BENDLOWE'S BUGLE - Shalford Parish Council
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BENDLOWE’S BUGLE
(distribution 40 hardcopies plus an additional 40 emails plus Shalford Website)
HAPPY NEW YEAR
JANUARY 2021
Hurry – don’t miss
out. Only a
few calendars
left
The yellow rose is a symbol of friendship joy and caring. It conveys warmth,
delight, gladness and affection. It is the rose to give a close friend; to say good
luck and welcome back.
IT’S GOOD TO TAKE PART
2
JANUARY 2021 ISSUE (No 9) IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY:-
PAGE NO
BILL ASKEW
Interview 29th November 2017 Starting Work in WWII………………………… 6 - 7
(by kind permission of Joan Talbot)
GILL ASKEW
Walking Around Shalford………………………………………………………….. 21
TREVOR BEAL
Albert Walter Dawson……………………………………………………………… 16 - 17 16 – 17
MARY & GRAHAM BRACE
The Halfway Shop…………………………………………………………………… 24
ROBERT BURROWS
Bendlowe’s Crossword No.6………………………………………………………… 15
ANGELA CANHAM
My favourite photo…………………………………………………………………… 10
CHIVONNE CLAYDON
Community Agents …………………………………………………………………. 28
ELIZABETH CROOK (Didi)
30 years later – Return to the Himalayas……………………………………….. 3 - 5
MEL FRAY
My Yellow Rose……………………………………………………………………… 10
Bendlowe’s Christmas Cacti……………………………………………………… 20
CAROL HUSSEY
My favourite photo…………………………………………………………………. 7
Poem: Hobby……………………………………………………………………….. 23
Poem: Reflections…………………………………………………………………. 23
MARIANNA & DERRICK MARRIOTT
Pass the Salt please Darling………………………………………………………. 33
ADRIAN QUICK
Later-Life Planning – Doing the Right Things!........................................... 29 - 31
BRETT RUNCHMAN
Tales of a Milkman………………………………………………………………… 8 - 10
MARGARET SPARKS
Granny’s Getting Dressed………………………………………………………..18 - 19
EMMA TANNER
Love your Muscles……………………………………………………………… 25 - 28
SHALFORD VILLAGE HALL
Two well-earned awards………………………………………………………….34 - 35
MARYLYN WHAYMAND
Who Were the Minoans (Part 2) ……………………………………………… 11 - 14
SALLY WELSH
Avoid It Like The Plague…………………………………………………………….32
Tree-mendous Facts………………………………………………………………….32
Thank you to all those listed above who have been so generous with their time
to bring to us this month’s extremely varied and interesting Bugle – enjoy!
3
30 YEARS LATER IN MY TRAVELS
RETURN TO THE HIMALAYAS
MOUNTAIN TREKKING TO TIBET ITSELF
BY DIDI CROOK
On return to England, after four years abroad, working on other projects also, I
realised I was more concerned with social problems than medical ones, and re-
trained as a Social Worker.
Years later, I have officially retired. My life
began to feel indulgent, and when I read about
one-day sponsored walks, I planned a one-month
sponsored pilgrimage to Tibet, to Mount Kailash
in particular. I would be walking from Nepal
over the Himalayas into Tibet, and returning the
same route. Just from my Christmas card list, I
managed to raise £1,330, to be split between Free
Tibet Campaign, and Amnesty International.
Free Tibet kindly mentioned something of this in
a bulletin. The trek proved strenuous – below
freezing temperatures in the tent, and blizzards to
pass through, due to the fact that winter arrived
early in Tibet. I had to conquer my fear of snow
covered precipices and extreme tiredness. It was
good to see Nomads on the Tibetan plateau, with
their strange spider-like tents, and herds of Yaks
and Goats. They seemed to epitomise the freedom which should be the right of
all Tibetan peoples. All Tibetans we met were spontaneously friendly – this is a
wilderness area really, and if it were not for Chinese Police Posts every so often,
we might have felt that the people were free. We did not meet any other
Chinese people on the whole journey, except for a “government” party, visiting
Tsaparang. One of these looked pleased to see me, and asked where I came
from. I asked him in return, and he replied “China”. Without thinking, I said
“and are you visiting Tibet, or do you live here?” It must have been clear to him
that for me; Tibet and China are two different countries. I had not realised the
implications of my
question, until I saw him
avert his eyes, drop his
head to one side, and not
replying, walk on!
In 1998, I had the
opportunity to visit Tibet
again, trekking through a Nepal of pouring late monsoon, heat, and a large
4
number of leeches. Once in Tibet, the sun shone from fresh clear skies. The
puffy balls of white clouds, so very Tibetan, cast ever moving shadows across
the vast ranges of brown desert-like landscape. We were on the Eastern side of
Tibet now, whereas last year we were more to the West. We took a four-wheel
drive and visited some small monasteries en route. I found myself getting
increasingly depressed. Last year I experienced the warmth of Tibetan people,
and the sense of hope as very slowly the monasteries were being restored, and
more monks returning (albeit, only with permission from Chinese authorities).
This year, entering on the East, everything felt very different. Even the Tibetan
villagers there seemed only too keen to beg for money, directly asking for it –
and were only interested in you for that reason. The direct human-to-human
contact felt missing here. The begging children followed into holy places, and
no monk came out to greet you. Even the larger monasteries which we visited at
Sakya and Shigatse held the same cold feeling. What makes the entry on the
East and West feel so different? I do not know. Were the Chinese more brutal
on this route? It is the main route to Lhasa from Nepal? Or are Western tourists
to blame – have too many people offered pity in the form of money to poor
villagers and children? This is the main route (apart from flying to Lhasa) for
tourists to enter Tibet by road. Or, was I different this year?
We made our own base-camp at Mount Everest,
on the site where Mallory and Irvine left to
climb, never to be seen again. That mountain is
HUGE! The great semi-circular ice-wall took
my breath away. Another truly holy mountain,
if only people stopped to feel the “sense of
Place” and hear the silence. Tibet is amazing.
Near Shigatse one night, I looked up and
counted 14 shooting stars in the space of five
minutes and another night the whole sky was
full of them!
