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November 2003
This will be a hastily assembled newsletter because I cannot currently spend more than 10 minutes in any one position due to a lifting related back injury which I acquired last Thursday whilst moving a trunk of what I thought were my daughters clothes (now she's gone to university) only to find, the painful way, that she'd buried some books at the bottom! Both sets of muscles in my lower back went into spasm and my Osteopath prescribed constant movement and some stretching exercises to loosen them back up. Progress to full mobility is slow and stabbingly painful.
As far as Feltwell is concerned the harvest is in a bit earlier than usual following our wonderful summer but a wet and dreary Autumn has begun in earnest. It seems to have rained all week, something our members in California would dearly like to happen I'm sure. Perhaps Arnold can do something! Answer me this: Why does California like to elect film stars as politicians? Apart from screen presence what political experience does he bring to the position? I served as a Parish Councillor for several years before becoming Vice-Chairman, a post which I held for a further extended period and then finally I was honoured by being voted in as Chairman. Even after all those years I wouldn't dream of putting myself forward for a post which is almost the equivalent of the British Prime Minister. I guess it's proof positive of the American Constitution in action but the cynical Brit inside wonders how much is 'celebrity worship'? I would dearly like to receive comment on this issue from our American members as those villagers I've spoken to are bemused by the whole thing. Could it happen elsewhere, in Australia or New Zealand for example. My ulterior motives in raising this issue are firstly, how can we raise participation in the political process, we currently have a vacancy on the Parish Council and have had for many months, and, secondly, if I get enough replies I can cobble together an article for the village magazine. Talking of the magazine, we are becoming victims of our own success! Our unwritten guideline of having at least 50:50 content and advertising is becoming increasing difficult to meet as more advertisers keep approaching us. Consequently we are increasing our advertising rates and moving to a system based upon buying multiples of 1/8th of a page. We aren't increasing prices to solely increase profit but to try to meet our 50:50 guidelines, however, if profit does increase then it's not a bad thing for St Mary's Church coffers. If any member would like a regular copy of the magazine the cost is £4 plus 12 SAEs. I can send airmail but you'll have to work out the costs and mechanism of getting the money and SAEs to me. Sorry.
Next weekend is Remembrance Sunday and if any member would like to join us please feel free to introduce yourself to me, I'll be laying a wreath on behalf of the Council so should be easy to spot.
The back is starting to ache badly so I'll finish with this answer from Feltellian Peter Cooper to my enquiry last month relating to The Red Triangle Club (and boy did I feel stupid when I read it).
"You asked in your E-mail about the Red Triangle Club.
In the early 1920’s the Y.M.C.A. (Young Men’s’ Christian Association) took a piece of land on the corner of Wilton Road and Bell Street and built a Club for the young and old men of the village. The Hut (wooden) came as prefabricated sections to the station at Lakenheath and the young men of the village helped in its assembly.
The Hut was equipped with a large billiard table, a three-quarter-billiard table, a table tennis table, dartboard and a large stage. In the early days there were many local concerts held in the Club. There was also a counter from which soft drinks and crisps, etc. were sold.
There was also a Slate Club — members of the Y.M.C.A. paid a small sum of money per week and if you were at home from work sick you could draw a small sum from the Club to help tide you over. Any money that was left at Christmas was then shared out amongst the participating members. This was quite an evening as what was left represented a fair amount of money at the time.
The person in control of the Club was Mr. Percy Spencer who also, in between the two wars, ran a very successful Scout Troop.
After the death of Mr. Spencer in the late 1950’s, several members took on the task of running the Club but it eventually closed down in the early 1960’s. The building was eventually taken over by the St. John Ambulance Brigade who used it for their training, etc. until it was finally demolished to make way for the bungalows of the Nightingale Estate.
It was called the Red Triangle Club because the sign of the Y.M.C.A. is an inverted red Triangle with the letters Y.M.C.A. through the triangle.
It was a good meeting place for the youth of the village."
