Shuttleworth College Alumni Newsletter – December 2021

The Shuttleworth College Alumni Annual Newsletter

December 2021

Table of Contents Welcome to the 2021 Old Students Magazine ..................................

1

Chairman’s Report ............................................................................

2

Report from Catherine Lloyd, Director of Studies .............................

3

Latest News ......................................................................................

5

Dave Valentine. Shuttleworth through and through .........................

6

In memoriam ....................................................................................

8

Malcolm Stansfield ...........................................................................

9

An Aussie Character ..........................................................................

11

Memories of Ken Russell...................................................................

13

Photo Call .........................................................................................

15

News from the East...........................................................................

19

A Year on the Marsh .........................................................................

21

AGM minutes ....................................................................................

24

Merchandise .....................................................................................

29

Committee ........................................................................................

32

Welcome to the 2021 Old Students Magazine Welcome to the latest Newsletter

kept the SCA going during the troubled

publication. Every year we try to include

times the College went through in the

news of Old Students and other items of

1990’s. Malcolm Stansfield was a legend

interest. We always try to include any

in the Agricultural World. His story is

news items that come to our attention

worth a read later in the Newsletter. His

concerning old students, some are amusing

connection with Shuttleworth stems from

and alas some are sad.

his work as the Industrial Assessor for the

It takes a great deal of time and effort from several Members to collect the news items and stories that come together to make up the varied content. We are indebted to this group of people. We always welcome your stories to add to the Newsletter so please do not hesitate to send something in at any

HND course in the 1970’s and 80’s. I remember being interviewed by him and another assessor in 1980. Their role was to ensure that the course was relevant to current farming techniques and that the students were sent out well prepared to work in their chosen career.

time. As soon as this Newsletter is ‘put to

We unashamedly include two adverts.

bed’ we start collecting material for the

There is one for the College itself which

next one, so you can never be too early to

gives a good demonstration of the myriad

contribute.

courses now on offer. The other is for the

Thank you Eric Yates who keeps us posted throughout the year sending us articles from the Eastern Daily Press.

This year we lost two people who gave a

Collection: The Mansion, Swiss Garden and Collection are still very much part of the Trust but are no longer directly connected to the College and are run separately.

great deal to the College, Dave Valentine and Malcolm Stansfield. Dave was a student in the 1960’s and then, with others,

Paddy Godwin HND 77/80

1

Chairman’s Report As I write this short report I have a feeling of déjà vu. Earlier this summer it looked as though we were slowly exiting from the pandemic but recent figures show that it is still very much with us.

We (the committee) were encouraged by the positive vibes and even held our first face to face meeting for a long time in the Runway Café down at the airfield at Shuttleworth in early September.

Despite many of us ‘oldies’ having our booster jab, things are still far from normal, with over 30,000 daily cases being reported as of the middle of November. With this growing uncertainty, the college authorities have still not confirmed that the Presentation Day will go ahead next June and therefore our long-awaited reunion may have to be postponed yet again.

More about this elsewhere in the newsletter.

I was very pleased to welcome Mike Laflin as a new committee member. Mike was NDA 62/64 and farms in Attleborough, Norfolk. I am sure that he will be a valuable member of the team. If anyone else would consider putting their name forward they would be most welcome – especially some younger blood!!

I would, once again, like to thank Catherine Lloyd (director of Field Studies at the college) for keeping us up to date with college activities and, of course, to all the members of your committee for their unstinting help and assistance and without whom the Association would not exist.

As Christmas and the New Year approaches may I wish you and your families the compliments of the season and here’s hoping that 2022 proves to be a better year.

Tony Abbott NDA 1965 - 67

2

Report from Catherine Lloyd Director of Land Based Studies The academic year 2020/21 continued to be disrupted by the pandemic. There was another period of online learning and although we were well prepared to move to an online delivery model it, unfortunately, coincided with lambing. This meant that the students were unable to participate in the activity although the tutors were very innovative at delivering live lessons from the lambing shed. Sadly, we were unable to hold a summer ball or presentation

evening; however, we can still acknowledge and celebrate the students’ achievements.

Despite it being a later harvest due to the weather things are progressing well on the farm. The barley made malting grade this year and the wheat yielded well. We also made a great deal of silage, haylage and straw to take us through the winter

months. We are continuing with the countryside stewardship activities and in August had a full biodiversity audit done to provide information on our current position and give us guidance on the actions needed to further increase the range

and number of species on the farm.

The Red Poll herd is performing well.

This year we had 27

calves and, in the picture, you can see Shuttleworth Libby. We won best three related females in the Midlands Area herd competition

and

were

also

reserve champion large herd.

We have been trying some new technology in the form of no fence cattle collars with the

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herd, which provides opportunities for student project work with the information we gather

from this.

The start of the new academic year saw us being able to celebrate th thee 75th anniversary of Shuttleworth College and alongside the Shuttleworth Trust we were able to hold the Group’s

first in-person event, since the start of the pandemic, within a marquee and fortunately the weather was good.

As part of this event we

hosted the official opening of the Zoological Education Centre, delayed due to the pandemic.

The Zoological Education Centre provides an outstanding students.

learning

environment

for

our

It includes a state-of-the-art tropical

biome which houses a wide variety of species.

This

development

encourages

collaboration

among students from different areas; animal care, horticulture, fisheries to manage modern mixed-species exhibits. It brings different habitats such as the Amazon and the Outback to the Shuttleworth College campus and enables students to engage with these environments and develop hands-on skills.

