Talk About Epping Autumn 2015

TALK ABOUT EPPING TOWN MAGAZINE

Epping-Eppingen Epping WI Town Show

AUTUMN 2015

IN THIS ISSUE: Epping in Bloom EFDC Museum War Memorial

Transplant Service Copped Hall Corner Local Organisations

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The Mayor’s view

I have now been a Town Councillor for a little over four years, serving as Chairman of Planning for two years and Deputy Mayor for one year.

I was delighted to have been elected again this year, for which I thank the people of Epping.

Nothing quite prepares you for the sense of pride when you are invested as Town Mayor and the retiring Mayor places the chain of office round your shoulders. It is a great pleasure and privilege to serve this town and I will do my best to fulfil the obligations of this office. I was thrilled my wife Lorna and some of my family could come and support me.

The Deputy Mayor for the next year will be Les Burrows and I am certain he and his wife Carol are looking forward to the year as much as I am.

The duties of the Mayor are very varied and I will do my best to maintain the very high standards set by retiring Mayor Barbara Scruton.

She will be a very hard act to follow and I hope the next Mayor will be able to say the same about me.

It is now about four months since I took office and so far I have been to the Epping in Bloom planting day, which is supported by the Town Council and run by our local

horticulture experts, the flower beds being designed by our local school children.

We have welcomed the Italian and French markets to our town and this has proved a great success and I personally have learned a lot about cheese and olives.

The highlight so far has of course been the Town Show, which I had the privilege of opening and then touring the displays accompanied by our MP Eleanor Laing.

Thank you to the staff at Epping Hall for all their hard work and to Bill Towers and our grounds team for all their hard work.

There were about 10 events in the main arena and a great many side shows and stalls representing the many different aspects of our town.

Unfortunately, our Town Clerk Alan Shaw left us on that day for pastures new and we wish him and his family well and thank him for all his hard work for the Town Council and Epping.

My charity for the year will be Chigwell Riding Trust and your generosity will go to help Debra Hall and her team do a really fantastic job.

My first few months have literally flown by and I can only put that down to the very warm welcome I have received wherever I have been.

It is lovely to know so many of you in Epping and I look forward to meeting many more of you over the coming year.

I am very honoured and excited to be leading the Town Council.

Michael Wright

The Epping-Eppingen Association has at the heart of its ethos building friendships and understanding between the people of Epping and the people of Eppingen in Southern Germany.

Our connections with this small town means that we are always keen to familiarise ourselves with German culture.

What better way to begin our 2015 programme than with a wine tasting evening, sampling wines from the Baden Wurtemberg region where our twin town lies.

In May, there was a supper evening. Our after-dinner speaker Angelika Baxter gave a talk about the cultural differences between East and West Germans. The talk was a wonderful insight into how political influences have affected the everyday lives of the German people.

Members are encouraged to visit our twin town and some enjoy developing their language skills. To this end, a language course recently took place.

Participants were hosted by German families and enjoyed formal lessons and cultural visits. The programme was very varied and included visits to a garden show and the world heritage site of Maulbronn, an ancient monastery complex. We went on a tour of Kurpark in Bad Rappenau and shopping in Heilbronn.

In MĂźhlacker, we experienced a taste of Roman life in an exhibition staged in a disused gasometer, a truly remarkable presentation.

This Roman introduction prepared us for the highlight of our trip, a visit to Trier (below) where we heard about the influences of the Romans on early German history, as we viewed archaeological remains in this ancient city.

Our return to Eppingen from Trier was particularly enjoyable.

For the first part of the journey we travelled by boat along the Moselle, enjoying views of beautiful vineyards on both sides of the river. Throughout, we were accompanied by many of our German friends whose hospitality could not be surpassed.

Halfway through 2015, we are pleased our association continues to flourish and we look forward to welcoming our visitors from Eppingen to Epping in September.

We hope to see some more new members in the months ahead.

For more information, contact Joy on 01279 428622 or visit www.epping-eppingen.co.uk

Porta Nigra,Trier

The history of Epping WI

by Paula Harrold, President of Epping WI

The Women’s Institute started in Ontario, Canada.

Its founder, Adelaide Hoodless, educated herself in domestic science after suffering a tragedy and went on to become a speaker and form the WI. The WI in Britain was founded in 1915 (the very first in Anglesey, Wales) and celebrates its 100 year anniversary this year. Its core were feisty women, including suffragettes, academics and social crusaders, changing many women’s lives.

The government saw them as a means of mobilising country women to help with food production during war times. By 1917, there were 140 WIs in England and Wales. Epping and District WI was formed and had its first meeting on Thursday 13th September 1917.

