Local Lynx No.131 - April/May 2020

BALE - BINHAM - COCKTHORPE - FIELD DALLING
GUNTHORPE - LANGHAM - MORSTON
SAXLINGHAM - SHARRINGTON - STIFFKEY
ISSUE 131
April - May
2020
With heartfelt thanks to our resident
cartoonist, Andrew Moncur, for his
special commemoration of VE Day.
See inside for more articles
related to VE Day
ADS DIRECTORY now on back page and at
www.locallynx.co.uk
1

CORONAVIRUS CANCELLATIONS
All „What‟s On‟ entries were correct at
time of going to print (16/03/20). Please
check that listed events, services, clubs
and concerts have not been cancelled.
WHAT’S ON
APRIL
3 rd Fri. Field Dalling Easter Bingo, VH 7.30pm
5 th Sun. Binham Charity Dog Walk for Cancer research
6 th Mon. Binham Village Pub Quiz, The Chequers 7 for 7.30pm
8 th Wed. Field Dalling Coffee Morning CANCELLED
10 th Fri. Bale fish and chips, Village Hall, 6.45pm
11 th Sat. Binham Service of Light, BP 8pm
12 th Sun. Binham Easter Communion, BP 10.30am
12 th Sun. Stiffkey St John‟s Churchyard Easter egg hunt, 3pm
14 th Tue. Sharrington „Jammin‟ for Scones‟ VH 2-4pm
16 th Thu. Sharrington Craft Group VH 2-4pm
18 th Sat. Sharrington Church Coffee Morning. All Saints Cottage
10am
24 th Fri. Sharrington „My Generation‟ Film VH 7.45pm
25 th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Club Institute 10:30am
27 th Mon. Field Dalling Annual Parish Meeting
28 th Tue. Gunthorpe Fete meeting Institute 6:00pm
30 th Thu. Gunthorpe PCC AGM Institute 4:00 pm
MAY
1 th Fri. Field Dalling Bereavement Group, Manor Farm Cottage
4pm
1 st Fri. Field Dalling Bingo, VH 7.30pm
2 nd Sat. Binham Priory Concerts Norwich Baroque, BP 7.30pm
4 th Mon. Binham Coffee Morning, MH 10.30am
4 th Mon. Binham Village Pub Quiz, The Chequers 7 for 7.30pm
6 th Wed. Sharrington Gardeners Group. Talk. VH 7pm
8 th Fri. Bale fish and chips, Village Hall, 6.45pm
8 th Fri. Langham Dome VE Day Celebration - see
www.langhamdome.org for details as they become available
8 th Fri.–10 th Sun Langham Art Exhibition VH 10am-4.30pm
daily
8 th Fri. Sharrington VE Celebration Tea VH 2.30pm
9 th Sat - 10 th Sun. Morston PCC Sale, VH 10 - 4pm
11 th Mon. Field Dalling Parish Council AGM
12 th Tue. Sharrington „Jammin‟ for Scones‟ VH 2-4pm
13 th Wed. Field Dalling Coffee Morning, CANCELLED
16 th Sat Langham Blood Cancer Spring Sale VH 9.30-11.30am
17 th Sun. Binham Priory Concerts Anglia Ruskin Orchestra &
Chorus, BP, 7.30pm
17 th Sun. Gunthorpe St Mary‟s Church Annual Churchyard Clear
-Up 9am
19 th Tue. Sharrington Village Hall AGM VH 7.30pm
21 st Thu. Langham Philip West Talk VH 7.30pm
23 rd Sat. Sharrington The Strawbs Concert. VH 7.30pm
24 th Sun. Sharrington The Strawbs Concert VH 7.30pm
24 th Sun. Stiffkey Warborough House open garden, 11am – 4pm
25 th Mon. Langham Bring & Buy Sale Church 10am-12noon
27 th Wed. Langham Village Hall AGM VH 7.30pm
29 th Fri. Field Dalling Bingo, VH 7.30pm
30 th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Club Institute 10:30am
REGULARS
Tuesdays Binham, Art Group BMH 9.30am to 12.30pm
1st and 3rd Tuesdays in month Binham, Sew and Natter, The
2
Gallery in the Chequers, 7-9pm
Wednesdays term time Binham Youth Group BMH 6-8pm
Wednesday Sharrington Zumba Gold Classes VH 2-3pm
3rd Wednesday in month, Binham, Cosy Club, BMH 2-4
Thursdays Field Dalling Carpet Bowls, 1.30pm, VH
1 st & 3 rd Saturdays in month Langham Coffee Mornings, VH
10am -12noon
3rd Thursday in month Binham & Hindringham Open Circle,
Hindringham VH 7.15pm
4th Thursday in month Binham Local History Group BMH
7.30pm
POST OFFICE
Wednesdays, Field Dalling VH 10.10-10.50am
Wednesdays, Langham VH 9.10-10am
MOBILE LIBRARY
Thursdays 2 & 30 April, 28 May - Field Dalling, Highfield 4.25-
4.45pm
Thursdays 2 & 30 April, 28 May - Langham St.Mary‟s 3.30pm
& The Cornfield 4pm
NEW CLASH DIARY
If you are planning a big event, contact your village rep
to add the date to our clash diary, then check the diary to
see what else is going on.
May Fri 8 - Sun 10 Langham Art Exhibition VH
June Sat 20 Field Dalling Ceilidh Evening
July Sun 26 Gunthorpe Fete 2pm
August Sat 8 Field Dalling Village Fete 2-4pm
August Sat 22 Langham Street Fayre
September
October
November Sat 28 Field Dalling Christmas Fair 10-
12.30pm
December
BLAKENEY CATHOLIC CHURCH
Back Lane Blakeney
Parish Priest: Father Keith Tulloch, Stella Maris,
The Buttlands, Wells next the Sea NR23 1EY
Tel: 01328 713044
Priest in Residence: Father William Wells (the house
behind the church). Service Times:
Masses:
Saturday Vigil Mass
6.00pm
Sunday
11.00am
Wednesday
9.30am
DEANERY NEWS
Our next event is on Sunday 12th July:
Evensong, St. Andrew‟s Church Holt at 5pm.
BLAKENEY METHODIST CHURCH
Minister: The Rev‟d Cliff Shanganya, 72 Wells Rd
Fakenham NR21 9HH T 01328 862174
Email: CliffShanganya@methodist.org.uk
Sunday Café Church 10am
Thursday 10am Morning Prayer with Holy
Communion every third Thursday
Samantha Parfitt: Steward/Pioneer Rural Church
Planter.sammi.1980@live.co.uk 01263 711824

Church Services for Bale and Stiffkey Benefice for April and May 2020
HC=Holy Communion. CFS=Church Family Service. MP=Morning Prayer. BCP=Book of Common Prayer CW- Common Worship
Parish
5 th April
12 th April
19 th April 26 th April
Palm Sunday
Easter Sunday
Bale 9.30am HC 9.30am HC 9.30am HC
Field Dalling 11.00am CFS 11.00am HC At Saxlingham 11.00am MP BCP
Saxlingham At Field Dalling At Field Dalling 11.00am HC At Field Dalling
Gunthorpe 11.00am HC 4.30pm Silent Meditation 11.00am MP
Sharrington 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am HC 9.30am MP CW 9.30am HC
Binham 11.00am HC 11.00am HC 11.00am CFS 9.30am HC
Morston 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am HC BCP
Langham At Stiffkey 11.00am Easter Celebration At Stiffkey 9.30am HC
Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Langham 9.30am HC At Langham
Parish 3 rd May 10 th May 17 th May 24 th May 31 st May
Bale 9.30am HC 9.30am HC 9.30am HC At Saxlingham
Field Dalling 11.00am CFS At Saxlingham 11.00am MP BCP At Saxlingham
Saxlingham At Field Dalling 11.00am HC At Field Dalling 10.30am HC
Group Service
Gunthorpe 11.00am MP 4.30pm Silent
11.00am HC At Saxlingham
Meditation
Sharrington 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am HC 9.30am MP CW 9.30am HC At Saxlingham
Binham 11.00am HC 11.00am HC 11.00am CFS 9.30am HC At Saxlingham
Morston 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am HC BCP At Saxlingham
Langham At Stiffkey 10.30am VE Day At Stiffkey 9.30am HC At Saxlingham
service
Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Langham 9.30am HC At Langham At Saxlingham
Additional Services
Holy Week Monday - Wednesday (6 th – 8 h April): Field Dalling, Seeing God around Us, 6.00pm.
Holy Week Tuesday – Thursday (7 th – 9 th April): Field Dalling, Mindfulness and Meditation, 8.00pm.
Maundy Thursday (9 th April): Field Dalling, Maundy Thursday service, 6.00pm.
Good Friday (10 th April): Field Dalling, Service of Reflection, 10.30am
Good Friday (10 th April): Morston, Stations of the Cross, 10.30am.
Good Friday (10 th April): Langham, Lift High the Cross, 12 noon.
Easter Eve (11 th April): Binham, Service of Light, 8.00pm.
Easter Day (12 th April): Egg Hunt; Stiffkey, 3.00pm.
Ascension Day (May 21 st ): Langham Rectory, 9.00am. Ascension Hymns in the garden followed by breakfast.
Regular Weekday Services
Binham: Tuesday, 6.00pm Evening Prayer Langham: Wednesday, 10.00am Holy Communion
RECTOR’S LETTER
Dear Friends and Parishioners,
How we look forward to Spring! All generations have.
The earth turns and we with her, desperate for warmth, light
and growth. The world endures many a thousand horrors,
most of man‟s devising, but the world itself is neutral. If we
are good stewards by and large we will be rewarded, if bad...
But bad we are. Animals, birds, fish, and all the rest, cannot
sin. We can and we do. The Almighty Lord God, the Creator
had a way to deal with that. He put on flesh and gave up His
Life, so that wretched man might Live.
Humanity is supremely special to God. We are made in
His image, but are flawed. In Christ there is the invitation to
be made flawless. No more cover-up, no more make-up.
Flawless.
Christians live in the light of Christ, in the consequence of
self-less Sacrifice, in the deepest power of Love.
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This is from the end of the Gospel according to Saint
John, his account of the great turnaround. It was written in
everyday Greek, the day-to-day language of the eastern
Mediterranean. Chapter 20 verses 11 to 17:
“But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as
she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and
the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And
they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto
them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know
not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said,
she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew
not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why
weepest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith
unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where
thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto
her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni;
which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not;

for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my
brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and
your Father; and to my God, and your God.”
May we reach out to the Lord whose hands were, in
Christ, nailed for our sake.
Yours very truly,
Ian Whittle The Rectory, Langham 01328 830246
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4
COMMUNITY nEWS
M.P. UPDATE
…from Duncan Baker
In February, I started my regular surgeries for residents
across the constituency. I‟m delighted already to have
helped so many people with concerns and issues – please do
contact me if you would like to see me at a future surgery.
In Parliament, I‟ve been proud to speak up for our
farmers, who are so important to our area, providing not
only our food but much employment.
I have continued to work on my project to improve
ambulance response times by urging the government to look
at the Norwich & Norwich A&E unit. It suffers hugely with
capacity issues, so we are working on a solution which will
benefit everyone and get our ambulances back into North
Norfolk faster. In conjunction with multiple partners, I‟m in
discussions to improve and bring extra facilities to Cromer
Hospital. Although at an early stage, this would be a
fantastic step forward, if we can treat more people locally
and save more residents from having to make the long
journey to Norwich.
More generally, I have spoken in Parliament about the
importance of supporting our High Streets and market
towns across the constituency.
Surgeries
6 th March - Wells-next-the-Sea; 13 th March - Sheringham;
25 th April - High Kelling; 1 st May - Cromer; 5 th June -
Stalham. Please contact me on 01692 557140 to make an
appointment.
COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ NEWS
…from Dr. Marie Strong
Coronavirus - COVID-19
NCC recommends the www.gov.uk/guidance/
coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public for
information as this is maintained and updated daily.
Norfolk County Council Budget 2020
Details can be found in the following press
release: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/news/2020/02/
council-budget-agreed and to learn about the debate
which took place access NCC website for the minutes of
the meeting.
Reporting Highways Concerns
Rather than wait for a Parish Council meeting you
can speed up repairs by reporting issues direct to
highways@norfolk.gov.uk or telephone 0344 800
8020.
DUNCAN BAKER M.P.
N. Norfolk Conservative Assoc: 01692 558458
www.duncanbaker.org.uk
JEROME MAYHEW M.P.
Broadland Conservative Assoc: 01603 865763
www.broadlandconservatives.org.uk

