Of The
Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association
1963-1970
A Record of the Time of Miss York
Jeremy Voaden
Woolstaplers
High Street
Blockley
Gloucestershire
October/December 2003
1963
The North Cotswold Branch of
The Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association
Key Themes for 1963: Perceived absence of & need for Branch Rules, Committee records/minute book etc. Correspondence from Secretary states:
“We are endeavouring to pull the Branch up by collecting new members and holding more meetings”. It is perhaps of relevance that there are no records held by our branch which pre-date 1963.
North
Cotswold Branch of Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association:
Secretary (up to AGM 22 October 1963): Mr. R. Bell, 22 The Park, Stow-on-the-Wold
Secretary (from AGM 22 October 1963): Miss Edna York, 40 Park Road, Blockley, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
Telephone Number: Blockley 350
Treasurer (pre & post AGM): Mr. J.W.Holland, 16 Redesdale Place, Moreton-in-Marsh
Chairman (from AGM 22 October 1963): Mr. R. Bell, 22 The Park, Stow-on-the-Wold
Vice-Chairman
(pre & post AGM): Mr. Larkins
Three
additional Committee Members (“appointed” at AGM): Mr. Biggerstaff, Mrs.
Canning & Mr. Horne.
Hon. Secretary
(up to mid-1963) & Treasurer to Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association
(Affiliated to BBKA West Midlands Federation) Mrs R. W. Bradley,
Address:The
Redlands, Longhope, Glos.
Telephone
Number: Glos.28491
Hon.Secretary
(from mid-1963) W. J. Robinson, Oakleys, Stanley Pontlarge, Winchcombe
Telephone: Alderton 347
President: The
Right Hon. Earl Bathhurst
County
Beekeeping Instructor: Mr. H. Ashforth,Gloucestershire Farm Institute,
Hartpury, Gloucester
Mr. Larkins Mr. Bell Mrs. Canning
Mr. Barnes Mr. Morley Miss York
Mr.
Biggerstaff Mr.
Pulley Mr Holland
Mr. Horne Mrs Topps
Mr Richard
Potter (“the boy from Broad Campden”), Briar Hill Farm, Broad Campden
Mr A.Ellis,
Pear Tree Cottage, Donnington, Moreton-in-Marsh
Dr Frank Haine
(known to all in Blockley as Doctor Frank and from whom I obtained my first
hive)
Speaker: Mr.
H. Ashworth, County Beekeeping Instructor
Topic:
Un-named “Films of interest to beekeepers”
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary School
Date: 7.30pm,
Tuesday 22 October 1963
Following the
films, the North Cotswold Branch held its’ AGM
Speaker: Mr.
H. Ashworth, County Beekeeping Instructor
Topic: Lecture
, topic “Spring Management”
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary School
Date: 7.30pm,
Tuesday 3 December 1963
In
correspondence dated 18 November, Mr. Robinson (County Secretary) offers to
arrange visits to the Branch from Mr. E. G. Burt, Mr. T. Bradford, Mr. A. L.
Jones & Mr. J. Firkins. He also points out that, in some Branches,
“Members’ Nights” are popular “when 3 or 4 members will give short talks of
about 15 minutes on chosen subjects”. “Beginners Nights” are “usually popular
when the more experienced members are only too pleased to join in a discussion
and answer beginners questions”.
1st
Committee Meeting took place on Wednesday 20th November. Miss York
notes that “There is no minute book, either lost or never in existence – as
there has not been a Committee before”. “I have commenced one and written up
the minutes of the AGM”.
2. Subscription Issues
Discussions
took place around
·
Junior Members
Subscriptions for “a boy”
required clarification.
·
Associate
Members Miss York states “I have in
mind people without bees who would like to attend meetings as a matter of
interest i.e. friends, wives”
These were
clarified by Mr. Robinson (18 November) who pointed out that
·
Junior
Membership (under 21s) subscription is 10/-
·
Associate
Membership is entirely a Branch matter. Several Branches have this category and
charge 5/-(but they cannot be included in the Yearbook).
Extensive
correspondence/notes about rules.
Commences
1963:
Miss York
Correspondence 23 November to Mr. Robinson: “At some time I presume there were
rules for the Branch but where they are, no-one knows. The Committee suggested
I write to you to know whether you happen to have copies of rules of any of the
other Branches so that we may have the benefit of other Branches systems”.
Mr. Robinson
replied that whilst Branches “do not appear to have any special rules apart
from the rules of the Association”, individual branches did adopt their own
practices. For example “at Cheltenham it was felt that a frequent change of
Chairman and Committee would spread interest among members and prevent the old
gang being perpetually re-elected”. Consequently the Chairman holds office for
one year only, the Vice-Chairman for that year automatically becomes the
Chairman the following year and, of a Committee of six, the two longest serving
members automatically retire each year and are not eligible for re-election
that year.
Correspondence
28 December to Mr. Bell in planning Committee Meeting: “Another item for the
Agenda is to make some few rules for future guidance”.
Correspondence
18 October 1963 from Mrs R. W. Bradley
“What a shocking year for the bees, so very disappointing”.
Most hives
ended up “fighting fit” with 30lbs of honey per hive for the winter. Mrs
Bradley has 11 stocks “after giving away 4 in the spring”
Correspondence
10 November 1963 from Miss York to Mr. Robinson, County Secretary regarding
inadvertent non-payment of subscriptions: “Do you think that, to get our records
straight, we could admit that he (Mr
Larkins) paid for 1963, and ignore the omission for 1962. Mr. Holland has
kept such careful records that I am sure he is not at fault.”
Correspondence
(not dated) from Mrs. R. W. Bradley to Miss York:
“I do not
think I shall be attending the weekend school in Notts as I hope to join the
beekeepers in their trip to Southern Ireland Aug 26th – Aug 30th flying from Birmingham to Cork with
trips every day to apiaries Etc; cost 33 guineas but you do get your moneys
worth. “
Miss York notes “the loss to the Branch of an old friend & beekeeper, Mr. Gage during the last year”.
At AGM,
members expressed a wish for more meetings.
At AGM, agreed
to have 3 Committee Members plus 3 Officers (Total: 6)
1964
The North Cotswold Branch of
The Gloucestershire
Beekeepers Association
Officers
North
Cotswold Branch of Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association:
Chairman (from AGM 22 October 1963 to AGM 26 September 1964): Mr. R. Bell, 22 The Park, Stow-on-the-Wold
Chairman (from AGM 26 September 1964): Mr George H. Larkins, Broadwell, Moreton-in-Marsh
Secretary (from AGM 22 October 1963 up to & beyond AGM 26 September 1964): Miss Edna W. York, 40 Park Road, Blockley, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire .Telephone Number: Blockley 350
Treasurer (from AGM 22 October 1963 up to & beyond AGM 26 September 1964): Mr J. W. Holland, Moreton-in-Marsh
Committee Members (after AGM 26 September 1964):
Vice-Chairman : Mr E. W. Horne, Moreton-in-Marsh
Mrs Canning, Stretton-on-Fosse
Mr Biggerstaffe, Chipping Campden
Mr Bell, Stow-on-the-Wold
Delegate to County (GBKA) up to AGM 26 September 1964: Mr George H. Larkins, Broadwell, Moreton-in-Marsh
Delegate to County (GBKA) after AGM 26 September 1964: Mr H.D.Barnes, Kingham
Treasurer to
Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association (Affiliated to BBKA West Midlands
Federation): Mrs R. W. Bradley, Address:The Redlands, Longhope, Glos. Telephone
Number: Glos.28491
Hon.Secretary
: W. J. Robinson, Oakleys, Stanley Pontlarge, Winchcombe
Telephone:
Alderton 347
President: The
Right Hon. Earl Bathhurst
Gloucestershire Farm Institute, Hartpury House, near
Gloucester
Mr Firkins
Mr G.Allen,
The Nook, Adlestrop, Moreton-in-Marsh
Mr H. D.
Barnes, Long View, Nether Westcote, Kingham (Representative to County post-AGM)
Mr. R. Bell,
22 The Park, Stow on the Wold (Chairman pre-AGM)
Mr J.S. Biggerstaffe, Greycote, Station Road, Ebrington, Chipping Campden
Mrs A. Canning, Blackdowns Farm, Stretton-on-Fosse
A. Ellis, Pear Tree Cottage, Donnington, Moreton-in-Marsh
Dr F. Haine, Box Cottage, Blockley
Mr J.W.
Holland, 16 Redesdale Place, Moreton-in-Marsh (Treasurer pre & post -AGM)
Mr E. W. Horne, Croxdale, Evenlode Road, Moreton-in-Marsh (Vice-Chairman post-AGM)
Mr G. Larkins,
Broadwell, Moreton-in-Marsh (Representative to County pre-AGM, Chairman post
AGM)
Mr C.M.
Morley, 52 Park Road, Blockley
Mr Richard
Potter, Briar Hill farm, Broad Campden, Chipping Campden
B.Pulley,
Aston Magna, Moreton-in-Marsh
Mr R.J.Taylor,
3 Fosseway Drive, Moreton-in-Marsh
Mrs D.Topps,
The Gardens, Daylesford House, Moreton-in-Marsh
Miss E. W.
York , 40 Park Road, Blockley (Secretary pre & post AGM)
Mr Colin
Campbell, Izods Close, Broad Campden
J.Thomson,
Brookside, Brook Lane, Blockley
The following
are interested in joining:
Mr Burdock,
Ryders Farm, Icomb
Mr Dingley,
Foxcote Hill
Mr Hempsall,
Burnt Norton
Mrs
Pulley (Correspondence from Miss York,
Secretary to Mr Bell, Chairman 24.9.64: “I have roped in Mrs Pulley”)
Miss Aldridge
25 February To organise outdoor meetings
Date: 6pm,
Saturday 26 September
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School
Followed by talk
on beekeeping produce by Mr W.J.Robinson and the 1st Branch “small
miniature honey show”. In addition, members invited to share interesting pieces
of beekeeping equipment. This included “the Blockley Swarm Catcher (an old oil
drum and tin opener): the honey extractor made by our youngest member (aged
15): the tasting of the mead and numerous items as well” (Miss York). “Talk
flowed freely and one prospective beekeeper said “what a lot can be learned by
just talking”.
Treasurer
reported that Branch had a balance of £6.2.5
Accounts – Balance Sheet for Year Ended 30th
September 1964
Prepared by J.W.Holland, Treasurer, NCBKA
|
Receipts |
£-s-d |
Payments |
£-s-d |
|
Balance Fund |
4-19-11 |
GBKA Subs,
capitation fee etc |
11-17-6 |
|
Subscriptions |
17-0-0 |
Cheque Book |
0-5-0 |
|
Payments for
hire of Hall, Farm Institute |
1-17-6 |
Secretary
Cash Expenses |
1-0-0 |
|
|
|
Hire of
Halls |
2-15-0 |
|
|
|
Hire of Hall
for Farm Institute Lectures |
1-17-6 |
|
TOTAL |
23-17-5 |
|
23-17-5 |
|
Balance in
Hand |
6-2-5 |
|
|
Date: Tuesday
1st December
Venue:
Community House, College Green, Gloucester
Correspondence from Miss York to Mr Firkins (28.12.63) specified intent to have a lecture “every month from experienced beekeepers like yourself”.
Speaker: Mr.
Firkins, Teddington Manor, Tewkesbury
Topic: “2
Films of interest to beekeepers”-not named but show beekeepers & bees
working in Australia & America. “The abundance of flowers and the quantity
of nectar being gathered makes us realise how hard earned is every pound of
honey in this country.
Venue: Little
Village Hall, Blockley
Date: 7.30pm,
28 January 1964
“Coffee was
made by a new member under the greatest difficulty as at the last minute no-one
could find the stop-cock to turn on the water, which meant an expedition down
and up a steep hill to a kindly housewife. The new member is not dismayed-she
fortunately likes “beekeepers” and doesn’t keep bees anyway!”.
Speaker: Mr H.
Ashworth
Topic: Films
Venue:
Stow-on-the-Wold
Date: 7.30pm,
25 February 1964
Speaker: Mr R.
J. Oxenham
Topic:
“Working for Increase”
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School
Date: 7.30pm,
7 April 1964
Speaker: Mr
W.J. Robinson
Topic: “Swarm
Control”
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School
Date: 7.30pm,
Thursday 14 May 1964
Apiary Visit:
First of the year. Moreton in Marsh. Adjourned to school due to inclement
weather. 2 June
Apiary Visit:
Visit to Mr Firkins (“and his wife”)
Apiary Field Day
June 6 1964.
Invited beekeepers from all surrounding County Associations. Terrible weather.
Apiary Visit:
Mr W.J. Robinson to demonstrate at Mrs. Canning’s apiary, Blackdowns Farm,
Stretton-on-Fosse. 2.30pm, July 11
In letter of
invitation to new member Mr Burdock, Ryders Farm, Icomb , Miss York writes
“Come armed with your veil, you may not need it, but it is as well to have it
with you”. ….”May I wish you every success, and even if you do not get honey,
find the hobby of beekeeping as satisfying as I do myself”.
This was,
owing to the terrible weather on apiary visit days that summer, the only
outdoor meeting of 1964.
Speaker: Mr H.
Ashforth
Topic: 3 films
“City of Bees” + 2 “The Heart of England” and “The Rival World”
Venue:
St.George’s Hall, Blockley
Date: 7.30pm,
Tuesday 13 October
For which a
charge of £1.10 but “if the funds of the club are low, I have no doubt
something can be done” H. Ashforth (Correspondence 29 January 1964)
Typed A4
poster for the evening states: “Admission Free but Silver Collection will be
taken to defray costs of the Hall and films”. BOLD CAPITALS: “The young and the
not so young cordially invited”.
Miss York
hoped to “fill the Hall…which would be about 120” . Worried that, as the City
of Bees is made by “Facts and Faith people”, the film opens with a 10-minute
“sermon”. Miss York distributed film publicity through
·
H.J.Arkell,
Donnington Brewery, Stow-on-the-Wold
·
G.Cairns, 3
Rissington Road, Bourton-on-the-Water
·
T.Clark,
Broadwell, Moreton-in-Marsh
·
S.Davis,
Nether Westcote
·
Miss
M.G.Deakin, Norman Chapel, Broad Campden
·
C.J.Grimes,
High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh
·
Mrs Hirst,
Hillsdown, Aston Road, Chipping Campden
·
Mr Kell, The
Rectory, Upper Slaughter
·
J.Readman,
Church Farm, Broad Campden
·
A.M.E. Smart,
Broadwell, Moreton-in-Marsh
·
E.J.Smith,
Fern Farm, Adlestrop
·
C.Stanley,
Todenham, Moreton-in-Marsh
·
H.Timms, Condicote
·
Mr Williams,
Church Lane, Naunton
·
Major Webb,
Latimers, Weston-sub-Edge
·
Mr Burdock,
Church Road, Icomb
Speaker: Mr
T.Bradford
Topic: A Year
in the Life of a Commercial Beekeeper
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School
Date: 7.30pm,
12 November
Question
Masters: Mr Firkins, Mr H.Ashforth, Mr Oxenham
Topic: The
Brains Trust
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School
Date: 7.30 pm,
3 December
Correspondence
from Miss York 28 November: “Please send your questions for the Brains Trust to
the Secretary by 1st December. Why not send the question/s as soon as you think
of them-you may forget by then. Mr Firkins as a fruit grower would I am sure be
prepared to answer a question in that field also”.
“ Educational
Programme” with lectures fortnightly commenced winter 1964 (Jan-March 1964).
