Miss Read and the Squire

Yesterday I attended two meetings at the village hall...two meetings in one day. 

Madness!

An 1890's GRAPHIC illustration of a village squire
dispensing largesse at Christmas.

The first meeting was yesterday afternoon, in the village hall.     

Our small group got together to discuss how we can fund the printing of the booklet based on Miss Read's reminiscences of life in the village during the 1940's, 50's and 60's.   

Luckily Miss Read, who also happens to be Vice Chair of the Parish Council, has a good memory and she recalled that some years ago money had been ear-marked for a village celebration.   Food and drink were purchased, a lavish feast prepared.    It was to be a gift of thanks to the village folk.

The locals turned out in force and were all wined and dined, danced and made merry.   They were made so merry that they all insisted on paying a little something.     By the end of the evening the committee found themselves with an unwanted excess of £300...

The Parish Council agreed to hold the money for a project at some point in the future. 

It seems that project could be the little book we have been working on.   

Miss Read said she would consult the Chairman at the next meeting.   Meanwhile, we are making enquiries about the cost of printing, etc.   One of our local historians is searching his vast archive for suitable photographs to insert in among the text and the Squires* wife has taken the folder home with her to proof read.

While she does that, I can turn my full attention to deciphering the last, tricky bits of the Crusader poem/letter.

Snail pace progress, but we will get there.

*Squire: a man of high social standing who owns and lives on an estate in a rural area, especially the chief landowner in such an area.

Now it just so happened that as I was walking Toby through the village yesterday morning I had glanced at the noticeboard and spotted this note.

I don't normally attend these meetings - drainage, potholes and grumbles are the main fare,  but there was another notice about the dispersal of funds in connection with the sale of the village school a couple of years ago.      I wanted to know whether the village was going to benefit in some way...

Another GRAPHIC illustration from the 1890's
this one shows the squire's wife visiting the poor and needy at Christmas.

This time the meeting was attended by the 'Squire', although he would laugh to hear himself described as such.    He is very much a hands-on farmer; his family have been major landowners around here for many generations.   He is also the Treasurer and Acting Clerk for the Parish Council.

The whole of the committee was made up of  people I know well;  it is a tiny village and the pool of willing people is miniscule.  Such a shame.

I helped to put out the seating, organise tables, etc.   Optimistically we put out 8 chairs for spectators/interested parties, like myself.   Only two were taken, one of those was by me.

As I suspected, the early topics were - drainage, long discussions...
- the appalling number of potholes loomed large and we entered deep discussions about them...
-  eventually we moved on to the accounts, minutes, etc. etc. 

It was thrilling stuff.

I dodged  a pleading request to join the committee, maybe one day in the future, but right now I have plenty on my plate.

Eventually the item I was interested in, came up for discussion.    It was thought that there was no way that the village would be able to access any of the funds, they couldn't qualify for the rules regarding the dispersal...

However, I was able to add my two-pennyworth.    I know of a neighbouring village (the one with the hobbit houses) which does do something which should mean they are entitled to claim some of the money.

I am just waiting for some documents to be delivered, then I can take them to the relevant people for perusal.     I will let you know if things work out.     Two very community-minded women could find themselves in receipt of an unexpected sum of money, to help with their community work.

Fingers crossed!

As for Miss Read's book - it was agreed that once the quotes are in they will look to funding the printing.

Hurrah!