Reports
17th December 2019 (new date)
Christmas Party
Christmas Party
26th November 2019
AGM
We held our Annual Meeting on Tuesday 26th November after the usual meeting was finished. We appointed our new Committee of 10 with Linda Taylor being appointed President for her second time. Next year is our 90th birthday in March so hopefully the coming year will see some amazing events.
We had a couple of changes in that Deirdre Thompson was stepping down as Group Representative and this will be undertaken by Valerie McArdle in the coming year. Also, after well over 10 years of looking after our Bowls Team, Anne Hibbert is retiring so next season will see Deirdre in charge.
This year's Rose Bowl for competitions was presented to Françoise Rothery, and two bunches of flowers presented to Anne for her services to the bowls team and Linda Gammon as the outgoing President. Deirdre and Lizzy did a sterling job providing the tea and some lovely cakes made by the members.
22nd October 2019
Speaker:
Susan Ord - 'The Forensics of Handwriting’
Competition:
Autograph Album
AGM
We held our Annual Meeting on Tuesday 26th November after the usual meeting was finished. We appointed our new Committee of 10 with Linda Taylor being appointed President for her second time. Next year is our 90th birthday in March so hopefully the coming year will see some amazing events.
We had a couple of changes in that Deirdre Thompson was stepping down as Group Representative and this will be undertaken by Valerie McArdle in the coming year. Also, after well over 10 years of looking after our Bowls Team, Anne Hibbert is retiring so next season will see Deirdre in charge.
This year's Rose Bowl for competitions was presented to Françoise Rothery, and two bunches of flowers presented to Anne for her services to the bowls team and Linda Gammon as the outgoing President. Deirdre and Lizzy did a sterling job providing the tea and some lovely cakes made by the members.
22nd October 2019
Speaker:
Susan Ord - 'The Forensics of Handwriting’
Competition:
Autograph Album
24th September 2019
Speaker:
Karen Wilson - ‘Reflexology for Health & Wellbeing'
Competition:
Group - Musical Theatre Memorabilia
Twenty-six members and one visitor attended our monthly meeting where our Speaker for the evening was Karen Wilson, and her talk was ‘Reflexology for Health and Wellbeing’.
As well as being a clinical reflexologist, Karen is also a fully qualified pharmacist, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy, and over 20 years’ experience in the NHS. Karen’s clinical background and knowledge of medicines and medical conditions, can be very beneficial in understanding her client’s medical problems and helping tailor their reflexology treatment to help meet their individual health goals. She has clinics in Goostrey, Knutsford and Macclesfield.
Karen explained about the history of reflexology and how she got into this specialisation. She outlined the various areas that can be helped with reflexology such as stress, women’s health, fertility and pregnancy, and last but not least pain management, which we all related to. She had handouts that gave detailed areas of our palms and, best of all, self-help reflexology points on our hands for stress and back pain, which we all duly experimented with, along with her expert guidance.
After loads of questions and answers, Karen kindly judged our competition during the tea break, which was ‘Musical Memorabilia’. This was won by Anne Hibbert with Valerie Quinn second. Anne’s entry will be submitted to the Dane Valley Group Autumn Meeting’s competition.
Speaker:
Karen Wilson - ‘Reflexology for Health & Wellbeing'
Competition:
Group - Musical Theatre Memorabilia
Twenty-six members and one visitor attended our monthly meeting where our Speaker for the evening was Karen Wilson, and her talk was ‘Reflexology for Health and Wellbeing’.
As well as being a clinical reflexologist, Karen is also a fully qualified pharmacist, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy, and over 20 years’ experience in the NHS. Karen’s clinical background and knowledge of medicines and medical conditions, can be very beneficial in understanding her client’s medical problems and helping tailor their reflexology treatment to help meet their individual health goals. She has clinics in Goostrey, Knutsford and Macclesfield.