It was very moving to visit Lhasa. When in
Dharmsala all those years ago, the children
painted again and again pictures of the Potala,
and those puffy white clouds. Now I was actually seeing the Potala for myself.
Like Everest, it is huge! It felt wrong that I could walk those corridors, see the
meditation room and enter the living quarters of the Dalai Lama, when he
himself is unable to live out his rightful living in his own house. Likewise the
Summer Palace, which he loved so much.
There are many many Chinese people living throughout this Eastern side of
Tibet, unlike the area across to Kailash. Farmers and businessmen probably
well outnumber the Tibetans. The Holiday Inn is now under a different name.
We stayed in the old Tibetan Lhasa, not far from the Jokhang Monastery, but
even that hotel was Chinese run with Chinese staff.
5
The most joyful experience was my visit to and around the Jokhang Monastery.
Here, Tibetans wore proudly full Tibetan clothing, hairstyles, and jewellery.
The monastery was full of devout practicing Tibetans. People were openly
prostrating by the front doors, filling the corridors, worshipping before the
shrines.
There is a 7th Century Statue of the
Buddha which was damaged in the
Cultural Revolution. Two pieces
were broken off. The lower part
remained in Tibet and has been
restored. Before he died, the last
Panchen Lama, when visiting
China, found the upper part and
brought it back. Special monks had
arrived to begin repainting the
statue in gold. Enthusiasm was in
the air, butter lamps burnt brightly
everywhere. Monks were going
about their tasks brightly,
communicating with each other and
smiling at us. Unlike the Eastern
entry to Tibet, here I felt the
warmth again. I began to relax. I
turned round to let a group of
Monks pass on their way to bless
the repainting of the statue. Then,
my sinking heart, noticed they were
headed by a Chinese policeman in
full uniform. Even here, in the
depths of the monastery, the
necessary stamp of authoritarianism
was made only too apparent.
GOOD NEWS
Following a successful sale of Bendlowe’s Shalford Calendars, sold in order to raise funds for
Shalford’s very own Petanque Terrain to be located at the Village Hall and further fund
raising from our two District Councillors, Braintree District Council, and our Parish Council,
I am very pleased to announce that it should be built some time in the early part of 2021 – yes
– some good news at last! We DO have a few calendars left and would love to SELL OUT so
if you can help, please contact me, Alice, 01371 851146 – it would be very much appreciated.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN
6
JOAN TALBOT INTERVIEW 29TH NOVEMBER 2017
BY: BILL ASKEW
LEAVING SCHOOL AND STARTING WORK DURING WWII
I didn’t see much of the war while I was still at school, I can’t
remember any bombing or anything while I was there. I had
started work before there were any air raids. When the raids
began, we started off by sleeping downstairs at home for safety and
then after a period when there hadn’t been any raids, we all went
back upstairs to bed again. One night I woke up and I heard these
bombs whistling by. I got out of bed and grabbed my brothers out
of their room and I got them downstairs carrying one under each
arm, I don’t know how I did it. The bombs fell at Beazley End and
did some damage to the Smithy. They had china and ornaments
broken there and one of the cottages opposite was completely
destroyed but I don’t think the old chap that lived there was hurt
but I can’t really remember. I always biked to work, it would be
pitch black in the winter and you would have a silly little lamp that
you couldn’t see with. We had to go whatever the weather, if it
was snow, we would end up pushing our bikes along all the way to
Bocking. If a car or lorry had already gone through, we would walk Joan aged about 11
in the tyre tracks. We would always leave out in good time to start
work at half past seven. When I started at Courtauld’s, I worked on the top floor which was
called the examining floor. The men examined the fabrics and we would have to put the rolls
onto the machine. The printed fabrics came in bales and sometimes there would be an end in
the middle of the bale and as the material flew over the machine you had to catch the end. If
you didn’t catch it you got into a lot of trouble with the men. Our department examined the
material before it was packed up ready for despatch. In the end, I got put onto the desk where
I wrote all the despatch tickets out in duplicate. When I was 16, a vacancy came up on the
bottom floor on the stenters, that was the big machine that dried the fabrics after they had
been dyed, which involved a lot of heavy lifting and that’s where I stayed until I married.
Wet rolls of fabric would come straight from the dye house and we had to climb on a
platform, a girl each side, and feed the material into this big machine. The fabric went
through a sort of long oven. The cloth was woven at Halstead and possibly at the Braintree
factory as well, then it would come to us in the Bocking factory to be finished and
despatched. The girls on the second floor would double the material and feed it onto
cardboard cylinders to make rolls before it was examined and then packed. A lorry would
come into the bottom of the building into the loading bay and the material would be loaded on
and sent on its way to the customers. We had a few air raids while I was at work and when
they happened, we would have to go to the shelters on the other side of the river. We would
cross over on a little bridge near the power house which had two huge chimneys.
We didn’t have that many raids during the day. During the war, we were making parachute
silk and other materials for the war effort. Courtaulds also made cordite at this time.
Towards the end of the war, we also produced a fabric which was made from seaweed and
was used for dressing wounds. Its great advantage was that it could be left on the wound for
longer periods than normal dressings and therefore accelerated the healing process. We didn’t
have any damage to our factory but we did hear the bombs when they fell in Braintree. We
used to see a lot of the doodlebugs fly over on their way to London and we did have a V2
rocket land near the waterworks. It made a huge hole. I don’t know if it fell short of its
target.
7
When the airfield was built at Saling the Marauder aircraft were stationed there. We
used to hear them going out at night on raids and then we watched them come back. They
would be dropping different coloured flares depending on
what sort of assistance they needed when they landed,
perhaps they had wounded on board or required a fire
engine. The American airmen used to come to the
Saturday night dances at the Village Hall and we got to
know some of them. Some were killed in action and we
wouldn’t see them any more.
There used to be a family called Cooper who lived at Horse
Shoes, I think, the father played a piano accordion and one
of the boys played the drums. They were fairly good
musicians, good enough for the village hop anyway. They
An American Martin B-26B-55-MA
could play a waltz and a foxtrot. We didn’t do much Marauder
jitterbugging but I think they used to at Bocking.
There weren’t many men to dance with because a lot of them were in the forces you see.