The first president was Mrs A Wythes, of Copped Hall and she was president until 1923. A public meeting was held in Epping on July 9th 1920 and a resolution was passed in favour of organising a hall and club for the benefit of Epping and District, a joint hall and separate men’s club on a site in St John’s Road. In recent years, a chair that was used by the presidents was gifted to Copped Hall in honour of Mrs A Wythes.

Epping WI has played a significant part in the history of the Women’s Institute Movement in Britain. Epping member, Mrs Trenow, put forward the very first NFWI resolution in October 1928, attended by 500 delegates, on the provision of a sufficient supply of convenient and sanitary houses, thus marking the beginning of the organisation’s trademark involvement with campaigning and public affairs. Epping continues to support many campaigns through the decades to the present time.

In 1932, the president of Essex Federation of Women’s Institute Dora Christy presented Epping WI with an award of merit for drama. The very talented members of Epping’s drama groups have entertained many people throughout the years.

In 1946, the WI hall was gifted to the Epping Urban District Council as the WI was unable to maintain the hall and in exchange were given meetings for free. The hall was replaced with a new larger one in 1997. Surrounding the walls of the galleried stairway in the hall are collages of Epping. Many members contributed to making the collages using fabrics to show the colour, texture and proportion of the buildings in those years. High Street East 1982 and High Street West 1977 and around

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Epping in 2002, were designed by member Joan Bill. They are still admired in Epping Hall today. Eight WI members were picked to help launch the WI’s new image for the 1980s ‘Hats off to the WI’.

Eileen Rothwell, a member and president was also a WI planner.

One of our members, Violet Watts, was 100 years old in April 2014 and 15 members visited and celebrated her birthday in Frank Fosters care home. Violet had been a member for over 35 years and was still a member at the age of 98. Many of our members have been with us for years.

As well as thousands of cakes, jams and teas made

by Epping WI over the years, we have inspired many women to make lasting friendships as well as entertainment from the drama group, singing by Betty Farringdon to keep everyone’s spirits up, guest speakers and encouragement in learning new skills.

Today’s Epping WI has 75 members with new people joining every month. We offer book, craft, luncheon and walking clubs, organise regular trips and some of our single ladies holiday together. We decorate our Christmas tree at St John’s Church, have quiz nights and are always open to suggestions and new ways of keeping our WI alive for the future.

We meet with our Cripsey Group WIs and have some wonderful knitters. We are always knitting for good causes, such as premature babies.

Epping WI has had a busy time with all the centenary celebrations. Member Brenda Warner attended the Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 2nd June with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex. On the 4th June, three members Paula Harrold, Carmel Knight and Lesley Wilkinson attended the Centenary AGM at The Royal Albert Hall with the Queen, the Princess Royal and the Countess of Wessex, all WI members themselves. We celebrated the centenary at the hall on the 17th June with our Cripsey Group WIs, enjoying a talk on the history of the WI and songs and stories. Many of our fantastic knitters had made items for Cunningham House in North Weald and Victoria Robertson explained the difference these items would make and they were handed to the overjoyed residents. A raffle, produce stall and a Centenary hat competition ‘Hats from all the decades’ made it a memorable afternoon, with our famous home-made sandwiches and cakes. Epping member Brenda Warner won second prize. Members are now fundraising for our own centenary in September 2017.

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Epping Town Show 2015 We hope many of you were able to join us at the annual Town Show, organised by the Town Council, on Sunday 5th July and if so, you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Town Mayor Michael Wright opened the event at just after midday and we were treated to a host of arena events, stalls and activities.

It was great to have our local school children, brownies, dance groups, bands and performers with us.

The early morning rain cleared about midday and the sun came out and helped make it a really fun afternoon.

St John’s Church did a fantastic job with their tea and home-made cakes raising much-needed funds.

We would like to thank everyone who took part (and a particular thanks to all those who were setting up under umbrellas!)

If anyone has any ideas for next year’s town show, email us at: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk marked Town Show ideas 2016

Continental Markets

We have enjoyed both Italian and French markets in the High Street this summer and we look forward to welcoming our continental produce back again in the coming months.

Dates will be available on Epping Town Council’s website as they become available.

The Town Mayor greets and tastes

French Market 11th July

Epping in Bloom - Join in the fun TALK ABOUT EPPING 5

On Sunday 31st May, the Epping in Bloom group, led by Chairman Victoria Robertson, planted their first site on the green by Tower Road. Epping Town Councillors joined the In Bloom group to plant up five flower beds, which were designed by our local school children and some barrel planters. It was great fun and many hoots of support were received from passers by.