The new academic year has started very positively with strong student numbers and we have been able to start to reintroduce some of the activities

valued by students, such as trips and visits, to enhance their studies. We are also working with employers to provide work placements for our students and are grateful for their support. We were able to welcome prospective students on site

to our open day in November, this enabled them to see the campus and get an idea of what it will be like to study here in person. We are looking forward to the rest of this academic year now we are able to return to a more normal way of operating.

Catherine Lloyd

4

COLLEGE REUNION – SATURDAY 18TH JUNE 2022 I have recently had some email correspondence with the college reference the use of the marquee for our reunion on the Saturday, after its use for the college Presentation day on the preceding Thursday.

In view of the current pandemic situation the college has still not made a firm decision to hold the Presentation Day and probably will not until the New Year. This therefore means that our reunion is also on ‘hold’ (not only for the use of the marquee but also access to the college).

As soon as more information is to hand we will advise by email, the association Facebook page and the website.

I appreciate that this is not the news we wanted to hear and we hope you will understand our dilemma.

Let’s hope that we do not have to postpone yet again but we will please be assured we will advise as soon as more information comes to hand.

Tony Abbott November 2021

5

Dave Valentine NDA 64-66 1945-2021 As many of you know, Dave Valentine died in May of this year. The SCA owes him much and below is a short obituary and some emails received by the SCA at the time.

Dave with his wife Barbra, May 2012

Dave was born in Bedford in 1945. Despite living in the town he had a yearning for the countryside and it was this love that drew him to Shuttleworth in the autumn of 1964 to begin the NDA course. There are many stories from that time involving him and other students and some memories of his time at Shutts follow this short obituary.

Dave graduated in 1966 and, after a spell working as an apprentice on a farm, took up a position with RHM in Stroud. Whilst there he managed to find time to keep some livestock of his own with a few hens, ducks, pigs and even a goat. However his life would not have been complete without a dog of some sort.

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In 1985 his career then took the family to Wheatley and work for Dalgety and ABN. During his time there he became immersed in the local community making many friends. His lifelong love of sport embraced rugby, playing for both School and College, rowing, cycling and motorsport.

In the lead up to and following retirement, his passion for the countryside returned and he enjoyed 21 years working with local wildlife trusts, particularly up at Treswell wood.

When Shuttleworth fell on hard times in the 1990’s Dave, with the help of others, managed to keep the SCA going. The Association owes him a great debt as his drive and enthusiasm helped put the SCA on a sound footing. Dave passed away on 19th May of this year. He will be sadly missed by many people but he will not be forgotten.

We received many tributes to Dave at the time and below are some of these memories:I know we are all getting to an age when people we know are passing away, but some losses are more heart-rending than others.

The news that my dear friend at college, Dave Valentine, has died has come as a great shock with extreme sadness, rather like my other pals, Joss Cleeve and Denzil Stones who have also passed away far too soon.

Dave and I exchanged jokes every week via email (last one 10 days ago), so I will miss that enormously. He was a larger than life character and I’ll always remember our trips in his LHD car to the PE College in Bedford.

Best wishes Paul White NDA 64/66. Wiltshire

Please include my name amongst those sending condolences on Dave Valentine’s death. He did a marvellous job and one must appreciate all the work he put into keeping the Old Students organisation going. I can only regret not having been able to attend many annual meetings.

Yours sincerely, Charlotte Croÿ-Twickel Ausserhof, Traidlweg, 33 6371, Aurach, Austria 7

It was with a shock and heartfelt sadness that I have just received news of Dave's passing.

I met and befriended him at Shutts in 1966 and we shared a good many laughs and pints together.

Years are passing quicker than I care to think and we are all looking at our own mortality.

Not wishing it to come but knowing it must.

I was in touch with him only recently, replying to one of his silly joke emails which kept us together. I am saddened that we had not met up for so many years.

Those left behind feel the pain. Those gone before shall be remembered.

Think only of the good times.

Ray Jenkins Shutts – 66/68

Hello, that is very sad news, I didn’t know Dave that well but like a lot of us spent some time crawling over and under his and other peoples’ cars. From memory his was a fairly spectacular (to the rest of us) Big Healey. After college I worked in the UK for a couple of years before getting a ride in a Landrover to Australia and got very slack about writing letters. Dave somehow found my email address and encouraged me to make contact but I’m afraid I’m still not much of a writer, but I thought I should make some effort to at least thank you for the news. Please pass on my sympathy to his family and friends, I think the chances of visiting UK again are nil, apart from Covid my old body is still hobby farming 160 acres so it’s not easy to do any touristing!

All the best, regards, Dave Aylwin NDA 64/66

In Memorium:Martin Ellis. (Gumby) OND 75/78. Died May 2018.

Mike Ings 27/4/2020 NDA 63/65 Autumn 2020.

David Shephard OND 73/76 2021 Martin Lush NDA 1956/58 Died 15/8/2021.

We received the following letter from Martin Lush’s widow:8

Dear Patrick I received your email the other day and write to inform you that my dear husband of sixty

years died on 15th August. He was at Shuttleworth from 1956/58 and met me, a local Biggleswade girl, whilst there. We married in 1961 and had two children, Andrew and Jenny.

We also have four grandchildren and one great-grandson.