There would be some men from the base at Wethersfield and there would be some Americans
from Saling come, so it would be mostly servicemen, otherwise there wouldn’t have been
anyone to dance with. I did go to dances at the Crittall’s Club in Braintree once or twice on a
Saturday night. I would stop in Braintree with my cousins - that was a bit upmarket. They
had a band there but I can’t remember who they were. After the war, when I married, there
were no dances and we used to have whist drives. There would be twenty odd tables, they
used to come from everywhere to play whist at the Village Hall. By the 1950s, I was living in
Panfield with my husband Fred and we would always come to Shalford because there wasn’t
a lot to do in Panfield at that time, it was quite a small village and there weren’t many people
there then, it wasn’t built up like it is now, so most weekends my husband Fred and I would
cycle up to Shalford for a whist drive.
MY FAVOURITE PHOTO
BY: CAROL HUSSEY
This was a lovely group we met enjoying a school trip to 13th C. Citadel in Aleppo,
Syria. They wanted to practice
their English on us – we had some
lovely exchanges. Then, as we
left, one small boy solemnly
shook my husband’s hand and
said
“Thank you for coming”
Eighteen months later Aleppo had
been bombed back to the Middle
Ages, and overrun by Isis.
8
TALES OF A MILKMAN 1991
By: BRETT RUNCHMAN
Hi, I used to cover Mick Tanner the milkman for Shalford from 1989 till sometime in,
I think, 1992. Mick was a lovely local character that had
the dairy based behind the post office in Great Saling.
From aged 15, I learnt the route with Mick and with a
driver - mostly Andrew Overall who many of you will
know from Hulls Lane. This was because I was too
young to drive. I used to cover his holidays. In 1991/2
Mick was involved in a horrific accident and I,
temporarily, did the round whilst at 6th form until it was
sold on.
I want to take you back to 1991/2 when I, for a while, did the route in a very tired
Mark 2 transit milk float borrowed from another dairy to temporarily replace the
crashed one.
My alarm would sound at 2:30am. I would drive to the dairy and load the float from
the walk-in fridge. Then set off towards Jaspers Green where my first drop was, with
Mick’s trusted order book. This book contained 379 customers covering Jaspers
Green, Panfield, through to Ashton Cottages then along the Shalford road into
Shalford then Rotten End, Beasley End and into Blackmore End, finishing on the
Gosfield road.
There were many characters along the route that would make me laugh. I would get to
Jaspers Green at approximately 3.30am – 4.00am. In those days, almost all properties
had milk and other produce delivered. After a short while, I could remember most
people's orders. It was a lovely job, driving through the area. Remember - this was in
a time before mobile phones, the internet and computers. It always amazed me that
Mick would estimate the stock accurately. There was very little waste, and all was in
glass bottles.
So to the characters:-
Jaspers Green
Coming in from Shalford Green, I would work my way along delivering silver top and
collecting the empties as I went. There was one house in Jaspers Green that never used
to wash their bottles. This was particularly unpleasant in the summer as you can
imagine. In Water Lane, there were the Haydens; Ken and Mary, Mary a nurse who
would love to chat and offer homemade soup as a warmer. Ken brewed very strong
and very nice beer at home. Lol
There were also the Bentleys; Jim Bentley had really thick glasses and was a very
humble man. Keen gardeners from the Horticultural Society, Summer and Autumn
shows. Around the corner in Jaspers Green were Sue and Dave Martin, many of you
will know them from the village Parish Council and the houses of Len and Evelyn
Dawson and Les and Betty Dawson; these were also keen members of the
Horticultural Society. There was strong competition at these shows from all these
9
people and many others in the village such as the Rusts, Brights, Phyliss Rieman and
many many others. The village was a hive of activity on these days.
Peter French and his family lived at Lowlands Farm and David French at Roselands
Farm. Their parents, Betty and Ron French at Killhogs in Water Lane. Mary Young
lived opposite Water Lane and with Gay Watson from Westerns were keen members
of the WI. Mary had a strong accent and reminded me of Supergran – Ha! Ha! -
constantly flying around in her Triumph Toledo. My parents lived in Elmwood on the
corner.
Jaspers Green was a very friendly hamlet back in those
days. Everyone seemed involved in something and many of
these characters have long passed. It was odd how many of
the residents I knew back in those days and I was very
young. The world seemed somehow slower and calmer.
Shalford
I would start Shalford from the Victoria at Shalford Green and go towards Shalford
past Hubbards Farm then to Mr and Mrs Sim near the Derbyshire Dip. I also used to
cut their grass and clean their swimming pool back in those days. Then, onwards
through Church End including the school. In 1989 I completed my work experience
there and probably it was here that sewed the seeds for my life in Nursing and
subsequently Teaching. Barryfields was the only built-up area of Shalford back then
and was the most complicated part of the round if it was dark. Many of the houses
looked similar. Also, people used to have some odd storage solutions for their milk.
Boxes in hedges. Cupboards in walls. Fridges in sheds. At one house, I used to have to
leave the milk in an old cooker in the garden! I never understood that one! In
Cliffield, I would stop and talk to Ms Whipps, a lovely elderly lady that would ask all
sorts of favours that would involve purchasing bits for her, posting things for her and
collecting things from the Post Office. All part of the service, I guess. A scary delivery
was to a farm in Hulls Lane that had guard geese. I used to prepare their order before
entering the farm and get as close to the front door as I could. The geese would run at
me full pelt as soon as I entered. I got good at racing to avoid them. On a couple of
occasions, they did catch me. Lol
Navigating Rotten end in the winter could be challenging in a rear-wheel-drive milk
float. I never actually got stuck and always completed the round. Sometimes it would
take longer though. Some of the chases became very muddy and slippery. The
characters out there were Mrs Reid from High Thatch who I always thought of as very
posh with her jersey gold top milk. It was challenging to keep it cold in the summer.
Mrs Alvaris with her many many dogs and a famous person from Barley Fenn. Then
to the Tabors at Codham and on Bovingdon Road where I was instructed to drive
round the back of the large house to the kitchens. He had a
lovely Triumph Vitesse I remember.
As I went, I would put the empties on the bottom row at the
sides first. When the outside was empty, I would swap them
over putting the empties into the centre and milk then on the
outside. It was also important to unload the float evenly or it
would become unbalanced making driving challenging.
