Timber! Goodbye to an old sycamore on T’ Parson’s Bank 27-01-2015
New owner at Welbury House Mike Waddle (right) helps remove the rotting tree
Coming up …
More details in church gazette and separate wel-e-bulletins
Tue 17 Feb Pancake Party, 3.30 – 5 pm, St Leonard’s church
Wed 18 Feb Ash Wednesday Service, 6.30 pm, St Leonard’s church
Thu 19 Feb WI, 7.30 pm, Village Hall
Wed 11 Mar Parish Council meeting 8 pm Village Hall
Sat 14 Mar Cricket Club Ceilidh, 7.30 pm East Harlsey Village Hall
Thu 19 Mar WI, 7.30 pm, Village Hall
Congratulations …
Congratulations to Sarah & Andy Bateson at The Cottage (opposite the pub) on the birth of their son Dylan on 8 Feb 2015 at 10:17 weighing in at 9lb 1oz (lighter than his sister!). Dylan takes over the title of Youngest Welburian so soon from Barney Waddle of Welbury House.
Quiz of the month …
How many homes? How many homes are there in Welbury parish? It depends on what you mean by “home” of course – household, dwelling, homestead, property, residential address, etc – so you decide a definition.
Answers from last month (as far as we know; tell us if you know better).
Welbury waterways? Strictly, there are no waterways in Welbury, as that name implies navigability. I should have said watercourses! There are just three named: the River Wiske to the north (c. 2.7 km in the parish), Welbury Stell to the north-east (c. 2.6 km) and Ing Beck east & south (c. 4 km, the longest).
Snippets …
See bulletins and church gazette for more
Barney Waddle photo Mike Waddle 06-02-2015
First new Welburian of 2015
Village map: The village map on the notice board opposite School House shows the houses in the village numbered with an index to their names, plus an alphabetical index. It should be very helpful for deliveries. The map has just been updated and is free to download from www.colinday.co.uk/maps.
Parish council elections are to take place on 7 May along with the General Election. Volunteers for any of the roles including chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer or parish clerk are welcomed. Come to the meeting on 11 March or ontact:
welburyparishcouncil@welbury.com
Weather from Rod:
After a dry December, monthly rainfall in January (27 mm) was again low, but this doesn’t include precipitation from the snow we had that our rain gauge can’t record accurately. Around 40% of the month’s rain fell on one very wet day, the 15th (11 mm).
Overall, this was very different from January 2014 which was the wettest month of the year with 94 mm of rain.
It was also much colder than last January: with 12 nights below zero and an average monthly temperature of 3.9 °C, it was the coldest month since March 2013. The minimum of –4.0 °C on 30th January was the coldest night since 31 March 2013 (-5.3 °C).
Up until the 14th, February has continued in a similar vein, being fairly dry and cold – only 3 afternoons with temperatures over 10 °C.
Footpaths: After receiving complaints, the Parish Council reminds landowners of their responsibilities to keep paths open. A pdf made a few years ago with sketch maps and photos of footpaths in the parish is available to residents free on request from the editor.
Thorns: Thanks to landowners & contractors who have mostly cut hedges without causing problems. But there are still a few reports of actual punctures and debris scattered right across the road. See hse, ctc & nycc guides.
Book of the month …
The Men and the Girls
by
Joanna Trollope
The first thing to note about this novel is the author’s brilliant depiction of the characters. There is a satisfyingly large cast of them for the reader to observe and Joanna Trollope never disappoints – she draws her characters so well and enables us
to engage with all of them and to identify with many.
Julia Hunter and Kate Bain have partners who are old enough to be their fathers.
At first, this presented no problems but, as the relationships progress, tensions grow and the two women begin to change their perception of what is right for them. The catalyst for this change is Beatrice Bachelor who is a wonderful, eccentric old woman capable of great influence.
This book is wholly enjoyable and I didn’t want it to end. Trollope shows how new relationships develop amidst the frustrations and anxieties of the old. She paints a vivid picture for the reader – not just of the characters but also of their surroundings and lifestyle. Her descriptive powers are put to good use time and again as she describes the city of Oxford and its surrounding countryside. If you know Oxford you will enjoy picking out the landmarks.
This novel could easily be read in one sitting, so, if you have an afternoon to spare, don’t hesitate to track it down.