“Tribute to the Millions”, with illustrations above, was provided as part of the NNDC briefing material, and is a good way to
remember and commemorate May 1945. VE Day-linked articles throughout the Lynx are marked by the „75 VE Day‟ logo. (see p7)
Deter Speeding
To deter speeding several parishes now have „Village
Gates‟ – letting drivers know they are approaching housing
and pedestrians. Instead of gates, or as well as, other
parishes have opted for SAM2s with flashing lights
indicating speed. Gates: Cost will be dependent on width of
verge, height and style of gate with costs likely to be
between £500 and £1000 per individual gate, fully installed.
Purchase only price of gates can be found on the „Glasdon‟
website. SAM2: Cost will be dependent on requirements but
likely to be in the region of £4k. Both Gates and SAM2 are
acceptable for application to the NCC Parish Partnership -
50% paid by town/parish, 50% by NCC. Details of the
partnership are likely to be sent to local council this Spring
for applications by December. Outcome will be known by
March/April 2021 in time for installation in the following 12
months.
Speed Watch
Congratulations to the Sculthorpe Group‟s excellent
example to other parishes. Whilst some parishes have tried
Speed Watch and been disappointed other parishes continue
and are satisfied with the outcome. Raise the possibilities at
parish council meetings with your local police officer.
Broadband Checker
Having received an enquiry from a Sculthorpe resident
as to better broadband, I thought other residents might find
the following useful:
More residents now have the ability to access fibre
broadband but are not up-to-date with how to check what is
available to them. Therefore I have copied below a checker
5
which for the vast majority of properties will provide an
accurate result. However, occasionally there are properties
where the data is inaccurate. If the checker shows
availability contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
who in turn will contact Openreach. If Openreach identifies
that the checker has given incorrect information the ISP will
advise you accordingly. I am assured that on balance most
properties will return the correct information so it is worth
the effort. https://www.openreach.com/fibrebroadband/.
Having used this link press „Use our fibre checker‟ button.
Enter your postcode, tick the box to say you‟re not a robot
and then click on the green search button to the right of the
box where you entered the postcode. Pick your address from
the list - it then either shows services as available or says
whether something is planned. When services are available
it has a „View Providers‟ button, which shows which
Internet Service Providers are offering services at your
address. If you get a positive response, check with your ISP
and find out what Openreach tells them. (I regret the
checker is not infallible but best on offer at present.) Marie
County Councillors‟ contact details:
Dr Marie Strong: County Councillor Wells Division (Glaven,
Priory and Walsingham Parishes) marie.strong@norfolk. gov.uk
or 07920 286 597
Marie‟s villages
Binham & Cockthorpe, Blakeney, Brinton & Sharrington,
Barshams & Houghton St Giles, Field Dalling & Saxlingham;
Letheringsett & Glandford, Great Snoring, Great & Little
Walsingham, Hindringham, Holkham, Hunworth & Stody, ,
Langham, Thornage & Little Thornage, Morston, Sculthorpe,
Stiffkey, Warham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Wighton, Wiveton.

…from Steffan Aquarone
Better Broadband for Norfolk update
As at the end of 2019, coverage reached 96%. Although
the expected level of coverage has been achieved, the Better
Broadband for Norfolk rollout will continue until end
March 2020 as planned. We are continuing to lobby for the
remaining properties with no fibre solution planned.
Mobile phone signal update
The County Council's activities appear to have stalled, so
I have been meeting with and lobbying the mobile network
operators (MNOs) directly, and there is some positive
progress through this and other sources of pressure. You
may have read about recent coverage of a thing called
“Shared Rural Networks” - the idea being that MNOs share
mast infrastructure to ensure users across all providers
receive signal. Although this removes the competitive
advantage of the network with the best UK coverage (EE)
and negotiations are very much still in progress, the
government has claimed that it is looking to make a large
capital investment where there are 'not spots', so there may
be some hope here for rural Norfolk despite the commercial
conflict of interest.
Steffan Aquarone: County Councillor Melton Constable Division
( incl. Bale and Gunthorpe Parishes)
steffanaquarone@gmail.com or 07879 451608
DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ NOTES
…from Karen Ward
Second homes non-payment of business rates
Together with other District Councils with high levels
of second homes, we have submitted a formal request to the
Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government
to revise the current legislation which allows owners of
second homes to avoid paying tax locally by registering
their home for business rates and then claiming small
business rate relief.
Airbnb
We have set up a task force to look into the issues
related to the number of properties within North Norfolk
which are advertised on Airbnb. We have had various
complaints including lack of provision for commercial
waste collection; non payment of business rates and lack of
planning permission for holiday letting. We need to
investigate the scale of the issue.
Off shore wind farms
Due to the number of applications for off shore wind
farms which are coming through our District, we are
actively lobbying Central Government to properly
investigate an offshore ring main. The disruption to North
Norfolk over the next decade will be significant if the
current practice continues. Central Government needs to
better co-ordinating the allocation of offshore wind farm
licences.
Splash leisure centre update
Following damage to Splash leisure centre during the
recent storms, we are pleased that the structural engineers
have found a solution to enable us to keep the existing pool
open safely while the construction on the new facility
continues. Repair work is ongoing.
RSA Food, Farming & Countryside Commission
Following my work with the RSA Food, Farming &
Countryside Commission over the last two years, I have
been asked to continue to represent North Norfolk in the
next phase of work. In February I attended a workshop on
the next phase of work on a Land Use Framework, where
we reviewed the learning from Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland, who are well ahead of England in this
work. I have requested that North Norfolk be considered as
one of the English pilot areas given the range of pressures
we face here locally. I will circulate the report from the
workshop as soon as it is available.
If you have any questions please do get in touch.
...from Richard Kershaw
Corporate plan and work streams now completed and
published.
Electric Vehicle charging points now being installed in
6

Council car parks around the District. Charge is 30p per
kilowatt hour. Payable by card, charger will email your
phone when charge complete so that you can move your
car to allow next user to hook up.
Budget passed at Full Council on Wednesday 26th
February.
Tree planting has begun with 12,000 trees planted this
season, rest to be planted during next three tree planting
seasons at rate of 30,000 per year to hit target. These are
indigenous broadleaf trees. Parish Councils and
individuals can apply via NNDC website for trees.
The Deep History Coast discovery centre is now open in
Cromer complete with Changing Places toilet.
We will be holding educational walks along the length of
the Deep History Coast, details to follow.
District Councillors‟ Contact Details:
Karen Ward e:karen.ward@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Morston &
Stiffkey) Richard Kershaw e:richard.kershaw@northnorfolk.gov.uk
(Binham, Cockthorpe, Field Dalling, Gunthorpe &
Bale, Langham & Saxlingham) Andrew Brown e:andrew.brown
@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Sharrington)
GLAVEN CENTRE SERVICES
Glaven Centre, Thistleton Court,
Blakeney 01263 740762
Hearing Aid Maintenance
Clinic from 10am to 12noon on Fri. 27 th March, Wed. 15 th
April, Fri. 29 th May & Wed. 17 th June.
Podiatry/Foot Clinic
With Katrina every Wednesday from 9am.
Please ring for appointment.
VE DAY WEEKEND
8-10 MAY
Lynx readers will know that 2020 marks
the 75th anniversary of both VE and VJ
days, and later in the year the 80th
anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Events to mark all three anniversaries are
being supported by the NNDC led by
Councillor John Toye, and the NNDC has recently held
a meeting with local organisations and parish council
representatives to bring together and publicise the
various events.
Starting with VE day over the weekend of 8-10 May
several events are already planned for example, locally,
Langham Dome will be holding a celebration on the
bank holiday Friday 8th May. At the time of writing for
this edition, details of most events were still being
finalised, but the NNDC plans to publicise all events of
which they are notified on their web site by end March/
early April.
LANGHAM DOME NEWS
www.langhamdome.org
As this issue of the Lynx is published the Dome will
be re-opening on 2 April for the 2020 season, with
many plans for what we hope will be our best year yet.
We are increasing the days the Dome is open for 2020
so that in April, May and October we will be open on
Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays and
from June to September on Wednesday, Thursday,
7

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. At some
point in the summer we also hope to have erected our
replica Spitfire IX and to hold a dedication ceremony for it
in our planned Spitfire and picnic garden. More details on
this as we finalise them on our web site. Finally in response
to requests from many visitors we will have a range of hot
and cold drinks and snacks available this year.
Subject to any restrictions on public
gatherings that may result from measures to
control the spread of coronavirus, we are
also planning events to celebrate both the
75 th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May, and
the 80 th anniversary of the Battle of Britain
which will be held on Sunday 13 th
September and include a draw with some
great flying related and other prizes. On VE
Day the Dome will be open and we plan to have musical
entertainment from the Coastal Belles, and a bar and BBQ
available along with afternoon tea and cakes. We have also
tel: 01263 740762 email: glavencentre1@btinternet.com
GLAVEN CENTRE
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
In view of the heightened awareness and
continuing development of the current situation, we
here at the Glaven Centre, will remain open and
filling the needs of our clients until such time that
PHE/WHO deem it necessary for us to close.
The welfare of our clients, volunteers and staff
are our number one concern.
We will put in place other measures including a
meal service to our clients that require a hot meal.
8
applied for a flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial
Flight, but at the time of going to press we do not know if
we will be successful. Again see the web site for details as
they become available.
The Langham Dome winter talks have proved to be very
successful - raising funds for the charity and also providing
an enjoyable and informative evening for all attending. We
intend to repeat them in the winter of 2020/2021 and we
already have plans for talks on the “History of the
Ghurkhas” and more locally the “History of the RAF‟s 100
Group” based here in Norfolk. Details will follow.
As you will have seen in the Field Dalling section of
Issue 130 (see p.16), a memorial is being placed at the site
of a B-24 Liberator which crashed in Field Dalling on 17 th
February 1945 - to honour those members of the crew who
died and also two Italian POWs killed working as farm
labourers in the field where the crash occurred. A well
attended dedication event was held in Field Dalling village
hall on 17 th February with the USAF represented by
members of the base honour guard from RAF Mildenhall.
Two of the survivors landed by parachute on Langham
airfield and the Italian POWs were on the strength of RAF
Langham (by then identified as “co-operators” rather than
POW‟s) albeit billeted in the internment camp at Pudding
Norton. Given these links to Langham our Dome historian,
John Allan, has researched the events and this is his story of
that day in 1945.
The Crash
On 17 th Feb 1945 the 466 th
Bomb Group, home based at
Attlebridge, was tasked as part
of a raid on the Magdeburg Oil
Refinery in Germany. The raid
was, in fact, recalled before
Consolidated B-24J Liberator
- Wikipedia
reaching the target due to poor weather both over
Europe but also deteriorating conditions of low cloud
and poor visibility over the bases in East Anglia.
B-24J Liberator serial number 42-50717 and named
“Berlin Bound” had taken off from Attlebridge shortly
after 09.00. Immediately prior to starting the engines it
had been noted that the ground crew chief had been
working on some sort of technical problem with the
No2 (left inboard) engine but reported the issue had
been fixed. Seven minutes after take-off, at
approximately 09.20, and about 12 miles out to sea from
the North Norfolk coast, the navigator alerted the
captain to a fire in the No2 engine which was rapidly
spreading to the wing, which contained fuel tanks full of
high octane aviation fuel.
The captain immediately turned back towards land with
the apparent intention of trying to get back to Attlebridge. A
radio message was sent out asking for a safe place to jettison
the bomb load which also suggests the pilot believed he
could keep the aircraft airborne for at least a limited time.
Unfortunately the situation deteriorated rapidly with an
increasing possibility that the fuel tanks could explode. The
crew prepared to abandon the aircraft and, while still over
the sea, and without the abandon aircraft signal having been
given, three of the air gunners baled out from the camera
hatch near the waist gun position in the rear of the aircraft.
These three men landed in the icy waters of the North Sea,

two of them drowning before they could be rescued. The
navigator and front gunner remained in the aircraft until
the captain give the bale out signal then abandoned the
aircraft at less than 1000 feet, also via the camera hatch.
They landed on RAF Langham airfield without
significant injury.
It was known that the Flight Engineer and Radio
Operator had been seen putting on their parachutes and
preparing to jump from the aircraft. Some reports have
suggested that the remaining crew including the pilots
had attempted to abandon the aircraft but were too low
for their parachutes to open.
The aircraft crashed at around 09.30 at Church Farm,
Field Dalling. Official records indicate three bodies were
recovered at the crash site and it seems likely that both
pilots, the Flight Engineer and Radio Operator were still
in the aircraft when it crashed. They may well have
realised that they were too low to bale out and instead
hoped to nurse the aircraft to a safe landing.
Sadly a group of Italian prisoners of war were
working in the field where the aircraft crashed and
tragically two were killed – one instantly and a second
succumbing to injuries four days later.
Casualties and Survivors
Pilot: 1 st Lt William C Lindhe – Believed killed in
crash – Buried at Cambridge American Cemetery
Madingly Cambridgeshire UK.
Co-Pilot: 2 nd Lt Robert H Brennan – Believed killed in
crash - Buried at Cambridge American Cemetery
Madingly Cambridgeshire UK.
Navigator: 2 nd Lt John F Fay – Baled out over
Langham airfield – Safe.
Radio Operator: Staff Sergeant Claire W Eclov –
Believed killed in crash – Buried at Greenwood
Cemetery, Brookings, South Dakota USA.
Flight Engineer : Staff Sergeant Robert D Gautreau –
Believed killed in crash – Buried at Pine Grove
Cemetery, Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts USA
Front Gunner (1): Sergeant (Technician 4 th Grade)
Robert Robinson - Baled out over Langham airfield –
Safe.
Waist Gunner (2): Sergeant (Technician 3 rd Grade)
Kenneth B Hoffman – Baled out over sea but managed to
swim to shore and survived.
Tail Gunner: Staff Sergeant (3 rd Grade) Archibald
(Archie) W Patterson Jr - Baled out over sea and
drowned, body believed to have washed up on French
coast – Buried Arlington Memorial Park, Whitehall,
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, USA.
Ball Gunner: Sergeant (Technician 4 th Grade) Robert
C Short – Baled out over sea and drowned – Place of
burial unknown.
Caporale Maggiore Raffaele Di Luca – Died of
injuries 21 Feb 1945 – Buried Brookwood military
cemetery Surrey.
Soldato Giordano Romagnoli – Killed instantly by
crashing B-24 17 Feb 1945 - Buried Brookwood
military cemetery Surrey.
As always if you would like more information on the
Dome and how to become a Friend of Langham Dome
(where annual membership gives unlimited free
admission) or to join us as a volunteer please contact
our Dome Manager Calum Meadows on e-mail
calum@ langhamdome.org. For more details on
opening hours, talks, events, etc, you can also check our
web site at www.langhamdome.org. John Blakeley
LYNX 130 CORRECTION
The Lynx apologises for any distress caused by
accidental transcription errors in the poem „From
Winter to Spring‟ published in Lynx 130. A corrected
version may be found at www.locallynx.co.uk on p21.
Editor
9

