Hallmark

click 1986 Hallmark 100th Edition for details of that.

click Editorials by Mike Piercy from 2009

VOL 1 January/February 1970

Editor- M.E. Knott, Birchanger, Lacey Green;

Sub-Editor – E.E. Flintham, Ardengrove, Lacey Green;

Advertisements – E.W. Janes, 10 Greenlands, Lacey Green.  

Circulation 400 copies.

AIMS and OBJECTS. During the last few years many newcomers have moved into the district and the Village Hall Committee have felt for some time the need for a reliable method whereby the old and the new could come together to their mutual advantage.

Basically our aims are to keep people informed to what is happening in our community by means of a regular news letter; to publicise existing activities and organise new ones where there is a specific need; to provide a means whereby facilities are improved for the benefit of all concerned; and last but not least to serve our community in such a way so that that wish may enjoy each other’s company for leisure time activities.

With these objects in view all organisations in the village have been invited to submit regularly, reports on their activities.   These together with various articles, which it is hoped will be of interest, will be published every two months as “HALLMARK”, a magazine of our village for our village, and distributed free of charge to every household in Lacey Green and Loosley Row.

The support of everyone in supplying items of local news is hoped for, and any information, verbal or written, will be gratefully received.

The Editers have been M E Knott February 1970 (1st 6 editions) James Mowatt February 1971.(James & Stella Mowatt). Ted Janes (Ted & Jean Janes). Allison Needham December 1994. Peter Trotter (Peter & Lilian Trotter). Norman Tyler 2004-2009 (Norman & Bette Tyler). Mike Piercy 2009 onwards (Mike and Candy Piercy)

Hallmark April 1951. Editor's Diary.

Hallmark April 1972. Editorial. Featuring People, Places and Happenings in and around the district

The mechanical diggers, the heaps of pipes, the traffic lights have all arrived, and we are in for one of the biggest upheavals that Lacey Green and Loosley Row have ever known, the sewage Scheme, a massive engineering undertaking, necessary for present day hygiene. Never will there have been more need for tolerance and understanding, throughout this year and well into 1973, we trust it will be forthcoming.

Over 14. years ago Mrs Carpenter, Mrs Rutland and Mrs Ferris founded the Derby and Joan Club in the village, the 81st Club so to be formed in Bucks, and hence its name, the 81st Club, The Club has gone from strength to strength over the years, with the help of a small band of workers, the senior citizens appreciate their club, but so much of the work falls on to the only remaining original organiser, Mrs, Rutland, who without someone to share the load is not prepared to carry on after September of this year, Will someone come forward to help; this important club must not be allowed to disband.

The Annual Whist Drive for the Bucks, Blind organised by Mrs I Weller and helpers proved a great success and an enjoyable evening, although finished by candlelight, The near record total of £193.50 has been sent to the Fund. We congratulate Lacey Green, Loosley Row and Speen and everyone involved in this effort, a cause worthy of support, (over 900 totally blind in Bucks alone), Three highest score winners of the Whist, Ladies and Gents, have won their way through to the Grand Areas Final Drive to be held in April at Aylesbury Tow Hall, The Whist Drive was followed by the Grand Draw (Lists on display at shops) and auction sale, The auctioneer and M.C. for the evening was Councillor H, Church.

Yet another well-known land mark has disappeared in the village. We refer of course to the workshop and stores of J W Saunders & Sons, for long known as "Jonnies Shop". These premises took their nickname from that well known personality the late John Saunders, one time landlord of The Black Horse Public House, village Undertaker, Builder and Carpenter, Rural District Councillor for 19 years, Parish Councillor for many years and a prime mover in obtaining and erecting the present village hall just after the 1918 war.

John was well known throughout a wide area for his sporting activities, being at one time goalkeeper for the local club, and certainly doyen of the Lacey Green Cricket Club, for his great love was cricket, and he played well beyond the age when the. average person retires.

Although always a busy workshop, John was always ready to discuss cricket affairs, both locally and nationally, and some will remember the wonderful ‘sets’ of cigarette cards nailed to the beams of the workshop, depicting well known cricketers and also roses.

How the boys used to gaze in envy at certain cards they required to complete their ‘set'.

What a wonderful place these premises were for Hide and Seek and 'kick-tin' especially in the loft where several sample coffins were stored.

So again older village people must feel a sadness that yet anothher piece of old Lacey Green disappears in the name of progress, but at the same time have pleasant recollections of a wonderful man, and the invaluable contribution his business made to the village.