The In Bloom group received many competition entries from our local schools and spent a long time choosing the winning designs. The group interpreted them and chose plants that would suit the location. The children were also invited to make flower bottles and the many creations have been on display in Tesco. They are now lining the back wall of the Tower Road site. We are looking for volunteers to join the group and help keep the flowers watered and we have a non-demanding watering rota if anyone would like to be added. Make sure you stop and have a look.

Selected photographs courtesy of Everything Epping Forest

The children responsible for the winning designs came down to Tower Road for a photo on Monday 29th June and they will receive a certificate at an awards evening at Epping Hall on Monday 14th September. Our flower bed winners were (from left to right): Epping St Johns (Sydney Hayden); Coopersale Hall (Casimer Prince), Ivy Chimneys (Lucy Heath), Epping Primary (Terri Oljenik) and Coopersale and Theydon Garnon (Emilia Cattini). Our flower bottle winners were: Epping St Johns (Bradley Jay & Harper Al-Kubaisi), Coopersale Hall (Lily Walker-Borthwick & Millie Vincent), Ivy Chimneys (Razia & Lucy), Epping Primary (Lauren & Lucy) and Coopersale and Theydon Garnon (Lauren Marks & Maddison Rees).

The Epping in Bloom group was designed to help set up and maintain floral displays in and around the town.

If any businesses would be interested in sponsoring a site, please contact: eppinginbloom The Epping in Bloom group would like to @gmail.com thank the Shell garage for their early help If any businesses and Marlene and her team at The Duke of would like to help Rob Thompson kindly supported the group Wellington pub for storing the water trolley co-ordinate more with delicious ice cream. Rob has worked in and supplying the water. The flowers would floral displays Epping Forest since 1985, his usual daily not have done so well without this vital outside our shops round is in Waltham Abbey. Rob attends support. The In Bloom project is a real team and businesses, many events and was on a shortlist of three effort, so join in if you can. We will need please contact: vendors in a national competition for Ice extra help with any new sites. info@ Cream Mobiler of the Year. Find out more Thank you also to Tesco, Epping for eppingtowncouncil. about Rob and ice cream on his instagram displaying the flower bottles and their gov.uk - marked account @thompsonsicecream ongoing support.

Epping in Bloom

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Epping Forest District Museum Redevelopment Project

In 2013, Epping Forest District Museum in Waltham Abbey closed to the public to embark on a major redevelopment project after securing £1.64 million funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project will make the museum a fully accessible space with a new lift. As well as this, the museum will become an expanded facility with more storage space for the museum’s fascinating collection, a new gallery, a community and education room and new temporary exhibition space.

Since the closure, a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes including packing away the entire collection to be moved and stored and preparing the building for construction work to begin.

The building work began on the museum site on 20th April 2015 after Coniston Limited was appointed to do the construction work. Coniston Limited have worked on a number of museum based projects including the Imperial War Museum, The British Museum and are also currently working on the refurbishment of the Europe Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Work has started to prepare the building for its new layout and expanded facility. The museum which is extending into the first floor above the local library has been opened up to create a blank canvas for construction to begin on the new room layouts. The stairs have been removed and work has also begun to prepare the space for the lift which will be installed to make the museum fully accessible.

The next stages of the project will include the installation of new wiring and electrical systems before the decoration can begin, as well as the continuing work to install the lift and new staircase.

Another major part of the project is the opening up of the front door to 39 Sun Street which will form the new main entrance to the Museum. This work will also take place in the coming months. This image shows what would have been the original front door to the house.

Another key area for the project is a chance to interpret the Tudor part of the building. The house itself has a fascinating history and the team are very keen to share and expose the story of the building.

Along with new galleries and a new entrance, the museum will have a dedicated community and education space.

The room will be able to fit a class of 30 children making a better visitor experience for school groups, but also be

equipped for lectures, talks and presentations providing a fantastic new space for the museum.

The redevelopment of the museum will allow for on-site collections storage and a new gallery ‘The Core Gallery’.

This space will feature key objects from the collection and give visitors the opportunity to see behind the scenes into the stores and people at work caring for the collection.

Along with the new on-site storage, there will be the chance for visitors to see into the stores through glass viewing areas. This will include views into the picture stores. This is great because visitors will be able to experience some of the fantastic pieces of art in the museum’s collection even when they aren’t on display.

The museum is due to reopen in early 2016. For more information about the museum’s Heritage Lottery Fund refurbishment project, please contact the museum via email at: museum@eppingforestdc.gov.uk Alternatively, you can keep up to date with the project and all of our current events through our social media channels: Facebook: www.facebook.com/efdmuseum Twitter: @efdmuseum Blog: www.efdmuseum.com Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy.