This was especially so on a Saturday when the float would be 3 crates high and very
10
heavy. Who knew delivering milk was so technical! The borrowed transit float
wasn’t far from it’s end of life and 45 miles a day working it’s hardest didn’t help it,
the driver's door you had to lock as otherwise it would fly open on corners. I once
nearly lost it to a parked car in Church End. It also had a very wheezy engine and non-
existent heating. Codham Hill was a 1st gear only job. I couldn’t use 2nd much as it
would jump out of gear unless I held it in. But that van did its job and miraculously
never broke down.
.
I would complete the round at about 11.30am then go to refuel the van then back to the
dairy to off load empties, wash down the rear bed ready for the next day when it would
all start again.
There were other people I would see about as the village woke up. Mainly the farmers
or people off to work, then people off to school. I would see Sharon Monk doing her
newspaper round and come across the postman in many places.
This is just a small window of part of that experience all those years ago. I left home in
1992 to go to University. I look back at those times fondly now. It is still a charming
place.
MY YELLOW ROSE
BY: MEL FRAY
I may be one of the Shalford Horticultural Committee but as the others would probably
confirm I’m certainly not a gardener (or a cook, or a crafter) and only became a
member because I’d heard about Heather’s cake at the meetings! Although I should
mention that my apples and pears have often been placed and I even won the tastiest
tomato once! However, I decided that I would like to try and grow a rose from The
Bendlowe’s Yellow Rose received in July 2020 which has now become our symbol of
friendship and it’s going very well so far.
Brrr!
What a shock
this was to
wake up to on a
Friday morning
(4th December).
Won’t be long before
it will look like this! Very pretty
looking out of
my bedroom
window
though!
Angela
Canham11
WHO WERE THE MINOANS? (part 2)
BY: MARYLYN WHAYMAND
In this section on ‘Who Were the Minoans’, the story continues with the arrivals
of peoples during the Final Neolithic-Early Bronze Age transition period during
c3500-3000 BCE. It is a period of major climatic shifts and catastrophic natural
events which led people to leave their homelands to seek refuge in safer
havens. Happy reading!
The Final Neolithic – Early Bronze Age Transition - c3500 – 3000 BCE
(c) Marylyn Whaymand, April 2011
The transition at the end of the Neolithic is a period associated with a series of
widespread major changes and mass migrations that the German Scientist, Bernhard
Weninger18 believes are linked to Rapid Climate Change occurring between 4000 –
3200 BCE. During this period, the climate of the Mediterranean shifted to the semi-
arid and highly seasonal pattern that we are familiar with today, while the Sahara
changed from a cattle-grazed expanse of lakes, savannah and steppe, to arid desert.
Weninger reports that in southeast Europe, this rapid change in climate triggered social
upheaval, a drastic decline in population and the collapse of southeast European Final
Neolithic communities.
In addition to climatic shifts, there appears to have been a catastrophic natural event
c3195 BCE, also resulting in a massive displacement of peoples driven to seek security
at new settlement sites. Evidence for this catastrophe ranges from a marked reduction
in growth rings of Irish bog oaks at around 3195 BCE and a lack of growth of bristle
cones in the southern White Mountains of California, to a clear decrease in the pollen
record19. There is no clear consensus regarding the cause of this catastrophic event....
theories range from volcanic eruptions to a comet striking the eastern Mediterranean,
but the resulting effects are believed to have included rivers changing their course,
floods, population migration and social decline.
Interestingly, concurrent with the shift in climate and other major changes mentioned
above, increasing numbers of migrants appear on Crete during the 4th millennium
BCE. It is highly likely that increased aridity resulting from Rapid Climate Change is
implicated in the dramatic shifts in settlement patterns on the island during this period.12 But dramatic shifts in settlement patterns are not the only evidence of incoming populations... there are major differences in burial practice combined with a new social complexity evidenced by the building of highly visible tombs, as well as the introduction of a variety of new DNA groups. The combination of these factors suggests the arrival of new populations on Crete during the transition from the Final Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age.... and this influx appears to be coming from both Anatolia to the east and the Cycladic islands to the north. A large number of new settlements appear mostly on the coastal regions, many built on high ground, some with defensive walls20. One of the main areas of new settlement occurs on north-eastern Crete at the Siteia peninsula while, concurrently (circa 3300 BCE), there is evidence of unstable settlement patterns and signs of conflict on the Dodecanese Islands to the east of Crete. Surveys show that a short-lived population peak occurred on the Dodecanese at this time, followed by an abandonment of sites and depopulation of the islands21. These co-existing changes on both eastern Crete and the Dodecanese, in regions situated so near to each other, suggest that the processes are likely to be related, with at least some of the Dodecanese population being responsible for the foundation of new settlements on Crete. The number and size of these settlements, however, indicates that their inhabitants did not originate from these islands alone.... It is likely that many moved across from the Anatolian mainland in search of more hospitable habitats 22. Linked with these changes in settlement pattern is archaeological evidence of a change in burial practice with new tombs appearing, built outside and highly visible in the landscape. The new ‘tholos’ tombs are found mostly in the Mesara Plain in south central Crete and are curved, stone built, beehive structures with internal corbelling and external paved areas. Large deposits of drinking and serving vessels have been found outside many of these tombs, likely indicating ritual visits after burial and possible ancestor worship. Most of the entrances face eastwards, their orientation towards the rising sun, a symbolic association with regeneration and rebirth. The tombs are particularly interesting in that they have no precedents on the island and are likely to have been introduced from much further afield23. Some archaeologists believe that they might have originated in Anatolia24 while others suggest the southern Levant. Interestingly, they are an architectural feature of the early Halaf culture located in the highlands of