How short the time between Easter & Easter!

7th April 2010

Well, I hope that you had a Happy Easter last year and this.

Keep smiling!

I hope that all my readers

Have a Happy Whit Monday!

Explanation of Break

Unfortunately, events have overtaken the Club in that it has no premises and is looking for some. Those among you who are perceptive will have suspected that it has only one current member. Philip Johnson is looking into ways of publicising this blog.

Have a Happy Easter.

November meeting

The minutes of the October 30th Meeting were not read as the Meeting did not take place!

The Committee felt it had been overworking and needed new blood. They could not work out the relationship between St Andrew's Day, Scotland's National Day (instituted last year) and Advent. Celebrations seem to be inhibited by Sunday colliding with the National Day and Advent colliding with St Andrew's Day. When does Advent start anyway? Is it four weeks before Christmas i.e. 28 days )in which case it should have started on Nov 27th) or is it the Advent Calendar 24 days of doors. Does Advent ever run its full course?

Too much speculation led to an early close of the meeting.

Next meeting New Year's Eve Eve.!

St Eidelsweyn

At the meeting on the 30th September, Philip Johnson gave (in what must be considered to be a rather unconsidered fashion) a talk about St Eidelsweyn whose Feast Day falls on October 5th. Appended is a brief resume of his talk:

St Eidelsweyn ( Aidleswin and other variants) was , it is presumed, a peculiarly Anglo-Saxon Saint. His birth and death dates are not recorded, for obvious reasons, in most extant Charters and Documents of the time. We can say that he does not seem to have been in trouble with the Authorities , either Criminal or Royal. Papal documents do not seem to mention him but, of course, there are a lot of those! He was venerated all over the British isles although there are no churches or chapels dedicated to him. 

His views, as far as we can tell, were easy-going and for this reason he has a significance for Bed-Testers and (without being funny) Coronation Souvenir Sellers, etc. His influence is intermittent and by no means oppressive. He is reputed to have devised "The Lazy Susan" as an aid to contemplation at mealtimes, invoking its circularity and how difficult it is to tell an end from a beginning, although this was improved later with the perfection of the ball-bearing. 

He is a pleasant, undemanding Saint and his half-remembered tenets transmitted orally are followed by all classes although his name has become, on some lips, an expression of disapprobation ( perhaps with a tinge of envy at the strong-mindedness involved in emulating him).

From the faces of the audience, it seemed that some were not sure if this Saint actually existed or not. As it has been said of other ill-documented Saints on occasion "He is to be venerated but his exploits are known only to God "

Next Meeting will be October 30th.

This shortened version may be expanded at a later date if there is sufficient interest

NO MEETING THIS MONTH

This is just to remind members that there will be no meeting this month as it is holiday time.

One correction from last meeting is that Philip Johnson got it wrong, The public house he mentioned was previously called " The Halfway House" because it was halfway between York and Hull. He must have been a little tired when he was talking to the Landlord

JULY LUNCH

The York members and their guests of 30 had lunch today at 30 York Road, Shiptonthorpe, East Riding of Yorkshire known as 'The Ship Inn'. 

Enquiries of the Landlord and Owner elicited the information that the word 'ship' means 'half-way' and that 'The Ship Inn' is exactly halfway between York and Hull and was a convenient meeting place for Sailors on their way to either City.

The lunch dishes consisted of Welsh Rarebit and Ham Sandwiches with John Smith's Cask Ale or Lager Shandy to accompany.

Members and guests expressed their satisfaction with what was provided.

It was decided not to have a formal meeting on the 30th of August as members may be on holiday. The next Meeting will be on 30th September 2008.

As usual, any feedback from Members not present would be welcome.

TIES

Philip Johnson opened the Meeting with the following announcement (any feedback from members not present would be welcome)

Members may find that their club ties are wearing thin. Unfortunately, I received this email, after contacting Sutton Coldfield Reference Library:

Re: J.W. Hicks, 91 The Parade, Sutton Coldfield

Dear Mr Johnson

Thank you for your E Mail. J.W. Hicks' shop was demolished between 1995 and 1996 and was replaced with the modern New Hall Walk development.As far as I can workout Mr Hicks retired when the shop was demolished. I believe Mr Hicks still lives in the area but he is not listed in the BT phone book so I have no way of finding out where he lives. Sorry I could not have been of more help.

Marian Baxter

Philip Johnson then closed the Meeting with the hope that everyone would celebrate July 1st & 2nd as MID-YEAR, especially between 12.00/1/7/2008 and 12.00/2/7/2008

Local Studies Librarian