The original intention for this article was to compare today’s level of Council services with those we all received in the past. Then the General Election was thrust upon us; all future services became a matter of promises made; and the outcome of the results, both local and national, now a matter of conjecture.
Having apportioned my own and proxy “X”s at the polling booth, I visited the Parish Office to discuss an earlier offer to me to take on a collection of old Parish Council Press Cuttings. Our Parish clerk agreed to check, and later delivered the 13 scrapbooks to me.
I had had access to them in the past. I now noted several reproductions in the earlier ones of old Ringwood pictures from the late Ted Baker, possibly of interest to the Ringwood Society.
At an earlier access to them, probably around 2005/6, I had numbered them 1 to 13. Numbers 1-5 date from late 1965 to 1981, which are mostly concerned with general village affairs.
Numbers 6-13 deal mainly with on-going efforts, initially by East Dorset Parish Council, latterly Dorset Council itself, allowing developers to promote “town” type plans on our greenbelt areas, and eventually to succeed with the Victory Oak Estate. These will now permit a broader brush research into these never-ending plans.
If only we weren’t polluted by the “motorway” type A31, speeding traffic on our side-roads, plus strange new weeds growing everywhere.
One sad loss this year is the end of our HomeWatch scheme. As so often these days, lack of next generation volunteers to take over roles from the elderly population that continue to be attracted to our pleasant lands, The D-Day celebrations at the Meeting House saw 64 children plus their teaching staff receive a “slide show” presentation from me on the morning of 5th June.
This was the actual day, a Sunday, planned for the invasion, but the storm saw it delayed for 24 hours. Around 2,000 allied deaths that day defies comparison with 20,000 on the first day at the Somme in 1916!
On 15th June I was invited to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of Avon Valley Archaeological Society in their barn at Blashford, once site of the “Ringwood Experience” that close down some years ago. Within the barn, elements of those displays remain on site. As far as I am aware no such views have been seen, but I now have some on record.
My March 2024 article told of carved stonework and potential site of an 11th century Chapel dedicated to St. Leonard at the farm of that name. I finally met with the geophysicist who may become involved if AVAS takes up the offer by the owner. My October article may provide some news.
Meanwhile, for September some interesting old dates of events and properties, both locally and elsewhere, listed by the late Dr. Little in one of his articles.
Remember – I have no internet
Please call me on 01202 875512
JOHN HAWKINS