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SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2004

The Repton Village Society is having a very interesting and informative series of meetings with an increasing attendance at these meetings. Already this year we have covered a range of topics, The Derbyshire Wild Life Trust, Metal Mines in Derbyshire, Code Breaking in the Second World War and last month the Southwell Workhouse. We look forward to seeing many of you at our meetings over the rest of the year. Next year’s programme is being finalised and looks to continue to provide a well thought out programme. 

As part of the Open Gardens event on the 26^th and 27^th of June the Chronology produced by Ken Ash will be on display in the Church. This is well worth seeing and is not often on display. 

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Members only evening visit to Sinai Park Thursday 1st July at 7.30 p.m.  

The list for this visit is now full but if any more members wish to go then a waiting list can be started. Sinai Park is at the end of an unmade track off Shobnall Road Burton on Trent. Leaving Burton drive past Marston’s Brewery and then past The Albion Pub and the track is 200yds further on the left, adjacent to a bus stop. A footpath sign to Tatenhill points up the track. Reservoir Road is opposite but if you reach Lordswell Road you have gone just pass the entrance. Drive up the track right to the top and in through the entrance to the property which is a very large timber framed building. 

The owner, Kate Newton has kindly agreed to give an introductory talk after which the — group will divide into two with one half looking round the inside of the house whilst the other half takes in the view and tours the garden etc. after which the groups will swap over. This arrangement is necessary because the group is too large to all get in the house at once. Please note that this is a very exposed site and can be chilly and wet even on a July evening! 

There is no entrance fee but a donation towards the restoration costs of a £1 minimum per person will be collected during the visit. Please try and arrive on time because the surrounding fields contain cattle and the gates into the house will be shut once we have arrived to keep them out of the garden! If any further information is required please contact Alan Webster on 01283 701838.

BULB PLANTING

In the autumn the Society is hoping to plant daffodil bulbs at the Milton road entrance to the Village, much as it did by the Telephone Exchange several years ago. Volunteers will be welcome.

DECEMBER COFFEE MORNING.

As an addition to the very successful format of the 2003 event the Society is intending to include an opportunity for villagers to exhibit hobbies.

More on both these topics at a later date. 

And finally just a general note regarding our visits, it has been mentioned that there may be members who would welcome a lift for whatever reason on these occasions. Please contact any member of the committee if this situation arises- we would be only too pleased to help. 

FLORAL CONTAINER / FRONT GARDEN COMPETITION

Following last years very successful Floral Container competition (where the judge said the standard of the exhibits was even higher than in the previous year) we have the same two categories again, namely

                   1     The Best Hanging Basket or Container and

                   2     The Best Front Garden.

Free entry forms will be in The Post Office, Redshaws Butchers or phone 703748, Entries to be received by the 1st July 2004 and judging will be between the 2 and 17th July 2004.

The generous prizes (Bretby Nurseries Vouchers), sponsored by the Repton Parish Council, will be awarded at the Repton Village Show on Saturday 4^th September 2004 together with the Rose Bowl to the Overall Winner.

So get the green fingers going and lets see if we can improve the standard again this year and continue to make the village more pleasant and interesting for us and the many visitors that come to Repton. As the Open Gardens event is now a two day event, with the Church also being open, we can expect more visitors; all the more reason to put on a good show. 

REPTON VILLAGE HISTORY GROUP ACTIVITIES

The History Group, in its new format of “Open Meetings” where all are welcome, continues to flourish. Regretfully David Guest has had to stand down as Chairman for personal reasons.  Alan Kimber has been elected to replace him. The Officers and Committee thank David for his enthusiasm for local history over many years and for his more recent stint as Chairman. We are pleased that he will be continuing as an active Committee member.

Our open meetings are attracting a good level of interest. Three have taken place and already several projects are underway. These include the development of a website for the History Group and the Village. Hazel Blackhall has undertaken to computerise the 1901 Census material and Gill Hiley has completed the 1881 Census material which is now being checked. Ivor Sandars has written a book about the Blue Bus Services, which is an excellent seller. The long awaited photographic book is at the printers and it is hoped that this will be ready for our meeting on 24 June and the Open Garden Weekend. Sample copies of two other books are now ready. These are the Repton Institute Minutes (1853-1863) and the Banns of Marriage Register (1859-1908), both of which will be printed to order. It is hoped to start other projects shortly.

Our next open meetings are: Thursday 24 June and Tuesday 20 July at 730 pm at the URC Chapel Pinfold Lane

Everyone is welcome but we do ask for a donation. Tea, Coffee and Biscuits are provided free.

Please note that there will be no Village Society meeting in August and that our first

meeting following the summer break will be:

Thursday 9 September when Maxwell Craven will talk about “Joseph Pickford”