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THE PAST MONTH IN THEYDON BOIS
JULY 2003
HERE ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS, NOT NECESSARILY IN CHRONOLOGICAL
ORDER, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE VILLAGE OF THEYDON BOIS DURING JULY 2003
AND WHICH HAVE BEEN RECORDED BY TREVOR ROBERTS, THE LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER
FOR THE VILLAGE.
A reception was held in the village hall to launch the Community Tree
Strategy for Theydon Bois and introduce an action plan to implement this
strategy. Its purpose had already been outlined in an excellent publicity
document, The Community Tree Strategy for Theydon Bois, issued to all
village householders late in the previous month.
Canon Rev Colin Travers from St Marys Church TB was one of a
number of campaigners from Christian Aid, and the Catholic Agency for
Overseas Development, who recently met local MP Eleanor Laing to discuss
making changes to international trade rules which were keeping people
in developing countries trapped in poverty; these rules also set weak
countries against the strongest economies in the world. Other campaigners
present were John Westbury and Richard Denhard from Christian Aid, Youth
Parliament member Jonathan Rackman, and Philipa Rackman.
The plight of villager Ivy Hall, 87, indicated how heavily overloaded
was the National Health Service, particularly regarding the elder section
of the population. Ivy was suffering from a medical condition requiring
the replacement of her right knee and was now in constant pain such that
she had become bed-ridden. The Princess Alexander Hospital in Harlow had
promised her a knee operation within six months of last September; she
now understood that she would have to wait another three months for surgery.
Her doctor has written to the hospital to expedite matters and she herself
had written to the Prime Minister and Eleanor Laing MP. A spokesman for
the hospital said that the waiting time nationally was 12 months and that
Ivys operation could not be carried out any earlier. However, she
had now been booked into hospital for a pre assessment and her name entered
on the standby list of patients awaiting cancellations. A villager commented
that if Ivy had been an immigrant to this country, legal or otherwise,
she would have found her way to the top of the waiting list by now.
A number of villagers turned up for the monthly Saturday morning litter
pick organised by the Parish Council Chairman John Eaton. The village
green, an area invariable contaminated with refuse discarded by passing
motorists and others, was noticeably absent, probably because of recent
mowing. Nevertheless, several bags of rubbish were collected which showed
that the attractive nature of Theydon Bois could only be maintained by
"eternal vigilance".
Peter Newton, Chairman of the Theydon Bois Preservation Society, took
32 walkers for a tour of the Ambresbury Banks and Long Running areas of
Epping Forest, primarily to see the English Longhorn cattle. These gentle
creatures, a common sight in past centuries, had been reintroduced
by the Epping Forest Conservators to keep down the forest scrub, which
would otherwise occupy and destroy the many forest clearings.
In balmy, summer, weather, villagers attended neighbouring Copped
Hall to enjoy a concert of operatic excerpts. The Opera Live Company gave
two evening performances of their production A Night at the Opera in the
spacious grounds of Copped Hall, with the Mansion itself as a magnificent,
illuminated, back drop. The occasion was historic, and almost certainly
a first in the history of the Hall which is currently being
restored. Many present took the opportunity to stroll around the grounds
before sitting down to enjoy their candle lit alfresco meals, and then
relax to listen to a wealth of music from the works of Verdi, Puccini,
Rossini, Gershwin, Bizet and the ever popular Mozart. Denys Favre, Chairman
of the Copped Hall Trust, thanked the Company for a wonderful evening
and also all those involved in organising the event, especially the Friends
of the Copped Hall Trust a number of whom lived in Theydon Bois.
A performance of Midsummer Melodies sung by the Theydon Bois Singers
in the village hall on another glorious summers evening, seemed
more than appropriate to the large audience present. Some twenty sopranos
and contraltos and ten tenors and basses sang various numbers including
such popular items as The Lark in the Clear Air and June is Busting Out
All Over. Topical readings, the Glory of the Garden given by Kay Rush
and Just in Case read by Hilary Hedderick, gave the singers a chance to
relax and regain their breath. The evening concluded with a Strawberry
Supper. Janet Cass was the conductor and the person responsible for the
current high standing of the Singers; she was supported by Ellie Morrow,
the hard working accompanist for the evening.
Local resident and linguist Louise Occomore, 21, prepared and published
a dissertation regarding the punctuation used by students. She became
interested in the way in which children acquired a language and, in particular,
punctuation. The school where she worked was pleased to support her dissertation,
as this would provide feedback on the progress of the school's pupils.
Her results were being used as a basis for an article on this subject,
which would be published in the Times newspaper Educational Supplement.
Meanwhile, her dissertation has been entered under www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/occomore.htm.
