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It was in 1962 that the Cheshire Home welcomed its first three patients. Greenhill House had been presented to the Cheshire Foundation by the Bath Round Table and in February Paul le Butt Masgrave, Wilfred Tucker from Peasedown and Mabel Gaskins moved in. I am sure that many locals who joined the staff at that time will remember those particular individuals together with the first warden Lt/Col R.N. Syme and the matron Miss Sheila Ralph.
1962 also marked the re-emergence of Timsbury Flower show as an annual village event. It was held at Timsbury Secondary Modern School for the first time for 12 years and proved to be an outstanding success. The Horticultural Society could report that entries of over 1000 far exceeded expectations and it was described in the newspaper of the day as an outstanding show, one of the best in the district. The secretary at that time was Geoff Dagger with the President Bernard Cayzer.
It was a good year for road safety in Timsbury. First a road safety scrapbook made by six-year-old Rita Elliott won a special award in a national competition which attracted an entry of 11,000. The event was organised by the Christian Road Safety League and Rita’s entry was made through her Sunday School at Tabor Church. Rita went to London to receive her prize of a transistor radio and was the only winner from the West Country.
In April of the same year the pupils of Timsbury Secondary Modern School came first in an area road safety quiz. The quizmaster was Sgt. John Aplin and the Timsbury team scored 84 marks out of a possible 96. Those taking part were Susan Bromilow, Linda Osman, Martin Horler, Michael Weaver, Marjorie Bridges, John Glander, Vera Gardener and Clive Wilton.
It was not all good news on the education front in Timsbury in 1962, however. The governors of the Secondary Modern School were said to be disillusioned, disappointed and frustrated when it was announced that the proposed new school which had been planned to serve Timsbury and Paulton had been rejected in the major building programme for 1963-64. Protest meetings were held and the campaign received the support of local M.P. Ted Leather but the action ultimately proved unsuccessful. Neither was the local Primary School happy. Managers and parents at the establishment complained about the small amount of money spent on Primary education compared to other branches of education and also fully backed the move for a new Secondary Modern School in the village.
Concern was expressed by members of Clutton Rural District and particularly the Timsbury representative Mrs. Gladys Smith about the felling of trees at the site of Timsbury House for a planned development. Members heard a report of a meeting at the location which had been attended by a timber merchant, forestry assistant and officer of the Council which said that trees removed had been unsafe. A number of Councillors did not agree, however, and Mrs. Smith said that amongst those trees felled was a beautiful copper beech.
Damage estimated at £3000 was caused by a fire which gutted a general store at The Square on the Sunday morning of February 11 1962. The shop was one of a block of three business premises and was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Godfrey of Farmborough. The outbreak of fire was discovered by Mr. Sydney Sims when he was brushing the pavement at the entrance to his own shop and he was assisted by local neighbours Mr. Sam Fricker and Mr. Ivor Clavey. The drapery store next door owned by Mr Whittle of Bath escaped without damage.
On the sporting front it was not a great year for Timsbury Football Club who were beaten 8-0 by a very strong Welton Rovers team in the Somerset Senior Cup. Timsbury lodged an appeal to the County F.A. that Welton had played an ineligible player but it was dismissed.
There was far better news for Timsbury runner Eddie Strong, however. He began the year by winning the Somerset Senior Cross Country Championship, finished third in the inter-counties coming in just 11 seconds behind the champion Gerry North of Lancashire and was then selected to represent England in the three miles’ event at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia.and in the 5000 metres at the European Championships at Belgrade. At Perth Eddie led for most of the race but was eventually caught on the last lap and finished sixth behind New Zealander Murray Halberg. A magnificent achievement!