Easter Greetings from Bagshot.
Easter
is the most important festival in the Christian calendar for the
Passion and Resurrection is the very foundation of the religion. Two
very different days in close proximity with Good Friday remembering the
Crucifixion and then the joyousness of Easter Sunday.
In an increasingly secular society our local churches think
it important to remind as many people as possible that Eastertide is a
lot more than a public holiday. For very many years they have held a
"Walk of Witness" through the High Street turning right onto London
Road at the Fighting Cocks, then right again at the BP garage into
Bridge Road and ending with prayers and a hymn in The Square.
This summer sees a lot going
on nationally with the London Olympics and our Queen's Jubilee. Though
we are not that far from London I don't feel any great sense that many
local people are particularly enthusiastic and many will aim to keep
out of the way of the congestion that will result. Mind you, having
said that, I know of some people who are very keen to be involved as
volunteers, and probably more people who have failed to get tickets
than have succeeded.
It is said that 95% of the country's population live within
10 miles of the torch 'relay' as it takes 70 days to cris-cross the
country in the hands of 8000 runners. 'Within 10 miles' is true for
Bagshot as the torch will be carried through Egham, along Ascot High
Street and through Bracknell. The bulk of the 100km cycle race is in
Surrey. Those who live nearer the route than we do will probably have
mixed emotions, on one hand welcoming the opportunity to witness the
event, but on the other the frustration that will be caused by the
extensive road closures involved.
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The Olympic Torch is not the only national relay this year,
and the other came through Bagshot - The One Show 1000. For the benefit
of overseas readers, "The One Show" is an early-evening programme on
BBC TV, it is a blend of sofa-based chat show and current affairs. The
show always supports the BBC charity fund-raising events which this
year is "Sport Relief" and for it they launched a 1000 mile 1000
runners relay that started on Mull and ended in the Mall. This came
through Bagshot along the A30. There was some confusion as to just
when, initially it was thought to be in the very early hours, but in
the event it was nearly 9 o'clock when it came through. I have 'stolen'
this video from bagshotvillage.com
Planning is underway for the village's celebrations for the Queen's
Jubilee (details
from the current affairs website) which will include a street party.
"Elf and Safety" will no longer allow the sort of processions that we used to have with decorated flat-bed lorries laden with children - now will that comment provoke any memories of past celebrations, or pictures to add to Adam Papworth's that I first reproduced in the Christmas newsletter? As I said last time, I would love to be able to put together a page of memories of previous celebrations.
I am not sure where we have got to with regard to the Library. You may recall that as an alternative to closing it the County Council decided that it would transfer to a volunteer-run facility, and training of the volunteers had started. Then, as I understand it, someone sought a High Court injunction to stop them. It is unclear to me what their motive was, for it seems to me that if the Council were to be told that they cannot have volunteers run a library then they would likely turn round and say "OK, back to 'plan A' - we'll close it."
Update: Prompted by my comment above one reader sent me the
following information "Regarding the Library, we worked hard and got 40
or so volunteers signed up, and are awaiting the results of the action.
The legal action has not been brought to stop volunteers but to stop
the council withdrawing the staff and the staff computer system link,
which has cut down on the services available at Bagshot. The action was
brought and funded by Surrey Library Action Group - an umbrella
organisation formed to try to prevent the removal of staff from the
libraries, on the basis that this would in the long run make them less
useful, lose support and potentially become more likely to close in the
future. Volunteers have worked at Bagshot for 5 years and during that
time the previous trend for falling use has been reversed with a 28%
increase in active members. We are one of only 7 of Surrey's 52
libraries to have increased membership in this period. If the staff
were retained, volunteers could still help by offering classes,
childrens and adult activities and potentially improved opening hours,
and continue to improve the usage and viability of the library."
The weather is always a good
talking point for the English. And this year has already given us a lot
to talk about. For a start it has been a very dry winter such that the
water companies have already announced a hose pipe ban - even before
summer is here. The start of the year was also exceptionally warm and
this caused a measure of chaos with nature with some birds nesting and
flowers coming out far too early. Then snow in February.
Following a very warm spell late March I am told the forecast for
Easter is more snow!
As I was walking back onto the estate where I live a few days ago several people were looking up into the sky. So I did the same to see what was of interest. The answer was a Red Kite circling overhead. From near-extinction not many years ago the birds have made a remarkable recovery and have been slowly moving along the M4 corridor, where they are now a common sight. But this was the first time I have seen one locally. It is not Bagshot's first bird of prey for we have had fleeting sightings of a Sparrowhark in my own garden - and as I pen this my wife has calmly said "I saw it again today".
I have had lots of contribution come in since the last newsletter and website updates include:
- Carolyn provides some answers about Wayside on London Road.
- Jill Whitall tells us of her great grandfather, Grampy Higgs, at Bagshot Park.
- Jeanette Dale tells us of her grandfather, Thomas Matcham, head gardener at Bagshot Park in the 1970's
- Meredith asks if anyone has any knowledge of James Draper, father of Fred who emigrated to Australia in 1857.
- Vincent writes that he owns a car registration FGO111 that is reputed to have originally belonged to the Duke of Connaught and is seeking any coroboration that may be available
- Roy gives us the intriguing story of the soldier who was in the Duke of Connaught's household at the time of the 1881 census.
- Peter Summerton adds to the information about the Fire Station.
- Joan recalls her grandmother's duties at Bagshot Park and her mother playing with some of the Duke's grandchildren
- Ray has brought to my attention that the local council have now published a list of burials in Bagshot cemetery. See www.windleshampc.gov.uk and follow the link for 'burial records'.
- Tim asks if anyone knows the wherabouts of the Wheelwrights on Jenkins Hill at the time of the 1911 census.
- Chris tells us a bit about one of the RAOS Superintendants
- Tony Hope reminds us of the "blood curdling wail" of the Broadmoor siren. I think this theme has run its full course, so I'll make Tony's contribution a fitting final one and I won't be adding more about the siren or escapees.
- Carolyn asks if anyone knows anything about the Floersheim family who she thinks owned Penny Hill Park in the late 1800s.
- Debbie asks about Alfred and Lillian Lee
- Chris remembers Papworth's shop
- Paul provides a picture of the Bagshot FC 1913-14 team.
- Don Bradbury recounts some of his memories of growing up in the village in the 1940s.
With best wishes to you and those you hold dear.
Neil
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