{MM:Christian} {MM:Surname}
Kingswood, UK - Chartered 1960
The Youngster
Roger’s Rhetoric
April 2017
It’s been a beautiful month and looking through the window over the past couple of weeks has prompted
me to think of the following………………
Oh, to be in England,
Now that April’s there
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!
We’ve been lucky – so far – and Robert Browning certainly knew what he was writing about when he wrote
“Home thoughts from Abroad” except there aren’t so many chaffinches around now, never mind elm
trees! If you don’t have it in print, the rest of the poem is easily found on the internet.
Apart from good weather we have had a good month, with our successful Jazz Night making a tidy
profit. Although profitable the thoughts are that we were under-priced so changes may be made next year,
in pricing and looking for an alternative band, having had the same group for a few years now. Thanks to
all those who supported the event and particularly to those who did the work, helping to make the event
go with a swing.
We also had a surprisingly remunerative April Coffee Morning: surprising in that we appeared to
have a smaller customer base than usual but still made good money. It must have been the support of
club members that brought the money in! Thanks must go to the regulars who do the work, those who
seemingly keep on drinking the coffee and especially to the ladies who keep us off our diets by providing
those lovely cakes on a regular basis.
We are now into our Summer Season with visits lined up to a variety of interesting places so keep
your eyes open and don’t forget to note the dates you will find in this newsletter – we like to make these
outings nice social events. The Barn is holding its Spring Fair towards the end of May with our club having
been asked to run a barbecue on its behalf; fortunately our regular catering family have offered to do this
again as in previous years, so thank you Sam, Jer and Bob.
Enjoy the Summer
Roger
Diary
Thu 20 April
Tue 9 May
Thu 18 May
Sat 20 May
Sun 4 June
Tue 6 June
Mon 12 June
Thu 15 June
Dinner Night - Sarah Harris - ‘Somerset Pilot Gigs’ - 7.30 pm
BoG meeting
Dinner Night - Roger Windsor - ‘The River Avon’ - 7.30 pm
Barn Spring Fair - Y’s men organising barbeque
Guided tour of Frenchay, picnic on the Common and visit to Frenchay Museum
meet at 10.30 am
BoG meeting
Project and Programme Committee meeting
Paul Evans - ‘Monologues’ - 7.30 pm
Editor: Graham Walker
email: [email protected]
tel: +44 (0)117 967 2842
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To acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right
Whom do we know who can perform the roles of minibus driver, chef, shopper
and provider of mannequins and crinolines through all hours of the day and
night? The answer is, of course, Wally, when supporting Olya in her role as a
seamstress in the film world.
Their journey began during London Fashion Week when Olya was asked
Screen view on the night
to provide seamstress services at a night club in London. This brought her to the
attention of an eccentric film director, Matthew John, who asked her to design
and make the costumes for his latest film “Hedda Gabler” from the play by Henrik Ibsen set in 1864. This
led to work over a period of a year, researching and sewing. Filming took place at Maunsel House near
Bridgwater owned by Sir Benjamin Slade who supplied his house, provided that he was in the film. It was
here that Wally drove the minibus, bought provisions and fed the crew during a 17 day shoot.
Further trips followed to the Cannes Film Festival and more film work at the “Manor by the Lake”
near Cirencester before the premiere of “Hedda Gabler” took place in Oslo in July 2016. This is the
birthplace of Henrik Ibsen and the premiere corresponded with “Henrik Ibsen” week. The director of the
film had donated the costumes to the Ibsen Museum in Oslo but two weeks before the premiere it was
discovered that they had no mannequins or crinolines for the display. Wally managed to source
mannequins from a friend in Oslo and crinolines from China, which arrived the day before the display
opened.
The only thing Wally could not fix for this talk on dinner night was a broken computer so we were
not able to see his photographs but this in no way detracted from an excellent presentation which we all
enjoyed.
Roger Clutsom (Senior Correspondent)
Ed: I’m delighted to say that Alan has provided the back page of this Youngster which illustrates what we missed on the
night. Thanks Alan.
