Local Talk Back Nov

NOVEMBER 2013 ISSUE 435
LOCAL
TALK BACK
THE ARMED FORCES MEMORIAL
AT THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM
IN STAFFORDSHIRE
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE WITH NEWS, VIEWS AND REPORTS
FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ACTON TURVILLE, BADMINTON & LITTLE BADMINTON-

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_NOVEMBER 2013 LOCAL TALKBACK ISSUE 435__
EDITORIAL
With Remembrance Day coming up soon it is quite appropriate to have the report of
the trip to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire thanks to Jo and Steve.
It sounds like everyone had a good time and that is a very interesting place to visit,
probably very emotional too. To add to the Remembrance theme it was thought a war poem would
be a good addition, and on a website www.warpoetry.co.uk set up by David Roberts we found so
many to choose from. David was very quick to put us in touch with John Bailey whose poem we
have printed this month, as his permission was necessary to get over any copyright problems.
Thanks to them both we can share the poem ‘Taking a Stand’ with you. It is hoped you will like it.
Four local charity events over two weekends have raised over £1200 between them. Badminton Club
held a coffee morning for Cancer Macmillan and a Harvest auction for Badminton Church and the
Fox and Hounds held a pig-race night and Harvest auction for Acton Turville Church. Since then the
club held a disco/barbecue for Wear Pink breast cancer but we don’t have a total for that. Well done
to everyone involved.
Two months ago we mentioned the Gromits Unleashed in Bristol. They
have since been auctioned and raised £2.3million for the Bristol
Children’s Hospital Wallace and Gromit appeal. They have been
dispersed across the world and the country, into private and public
collections. If you have been fascinated by them you can still visit one at
the Cotswold (Kemble) Airport between Tetbury and Cirencester.
Grosmos Gromit has been purchased by the airport for £28,000 and has
taken up residence in the AV8 restaurant. Grosmos was decorated like the
Cosmos by Bristol artist ‘Cheba’ and before the auction it had been in the
Harvey Nichols store in Bristol. The restaurant is open Mon – Fri 9am –
4pm; Sat & Sun 9am – 5pm. Hot food until 3pm serving breakfast, lunch,
coffee and homemade cakes. There are views of the runway from the restaurant or sun terrace
(weather permitting of course).
Dates for your Christmas Diary: Christmas at the American Museum, Bath
28 Nov – 22 Dec.
Tue – Sun 12noon – 4.30pm closed Mondays
Every Christmas the museum is transformed for the festive season and there is a 17foot
Christmas tree with handcrafted decorations and thousands of tiny lights. Christmas shops will be
open throughout this period with original gifts and decorations. There is also a Christmas Craft Fair
with local craftspeople selling unique handmade gifts from 13-15 Dec. Father Christmas will be
there on 22 December. More information on www.americanmuseum.org
We are sorry to report the death of Raymond Mills of Little Badminton. Raymond was
originally from Chipping Sodbury but for many years has lived with his wife Marjorie in Little
Badminton. Our condolences to Marjorie, family and friends for their sad loss.
Until Next Time -The Three Country Girls
Sally Smith, Sandra Broomsgrove & Yvonne Nettles
NB: LOCAL TALKBACK WILL TAKE A BREAK IN JANUARY
Send articles to Liz, c/o The Estate Office, Badminton, South Glos, GL9 1DD, or ring Liz
(mornings only) on 01454 218379 e-mail lizbarnesbpc@googlemail.com
COPY DATE 20 TH NOVEMBER for the December issue
COPY DATE 20 TH January for February issue

NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM
On a bright and breezy day in late September a group organised by Alistair and the local branch of
the Royal British Legion travelled to the National Memorial Arboretum by coach. If, like me,
you've never heard of this place it is well worth a visit. Situated a short distance from the M42
near Lichfield the 150 acre site was created from a reclaimed quarry owned and donated by
Lafarge. The idea for the Memorial came from a David Childs in 1988 who was inspired by
visiting the Arlington Cemetary and National Arboretum in Washington DC. It took many years
for the project to be completed and it was officially opened in 2001. It is constantly evolving and
maturing with more than 50,000 trees and over 200 memorials.
When I first heard about the
Memorial Arboretum I
thought that it would be
solely dedicated to the
Armed Forces - and it's right
to say that the majority of the
memorials are in tribute to
those who have served their
country or died in conflict.
The centrepiece of the
Arboretum is the Armed Forces Memorial itself - a huge quadruple curved structure made of
Portland stone carved with the names of all those who have died in conflict, or as a result of
terrorist action or on training exercises since the end of World War II. There are thousands and
thousands of names and what is even more humbling is the space left to be filled. It may take
some time but you can guarantee that human nature will ensure that it will one day be filled, but
hopefully not in our lifetimes.
The rest of the site is beautifully set out with a variety of
interesting trees and shrubs, all perfectly manicured and
tended by what must be a huge team of gardeners.
Apparently most of the people working at the site are
volunteers and you can understand why such a tranquil
and moving place attracts interest in voluntary work.
They are constantly planting and trying new projects -
while we were there they were planting crocus bulbs and
you could buy a small bag of bulbs to plant yourself.
What surprised me more than anything was the range of memorials
at the Arboretum. Of course there were the memorials for specific
regiments - some of which were stunning, particularly the one for
the Parachute Regiment of a soldier mounted on Pegasus. Some
were dedicated to whole countries - like the island of Malta
awarded the George Cross for its courage during World War II -
others to specific events during history like the building of the
completely pointless Sumatra and Burma Railways during World
War II, or the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I. But as well as
that there were memorials for the Fire Service, the Post Office, the
Police, Roadpeace, The Twin Towers, The Bevin Boys and the WI
amongst so many others. More memorials are added every year.
The website for the memorial is www.thenma.org.uk. Entry is free with a suggested donation of £5.