He was 84 and had had a good life, mostly spent as an agricultural lecturer at Gaythorpe Court, Lincolnshire. We returned to Ashwell in Hertfordshire in 1999 to be nearer our daughters and family at Hitchin.

Sincerely Carolyn Lush

John Malcolm Stansfield, Professor Malcolm Stansfield MBE, BSc, Dip.Agric FIAgrM, FIMgt, FRAgS, FRASE, Princess Royal Award, and Churchill Scholar sadly passed away on

Saturday 19th June 2021.

He had a very long and distinguished career and life within agriculture, and stood down last year as the Hon. Secretary of the English Panel of CARAS after 18

years in the role.

Malcolm was born and raised near

Barnoldswick (‘Barlick’ to locals), son of a Master Butcher, his grandparents farmed at nearby Copy Nook Farm in Bowland.

When he was born, Barnoldswick was within the West Riding of Yorkshire – a Yorkshireman “from God’s own County”

– although since 1974 the residents of the town reluctantly pay their council taxes to Lancashire! Commitment to practical

farming combined with suitable prowess at school secured Malcolm a place in 1953 to study Agriculture at the University of

Leeds.

A postgraduate diploma in Agriculture

brought him to study at Reading where he became a Senior Lecturer in Farm Management combined with the Director of the University’s farms. Malcolm retired after 42 years as the longest-serving member of the University of Reading’s academic staff. Malcolm with others

founded the International Farm 9

Management Association (IFMA) which

In the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June

held its first biennial congress in 1971.

2003, Malcolm was awarded the MBE

Elected President in 1991, Malcolm retired

(Member of the British Empire) for his

at the 16th Congress in Cork in 2007 and

services to agriculture and to the

took on the role as a patron.

community in Reading. Malcolm was

Malcolm’s skills as a communicator

awarded the post of Hon. Visiting

combined with his academic and practical

Professor by The Royal Agricultural

knowledge have been well recognised in

College in autumn 2007. Over the years,

the farming industry. He served as Chief

Malcolm Stansfield gave a host of talks to

Agricultural Adviser to the Royal

farming, rural and general public

Agricultural Society of England for several

audiences and was for several years a

years. A Winston Churchill Scholar, he

trustee of FCN – then Farm Crisis

studied the management of large-scale

Network but now Farming Community

dairying in North America and was a

Network. An active member of Rotary

recipient of the Princess Royal Award for

International for years, he was twice

his services to the UK dairy industry. He

awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship of that

lectured widely, had been consultant in

organisation.

numerous countries and was a Special

Malcolm’s first wife Mary died in

Adviser to the House of Commons

December 2004 after a long illness. He has

Agriculture Select Committee. He was an

three married children and six

author of many management and

grandchildren. Malcolm married Berenice

husbandry papers and in his inimitable

in June 2010 and they lived in Cirencester

style presented a series of agricultural

where he was active in Probus and at the

video programmes – widely used in

parish church of St John.

teaching establishments.

Our thanks go to those of you who have passed on news of old students. We do appreciate it as it means we can not only pass on the news to fellow old students, but also we can keep our records up to date.

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AN AUSTRALIAN CHARACTER When I first went out to Western Australia

The surrounds of the house were a

in 1968 to view the 12000-acre property

disgusting mess with corrugated iron sheds

that I was to manage in the wheat belt, we

and animal bones lying around. She

met the previous owner, Winnie Vincent.

employed aborigines which, typical of the

As we were looking round the property she

time, were treated like animals. The film

appeared in a battered old Ute. She was

“Rabbit proof fence” was made at about

less than 5 foot tall, with an enormous

the time we were there. The rabbit proof

bosom. She was dressed as she almost

fence formed the eastern boundary of the

always was in very short men’s football

property. There was a fire in one of the

shorts, high shoes and a ragged blouse;

sheds in which two aborigines were burnt

round her neck was usually a pair of old

to death. Her comment reputedly was

drawers which contained ice blocks. All

“glad it did not kill any pigs”!

topped with a battered straw hat.

Her husband Clarrie, she described as her

“Would you like some tea boys? I will

skivvy. They had bought a drum of silver

bring a billie”. She appeared shortly after

paint which he sprayed everywhere,

with the billie, but we could not see any

including their bedroom walls, spraying

cups; she dived her filthy hands and arms

around two tractor tyres which they kept

into the tea and pulled out the cups!

there. The vet, one of the two other

We should have realised that lunch was to

Englishmen in the area the other being the

be avoided but went along. The old

doctor, called round one afternoon and was

homestead had been built by Italian POWs

called into the house where he found them

in the First World War and was a solid

in bed with their boots on!!

stone house. As we got to the door we

The old rogue broke every rule and law.

were met by a sow and piglets that rushed

To sell wheat for cash she mixed 10%

out of the door through the remains of a fly

barley seed in with wheat so that the

wire door. Inside chooks (hens) perched on

produce would get rejected by the wheat

the TV. On the veranda a side of kangaroo

board. This meant when wheat quotas

hung black with flies. The milk jug had a

came in as soon as we arrived there was

layer of flies, which she swept off with her

very little production history on which the

hand before pouring the tea. I lost my

quotas were based. If a cow calved or a pig

appetite! “John doesn’t look too good”- I

farrowed on the road, she would put a

said that I was still suffering from air

fence round them, which the school bus

sickness!!

had to negotiate. When she was 11

prosecuted, she took a calf into the

the outback the coach got bogged. She was

courtroom on a hot day and burst into tears

rewarded for saving them by cutting down

which she was good at, to gain sympathy.

tree branches and getting the coach out. On

After a few hours, the smell from the calf

one occasion her car broke down and was

can only be imagined!

towed into the garage on a Friday evening.