August 1977. Editor's Notebook. With your next Hallmark, about the first week of October, will come the annual collection tin. All we ask is that you give what the magazine is worth to you. Many people say "Why not make a Charge?" Well that is not our policy because we put a magazine into every home and don't want to force payment. But to you who constantly ask how much it cost, the simple answer is - this year 12p a copy and we publish six times a year. This note is listed in Social Snapshots 1969-2000 inc.

Hallmark June 1977. The Editor remembers. 1952 or thereabouts to 1977

We couldn't have a special Jubilee edition with such a nice cover, so professionally prepared by Tony Reed of Roundlands, without something appertaining to the occasion inside.

Yet when one stops to think of that mournful February morning in 1952 when King George VI peacefully passed away, and the then young Princess Elizabeth quickly returned from Africa to take up her responsible duties of Queen, and the gaiety and pageantry of the Coronation the following year, it’s not at all easy to remember what was happening at home. The people I have spoken to, just to jog my own memory, are a bit vague; its a long time ago. It’s easy to check that we still had food rationing, that petrol was only 20p a gallon, that Mr. Churchill was Prime Minister, that the last London tram was taken out of service and that we re-gained the Ashes, but not so easy to check local matters.

Although my own memory is not bad, because it’s a sort of jubilee of my own. In May 1952, together with Tony Adams, Ralph Biggs, Frank Chilton, Harry Church, Harold Weller, Bob Ridgley and Jack Wilson, we were elected to serve on the Parish Council. Sadly, some of these colleagues are no longer with us, others have retired, only Harold Weller joins me in celebrating 25 years on the Council.

Having moved from one part of the Parish, Speen, to Lacey Green in 1951, I have over the last 25 years, been involved in some degree with most organisations in this village. ‘Poking my nose into everything' some might say; others would be more kind and say ‘being public spirited'. What makes one become so involved I'm not sure; being willing and being pushed would be part of the answer. But I can say that apart from short spells of despair, frustration and a few heart-aches, they have been very happy years, working with marvellous people. This puts me in a good position to briefly look back over those years and some of the people I've enjoyed associating with, who have been so much part of the village scene during this jubilee reign.

One must remember that in 1952 the village was about half its present size – there was no Hets Orchard, no Westlands or Meadow Rise, no Roundlands, no Woodfield, but lengthy stretches of grassland and garden between many properties that today are nearly touching. It was in this year that the Parish Council sold for £2 Black Pit Pond; £1 to Mr. Rupert Rixon and £1 to Mrs. Ethel Dell. Now what was a pond is part of the front garden of 'The Haven' and 'Dendrige' properties on the main road, Lacey Green.

What was Lacey Green School like then? It was the year my daughter started School. There were only two classrooms, about 70 pupils, two teachers, a head teacher, Mrs. Gurney, and an infant teacher, Miss Jarvis (how the children loved her). Senior children, except those who passed the eleven plus, went to Hatters Lane or Mill End Schools in High Wycombe.

The Rev. Eric Steward was coming to the end of a long and popular stay as Vicar of the Parish, also a very active man in the community, Chairman of the Parish Council, Chairman of the Village Hall Committee, but in 1952 he withdrew from that year's Parish Council Elections and Harry Church became Chairman. Only two more Vicars have spanned that 25 years, The Rev. Keene and The Rev. Bernard Houghton.

The Sports Club having been quite recently presented with the sports field, was in fact only a Cricket Club, no Football or Tennis sections. A small pavilion with none of today's mod-cons. and no Bar.

More so in those days village cricket was really cut and thrust, to play the local 'Derby's' against Hampden, Speen and Naphill was to understand what prompted the ‘Wars of the Roses'. Chiltern villages have always played good cricket with Lacey Green always being positioned high in their League. The teams were all village lads with strong family connections. Me? I played in '52 in the 1st eleven, a position I didn't hold for long and was soon relegated to the end eleven. Some of the players I remember were Les Rixon, Arch Rixon, Stan Rixon, Harold Rixon, Bill Dell, Jack Dell (note the family make-up of the team) Ted Biggs, Frank Chilton, Ivor Kelloway, to name a few.

