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EDITORIAL

Summer is here, with warmer days and lighter evenings tempting us out to enjoy our beautiful village and gardens and, as Jenny McLeish tells us in her PIB feature, Pebworth has even attracted the attention of Sky News! There’s a report of an unusual sighting in Back Lane, and Nature Notes features a vivid poem by local planter of trees, the late Felix Dennis. Finally, following on from Ivor Taylor’s Pebworth memories in the May issue, his sister Janine takes us on another blissful journey back to a time of bubble gum, sticky buns and green fizzy drinks!

A VILLAGE IN LOCKDOWN

Here’s how David Collins of Wesley Gardens is keeping in touch with his grandsons during lockdown:

STAYING CONNECTED AT PRIMARY LEVEL!

I thought I'd go 'back to school' as part of keeping connected to my two grandsons in Coventry: Harley, aged 7 and Austin, aged 3. I decided to share some of their lockdown home schooling tasks. At primary school and nursery level, I thought I had a pretty good chance, but the rain gauge I created was probably not one Blue Peter would have promoted, (my grandson's was much better!).

I enjoyed creating the ham and cheese sandwich with method, illustration and serving ideas, created by Harley, although I did have to cut down on the amount of ham due to poor timing of a supermarket trip!

My favourite and most successful activities were Austin’s garden bug hunt, and spelling my name in hieroglyphics.

My efforts have certainly been a way to connect with their experiences, even when remote, and caused them much laughter!

David Collins

If you would like to share your lockdown experiences, we would love to hear from you. Please send details to the editors.

VILLAGE HALL UPDATE

Despite these strange times and the Hall being closed for business, there has been much activity. At the end of April, we managed to hold an electronic AGM and thanks to the team of teller, auditors for our accounts and 100 Club, and the full Management Committee, we completed the necessaries. Many thanks to the Committee who have all stood again for another year. We then held a short meeting to confirm the resolution for our application as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, which Barrie our Treasurer has been arranging. We have had the exciting news that the Parish Council's application for a Public Works Loan has been approved, Arden Construction have been selected as contractors and arrangements are being made to put contracts in place so work can commence as soon as possible. Hot off the press, it is hoped work can start in the second week of June - please look out for further updates. This would mean by mid to late Autumn we may be re-opened. Please contact me for

JUNE 2020

Pebworth Piper

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information if you are already planning events and activities for when we are fully re-opened - the Hall and the community! Thank goodness for our outside spaces at this time and many thanks to the PIB team for maintaining our grounds and especially to Les and Yvonne for all the watering. And finally, there is on the porch of the hall a 'Books to Borrow' box for anyone short of reading material. Best wishes to all and stay safe.

Jane Cromack jvcromack@aol.com

PEBWORTH IN BLOOM

Imagine you are sent one morning to Worcestershire to find a village – not just any village but one that takes part in RHS In Bloom campaign and moreover one that is a 2020 finalist! No wonder that a Sky News presenter and cameraman were wandering round Pebworth on the 18th asking if anyone knew someone they could film and interview LIVE for that day’s broadcast. And that is how Yvonne and Ken (with their dog Barney stealing the limelight) suddenly found themselves being filmed in their garden at The Knoll and describing how the community works together to keep the village looking so beautiful. And Fred, our youngest committee member, was by chance mowing the Front Street verge and also found himself on the telly. The crew were keen to meet Wendi at Maple Barn as the local National Garden Scheme organiser, so she found herself being interviewed in her lovely garden, and Simon’s wonderful drone view of the village was also used in the broadcast. So, although we have not been able to welcome hundreds this coming weekend to see our beautiful village and visit the stunning gardens, many more thousands and thousands have seen Pebworth, as the item was broadcast at least 6 times! If you missed it, the programme is on our Pebworth in Bloom facebook page. We know that many have planted their sunflowers and are hoping to win the tallest sunflower competition in the summer and you still have a few days to enter the logo competition. And we are hoping to take delivery of bedding plants for the troughs and containers at the end of this month. Lots of maintenance work continues as you never know when a film crew might appear! Meanwhile keep safe, keep gardening, keep blooming!