We spent the day walking around marvelling at the
beauty of the sculptures, the pristine grounds and
(unusually for the UK!) the great weather. It's a very
important memorial for this country and I'm very glad
that I've visited it. It is little known but it is a very
lovely place to remember a loved one, or just take a
moment for some quiet contemplation of what others
have given and lost over the years. It's a relatively
easy journey (helped in our case by the excellent
coach and driver and Alistair's bingo!) and you have
all the facilities you need at the Memorial for a great day out.
Jo and Steve
Thank you to John Bailey, author of the following poem and copyright owner, who has kindly given The
Local Talkback his permission to print his poem ‘TAKING A STAND’ . This poem was found on the website
www.warpoetry.co.uk owned by David Roberts. The site is well worth a visit to read the many, many
poems written in remembrance of those who have lost their lives in conflicts from the first world war until
the present day. For those of us who have watched the soldiers last journeys through Wotton Bassett, this
poem says it all!
This poem was written by John Bailey as a response to those who protest at soldiers funerals.
TAKING A STAND
I ask you to stand with me
For both the injured and the lost
I ask you to keep count with me
Of all the wars and what they cost
I ask you to be silent with me
Quietly grateful for our lot
As I expect you’re as thankful as me
For the health and life we’ve got
I ask that you wish them well with me
All those still risking their all
And I ask that you remember with me
The names of those that fall
I expect that you are proud like me
Of this great nation of ours too
So enjoying all its freedoms like me
Support those upholding them for you
I hope that you are hopeful like me
That we’ll soon bring an end to wars
So you’ll have to stand no more with me
And mourning families no different from yours
‘Til then be thankful you can stand with me
Thinking of those who now cannot
For standing here today with me
At least we show they’re not forgot
John Bailey © Copyright May 2011

MY ROYAL CONNECTIONS
By Phyllis Salmon (nee Brown) autobiography written 1989
This is about her childhood in Badminton from 1926. In this part of her story Phyllis tells of
the shops in the village and the annual village show.
PART 4
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When going to the village, in fifty yards you passed a big house where one of the gentry
lived. My brother Leonard started work there as ‘odd-job-lad’, or pantry boy as they were called.
After this house was the road to Acton Turville. On the left opposite this road was the Dower House
where the Dowager Duchess lived. There were two wrought iron gates and a driveway to the kennels
where they kept the hounds. In the main street were two shops and a post office. On the right was
the school between almshouses. There were also two more large houses belonging to the gentry, one
at the top of the street and one at the bottom near the driveway to the big house where the Duke of
Beaufort lived and most of the villagers worked. There was a very large staff working there and they
also had their own laundry.
The main shop was called the ‘Stores’ and was very select with two assistants. When you
went in the groceries were sold on the left and drapery on the right. The other shop was called ‘the
Glory Hole’ and it sold everything, and it was the highlight of our week when we went to spend our
weekly pocket money of a halfpenny. There was liquorice in all shapes and lengths, such as laces,
sherbet fountains, basset sticks and others. We nearly always chose a halfpenny ‘big-lot’ – a lucky
bag in later years. No matter what you asked for the shop had it, for it was grocery, drapery,
ironmongery, boot and sweetshop. It was so packed there was even a line hanging with clothes –
pinafores, aprons and boots. The Pinnels spoke with a very broad Gloucester accent. The master of
the shop was William. They had a bakery too where they made lovely crusty bread. They also
owned the cabs to take villagers to the station or elsewhere. They had two horses for they had a
bread delivery round also. It makes me wonder how they had time to do it all, for they had two
children at school and a daughter working away from home. There was a grandfather living with
them who helped a lot.
Opposite the Stores was a blacksmith where we would watch the horses being shod. In later
years I had to call there with horses to be shod when I worked on a farm. They let my eldest brother
make a horseshoe and it was put up in the forge. The Stores had two horses that they used on their
delivery round, they were stabled at the small holding opposite where we lived. We used to wait at
the gate to beg a ride on their backs when they were taken across to their stables after their days
work.
I will now tell you about some of the exciting things we had to look forward to each year.
First there was Easter, and on Good Friday we had a hot cross bun each, that was a real treat. On
Easter Sunday we had an egg for breakfast. Also there was a chocolate egg for all of us. It was a
small filled one, very much like you can buy today. After breakfast we had our wash and dressed in
our Sunday clothes, those who were school age went off to Sunday school, for we had to go every
Sunday. If we didn’t the Vicar would want to know the reason why. I can only remember once
having an Easter present, and that was a lovely cup, saucer and plate in a rusty red colour. The cook
and maids at the Dower House gave it to me. It had a chocolate egg in the cup and was wrapped in
fancy paper. Mother shared the egg amongst us and then put the cup, saucer and plate away in the
cupboard only to be used on special occasions.