If the Village Hall is inadequate today, then in 1952 it was appalling (by today's standards). Two coke stoves roasted you in one corner and froze in the other, and on windy days how they smoked} Fred Adams has told me that on one November Sunday when the fires were lit for the United Armistice Service, they smoked so much that he swept the chimney in his best suit. Sometimes at dances the bucket lavatories would overflow and had to be emptied, again by poor Fred Adams and his wife. The back room that is now used for storage, housed an old fashioned washing copper for hot water, and a hand pump was used to draw water from the well. This was often so slow that Mrs. Adams used to get an extra bucketful from the well – with a rope, even after dark. When refreshment time was over and the copper fire had gone out, with no other heat in that old kitchen the drained cups and saucers from washing up have been known to freeze in the middle of winter. One is full of admiration for those ladies who worked in such conditions to supply refreshments at all the functions. Some of the Committee members I recall about that time were the Rev. Steward, Mr. Tong, Lady Bateman, Miss Fletcher, Mrs.Frederick, Mrs. M. Adams and Tony Adams.

There was no 81st Club; that was started by Mrs. Carpenter in 1958. Round about the same time the Parent Teachers Association was formed, but of course the Women's Institute had already celebrated one quarter of a century, and President for that year was Miss Sampson. The Youth Club was formed in 1955 by Wyndham Bradley and has gone on until today in fits and starts through lack of leaders. No organisation has been so consuming of people – Ivor Kelloway, Alan Randell, Rev. Keene, my wife and myself, Peter Barnard, Vera Griffiths, Malcolm Gilbert and Mrs. Woodwark, and yet another leader is required now.

Of the local businesses, the village shops, Mrs. Hickman was still alive, but Bert mostly served at the shop, not yet with May. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence had just taken over the general stores at Loosley Row, but not the Post Office – that was attached to the general stores of "Harvey's't Lower Road, Loosley Row. I am not sure if Mrs. Roberts had her sweet shop, where Dennis Gannon's dining room at the Crooked Chimney is now, and later to become Mrs. Belcher's Wool Shop. The Bakehouse at the beginning of Goodacres Lane was in full production with Sidney James and Charlie Claydon making their distinctive crusty loaves. Sidney delivered with his horse and cart.

Many local businesses are still going strong today with the same family names, Hickman's, Saunder's and Dell's the builders, Gommes Forge (Bakers) West's the farmers, and Mrs. Chilton still delivers the mail. Around Church Lane the factory at that time was Austin Hoy, the mining engineer people, who shortly afterwards moved to Saunderton. Rupert Newell was the licensee at ‘The Whip', Frank Gomme at 'The Black Horse', Mrs. Brown at 'The Crown' (alas now demolished), Mrs. Ridgley at 'The Plow' (nee Ishbell MacDonald, daughter of the first Labour Prime Minister) and Major Fairbrother at 'The Pink and Lily' (many must reminisce of Fairbrother and their Home Guard days when they see Captain Mannering in Dad's Army on the T.V.).

And as the years have speeded by I have enjoyed closely working with many of the newer people to the village, Ted Flintham, Randell Evans, Vera Griffiths, Geoff Prince, Frank Glenister, Wilf Sanders, to name a few. <A success story of Lacey Green that new and old have integrated much better than in many places; a view not shared by all, but it’s my belief.

In mentioning my 25 years of village life, I am not setting it up as any record, there are many other people who have done the same, and more, Harry Church, Tony Adams, Ted Biggs, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Adams, Miss Fletcher, Harold Weller, again to name a few. It’s just that mine has spanned Her Majesty's reign. And in naming names I am well aware that I am courting disaster in a village, but these people, together with many, many more I have not mentioned, have, in my humble opinion, all helped to make it a happy and worthwhile 25 years for Lacey Green

Hallmark December 1983. The Christmas Message by Ted Janes, the Chairman of the Lacey Green Parish Council and Editor of Hallmark

In 1952, as a young man when I first became a Parish Councillor, I had a great. yearn to improve the quality of life in our villages, but it wasn't long before I learned {as many have before me, and since) that the contributions one is able to make as a Parish Councillor is indeed very minimal. Knocking ones head against a brick wall, is an apt description, often heard.

So you might well ask, why I have stayed so long, and honestly I don't know, although up until recent years, even with such limited power, I thought we (the Parish Council) were doing a useful job for the community. But over the last – few years attitude in Local Government has dramatically changed, with the District Council in particular becoming so much more urban oriented. Parish Councils are no longer consulted on many issues, in fact generally treated as a bit of a nuisance.

It's my belief that three tier local government in the rural areas is still desirable to avoid remoteness, but it can only work, and the Parish Council be successful, with the co-operation from the County and District Councils, sadly that co-operation is not present on the scale it used to be.