WHAT’S ON HOLT LIBRARY
Holt has „Open Library‟ meaning you can access the
library between 8am and 7pm Monday to Friday and 10
- 4 Saturday and Sunday. To use this service, you need
to sign up to open access at any library during staffed
times.
For further information about events and to book
please call 01263 712202.
Weekly Events
Tuesdays: Bounce and Rhyme 10.30 - 11am
Under 5s and families
Tuesdays: Family History Drop in (check with staff)
10am - 12noon
Wednesdays: Craft and Chatter 10am - 12noon
(Open Library access)
Wednesdays and Fridays: Computer help 10am -
12noon
Booking essential
Wednesdays: Board Games Afternoons 2.30 - 5.30pm
Thursday 16 April: „My Norfolk, My Holt‟ 11am David
Harris
Fridays: Just a Cuppa 10.30am - 12pm
Fridays: Family Crafternoon 3.30 - 5pm
Friday 3 April: Evening Crime Book Club 5.30 -
6.30pm
Friday 24 April: Creative Writing Group 10am -
12noon
Friday: (once a month) Police Drop in -
check dates with staff - 10.30 - 12 noon
Special Events in April
Holt community read throughout April
Our Big Read for 2020 is inspired by the BBC 100
novels that shaped the world and we have chosen 3 very
different books for you to try - Golden Child, The Game
of Thrones and The Northern Lights. Throughout April
we‟ll be asking our readers to tell us about a novel that
has changed their lives. If you have a story to tell, talk
to library staff or email libraries.iconnect
@norfolk.gov.uk.
Reading Dogs at Holt Library Tuesday 7th April
10.30 - 11.30am.
Come and listen to some stories, make some simple
crafts and meet Reading Dog Daisy. Ages 3+ but
younger siblings welcome. Children must be
accompanied by an adult. For further info ring 01263
712202.
10
Kiddycook at Holt Library Wednesday 15th April
10.30 - 12 noon
Join us for some hands on fun with food and make
some delicious recipes to take home and share. When
booking your place, please let a member of staff know if
children have any allergies or dietary requirements. Tel:
01263 712 202 For children aged 4-11 years. All
children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Booking essential.
Helen McDermott at Holt Library Thursday 23rd
April 11am - 12 noon
A talk by Helen McDermott, radio and television
presenter, best known for her work at Anglia
Television. Booking essential. Tickets £3 payable on
booking. Refreshments provided. A Holt Library
Friends event.
Rivers of Norfolk Thursday 30th April 11am - 12
noon
In 2017, Norfolk-based artist Tor Falcon began a
new and ambitious series of drawings documenting the
rivers of Norfolk. These drawings formed the basis of a
very successful exhibition in the Norwich Castle
Museum.
Tor Falcon will be giving a talk about her work at
Holt Library. Tickets £3, includes refreshments.
Advance booking is advisable.
Join the Holt Library Friends
The Holt Library Friends help fundraise for the
library and also organise events as well as help maintain
the library garden. If you have a few hours to spare each
month and would like to find out more get in touch with
the library to find out the date of the next meeting.
Volunteers needed
Could you… make hot drinks and talk to people at
our just a cuppa group? Help with after school activities
and Bounce and Rhyme? Spare some time to help tidy
up the library garden? Develop ideas for events held at
the library as a Library Friend and promote the library
and its services within the local community? Please
contact the library on 01263 712202.
FARMING UPDATE JANUARY –
FEBRUARY 2020
Drain and gain
Travelling through Britain, particularly on foot or by
bicycle, it‟s easy to appreciate the beauty of the many
rivers and streams that meander their way through the
countryside. Writers and painters have expended
thousands of hours trying to capture the sense of
tranquillity, from being near such waterways, in their
work.
Funny, then, that the word „ditch‟ does not tend to
conjure the same feelings of peaceful splendour. It‟s a
shame! There is a lot to like about ditches: they harbour
amphibians, invertebrates, small mammals and
occasionally birds like the snipe, as well as being great
places for ferns and wildflowers to flourish.
So, where does the water they carry come from?
Some of it is simply surface run-off that has found its
way to the ditch but what people might not know is,

eneath many arable fields in the UK, there is a
subterranean network of pipes carrying water from the
soil and into ditches. These pipes, typically around
80mm in diameter and situated about 2-3 feet below the
surface, are perforated, thus allowing water to flow in to
the pipe from the surrounding soil. The pipes have a
gentle gradient so once water has percolated in, it then
runs off to the exit, or “outfall”, of the pipe and into a
ditch. This allows the soil to maintain enough moisture
to keep plants thriving but not so much that it becomes
waterlogged.
It‟s a relatively simple idea that has been used in the
UK since at least the bronze-age, when settlers in the
Fens realised the benefits that systems of ditches could
bring and latterly drains made of stone and brush wood.
Much later in 1845, Thomas Scragg invented a system
for extruding clay drainage „tiles‟ which vastly
improved the effectiveness of the drains, at which point
the UK underwent periods of extensive drainage up to
the present day.
The increase in productiveness from a correctly
drained field can be huge and the highly damaging
effects of soil run-off and water-logging are vastly
reduced but even so, water coming through the drainage
system carries residual phosphates and nitrates into
watercourses. In order to mitigate this, nutrients can be
„trapped‟ in shallow ponds, situated along the ditch
network, where water plants can extract them as the
water slows, leaving the water purer long before it
reaches the main tributaries of the rivers. One such silt
trap has just been dug next to Saxlingham Church. It
looks a bit crude at the moment but I am sure that over
the coming years it will become a thriving habitat for
many of the ditch-dwelling flora and fauna that bring
beauty to the countryside. Who says ditch water is
dull?! Jonathan Darby Albanwise Farm Manager
accounts etc, and even to persuade people to withdraw
or transfer money by masquerading as police, HMRC or
bank or other officials. Hopefully many of you will
already subscribe to the Norfolk County Council‟s
excellent Trading Standards Consumer Scam, News and
Information web site, which you can access at
norfolkcc@public.govdelivery.com. This is a free
service with regular and up to date warnings on both
scams and product recalls etc. However a recent scam
attempt in one of our villages, which sought to prey on
people who may be more vulnerable following a death
in the family, is so offensive that it is worth describing
in some detail.
A villager whose wife had sadly died in early
December received a telephone call in early January
purporting to be from a stock broker in the USA. The
caller expressed sympathy for the loss of his wife, and
went on to say that he had heard that she had held
shares in a company for which the broker had another
client who was anxious to buy. The purchase had to be
confidential as his client was making a take-over bid.
The local villager had no knowledge of the shares, and
he had no certificates for the shares, but he thought that
there was a possibility that the broker might be correct
as both he and his wife had previously held a third party
managed share portfolio.
Thus when he was asked for his e-mail so that the
broker could send him a non-disclosure agreement to
protect his client‟s confidentiality he provided this. The
non-disclosure agreement looked very professional and
was so all-embracing that he was not supposed to tell
SCAMS BEWARE
Most readers of the Lynx will be
familiar with some of the many ways
in which criminals try to defraud or
scam them into paying money for
goods and services which may not be needed or they
either do not receive or which are of inferior quality.
They will also be aware of the many ways that
scammers try to get access to personal details of bank
11

even members of his family about it - which made him
suspicious. However he signed it and returned it, and a
few days later a colleague of the first caller phoned to
say that the villager should be delighted with the
proposed offer for the very small number of shares his
wife had held which reflected the fact that the broker‟s
client was prepared to pay “over the odds” to acquire
them. The offer would have been of interest, but when
the villager asked how the payment would be made he
was told that he would first have to pay the broker a
small sum (in fact £1000+) as a “tax” before the broker
could send payment. The villager‟s reply was that under
no circumstances would he pay until the payment from
the broker had been received and banked - at this point
the call was abruptly ended!
This scam failed, but it is easy to see how, for
example, a recently bereaved person in the middle of
sorting out a multitude of issues, and at their most
vulnerable, could fall prey to it. Sadly this was not the
only scam attempt triggered by his wife‟s death. He has
also received several calls purporting to be from
charities (whose names he has never heard of) again
expressing sympathy for his loss and suggesting that he
might like to send a small donation to the charity (£20
or so) in memory of his wife. Needless to say he has not
fallen for these approaches.
BALE
Contact: Jane Wheeler 01328 878656
design@janewheeler.co.uk
HUNDRED CLUB DRAW RESULTS
January 20 February 20
John Wall £25 Dan Moore £25
Ezra Postan £10 Martin Moore £10
Hannah Letts £5 John Wall £5
Maria Postan £5 Anne Peppitt £5
MORE AIR AND WATER
Bale diary, 23rd Feb 2020
Walking up the Sharrington road early yesterday
morning there was plenty of air blasting around my ears –
and the clouds going at who knows how many miles per
hour up there. The gusts down at field level were supposed
to be around fifty three miles per hour; they felt pretty
vicious, and it wasn‟t even a named storm.
The soggy fields won‟t absorb any more water so there‟s
plenty lying in ruts and just anywhere that surface run-off
can't handle, and the next rainstorm adds to it. However we
don‟t have big enough rivers in this part of north Norfolk for
flooding to be serious. Conservation of our chalk streams is
helping - this morning the Glaven was looking twice as big
as normal, after heavy rain in the early morning, but it has
room to overflow into a wide valley of reed beds, sallows,
sedges and rough grass which sops up much of the excess
since dredging was stopped and raised banks got rid of.
Several trees were down, an alder right across the main
12
part of the river, and mayhem in a more congested part of
the river bed, with two more alders gone, one earlier in the
year and one after Dennis. On Monday I had to duck under
it; the path‟s been cleared up now, but it makes the river
gurgle and chuckle pleasantly, and the wren sings along.
The cut alder wood is a bright orange-red. I wonder if it
would dye fibre. At the ford the level was very high. More
wren song too, but mostly it seems the deeper the water
flows, the quieter.
Up in the woods at Bayfield, the trees were very dark
and slick with rain, which had only just stopped as we got
out of the car, the sky clearing as the front swept on south
east. The farrowing huts are all full again – the sows outside,
they don‟t seem to mind the weather – it‟s quite exposed up
there. In the distance you can see the woods that edge
Holkham.
At home I‟ve had a wonderful winter for snowdrops.
They are almost over now, but this time last year they were
brown with the sun and warm weather we had in February.
Wild daffodils are fully out, and all the nettles are coming
up. Some work is needed.
Meanwhile Bims and I go to Holkham for her runs
where it‟s quiet if we follow the horse entrance to the beach.
There‟s been a canine gastro-enteritis virus around, it‟s
really severe, with dogs needing veterinary care for several
days; best avoided if possible. She doesn‟t mind the light
plastic basket muzzle I got her at all. It means she can‟t get
nippy with little dogs and make them squeak, and she can‟t
eat anything untoward which we know does sometimes
fetch up on the beaches here – fish with paralytic shellfish
poisoning, and palm-oil solids.
It‟s more beautiful over on that side of the bay too - on
Thursday the wind was ruffling the little waves, and a flock
of cormorants resting on the beach about halfway between
Holkham and Burnham Overy.
Jane Wheeler
BALE PAINTING GROUP
Annual Exhibition and Sale 6th June 2020
The Bale Painting Group is staging its annual Exhibition
Day in Bale Village Hall from 10am until 4pm.
The group has been painting together since 2015 and we
are excited to be able to present examples of our work,
showing artistic skills developed over the last 5 years, in
various media and on diverse subjects.
There will be the opportunity to meet some of the artists
who will be painting on the day. We will be offering light