It was reputed that her old father died a

She did not tell them that in the boot were

year before the 7 years needed to avoid

dead sheep which she would have been

inheritance tax, so she kept him in the deep

taking home to give to the pigs. When they

freeze for a year!!

went to work after the weekend they were

After the farm was sold, she bought a

met by a ghastly smell. On another

convalescent home in Perth. She had a

occasion she drove into a flash flood and

sheep station 350 miles from Perth, where

was found sitting on the roof of the car in

again illegally she kept pigs. She bought a

tears because a ram was drowned in the

Ford Galaxy limousine which had been the

car.

Premier of Western Australia official car.

We built 3 houses, a machinery shed and

She brought the waste food from the

fertilise store a mile away from the old

convalescent home up to the station and

homestead. We bulldozed the old huts etc

the pork, mutton and beef to feed the

down and tried to clean the old homestead

patients. With temperatures over 40

up for shearers’ quarters. We found that in

degrees C, we all knew when she stopped

the kitchen she had put new lino down

off at our little town. Like a wild west

with a layer of newspapers between every

film, the street suddenly cleared. The home

year. Think we found 15 layers.

was shut down by the authorities after a

When we moved in, she used to arrive to

couple of years on hygiene grounds, not

give us meat, which we certainly did not

surprisingly!

want. She would hang the ice filled

At a livestock sale where I was buying

drawers on the fence, which on one

sheep, someone shouted out” Some of

occasion my Labrador pup rushed off with

those steers look a bit riggy Winnie” “If

spraying ice cubes everywhere.

they have got balls so have I” On a coach trip with the CWA (like our WI) somewhere miles from anywhere in

John Pawlyn NDA 60/62

12

This picture in an old copy of the Farmers Weekly stimulated a bit of email traffic and brought us some great memories, thank you one and all.

Ken Russell passed away on the 18th December 1967. At the early age of only 51. I had completely forgotten how young he was when he died, only 3 years since we had finished our studies at Shutts.

It was at this time that we had the big outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in the UK, (very bad in Cheshire) which I'm sure we all remember so well. What a great chap he was and a brilliant College Principal to us all. It was because of Ken Russell's reputation that I chose to apply to Shutts to further my agricultural education.

As a Cheshire man, born and bred, I had heard and read about the role this man played in the UK Dairy farm industry for so many years, I wanted to learn more. I was not to be disappointed.

Already looking forward to the June 2022 Re-union - 60 years since we all met up at Shutts.

Regards to all, Wack. (Neil Hampson NDA 62/64)

I think if Ken Russell had lived a few more years than he did, he would have received

Dear Wack,

a Knighthood for his service to British

How I thoroughly agree with your

Agriculture. What he would have thought

sentiments about Ken Russell. I went to

of the current situation in the Agricultural

Shutts for the same reason, namely his

Industry, goodness only knows!!!!!!!! And

huge reputation in the dairy industry. I

as for the E.U.

still remember his mantra about not

??????????????????????????????

wasting money on cow palaces but spending it on the best stock you could

Hope everyone is keeping safe and well

afford. I also remember him demonstrating how to take a cow’s temperature by stuffing his biro up its back 13

end before removing it and putting it

attention rather too frequently. As

straight back in his jacket pocket! What a

principal of the college he was

great character.

outstanding, setting a great example of how to teach theory and successfully apply

I still remember those wonderful two years

it and make the presence of the college

we spent at Shutts as being some of the

widely known. Throughout my time at

most enjoyable of my life. I cannot wait

Shuttleworth I benefitted enormously from

for our next reunion and find it hard to

his enthusiastic application of up-to-the-

believe it will be 60 years since we first

minute procedures in the running of the

met. John, you do such a great job in

farms. He was a tremendously competent

keeping us all informed of what is going

public speaker and writer and usefully

on with our year group, sadly all too often

applied these skills to make quite sure that

to tell us of the passing of one of our

Shuttleworth was always recognised as

number.

being at the forefront of agricultural education ...... and so it was! Happy days

With very best wishes to all

indeed. And I’m sure our jolly sherry

Rupert (Rupert Turner NDA 62/64)

sessions with Mrs Shuttleworth did us, and her, a lot of good. Throughout all this time

Dear Patrick, I recall my time at Shuttleworth (19571959) with great pleasure, satisfaction and thankful memories. My initial year coincided with Ken Russell’s first year (until then vice-principal of Cirencester) and a very stimulating start to the twoyear course it was. Ken, who always addressed us as “gentlemen”, even if as a group or individual we had transgressed,

never was there mention or a clue as to the financial problems that she, the Trust and Ken, as principal, could see were looming.

Life at Shuttleworth was, indeed, extremely pleasant, educational and stimulating in the best sense of the words.

The wooden hut dining hall provided us with some pretty good food, though never can you satisfy all of the people all of the time!

was a great choice for the post of principal.