From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported almost 35,000 projects with more than £5.3 billion across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk

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Pynes Department Store (Now Wildwood)

Owner Mr Jakeman

Pynes staff outing

The old entrance tiles are still in the doorway

The beginning of the transplant service — which began in Epping. By Dorothy Organ

to the hospital where they would be waiting for it.

Mick McConnell, along with all the other volunteer pilots, including the young Winston Churchill, were all amateur pilots, some of whom owned their own planes. Mick was flying to Glasgow one night when everything was cancelled and he had to turn back. It was the Lockerbie bombing.

Everything in the Air Wing was done voluntarily, although fuel was paid for, probably by the NHS. The centre of the whole thing was St Margaret’s Hospital and as the service grew, Mick and Pat used to be up all night coordinating flights as were the other volunteers at Loughton. Finally this groundbreaking wonderful service, begun by Pat Bowen and Mick McConnell became too big and was taken over by the National Health Service.

This is the investiture when Lord Vestey made Mick McConnell a Knight of St John in recognition of the work he had done with Pat Bowen, a Senior manager at St Margaret’s Hospital.

With thanks to Anne McConnell

In 1967, a young German boy had a serious accident on his motorbike while on holiday in Britain. He was taken to St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping where his condition remained very grave. It was suggested that he should be transferred to a neurosurgical unit in Germany, but no one knew how this could be done.

Pat Bowen, the hospital secretary had a friend who owned a charter flying company based at Stapleford Tawney Airfield who immediately agreed to fly the boy to Hanover, just for the cost of the fuel. At this time the London Hospital had no good means of transferring organs for transplant to other hospitals. Pat Bowen bumped into his friend Mick McConnell in the Garnon Bushes in Coopersale and they discussed the possibilities of organising something to take organs for transplanting to other hospitals by plane, the same way they had done for the German boy. Between them they laid plans for the beginning of the volunteer transplant service, the Air Wing. Soon other people joined in and there was a rota where they would all take turns to sit by the phone at home where they would take calls.

The phone would ring, there was an organ available for transplant to a waiting patient in another hospital. The volunteer would contact an airfield, contact the on duty pilot, organise a car to collect the organ to be flown to the nearest airfield to the receiving hospital, then by car

With thanks to Dorothy Organ

Next time you go into High Street restaurant Wildwood, stop and look at the tiles on the floor of the entrance, which give an indication of its history.

Pynes Stores had three shops in Epping, a furniture shop, a mens’ shop and a wonderful shop that sold everything you could want for yourself or your home.

In the middle of the big shop was a little glass box where the cashier sat. As money was taken at the counter, it was put into a little canister and sent on a wire to the glass box. Later that was changed, but it was fascinating to see money flying across the shop to the cashier.

Pynes Stores was owned and run by Mr Jakeman and John Gaze, adopted as his nephew. John Gaze became an apprentice at Pynes in 1932 and when Mr Jakeman was taken ill he made John Gaze the manager.

When you sit in Wildwood, take a look at the beautiful shaped glass windows and reflect on what it might have been like in the days of Pynes.

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Epping War Memorial - by John Duffell

Epping Town Council will shortly be cleaning the war memorial and repainting the lettering. It has been an important part of Epping life since 1921.

On Thursday 2nd January 1919 a public meeting was called

by Epping Urban District Council, Chairman E A Ball to consider the question of a memorial to those from Epping who fell in the Great War. The well-attended meeting was held in the Victoria Hall in the High Street.

After considerable discussions, a proposal was put forward

by Mr Worsley that a public memorial to the fallen be established, to consist of a cross or other monument of a symbolic nature and that a fund should be set up to assist the children of the fallen men in their upkeep and education and in placing them in a position to earn their own living.

A committee would be set up to manage the building of the memorial and the fund. This was agreed and the committee was duly appointed, consisting of the following: J W Ware, H Worsley, J G Pelly, W W Nicholls JP, E A Ball JP, P L Soper, E J Wythes JP, Cris Cottis, The Rev Canon Allwork MA, The Rev R M Rees MA, Miss V Seaton and the Acting Chairman of EUDC. Mr Worsley later withdrew his proposal, as he didn’t feel it had the support of the people of Epping and discussions took place again. It was decided that any money left over after the erection of a memorial should be used to provide a bed or beds in the Cottage Hospital for the use of soldiers.

In the West Essex Gazette of 27th September 1919 the following report appeared: “Those interested in the Epping War Memorial (and who living in the district is not) should study the designs of the proposed symbolic memorials that are exhibited in the windows of Messrs A B Davis & Co, High Street, Epping.