After a long battle between the government and the London Mayor, Ken
Livingstone, the future of the London underground system was finally settled
when the franchise for the system was handed over to the TFL (Transport
for London) organisation. This company, with Tim OToole as its managing
director, also currently operated the London buses and many of the overground
trains. Included in the new organisation was Bob Keighley, who had successfully
reorganised the New York rail system and who had been brought over by
Ken Livingstone to overhaul the London system. However, it was pointed
out that much work was required to update the current rail system and
it would be some time before improvements were readily apparent.
An independent inquiry had now established that a gearbox failure
was the cause of the derailment on the Central Line at Chancery Lane station
in January of this year, which rendered the Central Line inoperative,
including the Theydon Bois section, for some three months. Excessive
forces in the gearbox caused its motor to detach from its mountings,
the associated safety brackets to fail and the train to derail. The report
also said that the "underlying causes were not understood and
this serious incident had not been prevented as it should have been. The
inquiry had made 24 recommendations for improvements of which 16 had already
been implemented.
The national controversy regarding the Government's bill to abolish
foxhunting (or hunting with dogs) was raised locally when Eleanor Laing
MP disclosed that she had voted against this bill in Parliament. This
prompted resident Rob Jones of Orchard Drive, and the Co ordinator of
the Epping Green Party, to write that the overwhelming parliamentary vote
in favour of the Bill was good reflection of public opinion; further,
opinion polls showed that three quarters of the British public believed
fox hunting to be cruel and should be outlawed. He hoped that the House
of Lords would not resist the will of the House of Commons, which had
a greater democratic mandate, and block the Bill. If this should occur
then the government should invoke the Parliament Act to force through
this legislation. However after the outlawing of hunting with hounds,
other animal right issues remained and the Government needed to take more
seriously the animal abuses which occurred in factory farms and laboratories,
instead of defending such activities in the name of commercial benefit.
Fox hunting remained an emotive issue with some local residents. Those
with a strong country background knew how damaging foxes could be to a
farmers livestock and how difficult it was to deal with them using methods
other than hunting; a quick death from a hounds bite was preferable
to a lingering death from gunshot wounds, which in itself was cruel. Elsewhere
in the country, particularly the Shires, an important economic factor
to be considered was the existence of many rural businesses, based on
hunting with dogs, and their closure would exacerbate the current general
decline in the farming industry. Politically, many considered the controversy
generated by the bill as being a class war between town and country with
the fox as a figurehead. Parliamentary time should not be wasted in this
way but used to deal with more important national issues eg. Immigration,
the poor health service, industrial decline, retirement pensions, to name
but a few.
Michael Bellow, Chairman of the Theydon Bois Golf Club celebrated
his 65th birthday by playing 100 holes and so raising £2,300 for
his charity, the Epping Forest Branch of the Alzheimers Society.
Club Members Nick Brown and Phil Bowden supported him as also did other
members and supporters in a competition to guess the total number of points
accrued by the players, which was 538.
The process of modernising the administration of Epping Forest was
advanced by the introduction of a new style uniform for the Forest Keepers.
This comprised olive trousers and a light brown shirt with green tie and
epaulettes. The new uniform was a far cry from that worn at the
turn of the last century when cord breeches, pigskin gaiters and boots
were the standard clothing (with buttons that required daily polishing),
bowler hat and a stout walking stick. Currently, sixteen keepers in two
teams of eight, each headed by a Head Forest Keeper, covered the northern
and southern sectors of the Forest, respectively. These teams were equipped
with radios and mobile phones as opposed to whistles as in the past.
Proposals for new housing in the Epping Forest District continued
to cause much concern. Although not apparently involved directly, Theydon
Bois would be affected by changes to the local infrastructure, which would
inevitably occur. Three schemes were currently proposed; the ECC (Essex
County Council) Replacement Structure Plan, the Harlow Options Study,
the M11 Corridor Sub-regional Study and the Department of Transport Plan
for Future Development of Air Transport, which included the Stansted Airport
expansion. EFDC (Epping Forest District Council) Councillor Dorothy Paddon,
the Planning and Economic Development Portfolio holder thought that new
housing proposed for the Epping District was closely linked to the Stansted
expansion. Consultants admitted that the associated economic forecasts
were very uncertain. While the timescale involved stretched 20 to 30 years
ahead, the Deputy Prime Minster seemed to have a different agenda with
changes to the planning system and powers to override the democratic processes
in order to build more houses quickly. Underlying this development
frenzy was the Governments policy to give a major boost to
economic development of the eastern region and so benefit the national
economy. It did not make economic or environmental sense to attract businesses
and people from regions elsewhere, which needed economic stimulus, to
an already overcrowded region close to London. However there was need
for new housing in the Epping Forest District for essential workers who
would not take jobs here because of high housing costs. The EFDC was therefore
preparing a development strategy for the District for modest growth, only,
to protect the quality of its towns villages and countryside and to ensure
that transport and community services were available for all new households.