Jenny McLeish

FLAG DAYS FOR JUNE

Tuesday 2nd June

Coronation Day

Wednesday 10th June

Birthday of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh (99)

Saturday 13th June

The official birthday of the Sovereign

Sunday 21st June

Birthday of H.R.H. The Duke of Cambridge (38)

Saturday 27th June

Birthday of H.R.H. The Duchess of Gloucester (74)

Chris Cotton

LAST FEW DAYS!!

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NATURE NOTES

The Kestrel

Tracey Morley Illustrations by Kevin Morley

If you would like to share any wildlife sightings, please send details, sketches or photos to the editors.

Small mammals, particularly voles, form a large part of the kestrel’s diet.

Kestrel Hover; flicker; flicker; still— Quartering the empty hill, Barred wings flare from dart to knife, Fierce eyes seeking signs of life. Faultless fury haunts the skies, Taloned death in beauty’s guise, Banking— drops! and scoops its prey: Saddened now, I turn away. By Felix Dennis, from Tales From the Woods (Ebury Press) 2010. Reproduced with the permission of the Literary Executors to the Felix Dennis Estate.

Walkers and drivers in Pebworth will be familiar with the kestrel and its distinctive hovering flight. Perched on a wire or telegraph pole, or patrolling above the fields and roadside verges, it is always vigilant for prey, such as voles, mice, worms and insects. The kestrel’s behaviour is described perfectly in Heart of England Forest founder Felix Dennis’ beautiful poem:

An alternative evocative name for the kestrel is ‘windhover’.

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PEBWORTH PAST

I arrived in Pebworth in summer 1951 aged seven years. I travelled in a removal van with my grandfather Monty Roberts, who was leaving Clifford Chambers estate to work for Mr Redfern at Bank Farm. Grandmother Janette followed in a taxi. My abiding memory of that trip was having the gear stick crush my leg. We moved into Elford Cottage and a first memory is of being sent to Arthur and Betty Paget's village shop to buy Black Cat cigarettes for Monty. Nigel, my brother, also remembers being sent on the same mission, and as they knew it was for Monty the rules were bent slightly. When there was some spare pocket money, I would enjoy the squares of bubble gum they sold. I also remember standing at the gate of Elford Cottage, watching for the baker’s van that would bring sweet buns filled with artificial cream!

Now you might ask what was I, a child from London, doing in Pebworth? Being the eldest of four children by five years I had spent my first three years living with my parents and grandparents in Hatton whilst dad was stationed at RAF Kemble. When the war ended, we moved back to London and his family home. As each brother arrived, I was sent to stay with Nan and Monty in Pebworth. Monty allowed me to use his old bike (ladies) so I would ride out for miles without a care for any danger. Opposite the cottage was an orchard containing a pony and stable. During the spring the ground was covered in cowslips. I never found out who owned either the horse or orchard, but he certainly had a wonderful view across to the Malvern Hills. Next door was the vicarage and I think we were all in awe of the incumbents, so never really felt that we were meant to enter any further than the boot room! After that was another odd spare piece of land which had a large tree just inside to the right of the gate up which I climbed and stayed hidden to spy on passers-by. In contrast, we made friends with Jane Ball and her family who lived in the long white cottage next to the water board land which had a tank on

it. Further along on the corner was a cottage where I think a music teacher lived, and across in the middle of the road at the bus stop there was a pond, now long ago filled in - maybe as a result of the farm behind it being closed. My cousin Jackie and I would visit a lady in the Victorian cottage, now painted white, on the Dorsington Road. I'm sure that it was red brick originally. We cannot recall her name but she may have had horses, as Jackie liked to ride. With dad working in London, mum would bring us down to Pebworth during the school holidays. Those times gave us a love of rural life and instilled a knowledge of farming and the countryside. We would help Monty bring in the cows from the 'cow field' for milking, after which we mucked out the sheds and topped up the feed hoppers. I did sample the cow cake - definitely designed for cows! However, the milk was delicious once strained and cooled. No pasteurisation but we all survived. Monty took home a canister each day which was a perk of the job (no more than he deserved). Whenever there was a difficult calving day or night, Monty was summoned as he was a certified herdsman and had far more knowledge than the boss. Monty also had a secret

