1986 Hallmark 100th Edition

click Hallmark for details

Hallmark August 1986. Ted Janes says ‘Something to Sing About'. ‘Congratulations and Celebrations'

Popular song titles seem to sum up my feelings on reaching our century edition, because it is indeed something to sing about. Local magazines have a habit of folding after a few years. We have gone from Strength to strength over the last 17 years so it is really worth offering ‘Congratulations and Celebrations’ to all concerned.

'I did it my way'

The Village Hall committee by it's very make up is not always regarded as a very progressive group, yet that was not the case in the summer of 1969 when I submitted a mock magazine with Hallmark as a title, the committee with great confidence and foresight agreed to publish six editions per year. It was my idea, although I must confess it was based on the Naphill magazine. In some way or other I have been associated with the whole one hundred editions and proudly say 'I did it my way'.

'Together'

But, certainly it could not have happened without the tremendous support from both readers and contributors, people like Joan West, when I asked if she would contribute something on country life, something like the ‘Archers' at Ambridge, and we all know the result. Miles Marshall when at a Strawberry Tea in 1979 I asked if he could supply a cover drawing of Speen Post Office, that started a long, interesting and prolific association that readers have so enjoyed, and I know Miles has. The various Councillors who have helped to keep us abreast of the local government scene, and maybe as many as a hundred local correspondents who have reported the activities of their own organisations. In the early days getting enough copy was a great headache, today so much copy falls through my letter box by the required 25th (and I am not complaining) that I agonise over what to leave out or if funds will run to another page. So, to all those people and many, many more too numerous to mention who have contributed in any of the hundred issues, we can boast we did it ‘Together’.

‘Thanks for the Memory'

In re-reading every past copy for compiling this issue, what struck me most apart from what a social and historic record of village life was the memory it stirred of people no longer with us, departed this world, or left the village for one reason or another, people who worked so hard to put the organisations of this community and this magazine in such good stead, to them and for them I say 'Thanks for the Memory'.

Miles Marshall found ‘a reluctance to talk' - Looking back through my file copies I was surprised to find that my first hesitant contribution was as long ago as 1978 - a rather crude drawing of the 'Clockhouse' entrance gate to the stableyard at Speen Farm. This was followed by a 'commissioned' drawing of the Old Post Office at Speen to illustrate someone elses's historical note. In all I found that I had done 21 articles and 23 drawings, not all of them paired.

My first article (March/April 1980, No.62) on the environment and ecology of 'Slad Lane', Ted described as 'ingenuous'. The word was familiar enough though I was never quite sure what it meant; so, resisting the impulse to punch him on the nose, I looked it up and decided that he was really being rather nice about it!

Thus encouraged, nothing could stop me. Writing must be in my blood if only because my grandfather, who I never knew, was at one time a correspondent in Petrograd. But during almost fifty years in print and publishing, my literary exploits were confined to reading and sub-editing manuscripts, checking proofs and perhaps writing the odd advertisement or book jacket 'blurb'. After that writing for Hallmark has really been great fun and has introduced me to some of the nicest people - about half the population of the village and numerous local authority officials, almost all of whom have gone out of their way to help.

Sometimes I have found a reluctance to talk, mainly from shyness I think. Sort of - ‘Oh! No! I couldn't tell you anything - Well there's not much to tell – No! I'm sorry.’ After this sort of preamble there will often follow a lengthy discourse, perhaps on a street corner, in a typical Lacey Green northeaster, until my creaking old joints have protested but I have hobbled home with enough copy for half my article. Often a second visit will, not unnaturally produce a more relaxed atmosphere. On one occasion, a preliminary read through of my draft article produced the question – Who told you all this? 'Why, you did of course!'

Joan West finds ‘a fantastic social record'

The summer that Hallmark was first published John and I and our three children were planning to move from farm cottage to farmhouse. Mid-winter saw our goods and chattels being carted round on a farm trailer, where once installed we devised plans to restore the house somewhat, and also add some modern comforts, such as a damp course and central heating.

We carted three trailer loads of rubble from fireplaces, stripped crumbling plaster made of lime and something questionable – let's say "horse hair", and ceilings equally dubious. Got very excited exposing the old fireplaces, we even thought we had found a secret priest's hole, only to realise we had gone right through the chimney stack into the next room.

With the plaster off we could see the structure of the house and called in what advice we could. The timbers are as hard as iron with notches and holes that can be identified as parts of old ships. Three windows blocked up and the front windows not the original shape. Although we probably would not have altered these back, we could not anyway, because the Dept. of Environment have put a preservation order on them. Numerous additions have been added on to the original front rooms and all the walls have moved considerably.