Yet another proposal affecting the area and particularly the village
was the Government announcement of plans to widen, to eight lanes, the
M25 Motorway situated one mile to the north of the village; the interlink
with the associated M11 Motorway would also be involved. Local MP Eleanor
Laing claimed that this project would have a dramatic effect on the environmental
future of Epping Forest and the health of local people. In the village,
the vehicle noise from both motorways was often excessive and several
villagers claimed that their asthmatic conditions resulted from atmospheric
pollution from the same source. This proposal also flew in the face of
Government plans to discourage the use of the private motor vehicles and
encourage the use of public transport, where this existed! Again, this
plan was an intrusion into the green belt, and how would it relate to
the housing development schemes already proposed for the Epping Forest
District?
Estate agents signs or boards outside properties, for which they were
managing a sale, was often the subject of controversy because of their
intrusion into the street scene. These signs were now
appearing, though not necessarily in TB, as sponsorship boards giving
details of forthcoming charitable events. The normal presentation remained
unchanged and so the observer could be deluded into thinking that the
related property was for sale. In the extreme, a number of these boards
sited collectively could result in prospective buyers thinking that the
area was depressed or suffering from planning blight
and so be discouraged from purchasing neighbouring properties. Despite
the charitable aspect of these boards, the EFDC was taking action to stop
the practice following a number of complaints.
A tea dance held in the village hall during one evening
in aid of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity, was a great success. Dancers
were charged £5 admission on a bring your own food and drink basis;
tea and coffee were provided.
A number of residents and conservation enthusiasts became Landscape
Detectives for a short time when, with the assistance of the Landscape
and Country Care Teams from the EFDC, they spent the afternoon searching
for veteran tree and ancient hedgerows in the village. Their search commenced
in the churchyard, continued on the village green and then onto neighbouring
farmland. The afternoon ended at Thrifts Hall Farm where, after further
exploration, they were entertained to tea and coffee by the owners of
the property, Jean and Robin Llewellyn Jones.
This year the Theydon Bois Scout Groups Donkey Derby was sponsored
by the Sainsburys multi food store. The event was again held on
the Forest Plain in Coppice Row, the site of the long gone Riggs Retreat
which was a popular venue for visitors to the village some eighty years
ago. The area was packed with sideshows and the many supporters who had
come from the village and outlying districts. Seven donkey races were
held with each entry being sponsored and named by individuals eg. Flooded
Out " by Stream Under Crescent sponsored by Val and Elaine
Brook, Free Fall by Sky Diver out of Plane "sponsored
by Gladys Shales, Charity by "No Doubt Felt and Practised
by You sponsored by the Theydon Masonic Lodge etc. The donkeys as
usual either showed a marked reluctance to co-operate or bolted and often
threw their young riders who, despite being not more than 8 stone in weight
and between 10 and 15 years, took all this in their stride. Betting was
fast and furious and many a small fortune (to some) was made
or lost during the afternoon. The event raised £8,600 for local
scout funds.
Theydon Bois was once the centre of a thriving farming community but
many farms in the area were now being used for other purposes eg. golf
courses or garden centres. Pigotts Farm, at the bottom of Theydon Road
in neighbouring Abridge and one of the last working dairy farms in the
area, had now disposed of its herd of Friesian cattle. These had often
set an attractive pastoral scene when grazing on the flood plain by the
River Roding; and the farm itself was up for sale. One smallholding remained
in the village, to the east of the railway behind the Green
Glade area and reached by the Cow Bridge; this appeared to be only
engaged with sheep farming. Peter Hawes, the Chairman of the Essex Branch
of the National Farmers Union highlighted this general decline in the
farming industry. He painted
a sombre if not black picture of farming in this country which, he
said, could disappear within two years. He cited the financial
hardships imposed by the low prices paid for crops and livestock, particularly
by the food retailing monopolies, and the low overheads enjoyed by food
producers in other countries against which British farmers had to compete.
He also claimed that financial support from the European Economic Community
was not reaching British farmers, many of whom were facing bankruptcy.
One possible solution was to educate the general public about farming,
many of whom thought that all food came from packets and had not even
seen a cow. A more realistic solution was for farmers to set up their
own marketing organisations and this was happening. However, cattle could
still be seen grazing on pastures rented locally and a new factor was
now emerging. City dwellers, were escaping to the country
by purchasing and living in small farms, working the farm on a limited
basis and selling direct to the public, a common practice of less than
a century ago. Perhaps this new trend could lead to the salvation of the
industry.
