tags etc can render a product non-returnable so remember this when you’re excitedly tearing open those packages on Christmas day. Christmas presents purchased online have different rules that are worth bearing in mind. Consumers who purchase goods online are protected by ‘Distance Selling Regulations’. This entitles the buyer to return the goods within the first 14 days whether they are faulty or not. Check the postage rules in the terms and conditions for the company though as many companies will expect you to pay the cost of postage when returning non faulty goods. What about if the Christmas present you’ve been bought IS faulty? Well it’s worth remembering that the sales of goods act remains the same, whether it’s Christmas or not. Therefore any product purchased must: a) Be fit for purpose, b) Be of reasonable quality, c) Last for a reasonable amount of time. The key to returning faulty products is not to delay. For the first 4 weeks after purchase buyers are entitled to return faulty goods and obtain a full refund. However, after this period of time, the retailer has greater rights. After 4 weeks, the retailer has to offer either: a) A repair of the product, b) An exchange, c) A refund Many people come to my radio show frustrated that they cannot get their money back on a 5 week old faulty item they’ve purchased. It’s with great reluctance I have to break the bad news to them that the retailer is entitled to a reasonable opportunity to repair goods when they are this old. It’s also worth remembering that there is no such thing as a 12 month cut off for a customer’s rights. Although a manufacturer’s guarantee may expire after 12 months, you are still well within your rights to return faulty goods for a ‘reasonable’ amount of time depending on how much you’ve spent on the goods in the first place. The final piece of advice I would offer is KEEP the receipt. Where nonfaulty goods are concerned, without a receipt, companies are under no obligation to accept returns. With faulty goods, you will still have to prove the purchase which may be possible with a credit card bill or bank statement, but with a cash purchase will be impossible. Don’t risk it, just put the receipts for those presents in a safe place.
Jonathan Vernon-Smith not only offers you his consumer advice here but you can listen to The JVS Show tackling your consumer problems every weekday morning from 9am. 10
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Family Law
Divorce The real danger of doing it yourself
By family lawyer Abby Smith of Woolley & Co, Solicitors www.family-lawfirm.co.uk It is an unfortunate fact of modern society that many marriages end in divorce. Following separation, most couples are driven by their emotions and worry about the cost of instructing solicitors to help them. An increasing number choose to manage divorce proceedings themselves which can cause complications along the way – and that simple act of cost-cutting can actually cost them dearly in the long run. Lawyers train for years to learn the legal process, understand how to negotiate a settlement and learn all the different ways of reaching a solution. Those choosing a so called ‘DIY divorce’ where they deal with everything without the help of a qualified lawyer can face many pitfalls along the way. For a start, the divorce forms themselves can be complicated and if not completed correctly can be rejected by the courts, causing delay, additional stress and higher costs. When thinking about divorce, it is a common misconception that “divorce proceedings” include bringing an end to a marriage, dealing with the arrangements for the children and separating the financial ties they have with their former spouse. This is not entirely true. Whilst a divorce brings a legal end to the marriage itself and does mean that either party is free to remarry if they wish, it does not bring an automatic end to any financial obligations they have to each other and does not include any legal arrangements for the children. Unless these things are sorted out it could result in financial claims being brought by one party against the other some time after the divorce has concluded. So that Lottery win in a few years’ time could be eroded by an ex if you have not properly finalised the finances, for instance by agreeing a Consent Order (or Clean Break Order). These orders must be approved by the court to become legally enforceable. A lawyer will tell you about them and help you draw one up (there is no standard form to fill out). Those flying solo may not know about them until it is too late.
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Another point to consider in any divorce is what happens if one party remarries before financial matters are resolved. If the respondent to divorce proceedings remarries, this brings about an automatic ban from him or her asking the court to deal with financial matters. It does not, however, ban the spouse who started the divorce proceedings from still applying to the court for financial matters to be considered. This could have a huge impact on the former spouse but also on their new husband or wife. Again, DIY-ers may miss this point. There are many pitfalls in a DIY divorce and it is always better to seek legal advice to ensure that all matters are fully concluded and to give you peace of mind that your divorce really does end all ties you have with your former spouse. A DIY divorce may seem an attractive, cheaper option but in the end it could cost a lot more. For advice on divorce or any family law issues please contact Abby Smith for a FREE initial telephone consultation. Abby is an experienced divorce and family lawyer based in St Neots with clients throughout the area. She is a full member of Resolution and recognised as a Resolution Specialist in family law.