I have been Chairman of the Council for 26 years; coming up to my quarter century I looked upon it as an achievement, but also a great honour to be the first citizen of the Parish, today its become more of an embarrassment, and in a searching analysis as to the reason, I've come to the conclusion that I am ashamed of the low standard that local government in general has fallen to. A standard, once the envy of the world, that has fallen, in my view, through three basic reasons.

(a) The present Government's obsession in curbing local government spending –  resulting in poorer services.

(b) A past Labour Government introducing expense allowances for County and District Councillors, often resulting in the wrong type of people being attracted to the job. In the old days Councillors were dedicated to the community,

today some are dedicated to the pin-money that can be earned from just. attending

meetings.

(c) Local government re-organisation a few years ago, that ousted many unqualified local government officials, steeped in a sound well tried and respected tradition, and replaced them by the new breed of university trained and lettered boffins, knowing all the theory, but lacking the experience of what makes a community tick.

But to come back to the Parish Council, to say that it’s effectiveness is now less than in 1952 is an indictment of the system, and nothing I can be proud of. This in no way reflects on a first class clerk, good Councillors of long standing, frustrated to the point of despair, and new Councillors eager and willing, but beginning to wonder ‘why' why they can't do this, or why they can't do that!

If we take planning as an example, contrary to local belief, this is not a Parish Council matter, (except we get the brickbats), After years of fighting, through our association, we now have to be consulted about planning applications, but in no binding capacity, our comments are just noted, sometimes not even reported to the planning committee. It's not necessary, I am sure, for me to list all the anomalies of the last few months, the planning successes and rejections just leave me speechless. Is there no longer any yardstick?

A recent political study paper has suggested scrapping planning authorities, something, once upon a time, I would have viewed with horror, but if it has got as I suspect that planning no longer means where one builds, or what one builds, but who wants to build it, then the pamphlet may have some merit, if only in the interest of fairness.

So, I have rambled on and not touched on my brief of goodwill and peace, but honestly there is not much of it about, Government and local authorities at loggerheads, throughout the world, wars flare up every week, disarmament talks proceeding like a charade, and the word '‘peace' seems to have been deleted from the vocabulary of the world's statesmen, for ordinary mortals like us, we are left with nothing more than ‘hope’.

The one consolation in ail my local government years has been that I have come closely into contact with the growth of the village organisations, built around the hall, a great success story, that even in my present depressed state leaves me with optimism and ‘hope’ for a great future.

So to all Parishioners, I wish a very Happy Christmas and a Hopeful New Year, and to our twinned friends in Hambye Noel Heureux.

Hallmark April 1984. Extract from the Editorial by Ted Janes :- "What a lot of celebrations we are having lately: Last year the Diamond Jubilee of the Village Hall, and this year The Womens Institute celebrate their 60th year and the Parish Council their 50th year.

Hallmark May 1986 Editorial by Ted Janes. Chernobyl. It is very disconcerting to bring the result of an international disaster into our homes, onto the dinner table, yet that is what Chernobyl has done.

The pride of the countryman has always been the harvesting of his garden, to pick the spring – greens knowing the nourishing value to his family has always been a pleasure, until Chernobyl. Now with radio active dust raining down on our gardens, we ask did the 1986 Spring Greens do us any good?

Hallmark November 1986. Our Christmas Card to you:– Entitled "After the snow storm, Loosley Row

The cover drawing has been reproduced from an old postcard kindly loaned from the collection of Miss R. Spencer. Dating from the early years of this century, it shows the snowplough helping to keep the services of the Royal Mail on the move when Henry Allen was Postmaster at the old Post Office, now "Green Pastures", in Lower Road, Loosley Row. (See Hallmark May/June 1984). Here the Christmas mail, as indeed the everyday mail was despatched and received twice daily via Princes Risborough and incoming mail was available to callers between 8.00 am and 9.30 am on Sunday mornings – long before the innovation of postcodes and the two-tier postal system. An American tourist was recently overheard asking the counter clerk in Princes Risborough Post Office for postage stamps, but explaining that she did not require what she described as "the slow ones!"

At a recent Parish Council meeting much lively discussion was aroused regarding the naming of the new Close off Loosley Hill. A glance at some old maps and documents reveals road names which have long disappeared in the village. The modern day postaman would probably be "lost'' in the Loosley Row of nearly two centuries ago. Lower Road/Little Lane was known as Wycombe Road passing Smallden Common on its way to join the Toll Road, now the A4010, whilst Windmill Road is described thus – "'.... leading in Eastward and North Eastward direction from a lane at Loosley Road near the Sprat Public House (see Hallmark March/April 1983) crossing the Wycombe Road and Lacey Green Road and thence continuing over the Hillocks to the Parish of Monks Risborough at Parslows."