There we go ... my thoughts for yesterday

One had to admire his devotion to the job

and today.

and patience with wayward students even when transgressions were the subject of his

With good wishes David Surfleet (NDA 57/59) 14

Photo Gallery

Ken Russell Outside the Mansion 1967

Mrs Shuttleworth Planting a Tree. 1967

15

1967

Michael Green (NDA 65/67) receiving the 1967 Accounts Prize from Mrs Shuttleworth

The 1967 Hockey Team Simon Foot (Captain) centre and Michael Green second row right of the Goalkeeper.

Who are the others?

16

A study-bedroom circa 1967

Staff v Students Cricket Match summer 1980.

From left to right: Peter Patrick, Tony March but who else?

17

Tim Raisbeck, Malcolm Sym, Martin Vine and Jim Watson on their way home from the airfield

summer 1980

Notes from the Editorial Team Thank you all for your contributions to this magazine, without which there would be nothing to print! We were lucky enough to receive a batch of great photos from 65/67 student Michael Green and Chris Reading (HND 77/90). We have used some but you can find all of them on the SCA website. www.shuttleworthalumni.co.uk . If anyone else has any photos that they would like to share please send them in to us on patrick.godwin@btinternet.com and we can use them next year and/or put them on the website.

The Old Students database keeps names, addresses and contact details for many past students.

It was originally compiled from data given over by the College and is maintained using Microsoft Access. The information is used to send this Newsletter out and to let members know of Reunions or other events relating to the College. Former students looking to find old friends may contact Paddy to help their search. We do not use this information for marketing or other purposes. If you do not want to be on this database, which is kept STRICTLY private then please contact Paddy Godwin on patrick.godwin@btinternet.com and we can remove your details permanently.

Please forgive us if you find any errors or if you think some things have been left out. We would welcome any feedback as we try and improve on the content with every edition.

18

News gleaned from the papers throughout 2021 from our far East correspondent, Eric Yates.

January Jamie Lockhart (ND 92/95) was elected as the new Norfolk county chairman for the NFU. After Shuttleworth he worked with James Paterson at Dilham and set up a successful joint venture farming company while working for Watlington Farms. After 16 years as farm manager at Honingham Thorpe Farms, in Jan 2021 he was also beginning a new role as managing director at Brandon-based farming company Frederick Hiam. According to our correspondent, who did some research on Google, Jamie was also a Nuffield scholar.

February Norfolk farmer John Cross (HND 76/79), who has led the Bovine TB Eradication Advisory Group since 2012, has been appointed by ministers as the independent chairman of the Bovine Tuberculosis Partnership. This group is there to help find a consensus on advice to ministers as to how to tackle bovine TB. The poor weather caused difficulties with the sugar beet harvest which led to British Sugar delaying the scheduled closure date of its plant at Cantley until the end of March. Thomas

19

Love (NDA 71/73) who farms on the Norfolk coast at Walcott was one of the farmers affected.

March Prof. Mike Alder had a letter published which pointed out the dangers of losing good quality farmland to solar farms as local authorities seek to achieve ‘carbon neutral’ targets.

April The annual Norfolk malting barley competition between Stalham and Holt Farmer’s Clubs was contested by Graham de Feyter of Edingthorpe, who won the Holt title and his son, Edward de Feyter (FC 80/81) of East Ruston who was Stalham’s barley champion. As similar samples were entered by father and son it was declared a tie for the first time in its 20 year history.

May Jamie Lockhart (ND 92/95)joined the YANA charity team for a 6 mile leg of the Walking Norfolk Challenge. The farming mental health charity was raising awareness of its work, with teams walking the 375 mile equivalent to the distance between Norwich and Paris.

Colin Rayner (OND 76/79) is mentioned in several articles regarding the problem farmers are having with quad bikers and scramblers damaging crops. He suggests there be a legal requirement for all quad bikes to be registered and have a tracker fitted.

June Nick Gowing (ND 88/91), Richard Hirst (HND 80/83) were part of a team of six who cycled the 940 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats. They aimed to raise £25,000 to be split between 5 charities –YANA, East Anglia Children’s Hospice, the Motor Neurone Disease association, Muscular Dystrophy UK and the Royal Marsden Cancer charity. They actually raised £43,000!

August There was an article in the Farmers Weekly about Kit Papworth (HND 89/92) early drilling winter wheat variety Wolverine. This is resistant to BYDV so later drilling and autumn insecticides are not needed to control the aphid-spread virus.

20

September David Cross, farming in partnership with his father John Cross (HND 76/79) as tenants of the Sedgeford Hall Estate, has become one of the new Monitor Farmers in the knowledge-sharing network run by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. They manage a closed flock of 900 ewes alongside an arable enterprise including barley, wheat, potatoes and sugar beet.

October Kit Papworth (HND 89/92), whose father died in 2018, took part in an online mental health webinar aimed at preventing suicides in farming. 133 people in the farming community lost their lives to suicide in 2019. Another speaker was Emma Haley, charity manager for the mental health charity YANA. The first grapes have been pressed at a new winery on the family farm of Robert Perowne (FC 74/75) near Burnham Market. Cobble Hill is a 9 acre vineyard growing Bacchus, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties which were first planted in 2016, with the first wine produced in 2018. The 2020 Cobble Hill Bacchus wine won a Silver Medal at the Wines of Great Britain Awards.