Cash cards and a cheque were stolen from a property in Theydon Park
Road during, it was believed, the afternoon. Two residents remember seeing
a man loitering in the area during this time. The following day, valuables
and a silver Mercedes Comp Car were stolen from a home in Forest Drive
during the late afternoon.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the inquest at Saffron
Walden into the death of motor cyclist Stephen Bassick, 46, of Theydon
Bois. He was driving along the A104 towards the Woodford Greeen area on
2 Dec 02 when he collided with a large deer. Witness David Bywater, driving
behind in a Ford Focus car, said the deer came straight out of the
undergrowth and Mr Bassick caught its back legs. PC Kevin Crosby
from the Essex Police Investigation Unit said he (Mr Bassick) was
wearing a crash helmet but this unfortunately came off as he was thrown
from the bike and he hit a tree. Both witnesses agreed that there was
nothing Mr Bassick could do to avoid the accident. The Coroner Caroline
Beasley-Murray said, " It was a tragic accident.
Theydon Bois Primary School lost its longest serving teacher when
Pam Martin took her full retirement. Pam entered education in 1964 as
a Library Assistant. She completed her teacher training in 1967 and then
taught at Dersingham Infants School, Manor Park and then at Gainsborough
Primary School, Hackney. She commenced teaching at TB on 1989 and served
under four head teachers and was part of the team, which had brought the
school out of its education slump in 1986. Pam was now looking forward
to spending more time in her garden.
In true garden party weather with the temperature in the seventies,
the Theydon Bois Conservative Association held its summer garden party
at Trifts Hall off the Abridge Road. Nearly 100 attended including
Raymond Warner, Chairman of the Epping Forest Conservative Association,
and local MP Eleanor Laing with her young son Matthew. The wonderful panoramic
view of the Roding Valley from the terrace of the new home of Jean and
Robin Llewellyn Jones, the venue for the occasion, was appreciated by
all, and some took the opportunity to walk down to the lakes in the fields
below. The function raised £1,100 for the Conservative Party funds
and was organised by the local Conservative Committee led by Chairman
Robert Glozier.
In a competition held by the Essex Association of Local Councils,
the Theydon Bois Village News produced by the Theydon Bois Parish Council
won the smaller council category. This competition is held annually for
the best parish-community - newsletter or magazine and is judged on content,
style and appearance. Baroness Platt of Writtle presented the award at
a recent ceremony, to Parish Councillor Ken Cushing and the Parish Clerk
Madeleine Murphy. This publication had improved tremendously since coming
under "new management, and a new style format was planned for
2004.
Top
THE PAST MONTH IN THEYDON BOIS
JUNE 2003
HERE ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS, NOT NECESSARILY IN CHRONOLOGICAL
ORDER, WHICH OCCURED IN THE VILLAGE OF THEYDON BOIS DURING JUNE 2003 AND
WHICH HAVE BEEN RECORDED BY TREVOR ROBERTS, THE LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER
FOR THEYDON BOIS.
Having failed to obtain planning permission for a football academy
at nearby Abridge, the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club turned its attention
to Theydon Bois. The Aitch Group, which was currently developing the Blunts
Farm Golf Course between Coopersale Lane and the Abridge Road, had offered
some 40 to 60 acres of land for use by the Club. The companys agent
GKA convened a recent meeting to discuss the matter and this was attended
by representatives of the Essex County Council, Epping Forest District
Council, Theydon Bois Parish Council, the Council for the Preservation
of Rural Essex and the Theydon Bois Rural Preservation Society. GKA confirmed
that initial discussion had taken place with the landowner regarding the
possible addition of a football facility to the golf club. However, there
was no intention to submit a planning application in the immediate future
and any application would be made with the full consultation of the local
community. Both District and Parish Councils would be keeping a very close
eye on the situation and, if any firm proposals materialised, would look
at them very carefully.
John Peck, 58, of Dukes Avenue TB announced his intention to row across
the Atlantic Ocean with his long time friend Fraser Dodds 43, from Hertfordshire.
They would be competing in a ten-boat race organised by the Ocean Racing
Society to cross 2,000 miles of ocean between Tenerife in the Canary Islands
and Barbados in the Caribbean. Their boat was only 7 metres by 4 metres
with a tiny cabin containing the minimum of equipment and food; drinking
water would be recycled from the sea. Their vessel had been successfully
tested in a recent row in the English Channel and the pair had been training
using special equipment at the Societys headquarters in London.
They would be using a modern electronic GPS navigational system but, as
a precaution, had received basic navigation instruction from George Jepps
at the Harlow Institute.
Local resident Bob Jones, the Co-ordinator of the Epping Forest Green
Party advised that the Government had ordered a national audit of allotments.