Other place names in Lacey Green include Burrows Cross, Hawks Hill, Beamangreen, Crookedbeaman Firs, Coopers Grave Bottom, Speen Road, Wades Grove Farm and Bully Farm. Probably only the latter two still survive in use as old field names.

Wonder what the postmen and historians of two hundred Christmases hence will make of Lower Road, Foundry Lane, Loosley Hill, Little Lane, Violet Close...? We trust all your Christmas mail will be correctly addressed and arrive safely, with not too many ''slow ones."

We wish all our readers, contributors, distributors and advertisers a very, very Happy Christmas, our sincere thanks for all your support during the years, and that 1987 will be prosperous and healthy for us all.

Hallmark 1990. Villager of The 80s Decade

It came to us in the dying minutes of 1989, watching the television awards for the best of the decade for this, that and the other personality; we thought what about a Villager of the Decade award.

Going back through ten years of Hallmarks we found no shortage of nominees with many names recurring over and over again. So here, in no order of merit, is our list of nominations. Peter Trotter: without doubt the twinning with Hambye would not have taken place without him, he was also to the fore in getting the Residents Association started, not to mention his innovation to solve the Village Hall flat roof problem. Harold Seymore: for his untiring work for the 8lst Over 60 Club, plus his self-imposed honorary position of unofficial warden of the old peoples estate at Eastlands. Julia Beaumont: for her musical contribution to the village, first for re-forming St. John's choir and then Lacey Green Productions. Other names in Lacey Green Productions spring to mind, two particularly who have fought ill-health but never given up their dedication to the society, namely Linda Longhurst and Nell Panter.

We found no shortage of ladies; the two 'Connies' Connie Baker and Connie Roe for winning the W.I. monthly competition more times than anyone else; Kathleen Turner for service to the W.I. both locally and countywide; Mary Lawrence, surely one of the most efficient and well-liked post mistresses in the county (her counter is never closed!)

Some of the Magazine staff came into the reckoning; Joan West for making sure we all knew more about the countryside, the late Miles Marshall for his excellent researched articles on village history, Councillor Dennis Claydon for his cover drawings and to Jean and Ted Janes for hand-collating and stapling 33,000 Hallmarks.

Not so many men featured throughout the decade, but some made a mark we felt deserved consideration; George Munro with his work for Neighbourhood Watch and the Residents Association; Derek Woodbridge, the village shopkeeper, never did we think anyone could replace Bert! There was Dick Williams, the only licensee to stay the course, and Brian Lunn, our own treasurer and auditor for nearly all the village organisations, Marcia Prince (now sadly left us) the Turkey Supper and Strawberry Tea supremo, and the dark horses to watch out for in the year 2000 award, Pat Smart and Jane Tyrer.

We could list many, many more, but it would make no difference because out in front by a long shot was the man who has been the back-up to three Village Hall caretakers throughout the decade, a man who has mended every pane of broken glass, every hole in the walls, every fuse, repainted every dirty mark, cut the grass and the hedge, in fact maintained the Village Hall with loving care, saving us thousands of pounds.

The Hallmark Award for the Villager of the 80’s Decade goes to Norman Russell.

-

Hallmark 1968 by Rosemary Oliver (click Rosemary Mortham for more about Rosemary)

It was back last summer at the Church's 150th Anniversary celebration exhibition that the idea of a cover artist first came to the editor, after seeing so many local artists' exhibits.

A little sadly out goes our familiar green cover, symbolising the 'Green' after six years, but in comes a great chance for the many local artists to ‘have a go’ at designing a cover for each issue. For production purpose the sketch must be black and white (not grey), not necessarily of anything local, although it would be nice, to include the only word 'Hallmark' somewhere, and the measurements not more than 82 inches in length by 7 inches in width.

Our first cover artist needs no introduction to many people, having lived in the village all his life, the son of the local builders J.W.Saunders, Mr. Maurice Saunders, (click Mosh & Trudy Saunders) Maurice is not only a very good artist, but also an accomplished musician, able to play many instruments. Some will have heard him perform in the village with his 'Harmony Five'. He is not known so much these days in village activities, giving all his enthusiastic Spare time and energy to the High Wycombe Branch of Multiple Sclerosis. But Maurice was a one-time Chairman of the Village Hall Committee, and will be remembered for inspiring and organising the Village 'Bard' competition 1968, and it was in this competition that Rosemary Oliver wrote so beautifully of the Stocken Farm Chestnut Tree that Maurice has used for the cover sketch.

