Dick & Brenda Williams
From Lacey Green History
Click The Whip for more about this public house.
Dick Williams with his wife Brenda ran The Whip pub from 1976 – 1997
In 1976 they had two daughters Sarah Jane and Helen.
In 1979 another daughter, Emma, was born. Emma was in a hurry and with no time to get to hospital Dick became midwife and delivered the baby on the pub floor.
This was reported in August edition of Hallmark as follows :- "If it hadn't been for the 'cool' of Dick Williams, Landlord of 'The Whip', showing his versatility and acting as midwife in the lounge bar for the birth of his daughter Emma, 7lbs 10ozs.
Said his wife Brenda "He was wonderful, he didn't panic at all". Said Dick "There was no time to panic". Congratulations to both, and to baby Emma.
The following year son Michael was born, but this time in hospital.
Hallmark February 1983 Report. "£500 was raised at a charity lunch at "The Whip" on Sunday January 23rd and shared between the Injured Jockey Fund and Royal Marden Hospital. Dick Williams, the landlord invited Bob Champion as guest of honour, who is remembered for his fight back from cancer, to win the Grand National on 'Aldaniti' in 1981.
Hallmark November 1986. Message from Brenda and Dick.
This November we celebrated 10 years at the Whip and feel we are just becoming "Lacey Greeners". 1986 has seen one or two changes at the Pub. The outside has been decorated and as you have probably noticed we have replaced the old tubs with wooden ones, thus we hope adding a little character to our end of the village. By Xmas the interior should have been painted.
We have had our share of sorrows this year, having lost 2 or 3 of our valued customers, who each in their own way brought some character into the pub. Bert Dell will be greatly missed especially on Xmas Day for his rendering of "Bubbles" and trying to put wood on the fire whilst Dick's back was turned. We shall be thinking of him during the festivities, as we shall Bob Morris, who many of you knew as a man with a wonderful sense of humour.
Old faces have passed and new faces have entered the scene, we now have a good bunch of youngsters who use the Whip and may we just say that though people knock the younger generation, we have never had any problems. They were all very supportive when Dick was in hospital, and even tried to push-start the car, that last was seen disappearing into the night in the direction of Saunderton and was towed back by a double-glazing van - thank you Rupert!!!
We have moved the pool table so that now can offer parties a semi-private room seating 30 people. Bookings are now coming in for our traditional Xmas Fayre, and we hope that New Years Eve will once again be successful, with Dick drinking lemonade in order to drive people home.
We do like to think of the Whip as a meeting place and are very pleased to welcome "God's Gang", led by Father Raymond, who pop in now and again for luncheon and then have to spend the rest of the day praying for Dick!!
We were sorry not to be able to do our Senior Citizens Xmas meal but I know you realised this was due to ill health, however we did offer free coffee and biscuits to all pensioners on Thursday morning, but sadly we had no takers.
As our most regular and loyal supporter Donald Lacey will be in Spain for Xmas, we will not be opening on Xmas Night.
Thank you all for your help and support during the last 10 years and may we wish each and everyone a very happy and blessed Xmas.
Hallmark 1988. Report in 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 - thanks to the Free Press.
The bundles were stuck in the village post office because the flight to take the bags was cancelled and organisers were desperately trying to find a way to move them. But we put village landlady, Brenda Williams, of the village pub, The Whip Inn, onto the right people and a lorry picked up the much needed aid on Tuesday.
Mrs Williams said "We'd tried everything. I phoned the Daily Express and the Daily Mail to see if they could help but they couldn't.
You have saved us an awful lot of worry. Without you I think we would still have it over Christmas."
The good news followed a remarkable response by villagers in and around Lacey Green, who filled 350 large dustbin bags with vital blankets and clothes in just three days.
Mrs Williams said: " I mentioned the idea to a couple of customers and expected about 20 sacks full. But you have never seen anything like it - it just flooded in! I have never seen such a response from people - they have been absolutely fantastic. And it's not rubbish either. Some people have even labelled their stuff, children's clothes etc."
"Pupils and staff from St Teresa's School in Princes Risborough collected 40 sacks, RAF Strike Command in Walters Ash/Naphill gave 30 sacks and Lloyds Bank in Princes Risborough filled 6 of the bin-bags.