The final public meeting about the memorial was held on the 3rd October. Those present heard that such was the reputation of architect E P Warren he had been hired by the Imperial War Graves Commission as their chief architect in the erection of war memorials in Mesopotamia. Both of his designs were discussed in detail. After much deliberation, the first design, costing £600, was accepted, along with the proposal to provide beds for the Cottage Hospital. The

money would be raised entirely by public subscription and the memorial would remain in the care of the Urban District Council. It was decided to erect the memorial on Church Hill Green.

Money began to come in for the memorial. Each week a list of those who had made donations was published in the Gazette.

The memorial was erected in the form of an octagonal column mounted on an octagonal base and steps and surmounted by an ornamental cross.

On top of the base immediately below the column is a laurel wreath with two swords across. The foundation is made of concrete. It was made in Somerset Doulting Stone and was erected by L A Turner of Lambs Conduit Street, London. The site was prepared by J Whiffin & Sons, of Granville Road, Epping. It was finally unveiled and dedicated on Sunday 8th May 1921. It was estimated that half the population of Epping attended, despite the fact that it rained for most of the day.

During the Second World War, a further 31 men from Epping lost their lives. In March 1947 the subject of adding their names to the memorial was raised by the British Legion at the Annual General Meeting of the Epping & District Council of Social Service.

They expressed their concern that no move had been made to perpetuate the memory of the fallen. A sum of £5 was granted to the Legion to be used “as they saw fit for the maintenance and upkeep of the memorial”.

In August 1948, the West Essex Gazette reported that two tablets bearing the names of those who had lost their lives in World War II would be fixed to the memorial. This had been decided at a meeting of the War Memorial Joint Committee, at which Mr A D Rankine had presided. The Committee had decided that the tablets should be fixed in a way to “preserve the present appearance of the

memorial”. On November 12th, at the annual Remembrance Service, the new tablets bearing 31 names were unveiled by Colonel Augustus Newman VC. A concrete flower vase was added to the memorial in September 1956, donated by the Epping & District Branch of the British Legion. The vase, decorated with the badge of the Legion, was made by local builders and stonemasons Edmunds, who were based at the corner of Station Road and Hemnall Street, at a cost of £12.

In November 2004, research by local Royal British Legion

member John Duffell led to the addition to the memorial of a further 17 names of Epping men who lost their lives in the First World War. The initial information came from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The names of four servicemen from World War II were added in 2009, together with that of Royal Marine Commando Georgie Sparks, who had been killed in Afghanistan in 2008. A service of rededication was held on Sunday 19th April 2009. A parade, led by 60 members of 42 Commando, marched from the Civic Offices in the High Street to the memorial for the service, which was conducted by the Rev Briony Morrison. A total of 22

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names had been added to the memorial, 17 from World War I, four from World War II and one from Afghanistan in 2008. It was the first time that a service such as this had been held there since 1947. The war memorial is still the focal point today for Remembrance in Epping. Each year a Garden of Remembrance is laid out next to the memorial and dedicated in a special service arranged by the Epping & District Branch of the Royal British Legion. A parade and Service of Remembrance is held there on the closest Sunday to the 11th November. Over forty wreaths are now laid on the day. The wreath layers are led by the Chairman of Epping Forest District Council, the Town Mayor, the MP for Epping Forest and many local organisations.

John Duffell has a wealth of information on our war memorial and can be contacted through The Royal British Legion.

Neighbourhood Planning

Epping Town Council will be leading Neighbourhood Planning for Epping. We need your help.

Want a say in the future of Epping, what it looks like and what is built here?

There will be lots of opportunities to tell the Neighbourhood Planning Group how you’d like to see Epping look in the future, in the form of workshops, meetings, information updates and questionnaires.

Look out for our correspondence and please take part. We need everyone’s views to shape the plan for our town.

If any local organisations would like to be involved, please get in touch.

If you have any ideas for Neighbourhood Planning, the Group would love to hear from you.

Meetings and events are for everyone, so come along if you’d like to be part of it.

Check our website: www.eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk and our noticeboards for details.

