Note from the Chapel Clerk:
Chapel Clerk’s Report of Meeting held September 4th, 2021
Gentlemen,
Thanks to the 28 intrepid Covid-riskers and beer-swillers who turned up at last Saturday’s Meeting which, although slightly lacking in numbers, was a great success and hugely enjoyable – especially after a 20-month layoff. We would have had 37 attendees but for late cancellations. These came from Nigel Banks, Jim Berry, Keith Duffy, Tony Holt, Derek Manton, Steve McHugh, Dave Pilkington and Chris Winstanley.
If you have done the maths correctly you’ll see that this doesn’t quite add up. This being because one other Member didn’t turn up and didn’t inform me of cancellation. This Member shall remain nameless, but to give you a clue, his initials are Ivan Flitcroft. When I contacted this anonymous Member he told me that (despite my sending out the reminder only two days prior to the Meeting!) he’d forgotten all about it!!!
Of the rest of the Chapel only three didn’t respond to my emails. These were Brian Eckersley, Rick Howarth (ex-colour room I believe) and Pete Williamson. If anybody has any information about these Members please let me know. Kevin Murphy mentioned that last time he spoke to Pete Williamson he didn’t know who Kevin was. So it looks like Pete has dementia. Brian Eckersley seemed to look very frail the last time he attended a Meeting. And I’ve no idea about Rick Howarth. However, for the moment at least, I’ve deleted them from the list until I hear anything different.
Our esteemed FoC Gerry Dodd (unremunerated) was in great form now that the restrictions applying to the circulation of hot air have been lifted. His hilarious speech included bulling up your Clerk (unremunerated) to such an extent that the amount of free beer I drank made me quite tipsy and I left the paperwork with the records of the Meeting in the Chapel Office. So I got the motorbike out the following day and went to retrieve it. It was only while riding back home that I considered the possibility that I might be still over the drink/drive limit! However, I managed to keep the bike and myself upright and got home safe with the paperwork. Gerry’s speech was, of necessity tinged with sadness as he read out the lengthy list of departed Members since the last Meeting. These are as follows:
Arthur Pollitt,
Bill Ford
Reg Mee
Stuart Henry
Dougie Hazelgrove
Derek Taylor
Harry Clark
Hugh Goring
Frank Beaden
Regarding Frank Beaden, there was some very strong criticism among Members (not least myself) of Barry Peak, who had attended Frank’s funeral and not bothered to let anyone else know. This resulted in me being unaware of his death and phoning Frank to inform him of the Meeting and having a very uncomfortable and strained conversation with his wife Gayle who was crying when she told me what had happened. I wouldn’t have thought even Barry Peak was capable of such callousness. But he obviously is.
Gerry also mentioned the sad passing of Gerry Bamford’s wife Marlene and the tragedy of Mike Clempner’s daughter. The usual minute’s silence in tribute to all the above was then observed to conclude the speech.
Chapel Photographer Peter Bradley (unremunerated) as usual did the rounds with the camera and produced some great pics which you can see in the gallery below.
Despite the above sad losses we still have 70 Members who are responding to emails and so hopefully we’ll get a stronger turnout for the next Meeting (belated Christmas), which is already booked for the usual second Saturday of January and which falls on the 8th of that month. Watch this space.
