NWR
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2009
LO’s Mags and Stella
TREASURER
Jean
NEW
MEMBERS Dee
PUBLICITY
Annelene & Sheila
NEWSLETTER
Carole
BOOK
GROUP Carole
LUNCH
CLUB Joan S
WALKING
CLUB Maggie &
Georgie
Stella and
I hope you enjoyed the autumn programme and would like to thank
everyone, including the chairs and hosts, for their contributions to
discussions. We hope the new summer programme has something for every
one. The Festival of Leisure in September 2008 combined with other
publicity resulted in renewed interested in NWR locally and we now have
two valued new members in Fran and Rachel.
Although
notification of the NWR theme for 2009, Industrial Revolution –
what has it done for us? came too late for inclusion at the planning
stage of the programme, we hope to incorporate the theme into the
meeting on 22 September, by broadening our research into a British City
or Town to include how the town of our choice was affected by the spread
of industry.
The long
awaited feminism evening promises to generate lots of discussion and as
well as a tour behind the scenes of the Farm Shop at Chatsworth a trip
to the theatre is being planned.
Stella
and Mags
Monday 8
September 2008 -
What
makes you laugh? share books, programmes, poems etc that you find
hilarious.
This meeting started my year as a new LO and chair for the evening so
firstly I apologise that no notes were taken but we remember a
light-hearted and highly entertaining evening at Jean's when everyone
brought their favourite books and quotes and related their comedic
experiences which made us laugh. Although not quite a Tanganyika
laughter epidemic when a joke told at a boarding school resulted in
widespread incapacitation, fits of crying and fainting which was
reported to last for eighteen months, we did discover laughter is good
for us. Thanks to our host Jean.
Margaret
Baker
Tues 23
September
The
Meaning of Your Name
A surprising number of us confessed to not liking our names but, while a
few of us use variations of them, no-one has changed her name
completely.
Dee is really Denise but has been known as Dee since she was a child.
When she used to do cookery demonstrations in Holmesfield, some of her
audience used to call her Delia and she never let on. She told us about
Denise Lewis, the UK's greatest all-round female heptathlete, who also
came second in the 2004
"Strictly come dancing" and wrote "The flat tummy
book."
Janet told us about Janet Street-Porter,the three times married, three
times divorced, vocal journalist known for her work as Head of Youth and
Entertainment with the BBC and as Vice President of the Rambler's
Association, amongst other
things.
Liz was stubbornly Elizabeth till she was 14, and still finds it useful
to have formal and informal versions of her names to suit the occasion.
She told us about a wide variety of interesting women who share not only
her first name but also her surname.
We had two Margarets at the meeting. Mags had had a disaster with her
boiler that day so hadn't had time to sort out her contribution, but she
told us she had only been known to the world as Mags for about six
years, though her husband
has always called her that. Our other Margaret told us about Margaret
Beaufort (1443-1509) who became mother to Henry V11th at the age of 13,
during her second marriage.
Stella told us that Stella Rimmington, ex head of MI5, is now working
for Marks and Spencers eaves dropping on customers. She also told us
about Stella Gibbons,the author of "Cold Comfort Farm", from
where the well known phrase "Something
nasty in the woodshed" comes. Stella also likes another quote from
the book, "Drain the well, there's a neighbour missing."
Jean told us about Jean Metcalfe, who we all remembered from the 1960s
radio programme that was on at Sunday lunctime, "Two Way Family
Favourites."
Linda found two meanings for her name, either "snake" or
"pretty." She told us about Linda McCartney, the American
photographer, musician, animal rights campaigner, vegetarian cookery
book writer and entrepreneur, and Pam told us about a novel called
Pamela with a lot of spicey goings on, in which the maid marries the
master.
Jane told us about Calamity Jane, the roughest woman ever seen in the
wild west who apparently also had a tender side, and Sheila talked about
Sheila's maids (Victorian clothes dryers), Sheila's Wheels (an insurance
company with its own fan club) and why Australians are all called
sheilas.
Sheila
Wednesday
1st October
Call my
Bluff
What a foul evening it was, weather wise I hasten to add.
Georgie was
in charge. Team A comprised
Janet, Jane and Carol and Team B included Liz, Linda and Mags. There were 4 of us in the audience.
Team A went
first, with Janet telling us the word Azan was a Muslim call to prayer,
Jane said no, it was the bottom of half of a bubble (water) pipe and
Carol tried to convince us it was a fishing boat on the Ganges.
They were all very convincing, but Liz chose Jane’s bubble
pipe, but in fact it was the Muslim call to prayers.
The evening
ended with a score of 17 for Team B, 7 for Team A and a very
disappointing score of 0 for the audience, but only after we had learned
that apricate means to bask in the sun and a clappy-do is a Scottish
mussel.
Thanks to
Chris for the drinks and biscuits.
Pam
Bywood
Thursday
16th October 2008
Over the
Centuries has Religion been a Force for Good or Evil.
Because it
is a subject that arouses strong feelings and easily causes offence, it
was with some trepidation that I attended the meeting at Mags with the
theme: Over the Centuries has Religion been a Force for Good or Evil.