Mesopotamia and occurring during the 5th millennium BCE. Archaeological evidence of burial practice during the Final Neolithic transition to the Early Bronze Age, however, also suggests migration from the Cyclades. The Cycladic character of the tombs at Ayia Photia in eastern Crete and Gournes on the north coast of central Crete is strongly reinforced by the pottery found inside them25. Much of the copper ore used in making the daggers found in the richest burials, as well as the technological knowledge and skill for working the metal ores, is also likely to have come from or via the Cyclades26. The tombs at Ayia Photia are paralleled only at the Early Cycladic cemetery at Agrilia on the Cycladic island of Epano Kouphonisi off the south east coast of Naxos, some 200 kilometres to the north of Crete, and likely indicate where this influence originated. Evidence for Cycladic settlement is also suggested at the port of Poros Katsambas, modern day Heraklion. Nearly one third of the pottery found here is of a Cycladic style, the closest ceramic links being with ‘the late Early Cycladic I Kampos Group burial pottery from Epano Kouphonisi’. The quantities of Cycladic style pottery in
13 domestic contexts at Poros, as well as pottery found at Gournes and the tombs at Ayia Photia, ‘imply a level of interaction with the Cyclades in this region well beyond casual and periodic contact or exchange’27. And yet, at the nearby major centre of Knossos, only 5km from Poros-Katsambas, all of the pottery is Minoan in style.... evidence of a flourishing, indigenous population, a population that is likely to have co- existed on Crete with migrants from Anatolia and the Cycladic Islands at the beginning of the Early Bronze Age. The archaeological implications of DNA data for this period are also fascinating. There is evidence of two distinct DNA groups arriving on Crete at c3100 BCE, 28one of which is associated with the ‘series of major changes in settlement patterns, demography, material culture, technology, iconography and burial practice’ mentioned above29. These distinctive DNA groups, labelled J2a1h-M319 and J2a1b1-M92, have demographic properties consistent with Bronze Age inward migration to Crete. The former is not well represented in Western Anatolia but becomes a characteristic sub- group on Crete. The latter, however, is found at relatively high frequencies in Western Anatolia – areas T1 and T8 - and provides data that supports population movements from those areas in north western and western Anatolia during the late 4 th millennium. Figure 3: Map Showing Regions T1 & T8 After King R.J. et al 2008 So, it appears there was a ‘melting pot’ of peoples on Crete at the beginning of the Early Bronze Age: migrants from Anatolia arriving via the Dodecanese, settling on the east coast; Cycladic islanders settling in north central Crete and further along the coast towards the east of the island, and a strong indigenous community at the major centre of Knossos. How do these different communities with their different traditions combine to become the so-called Minoans? How does the combination of their ancient skills and knowledge come to fruition in the Middle Bronze Age as demonstrated by the emergence of the so-called Minoan ‘Palace’ civilisation? These questions will be explored further in the final part of the article in next month’s edition of Bendlowe’s Bugle. Tracing who the Minoans were continues with ‘The End of the Early Bronze Age – Beginning of the Middle Bronze Age – Circa 2200 BCE.
14
References
17. Efstratiou, N. 2005:150.
18. Weninger et al 2009.
19. Ibid.
20. Nowicki, K. 2008:209
21. Ibid: 202
22. Ibid: 226.
23. Wilson, D. 2008:98.
24. Ibid
25. Wilson, D. 2008:86
26. Conolly, J. 2008.
27. Wilson, D. 2008:82
28. King R.J., Ozcan S.S., Carter T.,
Kalfoglu E., Atasoy S., Triantaphyllidis
C., Kouvatsi A., Lin A.A., Chow C-E.T.,
Zhivotovsky L.A., Michalodimitrakis M.,
and Underhill P.A. 2008.
29. Ibid.
WE CAN COPE!
Author: Unknown
T'was a week before Christmas, Now it’s December
And all through the town, And cases are spiking,
People wore masks, Wave two has arrived,
That covered their frown. Much to our disliking.
The frown had begun It’s true that this year
Way back in the Spring, Has had sadness a plenty,
When a global pandemic We’ll never forget
Changed everything. The year 2020.
They called it corona, And just ‘round the corner -
But unlike the beer, The holiday season,
It didn’t bring good times, But why be merry?
It didn’t bring cheer. Is there even one reason?
Airplanes were grounded, To decorate the house
Travel was banned. And put up the tree,
Borders were closed Who will see it,
Across air, sea and land. No one but me.
As the world entered lockdown But outside my window
To flatten the curve, The snow gently falls,
The economy halted, And I think to myself,
And folks lost their nerve. Let’s deck the halls!
From March to July So, I gather the ribbon,
We rode the first wave, The garland and bows,
People stayed home, As I play those old carols,
They tried to behave. My happiness grows.
When summer emerged Christmas is not cancelled
The lockdown was lifted. And neither is hope.
But away from caution, If we lean on each other,
Many folks drifted. I know we can cope15 CROSSWORD BY ROBERT BURROWS
16
ALBERT WALTER DAWSON
BY: TREVOR BEAL
Following on from the Remembrance article in the November issue of Bendlowe’s
Bugle, I thought I would jot down a few more details about Albert Dawson.
Albert Walter Dawson was born on 21st June 1923 at Shalford, youngest son of
Charles Dawson and his wife Mary Ann (formerly Turner). Albert had seven brothers
and sisters, Edith, Fred, Len, Hilda, Ted, Lydia and Ruth.
Albert’s mother, Mary Ann Turner, was the sister of my great grandfather, Frederick
Thomas Turner which makes Albert my 1st cousin twice removed.
Albert Dawson, left, with his sister, Ruth Dawson and cousin, Hugh Turner
Albert signed up for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Service Number
1392797), and was an air gunner in 70 Squadron flying Vickers Wellington bombers.
The Wellington BX (serial number LP525) with a crew of five men (Flying Officer
Frank Philip Balls, Sergeant Alfred James Bishop, Flying Officer Sydney Cooke,
Sergeant Albert Walter Dawson and Sergeant Matthew Lyttle) had taken off from
Tortorella Airfield, near Foggia, in Italy, on 21st October 1944 for a bombing raid on
Maribor in Yugoslavia (modern day Slovenia) but failed to return, unfortunately it is
not known what happened or where their aircraft came down.17
Belgrade War Cemetery
Albert was buried in a collective grave with the rest of the crew at Belgrade War
Cemetery in Yugoslavia (modern day Serbia), he was only 21 when he died. This must
have been a particularly difficult time for Albert’s mother, Mary Ann, as her husband
(Albert’s father), Charles Dawson, had also sadly died just a few months before, in
February 1944.