efreshments and you may purchase any of the pictures
which are offered for sale too.
We are artists of all abilities and would like to welcome
new members. So do come along for a chat if you are
interested.
Please note that car parking is very limited in front of the
hall, additional parking will be sign posted Bale Village Fete
which is on the same day.
Peter Jones
BALE VILLAGE HALL NEWS
By the time you read this, we should have our new
accessible frontage completed – the final phase of the
refurbishment. Parking will be slightly more restricted but
for anyone who has struggled, particularly in the winter, to
climb the old muddy slope, this is great news.
The quiz nght in February was good fun, despite being a
little down on numbers. The victorious team was “Boris‟s
Love Child” – Alastair, Paul, Jane & Jules. Alastair‟s team
is always the one to beat. Thanks to all those who took part,
provided refreshments for the evening and helped with the
clearing up.
We‟re turning the Hall into “Bale Ritz” again on
Saturday 23 rd May, so please join us for afternoon tea and
polite conversation between 2.30 and 5pm. At last year‟s
event over £500 was raised for the East Anglian Air
Ambulance, which was fantastic. We haven‟t yet decided
which cause to support this year, so if you have a
suggestion, please let us know. If necessary, we will
randomly select the winning charity. We will be serving tea,
coffee, sandwiches and cakes at a price of £10 for the full
afternoon tea (please book if possible) or just drop in for tea/
coffee and a slice of cake.
Some advance dates for your diaries: 13 th June -
“Midsummer Pizza”; 12 th July - the tractor run; 29 th August
(Bank Holiday weekend) – Bale barbecue.
Finally, fish & chips will be on Fridays 10 th April (Good
Friday) and 8 th May – hoping to see you all there, to inspect
our smart new frontage.
Paula Moore
ALAN SANKEY
a brief notice
Bale inhabitants were shocked and saddened to hear of
the passing of Alan Sankey, long time resident and
churchwarden of Bale. After the memorial service at 12
noon on Sunday 29th March, which is ahead of us at the
time of writing, I am planning to put a proper obituary in the
next issue of Lynx, but suffice it to say, although we were
sorry enough to lose him and Margaret when they moved to
Holt, this is a blow to all of us in the village.
Bale will always be grateful for his work as
churchwarden, and on the PCC, his active presence in the
village as organiser and facilitator, and his cheerful
personage at events and any casual meeting in the road.
Personally I felt very lucky to have such a good neighbour.
He will be warmly remembered.
Jane Wheeler
BINHAM
Contact: Liz Brady 01328 830830
lizsdavenport@gmail.com
BINHAM VILLAGE MEMORIAL HALL
The quiz night in February was good fun with seven
teams competing and £100 raised. We hope to have
another event to raise funds for the hall this year and
will keep you posted in all the usual ways. Thank you to
everyone who came.
The Hall is an excellent venue for weddings and
parties. A lovely couple have just sent us the following
email “It was a fantastic space to hold our reception at
and we don‟t think we could have found anything nicer”
which beautifully simply says it all! If you‟re planning
something whether large or small, don‟t hesitate to get
in touch.
The car park lights which were smashed in the recent
gales have been replaced.
Don‟t forget our coffee mornings and cosy clubs –
details in the What‟s On section of the Lynx. These are
a lovely opportunity to take time out and have a chat
along with a drink and a biscuit.
The Annual Meeting of the Memorial Hall is on
Tuesday 21 st April and all Binham parishioners are very
welcome to attend at 7pm.
All details and for any other information do look at
our website www.binhamvillagehall.co.uk and the
Facebook page.
Mary Hunt
BINHAM MEMORIAL HALL
Premises License
Is seeking a variation to the premises license for
Binham Memorial Hall, Warham Road, NR21 0DQ.
The variation it seeks is to enable hirers to be
licensed to sell alcohol. If you wish to object to this
application, written representations with full contact
details should be made to the Licensing Authority
below:
Licensing Section, North Norfolk District Council,
Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer, NR27 9EN.
Representations should be made by April 1st 2020.
This application may be viewed during office hours
at the above offices.
13

CELEBRATE EASTER
at Binham Priory
Easter Saturday 8pm Service of Light
Easter Day 10.30am Easter Communion
Everybody welcome
BINHAM PRIORY CONCERTS 2020
Norwich Baroque
Sat 2nd May at 7.30 pm
with guest soloist Ashley Grote, organ
(Master of Music, Norwich Cathedral)
Handel organ concertos
English string music
Tickets (£16, concessions - £15, 18 and under-£2)
from St Georges Music Shop,
17-19 St Georges St, Norwich, NR3 1AB
01603 626414
Anglia Ruskin Orchestra and Chorus
Sun, 17th May at 7.30 pm
with guest violinist Alicja Smietana
Conductors – Paul Rhys, Nigel Bennett, Adrian
Sobiechowski
Mozart – Symphony No 31 in D Major (“Paris”)
Mendelssohn – Nocturne from “A Midsummer Night‟s
Dream”)
Bernstein – Highlights from “West Side Story”
Monteverdi – Beatus Vir
Copland – Old American Songs
Tickets £10, available at the door on the night
BINHAM PRIORY CONCERTS 2020
Dates for the diary
More information in next edition of Lynx.
Sat 20 th June Chanter‟s Jigge “One for the Road,
stroll through 500 years of street music.
Summer Series:
Sat 18 th July Norwich Baroque
Fri 7 th Aug Brook Street Band
Sat 15 th Aug Trevor Pinnock
Sat 29 th Aug Xuefei Yang
Sat 12 th Sept Andrew Maginley and Regina
BINHAM ART GROUP
Our Spring Collection at the Chequers Gallery was
launched on the 6th March with another fine display of
the Group‟s work. Do come along to the Gallery to see
the exciting range of work that is being produced by the
members.
Membership of the Group is currently up to capacity,
but if you are interested in painting please come along
to one of our Tuesday morning sessions to see what we
do and get the feel of painting with the Group. If you
like what you see fill in a form and wait until we have a
vacancy.
To find out what is happening and to see examples
of our work together with pictures for sale, go to our
website www.binhamartgroup.weebly.com
If you would like to talk to somebody either leave a
message on the website or ring 01328 830378. John Hill
14
BINHAM YOUTH GROUP
Binham Youth group is held in the Binham
Memorial Hall on Wednesdays 6-8 pm, term time only,
age 5-16 years, £1 entry fee, tuck shop. All staff DBS
checked. And there is a no mobile phones policy.
We have art „n‟ craft, board games, table tennis, pool
table, karaoke, books, 10-pin bowling, indoors during
winter, and in summer time we use the large playing
field and play equipment or just chill out and make new
friends.
“It‟s a great way to spend your time” (William),
“You can make new friends” (Lily) and “There‟s lots of
fun”. (Ben)
We are always looking for volunteers to help out,
even if only now and again. Contact Amanda Able
(01328 830828) or Andrew Marsh (01328 830178) for
further information.
BINHAM AND HINDRINGHAM
OPEN CIRCLE
We are a women‟s group that meets on the third
Thursday of each month at 7.15 pm in Hindringham
village hall.
On April 16 th we welcome Georgette Vale whose
talk on Edith Cavell had to be rearranged, then on May
21 st we have a demonstration of hand bell ringing.
It would be lovely to welcome new members to our
group. Either come along or ring our secretary Sue
Elkins 01328 878487 for more information.
BINHAM LOCAL HISTORY GROUP
The Story of East Anglian Almshouses
by Sarah Doig
January 2020 saw our first talk of the New Year by
author Sarah Doig who kindly travelled from her home
in the Suffolk borders to give us a talk on The Story of
East Anglian Almshouses. Sarah told us that the
beginnings of almshouses came with the building of
medieval monasteries providing food and shelter for
pilgrims and sustenance and care for the poor and sick,
especially lepers.
Examples Sarah spoke about included The Leper
Chapel in Cambridge, also known as the Leper Chapel
of St. Mary Magdalene. It dates from about 1125 and
was part of the buildings of a leprosy hospital that stood

a little beyond the outskirts of the city on the road to
Bury St. Edmunds. At Bury St Edmunds itself, the
Abbey had six hospices at the entrances to the town to
care for the sick.
The Great Hospital in
Norwich (foundation
1249) is a surviving
building which was
adopted by the city of
Norwich in 1547. It still
survives today as an
almshouse offering
sheltered housing.
By the time of the dissolution of monasteries in the
1530s, religious orders had set up as many as 1,000
hospitals, almhouses, leper hospices and hostels for
travellers across the country . From this time onwards it
fell upon wealthy benefactors to continue to build
purpose built almshouses to house the needy with the
belief that such provision left in their wills would
guarantee the benefactor a safe passage to heaven.
In fact almshouses were sometimes referred to as
bede-houses (bede was the Middle English word for
prayer) as they included a chapel, where residents were
required to attend regularly to pray for the soul of the
benefactor.
Sarah outlined several examples of wealthy
benefactors across East Anglia with what now seems
interesting choices of words for their criteria:
“for decayed fishermen aged over 60 unable to
provide for themselves”
“men over 60 who had lived well and fallen into
decay”
“homes for people over 55 who had seen better
days”
Benefactors expected their tenants to live disciplined
abstemious lives and some were also provided clothing
allowances and fuel.
At Castle Rising Henry Howard, Earl of
Northampton at his death in 1615 provided
accommodation for 12 single/widowed women over 55
who were not drunkards to be called “sisters” who must
also attend chapel to worship 3 times every day and
would receive 8s a month and a cloak of brown wool
and a large pointed black bonnet. These almshouses still
exist and the residents each year don their cloaks and
hats to commemorate Henry Howard.
Binham had its own former almshouse in Front
Street near the phone box which is now a private
residence.
A guided tour to Gresham’s School
with Simon Kinder
On 27th February a group of 22 went on a guided
tour of Gresham‟s with Head of history at the school,
Simon Kinder. Simon began with the outline of the
history of the school from its foundation in front of a
portrait of the man himself Sir John Gresham (1495 –
23 October 1556).
Sir John was born in Holt and it is believed was
educated at the Augustinian Priory at Beeston Regis. He
became a successful English merchant, courtier and
financier who worked for King Henry VIII of England,
Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell. and was Lord
Mayor of London.
Following the dissolution of the monasteries,
education suffered, and so Sir John sought letters of
permission from Queen Mary to open a school in Holt
using the old manor house. He did not live long enough
to see it finished. Gresham endowed the school with
land and money and placed these endowments in the
care of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, which
has continued to carry out his trust to the present day.
The school proudly displays a magnificent golden
grasshopper above its entrance and this is the symbol of
Sir John and Gresham school. It‟s thought it may derive
from the Old English word for grasshopper “greshoppe”
and its similarity to that word and not the actual village
of Gresham.
Our tour took us to the assembly hall built in 1903
which was formerly the original chapel. It is a
remarkable building and the walls have boards of 1st
class honour degree former pupils and names such as W
H Auden can be seen. Simon told us some interesting
and touching stories and anecdotes relating to the
school‟s history over the past 117 years including staff,
pupils and the buildings.
We then moved to the new chapel built in 1916,
pausing on route to look at some of the original
classroom blocks of 1900s which were due to be
demolished to make way for a new science block being
built with the £90m donation from former pupil James
Dyson.
Inside the chapel Simon told us the poignant story of
15

those 112 boys and 3 staff who died in WW1 and are
commemorated in the chapel and 115 boys who died in
WW2.
At the altar is a most beautiful stained-glass window
known as the pacifist window and interspersed around
on the walls are 115 pottery red poppies from the Tower
of London commemoration display to serve as a lasting
reminder of the sacrifice made.
Next talk
Adrian O‟Dell will come to give his talk entitled
„The spiritual & practical use of water in medieval
monasteries‟ on - Thur 23 rd April 2020 at 7:30pm in
Binham Memorial Hall.
Pennie Alford, blhg@btinternet.com
PAROCHIAL CHARITIES LUNCHES
The dates for the Parochial Charities lunches at The
Chequers Inn for this year are Friday 24 th April, Friday
25 th September and Friday 18 th December. Invitations
will be sent out nearer the time.
Charity dog walk
Charity dog walk to raise money for Cancer
Research U.K. on Sunday 5th April. Enquiries Alex
Wales 07776232440.
NORFOLK BOAT
The Norfolk Boat, a registered charity inaugurated at
Binham in 1980, gives financial assistance to young
people living in Norfolk enabling them to afford the life
changing experience of open sea sailing in various
ASTO registered tall ships.
Young people who apply to the Norfolk Boat for
funding are asked to contribute some of the cost,
depending on what they can afford. We have never
turned anyone away. The Norfolk Boat has its own
website (www.norfolkboat.org.uk), which explains
how to apply or how to support. Andrew Cuthbert
BINHAM MEMORIAL HALL
100+ Club winners
January winners: £25 Hannah Wales, £10 Lotte
Wynder, Lucy Walduck, £5 Mr G Marsh, Daniel
Hewitt, Alister Taylor.
February winners: £25 Cherry Beckham, £10 Mrs
G Griffiths, Jane Groom, £5 Stanley Hewitt, C and V
Ross, Maureen Frost.
If anyone would like to join the 100+ club, please
call at 8 Priory Crescent or ring June Read on 01328
830106.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Look ahead this year and be hopeful.
Look around and be helpful by trying
to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
COCKTHORPE
Contact: Maurice Matthews 01328 830350
maurice.matthews@peppard.net
No news from Cockthorpe this time.
FIELD DALLING
Contact: Julie Wiltshire
julie_wilson75@hotmail.com
WW2 US PLANE CRASH
The dedication was
conducted and completed
at the Field Dalling and
Saxlingham village hall as
scheduled. The ceremony
was divided into three
parts: speech and service
delivered by Nigel
Crossland and the Rev‟d
Ian Whittle respectively followed by the honour guard.
The honour guard was undertaken by dress uniformed
US military personnel from 100ARF Wing based at
RAF Mildenhall and comprised a rifle attention detail
followed by bugle ceremony outside. It was attended by
about 35 people, several of whom, came with their
jeeps/army ambulance from a WW2 military vehicle
club. Catering (provided by the Rogers‟ family),
including a special cake (bearing the 466BG insignia)
was a very pleasant extra component in the events and
16

