The Annual Christmas Dinner: 10th December 2019

The Society closed its 2019 season on 10th December with a dinner for 26 members at The George in Cavendish. Traditional fare with crackers, paper hats and fellowship made for a jolly evening. A set of historical anagrams and some quiz questions provided a bit of a challenge which was won by the Parish News' very own gardening guru, Isobel Clark, who, appropriately, was presented with a pot plant. President Ashley Cooper thanked Clare and Lynda for their expert running of the Society which had seen an increase in membership and a good variety of topics for meetings. He had been particularly thrilled with the "sold-out" attendance for the November meeting featuring Lord Andrew Phillips. Ashley advised members that his Christmas card would include a tribute to Fred Pawsey who died in November 2016 and who entertained many with his fighter pilot experiences, his reflections as a Head Teacher and his interest in local dialects. (See Fred's account here  Fred Pawsey and the Sharp Tool). He complimented Andrew Clarke on his inspirational management of the web site which continued to attract more hits.

Clare Mathieson expressed her and Lynda Rumble's appreciation for Ashley's active support and gave an outline of some of the content of next year's programme. Breaking with past practice there would be a meeting in January; on 14th the President of Sudbury British Legion, Len Manning, will share his 95th birthday and memories of time spent in WW2 as a Lancaster bomber rear gunner with us. Other evenings will be concerned with Victorian maps overlaid with satellite images, more about Sudbury silk, Sudbury ephemera archives. a member's experience of 10 years in the Middle East, N. Essex law and order in the 19th and 20th centuries and a talk about and showing of the 1936 film "The Night Mail" There will be a President's evening in November when Ashley will recall some Foxearth memories. In June there will be a guided visit to the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne station and in July a chance to go to Coggeshall Abbey. A varied and thoroughly enticing programme! New members will be welcomed at any meeting or may contact Clare (01787 311337) or Lynda (01787 281434) for details.