I should have known that our chair, Jean Watson would ensure
that it all ran as smoothly as it did.
She divided us into groups so that the discussions were
manageable and had prepared a series of questions to help us examine the
issues dispassionately: -
Can you imagine what it would be like for individuals and communities
without religion? Has religion provided a sound moral base for many
societies, which continues even when there is, increased secularisation?
Can we be moral human beings without religion? Do human beings need to
believe in some wider spiritual force and if so why?
How much of the positive or negative effect of religion is the
result of its codes of behaviour and the rewards and penalties promised?
How much of the positive or negative effects of religion is to do
with the way in which codes of behaviour have been interpreted or
modified? Do the religious codes of behaviour differ from other rules
and laws which govern societies?
It is
difficult to summarise the extensive discussions.
The groups of which I was a member seemed to be in agreement that
humans appear to require a spiritual element to their lives since there
is a scarcely a society in the world that does not have this but it was
remarked that this was perhaps to due ignorance of the natural forces
governing the seasons, the weather, volcanic eruptions, etc.
Joan’s nursing experience however was that seriously ill
patients turned to religion and the comfort it brought.
We also seemed in broad agreement that problems were caused by
fanaticism, interpretation, differing translations and apparent
contradictions.
All agreed
that it had been a stimulating evening and were pleased that we had
managed to explore a difficult area in such a rational way for which
thanks are due to Jean. Thanks
also to Mags for her hospitality.
Linda
Tuesday November 11th
Telephone
Treasure Trail –
It was a good turn out at Regina’s for this popular annual event. Stella was pleased to welcome
two potential new members, Fran and Anne, who had attended the
Rotary Leisure event at Henry Fanshawe School and decided to see what we
are all about.
The evening started promptly and quite soon it was clear that the theme was
Cakes and Biscuits. The clued up regulars ( you know who you are) seemed
to come up with the answers thick and fast. There were a few long
silences which erupted into laughter when the obvious, sometimes corny
answer, came to light.
My favourite clues were:
Card, fixed to toll a bell.
This set us off all around the houses until the penny dropped for
Maggie. Of course, Simnel Cake.
Similarly, Red light meeting participants took a little time. Well
done to Pam for her persistence.
Not to forget, A queer sheep. Rumbaba. Even I got this one.
Thanks to Regina for her hospitality and her excellent Eurovision inspired
telephone expertise.
Dee
Thursday
11th December
The
Mitfords and their Era.
The Mother: Pam told us of
the Mother, born 1880, one of four children, ran the household as her
mother was dead, enjoyed yachting.
Married Donald Mitford, believed in a good diet, had little
maternal warmth, was aloof and calm. Had 6 girls and 1 boy. Husband
unpredictable. They split up after thirty years. Died 1963 on Scottish
island.
Father:
Joan S. said
Lord Revesdale was a literary figure, eccentric. Inherited on
brother’s death. Worked for ‘Lady’
magazine. Enthusiastic builder. Moved family several times. Kindly,
hardworking, a loving father.
Nancy:
Georgie described how she was born in 1904, the eldest, wrote The
Pursuit of Love, and Love
in a Cold Climate. Strange relationship with mother. Married Peter Rod.
Lived in Kew, confused politically, the war years gave her something to
do. Lived in Paris with the love of her life, a French colonel.Died
1973.
Pamela:
Chris told how she was born 1907, managed a farm, married son of
founder of News of the World, no children, marriage ended. The quiet
one. Died 1994.
Diana:
Regina described how, born 1910, she was the Beauty and
headstrong, secretly engaged, married at 18, income £20,000, two sons.
Left husband for Oswald Moseley, who would not leave his wife, family
disapproved. Divorced, went to Bavaria with Unity, met Hitler, had
abortion, married Moseley secretly, imprisoned with him for three years,
exiled. Banned from ‘society’ after war. Died Paris 2003.
Unity:
Mags said she was educated at home with the others, had secret
language with Jessica, liked to shock, wore outlandish clothes. Met
Hitler 1935 in Munich, stalked him. Embraced Nazism,
hated Jews, was a fascist, politically pro-active, close to
Hitler, was an invalid after suicide attempt. Died 1948.
Jessica:
Janet told us she longed to go to school. A socialist, married 2nd
cousin, who was killed in war, father cut her off. Lived in several
countries, then USA. Married a Hungarian, both communists, worked for civil rights, victim
of McCarthy witch hunts. Exposed
American corruption. Visited Chatsworth often. Died 1996.
Deborah:
Joan C. described how she was born 1920 and was allowed to go to school
for a short time.Married 1944. Became Duchess of Devonshire. Duke had
affairs, moved to Chatsworth 1959. Trust created to maintain house, very
active promoting estate, wrote about Chatsworth, developed gardens,
involved with royal family, moved to Edensor 2005.
Gerald
Tyrwhitt-Wilson; Jane described him as rich, eccentric, artistic, mixed
with lesbians and homosexuals.