Karen explained about the history of reflexology and how she got into this specialisation. She outlined the various areas that can be helped with reflexology such as stress, women’s health, fertility and pregnancy, and last but not least pain management, which we all related to. She had handouts that gave detailed areas of our palms and, best of all, self-help reflexology points on our hands for stress and back pain, which we all duly experimented with, along with her expert guidance.
After loads of questions and answers, Karen kindly judged our competition during the tea break, which was ‘Musical Memorabilia’. This was won by Anne Hibbert with Valerie Quinn second. Anne’s entry will be submitted to the Dane Valley Group Autumn Meeting’s competition.
27th August 2019
Speaker:
Norma Walmsley - ‘The Colossus of Roads’
Competition:
Any vehicle model
Twenty-two members and one visitor attended our last this monthly meeting where our Speaker for the evening was Norma Walmsley and she told us of a 4-year long journey.
Norma is a retired teacher who travelled extensively overseas, mainly as a governess to the King of Brunei’s children. Ten years later she really retired, so foot loose and fancy free decided to explore America in truck and a 42-foot recreational vehicle. With her husband she set off and travelled from coast to coast; desert to metropolis, and Route 66 to the Appalachian Trail. They met fellow travellers, friendly Anglophiles and folk who asked “Britain? Oh, do l they speak English over there!” She shared anecdotes of the joys and woes of climbing mountains dragging a great big trailer, together with pictures and cartoons.
Norma judged our competition – ‘A Vehicle Model’- which was won by Valerie McArdle with her magnificent Lego truck, second was Linda Taylor with Françoise Rothery third.
Speaker:
Norma Walmsley - ‘The Colossus of Roads’
Competition:
Any vehicle model
Twenty-two members and one visitor attended our last this monthly meeting where our Speaker for the evening was Norma Walmsley and she told us of a 4-year long journey.
Norma is a retired teacher who travelled extensively overseas, mainly as a governess to the King of Brunei’s children. Ten years later she really retired, so foot loose and fancy free decided to explore America in truck and a 42-foot recreational vehicle. With her husband she set off and travelled from coast to coast; desert to metropolis, and Route 66 to the Appalachian Trail. They met fellow travellers, friendly Anglophiles and folk who asked “Britain? Oh, do l they speak English over there!” She shared anecdotes of the joys and woes of climbing mountains dragging a great big trailer, together with pictures and cartoons.
Norma judged our competition – ‘A Vehicle Model’- which was won by Valerie McArdle with her magnificent Lego truck, second was Linda Taylor with Françoise Rothery third.
23rd July 2019
Speaker:
Peter Braun - ‘Monarchy and Dunham (The Grey Area)’
Competition:
Royal Memorabilia
Twenty-seven members were delighted to welcome Peter Braun talking about ‘Monarchy and Dunham (The Grey Area).
Peter has been a National Trust guide and speaker at Dunham Massy for many years. He started by giving us an illustrated talk about the Hall. The house had its origins in 1611, when it was built by Sir George Booth, though the chapel has records going back to 1307. Over a period of eight years from 1722 the house was remodelled by John Norris, further work was carried out towards the end of the 18th century by John Hope and early in the 20th century alterations were made by Joseph Compton Hall after it had been empty for nearly 50 years. The hall itself, the stables, and the carriage house of Dunham Massey are all Grade 1 listed buildings. The estate is moated and also has a deer park.
Two families have had their history entwined with that of the Hall, the Booths and the Greys. Peter, using the portraits from the hall, as a starting point, gave us an encyclopaedic but enthralling discourse on the history of the two families. The Booth family held Dunham Massey for over three hundred years, from the early fifteenth century until the mid-eighteenth century, and George Booth was involved with the build up to the 17th century Civil Wars. They were succeeded by the Greys, Earls of Stamford, who took over in 1770 by marriage, and who managed the house and estate for another 200 years until 1976 when the 10th and last Earl, Roger Grey died.