The Green party believed that local authorities needed to provide more
pro-active support for allotments and should work to cut waiting lists
and establish new allotments on brown field sites and within new housing
estates. There should be greater publicity given to the availability of
allotments and the public should be better informed about the advantages
of these facilities. Moreover, allotments should have greater planning
protection and improved access, especially for disabled persons.
The Theydon Masonic Lodge held a Quiz Night in the village hall to
raise funds in support of the Playground At Theydon (PAT) charity. Some
90 people attended and enjoyed a brain racking session
answering questions on a variety of subjects. Liquid refreshment was provided
on a bring your own basis and fish /chicken and chips were
served during the interval. Steve Hutton and Stewart Smith were the hard
working question masters who kept everyone alert and interested. At the
conclusion of the event some £450 had been raised for refurbishment
work currently taking place in the Playground.
The campaign by the Epping Guardian, to reduce the speed of motor
vehicles in local villages, gained strong support when the Parish Council
Chairman stood at the roadside in Piercing Hill and displayed a Guardian
please slow down notice; and Inspector Paul Fincham, of the
Essex Constabulary, did the same in Coppice Row by the village hall. Both
roads had inclines, which induced drivers to accelerate and were therefore
the site of police speed traps where drivers exceeding the
speed limit were stopped and given a speeding ticket. Inspector Fincham
thought that speed" was a problem everywhere; these days, people
did not leave enough time for journeys and everybody was pushing it.
Teenagers were suspected of being responsible for the attacks on the
swans nesting on the village pond. Roadwork barriers had been thrown across
the nest and youths seen throwing logs at the birds. Former policeman
Gary Shanahan caught three youths red-handed. He called the police but
was forced to let them go because the police response was too long. Youths
had been seen around the pond most nights, usually drinking both there
and in the adjacent playground, which had suffered from consistent vandalism.
Wild Life Liaison Officer PC Rob Hance, who was investigating the incident,
appealed to any one who had witnessed acts of vandalism or wildlife cruelty
at the site to contact him at the Epping police station. This incident,
together with the recent vandalism of the playground, appeared to be linked
and was a repetition of similar incidents last summer. The apparent inability
of the authorities to take action also appeared to stem from the absence
of witnesses due, as it is believed, to fears of reprisals. If so, this
was a damning indictment of society today. The clutch of eggs laid was
lost and so, this year, villagers were denied the delightful sight of
young cygnets swimming with their parent on the pond. Eleanor Laing MP
joined in the protests regarding the attacks by condemning, as disgusting,
the behaviour of the youths responsible and called on the courts to impose
custodial sentences on anyone found guilty of such offences.
The Redbridge Brass Quintet gave a recital at the June meeting of
the Theydon Bois Music Society held in the village hall. A blending of
music by various composers, from Handel to Gershwin, rendered on brass
instruments proved unusually acceptable on a glorious summer evening with
the breeze from adjacent woodland drifting through the hall. This quintet
had its roots in the very successful Redbridge Brass Band founded some
years ago at the Redbridge Music School, the influence of which was evident
in the quality of the playing and the nature of their music.
The Theydon Bois Cub Scout Troop football team celebrated a double
victory at the end of the season. The team won the West Essex Cub
Scout Football League Osborne Cup by beating the Epping Team 3-2.
It then finished top of the League as outright winners with two games
in hand. The teams coaches were Barry Kingscote and Benn Pummell.
Copies of a publication, The Community Tree Strategy for Theydon Bois,
were distributed throughout the village. This document outlined the now
completed tree strategy for Theydon Bois and would be discussed at a meeting
to be held in the village hall next July.
Members of the Theydon Bois Committee for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Children raised £305 for the charity in a collection at the Tesco
food store in Epping.
The Theydon Bois Country Dance Club advertised for new members to
join their dancing sessions held in the village hall every Tuesday at
7.30 pm. And the village Badminton Club was also seeking new members for
its afternoon sessions held from 2 to 4 pm. each Monday, again in the
village hall.
Residents thought that time had slipped back into the last century
when a 30 strong herd of cattle were seen grazing on the village green.
They were English Longhorns recently reintroduced into Epping Forest by
the Conservators to keep down the scrub and so retain the Forest clearings.
These creatures had not proved popular in modern times because their great
horns presented problems with current milking methods and transportation.
However one asset, their amiable nature, was evident as their herdsman
drove them up Coppice Row towards the area of the Forest from which they
had wandered. A resident of Coppice Row, Peter Simmance, said It
was a bit of a shock to see them and I quickly put my car back in the
garage.
