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The first Timsbury Horse Show and Gymkhana was held in 1957 and was deemed to be one of the biggest seen locally for years. It was organised by the Timsbury branch of the North Somerset Conservative Association which had recently been revived. The outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the Bath area caused some complications and an obedience demonstration by the Bath Alsatian Training Club had to be cancelled. One other effect was that the winner of the first prize in the skittles competition – Mr. Merrick of Priston had to wait for his pig until the restrictions were lifted!
Musically 1957 was very much the skiffle era and the Panther skiffle group from Timsbury was runner-up in the Toc H Gala week competition at Bath YMCA. The Panthers led by Alan Moore received several skiffle group records as their prize. Later in the year another skiffle group from the village, the Blue Jean Five, won a contest held at the Regency Ballroom Bath. Although the “Five” were in fact only four (their bass player caught flu at the last moment) they were adjudged the winners by band leader Joe Daniels and vocalist Jackie Allen. The group was then invited to appear with Joe Daniels and his band and were offered further engagements at the Regency.
One of the big issues in the village concerned the ongoing dispute at St. Mary’s Church. Hopes were expressed by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Bath and Wells that a split between people in Timsbury would be healed when a settlement was eventually reached after a petition had been heard before a Consistory Court at Winford Church. The case concerned a petition led by the rector, Rev. Hugh Vipond Davies, to remove a number of articles from St. Mary’s. These included twelve stone images of the Apostles, unframed oil paintings of a bishop and the crucifixion and a needlework picture of the Madonna. A group in the village opposed the removal of the gifts which had been donated by William Gullick of London. In the end it was agreed that Mr. Gullick would remove all the gifts he had given the church in the previous twenty-five years.
Ronald Hubbard became joint Pastor of Timsbury and Clutton Congregational Churches in 1957. At a special service at Timsbury Congregational he received a warm welcome and there were visitors from many other churches in the Bristol Itinerant Society.
In the same year the annual Youth Eistedfod of the Paulton Methodist Circuit was held at Timsbury Secondary Modern School under the chairmanship of Rev. Guy and Rev. Cornfield. Amongst Timsbury winners were Heather, Sheila and Ann Taviner, Irene and Wendy Padfield, Jennifer Purnell, Carol and Heather Thatcher (music), Suzanne White and Cherry Sands(elocution), Pat Elms, Cherry Sands, Carol and Heather Thatcher (art), Ann Taviner, Irene and Wendy Padfield, Pat Heal, Carol and Heather Thatcher and Suzanne White (handwork), Pat Elms (Nature study), Cherry Sands (literature) and Grenville Comer (handwriting).
Timsbury boxer Cliff Purnell was knocked out by Joey Armstrong of Ghana in the third round of his top-of-the-bill heavyweight boxing contest in Birmingham. Purnell had no answer to Armstrong’s right-hand work and took some heavy punishment. Meanwhile Timsbury YMCA soccer team reached the final of the Somerset County Youth shield only to lose 3-1 to Bridgwater Town Colts. Tony Biggs grabbed Timsbury’s goal.
At the annual Timsbury Miners’ Welfare fete a new hard tennis court was officially opened by Mr. Paynter, the Vice-Chairman of the South West Divisional Welfare Committee. A demonstration match was played by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Neate who many will remember as teachers at Norton Hill, Angela Bourton of Tunley and David Penrose of Timsbury.
Finally the Timsbury Football Club Carnival was opened by Bristol Rovers’ goalkeeper Howard Radford. Judy Bowditch, who recently sadly passed away was crowned as carnival queen with her two assistants Iris Biggs and Joan Bennett. The carnival procession through the village was led by the band of the D company, 4th. A.C. Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry while children paraded in fancy dress. In the evening there was a carnival dance at the Church Hall with music by Don Webb and his band.