Stella
Monday
22 December
PLAY
READING
We had a
really good turnout for this, although it was only 3 days before
Christmas. The lure of mulled wine and mince pies was obviously too
strong to resist. Linda was, as always, a wonderful hostess, complete
with festive gold baubles and wine glasses with flashing lights!
The play
was called Gym and Tonic, and it was all about the antics of a group of
people in an up-market health hydro. There were so many of us that
people took turns to read the main parts of the squabbling couple Don
and Shirley. Mavis and Janet starred as Don, and Joan and Stella played
Shirley. There were some amusing scenes between Don and the macho Ken
played by Christine. Linda had a fun part as Gertrude – the
well-heeled old lady who sneaks out at night for a cigar, and meets Don
and Shirley having an illicit midnight feast of Cornish pasties and Mars
bars in the garden. Gertrude had some of the most memorable lines
including “I’m not paying all this money to have my hip put out by a
floosie from Loughborough!”
I can’t
remember what happened in the end - I have to confess I spent some of
the time asleep (no I didn’t have any mulled wine) and quite a lot of
the time worrying about what I’d done with the Christmas walk list, so
I didn’t actually follow the plot (if there was one) all that closely.
But I think in the end Don and Shirley agreed to buy a caravan!
Georgie
Tuesday
January 6, 2009
News
Quiz
Another
excellent quiz compiled by Janet with the usual rules of 3 points for a
correct individual answer and 2 points for a correct team effort. Both
teams had a joker card to play for extra marks and both teams used it on
the third round.
We started
with questions based on “people” and at the end of this round, both
teams were level-pegging.
The next
rounds had the title of “events” and team B won this round by 2
points.
The third
round was entitled ”pot-luck” and Team B maintained their lead and
won by 2 points.
We finished
the quiz by 8.50 and Janet apologised for the early ending but there was
no need for apologies because we had all enjoyed the challenge and were
amazed by how much we had forgotten about 2008.
We then
moved on to predictions for what might happen in 2009 and I had better
not list them because it was suggested that we look back at them in the
first meeting of 2010 and see how accurate we were. However, I can say
the predictions covered sport, show-business, politics, the Royal family
(not the Royle family), world events etc. Our prediction for the weather
was that it would be wet and cold, but the hottest since records began
and failing that, the driest. In other words, typical British weather.
Many thanks
to Liz for hosting this most enjoyable meeting.
Ann
Tuesday
3rd March
Saving
the Planet.
This was a
well-attended meeting about a very important subject and many of the
contributions put me to shame for my lack of effort.
Mags
started us off on a high note with the thoughts of comedian George
Carlin on the planet and how it and plastic would outlast us and all our
mistreatment of it - if all the natural disasters, comets, volcanoes etc
haven't destroyed the planet it's unlikely we will.
Many of us
recycle, although Pat was cynical about some of this - television
programmes have shown carefully collected and sorted recyclable
materials being sent to landfill sites.
Energy
issues were brought up. Energy-efficient appliances make a huge
difference to the amount of energy consumed, we can all do our bit with
turning down the heating, shutting doors, turning off appliances such as
microwaves to avoid running the clock 24 hours a day, washing at a lower
temperature. I thought that nuclear power stations needed to be built.
Buying
local where possible was a good idea, with a plug for the greengrocers
on Barnard Avenue and our farm shops. If we grew our own of course,
composting our waste makes it doubly good.
The issue
of transport is also important - car sharing, downsizing the number and
size of cars we run.
Beverley
urged us not to put things down the toilet and told us what happens to
the things we do, which is something I suppose we don't usually dwell on
but probably should.
Margaret
finished with some 'useful tips' from a book of 500 things to do to save
the planet, including using leftover paper napkins as toilet paper and
adopting a baby!
This was an
interesting evening with lots of good ideas. It really is ourselves that
we are saving, the planet will manage without us.
Thanks to
Mags for chairing and Pat for her hospitality.
Liz
Wednesday
18th March
Room
101. What several things would you like to see disappear forever?
There were 13 of us at Stella's house and we all had lots of ideas for
things we'd like to put in Room 101, so we decided to suggest one thing
each and, after a short discussion, take a vote on whether it should go
in.
Several people suggested things relating to bad grammar, lazy speech and
irritating adverts, and several others talked about bad driving habits.
Sheffield road planners caused people more than a few frustrations.
Other suggestions ranged from slugs, tattoos and supermarket carrier
bags to the litter generated by take away food shops, automated voice
recognition phone calls and packaging that is unnecessarily difficult to
open. Jean, as our treasurer, wanted to see the end of figures and
calculations!
Almost
everything was voted in to Room 101, the exception being "Good
Housekeeping" magazine. A journalist from the magazine recently
contacted NWR groups looking for potential subjects for an article she
wanted to write, saying
they had to be " attractive but not intimidating". This
incensed a few people, but others like the magazine itself so, on
balance, we decided that it had to stay out!
This was a
good evening with plenty of food for thought, covering a wide range of
subjects. We agreed that we could easily have another meeting on the
same subject without repeating ourselves.
Sheila