Call Abby on 01480 270499 or email abby.smith@family-lawfirm.co.uk
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Spring Clean Your Finances As a child I remember my mother cleaning the house from top to bottom, windows opening and carpets being beaten in the garden. This I remember as spring cleaning. We used to go through our clothes and patch or darn any holes appearing, or throw our old clothes away, and generally give the house a good tidy up. Today most of us do not spring clean our homes like we used to, so where am I going with this? Quite simply, for many there is a need to spring clean and de-clutter your finances – a resolution to kick start the New Year. Many of our clients are retired and have countless bank accounts and ISAs, plus investments with funds that were good in their day. Keeping yourself up to date is time consuming and unless action is taken, not very productive. I have often written about needing to know where you are to work out the best way of achieving your desires. But with so many accounts and plans isn’t it time to give them a spring clean to simplify and de-clutter? Younger people also need to do this to plan. Starting out with a clearer analysis means you will
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Beacon Wealth Tony Larkins CFP APFS Managing Director IFA Chartered and Certified Financial Planner
not need to undertake any de-cluttering in the near future. Also, you must make sure your plan is adaptable to meet your changing needs and desires. It was James A Garfield (20th US President), who said “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable”. A bit of time and effort now on reviewing every investment in terms of risk, return, tax and relevance may be a miserable long-winded way to achieve a de-cluttered simplified portfolio, but it is strongly recommended. We are often presented with carrier bags of plans and scribbled notes, but we have an experienced team to undertake the analysis and make recommendations – whoever in the household takes responsibility for it, I recommend it is done. A good spring clean and de-clutter makes us all feel better, with a clearer vision for the future. You should always seek qualified advice from an IFA, preferably a Certified (CFP) or Chartered Financial PlannerCM (APFS). If you have a financial question, e-mail: tlarkins@beaconwealth.co.uk
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A ‘Class Act’
Goes from Strength to Strength A Class Kitchens of Bedford
Readers may recall our article in the summer on A Class Kitchens of Bedford – a family-run firm that offers high quality but affordable bespoke kitchens and was founded by married couple Jon and Jemma Hough. Now moved to Shefford, the company continues to provide kitchens throughout Bedfordshire and beyond and has been growing steadily since then. Jemma brought The Villager up to date with some of their latest developments. Customers clearly approve of Jon and Jemma’s friendly no-nonsense approach as A Class Kitchens now has 50 installed kitchens under its belt and currently has bookings until the early summer of 2015. Still working from their home, the couple continues to make sure overheads are low so that they can pass on the cost savings in their products and services to the public by ‘bringing the showroom to you’. Since the summer of 2014, business has grown to the extent that the company is now taking on its first dedicated employee – an installations manager who will look after the fitting of a kitchen from the initial survey at the start right up to the
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finished article. This means that Jon will be free to do more design work and Jemma hopes that they will be able to move from installing two to three kitchens per month to double that, while more importantly, preserving the quality and service they offer. Although Jon and Jemma haven’t ruled out having an A Class Kitchens showroom at some point in the future, it is more important to them that their prices offer value for money. “We will only have a showroom when our income is high enough to warrant it” says Jemma. It is also important to them that potential customers can see a working kitchen they have previously installed in someone’s home. And they have found that many of their clients are only too happy to oblige, although there is never any pressure on a customer to do so. The advantage of this philosophy is that a customer can have a quality kitchen using
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solid cabinets that can be colour matched to doors if necessary, which Jon and Jemma are then able to price competitively against kitchens available on the market of a similar high quality. Consequently, not only is the company growing, but so is its reputation. With social networking pages on Twitter and Facebook, and a customer review page on Checkatrade.com with a 9.8 out of 10 average rating, customer feedback is enthusiastic and positive. They are also seeing a trend towards orders for more supply only kitchens as customers seemingly prefer to use local businesses to larger chains. Moreover, A Class Kitchens continues to have a philanthropic ethos, actively supporting local charities and the latest news is that the company is now embarking on a new community scheme. Jemma explains: “When we started our own business, we were lucky enough to get a government loan as we didn’t have any savings. Not everybody realises that these low interest loans, of up to £10,000, are available to small start-up businesses. We are promoting this through our local MP to help local companies like us have the opportunity we have had.” Last month, Richard Fuller, Conservative MP for Bedford, welcomed Jon and Jemma to his constituency office saying: “I really enjoyed meeting with Jemma and Jon, and hearing how the government’s Start Up Loans have helped them to realise their dreams. It’s fantastic to learn that they are now expanding and looking to take on new staff. “I’m proud that we are backing business and ensuring our budding entrepreneurs get the finance and support they need to kick-start their businesses.” Jemma said: “We were delighted to meet with our local MP Richard Fuller and tell him all about our business journey so far. We are grateful for his support and the help the Start Up Loan Company gave us to get started. I look forward to hopefully updating him further down the line, and inviting him along in the foreseeable future to see the progress we have made.” Jemma is pictured with Richard at his constituency office proving that the local business continues to be ‘a class act’. A Class Kitchens would like to thank all their customers for supporting local business and to wish them a very Happy New Year.