Everyone is amazed that we got so much from just a small village and putting the word round" said the publican who has run the pub for 13 years with her husband Dick.
"People came to the pub to give their contributions. Some people we had never seen before and a few travelled in from outside the village. But problems began when the flight company said it could not take any more relief to Armenia and the airport authorities at Hounslow closed down a warehouse because of the fire risk. We were desperate" said Mrs Williams.
"We had to store the sacks in the village post office and in a neighbours garage because we couldn't keep it anywhere at the airport. People were phoning from Oxfam and other charities to ask if they could have the blankets and clothes but it had been given for Armenians so we had to hold on to it.
It seemed such a shame that those people are freezing and I had tons of the stuff just sitting here for them".
But help was at hand when the Free Press put Mrs Williams in touch with the Armenian Advice Centre in London which took the sacks to its base in Acton to await a flight.
Mrs Williams added: "It's such a relief and lovely now that they have gone. Also click 1988 350 sacks for Armenian Earthquake for the story of this amazing act of charity
Hallmark August 1989. Lilian Curnow writes on behalf of Lacey Green Church - "Many thanks to Dick Williams of The Whip for the lovely result achieved through hours of hard work in the Churchyard, never has it looked so cared for. Thanks, also for the gift of a seat that will be much appreciated. I'm sure that everyone who has loved ones buried there joins with me in thanking you most sincerely. All too often we forget to thank all those who give up their spare time in keeping St. John's grounds so neat and tidy - as we all know, gardening is no easy work especially when it has to be ftted in with one's own gardening; so, once again, many thanks to you all. (research note. This was particuarly commendable as Dick & Brenda Williams and their children attended St. Teresa's Roman Catholic Church in Princes Risborough themselves)
Brenda and Dick Williams write
This November we celebrated 10 years at the Whip and feel we are just becoming "Lacey Greeners". 1986 has seen one or two changes at the Pub. The outside has been decorated and as you have probably noticed we have replaced the old tubs with wooden ones, thus we hope adding a little character to our end of the village. By Xmas the interior should have been painted.
We have had our share of sorrows this year, having lost 2 or 3 of our valued customers, who each in their own way brought some character into the pub. Bert Dell will be greatly missed especially on Xmas Day for his rendering of "Bubbles" and trying to put wood on the fire whilst Dick's back was turned. We shall be thinking of him during the festivities, as we shall Bob Morris, who many of you knew as a man with a wonderful sense of humour.
Old faces have passed and new faces have entered the scene, we now have a good bunch of youngsters who use the Whip and may we just say that though people knock the younger generation, we have never had any problems. They were all very supportive when Dick was in hospital, and even tried to push-start the car, that last was seen disappearing into the night in the direction of Saunderton and was towed back by a double-glazing van - thank you Rupert!!!
We have moved the pool table so that now can offer parties a semi-private room seating 30 people. Bookings are now coming in for our traditional Xmas Fayre, and we hope that New Years Eve will once again be successful, with Dick drinking lemonade in order to drive people home.
We do like to think of the Whip as a meeting place and are very pleased to welcome "God's Gang", led by Father Raymond, who pop in now and again for luncheon and then have to spend the rest of the day praying for Dick!!
We were sorry not to be able to do our Senior Citizens Xmas meal but I know you realised this was due to ill health, however we did offer free coffee and biscuits to all pensioners on Thursday morning, but sadly we had no takers.
As our most regular and loyal supporter Donald Lacey will be in Spain for Xmas, we will not be opening on Xmas Night.
Thank you all for your help and support during the last 10 years and may we wish each and everyone a very happy and blessed Xmas.
Hallmark March 1996. Well, we opened the "churn" and it must have taken 2-3 minutes for £1,179.82 to cascade out! What a sight. click Dick & Brenda Williams for the full report.
Hallmark August 1996. A few weeks ago Clive from The Pink and Lily and I were discussing pub life in general. Click Dick & Brenda Williams for the full report.
In 1997 after 21 years of running this popular village pub Dick and Brenda have moved to the Lambert Arms in Lewknor.
THOUSANDS RAISED. While here they had raised thousands of pounds for various charities. They supported Lacey Green Church and helped at functions at St Teresa’s in Princes Risborough where their children attended.
P.S.
Dick died in 2012. There was a memorial service at St. John’s Church in Lacey Green followed by a celebration at the local Sports Club.