there were also photographs, paintings (by John Kirby),
flags, projected PowerPoint images and recovered
aviation parts on display. All those who have been
actively supportive of the project, especially Reg
Rogers, were thanked and the dedication event was
appreciated by all those attending.
The engraved plaque will, over the coming days, be
attached to the stone plinth in its location on Roddy
Lane.
Nigel Crossland
Note: a web page has been added to the Villagers‟ Hall
website (www.fdands.org) with further details about the
crash and the recent ceremony. (see p.8 for more details)
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH
Looking ahead to Easter, there will be services on
Palm Sunday, during Holy Week, on Good Friday and
on Easter Sunday.
Palm Sunday, April 5th 11am - a family service to
celebrate Palm Sunday.
Holy Week: Short Reflective Services lasting
around 25 minutes, all in church:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 6pm for about 20
minutes: Enchantment: seeing God around us: at 6pm
on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Each will have a
5 minute reflection offered by someone with very
particular experience: Amanda Maundrell, Michael
Brunson and a third to be announced.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Maundy Thursday: 8pm in
candle light for about 20 minute: Mindfulness and
Meditation. Calming and de-stressing in this holiest of
weeks.
Maundy Thursday: 6pm: a short and simple service
of communion or agape.
Good Friday: a service of reflection at 10.30am.
Easter Sunday 11am: Easter Communion – an
opportunity to celebrate Easter for all the family.
Ian Newton
And after Easter:
Safari Supper: Saturday April 18th
By popular request we‟ve been asked to organise
another Safari Supper, on the Saturday after Easter.
We‟re not surprised - it‟s such a lovely way of meeting
folk, eating lovely food, and getting to know those we
might not so often see around the village. Please sign up
with Lou Shone (01328 830962) or Fiona Newton
(01328 830947), (fionanewton46@gmail.com). The
cost will be £10 and we shall begin at 7pm in church. If
you fancy offering to host a main course for 6 or 8, or a
pud course for 6 or 8, do say. All welcome.
Fiona Newton
BEREAVEMENT GROUP
It is an odd kind of joy when one who has been
living with the trauma of loss, can say to the others in
the Bereavement Group something like: „I think I‟m in a
different place now and can look ahead…but thank you
so much for the understanding and support‟.
You probably know someone who is trudging
through the awfulness of loss. Do remind them of our
group. There is just one meeting this time on Friday 1st
May at Manor Farm Cottage at 4pm. What is said by the
fireside stays by the fireside, and this enables fears and
worries to be freely expressed. But don‟t get me wrong,
peals of laughter can ring out too, as unbelievably funny
moments are also shared. That‟s why healing takes
place - people in the group listen carefully and nurture
one another. It‟s a special place, inhabited by brave men
and women.
Fiona Newton
FIELD DALLING AND SAXLINGHAM
VILLAGE FETE 2020
Saturday 8 th August, 2pm
This will be held on Saturday 8th August from 2-
4pm at the Villagers‟ Hall, Field Dalling.
A traditional fete for all age groups with entertaining
music by the Norfolk Jazz Quartet.
A date for your diaries.
PARISH COUNCIL
Monday 27th April- Annual Parish Meeting: come along
and meet your councillors and see what is on offer in the
village. Monday 11th May: Parish Council AGM.
VILLAGERS’ HALL
www.fdands.org
Ceilidh Evening
Saturday 20 th June
To be held on 20 th June, tickets available from Steve
and Susie Collins (steveandsusie100@gmail.com).
This year, a bar will be set up selling beer, wine and soft
drinks.
17

Coffee Mornings
Coffee mornings are held every second Wednesday
of the month in the village hall at Field Dalling, 10.30
a.m. to 12 noon. We serve fresh coffee, tea, homemade
cake and biscuits. It‟s a great chance to meet new
people or catch up with old friends. All refreshments are
free of charge, but donations are gratefully received.
Any money left over goes to the Cromer and District
Foodbank. Please note: coffee mornings are temporarily
cancelled due to the coronavirus. Mel&Brian Goodale
Important Diary Dates
Bingo Nights: 3 rd Apr, 1 st May, 29 th May, 26 th Jun
Coffee Mornings: 8 th Apr, 13 th May, 10 th Jun, 8 th Jul,
12 th Aug, 9 th Sep, 14 th Oct, 11 th Nov, 9 th Dec
Ceilidh Evening: 20 th Jun
Village Fete: 8 th Aug
Christmas Fair: 28 th Nov
Mobile Post Office: Every Wed, 10.10-10.50am, VH
Mobile Library: 2 nd Apr, 30 th Apr, 28 th May, 25 th Jun,
23 rd Jul, 4.25-4.45pm
GUNTHORPE
Contact: John Blakeley 01263 861008
jbconsult@btinternet.com
www.gunthorpefriends.co.uk
FOGPC
50/50 Club Draw Results
January
February
Mark Jenkinson £20 Kate Bohn £20
David Vaughan £10 Pat Groves £15
Dan Worsley £5 Polly Aitman £5
Virginia Worsley £5 Andrew Ryde £5
Nick Elwell £5 Tom Dye £5
Bill Hill £5 Carole Wallace £5
Christine Foster £5 Roy Marsden £5
We now have 131 members of the Club and prize
money has increased from March, but as always we
would welcome more. If you have not already renewed,
or are new to the village why not join us for the last few
months until the final draw of this subscription year
which will take place on 25 th May.
The time to renew your memberships is fast
approaching. Thus if you have not already planned to
renew automatically eg by standing order, can we please
ask for the subscriptions for the next year, ie June 2020
to May 2021 inclusive, to be paid as soon as possible,
and before 27th June so as to be in the first draw - we
hope that all existing members will again want to re-join
and, of course, we welcome new members. It costs just
£1 per month (payable in advance for the year) to join
and you can get your subscriptions and more back if
you are lucky enough to win a prize. The 50:50 Club
contributes over £1000 per annum to the Friends funds -
full details are placed on the Friends Notice Board
before the AGM.
18
Payments can also include your Friends membership
of a minimum of £5 per annum (or part of a year).
BACS payments can be made as detailed below, but
please inform John Blakeley (e-mail:
jbconsult@btinternet.com) if you pay by BACS (date
and amount) so that records can be kept up to date and
you do not miss the chance to participate in a future
draw. The 50:50 Club raises funds painlessly and with
the chance to enjoy monthly coffee mornings and a
Christmas Party thrown in. The Friends membership
and any other donation, but not the 50:50 Club
subscriptions, can be Gift Aided and if you have not
already completed a form we would, be most grateful if
you could consider doing this – provided you are and
remain a taxpayer of course.
NAT WEST Bank plc
Sort code 53-50-73
Account number 25727532
To once again quote the motto of a somewhat larger
lottery can we remind you that “you have to be in it to
win it!”
Myfi Everett & John Blakeley
ST MARY’S CHURCH NEWS
No significant church news to report, but a reminder that
the PCC Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday,
April 30th at 4pm in The Institute. Everyone is welcome.
Penny Brough Church Warden
FRIENDS OF GUNTHORPE
PARISH CHURCH
The Friends Churchyard Clear-up will take place on
Sunday the 17 th of May from 9am. Work for all ages and
abilities will be available, and we will have sausages and
baps around noon to celebrate our accomplishments.
(Veggie option too!) Please do come to help in any way you
can. Bring your own tools or we will have tools available
for you. We have a good laugh and it is a great start to the
summer gardening maintenance of the churchyard. All are
welcome.
Marie Denholm Friends Chairman

JOHN ROBERT HOUCHEN
Although he had left Gunthorpe some time ago we were
sorry to learn of the death of John Houchen at his home in
Sparham on 9 th January 2020. He was aged 90, and he was
cremated following a service of thanksgiving for his life at
Cromer Crematorium on 27 th January.
John was born in Necton and was the son of parents who
owned a grocery store and a smallholding. Later they sold
the shop to concentrate on farming. He went as a boarder to
Paston Grammar School before Agricultural College.
He had been farming at Happisburgh before moving to
Gunthorpe in 1963, becoming the farm manager for what
was then Gunthorpe Farms; working for the Sparkes family
and living firstly in Hall Farm and then in a house he built in
the village, Oak House.
He left the village when Gunthorpe Farms were sold to
Albanwise in 1996. He was a quiet man and was known to
love his dogs, cattle and shooting. He and his then wife
Anne were keen supporters of the village until Anne died.
Following Anne‟s death John had married Sheila in
2000, and we send our deepest condolences to her and her
family following their sad loss.
A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY -
GUNTHORPE VILLAGE FETE
As usual, this year‟s Gunthorpe Fete will be held in the
grounds of Gunthorpe Hall (NR24 2PA) by kind permission
and with the support of Marie and Jeremy Denholm. The
fete will take place on Sunday 26th July commencing at
2pm. We are looking forward to welcoming people from far
and wide to this popular summer event.
If you would like to get involved in running the fete and
helping with village stalls on the day please come along to a
gathering at Gunthorpe Village Institute on Tuesday 28th
April at 6.00 p.m. If you can‟t make the meeting but would
like to get involved please contact one of us, details below.
Val King 01263 862265 valatt@btinternet.com, Jenny
Kelly 01263 860095 jennykellynorfolk@hotmail.com.
DEFIBRILLATOR
At the Institute AGM held on 6 March, there was
general agreement to a proposal from the Charity
Committee that they should investigate a choice of, and
funding for, a defibrillator to be located at the village
institute. Although a defibrillator is already located in Bale it
was felt that this could be too far away given the time it can
often take to cross the A148 - time that might not be
available if a person suffering a heart attack was to be saved.
It was also noted that the fete risk assessments require
notification of the nearest defibrillator and thus one in
Gunthorpe itself would be seen as positive.
Clearly the provision of such a device would be of
benefit to the whole village including holiday lets etc, and
thus it was felt that funding should be a matter for the whole
village to be involved in, and in their assessment of the way
forward the committee will look at areas such as grants and
a village appeal. More information will follow, and the
committee would welcome any questions or feedback you
may have. Please contact Tony Dufour on 01263 860051 or
e-mail tony_lin@btinternet.com.
LANGHAM
Contact: Christina Cooper 01328 830207
christinacooper27@googlemail.com
FRIENDS OF LANGHAM
200 Club Draw Winners
January 2020 £10 February 2020 £10
48 Mr R Pannier 66 Mrs P Bartlett
117 Mr E Allen 193 Mrs M Rogers
151 Mrs I Rossiter 42 Ms J Snell
142 Mrs G Pannier 52 Mrs B Newman
27 Alan & Frances Smith 159 Mr & Mrs Coe
30 Mrs A Wilson 156 Mr & Mrs Page
FOL Committee
19