Bill McMurdo and Emma Bell, with their six year old daughter Emily,
took over the management of the Queen Victoria pub in Coppice Row having
previously been in charge of a large pub run by a Midlands brewery. They
had also recruited a new Chef, Carlo Allerie, and were introducing a new
food menu.
The glorious summer weather ensured the success of the Summer Fair
held by the Parent Teachers Association of the Theydon Bois Primary School.
The playground was ringed with a variety of attractions including the
usual bouncy castles, a sponge tank where the unfortunate
participants were doused with buckets of water, coconut shy, sweet and
book stalls etc.; the most popular attraction was the sideshow awarding
live goldfish as prizes. In the centre, full of children, was a fire appliance
from the Loughton Fire Station. Also on view was the sophisticated rowing
boat in which John Peck and Fraser Dodds plan to take part in a forthcoming
rowing race across the Atlantic Ocean. Demonstrations in the central arena
included dance and gym displays while the sports field was busy with a
football competition, organised by the Theydon Bois Cub/Beavers, which
included competing teams from Epping, Theydon Garnon and North Weald.
Some thirty local businesses /organisations gave their support. The proceeds
from the event would finance the construction of changing rooms
for the schools swimming pool, Phase 1 of which was planned
to commence shortly. The pool was built some 40 years ago when a child
was drowned in the village and this facility now ensured that all children
leaving the school at year 6 were able to swim.
Twenty two gardens were open to view for the Theydon Bois Village
Open Gardens Day; these included the magnificent gardens of grandiose
properties maintained by professional gardeners down to the typical family
home where, in one instance, the family garden survived the affects of
childrens play (football) and harboured a collection of wildlife
comprising rabbits, guinea pigs, fish and crested newts!. The gardens
of Wansfell College in Piercing Hill could also be visited; a minibus
service was provided for those wishing to do so, and also visit other
gardens some distance from the centre of operations at the Village Hall.
Here, meals were available; Ann Washer and the WI provided lunches, and
Kay Rush and her friends prepared afternoon teas. The Epping Forest Conservators
once again kindly gave permission for car parking on the village green
and the local Salvation Army provided a band for the interdenominational
church service held on the green in the late afternoon. At the end of
the day, some 800 people had entered the Hall to purchase their garden
guides and set off around the village. The event was first held 23 years
ago at the instigation of Mick Marchant, and Joy Wainwright has been the
organiser for the past 9 years. Nearly £4,500 was raised during
the day to help maintain and support the Village Hall.
Theydon Bois Primary School once again, for three years in succession
and against strong competition, won the Epping Forest Local Schools Swimming
Gala held at Davenant School. The pupils in the winning team were Ben
Jeffries, Alex Titmarsh, Joseph Brough, Tom Trim, Steven Peddle, Casey
ORiordan, Jessica Cross, Amber Hammond, Eleanor Good, Amy Hutchins,
Lauren Martin and Kayleigh Warner.
Ian Duncan Smith MP, Leader of Her Majestys Opposition and of
the Conservative Party, appointed local MP and resident Eleanor Laing
as the Shadow Minister for Children. This was in response to Prime Minister
Tony Blair creating a corresponding government office with Margaret Hodge
MP as the government minister. Eleanor Laing, herself a mother, explained
that hers was a co-ordinating role on all childrens issues. It was
very important to co-ordinate the work of government departments and all
their agencies around the country so that parents knew that there was
one place where the buck stopped as far as child welfare was
concerned.
It was disclosed that the Orange telecommunications organisation had
made application for the installation of a 15-metre high mobile phone
transmitter mast at Thrifts Hall. It was expected that that this application
would, like others for similar structures in the village, be objected
too; however, a mitigating factor in this instance was the disguising
of the mast as a mock cypress tree.
Top
THE PAST MONTH IN THEYDON BOIS
MAY 2003
HERE ARE SOME OF THE EVENTS, NOT NECESSARILY IN CHRONOLOGICAL
ORDER, WHICH OCCURRED IN THE VILLAGEOF THEYDON BOIS IN MAY 2003 AND WHICH
HAVE BEEN RECORDED BY TREVOR ROBERTS, THE LOCAL HISTORY RECORDER FOR THEYDON
BOIS.
The EFDC Green Waste collections recommenced with the advent of spring.
Despite the recent extensive dry weather, everything botanical was growing
well and much horticultural rubbish had accumulated in many a garden.
A new issue of bio - degradable bags had been made to each residence backed
by an appeal from Roy Keasley, the EFDC Assistant Head of Environmental
Services, that these bags be only used for green waste. The EFD was committed
to reducing the amount of waste deposited in landfill sites; the Government
had set a target for 28% of household waste to be recycled by 2002
03, increasing to 36% by 2005 and 2006.