We heard of royal and political intrigue linking Edward IV’s descendants via Elizabeth Woodville to the facts behind the “Princes in the Tower” incident (who had been two of the couple’s children, guarded by step brother Thomas Grey, who had been removed and killed). Thomas Grey’s signature was on Charles I’s execution order, second only to the senior judge John Bradshaw and before Oliver Cromwell’s. Memories were long, especially re royalty, and it seems likely that the willingness to sign the king’s death warrant stemmed from incidents 90 years previous related to their ancestor Lady Jane Grey, the ‘Nine-day Queen’.
The surprising twist was probably the story of how the direct line died out but was retrieved via a distant cousin living in South Africa - the 8th Earl of Stamford a missionary Bishop who was enjoying many “liaisons”; the treatment of his third wife, Martha Solomon, the daughter of a black Cape slave who was disowned; and their son John Grey who was denied his title. The Stamford lineage continued with another cousin but died out in 1976 with the death of the 10th Earl and the estate, the house, all of its contents and the 3000 acres of land was bequeathed to the National Trust.
The evening closed after tea and biscuits and the judging of our competition of ‘Royal Memorabilia’ which was won by Karen Glendining, second was Françoise Rothery and third Anne Hibbert.
Speaker:
Peter Braun - ‘Monarchy and Dunham (The Grey Area)’
Competition:
Royal Memorabilia
Twenty-seven members were delighted to welcome Peter Braun talking about ‘Monarchy and Dunham (The Grey Area).
Peter has been a National Trust guide and speaker at Dunham Massy for many years. He started by giving us an illustrated talk about the Hall. The house had its origins in 1611, when it was built by Sir George Booth, though the chapel has records going back to 1307. Over a period of eight years from 1722 the house was remodelled by John Norris, further work was carried out towards the end of the 18th century by John Hope and early in the 20th century alterations were made by Joseph Compton Hall after it had been empty for nearly 50 years. The hall itself, the stables, and the carriage house of Dunham Massey are all Grade 1 listed buildings. The estate is moated and also has a deer park.
Two families have had their history entwined with that of the Hall, the Booths and the Greys. Peter, using the portraits from the hall, as a starting point, gave us an encyclopaedic but enthralling discourse on the history of the two families. The Booth family held Dunham Massey for over three hundred years, from the early fifteenth century until the mid-eighteenth century, and George Booth was involved with the build up to the 17th century Civil Wars. They were succeeded by the Greys, Earls of Stamford, who took over in 1770 by marriage, and who managed the house and estate for another 200 years until 1976 when the 10th and last Earl, Roger Grey died.
We heard of royal and political intrigue linking Edward IV’s descendants via Elizabeth Woodville to the facts behind the “Princes in the Tower” incident (who had been two of the couple’s children, guarded by step brother Thomas Grey, who had been removed and killed). Thomas Grey’s signature was on Charles I’s execution order, second only to the senior judge John Bradshaw and before Oliver Cromwell’s. Memories were long, especially re royalty, and it seems likely that the willingness to sign the king’s death warrant stemmed from incidents 90 years previous related to their ancestor Lady Jane Grey, the ‘Nine-day Queen’.
The surprising twist was probably the story of how the direct line died out but was retrieved via a distant cousin living in South Africa - the 8th Earl of Stamford a missionary Bishop who was enjoying many “liaisons”; the treatment of his third wife, Martha Solomon, the daughter of a black Cape slave who was disowned; and their son John Grey who was denied his title. The Stamford lineage continued with another cousin but died out in 1976 with the death of the 10th Earl and the estate, the house, all of its contents and the 3000 acres of land was bequeathed to the National Trust.
The evening closed after tea and biscuits and the judging of our competition of ‘Royal Memorabilia’ which was won by Karen Glendining, second was Françoise Rothery and third Anne Hibbert.
25th June 2019
Speaker:
Diana Leitch - ‘The Story of Pyrex’
Competition:
Most unusual piece of Pyrex
Dr Diana Leitch is a graduate from the School of Chemistry and in 1969 gained a BSc and in 1972 a Ph.D. She was awarded an MBE for services to chemistry in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 2014. She is currently the Chair of Trustees of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes.