A year on the Marsh The Lincolnshire Marsh is an area of land

further south. This is ‘strong’ land by

running along the coast from Grimsby in

anybodies measure.

the north to Skegness in the South. It is bounded in the east by the sea and in the west by the chalk escarpment of the Lincolnshire Wolds. People often consider The Marsh as part of the Lincolnshire Fen, but mention this to any true Marshman and they will soon put you right. The Soils on the Marsh are mainly heavy clay a world away from the silt or peaty Fen soils seen

After moving up from Wiltshire in 1970 to Authorpe, halfway between Louth and Alford, the Marsh became my home. Dad was a Farm Manager on a large, very modern pig unit, and I, along with my sister went to school in Louth. I left school in the summer of 1976, after completing my A levels and after a short break looked to start work at Glebe Farm and so begin 21

my pre-college practical year. I am not

down the grain bins. The long hot summer

sure if it happens now but in those days we

of ’76 had ushered in an early harvest and

all had to work on a farm for a year prior

the field of Mazurka barley opposite the

to entering college. Dad was a member of

store was ripening by the minute. That job

a local farm discussion group and fixed an

seemed to go fine and it soon came to

interview for me with a local mixed farmer

‘lunch time’. Now in that part of the world

to see if it suited to go there as ‘the

you start at 6.30 and work till you stop for

student’ for a year. So one Sunday

‘lunch’ at 9. The day begins again at 9.30

morning in May of ’76 we went off to

until 12.30 when you stop for ‘dinner’.

Glebe Farm, Great Carlton to meet and a

The afternoon starts at 1.30 until 5 when

chat with Roger Taylor. He said he would

either the day finishes or, in busy times

be pleased to have me work there for a

you have ‘tea’, and then go on working.

year but he made no promises about the

All meal breaks were taken in the Lunch

winter, it may get a bit quiet, he said.

shed. Ron and Pete, as befitting their

So it was with bit of trepidation that at ten past six on the Monday morning in the third week of June 1976 I drove the route that I would come to know so well. I would need to know it well, there would be times over the coming year when I would be driving those narrow lanes and it could be very thick fog or, more likely, be

senior status had old armchairs but as an example of their welcoming nature I was quickly provided with an upturned 5 gallon drum complete with a hessian sack full of straw to act as a cushion.

Comfortable as my old drum was, when Pete went home at dinner time I was soon into his chair.

terribly hungover, perhaps both!

We met in the workshop and Roger introduced me to the rest of the staff. That didn’t take long as there were only two others; Pete the stockman/shepherd and Ron the tractor driver. The Farm was a traditional mixed farm of some 400 acres.

Alongside the arable there was a herd of

The lunch hut

Lincoln Red sucklers and a small mixed

The afternoon of that first day brought

flock of Cluns with a few Lincoln

about some stock work and I was

Longwools. My first job was to blow 22

instructed to go to the workshop to pick

One dinner time Pete suggested that I had

out a cattle stick from the collection by the

a go with the baler while he was away. I

door. Pick one that you like and that will

jumped on the little Massy 135 and off I

be your stick for your time here they said. I

went. All of a sudden there was a load

selected a lovely ash stem about 5 foot

‘BANG’ and the baler stopped! Oh my

long. The hedge it had been cut from must

goodness what have I done. I was in a

have been ‘layed’ at some stage as the pole

panic, Roger certainly hadn’t sanctioned

had grown vertically from a horizontal

me to go baling and now it’s obviously

stem giving it a wonderful handle. These

‘buggered’. I looked and checked and

are not to beat the cattle with said Pete, we

looked a bit more but couldn’t work it out.

don’t do that. Use it as an extension of you

I sat down on a bale, somewhat dejected,

arm that’s all you need to do. It was one of

and waited for Pete’s return to report the

the many excellent pieces of advice given

disaster. He had a grin on his face a mile

to me in that year. They have stayed with

wide when I told him what had happened.

me ever since.

‘Loud bang was it?’ he asked.

That first week ended and it was payday.

‘Yes, very loud, then everything just

There was nothing fancy like a pay packet.

stopped’, I said.

We were paid to the nearest pound upwards and the notes came along with a till roll from the desk calculator, held together with an elastic band. I took the cash into Louth the next day and invested some of it in a set of tungsten darts, which I still have.

After several shakes of the head and sucking of air through his teeth he delighted in telling me that it was only the shear bolt that had broken. Within a few minutes it was fixed and off I went again with Pete sorting the bales. The shear bolt is a small bolt that holds to halves of the

The hot summer persisted and harvest was

drive mechanism together. Designed to

quick and easy. Ron drove the combine,

‘shear’ off at times when the load on the

Roger was grain cart man and Pete did the

drive becomes too great, when a student

baling. The bale sledge was a simple

drives too fast into a large lump of straw

accumulator which would only empty

for example, the bolt acts as a safety

when the rope was pulled, leaving the

device. It is designed to break and stop all

bales in a disorganised jumble. As the

drive into the baler from the PTO shaft. I

‘boy’ my job was follow the baler and put

know that now!

the bales in flat eights ready for the loader.

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The long hot summer soon became a

Ron gave me the best start to my farming

monsoon, and autumn 1976 was a wet one.

career. And what adventures after Glebe

The heavy soils of the marsh, despite

Farm? Well three weeks after finishing on

starting the season bone dry, soon grew

the Marsh I started at Shuttleworth and my

sticky. But the corn got drilled and all was

life changed again.

well. The year passed with many other incidents and adventures and at the end of August 1977 it was time to leave. What had I learned in my year on the Marsh?

