Haslemere Link October/November 2018

Haslemere LINK THE PARISH MAGAZINE OF ST BARTHOLOMEW’S AND ST CHRISTOPHER’S

For God, for King and Country

At ‘Haslemere Remembers Flower Festival’

October/November 2018 Suggested donation for a printed copy: £2 1

Parish Contacts Rector Reverend Mary Bowden 658107 revmary@haslemereparish.org

Friday – Day Off Youth Minister Sandy Clarke 07806 624560 sandy.clarke@hotmail.com Assistant Youth Minister Chloe Adam 07597 565571 LLM (Reader) Peter Sellars 641032 Church Wardens Robert Fox 652055 Margaret Morris 651365 Deputy Wardens Howard Body 658762 Nick Beare 609630 Verger St Bartholomew’s Carol Skeates 642662 PCC Secretary Cathy Moore 07593 814438 Treasurer Alistair Morgan 07880 325597 Assistant Treasurer Andrew Culshaw 658962 Stewardship Secretary Geoff Martin 641907 Director of Music & Organist St Bartholomew’s Clive Osgood 07747 785 940 cliveosgood@hotmail.com St Christopher’s Organists Alan Drake 652198 Helen Bendall 741383

Parish Office The Link, Derby Road Haslemere GU27 1BS Tues – Thurs 9.00am-4.00pm office@haslemereparish.org www.haslemereparish.org Parish Administrator Victoria Hicks 644578 St Christopher’s Choir Director Sarah Thomas sarah.thomas6092@gmail.com

Bellringers Paul Bagshaw 656129 Outward Giving Dorothea Nattrass 653216 Friends of the Parish Bernard Coe 651146 Electoral Roll Officer Lynn Lemar 651435 Magazine Secretary Ann Lear 651570 office@haslemereparish.org Flowers St Bartholomew’s Sarah Mulliner 643504 St Christopher’s Liz Hawkins 642445 Max Card 652125 Sunday school St Bartholomew’s Sandy Clarke 07806 624560 St Christopher’s Liz Hawkins 642445 BRF Representative Sarah Mulliner 643504 Churchyards Philip Hunt 644120 Housegroups Rev. Mary Bowden 658107 Church Care Group Roscelin Rees 651561 2

Pastoral Assistant Ruth Pattenden 653033 Bereavement Visitors Linda Donaldson 644473 Frances Gaiter 648843 Sarah Mulliner 643504 Safeguarding Officer Cathy Moore 07593 814438 First Steps Mondays in St Christopher’s 0-5 Year Olds Liz Hawkins 642445 Mothers' Union Treasurer Sue Davis 661115 Link Bookings Carol Skeates 642662 skeatMalco@aol.com Facilities for the disabled Both churches and The Link at St Bartholomew’s have ramped access and space for wheelchairs. Toilets suitable for use by the disabled are available in The Link and at St Christopher’s.

Facilities for the hard of hearing Both churches and The Link have sound amplification and hearing loops.

Facilities for the visually impaired Both churches have good interior lighting and large print weekly notice sheets.

Large print service sheets are available at both churches.

Dear Friends Welcome to a very busy autumn! Just three weeks into September and we have already had a wedding, a baptism, a harvest festival, a retirement (from Grayswood) and, most magnificently, the Haslemere Remembers Flower Festival. Much has already been said and written about this moving and beautiful event – the displays themselves, combining flowers, objects and words, the local history, the blending of words and music in worship at evensong, and all produced in collaboration between church and community. Like many people, although I was expecting a wonderful weekend I had no idea just how wonderful it would be – and so I want to thank the organisers again for their vision, determination, collaboration and sheer hard work!

Looking ahead, the busyness continues with the launch of our vision statement, the pilgrimage to Ethiopia for a small number of us, All Saints and All Souls, a special Remembrance season to end the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Great War, and before we know it, it will be Christmas! In amongst all this we will be holding a Gift Day, baptising more children, welcoming a group of children and young people to take communion for the first time and reinstating the all age service (on 3rd Sundays at St Bart’s, starting on 18 November). And, of course, all our regular services and activities are in full swing, including Sandy’s last Christingle and Nativity. With two weddings in the Christmas season as well, if I wasn’t retiring in February I might need to plan a long hibernation.

Looking a bit further ahead, Paul Davies, our Archdeacon, came to the September PCC meeting to outline the process for finding a new Rector, and was really encouraging about the speed with which this could happen.

Following that meeting, the parish profile will be prepared and approved by the PCC and we hope that the recruitment process will begin early in the New Year.

There will be more information soon, followed by regular updates about the process.

As for my own plans, as many of you know, I am moving to Bishops Cleeve, a village just the other side of Cheltenham, where I have close friends. I’ve been busy in the property market, having sold my Selsey cottage (a sad farewell) and bought a house in Bishops Cleeve – as I write this I’m preparing to make a flying visit there to inspect this new acquisition, measure up, and contemplate life 3

after Haslemere…… You will all be relieved to know that there is already a catflap, so the most important members of the household are provided for, although the garden won’t be quite as exciting for them as the Rectory one – at least, not yet.

The risk is that, amidst all this bustle and activity, we lose sight of the root and focus of our lives – that we lose sight of God. In my experience this can happen almost imperceptibly, as we perhaps curtail our prayer time, allowing it to be interrupted by other commitments or attenuated by distractions. I finished my last letter with a quotation from Rowan Williams, comparing prayer to sunbathing, simply allowing ourselves to receive God’s love and light. It’s easy to forget to allow this….

I was fortunate this month to attend a lecture by his wife, Jane Williams, an eminent theologian in her own right, who was speaking to ordinands about the tradition of the church, and the distinction between the great tradition of faith passed down through the generations and the traditions of churches, which are not integral to faith itself. She offered this thought: that “fidelity requires discernment”. That is to say, we need to be sure that what we are doing – all our busyness – is holding us close to God and his purposes.

As a parish we have been engaging in a process of discernment to discover our vision and to decide how we are called to live that out in practice. As you will know, we have adopted Together in Christ, Growing in Faith, Serving in Love as our vision statement. Following the Parish Vision Weekend this has been further developed into a series of actions for this year which should focus our activity and busyness and help us to serve God and grow in faith even in this time of change. Look out for the details of this, and think and pray about how you can take part. And let’s all keep spending time with God – in prayer, in meditation, in shared worship, in reading Scripture, and as you go about the daily round.

With my love and prayers

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‘Haslemere

Remembers’ A Festival of Flowers held at St Christopher’s Church 14th – 16th September 2018

Fifteen months ago, and an idea of hanging a giant poppy wreath from the nave of St Christopher’s sparked what became an entire flower festival to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War 1.

Organised by Frances Reincke, Cathy Moore, Lucy Manley Cooper, Sahran Abeysundara , Rita Bicknell, Richard Reincke and Liz Hawkins, the church was filled for three days with floral displays created by community groups from all over the Haslemere area.

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The Flower Festival Committee

Alongside St Christopher’s Church flower team, contributors were from St Paul’s Camelsdale, All Saints Grayswood, Our Lady of Lourdes, St Stephen’s Shottermill and, of course, St Bart’s flower team. There were displays by villagers from Lynchmere, residents of Moorlands Lodge, the Haslemere Society, Haslemere Educational Museum, The Local National Trust supporters, the 2nd Shottermill Brownies and Break Out Thursday Youth Group as well as two arrangements done by Ruth Pattenden and Veronica Henty. Both Marley Flowers and the Flower Boutique did two large installations.

Each display was themed along a poem written during or about the Great War and this proved to make the whole festival a very meaningful and poignant event. Special lighting for the event was erected in the church, and as such the flower creations were beautifully lit and the Church was transformed into something even more special than usual.

In St Christopher’s Garden placards with photographs and small biographies of 26 men all named on the Haslemere High Street memorial were displayed.

On the Sunday evening a very special choral evensong took place with music sung by Sine Nomine. Clive Osgood played the organ and the Rev Mary Bowden delivered a very poignant address.

The festival was visited by more than 600 people and over £3000 was raised for the Royal British Legion. The committee would like to thank the major sponsors: Shottermill Great War Memorial Trust, Tesco’s Bags for Help and The Penny Ha’Penny trust as well as all who contributed funds, time, skills, creativity and who helped in any way to make this festival a very special community occasion.

“Look up and swear by the green of the Spring that you will never forget”

Visitors to the Flower Festival paying tribute to the fallen individuals from the Haslemere area 6

Anthem for Doomed Youth – by St Bart’s Flower Team

The Dug Out - by St Christopher's Flower team in the pulpit 7

A Chaplain's Work at the Front From a British Chaplain situated 'Somewhere at the Front' Contributed by Frankie Gaiter

'We have finished our work out here, and I have a little spare time of quiet, while I pack up, to let you know how things are going. Since writing last, 1400 patients passed through the hospital, and of these I have buried 15. One day is just like another. Let me give you a sample of an ordinary day's work. At 7am I am in the saddle for an hour's ride, the only bit of exercise I get during the day.

At 8am breakfast. At 9am I begin to go round the tents, distributing cigarettes, fruit etc. and see all the bad cases and those to be operated upon. I shave a few men, and sometimes help with the dressing. I see that all have something to read and have a talk with convalescents. In the afternoon I generally have a funeral.

The French people are wonderfully kind; when the patients first arrive from the train they generally meet them with coffee. In one case when a tent could not be attended to for a while they made an invasion with buckets and washed all the patients, and then stood crying round the bed of a poor boy who had lost his arm. When the cry was over, they rushed out, and returned with every conceivable present their poor homes could afford.

So, too, with the funerals. They ask to know when a funeral takes place, that they may give flowers and walk behind, to show a respect which they think may comfort the relatives at home. Nothing has ever touched me more than one of these funerals. The coffin is only a rude one, with the Union Jack thrown over it; it compensates for all. Nothing could be better than the devotional aspect of the firing party of another funeral. They do not simply walk past, but halt, turn left, form two deep, present arms, and stand still while our little procession passes by.

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One specially touching incident occurred.

A widow was weeping at her husband's grave when we were coming up the path, and immediately she picked up every rose from the grave to put them on the coffin of an English mother's son. The people turn up in hundreds and weep the whole time, while the firing party is evidently affected, and repeat the Lord's Prayer with a fervour I have never heard elsewhere. I notice that the French keep our graves bright with flowers. All the English are buried in one spot.

After tea there is often a football match to arrange for the R.A.M.C., and then comes the great feature of the day - our sing-song. Nurses, doctors, R.A.M.C., and wounded give song after song, mostly sentimental. The French crowd in to hear and sing the chorus with much verve. Finally, we always sing 'Eternal Father, strong to save,' followed by 'God save the King.' This part the French like best and are never tired of seeing the wounded Tommies leap to their feet at the first bar and stand rigid to attention all the time. I think our religion and our cleanliness have greatly impressed the French.

After dinner I make a nocturnal ramble of the tents and say goodnight, with cigarettes for the sleepless and prayers for the very sick. This I find my happiest time, and many a confession and confidence have I heard, and all are willing for an evening prayer. “I have kept awake till you came, Sir”, “Make it a long one this time”, “Remember my wife and bairns” - these are remarks which make me feel how useful a chaplain may be.

One young fellow who is himself badly wounded, asks me for the names of the worst cases, and we hold a private, quick 'pray meeting' together, and then in the sleepless hours he prays for them again. One thing those training at home ought to know, and that is the intense sense of the need of religion that pervades the soldiers. I have not come across a single Atheist. It is pitiful to hear men ask, “Tell me about religion, Sir.” Alas! It is often too late. They are dying.'

(Printed in the Parish Magazine of March 1915. Photographs added).

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From the Parish Magazine November 1918 Letter from the Bishop of Winchester, Rev. Edward Stuart Talbot, Farnham Castle ‘My Dear People, In the dark and anxious years we have gone through together I have written to you so often in words upon which the darkness of the time threw its shadow, that now, when in God’s mercy the tide has turned, and the air is bright with hope, I must share the happiness with you. Now, we believe, the enemy’s attack is being rolled back from the fair lands of France and Belgium, which they have so foully and cruelly devastated. Never again, we trust, will they recover strength for new invasion, or to threaten our own shores. The nightmare is passing at last, let our hearts sing with joyfulness. It must indeed be joy, chastened by the fresh reminders that the wonderful fighting and the great advances mean a constant toll of sorrow to fresh homes in France and all the English-speaking lands, a lengthening of the Roll of Honour and the list of the maimed. But even that cannot take away the joy in which ‘’we are’’, indeed, ‘’like unto them that dream’’, so great and swift and overwhelming is the change. Joy and gratitude! Gratitude for our men’s most noble courage, for the nation’s steadfastness, for the help from overseas, for the unity of the powers leagued together for unity and justice.

And gratitude must go up with thankfulness. The ups and downs of the war, the narrow escapes from disaster, the falls and rising of states, have taught us how little the calculations of human ambition, or strategy, or diplomacy, avail to secure results.

To Him who has the nation in His hand, and works by the slow action of moral forces, let us give uplifted and humble thanks.’ … (The letter continues) The Parish of Haslemere was at that time part of the Diocese of Winchester.

The letter was written before the Armistice of November 11th, 1918.

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December 1918 Parish Notes Written by the Rector, Walter Wragge ‘November 11th will always be a great day in our memories.

We had arranged to have a celebration in the morning, and a service of thanksgiving, if the good news of the Armistice should come through at 6.30 in the evening. This arrangement for the evening was provisionally arranged by the Rector with Mr. Edgeler, Chairman of the U.D.C. Lady Atkinson Willes, who received a private telegram, had the honour of being the first to tell us all the joyful new, but, with true English caution, we did not complete our arrangements for the evening service until the arrival of the official telegram at the Post Office. It reached Haslemere at about 12.40. The church was filled to overflowing, and a number of people had to stand. The choir was augmented by most of St. Christopher’s Choirmen. We began by singing ‘Now thank we all our God’ and Evensong was sung from The Lord’s Prayer to the third Collect. After the singing of ‘The King of Love My Shepherd is’, the Rector gave a short address.

After that we sang ‘Rejoice today with one accord’ and after some prayers the Blessing was given.

One verse of the National Anthem concluded our thanksgiving.

Never were hearts more deeply stirred than on the day when the guns ceased firing at 11 o’clock on all fronts. On the following Sunday the services authorised by the Archbishop were used in both churches. There were no sermons. At the Parish Church, both at Morning and Evening Prayer, we sang in procession the hymn ‘For all the Saints’ to the great tune by Mr. Ralph Vaughan Williams. It was sung at St. Paul’s when the King made his act of thanksgiving.’

Contributed by Frances Gaiter 11

A Baptism Service

Reaching Across Continents – and Years…

It was as simple as 1 - 2 – 3 – 4: One Church, two St Bartholomew’s ex-Church Warden grandmothers, three babies from overseas and four baby girls in all (no, no geese a-laying, but easily five or more gold rings!)

As Ex- Church Warden Granny, Sarah Smith, (second from right) describes it:

‘On July 15th our granddaughter, Millie (Amelia) was baptised at St Bartholomew's Church. The service was lovely and well attended with many familiar faces.

It was a very special day for us, since Millie lives in New York with her Mum, Elina, Dad, Alex, and brother, Sebastian, and we don’t see them as often as we would like.

We had had a big family gathering the day before to welcome Millie into the 12

Smith Clan and fortunately some relatives managed to join us on Sunday too, making it even more special. ...and Millie didn’t even cry!’

Dorothea Nattrass (more recent ex Church Warden and right in picture below) recalls the event: ‘Henry and Larissa Nattrass brought their one-year old twin daughters, Iris and Maeve, for baptism 'home’ from Brisbane, Australia, on July 15th. Mary had officiated at a Wedding Blessing for them three years ago in St Bart's, which made this extra special. Edward, Henry's brother, and his wife, Laura, are the English Godparents, and Dorothea the proud grandmother.’

Dorothea also pointed out that Dads, Alex Smith and Henry Nattrass and brother / Godfather, Edward Nattrass’ relationship stretches back across the years to Sunday School and youth group days at St Barts!

And the fourth baby girl? - More local, but just as important, was DeVilliers and Geraldine Lambrechts’ Amelia – who is a faithful attendant of ‘First Steps’ at St Christopher’s.

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And on the subject of babies‌ We should like to give a very warm welcome to young Arthur Mulroue, who was born to Kelly and Jack on August 29th, weighing 6lbs 4oz.

Kelly was part of the Haslemere Link Magazine Team until July, when Arthur’s imminent arrival prompted a move to Alton. Kelly is much missed off the team!

The Team

A Farewell from Barbara Steele-Perkins Thank you all so much for the generous gift on my retirement. I'm hoping to get a laptop eventually and it will be a valuable contribution to that.

It has been a very happy time in Grayswood, obviously except for Richard's sudden death, and I have felt very much at home in the benefice although I haven't visited St B's or St C's very often.

It was good to see some of you at my farewell service on 9th, and I will continue to pray for the right people to succeed both Mary and me, so the parishes can go forward in faith and love.

With my very best wishes Yours in Christ

Barbara 14

The Prayer Chapel at St Bartholomew’s A few words about the planned improvements and how they are being paid for!

Having completed the lighting above the chapel, we are now seeking a faculty (CofE planning permission) for some changes which will create a much more useful and welcoming space.

The plan is to create a larger chapel by removing four pews and furnishing it with a new carpet and more suitable chairs.

As well as being accessible for wheelchair users, families with prams will also be better catered for. The space will also be used for smaller gatherings, meetings and acts of worship.

The cost of £5,000 (including the lighting) is being funded by legacies left by Eileen Edmeades and Doris Vass. Readers may be aware that it is PCC policy that legacies should, wherever possible, be used for major works and improvements. Over the past year legacies have supported major repairs to our buildings as well as the recent relighting of St Bart’s. This month the PCC will also be putting forward proposals for using Norman Rogers’ legacy.

Parishioners can support the project through the purchase of chairs at £80 each and may also be interested in acquiring one of the pews. (Further details from Andrew Culshaw).

Andrew Culshaw Assistant Treasurer

It’s a Small World…!

I’m sure we’ve all had experiences when we’ve exclaimed ‘It’s a small world, isn’t it?!’

So, let’s share them! Send in your favourite ones to include in the magazine over the coming issues – to The Link Magazine office@haslemereparish.org 15

Autumn Term Dates Fridays 15.15-17.30 The Link at St Bart’s

*19 October* INSET DAY special time 14.00-16.30

16 November 14 December Other Youth & Children Dates: • • •

Families@4: 14 Oct and 11 Nov, All Age Services restart on 3rd Sundays from 18 Nov Parish Eucharist with 1st communion: 14 October at St Christopher’s

From the Registers Baptisms George Mercer 12 August 2018 Amelia Brooks 12 August 2018 Finlay and Caitlin Hayden 16 September 2018 Weddings Edward Taylor-Gooby & Jessica Noad 4 August 2018 Christian Pfrang & Chloe Mitchell 1 September 2018 Funerals John Munro Thomson 18 September 2018

Items for the December / January (2019) Magazine to reach us no later than Tuesday, November 13, please, to: office@haslemereparish.org Responsibility for opinions and accuracy in statements expressed in articles and in advertisements in this magazine rests solely with the individual contributors.

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Coming up…

In OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

OCTOBER Sat 6, 11.00am

Friends of the Parish Coffee & Concert: Clive Osgood Organ Recital, St. Bartholomew’s Sat 6, 7.30pm HHH Concert: Piano, St Christopher’s – Gould Piano Trio Sat 13, 7.30pm HMS Orchestral Concert, St Christopher’s Sat 20, 7.30pm Waverley Ensemble Concert, St Christopher’s Sat 27, 2.00-4.30pm Haslefolk presents: An afternoon of great entertainment and afternoon tea, St Stephen’s Church 7.30pm HHH Concert, St Christopher’s: Emmanuel Bach, violin NOVEMBER Sat 3, 11.00am

Sat 10, 7.30pm Sun 11, 7pm Sat 17, 7.30pm Sat 24, 7.30pm DECEMBER Sat 1, 11.00am Sat 8, 7.30pm Sat 22, 2pm

Friends of the Parish Coffee & Concert: Clive Osgood and Justin Luke – two pianos, St Bartholomew’s Remembrance Concert, St Christopher’s St Bart’s to join in the Nationwide Bell Peal for the Remembrance Centenary Haslemere Singers perform Brahms Requiem, St Christopher’s Waverley Ensemble, St Christopher’s

Friends of the Parish Coffee & Song Recital: Rebecca Moon, St Bartholomew’s HHH Concert, St Christopher’s: Van Kuijk Quartet Haslemere Singers’ Christmas Soirée, St Christopher’s

EVERYONE WELCOME TO THESE EVENTS! 17

Memorial Wall Life Extended The authorised interment ground for ashes in St Bartholomew’s churchyard dates back to 1978. Documents at the time indicate that it was to provide a facility for the interment of ashes with a permanent record contained in a Book of Remembrance. It was established for those whose funerals have taken place in the Church or have had some connection with it, whereas the public interment of ashes takes place at Sunvale Cemetery, Shottermill (Waverley’s only cemetery).

Many of the ashes at rest in the interment ground are those of Church members.

In 2001, as its Millennial Commemoration, the Parish had a Memorial Wall built to satisfy the wishes of surviving relatives who wanted to commemorate those whose ashes are interred in the interment ground. It is worth noting that ashes are actually inserted in the ground at a prescribed depth St Bartholomew’s from the bench by the Memorial Wall and in a pre-defined space shown on a plan kept in the Parish Office. The ground itself is of an irregular shape (for reasons that have escaped the author) and the marking out of a plot before an interment is not as straightforward as it should be. The simple sprinkling of ashes is not permitted by the Diocese.

From the planning carried out at the time it was considered (and required by the Diocese) that the Wall should provide for 25 years of interment at the then current rate of interments. As designed, the Wall provided 125 spaces with the assumption, written into the Faculty (a kind of Diocesan planning permission), that in due course a second Wall would be constructed with a further 125 spaces.

In 2013, it was considered time to start proper planning for a second Memorial Wall as the current one was filling up despite the interment ground not having reached capacity. It will come as no surprise to readers that progress on this was much slower than anticipated. In 2015 a small group of us visited a number of 18

churches in the area to look at designs of memorial wall and to plan the next steps. It was decided that the new wall would need to be located in the Derby Road churchyard but carefully designed to ensure it maintained a visual connection to the Church itself. It would be provided with seating for visitors to sit in quiet contemplation with the Church always in view. A new interment ground was planned in Derby Road churchyard, to be located in front of the new wall and seating area, and used exclusively for those commemorated on the new wall. This would have meant that the old interment ground would have been effectively closed due to a lack of wall space, rather than spaces in the ground.

By 2017, it was felt necessary to review the project and to consider the cost implications. Although the capital cost had not been determined at this stage, the estimated design costs were put at around £6,000. As a result, a briefing paper was prepared for the PCC in September 2017. This made some very interesting observations: •

in recent years only one or two requests for memorial plaques on the existing wall have been received;

•

there are no more unallocated spaces left on the wall (seven are prebooked);

•

interments are no more than three or four per year;

•

as a result, there is about ten year’s supply of plots in the interment ground.

Following discussions, it was decided to pursue a far cheaper solution – to reposition the current plaques on each of the panels on the Memorial Wall, which would give considerable breathing space by providing the additional spaces for new plaques at minimal cost. The original layout of the panels had the plaques in three columns with very generous spacing between them. The new layout provides four columns on a panel, with not markedly reduced spacing, and can comfortably accommodate seven plaques per column (i.e. 28 per panel). At the time of writing there are 65 vacant places across six panels (not counting the centre panel which has been set aside). Taking account of the plaque spaces already committed and paid for, this solution leaves more than adequate unallocated spaces. At the current rate, this should mean that the wall and the existing interment ground are sufficient for a further ten years. Although one can still see the impression of where the plaques used to be, all the old holes have been filled carefully with mortar. As the stone continues to weather any marks should gradually disappear. A solution has therefore been provided which prolongs the life of the wall and maximises the use of the existing 19

interment ground - and at a cost of less than ÂŁ500.

As a footnote on the churchyard in general, parishioners will have noticed that the red and white tape has now been removed from those memorial stones that failed the Waverley BC stress testing but were not laid down. This is because the Parish decided to have these repaired by a specialist memorial mason so that they can continue to enhance the churchyard for years to come. The only remaining grave to be treated is that of Marion Clarke, an ambulance driver killed by enemy action in 1943. This memorial requires considerable refurbishment as well as repair, and advice seems to indicate that in such circumstances a Faculty will be required from the Diocese. To differentiate in such a way between refurbishment (essentially reinstatement and not embellishment) and repair would seem, to the author at least, to be unduly onerous.

Finally, as parishioners will have seen, flowers are often left on the interment ground to commemorate a recent interment or perhaps to remember an anniversary. While we need to be sensitive in these matters, once flowers are past their best (sometimes well past it!) they are removed.

Philip Hunt Churchyards Representative

St Bartholomew’s Memorial Wall following the rearrangement of plaques 20

Just a Thought…

Evelyn Hughes Spending the day in London, a friend and I decided to ‘catch a show’. Trawling the theatres, we opted for one with ‘STEPPING OUT’ emblazoned across its entrance. The play was about a group of women struggling to learn to tapdance. In the course of it, each person’s life-story was revealed. It raised the spirits of this unlikely group when they entered and won a competition.

The memory of that tap-dancing must have stayed with my friend. Years later she confessed to a secret ambition: ‘I’d like to learn to tap-dance’, she said. I’d recently heard a radio talk in which the speaker urged: ‘Follow your bliss’. I gave this advice to my friend, but she was too shy to take it.

I was reminded of all this when I watched Ben Fogle’s’ televised assault on Mount Everest. It was a gruelling climb; resilience was tested to the limits.

Within metres of the summit a last-minute hitch threatened to deprive him of victory. But he made it. Exhausted – but ecstatic – he gave a piece to camera: he had fulfilled his dream; we must fulfil ours. With an almost evangelical fervour, he pleaded: ‘Climb your Everest’.

In Christian pilgrimage we hear of people ‘stepping out in faith’. One particular challenge required me to do something I didn’t want to do and didn’t feel capable of. I seemed to be standing in a vast snowfield, with no signposts and no footmarks in which to plant my own. I decided to say ‘yes’; to take one step forward and then another, and trust God for the rest. I’m so glad I did.

Perhaps God is presenting you with a challenge. Here are some words of encouragement from Psalm 37:23: ‘When your steps are guided by the Lord And you delight in His way, Though you stumble, you shall not fall headlong, For the Lord holds you fast by the hand’.

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Kolkata The City of Joy

By Tessa David On arriving in the depths of the monsoon season in Kolkata in July this year, I was full of great intentions of swarming into the city – “making a difference” - and then swarming back out again a month later. Having had the opportunity now to reflect on the experience, I realise how arrogant it was for me to assume that as a white Western person entering a developing country, I would be the one bringing about positive change. In reality, I was the one who would learn and benefit the most from the experience.

In 1971, Vijayan and Premila Pavamani chose to trust in God and in a step of faith they placed an advertisement in the Statesman Newspaper, inviting people in distress to either telephone them or come to their home. From there, the ‘Calcutta Samaritans’, as it was then known, would grow into an umbrella organisation known as Emmanuel Ministries Calcutta (EMC) with a range of projects fighting poverty and social injustice, including alcohol and drug addiction centres and providing homes for abandoned children across Kolkata. Tearfund now partners with the charity.

I chose to work on three of EMC’s many projects with one other member of my team of seven UK volunteers. Both of us are medical students, so we taught around 200 students, in an EMC-funded English medium school, basic first aid. I was shocked by how few students even knew what number to call in the case of an emergency and how to respond if someone is choking. If we ever asked what you should do if someone burns themselves, invariably the answer was to apply toothpaste!

We also ran a youth group in a slum. The children that attended couldn’t speak any English, however, somehow we managed to communicate with them and by the end had built a great relationship with the children there. I was enormously 22

moved by the generosity of the children. They have so little material wealth, however they all clubbed their money together to buy me a beautiful birthday cake!

In the evenings I helped in a home for children who had either been abandoned or their parents were no longer able to look after them. I loved helping with maths homework The birthday cake and was quickly known as the maths geek!

As a city, Kolkata is culturally rich; however, much of its history tells a sad story of the neglect and apathy of mankind. I only needed to step out of my hostel to be reminded that there are still human beings who live day in, day out, on the side of a road, without access to even the very basic amenities. I regularly found myself feeling angry at God. How could an all loving, all powerful and just God allow such suffering?

Colourful streets of Kolkata While suffering remains a huge challenge for me, I was greatly encouraged by the way those who worked for EMC followed Jesus’ example in simply loving the person in front of them. I was reminded of how, like in the story of the Woman at the Well, Jesus showed endless kindness to those who were broken.

I spent an afternoon volunteering at Mother Theresa’s House for the Dying in Kalighat. I was deeply distressed by the conditions there. Around 40 women, nearing the end of their lives, are crammed into one room and cared for there.

Of course, this is far better than the alternative of dying on the streets and I was overwhelmed with admiration for the nuns who work there. However, the condition fell far short of the standards of palliative care that I believe every human should have. Although very upsetting, my afternoon in Kalighat has sparked a passion to fight for improvements in palliative care in the developing world.

If you wish to learn more about the work of EMC, their website is very informative. They currently have plans to develop a new integrated child development centre to rehabilitate around 300 children. http://emcalcutta.org/about/overview.html 23

Haslemere Architectural Features – Adding Character - and Also Art? In my previous article for the Parish Magazine I compared the distinguishing features of our Haslemere town hall with that of the splendid medieval Peterborough guildhall dated 1671 – some 143 years older. I also invited attention to any interesting oriel windows locally which readers like.

Unusually, none of our loyal readers have responded to that invitation. I normally receive a few kind reactions. May I add here that if I have failed to reply to any of those individuals, then my apologies. All are read and appreciated.

Distinctive styles of architecture can add character to a place or an area and when Sir Jonathan Hutchinson bought the Half Moon Farm in 1873 it was his son Herbert who was given increasing responsibility for the design and building of many of the distinctive houses in that south eastern quarter of Haslemere.

Not all the houses were built or designed by Hutchinson but there were strict guidelines which others were required to follow. The Town and Country Planning Act did not appear on the statute books until 1947.

Quality of architectural design was the aim and, with that in mind, the Hutchinsons set up the college which bore their name. It was at the foot of College Hill and is now Timbers nursery school, on the corner of College Hill Terrace.

The photograph (right) shows the eastern end of what I assume was the main building.

Herbert developed an individual style of housing which valued the ideals of the Arts and Crafts 24

movement. To a certain extent it was the Surrey Style as epitomised in Roderick Gradige’s book of that name, but it went further than simply brick faced elevations for the ground floor and whitened roughcast or occasionally weatherboarding for the elevations of the first floor, as seen elsewhere in the town. The heavy oak framing of the medieval period was recalled in houses having gables which, if they did not actually require much of the timber so boldly displayed, certainly made a point of featuring it. My photo (left) of parts of the former Heights preparatory school in Hill Road demonstrates the point.

A prominent feature that Herbert Hutchinson used quite widely was the turret. It was a convenient way of adding emphasis to a corner of the building while perhaps providing a great vantage point from which to enjoy the often-marvellous views from many of the hillside houses.

Turrets could be built in any number of sizes and styles: circular or faceted, glazed so as to enjoy the scenery or restricted so as to block out any offending view. The various photos included here make the point.

Museum Hill, where Sir Jonathan Hutchinson’s museum started life in about the late 1880s, has several good examples of domestic scale turrets, in fact it appears quite unusual not to have such a feature!

(Photo right)

My various strolls round the neighbourhood have revealed many variations on a theme, from the almost reluctant inclusion of any fenestration in the nascent stone turret at Broad Dene a design by Inigo Triggs, and Unwin, where the turret’s roof is a mere suggestion, to the much less subtle and quite recent building at Hales Field (at the foot of College Hill) where a significant portion of the house at the entrance to that road is given over to the semi-circular room.

Is that to emphasise the significance of the entrance to the new housing 25

development perhaps? It gives a nod to the principle of recalling the names of the old boundaries and field usage that was so dear to Herbert Hutchinson.

In the heading to this piece I mention art. Many of the drawings that were prepared for prospective clients of the architects were almost works of art in their own right - often quite elaborately coloured drawings - perhaps tinted is more accurate - of the proposed dwelling house and its setting. When I first worked in a drawing office preparing plans for conveyances and rights of way, highways etc, it was essential to follow the accepted code of colours for the various aspects of the proposals. Some of those drawings were true works of art, but not mine, I hasten to add.

I was delighted to learn from Mrs Jane Clayton (née Hutchinson) that many of the elegant architectural drawings in her possession, as prepared by her grandfather Herbert, have been loaned to the Haslemere Museum for five months so that they may be appreciated by a wider audience, some of whom will find their own house among the drawings. I understand that they may be seen on Tuesdays, the ‘volunteers day’ at the museum.

Broad Dene in Hill Rd, where a seemingly reluctant turret manages to look quite sinister

Close up of detail of intricate workmanship

Robert Serman 26

Why generous regular giving is so important!

A regular and healthy prayer life by our faithful members underpins all we do as a Parish. However, to maintain all that we do we also need regular giving.

To put this in perspective, if instead of regular giving we asked you to pay each time you came to a service, the entry price would be: £28! (each!) to cover our costs.

Sharing the burden, by paying even when we are not present, by giving according to our means, and using Gift Aid, makes attendance for us all rather more affordable.

We are grateful to all who already give regularly and encourage those who aren’t part of the Parish Giving Scheme to join it – details are in both churches and the Parish Office.

An update on the Stewardship Campaign We are also grateful to all who responded to the campaign which increased giving by c£6,000 per annum, albeit somewhat short of our £30,000 target. Many also joined the Parish Giving Scheme and index linked their giving. However, we are once again facing a significant shortfall in income against annual expenditure. Without a meaningful increase in income we will need to draw on the various bequests which we have hitherto retained for major repairs and improvements. The PCC will share more information with you and how you can help over the coming weeks.

Andrew Culshaw (Assistant Treasurer) 27

On Saturday, 22nd September we held our Parish Quiz Evening. We had 12 tables, amounting to 86 people, and just managed to squeeze into the Link. Andrew Culshaw was the quiz master and what good questions they were! Hamish Donaldson added up the scores and announced Debbie Peet’s table to be the winners. Jane and Dom Slevin manned the Bar, and the fish and chips were provided by the Hindhead Friars. Linda Donaldson and Sue Whitehead cooked the apple strudels. It was a fun community evening which seemed to have been enjoyed by everyone.

Any money raised by the quiz will be going towards redecorating the Link, new tablecloths, etc.

Linda Donaldson

‘Lest We Forget’ St Christopher’s member honours those who fought in WWI with a spectacular banner Liz Cook and her daughter, Jane, created a banner to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I. It is in the form of a panel. Liz quilted it, Jane embroidered the writing on her sewing machine and the soldier silhouettes were cut out and sewn on.

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Haslemere Players Playing Chess in October!

The Haslemere Players’ October production is the famous musical, Chess, with witty lyrics by Tim Rice and wonderful music by ABBA recently having had its first West End revival in 30 years, playing to packed audiences and starring Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke.

Chess tells a story of love and political intrigue, set against the background of the Cold War era in the late 1970s/early 1980s., The show has three interwoven story lines; a deeply competitive and tense chess match between the Russian and American champions, a romantic but controversial love match – the Russian defects to the West with the American’s girlfriend! - and the historic struggle between Russia and the West, in which global superpowers attempt to manipulate the chess championship for political gain. This subject is topical again and the script has been updated to include reference to doping and nerve agents!

The international hit songs include One Night in Bangkok and the Elaine Paige/Barbara Dickson classic, I Know Him So Well; other wellknown songs from the score include Someone Else’s Story, Heaven Help my Heart and The Anthem.

Tickets (£9 to £17 with concessions) are available from Haslemere Hall – 01428 642161 or online at www.haslemerehall.co.uk

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Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie Serves 4 Ingredients 1 tblsp. olive oil 2 medium onions, finely sliced 1 star anise (optional) 1 large carrot, finely sliced 1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped 7 fl.oz white wine Stock cube, crumbled 400g. tin chopped tomatoes 400g. tin brown or green lentils 2lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 2oz. butter 2-3oz. grated mature Cheddar cheese In a large frying pan, over a medium heat, add the oil and fry the onion with the star anise until browned. Reduce the temperature to low, add the carrot, tomato puree and nearly all the herbs and cook for 2 min. Pour in the wine and simmer for 5 min until reduced slightly. Remove star anise, then add stock cube, tomatoes, and lentils with their juice and 2 fl.oz. of water. Cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Season to taste.

Meanwhile cover the potatoes with cold water in the large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 min. Drain, then return to the pan and mash with the butter and plenty of seasoning.

Heat oven to 200 degrees (180 fan mark 6). Spoon lentil mixture into a 2 litre (3 pint) pie dish and dollop the mash over the top. Sprinkle with enough cheese to just cover the mash. Cook for 20 minutes (or 35 minutes from chilled) until hot all the way through and golden on top.

GET AHEAD: This pie can be prepared and chilled up to 3 days in advance and it freezes well. If freezing, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight.

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In My Garden Philip Duly

The long hot summer of 2018 will be remembered for many different reasons and will probably be written about at far too much length and for too many years. It is certainly the case that the long dry spell throughout June and July impacted our gardens in different ways, not least the prolonged flowering season of drought resistant plants that enjoy baking sun. One such is this month's star plant, Crocosmia Lucifer, a vibrant hot border bulbous perennial with abundant pleated bright-green leaves and tomato-red branching trumpets. It is very easy to grow, completely hardy, long-flowering and spreads without becoming invasive.

I have several drifts of Crocosmia Lucifer, planted alongside mature shrubs or conifers at the back of my borders accompanying phlox, lilies and early flowering hydrangeas. Lucifer can also be mixed with great effect alongside other varieties such as C. George Davison which has light orange-yellow flowers opening from orange buds, C. Zambesi which has upward-facing orange flowers, with darker orange centres, or the carrot-orange C. Masoniorum which has a particularly long flowering season from July to September. Crocosmia tolerated this summer's prolonged drought perfectly but if next year's British Crocosmia Lucifer summer is a shorter-lived, damp or cool affair, one can still expect any Crocosmia to provide another abundant display of vibrant flowers to brighten any border.

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Elizabeth Finn Moves to Haslemere You may not have heard of Elizabeth Finn before, but her former home in London is commemorated by an English Heritage Blue Plaque. Why? At the age of 72, this visionary lady decided to make a stand against poverty, rife in Victorian times, and founded the Distressed Gentlefolks’ Aid Association, a wonderfully old-fashioned term today. Over the years the name of the charity has changed, finally to Turn2us, but its aims remain today as they were 120 years ago - to help those living in poverty.

Elizabeth Finn Homes Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the charity, operates a group of nine award-winning care homes across England providing personal and nursing care. Although the Homes are run on a commercial basis, any operating surplus at the end of the financial year passes to Turn2us to support its work – how brilliant is that?

The tenth home in the Elizabeth Finn Group will open in Haslemere in the autumn, on the site of the former Wispers School. Along with all other Elizabeth Finn Homes, Oak Hall will focus on providing industry-leading personalised care, with first-rate facilities and equipment throughout.

Oak Hall has four categories of room, ranging from standard to suites, suitable for a couple. All are light, airy and have ensuite wetroom facilities; all have restful colour-schemes with high quality soft-furnishings.

There are also assisted-bathrooms available and the floors are serviced by three lifts.

Oak Hall Reception Area 32

The dining experience will be to the same exceptional standard as the care provided, with restaurant-style dining from a changing menu utilising fresh, seasonal ingredients. The impressive reception areas in the Home are complimented by the adjoining Country Club, complete with a bistro, fully licensed bar and a coffee area. The residents of the retirement village in the grounds of Oak Hall are welcome to use these facilities.