In 1908, Eugene Sullivan, director of research at Corning Glass Works in the USA, developed Nonex, a borosilicate low-expansion glass, to reduce breakage in shock-resistant lantern globes and battery jars. Jesse Littleton of Corning discovered the cooking potential of borosilicate glass by giving his wife Bessie a casserole dish made from a cut-down Nonex battery jar, before that no-one cooked with glass. Corning removed the lead from Nonex and thereby it developed as a consumer product and Pyrex made its public debut in 1915 during World War I.
One of the first commercial products to be sold under the new mark was a pie plate and in the interests of euphemism the letter r was inserted between pie and ex and the whole thing condensed to PYREX, which incidentally also rhymes with Nonex.
In 1919 Jobling’s of Sunderland produced Pyrex in England but at the beginning only Harrods and Selfridges were allowed to sell Pyrex who had adverts in The Times. Pyrex went through various stages of colourware in the 50’s, Pyrosil in the 60’s, plain glass in the 70’s. Vintage Retro Pyrex is very collectible in the USA and Japan. Pyrex glass production finally ceased in 2007 in Sunderland when the Glass Works closed down.
After tea and biscuits Diana judged our competition of ‘unusual Pyrex’ and Thelma Dutton came 1st, with Françoise Rothery 2nd and Anne Hibbert 3rd.
Note: if you’re interested in science and want a good day out with the family visit Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes - http://www.catalyst.org.uk
Speaker:
Diana Leitch - ‘The Story of Pyrex’
Competition:
Most unusual piece of Pyrex
Dr Diana Leitch is a graduate from the School of Chemistry and in 1969 gained a BSc and in 1972 a Ph.D. She was awarded an MBE for services to chemistry in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 2014. She is currently the Chair of Trustees of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes.
In 1908, Eugene Sullivan, director of research at Corning Glass Works in the USA, developed Nonex, a borosilicate low-expansion glass, to reduce breakage in shock-resistant lantern globes and battery jars. Jesse Littleton of Corning discovered the cooking potential of borosilicate glass by giving his wife Bessie a casserole dish made from a cut-down Nonex battery jar, before that no-one cooked with glass. Corning removed the lead from Nonex and thereby it developed as a consumer product and Pyrex made its public debut in 1915 during World War I.
One of the first commercial products to be sold under the new mark was a pie plate and in the interests of euphemism the letter r was inserted between pie and ex and the whole thing condensed to PYREX, which incidentally also rhymes with Nonex.
In 1919 Jobling’s of Sunderland produced Pyrex in England but at the beginning only Harrods and Selfridges were allowed to sell Pyrex who had adverts in The Times. Pyrex went through various stages of colourware in the 50’s, Pyrosil in the 60’s, plain glass in the 70’s. Vintage Retro Pyrex is very collectible in the USA and Japan. Pyrex glass production finally ceased in 2007 in Sunderland when the Glass Works closed down.
After tea and biscuits Diana judged our competition of ‘unusual Pyrex’ and Thelma Dutton came 1st, with Françoise Rothery 2nd and Anne Hibbert 3rd.
Note: if you’re interested in science and want a good day out with the family visit Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes - http://www.catalyst.org.uk
28th May 2019
Resolutions Meeting
Resolutions Meeting
23rd April 2019
Speaker:
George Pilkington - ‘The Birds and the Bees’
Competition:
A handbag
27 members and 2 guests gathered this meeting and after the business was dealt with, our President, Linda Gammon, welcomed our Speaker for the evening, George Pilkington. His talk was entitled ‘The Birds & Bees’ and to be honest we didn’t know exactly what we’d let ourselves in for.
But all was revealed as George explained that he successfully integrates being an ecologist, environmental educationist, researcher and inventor. After years of painstaking wild bumblebee and solitary bee observations and experimentations, he created the award-winning Nurturing Nature Bumblebee Nest Box and Solitary Bee Observation Nest Box.
His talk - accompanied with various intricate videos all taken in his garden - explained how garden birds make their nests, court their females, how some bees are ousting birds from completed nests and the courtship of bees! All with a dash of humour. We’ll be watching the birds in our gardens more closely now, wondering what they’re up to!