Well I can back a two wheel trailer through the eye of a needle and a four wheel one come to that. I know that sticks are not for beating cattle but guiding them, and that baler sheer bolts are designed to break. Above all I learned that the most important part of any business are the people who work in it and Roger, Pete and

Modern technology has given me the chance to have an aerial view of Glebe farm and when I have a slow day its possible look upon the old place and relive some of those memories. I can see that the old ‘crew yard’ in Little Carlton, where on Christmas day 1976 I went to feed the beasts,still wearing my novelty hat I had somehow gained from the celebrations the night before in the Wagon and Horses, is now a smart house with not cow in sight.

Paddy Godwin HND 77/80

SHUTTLEWORTH COLLEGE ALUMNI MINUTES OF THE AGM – SATURDAY 22nd May 2021 Present: Tony Abbott (Chairman), Richard Infield (Vice Chairman) Mike Williams (Treasurer), Charlotte Maynard (Secretary) , Graeme Brown, Paddy Godwin, Sarah Perrett, Catherine Lloyd (College Director), Nick Drury, Bill Jones, Richard Calver, Mike Lafin, Christopher Smith, John Simpson, Robert Cowper, Charles xxx , Geoff Prices, Bruce Ashworth, Garth Drury.(HND84/87) Apologies: Eric Yates, Nick Drury, Richard Payne NDA 65-67, Barry Shears NDA 70-72, Lyn Churchill HND 78-81, Tom Wootton FC 88-89, Crispin De Pass OND 76/79, Chris Fyson 65-67, Phil Godfrey ND 86-89, Martin Gosling NDA 64-66 24

The minutes of the 2020 AGM were accepted and approved.

A one minute silence was held in memory of Dave Valentine (1964-1966) who sadly passed away this week.

1. Chairman’s Report: These have been unprecedented times and as a result, we, in line with many other organisations, have had a very quiet year.

The College reunion (planned for June 2020) has had to be postponed but with the slow ‘opening up’ of the UK, we hope to resurrect the event as soon as safely possible.

The committee has been able to meet on the usual four times a year, albeit by video call meetings. We hope to be able to meet in person as soon as possible.

I would like to thank Catherine Lloyd (Director of Field Studies at the college) who has joined us at every meeting to update us on happenings at the college – thanks Catherine.

I would also like to put on record my personal thanks to all the members of the committee who have worked tirelessly on behalf of the members.

Finally, only today I have received some very sad news. Dave Valentine (1964-1966) passed away unexpectedly two days ago. Dave had been secretary for many years and ‘held’ the Association together especially in the years that Shuttleworth moved to Cranfield. Without doubt, if it wasn’t for Dave we would not have an association now. R.I.P.Dave – thanks for all you did for the old students - you will never be forgotten.

2. Treasurer’s Report: Mike Williams circulated the statement of revenue and expenditure, capital account and bank accounts. (Attached). The main expenditure was for donations to the College – including the funding tree (£5,396) Expenditure over income has not really changed since last year. 2020 Expenditure was £7,273 against Income of £2,864 as mentioned the main expenditure was the donation to the college. The Capital account contains £25,540 split between a deposit account and a current account.

3. Secretary’s Report – Charlotte Maynard thanked Tony and the rest of the committee for their efforts in planning the reunion and expressed her disappointment on it being cancelled due to Covid-19.and hope we can plan it again for later this year or next year. The zoom calls work really well and has kept us all in touch throughout the Covid lockdowns. Charlotte is hoping we will be able to meet face to face again soon back at the College.

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4. IT Manager’s Report: (Paddy Godwin) The table below shows the subscriber income and debtors for the years 16/17 through to 20/21.

Year

Subs Income

Debtors

20/21

£1890

£1727

19/20

£2250

£1318

18/19

£1950

£1606

17/18

£2050

£1226

16/17

£2001

£1259

It demonstrates two things; firstly that subscriber income is dropping slowly year on year. It also shows that when we chase our debtors we get a sudden rise in income, note the jump in income in 19/20 and the drop in debtors for the year before. On a positive note when we talk to lapsed subscribers the vast majority get back on board and repay their debt. We have cleared all hard copy subscribers from the list of debtors but we need to work on the remainder.

This year we added a photograph page to our website which has proved popular.

Several years ago we rescued the collection of college year photographs. We decided to digitize these irreplaceable photos and add them to the website for all to see. Old students will be able to get copies of these photographs if they wish.

Note the Alumni web site address is www.shuttleworthalumni.co.uk

5. Editor’s Report: Graeme along with help from Paddy and Sarah are working on the next newsletter which will be published later this year. He will continue to forward pieces over to Paddy who also still receives regular snippets from Eric Yates from local press.

6. Students College Report – (Catherine Lloyd) – The college was able to reopen to face to face learning on Monday 8th March following a period of lockdown. Despite the disruptions the students are progressing well and are very happy to be back on site. This term we are concentrating on completing as much practical activity as possible to enable the learners to develop skills and confidence in practical settings. We are fortunate to have access to a large amount of outdoor space at Shuttleworth meaning the students can undertake these activities with plenty of distance between them.

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Unfortunately, the learners missed lambing, however the staff rose to the challenge and the final total was 340 lambs. As the students had missed many of the handling opportunities that come with lambing, we have been working with a small number of weaner pigs which we have taken through to finishing. So far, of the 23 cows in calf, 22 have given birth including one set of twins. There have been a high number of heifer calves born. We have a new bull, King Valentine, who has passed his TB and health assurance tests and so will be able to go out with some of the herd this year.