Robert Jones of Orchard Drive TB the co-ordinator for the Epping
Forest Green Party, thanked all who had voted for the party members standing
at the local parish council elections held recently. The Green Party now
had 53 councillors serving on English primary authorities, and was intending
to do well in the 2004 Euro Elections.
PC Dave Hunt of Essex Police and a previous community police officer
for TB had resigned following his arrest by officers from the Metropolitan
Police Services internal investigation command. He was charged with receiving
money dishonestly regarding his salary and was subsequently released on
police bail. PC Hunt had received an Epping Forest District Council award
for community service and was described by his senior officer as an excellent
community beat officer who would be missed by his colleagues and local
residents.
The One Stop Convenience Store in Coppice Row was robbed one evening.
The police subsequently stopped a car on the M11 Motorway and took four
men aged 21, 22, 23 and 25, all from Dagenham, to the Harlow police station
for questioning.
Bill Pirie, a retired police officer of many years experience, was
the speaker at the May meeting of the Essex U3A held in the village hall.
As the former head of the traffic division in the Essex police, he had
many humorous tales to tell which, often caused hilarious mirth in the
audience. But road safety was his predominant theme especially vehicle
speed; one sobering thought was that a pedestrian struck by a car travelling
at 30 mph could be badly injured but at 40 mph would certainly be killed.
The village hall resounded to the sounds of jazz when the Barry Palsers
Jazz Band took part in a Jazz Evening held on behalf of the Helen Rollason
Cancer Charity Care Appeal. The event was well supported with tickets
sold at £8 each on a bring our own drinks basis.
Eleanor Laing MP and her young son Mathew formally reopened the Playground
At Theydon following its recent closure to repair the damage caused by
vandalism. The ceremony took place during a Playground Fun Day held to
celebrate the occasion which was attended by members of the Parish Council
and many parents and children. A celebration cake was cut by Eleanor and
Joy Wainwright, the Chairman of the PAT (Playground At Theydon) charity,
which financed and administered this excellent play facility. In her address,
the MP spoke of her anger that the Playground should suffer from vandalism
and congratulated the PAT Committee for their determination to keep the
Playground open. Help with the event was received from many local organisations
and businesses, the latter providing sweets, novelties, decorations and
other items for the various stalls.
The Friends of Wansfell College in Piercing Hill TB departed from
normal practice and held their Garden Party (as a May Fair) and AGM on
the same day. Because of possible inclement weather, the function was
held indoors where the many visitors circulated among stalls selling items
including, knitted garments, cushions, paintings and bric a brac. The
Harlow Accordion Band provided musical entertainment. At the AGM it was
announced that plans for a lift to cater for the disabled were well advanced,
but a lay-by in the access road running alongside the College building
would have to be constructed first. Marilyn Taylor, the College Principal,
explained that financial support for the College from grants now depended
on the number of learning hours accrued through College and
she therefore appealed for these to be fully supported. She also revealed
plans for an archaeology course which would include fieldwork at nearby
Copped Hall.
Local residents attended St Paul's Cathedral, London for the Festival
of the Sons of the Clergy. This charity was founded in the middle of the
seventeenth century, during the Cromwellian period, to support clergymen
who had lost their living by remaining loyal to the monarchy. This annual
service is a major church event, with much pageantry equal to a state
occasion, and attended by the Lord Mayor of London, the Archbishop of
Canterbury (represented this year by the Bishop of London), members of
the Corporation of London and the City Livery Companies all attired in
robes and uniforms. The Bishop of Truro preached the sermon, the cathedral
choirs of St Pauls, Ely and Hereford led the singing and the London
Brass together with the cathedral organ provided the music.
The improvement in standards at the Theydon Bois Primary Village School
continued. The Head Teacher, Elspeth Bonds, reported that many of the
year groups were now oversubscribed and the general reputation of the
school was increasing; this was due to the hard work on the part of the
students and the supportive efforts of the parents. The current situation
was now much different from several years ago when the school was placed
into special measures, for a short time, by the education
authorities.
Parish Councillor John Padfield received a cheque for £2,157
on behalf of the Theydon Bois Village Association. The presentation, which
was made by the Chairman of the Essex County Council, Anthony Peel, constituted
a grant from the Millennium Fund to help equip the Theydon Bois Village
Hall for use by community groups in the village.
At the bi monthly meeting of the Parish Council the Chairman, John
Eaton, presented the Theydon Bois Village of the Year Award, conjointly,
to Joy Wainwright and John Plume. Both had lived in the village for some
time and the award was made in recognition of the help and support they
had given to the community in a variety of capacities. Joy had moved to
the village in 1958 and served as a District and Parish Councillor for
27 years; she had organised the annual Theydon Bois Open Gardens Day since
its origin, was a leading member of the Playground at Theydon Charity
and had been actively involved in the now discontinued WRVS meals
on wheels service. John Plume received the award for his work at
the St Marys Churchyard, which had twice won the Essex Best Kept
Churchyard competition, and received a commendation in the Anglia in Bloom
competition.