D-DAY VETERAN RELIVES
HAPPY MEMORIES
The following article appeared in the
EDP on 6th July 2019. Sadly, William
Twiddy has recently passed away and his
funeral was held at Langham Church in
February.
“There were a lot of tears but also smiles
as a D-Day veteran relived some of the
times of his Second World War service
Seventy-five years ago William “Bill”
Twiddy was a young soldier billeted with
Pierre and Maricke Bertrand at their small farm in
Melkwezer, Brabant in Belgium.
Now 96 Mr Twiddy was moved to tears when their
son Francis Bertrand and his family visited him on
Thursday, July 4 th while holidaying in the country.
Mr Bertrand, 61 his wife Linda Van Mol and sons
Sander and Lowie, brought along a photographic album
and Mr Twiddy immediately recognised his parents and
the small farm where Mr Twiddy and three other
soldiers were billeted towards the end of the war.
Mr Twiddy has remembered the two weeks he spent
there as the happiest of the war.
He was part of a Royal Armoured Corps team that
transported petrol to Tanks on the front line.
He said “I remember the family well. They did not
speak English, but we made ourselves understood when
we asked for a cup of tea and they made themselves
understood.
They gave up their double bed for us, which was a
godsend. And it was lovely to sleep on clean bedsheets.
“We were very happy there and the whole village
came out when we left”
The visitors brought Belgian chocolates and beer as
gifts and Mr Bertrand who speaks excellent English,
said it was amazing to finally meet Mr Twiddy.
He said “My parents said he was the quietest of the
soldiers that were billeted with them. I did not know
why they stayed at my parents' house, but I think other
British soldiers also stayed at other times.
My father had previously sheltered a man called
Raymond from the Resistance which was dangerous.
My parents told me that Germans came to the farm.
The family has written to Mr Twiddy using the
address in Hollow Lane, Langham which he had written
on a Christmas card he had sent to them in 1975. As
they were coming to England, they decided to visit the
Twiddy family at Williams‟s son, Alan‟s house in
Holt.”
VILLAGE HALL AGM
The village hall AGM will be held on Wednesday 27th
May at 7.30 in the evening. After the AGM there will be a
chance to socialize with a glass of wine and nibbles.
The village hall is a great village asset and the committee
is always looking for new members to help with the running
of events and maintenance of the hall so if anyone is
interested please speak to any member of the committee for
further information.
ART EXHIBITION
Paintings, Photographs, Ceramics, Baskets,
Cushions, Metal Work, Prints & Cards
Langham Village Hall
VE Day Friday 8th May – Sunday 10th May
10am – 4.30pm daily
Free Entry
Our usual wonderful refreshments served daily
Come for coffee
Put the dates in your diary
Proceeds for Langham Village Hall
Application forms and further details, please contact Pauline
01328 830696 bartlett16@btinternet.com
FRIENDS OF LANGHAM
Phillip West presents another fascinating talk on the history
of Norfolk.
His latest talk entitled Poppies, Bloaters and
Beach Men covers the Norfolk East Coast
Langham Village Hall
Thursday May 21st 7.30pm
Admission £2 everyone welcome
SPRING SALE
Blood Cancer UK (Leukaemia Research)
Saturday May 16 th 9.30am - 11.30am
Plants, Bric-a-Brac, Household, Good Clothes, etc
Langham Village Hall
Tea & coffee available. Everyone very welcome.
20

LANGHAM STREET FAYRE
Plans are well underway for this year‟s Street Fayre
on Saturday 22nd August, but we now need you!
We need good quality items to sell on the ever
popular bric-a-brac and this year we will be collecting
your donations on Thursday 20th August between 12pm
and 3pm at the Village Hall. So, if you have any
unwanted Christmas presents, please hang on to them
for us!! We will also have a book, bottle, plant/produce
and cake stall, but more on that nearer the time!
Also, if you can spare us an hour or two to man a
stall, help on the BBQ, supervise the car parking, sell
raffle tickets or help us to clear up afterwards, we would
love to hear from you.
You can either leave your details with Abby at the
Blue Bell, or you contact Debi on 01328 830767 or
email langhamstreetfayre@gmail.com. Thank You!
Street Fayre Committee
BRING & BUY SALE
Bank Holiday Monday 25 th May
10am-12noon
This will be held in the churchyard or inside the
church if the weather is inclement. There will be the
usual coffee morning stalls and refreshments.
If anyone would like to bake a cake or bring along
books, gifts, bric-a-brac or a raffle prize, all will be
gratefully received. If you would like to help on a stall,
do get in touch.
Proceeds are for Langham Church General Fund. We
look forward to seeing you. Ann Sherriff 01328 830605
CHURCHYARD CONSERVATION
SCHEME
This January, as part of the ongoing conservation
efforts in the churchyard, the condition of the trees was
surveyed by a professional arborist at a cost of £420.
The PCC has already managed to find the money to
pay for the survey, but the report has highlighted a list
of essential work which must be carried out over the
next year or two in order to maintain the trees in the
best possible health. This work mainly involves
removing dead wood and pruning the canopy and side
branches of 14 of the 29 trees in the churchyard in order
to bring them back into shape and improve stability.
In addition, the memorial copper beech in the centre
of the churchyard behind the church and the large horse
chestnut next to it will require bracing. Sadly one ash
tree near the crossroads will need to be felled, but a new
young tree can be planted to replace it.
The estimated cost of this phase of the work is about
£10,000. We are urgently looking into the possibility of
obtaining a grant to cover some of the cost. However, if
you would like to help with a donation towards this vital
work please contact Mrs Ann Sherriff on 01328 830605
or at candasherriff@hotmail.com. Many thanks.
Sally Adams Churchyard Trees Officer,
Parochial Church Council
MORSTON
Contact: Jock Wingfield 01263 740431
jocelynwingfield@gmail.com
MORSTON DATES
Sat 9 th & Sun 10 th May – “Stalls in the Halls” Village Hall
Fri 19 th June – PCC Crab Supper. £25 per head. Contact
Mary Athill on 01263 740306.
Sat 20 th June –FMC AGM in village hall 6.30pm
Sat 4 th July - Auction of Promises for the Tympanum,
village hall 7.30pm
Sat 22 August – Morston Regatta. Start at north end of
Blakeney Cut at 8.30am. Prize giving and party at
NorfolkEtc at 7pm. Contact Charlie Ward 01263 740377.
Sat 12 th September – NCT bike ride
Sat 17 th October – FMC Shovell Dinner at the Anchor.
Talk by Charlie Ward, “East coast sailing barges and the
building of Juno” Contact Pete Tibbetts 01263 741282.
STALLS IN THE HALL
Morston Village Hall, Quay Lane
Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 May 10am-4pm
Plenty to interest everyone with books, bric-a-brac,
toys, crafts and plants. Refreshments will be served all
day and all proceeds will go towards the maintenance of
All Saint‟s Church, Morston. Do come along and
support us.
Morston PCC
21

Singing “Oklahoma” just
outside Chevron Belgium,
Nov 44
A YANK IN EUROPE
My father, Corporal Walter Peterson,
produced variety performances for the
U.S. Special Service. He also sang,
played piano, wrote songs and sketches,
and acted. By 1944, he was presenting
shows for frontline U.S. soldiers
stationed throughout Europe; draping
curtain material over
trees and setting up
pianos and music stands
in grassy clearings.
Sept 1944, the first
performance in France at
Isigny, liberated by U.S.
soldiers on 6 June 1944.
Walking the Seigfried Line
(known as the West Wall in
WWII) Nov 44
Dad always admitted he‟d had a
good war. Even invading
Europe didn‟t get in the way of
what he loved best, performing
for his peers. Roberta Peterson
Hamond
Top of the bill at the Madeleine
Theatre Paris, May 1945
CHURCH KNEELERS
The PCC has been presented with 36 magnificent new
kneelers stitched by Lady Kilmaine, Gill Kay, Anne
Wootten, Anne Rolfe, Alice Carnwath and Sara Wingfield.
A huge thank you to you all for sterling work!
ANNUAL NCT BIKE RIDE
In 2019, Morston PCC received, in total, £561.09 back
from the Norfolk Churches Trust. We would like to thank
Ned Hamond for his organisation of the Morston operating
team of Anne Rolfe and himself and, not least, to also thank
the donors for their very generous donattions to those
operators.
The NCT Bike Ride has raised around £2,800,000 over
the past 32 years. The money has been divided between the
church of the participant‟s choice and the Norfolk Churches
Trust, which gives grants to hundreds of churches for
repairs, renovation and the conservation of their buildings.
In Norfolk, more than 600 churches are open throughout the
day for everyone to explore.
Some interesting facts from the 2017 bike ride are:
The maximum number of churches visited by a
participant is 64 by bike and 34 on foot.
207 new participants have been recorded as taking
part for the first time.
St Andrew‟s Church in Norwich saw the highest
number of visitors – 75 in total.
312 churches and chapels have been nominated to
receive a share of the sponsorship money.
There were 2,683 total visits recorded – 22% more
than in 2016.
This year the Bike Ride cum Walk cum Drive will be on
Saturday 12 th September. Contact Mary Athill 01263
740306.
THE ANCHOR: THEN & NOW
Then (2011-2020)
Under the heading “Award winning North Norfolk
Restaurant”, the internet states: “The Anchor is [was] run by
old school friends Harry Farrow and Rowan Glennie, who
have carried out a complete refurbishment since taking over
the pub in June 2011. Always keen on eating and drinking
out, the pair had long dreamed of running their own pub,
with their home of north Norfolk – rich in seafood, local
game and ales – the perfect place to start their careers. And
the Anchor in Morston, a small seaside village just along the
coast from Blakeney and popular with yachtsmen and
birdwatchers, the perfect country pub."
Now
Having done us brilliantly, Harry & Ro have now
departed, and we wish them well and hope they will
eventually come back to north Norfolk and wow us with
22

more delicious food. We are delighted that Elsie Temple has
now taken over the Anchor - which has been in her family
for about 130 years - and so we look forward to a new and
exciting time there.
MORSTON QUIZ
by Samphire (answers on page 31)
1. Which component of English punctuation is also the
name of a common English butterfly?
2. How many times must the winning horse in the Grand
National have jumped if we assume it has finished the
course?
3. Who are the only four successive kings of England who
have had the same name?
4. Which is the largest animal to build a nest?
5. The name of which game is derived from the name of a
game which in Italy and France refers to a black and white
hooded cloak, once worn by priests?
6. Explain how the record for the Women‟s Discus in 2006
was 76.80 metres, whereas the men‟s discus record for 2006
was only 74.08 metres.
7. Where would you expect to see the letters BCE, ECB,
EZB, EKT and EKP?
8. An English river, a Scottish river, a Russian river: they all
have the same name. What‟s that?
9. What do you need to have done in order to be allowed to
join the sporting charity The Primary Club?
10. In The Mikado what is the name of the youngest sister
in the care of the Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko?
11. What is the name of the two U.S. states that end in “y”?
12. If three dice are stacked on top of each other, and a 3 is
showing on top, what is he total of the hidden spots?
SAXLINGHAM
Contact: John Pridham 01328 831851
jcwpridham@gmail.com
NATURE NOTES
One of the delights of living in this part of the country is
witnessing, as your scribe did, a rather wonderful collection
of wildlife. Adjoining our parish late one January morning I
saw five red deer, four roe deer and six muntjac, and that is
not counting the pheasants.
ST MARGARET’S CHURCH
An update on bats
It may interest our readers to know about our bats.
Following a bat survey and mitigation proposals, three
options are being considered to deal with this issue. They
are: creating an enclosed roost void in the North Transept
above the Vestry; providing roost in the Silence Chamber
which is a part of the Tower; and, for the pipistrelles,
providing external bat boxes on the church walls or on
suitable trees close to the church.
The Bats in Churches Project, alongside the Churches
Conservation Trust, will be hosting three Cleaning
Workshops in Norfolk this year.
SPRING
Meteorological Spring from 1 March is upon us, or as
Gerard Manley Hopkins put it in the first verse of his poem:
“Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –
When weeds in wheels shoot long and lovely and lush;
23

Thrush‟s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.”
SHARRINGTON
Contact: Claire Dubbins 01263 862261
cdubbins@btinternet.com
www.sharrington.org.uk
COFFEE MORNING
Sharrington PCC is looking forward to welcoming
guests from across the benefice to their annual spring coffee
morning in aid of All Saints church, to be held at All Saints
Cottage (next to the church) on Saturday 18 th April from
10am - 12noon. The popular auction of promises conducted
by Adrian Allenby will take place at 11am. There will be
complimentary home made biscuits to go with the coffee, a
cake stall, plants for sale, a book shop in the shepherd‟s hut
and if the weather is kind, a lovely garden to enjoy. The
raffle will be drawn by actors Tamara Ustinov and Malcolm
Rennie (the butler in TV‟s Mr Selfridge).
AS
NOBLE ROTTERS
Ladies v Gentlemen
In today‟s uber-correct society, the title of our
penultimate tasting of season six raised the odd eyebrow but
any anxiety soon evaporated on the night when the ladies
locked horns with the gentlemen. Each team was to present
five wines and members were to decide their preference.
The ladies (Sally Vanson from Stifkey and Averil
Cooper from Great Snoring) decided to present wines from
Germany and Austria whilst, clearly less skilled at multitasking,
the gentlemen (Martin Burkitt from Sharrington,
Charlie Killin from Wiveton, Geoff Evison from Great
Snoring and Richard Bone from Baconsthorpe) opted for
the wines of Italy.
An entertaining couple of hours with generous plates of
matching food witnessed a pretty tight contest with the
ladies taking the prize for their white wines and the
gentlemen impressing with their reds.
Of the white wines, the most popular was a Grűner
Vetliner from Adnams and, of the reds, a Rossi di
Montalcino from the Wine Society took the plaudits
(perhaps unsurprising at £19 a bottle).
As a bonus at the end of the evening, Averil presented a
wine purportedly given to her as a present by her Swiss
uncle which was greeted with fairly universal praise as a
very acceptable accompaniment to her home made stollen.
Not a member guessed its true identity, albeit that everyone
had quaffed more than the odd bottle in the early days of
their wine appreciation; the almost forgotten Blue Nun was
greeted with wry smiles around the room.
Season seven will begin in May with a vertical tasting of
six vintages of Chateau Juguet, Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion. If
you would like to join the Noble Rotters, please contact the
Chief Rotter (r.dubbins@btinternet.com) Roger Dubbins
GERMAN BOMBER CRASHES
NEAR SHARRINGTON
Norfolk was no stranger to the sound of
German aircraft engines in the Second
World War and between 1940 and 1943
numerous raids on local targets took place
with 44 separate raids on Norwich alone.
Night after night the eerie wailing of the
sirens warned of hostile aircraft overhead
making their way from airfields in North
Germany and occupied Holland to targets in
the north and west of the British Isles.
Thus it was in the early hours of Sunday May 4 th 1941,
the engine noise of a Heinkel 111, piloted by Lieutenant
Alfred Plank-Von-Bachselten was heard over the North
Norfolk skies, making its way towards the coast at Cromer
after a bombing raid over the Liverpool docks. However a
Boulton and Paul Defiant of 151 Squadron and a Bristol
Beaufighter were directed by powerful radar installation at
West Beckham onto the tracks of the German plane and a
burst of fire from the Defiant crippled the aircraft and killed
the airgunner Bruno Kauhardt with a bullet through the
heart.
The German pilot dived to evade them and at 01.04
hours made an almost perfect wheels up belly flop across
three fields before coming to a halt near Breck Farm just
north of Sharrington.
The three survivors removed their dead comrade from
the plane and placed him in a ditch before setting fire to and
24