MY ROYAL CONNECTIONS continued..........
The next most exciting thing to look forward to was our summer holiday, and Badminton
Show. I can remember only twice going to the seaside with mother and father. The first time was at
Ruperra, they took us to Barry Island and while we were there my sister Edith wandered off and got
lost, but not for long. She wore a red coat and we soon found her wandering near the rocks. The
next time was Weston-Super-Mare, and I think it must have been before father died. The
summertime in my childhood days always seemed so long and sunny. I loved the time when we
would go picking the wild strawberries. We had been gathering them in a basket for our tea one
Sunday, when a car came along. We had quite a lot and were on our way home when some people in
a car asked us what we had been gathering. When we showed them they said would we sell them for
sixpence. So thinking mother would rather have the sixpence we sold them. When we told her what
we had done she was very cross, and told us never to sell anything again. Really, the strawberries
were worth very much more than sixpence, for we had been picking for quite a few hours and they
were very small. Then there were the blackberries to gather for mother to make jam, we seemed to
be gathering something or other all through the year. In late spring there were the cowslips,
dandelions, and elderflowers for father to make his wine. Father never went out to a pub or club, but
it was considered the right thing for him to be able to offer his friends and relations a drink of wine
when they visited. Later in the year there was the elderberries and sloes. There was always some
kind of wine brewing in the back kitchen.
In September we gathered crab apples for mother to make her lovely crap apple jelly. Then
later the nuts of all kinds, hazel, chestnuts and walnuts to put away for Christmas. The last thing we
gathered in the year was the holly, so you see, all through the year we were gathering something, and
almost every day we had to gather the dry wood for the fire for we could not afford to buy much coal.
The highlight of the summer holiday was Badminton Show, it was one of the biggest village
shows in Gloucestershire. They came from miles around on their bikes, so being near to the
showground father put a notice up, ‘Bikes taken care of here, twopence a bike’. Well, by the time the
show started we were completely stacked with bikes. Father did it in style, giving each one a ticket
with a number. There was only just enough room to get out of our gate but the real fun started when
it was time to go home. There would be a dozen or more piled against one another when someone
wanted the one at the back. I felt sorry for my two older brothers, one or the other had to be there all
the time to see them in and out. There must have been a hundred or more.
We all had something entered in the show. Father had his vegetables, fruit and flowers, he
always got a few prizes for each and the one he was most proud of was the one for his dahlias. There
was always a few first and second cards on show in our home for weeks afterwards. Mother entered
a fruit cake and a baby’s dress, and she always got first or second for she was a good dressmaker.
She made all of our clothes, even the boys’ suits when they were little. She also entered jams and
jellies and did well, for the more you won the more money came into the house, and this was needed
very badly, with having to feed and clothe such a large family. We children entered wild flowers,
and from school our knitting and sewing. I entered some men’s stockings, at the time the teacher had
not shown me how to shape the leg but I could turn the heel and had done it many times at home, so
completed the stockings without any help. I came second and the note said ‘beautifully knitted but
no shaping’. I did not make the same mistake the next time for mother showed me what to do. I also
entered grasses. I had a marvellous collection owing to having relations in Wales who sent me some,
also a cousin went on holiday to Scotland and brought me some from there. I won second for them
because they were not named.