LOCKDOWN READING
Mandy has a selection of magazines destined for
the bin – would anyone like to give them a home?
Contact Alice 01371 851146
The grave of Albert Walter Dawson
Trevor Beal
Email: (trevorbeal@googlemail.com)
WANTED
FOR NEXT MONTH’S BUGLE
Your favourite photo – promise - you will not lose it I can scan and return
2020 Covid Christmas/New Year photos/stories (see Marianna’s page 33)
Would LOVE an article re the Fox Pub Church End which closed
Article on how to fill Lockdown time; childhood, holidays; hobbies; family, history
There is at least one article in every one of us so – please please please
Just – TAKE PART and “SMILE” knowing you have brought a bit of joy to your
friends and neighbours during these very difficult, unprecedented, times. Go for it!
Contact Alice: 01371 851146 Email: alicecox53@btinternet.com18
GRANNY’S GETTING DRESSED
BY: MARGARET SPARKS
A distant cousin of mine (a Suffolk resident) told me that as a small girl she had
watched our granny getting dressed. My enthusiasm for family history knows no
bounds, so I asked if she would write it down to share, not only with me, but with
others who had grannies of that era. As I am sure there must be some in Shalford, I
detail below what she sent me and hope you enjoy reading it:-
I think I must have been about four years old, the year 1919. I was comfortably sitting
in Granny’s bed, linen sheets and pillowcases all embroidered and edged with hand-
made lace or crochet and a lovely eiderdown with roses and other flowers on its cover.
I suppose getting up must have started with washing, and for this purpose there was
the wash stand, usually mahogany, underneath with cupboards for the indiscreet
disguise of the chamber pots and slop pail, the china basin, jug for cold water, soap
dish, and other containers of the same pattern, usually flowers. In the room there was
a bidet in a neat mahogany stool, so that it was quite disguised, and towel rail of wood.
I cannot remember the washing process, so will begin with the actual clothes. First the
vest which I think was of fine cambric or linen and in winter another one of wool. The
knickers came next and again I think two pairs with embroidered edges and lace.
These did not depend on elastic but were tied at the waist with a broad band which was
carefully arranged to lie quite flat. Then, the corsets which fastened down the front
with hooks, rather alarmingly to me as they appeared to dig into the skin. These had
laces at the back which were adjusted with a long button hook pulling the cross laces
tight, and finally the free ends tied into a tight bow. This rather tricky operation was
achieved with the help of mirrors on the dressing table, a large central one and smaller
ones each side which were hinged and could be moved easily to obtain the right view.
Now the petticoat or was it two? In any case fine white material with frills at the
bottom and the same fastening as the knickers. And then the great event, careful
brushing of her beautiful white hair and the quite elaborate rolling up of the sides over
little sausage-shaped rolls of her own hair. I can remember, on another occasion, these
being washed and dried and combed into a straight length before rolling into sausage
again! All these were secured with hair pins and the back rolled into a bun. There
were some combs with decorative tops and a hair net to keep it all secure, this on
ordinary days at home, but on “my morning” she put on a hat and fastened it securely
in place with hat pins. These had attractive ends either carved wood or coloured
stones or perhaps glass.
Last of all - the dress. I do not remember the colour or material but it could have been
silk as I believe it was a summer day. The dress fastened down the front with
countless little buttons. The waistband was probably of petersham stitched inside and
fastened with hooks and eyes. It was also secured at the neck with an inset of net with
some kind of pattern. This was not part of the dress but rather a normal part of
everyday clothing.19
Then the final touch, a brooch, very likely a cameo, and her rings and gloves. I
forgot to mention there was a bra which was also of white and slightly shaped to fit
with tapes which I think crossed at the back and ended tied at the waist.
Granny made her own clothes. I can see her now sewing yards of
lace insertions, buttonholes and even buttons. There was a sewing
machine to stitch long seams but most of the delicate things were
hand-sewn. Stockings were made of cotton for every day and silk
for grand occasions with elaborate clocks. Shoes were black, brown,
or possibly white, very often fastened with a strap and button but
laced in the winter. Against the cold when you went out were little
gaiters buttoned at the side hence the button hook. Another
important item was the umbrella, and sunshade in the summer.
Clocked Stockings
Although Granny died in 1934, I think she always wore skirts at
ankle length or perhaps a shade shorter. She was very upright and dignified and a
strong character. In spite of bringing up a large family she did not seem old and
retained her interest in family and current events until the end.
10 POINTS TO KNOW ABOUT CHRISTMAS CACTI
1. It’s called a “cactus”, but thrives in cool temperatures.
For best results, put your Christmas cactus in a cool place - away from heaters and
fireplaces - without frequent drafts. Optimal temperature for Christmas cacti is 68 degr F
2. Christmas cacti need light to bloom
Keeping your Christmas cactus plants in a sunny location indoors is the key to prolonged
blooms. However, if you move them outside during the summer, you’ll have the most
success with a partially shaded location, as too much direct light can burn the leaves.
3. The Christmas cactus is native to Brazil
Since they are tropical plants, they thrive in humid conditions
4. Christmas cacti need their beauty sleep.
Christmas cacti prefer 14 hours or more of continuous darkness per day. However,
after the flower buds have set, the plants can withstand light at night.
5. Unlike other Christmas favourites (Poinsettia) Christmas cactus is not toxic to
dogs and cats
6. Christmas cactus can live for 20 to 30 years
If you provide long nights starting around October 1, you can force the Christmas cactus to
bloom year after year. Cool night temperatures also encourage it to bloom.
7. Overwatering will kill Christmas cacti, but they like to be misted on a daily basis
8. 5 diseases commonly infect Christmas cactus
Their list includes basal stem rot, botrytis blight, impatiens necrotic spot virus,
phytophthora root rot, and pythium root rot.
9. Fungus gnats, flower thrips, and root mealybugs are the pests that most often infest
Christmas cacti
Overwatering, is the biggest culprit in attracting pests to Christmas cacti.