For more information, email: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk marked ‘Neighbourhood Planning’ or telephone: 01992 579444

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What‘s On

Epping Hall

Mondays: Tai Chi, 10.30am-12.30pm Tuesdays: Kumon Maths Classes, 3.00pm-6.00pm Tuesdays: Ceroc Dance Classes, 7.30pm-10.30pm Wednesdays: Football Fundamentals, 9.30am-11.30am Wednesdays: NCT Stretch & Breathe Classes, 7.00pm-9.00pm Wednesdays: (term time only), Junior Karate Classes, 4.00pm-6.00pm Wednesdays: Senior Karate Classes, 7.30pm-9.00pm Wednesdays: (2nd in month), Epping WI Meeting, 2.00pm-4.00pm Thursdays: (alternate), New Horizons Tea Dance, 1.30pm-4.30pm Thursdays: Kumon Maths Classes, 3.00pm-6.00pm Thursdays: Tae Kwon Do, 8.00pm-9.00pm Fridays: Weightwatchers, 9.30am-10.30am Jack Silley Pavilion

Mondays: Baby Ballet, 9.30am-12 noon Mondays: (term time only) Jo Jingles, 9.45am-11.45am Mondays: (term time only) Dance Classes, 4pm-6.15pm Tuesdays: (term time only) Pre-School Dance Classes, 1.00pm-3.00pm Tuesdays: Voluntary Action Craft Group, 1.30pm-4.15pm Tuesdays: Dog Training, from 7.00pm Wednesdays: (Autumn and Spring), WEA Lectures 10.00am-12 noon Wednesdays: (term time only), Art Classes, 10.00am-12 noon Wednesdays: Baby Ballet, 1.30pm-4.15pm Thursdays: Dog Training, from 7.00pm Fridays: U3A Painting Session, 10.00am-12 noon Fridays: (term time only), Children’s Dance Classes, 3.45pm-6.30pm Saturdays: (term time only), Children’s Dance Classes, 9.00am to 1.30pm Saturdays: Baby Ballet, 9.15am-11.15am Every Saturday and Monday at 1.30pm: Petanque (Boules) at Stonards Hill.

Light exercise, fun and sociable.

New players welcome. Peter Lumb: 01992 571744 Other Venues • Mondays: 10am-12 noon: Market day coffee at St John’s Church • Mondays: Yoga, 6pm-7.30pm, United Reformed Church, Lindsey Street, Epping.

Call Dorothy on 01992 574623 • Mondays: 7.45pm-9 pm, Epping Bell Ringers, St John’s Church. Contact Jane Walters on 01992 767873 • 3rd Monday of alternate months: Coopersale Horticultural Society Speakers night (except Sept) at 8pm, Coopersale Village Hall, Institute Road.

• 2nd Monday of the month: (not January and August, 1st Monday of the month in Dec), West Essex Flower Club, meet in Thornwood Village Hall at 1.45pm. For details 01992 577036 • Mondays — 10am-12 noon Essex Savers Credit Union at Epping Library • Tuesdays: 7pm-8.30pm, Theydon Garnon Scouts, The Scout Headquarters, Fluxs Lane, Epping CM16 7PE. Email: theydongarnonscoutgroup@yahoo.co.uk or call Richard on 07724 156595 • Tuesdays: 1pm, Thornwood Village Hall, Spiritual Healing. Epping Spiritualist Church, call Rev R Toms on 01992 576677 • 2nd Tuesday of month: 2pm-4pm, Epping Stroke Club, United Reformed Church Hall, Lindsey St, Epping.

• Every Tuesday: 7.30pm, Rotary Club of Epping Forest, The Garnon Bushes, Coopersale. New members welcome, please call 07973 303899 (Mark Harvey).

• 2nd Wednesday of month: 8pm - Art Appreciation Talks, Epping Art Society, Pelly Court, Hemnall Street, Epping.

• 4th Wednesday of month: (Except Jan); Royal British Legion Women’s Section, Pelly Court, Hemnall Street, details 01992 572677 • Wednesdays: 11am-3pm, Parkinson Disease Society Harlow & District. David Livingstone Club, Potter Street. CM17 9AE. New members welcome, call Corinne Hall on 07982 094194 • Wednesdays: 6pm-7.30pm, Theydon Garnon Beaver Scouts, The Scout Headquarters, Fluxs Lane, Epping, CM16 7PE. Contact details above.

• Thursdays: 11am to 1pm in Epping, Ikebana Study Group (flower arranging) contact Martine Gracey 01992 571839 for details.

• Every Thursday: 5.30pm and 7.30pm; Slimming World, Quakers Meeting Hall, Hemnall Street, Epping, CM16 4LL. Contact Kelly 07817 233042 and Slimming World Epping (Facebook).

• Every Thursday afternoon: 2pm-4pm, Pelly Court, Hemnall Street, Evergreen Club.

New members welcome, contact June O’Brien on 01992 573385 • Every Friday: 7.30-9.30pm, Epping Eagle Explorers, (Scouts address above).

Dave Ward: eppingeaglesesu@hotmail.com • Saturdays: 10am-12 noon: Coffee mornings, Epping Methodist Church Hall.

