Social Snapshots

click Social Snapshot articles by Joan West about mid winter weather, dentists, VE Day Legacies

click Social Snapshots 2001-2022 inc for these years.

Use Social Snapshots here for Annual Records

2000. The Millemium Village Hall in Lacey Green was completed in 2000, with 50% grant from the National Lottery. It was the 3rd hall on this site.

1999. A new shop, “Entertainment House” was opened by Clive Hoadghton in Lacey Green in 1999. Not a noisy disco venue, but a shop supplying everything electronic needed to lay on an occasion.   There were no other shops left in Lacey Green or Loosley Row at the time and there never had been one like this.

1998. New Law. Executions Abolished. In 1998 the UK abolished execution for all peacetime offences. The last execution (hanging) took place in 1964.

It was a strict requirement of all EU member states not to practice capital punishment.

1996. Prince Charles and Princes Diana were divorced on August 28th 1996 after 4 years separation.

1996  A new Vicar. The Licensing Service of the Reverend Richard Caink, took place at St. John’s Church, Lacey Green, on July 11^th 1996 at 7.30pm.

1996 Gerald Bedford retired from working at Stocken Farm after 51 years. click Gerald Bedford for more about Gerald.

1993. The Maastrict Treaty, was signed on 7th February 1992, to form the European Union. It became effective 1st November 1993.

1993. Congratulations to our Post Mistress, Mary Lawrence, recently honoured by the Post Office for 23 years’ service. click Mary Lawrence for her life story.

1992. GOODBYE HP17, HELLO HP27. May 1992 will see the local address change.   Princes Risborough will replace Aylesbury as the post town.   The code will be HP27 followed by the appropriate second half of the present code which will remain unchanged.

1991. The Cold War ended. It had lasted from 12th March 1947 to 25 December 1991. click Doug Tilbury for what became of the old stand-by field kitchens.

1988. Harold Weller died in 1988. He had worked for many years as Vice-Chairman of The Parish Council, as a School Manager of both Lacey Green School and Speen School and on the Village Hall Committee. As a master builder he oversaw the maintenance, expansion and rebuilding work of both schools. For the life story of Harold and his wife Ivy, click Harold & Ivy Weller.

1988. From The Bucks Free Press. More than 350 sacks of blankets and clothes collected in Lacey Green are on their way to help victims of the Armenian earthquake. click 1988 350 sacks for Armenian Earthquake for the story of getting them delivered with photo.

1987 The Great Storm of 1987, has been described as an extratropical cyclone.   It happened overnight from the 15^th/16^th October.  It had not been forecast on land, although rough weather had been forecast at sea.  

Overnight throughout England, but especially in the south and even more so in the south-east, widespread structural damage was done by the wind.     Sustained winds for four hours gusted up to a maximum of 122 mph (106kn.), equivalent to hurricane force. An estimated 15 million trees were uprooted.  These added to the destruction to property, blocking roads and railways.   Whole swathes of trees in woods were brought down.  

Several hundred thousand people were without power, not fully restored for over two weeks.    It was said that more electric wires were lost in the storm than in the whole preceding decade.

Boats were driven ashore and the bulk carrier MV Sumnee capsized off Dover, Kent

1986. June 15th. Stocken Farm held its first Open Day for the public to look round.

1986. Corporal punishment was prohibited in state supported education in 1986. It was extended to cover private schools in England and Wales in 1998, in Scotland in 2000 and Northern Ireland in 2003.

1986 Flower Festival. Thought to be the first in Lacey Green Church. click Flower Festival in 1980s photos for page of photographs.

1985. report by Miles Marshall. 'The Bunker’ of which we have heard so much of late, is not, as has been rumoured to be a storehouse for nuclear weapons, but an up-to-date control centre for the air defence of this country and our NATO allies.

1984. click Wilf & 'Rene Sanders for the time this active couple spent in Lacey Green. Wilf had been responsible for an event of the Youth Club that was legendary. It was on 5th November. A large bonfire was built in a very short time for security reasons as it wasn’t unusual for bonfires to mysteriously catch light prior to the actual day.   It was located in the field behind the Village Hall. The material collected by tractor, trailer, youth club members and willing helpers from around the village.

A parade, was made up of the youth club members and a few responsible adults carrying flaming torches which had been made by Wilf using green sticks with sacking wrapped around one end, held in place with wire then dipped in old engine oil.  Led by a tractor and trailer carrying the guy the parade started at The Whip and wound its way down through the village, in those days it was possible to get a road closure for a village function, indeed the local policeman was always in attendance along with one or two St Johns ambulance volunteers.

1984. August. Sefton retired to the Home of Rest for Horses at Speen Farm, Lacey Green, aged 21, where the public came from far and wide to visit him.  In the 1982 IRA attack he had suffered a severed jugular vein, a wounded eye, and 34 severe body wounds.   Sefton’s initial emergency operation lasted 90 minutes and he was given a 50/50 chance of recovery.    In total he was to have 8 hours of surgery.

Sefton had struck a chord with the public.  Donations of over £620 were sent, and a new surgical wing at the Royal Veterinary College was named after him.

Sefton slowly recovered.   Eventually he re-joined the regiment, still with his same trooper, Michael Pederson, who had also been injured

A statue of Sefton now stands at the Royal Veterinary College, his name is in the British Horse Society’s Equestrian Hall of Fame, with an annual award named after him.

1983. report by Miles Marshall. Activity on the west side of the Main Road at Walters Ash.   They were testing the suitability of the sub soil to support a concrete reservoir for the Thames Water Authority. click Lacey Green Reservoir for the full story and pictures.