destroying the plane. Initially retaining the heavy machine
gun, which they later abandoned, the crew divested
themselves of German currency and other “enemy items”
and set off armed with their individual pistols, intending to
avoid internment by posing as Dutch airmen. They headed
towards the Holt road past the cottage of Mrs Allison,
mother of two small children whose husband was away in
the army, as she watched the fire from the bedroom window
and heard them talking amongst themselves.
Two local constables, PC Bunnett of Binham and PC
Massingham from Holt police station arrived soon after,
alerted by a Home Guard motor cyclist. Incredibly, unseen
by anyone, the three fugitives made their way through Holt
and then on towards Salthouse. In the early morning they
opened fire on aircraft beacons in the area of Kelling Heath
and later made a small fire to warm themselves. The RAF
contacted PC Charles Henry Barnard the local officer at
Kelling police house and the unarmed officer cycled to the
area and found the three at Salthouse Heath. He bravely
approached them and at 6.10am they surrendered.
What happened then could only happen in “dear old
England”. George told the surprised Germans: “You look
all in. You had better come back and have some breakfast”.
He took them to the police house where his wife Vera made
tea and cooked breakfast before re-inforcements arrived in
the shape of PC George Chapman and the “enemy” started
on their journey to a POW camp via Holt Police Station.
It is comforting to know that in the midst of all the hatred
generated by the most horrific confrontation man had ever
known, such acts of normality and humanity still happened.
The story was researched by Mr Russell Reeve of
Colchester, whose sister Vera Reeve was one of the first
Norfolk policewomen. In 1991 Mr Reeve along with the
families of the late PC Barnard and PC Chapman met up
with Pilot Alfred Plank-Von-Bachselten and revisited the
scene of their wartime adventures.
VICTORY IN EUROPE:
A SHARED MOMENT OF
CELEBRATION 8 TH MAY
2020
As part of the national celebrations for the
seventy fifth anniversary of the end of the
Second World War in Europe, the village
hall management committee plans to host
an afternoon tea for the residents of Sharrington and Brinton
on Friday May 8 th .
Residents will be invited to arrive at the hall at 2.30pm
and to join the „Nation‟s Toast to the Heroes of World War
II‟ at 3pm by raising a glass in celebration of the heroes of
the war, „To those who gave so much; We Thank You‟.
Invitations will be delivered to the residents, all of whom
will be welcome.
If you have any memorabilia relating to the period that
you would be willing to make available for display on the
day, please let me know by email r.dubbins@
btinternet.com or telephone 01263 862261.
Roger Dubbins Chair Sharrington VH management
committee
CHURCH NOTES
Sunday 12 th April is Easter Day and we will celebrate
this with the Holy Communion at 9.30am. The church will
be dressed with lovely floral displays and hopefully the
atrocious weather will have moderated and allow the
sunshine in.
As you probably know the May Day bank holiday has
been moved to Friday 8 th May so that everyone can
remember VE Day and the 75 th anniversary. You can read
about the village hall tea party on 8 th May in a separate piece
and on Sunday 10 th May our church service will be at the
usual time of 9.30am and will include a reading of the
Tribute to the Millions, followed by coffee and cake after
the service.
It was very sad to hear of the passing of Betty Rivett on
the 2 nd February, although not unexpected as due to ill
health she had been rather reclusive in recent months,
although pleased to see visitors from time to time. Betty and
her husband John farmed in Sharrington for many years and
eventually the farm went to their son Nick and wife Claire
while they moved to a new house at the top of Brinton Hill.
Betty was a very active member of All Saints
congregation. At one time she was a churchwarden and a
member of the PCC. She enjoyed playing bridge, anything
to do with horses (although she never rode), racing, shows
and was a jump judge for some years.
It was so lovely that she was able to meet and hold her
first great granddaughter just before she died.
I will remember Betty for her beautiful smile and her
friendship. May she rest in peace.
It was also with sadness that we received the news that
Peggy Heron had also passed away in early February at the
age of 94. Peggy had moved to Sharrington with her
daughter Barbara and son-in-law David about two years go
and quickly joined our church congregation. She was upset
that she had to give up driving but she loved our little
church and enjoyed the services very much. Frailty and age
meant she could not come to church any more and we
missed her presence and will continue to do so. Rest in
peace Peggy, and our condolences to Barbara and David.
Finally my usual reminder to donate to the food bank
in church, remembering Easter and contributing special
gifts such as small chocolate eggs, biscuits and toiletries
as well as the usual staples of cereals, soups, juice, tins
and so forth. Thank you.
APG
25

PEGGY HERON
Peggy‟s daughter Barbara has kindly supplied the Lynx
with some details of Peggy‟s life which you can read below.
Peggy was born in Darlington in 1925, one of twins, not
expected to survive and who did not even go to her own
christening as she was judged to be at death‟s door. Sadly
her twin brother died at six months which impacted on
Peggy throughout her life. Apart from a constant nagging
feeling of missing someone she had a happy childhood in
Darlington, with twin farming cousins in the Tyne valley,
genteel cousins in Hexham and Gateshead and a cultured
cousin in Leeds. These cousins were close, thinking little of
cycling to visit each other in their teenage years and
throughout the war.
She spent the last two years of the war teacher training at
St Hild‟s College Durham, to teach geography to seniors.
The tall girls, as she was then, were chosen to be the college
fire brigade and air raid watch so Peggy spent many an
hilarious hour in practice, dragging ancient fire hoses round
the corridors and staircases of St Hild‟s and up onto the
starry rooftops watching for bombers against the
magnificent backdrop of Durham Cathedral.
Peggy began teaching in Middlesborough, on a salary of
£16 a month and then moved to the technical college for
boys in Darlington. She was quickly recognised as being
good at her job and loved by those difficult pupils. Her
classroom at the tech was often full of flowers even in post
war austerity. The secret of these was revealed one day
when two of her pupils were hauled out of her room by their
ears to answer the questions of a policeman enquiring into
the regular disappearance of flowers from the nearby
cemetery.
When Barbara was nearly five Peggy was persuaded to
resume her teaching career and became Mrs Heron of the
top class at the primary school Barbara herself attended. In
time she was appointed as deputy head of the biggest
primary school in Darlington.
Foreign travel became part of family life and Peggy with
her husband and Barbara travelled all over Europe together
with family friends. After her husband‟s death she turned to
cruise ships and although her first cruise was not a success
on health grounds, she subsequently met Ken, who had not
known Barbara‟s father but knew several of the people he
had worked with as he too was a railway man. There
followed 18 happy years for Peggy with Ken and she drew
much comfort from these memories as her life became more
restricted.
Her grandsons too were a constant source of happiness
and she was immensely proud of them both. She regarded
herself primarily as a North Easterner, of border family
stock, then as a European and felt it entirely fitting her
grandsons should spread their wings to work abroad, one in
Australia and one in Europe.
The church and its community were very dear to Peggy.
She had her faith. It was not quite what you would call
conventional. She did not need church services of one
specific kind of another. She needed the people and the
buildings and after that hills, mountains, rivers and nature.
She grew up with, as a back drop to daily existence, her
grandmother‟s unquestioning acceptance that „everything
was God‟s purpose‟ and when emphasis was needed that
„The Good Lord knows what he is doing‟.
JAMMIN’ FOR SCONES
Jammin‟ for scones continues to meet on the second
Tuesday of the month 2-4pm in Sharrington village hall. We
have become a group of friends who enjoy sharing songs,
instrumental music, poetry and readings. There are about 20
people on the mailing list but generally only about 10 come
to the meetings. The small size of the group is very nonthreatening
and has given several people the courage to
stand up and „perform‟ for the first time. January was the
first anniversary of the group and to celebrate the success 15
of us enjoyed a lunch at the Binham Chequers followed by
our usual singing etc in the bar. Our next meetings are the
14 th April and the 12 th May. Angela Mason
WHERE IS THE LION’S HEAD?
Last seen in the churchyard
of All Saints Sharrington in the
1960s was the lion‟s head which
stood on the top of the nearby
wayside cross. It was not
unusual for interesting looking
pieces of masonry work to be
picked up and used for
ornamentation in gardens. Jack Gaskin was quite proud of
his gardens at the Sunshine Bakery in Hindringham where
he would show visitors the stonework features he had
gathered from places like Binham Priory on his delivery
rounds. It is likely that the lion‟s head adorns a local garden,
its origins unknown to the present owners. It is hoped that
one day it will be restored to stand once again on top of the
wayside cross.
The reason for its being a lion rather than, say a crucifix
was that Sharrington was designated „King‟s Land‟ and
officially it is a listed scheduled monument UID 1015253.
The tall fourteenth century wayside cross is an excellent
example of landmark features erected in the Middle Ages.
At a time when literacy was not widespread, it would have
been customary for Royal proclamations to be made from
the mound of its verdant reserve. It also marked the
pilgrims‟ route to the Shrine at Walsingham. Altogether
there are only some 2000 crosses left in the entire country.
This one, restored to its original height, is therefore of
importance.
26

There are two versions for why there are four deep holes
on each side of its base. It has been suggested that they
provided sockets for stout poles enabling eight men to carry
and set the stone in place. A more probable explanation is
that they held the four cardinal direction pointers, as can be
seen by using a compass that may even have had the names
of villages on them. There was a southern route, since
ploughed over which went to the water mill, once owned by
the Daubeney family, at Lower Sharrington, by which that
part of Brinton was called up to the early part of the last
century. The site was sometimes referred to as the „Four
Ways‟.
Without doubt, historically it would have been a focal
point in the settlement, close by the church. Although the
Black Death caused the core of the settlement to be moved
northwards, there has always been a pattern and practice of
building where buildings once stood. The Chequers,
formerly the Hastings Arms, with its stabling would have
been an ideal staging post for travellers. Also, the location of
Daubeney Hall farm, the rectory and old schoolhouse
nearby, confirm that the wayside cross was situated in what
used to be the medieval heart of the village.
Further details and background information on wayside
crosses can be found at www.historicengland.org.uk/
listing.
Derek Harris
CRAFT MEETING
Our April get together on Thursday April 16 th will focus
on the village‟s forthcoming celebrations of the 75 th
anniversary of VE Day.
Participants will be making a themed table decoration
for the village hall‟s VE Day tea party on 8 th May at
2.30pm. We will focus on the wartime slogan “Make Do
and Mend”, using found objects that need TLC and turning
them into something fit for a celebration!
After the event the table decorations can be collected and
taken home. Do join us on April 16 th 2 – 4pm. Sarah Bell
VILLAGE HALL CONCERT
On 23 rd and 24 th May at 7.30pm we are delighted to
welcome legendary band „The Strawbs‟ to the hall. The
23 rd May gig sold out almost immediately but at the
time of writing tickets were still available for the 24 th
May and can be bought by emailing Chris Abrams at
abrams.chris2@gmail.com. The Strawbs are playing
here as part of their 50 th anniversary acoustic tour. Very
exciting news indeed. We look forward to seeing many
of you there.
The planned music night for May clashed with this
concert so we will now be welcoming Wendy Benefer
and „Snapshot‟ on Wednesday 1 st July. Chris Abrams
FILM NIGHT - ‘MY GENERATION’
„A Glorious Ode to the 60‟s: the decade that changed the
world‟, a feature-length documentary narrated by Michael
Caine about his vivid and inspiring journey through 1960‟s
London in which he talks to the biggest icons of the day
from the worlds of fashion, art, photography and music.
To be screened at the village hall at 7.45pm on Friday
24 th April. Doors open at 7pm. Licensed bar and as The
Who might have sung at the time (with a bit of artistic
licence. IT‟S FREE). To reserve a seat email
r.dubbins@btinternet.com.
Roger Dubbins Chair VH management committee
VILLAGE HALL: AGM
2019 was the best year in the life of the hall for some
time with more use, more variety, sell-out concerts, the
biggest electricity bill ever but also the biggest surplus.
However the management committee welcomes your
feedback and suggestions on how it might improve things.
The 2020 annual general meeting will be held on
Tuesday 19 th May at 7.30pm.Your chance to have your
say. Roger Dubbins Chair VH management committee
SHARRINGTON AND DISTRICT
GARDENING GROUP
The group started its year with an AGM combined
with an illustrated talk from Simon Dodsworth of the
English Iris Company.
27