which he kept from the Redferns which was that he could drive. Because of this he was never asked to drive a tractor or indeed any other equipment. The bullock pen in the yard was emptied annually - which prevented the occupants escaping over the gate. Just outside of this area was the muck

heap, and Nigel says that once Ivor tried to walk on it and got stuck, which necessitated Monty being called to pull him out! Behind that, further up there was a first-floor poultry shed, which may have been used till the chickens were large enough to go outside as they then free ranged.

Janine in the garden at Elford

Cottage, looking towards the

chicken runs

Back view of Bank Farm

Monty with John Redfern

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We all remember walking down to the Pebworth Halt in order to catch the train into Stratford on market day. Looking back, none of us seemed to notice the distance in spite of the youngest being in a pushchair. Even the return walk back didn't seem to faze us. Something we always looked out for was the 'tiger cottage’, so called due to the china tiger in the window. Another long walk we made was in the opposite direction to Honeybourne Station. In that case I think we were able to take a footpath through the fields for some of the way. The prize at the end was the old railway café in which we refreshed ourselves for the return trip with green fizzy drinks. Monty used to grow vegetables and soft fruit which he sent to auction at market in Evesham. One of the things I especially recall is collecting teasels, which I think were used in the woollen trade. At one time we were all sent to pick field mushrooms in the long barn field on the Stratford Road. Never before or since did we see such an amazing crop. Not to be outdone, Nan was a great flower gardener. Prior to her marriage she had been employed as a florist. Her father had decided that neither of his daughters would go into domestic service, and her sister Lily therefore worked in a shoe shop in Cheltenham. Nan won prizes for her Dahlias in the Pebworth Summer Show and her garden was always a riot of colour. Ron Tracey had greenhouses at the bottom of Front Street, where he grew and sold tomatoes - what a wonderful smell in the warmth. Another local we got to know well was Jack Bevington, who also grew produce in his very long back garden. There was a stile at the end which adjoined the Bank Farm land and provided us with a short cut home on occasion. Moving past the pub and into Friday Street where Valender’s, the baker, sold fresh bread. Jackie remembers being there at Christmas times and a large chicken being taken down to be cooked in the baker’s oven - presumably Nan's oven being too small. Monty would always send a large chicken squashed into the

old square silver biscuit tin to us in London for Christmas!

There may have been another shop, but my memory fails me. Of course, all long gone now. Further along to the bend where a cottage had burnt down and then turning back towards the school and another farm on the left. Here was a bull on the opposite side of the road - he was kept in a stable with the top half of the door open and always seemed to be very mean and I always moved quickly past him! Half way up Back Lane was Nurse James' house and I often visited her. In 1975 mum gave her one of the costume dolls she made as a hobby. I still have the record card detailing her. She was named Oriole circa 1833 and had won two prizes. I used to go with a friend to visit Mrs Taylor, the post mistress, and would go on our bikes to deliver telegrams, for which we were paid threepence each. This friend, I think, lived down on Buckle Street and as I write I get a feeling that she was related to Mrs Taylor. I used to love going into the post office and along the stone hallway to the counter in the door of her sitting room. The place had a lovely atmosphere. Sometimes I had to use the outside toilet which was at the bottom right of the garden. When Monty had to retire, he and Nan were given two weeks to leave Elford Cottage as it was tied to his job. Initially they were looking at going to live in a Nissen hut, as this was all the council could offer. After a very stressful few weeks a saviour arrived in the guise of the retired Reverend Johnson, who offered them a two-bedroom cottage at the rear of his home. It was accessed via his front gate and around the side to the back and was very private. Adjoining Meon View cottage was a tiny one up one down cottage where Mrs Sutton lived. There was no room inside for a toilet so that was outside alongside a water pump. Monty did lots of odd jobs for local people. He was superb at hedge laying. At the rear of Monty's cottage were several houses, one of which was owned by Nigel Phillips and family. He was a solicitor in Stratford and eventually moved to Dorsington. Esme Rose worked for them, and later for Monty doing their washing and ironing. Later I became friends with Esme