• Every Weds, Thurs, Sat & Sun: West Essex Ramblers. This friendly rambling group has led walks from various locations.

Sorry, no dogs. For a sample programme, call 020 8502 1628. www.westessexramblers.org.uk Monthly • First Friday monthly: Practical Artist’s evening, 7.30pm for 2 hours. Methodist Church Hall.

• Every 3rd Sunday: 10.15am: Copped Hall Guided Tours.

• Monthly every 2nd Sunday: Conservation Day, Friends of Swaines Green.

10.30am, the recreation ground, Lower Swaines • ProActive meets at St Margarets Hospital, please phone 07747 374692 or see www.proactive.me.uk for details • Epping Railway Circle club layout operates once a month at Theydon Bois Village Hall, for details call 020 8508 1764 or see www.eppingrailwaycircle.com

Old Epping

If you’d like to read more about Epping’s past, ‘Memories of Epping’

by Clare Baster, is just the book.

Contact Epping Book Shop for availability.

01992 575849

There are also some great pictures available from Francis Frith. www. francisfrith. com/uk

Probus Club The Probus Club meets monthly at the Lindsey Street Community Association, Frampton Road, Epping, for a lunch followed by an invited speaker.

In recent months speakers have talked to members on topics as diverse as the National Jazz Archive, wills and trusts, the Holocaust Educational Trust and the history of Lloyds of London.

Retired or semi retired men who are interested in joining Epping Probus should contact the Club Secretary Peter Francis on

01992 573188.

EPPING FOREST BAND 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

The Epping Forest Band celebrates 80 years of continuous music making in Epping and the local area this year.

In fact, the Epping Town Band was originally founded in 1894, but was disbanded in the 1920s. In 1935, the then Town Clerk Ben Hiscott restarted it, and ever since it has been playing at events and concerts throughout the year.

To commemorate this amazing achievement, the Band is playing a special concert on Saturday 17th October 2015 in St Johns Church, Epping, starting at 7.30pm. Entry is free! Come and join the Epping Forest Band’s 80th birthday celebrations! www.eppingforestband.co.uk

PROMS ON THE GREEN 2015

Epping Forest Band once again entertained the crowds outside the District Council offices on Sunday 2nd August at their annual Proms on the Green.

The band performed a mixture of Proms music and summer brass band music to a receptive audience.

The sun shone down on the musicians and visitors adding to the wonderful atmosphere of the afternoon.

COPPED HALL CORNER

PROGRESS AT THE MANSION

Shortly after the Trust acquired the Mansion in June 1995, one of the famous Copped Hall Chimneys in the south west collapsed as did parts of the Wing. The Trust then commenced a programme of urgent stabilisation which included two other chimneys. The base of the collapsed chimney is now being rebuilt and the complicated task of rebuilding its stack, which fell 70ft into the cellars, has begun. This entails piecing together the sections and repairing the damage to the elaborate stone caps. All the stone components are now at ground floor level and are being assessed before transit to stone masons for repair - fascinating.

Various rooms in the Wing are now being rearranged and improved. This includes the two “education rooms” which are used by numerous primary schools and other institutions. Copped Hall was saved, and is being restored, primarily as a study centre. A small but much needed workshop and store room is being constructed in the windowless area behind the forecourt northern wall. This area was used as luggage rooms when the Mansion was occupied.

TALK ABOUT EPPING 11

EPPING SOCIETY

By Andrew Smith, Chairman

The Epping Society continues to enjoy an enthusiastic reaction at stalls and public meetings.

The committee monitors all sorts of issues around the town and we are delighted that our lobbying resulted in repairs by Essex County Council on the footpath between Epping and Coopersale, which is well used but had deteriorated in bad winter weather. The Town Council also stepped in to repair access to the path, for which many thanks.

We hope to welcome Eleanor Laing MP to a forthcoming meeting to discuss the Green Belt.

As usual, all our activities will be advertised on our website and on Facebook where members and residents are encouraged to check for meetings, etc.

The Epping Society also has an excellent collection of historical information and photographs.

PAST EVENTS

The Quiz night and especially the Easter Egg Hunt, were each a great success, to be followed by Alan Cox’s excellent lecture regarding the continuing progress with site restoration. This was followed by another of Peter Warne’s wildlife study days which has helped establish Copped Hall on the local environment and conservation map.