www.aclasskitchensofbedford.com Tel: 01234 589136 Email: info@aclasskitchensbedford.com
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Garden By Pippa Greenwood
The Truly ‘Green’ Garden There are so many ways in which you can plot and scheme about all that your garden could have to offer in 2015, but there’s one thing I would ask you to consider: take the plunge, ring the changes and ‘Go Organic’. Many gardeners have decided that they really want to concentrate on natural methods of pest control and the use of natural fertilising materials rather than chemical feeds. And they do it because it works and makes life so much better for the other less powerful creatures and plants we share our space with. Since we moved to our Hampshire garden nearly twenty years ago, I have kept it completely organic and believe me, it really is not difficult. Weed control can certainly be harder as there is no resorting to herbicides such as glyphosate, but if your garden doesn’t have too many persistent weeds, even that should not be too difficult. If you do have an existing problem then make weeding a regular part of your gardening time and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how speedily you start to get on top of it. True, organic gardening does take a bit more planning and forethought. If you grow vegetables you will need to ensure that you rotate your crops. Just divide the space you have into three or four chunks and then ensure that each year you grow related crops together and then the following year, move each group into a new plot. It also pays to ensure that you really do garden as ‘well’ as you can, avoiding too many short cuts and taking the plant’s health and vigour as a prime consideration. In any part of the garden you need to try to choose plants that really are suited to the Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
site as those grown in unsuitable conditions will be more prone to disease and pest attack. Regular patrols to find problems, so that they can be caught at the early stages and dealt with promptly, mean fewer problems in the long-term and should ensure that you catch an infestation of pests or a disease outbreak before it gets too bad. Sprays of certain kinds are ‘allowed’ (those based on soft soap to control certain pests, copper based fungicides to control diseases etc) but most organic gardeners prefer to avoid them altogether. I am a great fan of horticultural fleece. Placed over a crop such as calabrese from the moment you plant it out, you should be able to ward off all the common pests including caterpillars, cabbage root fly and aphids. Traps such as submerged beakers of old beer or milk to catch slugs and sticky yellow cards to trap flying pests, all work well. Of course for many pests there are also biological controls available, plus a whole range of controls to stop greenhouse pests. Keeping the soil in good condition is a must and if you don’t already have a compost bin or heap, get on and make or buy one straight away. The choice is up to you, but I strongly recommend it, for a whole host of reasons, only some of which I have mentioned here. www.pippagreenwood.com to make veg growing easy with ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’. Pippa sends your chosen veg plants to you and each week emails advice and tips for getting the best results; plus lots of great barriers and biological controls
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Huntingdon Romantics According to a review on Amazon, last year Huntingdon topped the national list as being the most well-read town or city in the UK. Featured in The Villager in September 2014, this means it has now been the UK’s reading capital for the last four years. Huntingdon folk buy more books per head than anywhere else in the country. And it would appear that they are a rather romantic lot with the sale of these novels topping the most popular list. The rankings were set by calculating the number of romance novels sold per person in towns and cities of more than 20,000 people nationwide. Mayor of Huntingdon Cllr Bill Hensley has said: “Well we are at the crossroads of England which is probably why we have got so many star-crossed lovers here. You do see a lot of people holding hands in the town.” And the inhabitants of Huntingdon and beyond do not have to look very far to find authors on their doorstep who write in this genre. One such writer
is Mary Matthews - a local author who writes contemporary romantic thrillers under the penname Georgia Rose. She has recently published the second book in her Grayson Trilogy, entitled Before the Dawn, her sequel to A Single Step. The third novel, Thicker than Water, is due out this spring. All three centre on the character of Emma Grayson and her adventures in mystery and love. www.georgiarosebooks.com The Grayson Trilogy page on Facebook: The Grayson Trilogy FB Page
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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Easy Suduko
Hard Suduko
Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles. 24
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Also at: Season’s Garden Centre Wilstead (main Road - A6) Bedford Beds MK45 3HU Telephone 01234 740011 Open Mon - Sat 10am to 4pm Sun 11am to 4pm
