RETURN TO LOOKING BACK WITH MALCOLM TUCKER MAIN PAGE
Parents and pupils at the annual speech day and prizegiving of Timsbury Secondary Modern School in 1969 heard details of the probable programme for the change to Comprehensive education. The proposed date was September 1971 and the school would move to Midsomer Norton to unite with the Grammar School there to become Norton Hill Comprehensive. Timsbury headmaster Mr. Eric Barnett welcomed the news after the uncertainty of the previous year. The guest speaker at the speech day was Dr. J.C. Daniels of Nottingham University.
Progress also appeared to being made in 1969 for the proposed housing estate at Greenvale. Difficulties in obtaining planning permission were overcome following a joint meeting between Clutton Rural District Council, the planners and the county’s surveyor’s department. The plans consisted of 26 dwellings in the first phase in 1969 and a further 24 homes the following year.
The radio and television shop at Maggs Hill owned by Malcolm James was badly damaged in May 1969 just 4 days after raiders stole £70 worth of stock. The fire started in the kitchen and gutted the living accommodation. Neighbours helped remove T.V. sets from the shop. Mrs James had slight burns and suffered from shock but Malcolm was away at the time.
Mothers braved the wintry weather to attend the inaugural meeting of the local branch of the pre-school playgroup association in Tabor Schoolroom. Mrs D. Elliott organised the playgroup which was to open after the Easter holidays. She was assisted by Mrs. P. Jeffery, Mrs. P. Paget, Mrs. Jeffery (snr.) and Mrs. D. Church.
Pigeon fanciers from all over the country turned up at The Miner’s Arms Farrington Gurney for the auction of all the pigeons owned and bred by the late Mr. Jack Brain of Timsbury. Not all of the 500 fanciers who arrived could get into the pub for a sale which saw 50 birds sold for a total of over £1200. Mr. Brain who lived at Tyning had been a pigeon fancier for nearly 50 years and winning birds bred in the west country were considered more valuable than in any other area.
1969 was a good year for both the Flower Show and the annual Horse Show. For the second successive year the Flower Show was staged in a 180 feet by 40 feet marquee on the Miner’s Welfare Field. The number of entries were well up on the previous year and the event was considered by secretary Geoff Dagger to be the best show ever put on by the Horticultural Society. The Durham West cup for top points in the local flower and vegetable classes was won by Mr. Fred Box for the 6th. time. The J.W.M. Moon cup for most points in the junior classes was won by Haydn White. Meanwhile the attendance for the Horse show was the highest for 12 years and the flood of entries surprised and delighted the committee.
On the sports’ field it was a frustrating season for Timsbury Cricket Club. For the second successive year they finished as runners-up to Taunton St. Andrews in the final of the Somerset Knock-out Cup for junior teams. In truth it was a game Timsbury should have won but chasing a Taunton total of 104 and reaching 93-1 with 2 overs left they eventually finished an agonising 2 runs short. Earlier in the year at the club’s annual dinner and dance at Farmborough Memorial Hall Geoff Parfitt was presented with an inscribed diploma having scored over 1000 runs and taken 56 wickets in 1968. There were also long-service awards made to chairman Steve Taylor and vice-chairman Jim Hucker.
It was a great time for the indoor sportsmen of the village. Timsbury A table tennis team won Division 1 of the Bath and District League while the C team captured the North-east Somerset League Division 3. The A side squad comprised of Brian Harris, John Parsons, Roland Edgell, Ron Packham, Lee Taylor, Brian Newth and Tony Maggs with the C team being made up of Dave Nash, Colin Davies and James Adams. James in fact never lost a match all season winning a total of 66 games. Meanwhile the A team snooker side won the Radstock and District League and were runners-up in the Knock-out Cup. Here the successful line-up was Brian Harris, Tony Smallwood, Graham Underwood, Eric Nott and Fred Horn with Eric’s break of 38 the highest in the league in 1969.
Finally congratulations were in order for Timsbury Male Voice who under conductor Ken Janes celebrated its golden jubilee. The secretary at the time was Bryan Adams, the treasurer was Stan Wyatt and the President Mr Sanders of Stanton Prior.