After tea and biscuits, George judged our competition with Françoise Rothery 1st, Valerie McArdle 2nd and Pat Price 3rd. So, Françoise’s entry will represent our WI in the Dane Valley Group competition next month.
Speaker:
George Pilkington - ‘The Birds and the Bees’
Competition:
A handbag
27 members and 2 guests gathered this meeting and after the business was dealt with, our President, Linda Gammon, welcomed our Speaker for the evening, George Pilkington. His talk was entitled ‘The Birds & Bees’ and to be honest we didn’t know exactly what we’d let ourselves in for.
But all was revealed as George explained that he successfully integrates being an ecologist, environmental educationist, researcher and inventor. After years of painstaking wild bumblebee and solitary bee observations and experimentations, he created the award-winning Nurturing Nature Bumblebee Nest Box and Solitary Bee Observation Nest Box.
His talk - accompanied with various intricate videos all taken in his garden - explained how garden birds make their nests, court their females, how some bees are ousting birds from completed nests and the courtship of bees! All with a dash of humour. We’ll be watching the birds in our gardens more closely now, wondering what they’re up to!
After tea and biscuits, George judged our competition with Françoise Rothery 1st, Valerie McArdle 2nd and Pat Price 3rd. So, Françoise’s entry will represent our WI in the Dane Valley Group competition next month.
26th March 2019
89th Birthday Party
26th February 2019
Speaker:
Melanie Latham - ‘Chutney and Cheer’
Competition:
Decorate Jar - won by Francoise Rothery.
On an incredibly warm evening on the 26th February there was a good turn out of members and visitors all keen to lean more about the world of chutney making!
After a short introduction by Melanie members were soon aware they were in for a very lively and enjoyable evening with a talk and demonstration on the many different types of chutneys and jams that can be easily produced by the individual at home! In the Holmes Chapel WI programme the Speakers talk for February was described under the heading of ‘Chutney and Cheers’ and members were soon introduced to the idea of why Melanie chose these two words for her title!
Whilst adding ingredients to what looked to be a very promising new plum chutney produced on a small cooker Melanie entertained the members with many of her very amusing stories which kept the audience totally engaged with, on occasions some outbursts, of laughter from many of the members. She also provided members with the opportunity to taste or purchase some of her different types of chutney and jams that she had brought with her and kept on display throughout the evening. She explained how she first discovered the joy in making preserves when visiting her grandmother when she was a very young girl.
It was agreed that it had been a very enjoyable and relaxing evening.
89th Birthday Party
26th February 2019
Speaker:
Melanie Latham - ‘Chutney and Cheer’
Competition:
Decorate Jar - won by Francoise Rothery.
On an incredibly warm evening on the 26th February there was a good turn out of members and visitors all keen to lean more about the world of chutney making!
After a short introduction by Melanie members were soon aware they were in for a very lively and enjoyable evening with a talk and demonstration on the many different types of chutneys and jams that can be easily produced by the individual at home! In the Holmes Chapel WI programme the Speakers talk for February was described under the heading of ‘Chutney and Cheers’ and members were soon introduced to the idea of why Melanie chose these two words for her title!
Whilst adding ingredients to what looked to be a very promising new plum chutney produced on a small cooker Melanie entertained the members with many of her very amusing stories which kept the audience totally engaged with, on occasions some outbursts, of laughter from many of the members. She also provided members with the opportunity to taste or purchase some of her different types of chutney and jams that she had brought with her and kept on display throughout the evening. She explained how she first discovered the joy in making preserves when visiting her grandmother when she was a very young girl.
It was agreed that it had been a very enjoyable and relaxing evening.
22nd January 2019
Speaker:
Prof Ian Morison - ‘Are We Alone?’ - The search for life beyond earth
Competition:
Decorative Star
Our first meeting of 2019 saw the start of our new Programme with 21 ladies braving the bad weather. Our President, Linda Gammon, went through the business and after a presentation to our outgoing Treasurer, Valerie Quinn, she introduced Prof Ian Morison who gave us a talk about ‘Are We Alone’- Search for life beyond Earth.