A late and very sad event was the death of John Gervis who had moved with his wife Margaret to their new home in Anglesey. Both were Copped Hall stalwarts being involved with its restoration from the outset.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

09 Sep – Wildlife - Moth Night 13 Sep – Pudding Evening 20 Sep – Recital - Fitzwilliam Quartet 22 Sep – Antique Furniture Restoration 11 Oct – Apple Day 29 Nov – Children’s Craft & Story Time

SITE & GARDEN TOURS 2015

Guided Tours of the Mansion and grounds/walled garden are held on the 3rd Sun of each month (except in Dec). Tours from 10.15, for two hours approx (extended 19 Jul only): Gates open 10.00 to 11.00 (extended to PROGRESS IN THE GARDENS 13.00 - 19 Jul only).

Special openings of the Gardens are held on the There has been substantial work on the wall at the front 1st Sunday of each month from Mar to Sep - between of the Mansion which encloses the forecourt lawn from 14.00 and 16.00. the parkland. Scrub and debris have been cleared and Unless otherwise stated, all events are held at the loose brickwork removed from the top of the wall which Copped Hall Mansion. Car parking is always available, will be replaced with salvaged bricks. This improvement as are refreshments. Vehicle access is only possible via the London entrance in the Upshire Road off the B1393. is visible from the M25 and B1393 roads.

For further information/tickets please contact Restoration of the large Orchard House in the Walled Kitchen Garden has continued and the main framework 07749 397932 or email fdennett3@sky.com See also www.coppedhalltrust.org.uk is nearing completion. Restoration of another smaller glasshouse continues, with glazing taking place.

By Trevor Roberts, for the Copped Hall Trust

EPPING TOWN COUNCIL Members - Hemnall Ward Cllr Mrs D Baird Cllr A Church Cllr Mrs B Scruton Cllr D Spillman Cllr Miss H Whitbread Cllr J Whitehouse

dbairdy@hotmail.com 01992 572235 01992 572333 drjspillman@gmail.com holly.whitbread@btinternet.com 01992 561875

Cllr N Avey Cllr L Burrows Cllr H Pegrum Cllr G Scruton Cllr J A Smith Cllr M Wright

nigel.avey@btinternet.com 01992 572003 01992 572173 Grscruton@gmail.com 01992 577168 07768 521084

Members - St John’s Ward

Other Local Representatives

EFDC Cllr Chris Whitbread (01992 573557) chris.whitbread@btinternet.com EFDC Cllr A Church (01992 572235) EFDC Cllr N Avey nigel.avey@btinternet.com EFDC Cllr Will Breare-Hall (01992 575843) wsbh@hotmail.co.uk EFDC & ECC Cllr Jon Whitehouse (01992 561875) jon@jonwhitehouse.org.uk EFDC Cllr Janet Whitehouse (01992 812503) cllrjanetwhitehouse@gmail.com Mrs Eleanor Laing MP (020 8508 6608) Eleanor.laing.mp@parliament.uk

Talk About Epping Deadline Dates Articles for the next edition of Talk About Epping must be submitted before 16th October 2015. Submissions should be sent to: Epping Town Council, Epping Hall, St John’s Road, Epping, Essex, CM16 5JU, or sent via email to: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk clearly marked ‘Talk About Epping’

The editor may amend copy appropriately.

Invitations for the Mayor

If you are organising an event which you would like the Mayor or a representative of the Town Council to attend, please contact: Mrs Doreen Kennedy. Tel: 01992 579444 or email: dkennedy@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk

For more stories, visit our website:

www.eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk or follow us on twitter: @eppingtown

Stonards Hill improvements

Epping Town Council have made some improvements at Stonards Hill Recreation Ground.

The petanque piste is used for regular matches and has now been resurfaced.

Walkers may have noticed the improved path to join the newly resurfaced Epping-Coopersale path along the southern side of Pitch No 1.

New noticeboards

There are three new green noticeboards around town, one at Tesco, one on the market store opposite Marks & Spencer and one in Station Road.

Keep an eye on all our noticeboards for Council information, forthcoming events and matters of interest to the town.

Notices are changed regularly, so there will always be something of interest.

Could your picture be the next Talk About Epping cover?

If you love taking pictures of Epping and would like to see one of your photos on the cover of a future edition of Talk About Epping, please contact us on: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk (clearly marked “Talk About Epping” photos).

Photos should be taken from a 6 mega pixel camera/high resolution. We are looking for photos that give a real flavour of our town.

Forthcoming Meetings October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016

13 Planning COUNCIL 27 Planning Corp Gov 10 Planning COUNCIL 24 Planning 8 Planning COUNCIL 22 Planning 12 Planning COUNCIL 26 Planning

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TALK ABOUT EPPING is published by EPPING TOWN COUNCIL, Epping Hall, St John’s Road, Epping, Essex, CM16 5JU Tel: 01992 579444 Fax: 01992 579446 email: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk