NEWSLETTER
CHAIRMAN'S NOTES / Spring 1997Winter seems to have lasted a long time and I am very pleased to be able to write the word "Spring" which always gives me renewed hope and vitality, for example I have an immediate desire to start sowing seeds and begin the rejuvenation of the garden. Just before writing this I heard an extract from the latest report on schools which was immediately followed by a comment on a BBC programme saying how critical this report was. A spokesman for the teachers pointed out that in fact only a very small percentage of schools were criticised whilst the majority were found to be excellent, this was a good report, he said "Let's accentuate the positive", but the dear old BBC went on for the rest of the day hammering away at this "bad" report.
Why do they always pick out the worst parts to talk about? When we lived in the USA it was a pleasure to listen to the radio at breakfast time. "Hi there, this is Ed Blank in Omaha on this fine Spring day, wake up to a new day, all's well with the W arid". The fact that it was pouring with rain and that there had been another shooting down town and two more drug pushers had been arrested was beside the point. The main aim was to encourage, uplift and urge us to be happy. Positive, not negative; how I wish our media and politicians could be like that instead of the constant drip of gloom.
You will, of course, immediately wonder what that has to do with the National Trust and especially our small bit of it. The fact is that we can only go on being moderately successful as long as we accentuate the positive. We do try; our programmes are mostly very good and we pick out the best for future emulation; our membership goes up and down but we don't harp on about the down bit, we tell you how many new members we have; financially we manage to keep our heads above water, so we tell you how much we give to the Trust each year.
This Spring I fear we shall be deluged with boring politicians each telling us what is wrong with the other. To get away for a time, come to our visits and talks; I promise no politics, no negatives, just good old fashioned positive attitudes amongst friendly, happy people you might even learn something too. Have a good day!!
Gordon Burgess
NEW MEMBERS
We are pleased to welcome the following new members who have joined the Centre since the Autumn 1996 issue of the Newsletter:-
During 1996Mr &Mrs D.R. Broadbent / Hednesford
Mr &Mrs B. Gladwin, / Rugeley
Miss J. Glaister / Woodseaves
Mr &Mrs A. Godwin / Stafford
Mr &Mrs S.W. Kesterton / Walton
Mr &Mrs F.W. Watwood / Stafford
and during 1997
Mr &Mrs E.P. Cashmore / Lichfield
Mrs C.S. Cull / Lichfield
Miss I. Moore / Stafford
Miss M. Moore / Stafford
Mrs C. Cosens / Lichfield
Mr & Mrs C.W. Blogg / Stafford
TREE DEDICATION CEREMONY IN MEMORY
OF WILF POVEY
A tree dedication ceremony in memory of our late Chairman, Wilf Povey, will take place at Shugborough on Sunday, 11th May 1997. All of you who wish to attend should assemble at the car park opposite the Shugborough Farm at 2.30 p.m.
NOTES FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND
BOOKlNGS SECRETARY
My thanks to all of you who have expressed their appreciation for the efforts put in by your Committee and to me for looking after much of the paperwork.
Now the good news.
All your cheques have been dated 1997. Well done! Also you have all given your "pick up" points. Good!
But unfortunately there is now some bad news. If the cover of this Newsletter is marked with a red cross it means that I have not received your renewal subscription (at the time of distribution). Hurry them along to me please in order to continue enjoying membership of and events arranged by the Centre. Now some general comments.
On the last booking form we moved the "box" to the top to encourage you to fill it in completely. I have had more "nameless" forms than ever before! If any of you have good ideas for a simple form which still gives all the information needed, then we would welcome your suggestions.
Many of you have sent two cheques - one for subscription and one for bookings. It is easier for you, me and the bank to send one combined cheque as mentioned in the renewal invitation. BUT it does help if I have a separate cheque for a holiday deposit (as many of you already do), in case there has to be a refund because of over bookings etc.
Finally some of you must have acquired new staplers. Please, as in Animal Farm "four legs good, two legs bad", so "paper clips good, staples BAD".
C.E.Ricketts
WILL YOU HELP?
Can you spare a couple of hours or so at weekends? If so, why not join our team of volunteers who work at Shugborough during the season which, this year, starts at Easter and will end on Sunday, 28 September.
Each Saturday, Sunday and Monday Bank Holidays members of our team open the Tower of the Winds and the Chinese House to the public from around 2pm to 5pm.
The job is not onerous, and you meet people from all over the world. Last year, for example, there were well over 7,000. They enjoyed seeing these places, judging from their comments in the visitors' book, and I know that our volunteers find the time that they give most interesting.
If you can help please call or write to Eric Hay lock, the Volunteers Co-ordinator, at 86 Gaia Lane, Lichfield, WS 13 7LS. Telephone: 01543 258934.
WILF POVEY
My wife and I formed the Staffordshire Centre in 1976 and since then have attended very many events where Wilt Povey officiated as Chairman in his usual quiet efficient manner. There were visits, weekends, Christmas lunches and meetings where his wife Meg, with Peggy Comber, ran the shop. Recent members may not be aware that the white seat in the arbour by the rose garden at Shugborough is to her memory.
But to Tuesday, 29th October. After a very wet and windy Monday the weather relented and we set off for Welshpool in bright sunshine. Reinforced by a good lunch at the Royal Oak we went up to Powys with some 30 other members to be welcomed into the Castle by two lady officials. Our present Chairman then paid a fitting tribute to Wilt's work on behalf of the Centre and the National Trust before presenting 2 seats in his memory which are to be kept at Powys for the use of visitors. The seats are wonderfully crafted in oak to a design influenced by the chairs in the dining room. Everyone concerned with the design and construction can be justifiably proud of the quality and integrity of their work. Wilt's daughter and son-in-law were very impressed and delighted that Powys had been chosen
to receive them, which is appropriate as their home is in a village one can see from the Castle.
Then after a photo-call and refreshments we left for home with the sun still shining on the Welsh Hills. We had had a most enjoyable day which was as Wilf would have wished.
Bill Parsons
TRIBUTE TO A MUCH LOVED CHAIRMAN
Wilf Povey was a founder member of the Staffordshire Centre of the National Trust when it was inaugurated in 1973, and served as Chairman of the centre from 1975 until 1990, when he treated himself to a well earned rest by retiring and becoming an ordinary member of committee. Throughout his long association with the centre Wilf took a leading role in organising events. indeed he was the first on the committee to arrange a "weekend" as opposed to single-day events, and he continued to organise holiday weeks right up until he died in 1995. His events were invariably over-subscribed, and their contribution in terms of cash to the National Trust was very substantial. Wilf it was who started the centre's Annual Christmas Lunches, which have been a huge success year after year ever since, attracting a whole range of interesting and often celebrated guest speakers to entertain us.
Apart from his many other achievements Wilf was a crossword puzzle addict, and never a day passed without a tussle with the Daily Telegraph puzzle. His two daughters, one in Powys, the other in Geneva, are also keen puzzlers, and many a time Wilf would telephone one or the other to inquire what on earth was the answer to five down (or some such clue).
Our centre has had the very good fortune to recruit among its membership Mr Joe Wootton, a highly skilled and talented furniture designer, and when we deliberated on a suitable memorial to Wilf, Jo offered to construct two chairs in period style for presentation to Powys Castle, a National Trust property dear to Wilf's heart. Our committee seized on the offer gratefully, and the two chairs, in English Oak and made in the style of the other furniture in the Castle, were officially installed at Powys during a brief ceremony on 29th October 1996. They bear the simple inscription "Remember Wilf', and their presence will no doubt bring pleasure and comfort to visitors to Powys for many years to come.
The photograph shows the assembled gathering at Powys, with the two chairs occupying a prominent position in the front and Jo himself on the extreme left of the photograph.
THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCH
Once again a happy throng gathered in the Platinum Suite of the Uttoxeter Racecourse for another excellent meal. None of us are getting any younger, but how nice it is to meet old friends again and again on these festive occasions. It was, of course, Wilf Povey who started these Christmas Lunches, oh! many years ago now. I am sure he would, from his grave, delight in seeing the tradition which he initiated so much alive today.
Thanks to our new printer who can "handle" colour prints and to our very talented member Jo Wootton we have a photograph of the gathering on this occasion, and if you look hard enough I'm sure you will see yourself in the far corner somewhere!
Our speaker Deric Longdon, a well known author, did not disappoint us. It was unfortunate that his wife was unable to be with us, but she is blind, and the journey from Huddersfield would have been a little arduous. But Mr Longdon, a man of obvious warmth and kindliness, regaled us with tales of surpassing humour, which left us helpless with laughter. He had brought with him copies of his latest book, and the last hour of his stay was spent signing copies for eager purchasers!
The raffle excelled itself on this occasion. Thanks to your great generosity there were over twenty prizes, all most acceptable. The result? No less than £180 for the National Trust. Our sincere thanks to the Critchlows for organising it all so well.
One final point. Your Committee has heard rumblings to the effect that, since the Ingestre Suite at Stafford has now been (magnificently, it must be said) restored, why can we not return there for our Christmas Lunches? Two reasons, which our Chairman Gordon Burgess explained. The first is parking. There are no proper parking facilities at the Stafford Showground and, coupled with the invariable fact that other events there coincide with ours, this has led to great difficulties in the past, particularly in wet weather. The second reason is that bar facilities at the Show ground are independent of the catering, so the cost of our meal with bar facilities would be considerably more than at present, where both facilities are the responsibility of Jenkinson's, the caterers. Certainly for some the Racecourse is further away than the Showground, but it's a splendid venue, and we hope to see you there next time, on Sunday, 14th December 19971
Guy de Visme
CLIFF'S AUSTRIAN HOLIDAY
Those of us who accompanied (metaphorically speaking) our Membership Secretary Cliff Ricketts on his walks along the Levadas on Madeira knew they were in for another inspiring evening on 14th January 1997. Judging by the large attendance at Weston Road High School his fame must have gone before him and this time we we're to journey with him through the magnificent countryside of Austria.
Travellers usually find their visits confined to somewhat limited areas but Cliff's walking boots took him to places where tourists don't normally reach and opened up a land of towering mountains, sparkling lakes and peaceful valleys, peppered with small towns and villages of outstanding charm. The latter nestling closely together in the valleys have gradually crept up the mountain sides and one of the prettiest Austrian villages. Halstatt, clinging precariously to a mountain wall looked as though a clap of thunder could send it hurtling into the waters of the lake below.
Following closely in the steps of our leader we set off on our pictorial journey from the valley floor up to the roof of the world. People who were unfortunate enough to live on the wrong side of the valley rarely saw the sun but had the consolation of picturesque architecture to brighten their day. Chalet type structures made of wood had balconies and cascading flowers. The importance of a building seemed to be determined by the number of floors, balconies and window boxes it possessed, but all were attractive and the brilliance of the flowers demanded a second look. One such grand building was the famous "White Horse Inn", still therein St. Wolfgang in all its former glory. I recall playing with great gusto the music from the show (you have to be of a certain vintage to remember this) on our piano la, a very splendid instrument indeed and the sound of White Horse Inn reverberated around the whole house!!
Churches were of special interest with their distinctive slim towers and slender spires looking like plants drawn up to the light. The spires on some were interrupted half way up by the insertion of a globe, thought to house important deeds and documents of the Community for safe keeping from fire.
Leaving the villages we passed through mainly pastureland on the lower slopes although some crops and fruits are grown in small quantities. We were heading for the sun high above the mountain tops and way beyond the coniferous forests. Various forms of transport were available to reach different stages of ascent but when transport ended and the walking began, that was where our interest lay. A breathtaking view awaited us from the summit of the Schonbicklerhom, endless peaks as far as the eye could see, like the teeth of some giant prehistoric monster, but it was the scene below which was most captivating. So peaceful and serene, but here it was that all the dramas of life were being enacted.
Going up meant eventually coming down and Cliff s steps were firm and sure. Glaciers like the one at Gross Glockner needed to be crossed with care and more than likely a waterfall would be encountered as a river powered its way down the mountain side. The one at Krimml created a spectacular rainbow in the rising spray and mist from the surging water. Before leaving we had taken a look at man's contribution to this enchanting land.
Elegant Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and catapulted to world wide fame by The Sound of Music. Innsbruck, the treasure trove of the Alps. Renowned for its wonderful buildings and especially the "Golden Roof' built to serve as a "Court Box" in the reign of Maximilian in the 15th Century. This Gothic Bay window is covered by 2.657 gilded copper tiles, though legend has it that they are solid gold! !
We are indeed grateful to Cliff for inviting us to join him and for sharing his experiences with us. Where next will his wanderings take him? We wait with anticipation.
Sheila Burgess
CHAIRS AND CASTLES
This unlikely combination arose because the Violin maker who had promised to talk to us was unavoidably delayed on his journey back from Switzerland. Nothing daunted, as usually the versatility of committee members quickly produced two speakers who kept us all enthralled.
JoeWootton traced the designing and making of the chairs for Wilf Povey's memorial. Several visits to Powys were made to take measurements and photograph a Chippendale Chair in the Dining Room that was to be copied.
A piece of rough oak showed how the wood looked before it was planed and shaped. Joetook us through all the stages necessary to produce the finished chairs illustrating how much work is involved in such a project. The finishing touch was the lettering on the bottom rail of both seats saying 'Remember Will' Povey 1916-95'.
[The chairs are now in situ and can be sat on when you next visit Powys].
Eric Tanner followed this with a slide show and commentary on Castles and ancient Burial Sites.