We have had the soil across the farm sampled and are undertaking a project using compost alongside farmyard manure to improve organic matter in the soil in specific areas. We are also undertaking surveys to enable us to identify wildlife activity on the farm so we can take actions to increase the range of habitats and the number of species present.

Looking forward to September, student numbers are strong with a lot of interest across the subject areas.

Part time adult courses in floristry and horticulture have been extremely popular and this year and we have run additional groups in both. Sadly due to the ongoing situation there will be no summer ball or presentation evening for the second year, however we are hopeful that next academic year we will be able to return to a more normal situation.

7. Election of Officers for the ensuing year: Chairman: Tony Abbott – proposed by Charlotte Maynard, seconded by Sarah Perrett Vice Chairman: Richard Infield - proposed by Tony Abbott seconded by Charlotte Scott Secretary: Charlotte Maynard – proposed by Sarah Perrett, seconded by Richard Infield Treasurer: Mike Williams – proposed by Paddy Godwin, seconded by Graeme Brown IT Manager: Patrick Godwin – proposed by Charlotte Maynard, seconded by Graeme Brown Editor: Graeme Brown – proposed by Paddy Godwin, seconded by Richard Infield Committee members: Nick Drury, Eric Yates, Sarah Perrett, Claire Van Leersum and Sally Cartwright were re-elected ‘en bloc’. Proposed Richard Infield, and seconded by Graeme Brown.

Mike Laflin would like to join the committee and proposed by Tony Abbot and Seconded by John Simpson.

8. Reunion 27

The Shuttleworth Trust has offered us use of a Covid Secure Marquee for the weekend of 10th/11th and 12th September 2021 it will also coincide with the 75th anniversary of the College.

This was discussed and it was agreed its quite short notice so it was agreed we will continue to plan for a reunion in June next year. We will have a casual event using the marquee in September 2021 and Charlotte and Tony will liaise with the Trust.

9. The annual draw then took place: 1st prize (£250): No46 - W Easton (85-88) 2nd prize (£150): No72 – Ben Banks (ND 90-93) 3rd prize (£50): No7 – Nigel J Kellett (HND 74-77) A.O.B. There was no further business to report.

This concluded the Annual General Meeting Charlotte Maynard

20 May 2021

The SCA Annual Prize Draw!

Your chance of winning a big prize!

Every year at the AGM we draw 3 prizes.

1st £250, 2nd £150, 3rd £50 Cost is just £10 per Annum and you can buy as many tickets as you wish!

Details and entries from Mike Williams:

E-mail michael.williams19@sky.com

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S.C.A Merchandise

Polo Shirts This popular item features the Shuttleworth Crest on Navy Blue. £15 each including p & p

.

Available in XX Large, X Large, Large and Medium Sizes

Rugby Shirts Navy Blue with a white collar and the Shuttleworth crest.

Available in XX Large, X Large, Large and Medium Sizes

Just £25 each eac inc p&p

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A selection of available Ties, £10 inc. P & P

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Glorious prints of the Mansion

A superb print of this beautiful Water Colour of the College viewed from the Warren and painted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Shuttleworth Un-mounted: Size: 17" x 13". Cost: only £5 inc. p&p

Lapel Badges still available at £2.00 each inc. p&p

All orders to :Sarah Perrett. 01458 251523 or e-mail: perrett_sarah@hotmail.com All cheques payable to Shuttleworth College Association - with Orders please.

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COMMITTEE & OFFICERS S.C.A. 2021 Chairman

Tony Abbott

NDA 65/67

Hants

tonyabbott1@hotmail.co.uk

Vice Chairman

Richard Infield

ND 90/93

Beds

richardjinfield@btconnect.com

Secretary

Charlotte Scott

ND/BF90/92 Bedfordshire

charlotte_scott@hotmail.com

Treasurer

Mike Williams

NDA 65/67

Peterborough

michael.williams19@sky.com

Database Manager

Patrick Godwin

HND 77/80

Somerset

patrick.godwin@btinternet.com

Committee.

Nick Drury

HND 81/84

Eric Yates

Retired Staff Norfolk

Sarah Perrett

HND 77/80

Claire Van Leersum HND 81/84

Cambs

nickhan.drury@ntlworld.com 3hunstanton@gmail.com

Somerset

perrett_sarah@hotmail.com

Cambs

cgvanleersum@googlemail.com

Graeme Brown

OND 77/80

Suffolk

graemebrown@me.com

Mike Laflin

NDA 62/64

Suffolk

moleplough@btinternet.com

College Contact

Margaret Curry

01767 626222 mcurry@bedford.ac.uk

President Charlotte Friefrau John Von Twickle

Vice J.E. Scott, S.C. Whitbread, Bill Bedser, Eric Yates and Professor Mike Alder.

Presidents Secretary

Newsletter Coordinator

Charlotte Scott, Unwin Cottage, 5 Pear Tree piece, Old Warden, Biggleswade, SG18 9FD. charlotte_scott@hotmail.com Tel: 01767 626311 Mobile: 07717862747 Graeme Brown, 25 Church Lane, Oulton,Lowestoft Suffolk NR32 3JN graemebrown@me.com, 07775 331830

The editor is looking for material for the next Newsletter as soon as this one goes to press, so please don’t delay, get writing, look for stories and send them to him as soon as possible.

Website :- www.shuttleworthalumni.co.uk

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