Rosemary's poem click Rosemary

Triumphal arch that spans the road, and reaches to the sky, what secrets could you now unfold to him who passes by?

How changed the village, since the days when you were small and young, you dream of what the future holds, of all that is to come.

And he who stands beneath your boughs and looks across the years, shall see the village, sometimes glad and sometimes bathed in tears.

Shall see the thrifty cottager, a hundred years ago, ride forth on sturdy horse and cart, to plough and reap and sow.

And by the cottage door, his wife sits patient at her lace, while round her feet small children run, all growing up space.

Alas, those children soon will leave, to fight across the sea, and many never will return beneath the Chestnut tree.

You stand firm and immovable, with splendid supple grace, your friendly branches cover us as in a warm embrace.

Oh may your mighty head not bow before the future's tracks, oh may you never humbled be by cruel Suburbia's axe.

Hallmark February 1983. The Editors Notebook.

Welcome. It has become our custom in the first issue of a new year, to say ‘welcome’ to all new residents, and in particular this year to a new vicar, Father Raymond Maynard. We hope all of you will find the magazine interesting and informative and that it will spur you on to actively engage in village life, surely one of the great joys of living.

The Bunker

If this Christmas many of us have given more thought to the Bradenham star (bunker contractors light) than the Bethlehem Star perhaps we might be forgiven. Certainly the rumpus caused by the bunker has set the village alight ‘in more ways than one.

The Peace Council pickets with their gipsy like caravan and posters strung out along the road, has annoyed many people. Others have admiration for their ideals and guts, these are people with the same convictions as the Greenham Common ladies. Cranks many people would call them, though to be fair their credibility is rising.

In a democracy, harnessed public opinion can exert tremendous pressure; opinion polls here and throughout Europe and America show the rise in influence of these Peace Groups. We would certainly be happier if repressive Governments in the eastern bloc allowed their Peace Groups the same freedom to influence. We aim not to take sides, but to produce a village magazine without mention of the bunker and all the nuclear controversy that surrounds it, would be to bury our heads in the sand, (or should it be chalk).

We only echo what seems to us the most-sane statement made recently, by one of the northern bishops, who said in essence that the two sides should respect each other's views, because everyone desperately wants peace, but disagree in the means of obtaining and keeping it.

The Green Belt The harness of public opinion was shown very positively during 1982, when the Parish Council appealed to residents to support the County Council in it's County Structure Plan proposed to put Lacey Green and Loosley Row completely in the Green Belt, having the effect of allowing in-filling development and replacement of existing housing stock, but prohibiting any large-scale development. Out of 695 objections and representations sent to the Secretary of State for the. Environment from all of Buckinghamshire, 170 came from Lacey Green and Loosley Row. 40% of all households - quite a remarkable public participation.

Between February 8th and 18th a public examination into certain aspects of the County Structure Plan is taking place at Aylesbury. Lacey Green Parish Council have been invited to take part, much to the annoyance of many other Parish Councils, Resident Associations and Action Groups who didn't ‘shout’ as loud or as often as we did.

The Parish Council's case will be presented by Councillors Bradley and Janes with local resident: Dr. Clive Wall.

Election Time. Its so easy for us to take for granted democracy, with all our electoral system of choice, that is denied to peoples of large areas of the world. And yet. we do, at election times, particularly local elections - 70% of us never bother to vote. Local government, with all its many, many faults, is still the best system in the world and very necessary, and for no other reason than they spend a large slice of our hard-earned income, we ought to show an interest.

Hallmark January 1991. We are indebted to Mr. Butler of Lily Bank Farm for the use of this copy - a letter received by his firm from a young man in the USSR, it shows the desperation that now exists in the Eastern European countries. Click Rupert & Diana Butler to read his letter which is reproduced as received.

Hallmark March 1991. Editors Diary

Without doubt the highlight of the last two months must have been the visit just down the road of both the Prime Minister and the Queen to Strike Command to personally thank that establishment for the very successful planning of the R.A.F. air operation during the Gulf War.

I believe it to be the nearest Her Majesty has ever been to stepping foot onto Lacey Green Parish soil during her very long reign. If these V.I.P.'s visits prompted the fencing and confer tree planting around the new carpark then that must be a blessing, because for some time now it had looked very tatty, although I shudder to think of the cost.