Having pulled it apart round our ears, we asked Messrs. Dell Bros. to put us straight. Their patience with our children "helping" them was amazing, and Jack told us we were crazy as we lived in one room or another either ahead or behind the plasterer, painter or whatever.

The upshot of it was that I wanted to know exactly when it was built. The land is mentioned in Queen Elizabeth 1st's time, but not the house. I have traced the occupants back two hundred years – mostly still local family names, and I have been side-tracked by so many interesting lines that I do not progress fast. Luckily things used to change quite slowly - but not so today. How on earth will future historians unravel and understand our rapidly changing way of life? Over the last twenty-five years farming has changed almost out of recognition and it must be the same in most every trade, profession and household. It may not be the reason for which "Hallmark" was created, but I think it must be a fantastic social record which could be quite significant when one day some nosy historian wants to know what went on in this "neck of the woods". As much as one should need to know anyway!

So, Congratulations on the first century and best wishes for the second.

How it all came together

The first magazine was published in February 19/0, a small 7 page edition by the Village Hall Committee anxious to bring the village together for an all out money raising operation for a new Village Hall, and although over the years our aims may have fluctuated a little, the central aim has always been togetherness.

During the first year (Nos 1-6) Michael Knott was the editor and produced by Ted Janes and the late Ted Flintham, the duplicating was by the Vera Robinson agency in High Wycombe, which in fact was local resident Mrs. Wallace. The second year Nos 7-12) we became more ambitious with advert sheets and a substantial printed cover, green in colour, to symbolise the green in Lacey Green. James Mowatt took over the editorship with the same production team. By the third year we were in trouble, two years, two editors and no-one to take it over. We managed to produce Nos 13-18 with an editorial committee, James Mowatt, Ted Janes and the late Miss Fletcher, but it didn't work well and by the fourth year (No 19) Ted Janes took over temporary editing and producing just to keep the magazine going. Today, 81 issues later, he is firmly established as Mr. Hallmark.

It was 1976 (No 37) when the first cover drawing appeared, Stocken Farm with the Chestnut Tree so immortalised in Rosemary Oliver's poem entered in the Village "Bard'' competition 1968, a very successful competition organised by the then Village Hall Chairman, Maurice Saunders. Maurice was also an accomplished artist so who better to start us going with a long series of cover drawings of almost all the local landmarks and historical happenings that have affected our villages. Of the 63 sketches published, Miles Marshall tops the list with 23, Dennis Claydon with 14 and 14 other artists have contributed.

No 55, our tenth year, we had to look for a new duplicator, and by one of those bits of luck that have often come our way, the Risborough agency we chose turned out to be local resident Mrs. Nuttall. The very next issue through a mistake by the advert sheet printers we were forced to change from quarto size paper to the larger A4, a miserable mistake at the time but fortunate in the long run because it has given our artists more scope and more room inside, something with the current 12 pages we are always short of. Mrs. Nuttall duplicated the magazine until 1985 when we turned to David Canover Associates of Aylesbury, and from this edition the printing will be from a new offset machine that should give a better copy, after any teething problems.

Looking back, some of our landmarks must have been Nos 45, the Silver Jubilee cover by Tony Reed and the publicity we received from Norman Tyler's film showing the burgular going through a set of drawers leaving the valuables and taking Hallmark. The issue (No 59) to celebrate the opening of the new hall, and the edition almost given over to the Twinning Ceremony weekend in Normandy (No 70), also memorable was (No 82) the Village Hall Diamond Jubilee issue.

Our costs have soared over the years, or maybe not if inflation is taken into consideration, £150 in 1970 to over £800 last year, but the annual collection has always been a source of encouragement to us increasing every year to a record in 1985 of £450. And advertisers have continued to give us loyal support so that with a few donations from the organisations most years we have paid our way.

Ted Janes has always been associated with the production side, only reluctantly did he take over as editor as he felt he wasn't qualified for the job, but over the years has come to enjoy doing it, but readily admits it would not have been possible without the tremendous support he receives, none more than from his wife. He now so eats and sleeps the magazine that he is conscious of perhaps being blind to faults, and hopes the committee will kindly tell him when enough is enough, rather than let him hang on and see the magazine lose its appeal.

The 200th edition will see us into the turn of the century, no-one knows what that will bring, looking back over the last 17 years we are encouraged to feel the future is rosy for our community. But with local and community radio and maybe by then local television, will the printed word survive? We hope Hallmark will, one thing is sure, the editor's temporary position will have come to an end.

-

Dear Mr. Janes,

Congratulations on the 100th Edition of Hallmark which we hold up as a model of a well-produced village newsletter. Each issue is read with interest by members of my staff.

I particularly like the articles by Joan West and, being an ardent francophile, am delighted by the success of the Twinning Association.

A.J.K. Smith

Director, Buckinghamshire Council for Voluntary Service.