1983. Lacey Green Windmill Turns Again. Anyone who was at the Windmill on Saturday, April 23^rd, heard Lord Bernard Miles give the signal for the sails to turn again after 60 years. In 1972 he said it could not be done, but was happy to eat his words now,some 11 years later.  click The Windmill for its full history and photos.

1982. July 20^th. When crossing Hyde Park, an IRA bomb, planted in a car, was detonated.  15 soldiers on their horses were on their way to take part in the ceremony of the Changing of the Guard. Four soldiers died. All the horses were injured, seven so badly that they were put down at the spot.   Of the others, Sefton was the worst injured.   He had a severed jugular vein, a wounded eye, and 34 severe body wounds

1982. Falkland War Ended. The war in the Falkand Islands lasted 74 days from 2 April 1982 to 14 June 1982.

1981. On 29th July 1981 Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral, London

1981. On 6th July 1981 Lacey Green in England and Hambe in Normandy, France, arranged a cooperative venture known as Twinning. click The Twinning Association for reports and photos.

1979. Plans were drawn up to develope a new road called Roundlands in Lacey Green with houses and old peoples' bungalows.

1979. report by Bernard Hoghton, vicar, (click Bernard & Kitty Houghton for more about Bernard.). After nearly eight years I am hoping those many friends who have been bringing tied paper to the hut at the vicarage will continue to do so. In the last 8 years we have saved over fifty tons with about £320 profit for the church, and charities through The Mothers Union.

1979. Lacey Green Village Hall no 2 report by Randall Evans chairman. When we reopen in October this year we will have made from the old 1914-18 hut one of the best equipped and best looking Halls in the district. We are going to be tight for money to pay for kitchen equipment and external works, but D.V.* and W.P* we will get this before the day. (** God Willing and Weather Permitting.   Hallmark Ed.)

1978 Mary Adams, Extract from a newspaper. Thought to be the first woman chimney sweep in the country, Mrs Mary Adams of Lacey Green who is now retired, probably knows more about what’s up a chimney or down a flue than many a builder. Not for Mrs Adams the new-fangled vacuum cleaners for sweeping chimneys.   She uses the old method of brush rods and muscle and as a result has won a reputation as one of the cleanest sweeps in the business.

1977. Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee 7th June. Lacey Green and Loosley Row Silver Jubilee Celebrations (click Celebrations for similar events)

Programme of events to be held on 7th June 1977 at the Lacey Green and Loosley Row Village Hall and in the adjoining field (by kind permission of the Wycombe District Council). For details and photos of full day and evening programme click 1977 Silver Jubilee Celebrations

1976. Robert and 'Paddy Bateman and their children leave Grymsdyke, Lacey Green, for Canada. click Grymsdyke for the history of Grymsdyke

1975. report by Miles Marshall. On 10th April 1975 Strike Command became a major subordinate NATO command, to be known as Head Quarters United Kingdom Air Forces. R.A.F. Strike Command is by far the largest and most important part of the Royal Air Force and today controls all the front line combat aircraft in the U.K. and worldwide, with the exception of R.A.F. Germany. The A.O.C. in C (a NATO appointment) is Air Chief Marshal Sir David Craig.

1975. The first Village Day was in 1975. A bi-annual event. The last in 2004. Stopped because road closure refused for procession and difficult to find organisers.

1975 Lacey Green Church 150 years anniversary. PCC announcment -The Festival Service is at 10 a.m. on Sunday 6th July, with the Bishop of Grantham, who will dedicate the new doors, and the closing service is at 6 p.m. that day. In celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the dedication of the church we have various functions planned and a programme will be available shortly. click 1975 Church 150 years for full programme.

1975 Death of Francis Mead. The following was written by Harry Church & published in Hallmark - Francis was Clerk to the Council for 25 years, being also Clerk to Bledlow-cum-Saunderton. He was well known and highly respected in Local Government circles for his wide knowledge of Parish Council Law; always ready to give in a most unassuming way, good sound advice, after giving great thought to the particular problem, with a flair for very diplomatic approaches to other Councils and officials which conveyed what the Parish Council really wanted. click 1975 Francis Mead for more about Francis.

1974 Hallmark report in February. "The electricity heating restriction that came into force on November 15th 1973 looked at first that it might close the Village Hall for the duration. But then the ban was lifted on the Play Group, and the organisations that had functions booked, dance bands etc., got down to begging or borrowing heating appliances that got round the ban

1969. report by Miles Marshall. In January 1969 the Headquarters Unit became known as Royal Air Force Station, High Wycombe. A new badge was designed for the Unit with the motto 'Non Sibi’ (not for ourselves) and in October of the same year a Spode commemorative plate bearing the new badge was presented to the late Councillor Harry Church on behalf of the Wycombe Rural District Council of which he was then the Chairman. Incidentally, Mr. Church had worked at Bomber Command himself for many years as a maintenance engineer for the Ministry of Works.

1968. report by Miles Marshall. In April 1968 Bomber and Fighter Commands were merged as Strike Command — to incorporate, a year later, both Signals and Coastal Commands.

1958. The 81st Club was founded in 1958 by Mrs Isdell-Carpenter, Mrs Frances Rutland and Mrs Ferris. It would normally have been called a 'Derby & Joan', but it was decided to call it the 81st Club because it was the 81st in the county. click The 81st Club for history and photos.

1906. click Inquest Bristow's Quarry Death for findings on the death of Ralph Plumridge, aged 19, a stone cutter working for Bristow Bros.