Friday 28 October 2011

Visit to Hollybrook Cemetery

A reminder that we will be meeting at 10.30 a.m. for a short ceremony at 11 a.m,  on Tuesday 1 November at Section 'M' of Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton, for the purpose of laying flowers on the graves of German dead from WW2.
Members and visitors are asked to make their own way to the cemetery.

Friday 14 October 2011

Sue Ryder at Millbrook Local History Society

I have just received some information by email  which I am pleased to pass on.  The email reads:

"After seeing the impressive Sue Ryder presentation at Lords Hill  Historical Society, Millbrook Local History Society have arranged for it to be presented at their meeting on Thursday 3 November.  They meet at Holy Trinity Church Hall, Millbrook Road, Southampton, at 7.30 on the first Thursday of each month and would be pleased to see anyone interested"

I am told  Millbrook Local History Society enjoy a very good reputation, and  I am particularly pleased to have been told about the above meeting as we in Lordshill cater for people who find a morning meeting more convenient, and here perhaps is the answer to those who find an evening meeting suits them better.    I gladly pass on the recommendation.


JG

Sue Ryder talk at Weston Court

I know some of our members were planning to to go Weston Court this morning for the talk by Sue Ryder's so sorry for the late notice - I am sending emails out and telephoning around, advising it has been necessary to postpone the talk until the second half of November.

When rescheduled the talk will be after lunch, not during the morning, as that is what we now learn the people at Weston Court would prefer

As a rule either the Rev. Robert, myself, or both of us together will visit a proposed location for a talk so as to check out the details, including availability of visual aids, arrangements for refreshments, and all the nitty-gtitty of the small print.     On this occasion, as the venue is way over the other side of Southampton and for me to get there would have meant a time consuming and expensive journey of taking a bus into the city centre, then taxi to Weston Court, which is over the other side of the River Itchen,  I was pleased to leave arrangements in the hands of a third party. Sadly it did not work out.    I think  the popular expression  is:  "Lessons have been learned"

JG

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Future events

This is how the programme now looks:

 Regular meetings at Manston Court, Lordshill, on the second Monday of every month between 10.30 a.m. and 12 noon.   Those dates are as follows:

Nov.14.           Roman Roads of Hampshire

Dec. 12.           The origin of Santa Claus and 'Christmas Round the World', followed by a bring and share
lunch.

Jan.   9             The parts played by Southampton,  Portsmouth, Gosport and Hayling Island in the Mulberry            
Hanbour of WW2

Feb.  13           SSAFA - Forces Help (Soldiers Sailors, Airmen, and Families Association)

Mar.  12          Still to be finalised.

Apr.   16         The Ordnance Survey  (The second Monday, the 9th. of this month is Easter Monday)

May   14         Annual General Meeting.

Proposed 'Outside Events'

November 1st:       10.30 a.m. for 11 a.m.   To place flowers on the graves of German war dead    Holloybrook Cemetery, Southampton.

November 11th.         Remembrance Day.   10.30 a.m. for 11 a.m. at the British and Commonwealth War Graves Section, Hollybrook Cemetery.


2012
February 21st.            10.30 a.m. for 11 a.m. at Hollybrook to remember the 649 men of the South African  army who lost their lives when the ssMendi sank of the Isle of Wight in 1917.

April 20th    10.00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coach trip round west side of the New Forest.

June 22nd   10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Coach trip to East Southampton area, possibly finishing at  Manor Farm.

September 14th     10.00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Coach trip to Portsmouth Historic Dock Yards.

At various times over the next twelve months we will be talking  at sundry sheltered housing establishments in the Lords Hill area, and giving support to SSAFA and Sue Ryder at talks throughout Southampton.  These will be noted in the blog as we go along.

JG

Monday 10 October 2011

The Old Days......


                                                   ( Photo copyright Penny Legg.)



A really great talk by Penny Legg at our 10 October meeting, with great audience participation as they told their anecdotes, of which they were reminded by old pictures screened by Penny, one of which was a railways steam engine.

That steam engine picture got me thinking how we romaticise the 'Days of Steam', forgetting the smoke and grime the engines belched out, making buildings black with their filth, and polluting the countryside.

Then listening to the nostalgic tales of 'The Good Old Days', I could not help but think what those days were really like for so many people - a cold water tap over a sink in the kitchen, no bathroom (Tin bath kept on a hook out the back), outside loo, lighting the paraffin lamps as it got dark, icy cold sheets on going to bed, frost forming on the INSIDE of the windows at night, cold lino to step onto in the morning, the kitchen range, copper in the scullery for the weekly wash, perhaps even the coal kept in a wooden cupboard under the stairs.  

So much for the 'Good Old Days', with no double glazing, no central heating, no fitted carpets, no........hang on, it is the end of the meeting and the Rev. Robert is telling us about a trip he has planned for us next year.  We will be going by train.....whoopeee....I really DO  hope it will be a steam train.

JG

Saturday 8 October 2011

We now get pictures

I mentioned in an email to Penny Legg I had not worked out how to post pictures to this blog.  Penny came to the rescue and told me how it worked, so here we are - we now get pictures, and what better one to start with than the leaflet for our meeting on Monday 10 October:

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Forthcoming events

Just a reminder that on Monday 10 October Penny Legg will be talking to us about her latest book 'Voices of Southampton'.  This will be at Manston Court, Lordshill, Southampton - our usual meeting place on the second Monday of every month.

On Friday 14 October we will be at Weston Court, Weston, Southampton, SO19 9LB with the Sue Ryder History and Legacy Team, when Julie Patterson will talk about the life of Sue Ryder and the work of the charity named after her.

Then on Tuesday 1 November is an event arranged by Mike Humme, one of our committee members:  A visit to the German War Graves (36 of them) at M Section, Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton.  It is hoped members of the Southampton Anglo German Society will be present, when Poppy Crosses supplied by the Royal British Legion will be planted, and white chrysanthemums laid on the graves.    Meet at the cemetery in time for the ceremony at 11 a.m.

To quote from an email from Mike:  "This will mark the event which usually takes place in Germany on 'Volkstraurtag' (National Day of Mourning) which is the second Sunday before the First Advent.  This year this event coincides with Remembrance Sunday, when most of our members will be otherwise engaged. Hence the choice of All Saints Day, which too is a commemoration day in the German calendar"

On 11 November we will be back at Hollybrook Cemetery in an act of remembrance at the British and Commonwealth graves.

JG