10.By the way, that Christmas cactus you are buying is probably not actually a
Christmas cactus
Most commercial cultivars of holiday cactus are actually Schlumbergera truncata,
commonly known as Thanksgiving cactus or Zygocactus.20
BENDLOWE’S CHRISTMAS CARD AND CACTI
BY: MEL FRAY
The Bendlowe’s small team of ladies have been busy coming up with ideas such as the
successful monthly Bugle (which we hope to
keep going throughout Covid restrictions), and
the fundraiser calendar to build Shalford’s own
petanque terrain, but we wanted to send a
Christmas Card with Father Christmas blowing
the Bugle rather than the ‘young lady’! to all of
our regulars and supporters, and due to the
success of the monthly Bugle we now have many
new followers eager to read the next copy.
Our beautiful cards were designed by the team
(mainly Alice) and printed by Gary at Applied Image who has been extremely
friendly, helpful and full of great ideas. Please use him for all your printing
requirements.
We also wanted to show our regular meet and greeters that we are missing them and
can’t wait until our monthly Friday get-togethers resume, but we think Covid 19 will
be delaying that for quite a few more months.
We decided to present them with a lovely red or
white Christmas Cactus. The four Christmas
fairies (Alice, Sally, Marianna and Mel) have
been busy delivering direct to the doorsteps (2 m
apart, of course) so we do hope that they will be
enjoyed. They were ordered from the lovely
Jane at Cherry
Picked Flowers
florist who can
be found next to the busy Blue Egg Farm Shop in
Great Bardfield, Essex.
Big smiley faces and comments such as “Thank you
for my beautiful plant and card x”, “can you thank
everyone in the group for me x” and “wish them happy
Xmas” were received.
We are so sorry we couldn’t give (a card or a cacti) to
everyone, but what a fantastic community we have, as
everyone should have received a lovely advent candle
through their letterbox from the church.
Roll on to 2021 and fingers crossed: to good times, to
team building, to supporter meetings and outings!21
WALKING AROUND SHALFORD
BY: GILL ASKEW
Bridleway to Church End Field Opposite Cliffield Back View from the house
Sept 2020 June 19 Dec 2020
When we moved to Jaspers Green in May 2010, I would not have claimed to do much
walking. A 10-minute walk to the bus stop and a stroll round Braintree was about it.
The first time I walked to the shop, (from Water Lane) I went all the way round by
road via Garretts Lane and Church End, unaware that the footpaths existed.
When I worked at the Village shop I discovered the Shalford footpath map and a
quicker route to and from the Village and I began to discover other walks too. I prefer
just to do the walks I can do from home without using the car - through Killhogs Farm
Left: River Pant
May 2020
Right: Foggy
morning
Dec 2020
and the bridleway to Church End, The Yorneys, and through to Panfield and back,
although I think my favourite walk is through Nichols Farm, along by the river to the
Church.
The scenery is ever changing and watching the
seasons pass and the wildlife - deer, squirrels, rabbits
and birds is fascinating. I started life as a "townie"
but wouldn't change life in the country now. There
are plenty of walks on the far side of the village too
that I have not yet walked.
Grubbs Field – Aug 202022
USLESS INFORMATION
BISHOP ROCK, ISLES OF SCILLY
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
The Bishop Rock (Cornish: Men Epskop) is a skerry off the British coast in the
northern Atlantic Ocean known for its lighthouse. It is in the westernmost part of the Isles of
Scilly, an archipelago 45 km (28 mi) off the southwestern tip of the Cornish
peninsula of Great Britain. The Guinness Book of Records lists it as the world's
smallest island with a building on it.
The original iron lighthouse was begun in 1847 but
was washed away before it could be completed. The
present building was completed in 1858 and was
first lit on 1 September that year. Before the
installation of the helipad, visitors to the lighthouse
would rappel from the top (with winches installed at
the lamp level and at the base below) to boats
waiting away from the lighthouse. Bishop Rock Lighthouse 2005
Bishop Rock is also at the eastern end of the North Atlantic shipping route used by ocean
liners in the first half of the 20th century; the western end being the entrance to Lower New
York Bay. This was the route that ocean liners took when competing for the Transatlantic
speed record, known as the Blue Riband.
HISTORY
In the late 13th century, when the Isles of Scilly were under the jurisdiction of John de Allet
and his wife Isabella, anyone convicted of felony "ought to be taken to a certain rock in the
sea, with two barley loaves and a pitcher of water and left until the sea swallowed him
up". The rock was originally recorded as Maen Escop in 1284 and Maenenescop in 1302.
In Cornish, Men Eskop means "Bishop's Stone", whilst Men an Eskop means "the Stone of the
Bishop". The outer rocks to the west of St Agnes also used to be known as the Bishop and
Clerk, but exactly how they acquired these similar names is not known for certain. A possible
explanation is that the shape of the rock is similar to a bishop's mitre.
East of Bishop Rock is the Western Rocks and the Gilstone Reef, where Admiral Shovell's
flagship HMS Association was wrecked in the great naval disaster of 1707. Shovell's remains
were repatriated to England by order of Queen Anne shortly after their initial burial in the
Isles of Scilly.
The earliest recorded wreck on the rock itself was in 1839, when the brig Theodorick struck in
rough misty weather on 4 September. She was out of Mogodore for London carrying a
general cargo. In the early hours of 12 October 1842, the 600-tonne paddle steamer Brigand,
a packet boat, which was en route from Liverpool to St Petersburg, struck the rock with such
force that it stove in two large bow plates. The rocks then acted as a pivot, and she swung
round and heeled into the rock port side, crushing the paddle-wheel and box to such an extent
that it penetrated the engine room. She drifted over seven miles in two hours, before sinking
in 90 m. All the crew were saved. In 1901 a barque named Falkland struck the rock, her main
yard hitting the lighthouse itself.
For further information:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_Rock,_Isles_of_Scilly23
POETS’ CORNER
HOBBY REFLECTIONS
BY: CAROL HUSSEY BY: CAROL HUSSEY
I’d like a little hobby
To take me through to Spring,
something quite productive A thousand thanks to the ‘Bendlowe’s team
I’ll try most anything. for keeping us connected,
the monthly news sheet gathered steam
Tapestry or knitting grew larger than expected.
Some cross-stitch might be fun, Because crikey, what a year we’ve had,
Don’t want it dragging on too long such turmoil – there’s been plenty,
I want to see it done! never dreaming it could be so bad
the year of twenty – twenty.
