Hallmark

click 1986 Hallmark 100th Edition for details of that.

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). Peter Trotter (Peter & Lilian Trotter). Norman Tyler 2004-2009 (Norman & Bette Tyler). Mike Piercy 2009 onwards (Mike and Candy Piercy)

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.

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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 Butler to read his letter which is reproduced as received.

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.