MY ROYAL CONNECTIONS continued.............
When the next year’s show came around father sent me to the home of the boy that won the
first prize to ask him if he would lend me his book on grasses. They were kind and let me have the
book knowing that I would get first prize in the show, and I did. It seemed an awful cheek but in a
village such as ours, on an estate, we were like one big family, and always tried to help one another.
Now, on with the show: there was everything there, all the farm animals to see. It was
wonderful to see them all washed and groomed, with their ribbons and brasses shining and to be able
to have a close look at them in their pens. There were also some pens with freak animals, one born
with more legs than it should have, another with two heads. It is a good thing they don’t allow it
today. Another pen had two monkeys in it. While I stood watching their antics one did his poo in his
hand then threw it at me, and that turned me off monkeys for the rest of my life. Apart from the
animals there was a funfair. We were given two pennies to spend, and when that was gone that was
our lot. We didn’t mind for we had a wonderful day with lots of things to do and see, and by the time
we went home we were very tired.
The morning after the show the older children were up early to get to the showground before
the other children of the village so that we could reap the spoils. First we would go to the
refreshment tent where they were packing up. They would give us lots of cake and cheese
sandwiches they had left over. We fed very well for a day or two after that. Next we ran to the place
where the fair had been and where the sideshows had stood we would find lots of money, especially
around the rolling of the pennies. We would go home and give it all to mother. We would then
enjoy the rest of the summer.
To be continued
THE LUNCHEON CLUB
A good laugh does you good and at our October meeting Susan
Marshfield certainly encouraged us to laugh at her tales of early
childhood. From visits to the hairdressers and dentist and four times of
being a bridesmaid. Her descriptions brought back lots of memories,
good and bad, to her audience. Susan had been a frequent speaker at the Valentine Club and had
amazed us with her humorous tales – she didn’t disappoint all these years later.
We meet again on 13 th November when the afternoon entertainment will be from
vocalist Dave Dean who has also visited us before.
Meet 11am for coffee followed by a two-course lunch for £5 followed by the entertainment.
Ring Sally 218510
NEW BOOK LAUNCH - TALES OF CHIPPING SODBURY
Chipping Sodbury resident Jim Elsworth’s first book ‘SODBURY TALES’ was
published in October.
The paperback book is a complete collection of Jim’s articles on local history which
have appeared in the Boundary Magazine over the last five years. Jim is well known
through his articles on local history and readers can now enjoy his informative and
entertaining articles with extra photographs.
Books are available for purchase (price £6.00) from the Tourist Information Centre, Penny Farthings
Gift Shop, Out of The Blue, Swagger, The Card Boutique, Chipping Sodbury Post Office and Yate
Heritage Centre.

THANK YOU FROM BADMINTON VILLAGE CLUB
Macmillan Coffee Morning
We held a coffee morning on Saturday 28 th September to raise money
for Cancer Macmillan. Thank you to all those on the committee who
helped and to Neil and Gill for their support. Also thanks to Jean Earl,
Yvonne and Gill for organising stalls on the day and to Tim for his help with the Bingo. Special
thanks to the regular bingo supporters who came along for the bingo session on the day.
Also thanks to all those who donated cakes and bric-a-brac for our stalls. It was not as well
supported as we would have hoped but we still managed to raise £300 for the charity.
Harvest Festival Auction at Badminton Village Club
On Sunday 29 th September there was a Harvest Thanksgiving service at Badminton Church
followed by an auction of produce etc. at Badminton Club. Thanks to auctioneer Terry Tripp and
to Martin, Tim, Mike, Sally and Yvonne for assisting him. Thank you also to all who donated the
produce, bottles and gifts to make the auction such a success. Our Vicar, Richard Thomson, who
attended the auction was very pleased that we were able to raise £351 for Badminton Church.
I was sorry to see that not many villagers supported this event.
Special thanks to Tim Salt who gave up his evening on his birthday for the auction.
Special Note
During these times of financial difficulty all businesses are struggling. Badminton Club is no
different. With no pub in the village the Club is the social meeting place and we are family
friendly. We would like to see more people supporting it, existing members and new. Please
remember the old phrase “Use it or lose it”. I would hate for this to happen.
SKITTLE ALLEY/PARTIES
If you and your group or friends would like to raise money for your own charity our skittle alley
is available at weekends or weekdays when there is no league game. Also we can
accommodate Christening parties and Wakes during the day. Ring 01454 218234
Pete Morgan Chairman
12 TH & 26 TH NOVEMBER
JUBILEE ROOM, BADMINTON HALL
7.30-9.30pm every other Tuesday
throughout the winter and spring
Our fourth season of Craft evenings started on 3rd September after a summer break. We are an
informal group where we have the space for everyone to do their own craft – cardmaking, lacemaking,
scrapbooking, beading, quilling, doll-making, knitting, crochet etc. – share ideas and get inspiration.
No membership fees, just £2 on the night - 7.30 – 9.30pm
We also arrange professional demonstrations and will go out on visits of interest.
Ring for information : Yvonne ( 01454) 218267 L/BADMINTON – Heather 218617 BADMINTON -
Helen 218792 ACTON TURVILLE