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n O s ’ t Wha In January 3 January Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Speakers will be Robert Edwards, ‘Backyard and Tiny Gardens.’ Robert is a qualified garden designer and consultant and winner of Chelsea medals. May be plants for sale. Visitors welcome - small charge which includes refreshments. 5, 12, 19 & 26 January Comrades Chess Club 7.30pm Comrades Club, Godmanchester Keep your mind active and play chess. Over 18s only as it’s a licensed premises. Every Monday except Bank Holidays. 8, 15, 22 & 29 January Great Staughton Youth Club 7-8.30pm Great Staughton Village Hall Newly formed Youth Club running every Thursday for 11-16 year olds from Great Staughton and Perry. Email: gsyc2014@gmail.com
Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month. 26
10 January Craft and Gift Fair 9am-2pm United Reformed Church, St. Neots Free admission Held in aid of The Coffee Pot Memory Café; a local charity in St. Neots for those with memory loss and their carers, run by volunteers and support from local Rotarians. Tel: Mary 07717 158549 for details and stall hire Email: maryjdcruz@gmail.com 10 January Living With Dogs Workshop 10am-12pm Wood Green Animal Shelter, Godmanchester Free workshop A workshop for the whole family – suitable for 5 years+. Perfect for all those that live with dogs, visit family or friends that have dogs or those looking to get a dog in the future. Children will enjoy their very own workshop and through interactive activities will learn to speak dog language, know when their dog needs some time alone, discover how to make feeding time fun and get hands on with some dog training. Adults will be treated to their very own workshop covering how to safely manage children and dogs living happily together, dog mood management, body language, flashpoints for aggression and dog bite
prevention. Booking essential. Tel: 0844 248 8181 Email: handson@woodgreen.org.uk 12 January-23 March Richard III and Henry VII 2-3.30pm Course fee £48 Reading Room, High Street, Hemingford Grey Workers’ Educational Association course. Richard III and Henry VII: a comparison of the reigns of the two Kings and an appraisal of their achievements. Tutor is Karon Stanley who is mediaeval and early modern historian. Ten 1½ hour sessions. Half term Monday 16 February. Tel: Course Secretary John Baker 01480 300386 14 January-25 March Love and Sex in Shakespeare 10-11.30am Reading Room, High Street, Hemingford Grey Course fee £48 Workers’ Educational Association course. Love and Sex in Shakespeare: an exploration of Shakespeare’s complex attitudes to love and sex in the context of his society and time, in his plays and in his more personal sonnets. Tutor is Lindsay Fursland. 10 1½ hour sessions. Half term Wednesday 18 February. Course Secretary: Gerrie Quest 01480 380735
n O s ’ t Wha In January 18 January Biggleswade Antiques Fair 9.30am-4pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Admission £1.50 This antiques fair offers a diverse range of antiques and collectables so whether you are a professional dealer, an avid collector or just looking for something special, this monthly fair is the place to visit. Café serving breakfast, lunches and afternoon tea. Tel: 01480 382432 or 07906 647346 Web: www.madisonevents.co.uk 20 January Kimbolton Flower Club 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Visitors £6 including light refreshments Demonstration by Helen Elliott entitled ‘GROWING FOR GOLD’. Arrangements will be raffled and there will be a sales table. All welcome. 21 January Huntingdonshire Family History Society 7.20-9.30pm WI Headquarters, 6a Walden Rd, Huntingdon, PE29 3AZ Non-members £1 donation “To The Manor Born” by Peter Ibbett. Talk on a subject related to family history research and a bookstall or help desk.
23 January Gamlingay Photographic Society 8-10pm Gamlingay Village College, Station Road, Gamlingay Lecture evening. “Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia” with Brian Reid. Non-members welcome free of charge. Refreshments and optional raffle. Tel: Nick or Jackie 01767 651025 for more info about the evening/the Society Email: Jackie on nickbruce7@ btinternet.com 29 January An evening of Clairvoyance with Wayne Marriott and Friends Doors open 6.45 pm for 7pm Wyboston, Chawston & Colesden Village Hall Admission £5 30 January The Fitzwilliam Piano Quartet 7.30pm Performing Arts Centre, Hinchingbrooke Park Road, Huntingdon Adults £12, Pupils & Students under 21 £5, Groups of 20+ £9 each Part of the eighth season of the Hinchingbrooke Bösendorfer Piano Concerts. Originally formed at Cambridge University, the Fitzwilliam String Quartet has earned an enviable reputation in the international concert world. Today, three of their number are joined by the outstandingly talented
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and successful ensemble pianist Anna Tilbrook. Their programme will include piano quartets by Mozart and Schumann. 31 January Burns Night Supper 7.30pm Barley Town House Tickets £17.50 including welcome drink, three course home cooked meal, music, reeling, haggis and more! Get your tickets as soon as possible for this annual popular event! All proceeds to Save the Children Tel: Liz 01763 838172 Email: luciecoleridge@gmail.com
Comberton Ramblers What will be your New Year’s Resolution? Why not join the Comberton Ramblers Walking Group? The group walks alternate Sundays - normally between 5-6 miles. Starting and finishing at a congenial hostelry for a drink / lunch. Our aim is to enjoy ourselves, to take in the sights and sounds of the countryside. Two free walks and then if you like us we would appreciate you becoming a member. Annual membership fee £8.50 per person. If you are interested and would like further details please contact Stella, the Secretary email: stella.ramblers@ hotmail.com.