During the meeting, it was disclosed that the Youth Centre in Loughton
Lane could possibly close and the building replaced with flats, the income
raised being used to finance another youth project in Loughton. An Essex
County Council spokesman said at present we are reviewing youth
services in the area but have not set a date for the closure of the Theydon
Bois Youth Centre. The Parish Council had written to the Essex County
Council to complain about the effect of closure on the local community.
The Parish Council was also concerned about the use, in the village,
of motorised scooters by young people. These machines were capable of
speeds up to 25 mph and were in the same vehicle category as motor cycles.
For legal reasons, riders had to possess a provisional driving licence
and wear a crash helmet; the machines had to be taxed, have passed an
MOT test, be covered by insurance and carry number plates, brake lights
and direction indicators. Two riders on one scooter driving down the centre
of the road would be a danger to other road users. The police had said
that parents should consider if such scooters were suitable presents for
children aged under 16.
John Eaton and Peter Gooch were both re elected as Chairman and Vice
Chairman, respectively, of the Parish Council.
Local lad, Richard Bulatis, 14, won the top award for putting at the
recent Come and Try Day held for junior golfers at nearby Stapleford Abbotts
Golf Club. Some thirty young people took part and after instruction from
clubs professional, Dean Vickerman, were given the chance to develop
their skills on the driving range and putting green. In the subsequent
putting green tournament, Richard completed nine holes with just 20 shots;
his award comprised golfing equipment and junior membership of the Club
(worth £99).
The Spring Bank Holiday was celebrated in Theydon Bois with a May
Fayre and Fun Day organised by the St Marys Church and held in the
church hall and its grounds. This gala event provided entertainment in
various forms including a dancing display by the Jacqueline Hitchings
Dance School, a Football Penalty Competitive Shoot Out on the village
green and sunspot watching organised by the Loughton Astronomical Society.
More than 25 sideshows and stalls included a bouncy castle for
children, tombola, and other entertainment, together with items for sale
including paintings of Theydon Bois village. There was also a brisk trade
in the refreshments provided by the Church Ladies. Car parking on the
green was permitted and fine weather encouraged some 1,000 people from
the village and the surrounding district to support the event which raised
more than £5,000 for Church Funds.
The Essex County Council, in consultation with the government, was
considering the introduction of lower speed limits in villages, including
Theydon Bois; eligible villages were built up areas with established flows
of fast traffic. The Epping Guardian was currently supporting the move
to reduce the speed if motor vehicles with a campaign which included Please
Slow Down posters displayed in local villages including Theydon
Bois. The Theydon Bois Parish Council, the Epping Forest District Council,
and the Essex Police were supporting this campaign.
The last night of Time and Time Again, the current production by the
Theydon Bois Drama Society, was played to a full house in the Theydon
Bois Village Hall. Classed as a humanised and very humorous farce, this
was a jolly and entertaining production performed by a small cast. Martin
Oliver played Graham, a small time business man with a lust for any attractive
young lady, Janice Freeman played his wife who attempted to pour oil on
troubled waters by making innumerable cups of tea, Angela Beckett-Smith
was Joan the girl friend and Simon Gilbert her original boy friend. Fraser
Freeman played Leonard who had escaped from the meshes of domesticity.
Almost every line of the production resulted in laughter, which left the
audience in a happy frame of mind at the end of the performance.
At the May meeting of the Theydon Bois Wine Circle, a competition
was held to identify unusual objects and gadgets brought by members to
the meeting. These included a piano-making tool. a cabbage strainer and
a wool winder. The winner was Peggy Seabourne who received a bottle of
wine. Outings planned for this year included a visit in June to the Biddenham
Vineyard in Kent, and to the East Mersea Vineyard in September. Those
wishing to join the Circle were asked to contact Mrs Sindall.
Nearly all the 45 members of the Theydon Bois Short Mat Bowls Club
attended the AGM at which Chairman Ann Washer presided. The Treasurer,
Bert Taylor advised that the annual subscription would be increased to
£48 (still less than £1 a week) due to increased charges for
hire of the village hall and the decrease in membership. Joy Wainwright
advised that a balance of £190 existed in the tea/coffee account
and she was thanked for her good financial management. The Secretary,
Ted Norris, reported the resignations of Syd Glozier (due to ill health),
Harry Memory and Geoff Austin. The committee was then re-elected en bloc.
Other items discussed were the question of club insurance and the commencement,
next September, of the Pairs Competition.
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