How about macramé We used new words and phrases
with all those little knots? we’d rarely used before,
Or calligraphy with inks and pen Self-isolate and shielding, ppe, and more…
And pages full of blots! we social distance – sanitise – lockdown -
wear a mask,
Some dinky piece of crochet…. try to follow all the rules
I’m sure I’ve got a hook, and do as we are asked.
But then again – I think p’raps not, It’s impossible to count the cost,
I much prefer a book. the stress, the fear, the loved ones lost,
let’s hope for better times to come
for all in twenty-twenty-one.
So, thanks again to Bendlowe’s
You really have been great
As for meeting face to face
Not long we trust to wait.24
THE HALFWAY SHOP, PANFIELD ROAD
BY: MARY AND GRAHAM BRACE
Oak Cottage
We bought the cottage nearly twenty years ago and we chose it for the large garden to
grow vegetables in and for the accommodation it offered us. Backing onto an idyllic
equestrian centre with horses grazing near our back door clinched it for us! Little did we
know what was coming when the equestrian centre was closed. We thought we would not
make many changes to the cottage but of course we have! The major one was removing a
‘garden room’ by the back door and replacing it with an architect-designed kitchen to
replace the galley kitchen which went down the back of the cottage.
The very large shed down the garden had originally been in the front garden and was
called the Halfway Shop. It had fallen into disrepair. It was equidistant from Braintree
and Panfield and sold goats milk, eggs, apples and sweets so we were told. It closed and
moved from the front garden in the 1950s. The two Miss Nichols ran the shop at one time
and one married the milkman Jock Archer.
Local resident Margaret Sparks says ‘I remember
when we were young cycling to Braintree and
stopping for sweets at the shop in the front garden
of the property now called Oak Cottage. As you
went in the front gate there was a shed
immediately on your left which was the sweet
shop. We had to knock on the front door of the
cottage for assistance.’ The front door was facing
the road then.
We decided to renovate it and use the space for storage. Before we did we took photos of
it. It was quite photogenic. We invited a previous owner to visit us with her son. They
had done a lot of work on the cottage and were very resourceful. They told us that the
front door, now at the side of the cottage, was from the Bull in Bocking. The Bessemer
over the sitting room fireplace was from the museum building opposite Braintree College
which is now three properties. The end of it was demolished to make way for an entrance
to the new parking spaces behind. The three stained glass windows were made by them as
well as all the light fittings which are still going strong!
The cottage dates from 1591 and 1592 so the lady who sold it to us said but we have no
proof. It was called Oak Cottage about seventy years ago we believe. It was originally
part of the land owned by the Deanery.25
LOVE YOUR MUSCLES
By Emma Tanner
(Chartered Physiotherapist
Sports Massage Therapist, Level 3)
Muscles – last month I spoke of three types of muscles: Cardiac; (found only in the
heart); Smooth (involuntary) carrying out automatic contractions (shortening) and
Striped (voluntary) muscles that we consciously control. We also mentioned two
types of fibres; slow twitch and fast twitch. This month I would like to start by a quick
introduction to Muscle Groups which, again, in itself is a pretty large subject and we
will only scratch the surface.
If we take time out to think about it, we will quickly realise that we do not often use
one muscle on its own. Even to move a little figure we have the inside muscle of the
finger shortening whilst the outside lengthens and so it is for the rest of our body as we
move throughout the day – if one muscle lengthens, another will usually shorten. For
those who visit the gym, one of the first questions often asked from a Personal Trainer
is – what muscle group(s) do you want to exercise and strengthen today? So let’s take
a brief look:-
CHEST MUSCLES
The chest is divided into two main parts, Pectoralis Major and Pectoralis Minor. They
provide support holding objects in front of you and are activated when you reach
across your body e.g. reaching for a seatbelt, combing your hair or reaching to your
back pocket or tucking a shirt in.
BACK MUSCLES
The back rises from the buttocks and stretches until the neck and shoulders. It is the
most complex major muscular structure. Muscles working in harmony and
complementing each other in various physical activities. The back is divided into
three sections:-
Cervical:-upper back and neck
Thoracic:- mid back
Lumbar: lower back.
There’s essentially, five major muscle groups present:-26 Latissimus Dorsi is the large, flat muscle on the back which stretches to the sides, behind the arm and is partly covered by the trapezius on the back near the midline. This muscle facilitates the body in pulling movements. Rhomboids are located in the upper back and being underneath other muscles are not visible from the outside. They originates from the spinal cord and merges into the scapular (shoulder) bone. These muscles play a vital part in strengthening the shoulder and all back movements. Trapezius, known as the kite muscle from its shape is located from the base of the skull and goes down to your mid back, it also extends from shoulder to shoulder. It is used, among other movements, to tilt and turn the head and neck and shrug the shoulders. It also provides support when you lift items over your head. Teres Muscles, major & minor lie underneath and works with the Latissimus Dorsi and the rotator cuffs. Erector spinal is a set of muscles that run either side of the whole spine, they help to extend the spine and are key in posture. They are also important when bending forwards or sideways. THE ARMS AND SOULDER MUSCLES Biceps muscle is found in the front of the upper arm and helps to control the motion of both the shoulder and elbow joints. Triceps muscle is found in the back of the upper arm and helps to stabilize the shoulder joint and allow the elbow joint to be straightened working as an opposing muscle to the biceps. Deltoid muscle (consisting of 3 parts) lies on the top part of the shoulder and is triangular in shape giving the shoulder its rounded look. It is key in keeping the humerus (upper arm bone) in the shoulder socket, especially when carrying heavy objects. ABDOMINAL MUSCLES The abdominals assist in the breathing process and protect inner organs. Abdominal muscles are key in twisting motions or looking behind you and also play a part in bending over motions and good posture. The muscles included in this group are:- Obliques – side bends and good posture Gluteus medius – controlling the level of the hips and allows the thigh to rotate Gluteus maximus – largest and outermost muscle of the buttock Serratus anterior – a group of muscles connected to the rib cage Psoas major – aids in flexing the hips LEG AND BUTTOCK MUSCLES Hamstrings – the main muscle group in the back part of your thighs which allow you to walk, run, jump etc. In assistance with the quads.
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