Five Years Ago
Talks continued behind closed doors between Parish Councillors in the search for peace between the neighbouring Suffolk villages of Rickinghall Inferior and Rickinghall Superior.
Fifteen Years Ago
A small band of loyal supporters gave a hearty round of applause as the curtain came down on the final scene in Ham Village Hall of the Ham Players' performance of 'Trossachs', a dramatisation by producer Phyllis Pardew of the Waverley novels (by Sir Walter Scott) in which each member of the cast got to play several roles. Lighting, including the fog sequence, was by Trevor Poggle, while coaching in the Scottish accent was given by Wardrobe Mistress Edna McNab. On the last night a bouquet of flowers (along with a jar of Vick) was presented to lead actress Beryl Streep, who, despite a heavy cold and loss of voice, held front of stage in all 43 scenes of this ambitious production.
Fifty-Five Years Ago
Further shots were fired in the ongoing row between the BBC and Mr G. Willock of Shepton Parva. The Corporation, as will be remembered, had, in a series of increasingly curt refusals, declined the many offers made by amateur photographer Gordon Willock to make available his extensive archive of holiday slides (plus one 7mm film of Skies Over Shepton) for use in transmission breaks between programmes. The BBC replied that it had ample footage of its own of horses ploughing, windmills turning, pottery making and basket-weaving without needing to add to it pictures of Mrs Willock staring out from Stonehenge, Minehead or with the donkeys at Clovelly, let alone filmed sequences of Doreen Willock (49) mowing the lawn or relaxing in her garden.
Accusing commissioning editors of arrogance and not knowing what the public really wants to see, the complainant pointed out that all his neighbours (including two members of the Quantocks Camera Club) were heartily sick of all the bad things on the news and in programmes like Dixon of Dock Green and would positively welcome a breakdown in transmission in order to enjoy some pleasant reminders (set to music) of what makes Britain great. The Director-General was not available for further comment. Neither were the Willocks (away in the Lake District, filming daffodils).
How I remember "Trossachs " ! Trevor "Poggie" Poggle was my uncle. Sadly, he passed away some time ago now, but the family still speak fondly of Poggie's determined experiments with cow-dung and bicarbonate of soda in his quest for the perfect stage fog.
ReplyDeleteAndrea Stool [Mrs, 51]
I have lived in Shepton Parva for 73 years and I recall Mr Willock quite well. He could often be seen around the village filming local phenomena such as bluebells or puddles.. Once, he made a 30 minute film, with sound, of Shepton Parva's first and only set of traffic lights.
ReplyDeletePamela Flaneller [Mrs, 86]
That Willock bloke was a perv. My Auntie Florence said he used to creep up people's back gardens and poke his camera through holes in the outside lavvie's doors.
ReplyDeleteDuncan Tripe