Oak Hall will offer a range of care options: residential, full nursing care, respite, convalescence and specialist palliative care. We employ the best in order to provide the best care and will have high ratios of staff to residents. We believe that quality of life is as important as quality of care and our social engagement team will liaise with residents to establish their interests in order to develop engagement opportunities tailored to the individual.

Oak Hall will have an enlightened, innovative approach to care of the elderly with the holistic needs of our residents firmly at the centre of everything we do. As autumn approaches, all the team at Oak Hall are focussed on ensuring that everyone and everything will be ready to do precisely that.

If you would like to find out more about life at Oak Hall please contact: Karen Williams, General Manager, Oak Hall Nursing Home, Wispers Lane,

Haslemere, GU27 1AB Tel: 01428 744010 oakhall@efhl.co.uk www.efhl.co.uk www.turn2us.org.uk

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Haslemere Museum Celebrating 130 Years Culture, Learning and Inspiration since 1888

What’s on in October and November...

Big Arts Magical Elephants and Dragons Family Event at Haslemere Museum Saturday 6 October | 12.30pm – 3.00pm | Free event – No need to book Come along to the Museum and enjoy a fun-filled art session based around magical elephants and dragons. This is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to explore their artistic talent using a diverse range of different materials and add to the Museum’s collaborative collage. Part of Magical Museum activities.

130th Anniversary Talk at Haslemere Museum – Loyd Grossman Thursday 18 October | 7pm-9pm | Members £10 and Non-Members £12 includes welcome drinks – Book in advance As part of Haslemere Museum’s 130th anniversary celebrations, they will be hosting a series of talks by distinguished Museum patrons.

Join Loyd Grossman CBE FSA for this fascinating talk on The Royal Parks.

Early Birds at Haslemere Museum Wednesday 24 October | 9.00am – 10.00am | By Donation to the Museum – Booking Essential Special opening for families with children who have an Autism Spectrum Condition to come along and enjoy the Museum free from the hustle and bustle of the public.

The galleries will be open and there will be an opportunity to handle special objects.

Haunted Halloween at Haslemere Museum Friday 26 October | 1.30pm to 4.30pm | Members £2 and Non-Members £4 No need to book Calling all little witches, wizards, ghosts and ghouls! Dress up in your scariest costume and come along to the Museum for some spooky fun! Enjoy creepy crafts and pumpkin carving (bring your own pumpkin or squash) and join us in our Halloween procession through the town, leaving from the museum at 4.30pm. Jointly organised by Visit Haslemere.

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Museums at Night Saturday 27 October | 6pm-8pm | Members £4 and Non-Members £6 – Book in advance Enjoy a special Halloween opening of Haslemere Museum at night. Explore the dark galleries (bring a torch) and follow the special trail. There will be arts and crafts activities too as well as magical storytelling by The Haslemere Bookshop.

Part of Museums at Night & Magical Museum activities.

Firework and Bonfire Evening Saturday 3 November | Doors open 6.30pm Fireworks 7.30pm followed by lighting of the bonfire | Members £6 | Non-Members £8 | Book in Advance Make sure you celebrate Bonfire Night in style with a dazzling firework show by FAB Fireworks and as the night draws in, the event is sure to warm up when the bonfire is lit. There will be seasonal food and drink available too including burgers, hotdogs and mulled wine! Wrap up and enjoy a show of spectacular colours in the beautiful Museum garden! Priority booking to Museum members only and tickets for non-members will go on sale from 2nd October.

Creative Wellbeing Workshops – Crafty Christmas Tuesday 27 November | 2.30pm-4.30pm or 7pm-9pm | Members £5 | NonMembers £8 | Book in Advance Facilitated by local professional artist Diana Burch, each session focuses on wellbeing and is a fun way to take some time out of your busy day to day life.

As the festive season approaches, come along and create your own Christmas crafts and decorations using a variety of different materials.

Tea and Talk at the Museum – Bird Migration and Art Tuesday 20 November | 2.30pm | Members Free | Non-Members £3 | No need to book.

Looking for something different to do? Then why not come along and enjoy our informal talks for adults with tea and biscuits Join Alan Perry to look at the book sponsored from the estate of the Museum’s late trustee Penny Hollow showing artists in Africa on the migration route and some of the birds making that journey.

Keep an eye on the Museum’s website and social media pages to keep up to date with everything that is going on at Haslemere Museum www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk 35

Sunday Services At St Bartholomew’s & St Christopher’s 7 Oct Trinity 19

4 Nov All Saints Sunday

08.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Bartholomew’s

08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 UB Service | All Saints Grayswood 16.00 All Souls service | St Bartholomew’s

14 Oct Trinity 20

11 Nov Remembrance Day

08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist with 1st communion | St Christopher’s 11.30 Matins | St Bartholomew’s 16.00 Families@4 | St Bartholomew’s

08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 09.30 Remembrance Eucharist | St Christopher’s 10.00 Remembrance Service & procession to Town War Memorial | St Bartholomew’s 16.00 Families@4 | St Bartholomew’s

21 Oct Trinity 21 08.00 Holy Communion, St Christopher’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Bartholomew’s 11.30 Praying on Sunday, St Christopher’s

18 Nov Third Sunday before Advent 08.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 All Age Service with baptism | St Bartholomew’s 11.00 Praying on Sunday | St Christopher’s

28 Oct Last after Trinity 08.00 Holy Communion, St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Christopher’s 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s

25 Nov Christ the King

Please note!

All Age services will restart rd on 3 Sundays from November 2018 with either a Eucharist OR a baptism.

We look forward to welcoming families with younger children to these services.

08.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Parish Eucharist | St Christopher’s With guest preacher from Tearfund 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s

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