Esme Rose

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and used to visit her, firstly in Broad Marston and then in the new homes in Wesley Gardens. Until she became too ill, she kept an eye on my grandparents’ grave at the same time as attending to her father Jack Bevington’s grave. There was a colonel living in another of those houses and when his estate was sold up, Monty managed to beg a grandfather clock for the princely sum of 10s 6d. I now have this in my home. My grandparents enjoyed their final years in Pebworth, which was well earned having made seventeen moves during their fifty years of marriage. Monty had wanted to become a jockey and he was certainly of the small stature needed, but lack of funds prevented him pursuing such a career. For a time, he helped train polo ponies and this must have given him the lifetime love of horse racing. Every day after tea at 6pm, he would spread the paper out and on would go the radio. We would be forbidden to talk whilst he checked his bets. Once a year both Nan and Monty would have a visit or later a phone bet on the Gold Cup. Monty went strictly by form whereas Nan would pick a horse by name. Invariably, Nan would be the one to win! Maybe you can guess that I was very fond of my grandparents and feel blessed that I was able to spend so many happy times in Pebworth. However, if anyone knows more on the people or their names, or indeed has any corrections to offer, please feel free to let me know. Looking at Monty's address book I noted the names: Wright at Far View, Buttler, Cole, Jeffrey, and K Dandy at Pettifer house, who I think was a doctor.

Janine Taylor luanajtaylor1@gmail.com

A DIFFERENT SORT OF PEBWORTH

PIPER!

Keith and Jenny Hoskin have been busy in their garden at The Forge, Back Lane, during lockdown. However, the delivery of some concrete, via a pipe attached to a crane, raised a few eyebrows. As Keith says: ‘We hadn't expected this "war of the worlds" type machine (that is what it looked like when it first appeared above the roof line) to turn up, so it was a bit of a surprise! Last time we had some concrete pumped around the back of the house they just laid the pipe from the lorry, down the footpath, through the gate and across the back lawn!!’

Photographs: David Lees

PEBWORTH & DISTRICT WI

Thanks to Sue’s fortnightly newsletter, now nearing 6 editions, we are managing to keep in touch with all things WI. The latest contained some good quizzes, book recommendations, a lovely nature piece about swans, recipes and some local history – this time about Cox’s Yard in Stratford - as well as about the

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early years of our own WI. Thank you, Sue, for all your hard work – if any member has something to share in the newsletter please contact her by email suejordan27@outlook.com. As social distancing continues members are taking to social media with one book club about to use Zoom for its discussions and the next committee meeting is likewise adopting Zoom. Gardening, crafting, cooking, walking, cycling and endless phone calls, texts and emails are taking up our days. And all members will be receiving a little present through their letter boxes any time soon. But as our president Liz wrote in the newsletter – we are all missing being able to physically be with our families and friends and we are all looking forward to when we are able to meet again at our monthly meetings. Whenever that is!!

Jenny McLeish

100 CLUB

The May 2020 winners are:

Place Prize Winner

1st £25 M Holland

2nd £15 C Warren

3rd £15 S Treglown

Congratulations to all winners!

PARISH COUNCIL NEWS

A virtual Parish Council meeting was due to be held on May 25th via the Zoom app. Minutes of the meeting were not available at time of going to press.

MOBILE LIBRARY

The mobile library, along with all other libraries in Worcestershire, is not operating during this period and unfortunately it may be a number of months before it is back on the road.

Please let us have your news and announcements for the JULY Piper on or before 19th June. Please contact:

Tracey Morley at t.morley18@btinternet.com The Old Barn, Back Lane 720893 or Diana Beaumont at dianabeaumont@btinternet.com Meon House, Friday Street.