So, this news out-shone the ‘Open Book’ performance at the School, Elizabeth Hale's premiere at St. John's and the evergreens at the hall like the Turkey Supper and the Twinning Concert.

But it was two important days in March, the 16th and 23rd, the Village Hall Jumble Sale and the Residents Association Annual Village Clean-Up, both had much the same effect. Thanks to all the people who flocked to the hall with their jumble, it must have made a lot of room and greatly tidied many village attics and garages. Around 4.30 pm a convoy of cars and trailers left for the Bledlow Ridge dump, but not before nearly £200 had been made, proving that old north country saying that ‘Where there's muck there's brass’.

For the village spring clean the turn-out was down on last year, so it was just as well it wasn't such an arduous job, perhaps at last we are learning to Keep Lacey Green Tidy. If we could stop cars passing through the main road throwing out 'fag' packets and beer cans, and if builders would be a little more careful with the plastic wrapping of their materials, we would have the job licked. Every cleaner would have their own tale to tell of the strangest piece of rubbish collected, mine was a pair of old wellington boots found on the green at the entrance to Slad Lane, but they could have been missiles from the Stocken Farm wellie war.

Hallmark August 1993. Letter to the Editor from David Lidington M P.

I read with interest both the article and the open letter to me which you published in the July edition of Hallmark.

I agree with you completely about the importance of sub-post offices as a focus for village life and as providers of services for people who do not have a car.

The Prime Minister, Social Security Minister and Industry Minister have made it clear that everyone will continue to have the right to receive their pensions and benefits in cash at the Post Office. People will also have the choice, if they prefer, to receive their money by a direct payment into their bank account. Anyone with a Girobank account will of course have access to their account via their Post Office. Pensioners have had this choice since 1982. It is now being extended to people receiving other types of benefit. It is a choice. There is no compulsion.

The Prime Minister has also personally reaffirmed the Government's commitment to maintain a viable nationwide network of sub-post offices. I agree, but also think that we need to look at removing some of the restrictions on sub-post offices so that they can offer new services and attract extra customers. No Minister, nor indeed the Post Office management, can give an unqualified assurance that every single sub-post office will remain operational for all time. As population pattern and customer demands change, so there will be a need for additional sub-post offices in some districts while in other places the future of individual offices may have to be reviewed. There are procedures laid down for the Post Office to follow when it wishes to close a sub-post office and these decisions will continue to be taken case by case, whether the Post Office continues to state ownership or whether it is privatised.

The fact is that pensioners’ and benefit recipients are much more likely to have bank accounts and to be used to pay standing orders and direct debits than were their counterparts a decade ago. I think it is also the case that, for an ever growing number of pensioners, the state retirement pension is but one part of their income. They will probably already be getting their occupational pension paid monthly by direct debit into a bank account. Realistically therefore, I believe that more people are likely to choose the option of automatic cash transfer as time goes on. It is for these reasons that I believe we need to look for new business opportunities for sub-post offices.

Selling National Lottery tickets would be one new service. Perhaps sub-post.offices could also act as agents, especially in rural areas, for banks and building societies. These are ideas which I think are worth exploring.

Yours sincerely,

David Lidington MP

Hallmark September 1994. Editorial (by Ted Janes).

Your Pinta. Without doubt the biggest impact on the countryside and in particular the farming industry since our last issue, has been the closing down of the Milk Marketing Board. Political dogma is these days hell bent on market forces for everything, as competition is supposed to bring prices down, but, its not always the case, as people living in some water board areas know to their cost.

Our fear is that milk prices will rise, forcing more and more people to buy cheaper imported milk from the supermarket, with the consequence that the days of our friendly milk-roundsmen are numbered.

And Now Your Water. For the next six months, we shall have to endure delays, inconvenience, discomfort as a new water main is laid along Main Road, not before time considering the number of bursts that have occurred recently.

The pipes that are in use today were laid throughout the villages between 1934/36, in the days when only a pick and shovel was used, so it took a long time to cover the whole area, but piped water certainly reached Stocken Farm by Christmas 1934, and John's father the late Dick West recalled in an early edition of Hallmark that his water rate for that year was £4.

One hopes that this costly operation will not be followed by water metres, because since privatisation, there seems to be a move in this direction, although for some people living on their own it could mean cheaper water, but to the majority, particularly larger families and we gardeners, it would be much more costly.