Ian joined the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory as a research student in 1965 before becoming a staff member in 1970. Initially working on data acquisition systems for the observatory's own instruments including the Lovell and Mk II radio telescopes, he went on to play a key role in the development of MERLIN, an array of radio telescopes with a resolution in the radio spectrum comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope in the optical. On 1 August 2007 Ian was appointed as the 35th Gresham Professor of Astronomy, a position previously held by Christopher Wren. For his 60th birthday a Main belt asteroid 15727 Ian Morison was named after him.
Ian asked the question of where we could find other simple life-forms, possibly our own Solar System? Water is needed to support all life so two Viking Spacecraft landed on Mars in 1976 to search for evidence of life. We could detect evidence of life by observing the spectra of the planet’s atmosphere.
Next came SETI - The Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence. Where to look, they suggested that any search should target the nearest Sun-like stars as these live long enough and are hot enough to allow life a chance to evolve on a planet at a suitable distance from them. In 1998 a major upgrade to the Arecibo Telescope was completed and plans were made to use it again. It needs a large associated antenna to allow it to use its full sensitivity. The Lovell Telescope was ideal! Their equipment was installed at Jodrell Bank in June 1998 and the first observations made in September. Sadly ET has not phoned home, should we be surprised? Would a civilisation attempt to communicate with us? How does what we have learnt about other planetary systems affect the likelihood of other life being present in our galaxy? One needs, we believe, a very long time to allow life to evolve. It is really difficult to estimate how often a planet will have a temperate climate for long enough. Perhaps our human race is rather special.
After his talk Ian very kindly judged our competition, a ‘Decorated Star’ with Pat Price winning and Françoise Rothery 2nd and Valerie McArdle 3rd.
Speaker:
Prof Ian Morison - ‘Are We Alone?’ - The search for life beyond earth
Competition:
Decorative Star
Our first meeting of 2019 saw the start of our new Programme with 21 ladies braving the bad weather. Our President, Linda Gammon, went through the business and after a presentation to our outgoing Treasurer, Valerie Quinn, she introduced Prof Ian Morison who gave us a talk about ‘Are We Alone’- Search for life beyond Earth.
Ian joined the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory as a research student in 1965 before becoming a staff member in 1970. Initially working on data acquisition systems for the observatory's own instruments including the Lovell and Mk II radio telescopes, he went on to play a key role in the development of MERLIN, an array of radio telescopes with a resolution in the radio spectrum comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope in the optical. On 1 August 2007 Ian was appointed as the 35th Gresham Professor of Astronomy, a position previously held by Christopher Wren. For his 60th birthday a Main belt asteroid 15727 Ian Morison was named after him.
Ian asked the question of where we could find other simple life-forms, possibly our own Solar System? Water is needed to support all life so two Viking Spacecraft landed on Mars in 1976 to search for evidence of life. We could detect evidence of life by observing the spectra of the planet’s atmosphere.
Next came SETI - The Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence. Where to look, they suggested that any search should target the nearest Sun-like stars as these live long enough and are hot enough to allow life a chance to evolve on a planet at a suitable distance from them. In 1998 a major upgrade to the Arecibo Telescope was completed and plans were made to use it again. It needs a large associated antenna to allow it to use its full sensitivity. The Lovell Telescope was ideal! Their equipment was installed at Jodrell Bank in June 1998 and the first observations made in September. Sadly ET has not phoned home, should we be surprised? Would a civilisation attempt to communicate with us? How does what we have learnt about other planetary systems affect the likelihood of other life being present in our galaxy? One needs, we believe, a very long time to allow life to evolve. It is really difficult to estimate how often a planet will have a temperate climate for long enough. Perhaps our human race is rather special.
After his talk Ian very kindly judged our competition, a ‘Decorated Star’ with Pat Price winning and Françoise Rothery 2nd and Valerie McArdle 3rd.