Sarah Hoiles
Nick Norsworthy (nee Race)
Nick writes from Western Australia, that she is recovering well after her cancer operation. “I have been told another 2 weeks until I can do anything. It killed me watching indoor hockey on the sidelines the other day! My Chemo from now on will be in Esperance thankfully which saves all the travelling and staying in Perth. I must thank all who attended the prayer session in the Church for me, it was very overwhelming for both me and my family and we are very grateful. I have enjoyed reading all the kind notes and cards too.” The town of Esperance has got behind Nick with fund-raising events giving security for whatever treatment is needed.
James Turnbull
James was in Denmark last month (see next page) where the Lassen family have three large farming estates near Naestved about an hour’s train journey south from Copenhagen. Here is James with Lassen biographer Thomas and Lene Harder.
Photo James Turnbull 10-01-2015
Welbury in the Wars
Stories of those serving in World War 2 … Part 5
Robin Mackie writes from Ireland about David Brown, formerly of 12 Spring Hill. Robin’s dad Stuart confirms: “David Brown was in fact a Squadron Leader and pilot flying Lancasters out of Thornaby during WW2. I believe he was awarded DFC and DSO. He was from Stockton but moved to Spring Hill in the early seventies.” David had given young Robin some aerial photos and his leather flying helmet, complete with communication / oxygen mask and goggles, and tin helmet. David’s widow, Kay, asked for the flying helmet to be returned after his death and herself emigrating to Canada. The old tin hat is still with Stuart at 15 Spring Hill.
Wartime RAF photos – from pilot David Brown via Robin Mackie It is not known if David was on these particular flights. The name ‘Mackie’ on some of the photographs is purely coincidental and is not a relation. The bombing site at Siracourt was a V-1 flying bomb bunker in northeast France, within striking distance of London. The canal system shown on the Joigny/Laroche photograph can still be seen via Google Maps.
Captain G W (Bill) Turnbull (155644)’s wartime career in the SBS (Special Boat Service, parallel to the SAS) was surrounded by the usual Special Service secrecy. Bill kept the SBS insignia hung discreetly behind the bar at the Duke of Wellington during the thirty years he was landlord
(1955-1985).
Bill’s passbook and VC ribbon
from Major Anders Lassen’s mother
Photo James Turnbull 03-02-2015
A Danish headmaster on a school exchange showed a lot of interest at the pub when Bill mentioned that his patrol leader was a Dane, especially on hearing that it was Major Anders Lassen. The Welbury book takes up the story: “Bill was his second in command on the last operation in Comachio, Northern Italy when Lassen was killed. Bill wrote his account of the operation for which Major Lassen was awarded the V.C. Major Lassen’s mother on receiving the posthumous award immediately sent half the medal ribbon to Bill. Bill popped upstairs and produced the said ribbon – over which the Danish headmaster became quite emotional!”
Bill’s son James, who lives in Northallerton, went to Denmark in January this year to visit family of Major Anders Lassen and to meet with Lassen’s biographers. James has a transcript of Bill’s original report, more detailed and poignant than the summary published at the time.
Welbury Sports Person of the Year
Lou and partner Pavel Tkatchuk at the Nationwide Finals in Blackpool
Photo Perri Newton April 2014
After a close vote, Louise Lightfoot of
Spring Hill was elected Welbury Sports Person of 2014 with 33% of the poll. Louise has maintained her run of outstanding performances in ballroom dancing in recent years, retaining her Tyne Tees regional title for the third year in a row and medalling in the Nationwide Blackpool finals in October. Young Yasmin Marshall came a close second and looks a brilliant prospect for the future. What a wonderful variety and high level of sporting performances Welbury has!
Solar panels
Stuart Mackie writes: I too have solar panels though only 16 compared to 20 on Roger’s roof. However both have similar generating capacity, mine being 4kW. (Roger’s is 3.8 kW.)
The big difference though is that mine face east, whereas Roger’s face south. Others may be interested to have a comparison of the annual generation output for the two orientations. From 1 June 2013 when mine were installed up to 31 May 2014, my FIT generation was 3100 kWhs compared with (if I’ve added up correctly) Roger’s generation of 3640 over the same period. So the message is, don’t be discouraged if your orientation isn’t due south!
Welbury high life
Just this week Mike Waddle had the other two large sycamores (closer to Welbury House) felled to protect the property, but assures us he doesn’t intend to remove any more.
Scaffolders give us a wave at
Wesley House (the old chapel). The
2-metre scaffold sections show the
chimney top is (or was) about 9
metres above ground. 21-01-2015
Tree surgeon Stuart Bolton
drops another chunk of the rotting
trunk of an old sycamore on T’
Parson’s Bank. 27-01-2015