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The Villager Prize Crossword
Prize
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Across 1 Be quiet! (4) 3 A cool treat (8) 9 Organise (7) 10 Clamour, din (5) 11 Corrections (12) 13 Calm (6) 15 Arachnid (6) 17 Self service store (12) 20 Nimble (5) 21 Window covering (7) 22 Best (8) 23 Jewels (4)
1 Weightiest (8) 2 Remove clothes (5) 4 Intelligent (6) 5 Up-to-date (12)
Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before
16th January 2015 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Name: Tel: Address:
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Down
6 Lived (7) 7 Humble (4) 8 Proclamation (12) 12 Gifts (8) 14 Procedure (7) 16 Hits (6) 18 Rub out (5) 19 Long pointed tooth (4)
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History
Golden Years Memories of 50 years ago
Early in the New Year of 1965, Winston Churchill had suffered a stroke. He never regained consciousness and died on January 24th, aged 90; and though it seems sacrilegious, it’s true that he had rarely been as much loved during his lifetime as he was after his death. Hated by miners as the Liberal Home Secretary who sent troops to Tonypandy to put down a strike in 1910; blamed (wrongly) for the Gallipoli disaster in World War I and (rightly) for the even greater disaster of the return to the gold standard in 1925; a truculent Imperialist dinosaur in the 1930s; distrusted by the masses in 1945; old, sick, and in the way in 1955 – Churchill had known more brickbats than bouquets. But not on the 30th January 1965, the day of his funeral. Then he was every downed airman, every drowned seaman, every tankman burnt alive, every Tommy blown to Hell, every exhausted ARP man, landgirl, munitions worker... and miner. He was their suffering and their victory. In the three days his body lay in state in St Stephen’s Hall, Westminster, 321,360 people filed past the catafalque. The gun-carriage that bore him, pulled by 108 naval ratings with the Earl Marshal at their head, took an hour to make the 2½ miles up Whitehall and along the Strand, Fleet Street, and Ludgate Hill to St Paul’s, every inch of the way thronged by silent mourners who had waited hours in their tens of thousands in the freezing cold. At the cathedral steps his wartime comrades Attlee, Eden, MacMillan, Ismay, Slim, Alexander, Portal, and Mountbatten escorted the coffin inside where the leaders of 122 nations sang To Be A Pilgrim, The Battle Hymn of the
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Republic, Fight The Good Fight and Oh God Our Help. And then the short voyage on the launch Havengore from Tower Hill to Festival Pier, the monstrous dockside cranes each bowing in turn as it passed. And finally the private train and the family burial at Bladon, Oxfordshire, where at last his widow Clemmie and his children Randolph, Mary and Sarah had their chance at tears. This was how a nation grieved then: not in hysterical outbursts, but bound together by protocol, by formality, by seemliness; as rigidly drilled as a platoon on a parade-ground and thus united in deed as well as thought. For everyone who lined the route or watched on television, the grief and the memories were personal; and yet they were as one. • How fitting it was that Churchill should choose Bladon, the parish church of his birthplace, Blenheim Palace, as his burial-place. “In my beginning is my end. In my end is my beginning,” wrote TS Eliot in The Four Quartets; and Eliot had died aged 76 at home in Kensington only 20 days before Churchill. Both were members of the Order of Merit; both had won Nobel Prizes for literature. Eliot, though, was cremated privately at Golders Green, and his ashes were buried at East Coker in Somerset. But he has his slab at Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, and Churchill’s statue is in Parliament Square not 200 yards away, so you can pay your respects to both in one visit, if you’ve a mind. • Happy 50th birthdays to Vinnie Jones (5th), Joely Richardson (9th), Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (14th), James Nesbitt (15th), and Heather Small (20th). Cake and botox to you all!
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Crossword Solution for The Villager December Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Joyce Barnes from St Neots
December’s Codeword and Suduko Solutions
Easy
Hard
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