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.

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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 1982. The following list was given of the correspondents from the organisations.

Baptist Church - Mrs C W Stevens. Baptist Sunday School - Diane Fowler

81st Club - Mrs L Williams. Horticultural Society - E A Rivett

Methodist Church - Mrs E Claydon. Scout Group - John Munday

St John's School - D E Anthony. School Association - Mrs J Barton

St John's Church - ? Sports and Social Club - John Stevens

Sports Club Cricket - John Stevens. Sports Club Football - Dick Currell

Sports Club Tennis - Bob Barton. Village Hall Social Committee - Lily Barber

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.

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