Birthday Greetings to Ryan
I know it wasn’t supposed to be a Y’s Men’s event but a goodly collection of us
attended a very enjoyable celebration of Ryan’s 90th birthday at the Barn on the
eighth of this month. A hundred and twenty people were estimated to be there
and whilst there were about thirty of us we were well outnumbered by his family.
They seem to be a very fertile lot.
There were some fascinating slides of Ryan and his family from way back
when, a very much enjoyed meal, provided by Sherry and Bob of course, with the
aid of Ann, Gwen and probably a few other ladies
I’m not aware of and then the concert part of the
afternoon with the Winterbourne (St Michaels)
Handbell Ringers providing light and lively
entertainment.
Next came a summary of Ryan (and Eileen’s)
life from son Andrew and daughter Christine which
didn’t include a mention of the Y’s Men’s Club. My
wife thought this a bit odd until President Roger
stood up and gave an excellent short talk about
Ryan’s contribution to the Club. And that wasn’t all. Roger had done his
research and found a poem written by Heather Linforth to celebrate Ryan 60th birthday back in 1986 and
read this. It was a total delight. And just when we imagined he would sit down Roger presented Ryan with
a certificate assuring him of life membership of the Kingswood Club. Ryan, we hope you will enjoy free
membership for very many years to come.
And then, of course, there was a cake to be cut. It was a delightful way to spend a Saturday
afternoon.
April Coffee Morning
We made a really encouraging profit of £66.00. Well done all those who were there.
A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours. ~ Milton Berle
People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything. ~ Thomas Sowell
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Jazz Night April 1st
Once again our funds to be given away to charities were
augmented by the profits of the annual Jazz Night with the
Park Row Band and Hannah Wedlock. Attendance was a little
lower this year but having a captive audience for three hours
gives us the chance to make more than a pound or two at the
bar - very ably run by the Mundy family. They always appear to
be very much at home if there is alcohol nearby. The youngest
Mundy in the Club did a magnificent job selling raffle tickets.
This year she came around with four different colour packs of
tickets. Was this because she knows many people will say, “I’ll have one of each please”?
Hannah’s daughter was unwell that day but not only did she not let us down by not turning up
she stayed through the interval so that she could do her spot in the second half. She was, as always, a
delight to hear. Have you noticed how she talks with a distinctly Bristolian accent but sings with an
American one?
The food was the usual ham or cheese salad which was very enjoyable. Is it because of the
company that I always enjoy the supper at Jazz Nights so much? Taking the food to the tables instead of
asking the audience to queue up for it works very well.
So far as the music is concerned I confess to having been a little disappointed. It seemed a bit low
key, a bit muted - or is it that I am just getting old - or a little deaf?
The event made a profit of £626.00. Yipee!
After 35 years of marriage, a husband and wife came for counselling.
When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a tirade listing every problem they had ever
had in the years they had been married. On and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness,
loneliness,
feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured.
Finally, after allowing this for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around
the desk and after asking the wife to stand, he embraced and kissed her long and passionately as her
husband watched- with a raised eyebrow. The woman shut up and quietly sat down in a daze.
The therapist turned to the husband and said, "This is what your wife needs at least 3 times a
week. Can you do this?"
"Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Fridays, ..but I golf on Wednesdays
A Quiz for the really clever
1) How long did the Hundred Years War last?
2) Which country makes Panama hats?
3) From which animal do we get catgut?
4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?
5) What is a camel's hair brush made of?
6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?
7) What was King George VI's first name?
8) What colour is a purple finch?
9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?
All done? Check your answers below!
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
How long did the Hundred Years War last? *116 years
Which country makes Panama hats? *Ecuador
From which animal do we get cat gut? *Sheep and Horses
In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? *November
What is a camel's hair brush made of? *Squirrel fur
The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? *Dogs
What was King George VI's first name? *Albert
What colour is a purple finch? *Crimson
Where are Chinese gooseberries from? *New Zealand
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Some of the pictures from ‘My Brush with Hollwood’
you did not see last month due to equipment failure
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