In the business section, the existing committee was reelected
en bloc and chairman Mrs Robin Burkitt and
treasurer Adrian Allenby welcomed members old and new
and gave reports on the activities of the club both social and
financial.
After a break for refreshments, the glories of the English
iris took centre stage, with our speaker extolling the virtues
of this stately species. And, judging from the number of pots
being carried out of the village hall, the gardens of North
Norfolk will soon be boasting an array of stunning blooms.
Our early March meeting welcomed back Darren
Lerigo, a popular speaker who entertained us as well as
educating us on the finer points of topiary and gave many
tips on pruning. He brought along a selection of his amazing
Japanese garden tools and also a range of recycled hats.
Drinks, canapés and a popular raffle all added to the relaxed
spirit of the evening.
The eagerly anticipated film about acclaimed landscape
designer Piet Oudolf was scheduled for 30 th March showing
at Holt Community Centre. Then it will be back to
Sharrington village hall on 6 th May for a talk by Dr. Twigs
Way, the garden historian and broadcaster, entitled
“Virgins, Weeders and Queens: a history of women in the
garden”. Of great excitement to many members is the
planned visit to Beth Chatto‟s Essex garden on 10 th June.
The cost is £23 and includes a guided tour round the iconic
gravel gardens.
Details of all these events and membership enquiries ,
can be obtained from Robin Burkitt robin@
daubeneyhallfarm.com or 01263 861939. PEL
STIFFKEY
Contact: Dr.Sally Vanson 01328 830560
dr.sallyvanson@gmail.com
NEW LYNX REP
I am delighted to have taken over as the
village rep for Stiffkey after the fabulous
work done in the past by Geraldine. My role
is to collect useful news from the village
and prepare it for publication. It would be
lovely to see Stiffkey with a bigger
representation in the Local Lynx so please send me your
contributions. We want to hear about new residents,
departing residents, births, deaths and marriages, significant
birthdays (if you dare) as well as society, sports and club
events, village hall and Parish Council news. If you would
like to place an advert, these cost £12 per issue.
Starting in May, I need your offerings by 6 th of the
month on alternate months although I am happy to receive
them whenever it‟s easier for you. Contact me at
dr.sallyvanson@gmail.com.
NORTH NORFOLK BOOK WORMS
Our February read was Jamaica Inn, a novel by the
English writer Daphne du Maurier, first published in 1936.It
is a period piece set in Cornwall in 1820. It was inspired by
du Maurier's 1930 stay at the real Jamaica Inn, which still
exists and is a pub in the middle of Bodmin Moor. The plot
follows a group of murderous wreckers who run ships
aground, kill the sailors and steal the cargo. Some of our
members had read it at school, for others it was new. We all
agreed it was a thoroughly enjoyable and timeless read with
some fabulous characterisation and the descriptive writing
and lengthy sentence structure drew us in to the dismal
environment of Bodmin Moor in winter.
In March we read Love in Blind by William Boyd. This
is the latest novel from a very fluent and prolific writer and
we generally found it very readable, engaging and at times
very funny. It‟s a mix of fact and fiction and for a historic
novel, the plot races along a quite a pace.
The book club meets one evening a month in a
member‟s home and we borrow our books from Wells
Library to reduce costs. We welcome members from nearby
villages to enjoy wine and soft drinks and great
conversations which lead to new topics and learning. We
have vacancies for two more members so if you are
interested please contact me. Dr.sallyvanson@ gmail.com.
STIFFKEY VILLAGE FACEBOOK
Stiffkey Village Facebook page now has 136 members
and can be found at https://www. facebook.com/
groups/790563987749800/.
We are delighted to see more use being made of it as
villagers share artwork and photographs, items for sale and
local events. The Stiffkey Village Group is a place to make
friends and share information about life in Stiffkey. Are you
looking for a recommendation for local trades people? Want
to know what to do with all those home-grown fruits and
28

vegetables? Ask the group! Want to recommend a great
event or place to visit? Tell the group! Fancy a good old
chat about social events, the Church, the traffic? We even
have previous residents from Australia trying to stay in
touch.
If you have a Facebook account then just enter Stiffkey
Village in the search bar at the top and it will take you to our
page. If you don‟t have an account, they are easy to set up
and do not have to be available for public viewing unless
you wish.
CHURCH NEWS
In February on the 14 th , a well-attended funeral service
was held in the church for Pat Price, a past Chairman and
committee member of the Local History Group after a long
battle with illness.
Mothering Sunday was on 22 nd March. Unfortunately,
there was no service at Stiffkey this year, however there was
a shared service at Langham, as there will be for Easter Day
as this also falls on a second Sunday in the month.
On Easter Day, 12 th April, although there is no service in
the morning, our Annual Easter Egg Hunt in the
Churchyard will take place at 3p.m. Let us hope the weather
is warm and sunny by then and everyone is welcome.
Heather Harrison
A VILLAGE REMEMBERS
Like all villages here in North Norfolk,
Stiffkey sent its young men and women to
war in 1939. Some put their lives on hold.
Some were changed mentally or physically
for ever. Some families felt the scars of war
even to the present time.
The village of Stiffkey was changed beyond
recognition. The building of the Anti
Aircraft Artillery training camp at the
Greenway in 1938 saw the influx of up to
2000 young men at here any one time. They came to learn
how to use their rifles and the Bofors guns. They were
mostly teenagers. The Stiffkey Stick, a simple guidance for
the big guns, was
developed here
and adopted all
over the world
during the
conflict. Some in
the village were
able to thrive on
the influx by
setting up
businesses which catered for the camp while others found
employment opportunities. Others were curtailed by its
presence.
The longshore fishing community, who used the
marshland and the nearby sea, were often unable to go to
work, despite the fact that they were producing valuable
protein for the diet of the locals. Fr Bruno Scott James, who
lived in the village, set up a co-operative to champion their
cause along the coastline, but I don‟t think it made a jot of
difference.
29
The pinkfoot and brent geese left not to return until after
the 1962-63 bitter winter. There were often accidents in the
narrow street through the village and disruption from the
young men letting off steam. The Army training continued
at Stiffkey until 1955, with the addition of the USAF doing
its thing with radio controlled aircraft (RCATS) for a year or
two in the early 50‟s. Until 1960 the territorial brigades held
their summer camps in the redundant buildings until the
whole site was sold back to farming interests.
Many of the buildings have been demolished and part of
the site is now used for tent and caravan holidays. Some of
the buildings are holiday lets and boat building businesses.
The rest are used for the farm except for the
Rescuewoodenboats museum but the evidence of the
occupation can still be found.
There is a list in the Stiffkey Church of those who
served, and those who lost their lives are commemorated on
the village war memorial. They are PO George Green, aged
22 (died 31 st August 1940 on board HMS Express off
Texel, Holland - no known grave); Alan George
Greenacre, Private 5 th Battalion Royal Norfolk
Regiment aged 22 (died 24 th January 1942 when the
Japanese took Singapore. Buried in Singapore); Mark
James Jarvis, 5 th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, 28 (died
as a Japanese prisoner of war 6 th June 1943, buried
Thailand); Ernest Cornelius Jarvis, Sergeant (air
gunner) 550 Air Squadron, RAF Volunteer Reserve
(died 23rd February 1945, buried Bayern, Germany).
All were members of longstanding Stiffkey families.
They did not come home but their names are here, set in
stone.
Geraldine Green for SLHG

STIFFKEY PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
Please register to vote
The Parish Council would like to encourage anyone
not registered to vote to do so! You can register at
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Second home-owners in the Parish of Stiffkey are
eligible to vote in local elections and we would like you
to get involved and have your say.
Things like electoral boundaries are based on the
electoral register, so you can make a difference.
Would you like a new interest?
The Parish Council is always looking for anyone
who is able to volunteer on its various projects. If you
are interested, or would like more information, please
get in touch via email clerk@stiffkeyvillage.org or via
our website www.stiffkeyvillage.org Alternatively, you
can pass on your details to one of the parish councillors.
more than a year now so have been fortunate enough to
enjoy all the seasons including a great Easter and a
fabulous first Christmas in beautiful Stiffkey and
surrounding areas. We have met some lovely people
and are looking forward to many more good times
ahead”.
They will shortly become full time and Mandy is
looking forward to joining our book club when she
retires in a couple of months.
Sally Vanson
WARBOROUGH HOUSE OPEN GARDEN
Sunday 24 th May
11am - 4pm
Admission £5 Children under 16 free
Once again, on Spring
Bank Holiday Sunday,
Jonathan and Arabella Morgan
will kindly open the garden at
Warborough House for the
National Garden Scheme
(NGS Yellow Book)
beneficiary charities.
Refreshments will be served in aid of the
maintenance and fabric fund of St Johns Church,
Stiffkey. There will be plants for sale and a children‟s
trail. There is parking signed from the entrance on the
main road.
Please do not park on the main road as this causes
congestion. The Coast Hopper bus stops outside the
garden entrance (Stiffkey Stores stop) Arabella Morgan
NEW RESIDENTS
We have several new residents both full and parttime
in the village and it would be lovely to hear from
you so we can welcome you into our community.
In this issue we have a „hello‟ from Mandy and
Stephen, “We have been in Pells (46, Wells Road) for
30

LANGHAM VILLAGE SCHOOL NEWS
The month of March brings „The World Creative
Writing Competition‟. This is a contest on the website
that we use to promote writing called „The Night Zoo
Keeper.‟ It is an international competition with schools
from all over the world competing to see which class
can write the most during the month of March. There
are rewards for the quality together with the quantity of
writing. This is the fifth time we have entered this competition
and it always inspires fantastic writing across
the school. Many children write at home and at school
and they love to read and comment on each others‟ writing.
This month Amber Class have had a walk round
Langham and visited Cromer to study the buildings as
part of their topic, they have compared the buildings in
Langham with Cromer and learnt about the history and
geography of the areas. Olly age 7 wrote a report:
„First we went on the bus to Cromer and it was driven
by Steve. Then we drew a building it was awesome!
Next, we went to the Church, we were there by eleven
o‟clock. We were learning about the windows in the
Church. Finally, we went to the pier it was really high
up! Langham‟s buildings are lower than Cromer‟s
buildings. The newest building in Cromer was the lift in
the Rocket Cafe. The Church was 600 years old.‟
Our youngest children in Coral Class have been
reading the classic children‟s book: „The Tiger who
came to Tea‟ by Judith Kerr. As part of this project they
visited The Nelson Café in Wells for tea and toast. They
found out all about how a café works and practised
spreading their toast with butter! No Tigers were spotted
on the trip!
We have had some sporting success this term; we
took part in a golf tournament. We won football, hockey,
rugby and netball tournaments and the Swimming
Gala – „Go Langham!‟
The School Council have been very active recently;
they have concentrated on environmental issues and we
are now an official collection point for the recycling of
crisp packets. We have a new trophy for the class that is
the best at recycling and this is awarded each week in
our Celebration Assembly.
We have been busy fund raising this term; a group of
our older girls organised their own Cake Sale to raise
funds to help the appeal in Australia. They were very
concerned about the plight of the Koalas. Jeremiah in
Year 2 did a fantastic job organising a raffle to raise
money for the earthquake in the Central Philippines; he
has family there and wanted to do something to help. He
raised a massive £198.
We continue to raise money for our running track and
hope to be able to complete it by the summer.
Langham continues to go from strength to strength
and we are excited about all the activities and learning
we have planned over the next few months.
Our vision is „A place for fun, creativity, friendship,
ambition and discovery.‟
Polly Kossowicz - Head teacher
For further information please visit our website
www.langham.norfolk.co.uk or follow us on twitter
@langhamvill.
MORSTON QUIZ ANSWERS
(questions on page 23)
1. Comma. 2. Thirty. 3. George. 4. A gorilla. 5. Dominoes.
6. The men‟s discus weighed and weighs twice as much as
the women‟s discus: 2kg versus 1kg. 7. On any Euro
banknote. They are the initial of the European Bank in
various languages. 8. Don. (There are more in France, India
and Canada.) 9. Been out first ball at cricket. 10. Yum-Yum.
11. Kentucky and New Jersey. 12. Eighteen. (The spots on
opposite sides of a die always add up to 7 therefore 7 + 7+ 4
= 18.)
31

LYNX 131 ADS DIRECTORY
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Community Heartbeat advice leaflet back cover
Glaven Care Centre 8
Glaven Care Centre volunteers needed 27
Heritage House, Wells 17
Hindringham Toddler Group 14
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Norfolk Woodburners Stoves 24
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