In Alton, Hampshire, the French owned Mid Southern Water Board are to meter all 17,000 homes in the area, with fears that many bills will treble causing hardship to some and doctors fear the possibility of health risk.

Have We, As A Community, Gone Soft? We ask the question in view of the cancellation of the proposed 10 mile sponsored walk in aid of the Playground appeal. An important appeal which we would have expected young mums and dads to put themselves out for.

Back in the 70's when we were in the middle of another great appeal to re-build the Village Hall, the youth club committee of the day ran a couple of 20 mile sponsored walks, supported strongly by parents and friends, and raised a lot of money from sponsors in offices, shops and factories – money from outside the village.

Many of us will not forget that last grualling mile down the Pink Road, the writer has vivid memories of the late Bernard Houghton, vicar of this parish, hobbling with his rheumaticky knees that last mile, but then he always led by example.

Through the Parish Council's decision to match £ for £ raised for this appeal, we, through our rates are giving generously, a small appeal committee (haven't they done well) are working their fingers to the bone, they deserve more support. After all the playground will be for all – have you helped?

Hallmark November 1994 by Ted Janes' - Teds Final Curtain (as editor).

I prepare this 150th edition of the magazine, my last. Spread over a sizeable period of my life, a period in which the village has changed dramatically, increased population with a Village Hall doubling in size to cope with it. New organisations have been born, that have swelled our pages from 20 to 32. Twinning, Horticultural, Evening W.I., Village Day, Windmill Under Fives, Walking Club, some of which the magazine has played its part in getting off the ground.

So, I have mixed feelings, relief that no more the dread of blank pages to fill, no more searching for in-filling snippets to pad out the organisations copy, regret, that something that has been very much my baby, and so much part of my life for half a century will be no more. And nostalgia, for all the people that have been involved, names that I would here like to recall as a way of saying thank you, or a tribute to those sadly no longer with us.

The early pioneers Michael Knott, Ted Flintham and James Mowat. The Village Hall Chairmen of the period in addition to myself, Randall Evans, Ray Hewinson and Mike Richards, and all the committee members past and present who right from the time I presented a draft copy to them in the autumn of 1969, and asked permission to publish, promising that I thought it could be a self supporting asset to the village, they have always given full support, never once interfering, always allowing me to do it ‘my way’. And with the support of local businesses and the generous support of readers the magazine has always been self supporting and I believe a village asset.

I recall the feature writers and artists Miles Marshall, Joan West, Clem Brown, Dennis Claydon, Brian Panter, Andrew Stone, the local Councillors, Harry Church, Geoffrey Spear, Jean and Denis Hart, Jean Gabbitas. The printers and typists who have always been so cooperative, Francis Wallace, Sonia Nuttal, David Canover, Mandy Anderson, Frederick Harber and Pat Slade.

The scores and scores of organisations correspondents who without them there would have been no local magazine, the distributors and collectors and so many others too numerous to mention. And lastly to my wife Jean without who's” help and patient understanding I could not have carried on for so many years, so to Jean and everyone involved my many many thanks.

Trying to produce a lively and mildly controversial magazine has been a fine balancing act, from which I have often fallen, and consequently upset and hurt some people, for which I am truly sorry, never was there any malice, only a sincere belief that I was saying what I thought was right for the village I love.

So, as I ponder these 25 years that have rushed by all too quickly, I can't get out of my head some of the words of a Frank Sinatra song.

"And now the end is here and so I face the final curtain.

My friend, I'll say it clear, I’ll state my case of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life that's full.

I travelled each and every highway,

And more, much more than this I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew,

When I bit off more that I could chew,

But through it all, when there was doubts,

I ate it up and spat it out.

I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way.”

But of course it's only my final curtain, Hallmark with our new young editor and producer Allison Needham (see page 5 for ‘Clem Brown meets Allison") will I am sure go on from strength to strength, and she will do it ‘her way', because I see in her many of the same attributes that I look back and saw in myself – no journalistic experience but lots of energy and enthusiasm.

Although I came to the magazine after many years of involvement with village organisations, Allison has no such experience, having only lived in the village a couple of years, but no preconceived ideas could be her strength.

I read the other day a quotation about village life "People who've lived in a place for a long time have a great deal of knowledge and wisdom about it, but incomers have a clear eyes" So with Allison's “clear eye” and the help I know we are a going to give her, particularly in the transition period. I hand over the baton, wish her luck and say goodbye to all my readers.

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2009. A New Editor This edition marks the change--over from Norman Tyler to Mike Piercy as Editor.