Dates: 21 Jan,
4 Feb, 18 Feb, 3 March, 17 March & 31 March 7.30pm
Venue hire
& costs funded by the Gloucestershire Farm Institute
Speaker: Mr.
H. Ashworth, County Beekeeping Instructor
Initial plan
to deliver six lectures to “test the feeling and the support” then “we could
start off at the commencement of the 1964/65 season with a full course”.
Goal of
initial Educational Programme for Mr Ashworth is to “get a few members to take
the BBKA Preliminary Certificate”.
Venue:
Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School
Miss York’s
perspective on the course: “To my mind without the backbone of experience and
kindness, no Branch can function happily”.
Only 6
beekeepers attended the first meeting.
In
correspondence to Mr. W.J. Robinson (County Secretary) at the end of the series
of lectures, Miss York notes that “although few have taken the opportunity to
attend, these lectures have been very much appreciated….From a casual remark
made to me, ….the word Examination” has “put off some…..it was not solely for
this end”.
1. The
Branch 1st Honey Show
Class 1, Light Honey 1st Mr B. Pulley
2nd
Mr G.Allen
3rd
Dr F.Haine
Class 2, Medium Honey 1st
& 2nd Miss E.W.York
3rd
Mr G.Allen
Class 3, Dark Honey 1st
Mr G.Larkins
2nd
Mr J.W.Holland
Class 4, Granulated
Honey 1st
Mr B. Pulley
2nd
Miss E.W.York
3rd
Mr G.Allen
Class 5, Comb of
Honey for Extraction 1st Miss E.W.York
Class 6, Beeswax 1st
Mr R.Bell
2nd
Miss E.W.York
3rd
Mr B.Pulley
Class 7,
Miscellaneous 1st
Mr R.Bell
2nd
Mr R.Bell
3rd
Mr R.Potter
Very
Highly Commended Mr H.D. Barnes
Judged by Mr
W.J.Robinson.
Report to
County post-AGM Miss E.W.York: “so successful we will try again next year”.
..”who knows, some generous person might offer a Cup!”
Report for The
Honeybee Times from Miss York: The judge Mr Robinson “had a real problem with
the Miscellaneous Class; not knowing what exhibits we might get, we made it a
class for anything made for use in beekeeping which was unusual. This produced
not only honey cakes but sections, beeswax candles and a honey extractor made
by our youngest (15 year old) member from a polythene dustbin. A real
creditable effort all round”. “On the
side we had a table for “items of interest”. The one which caused most
amusement was the old oil drum and tin-opener which was promptly named “The
Blockley Swarm catcher”. Apparently this member had nothing else handy in which
to collect a swarm – used the old oil drum, carried home with a small tin over
the mouth of the drum, then found that he couldn’t get the bees out and had to
resort to a tin opener to cut off the bottom. Doctor and patient are doing
well. The samples of mead were also much appreciated”.
Miss York:
Report to GBKA 1964: “For the North Cotswold branch, the season has been a
surprising one. At first it seemed that it would be a good season, then at the
end of June reports were coming in of members having to feed their bees, but
what a wonderful month followed – most members finished quite well and, as
usual, soon forgot the anxiety of the previous month”.
1st January 1964 Correspondence from Mrs Marguerite C.Bradley (County Treasurer) to Miss E.W.York suggesting that the Secretary notifies her of any new members “as they join”. The two ladies are in agreement that “the Treasurers sometimes hold them back” and so Mrs Bradley lets Miss York into a secret – that “I have an agreement with the Stroud Secretary (Lady) that she lets me know the new members at once because it is sometimes months before the Treasurer forwards the subs and the members wonder why they do not get the bulletin etc. Of course he does not know so everyone is happy”.
January 1964:
Miss York embarks on a series of correspondence to people who are reknowned
beekeepers in the area or who are lapsed members to encourage them to rejoin
the Branch: Mr Turvey, Mr Cyphus, Mr Hawes .
18 March 1964:
From George Larkins to Edna York regarding his 1st meeting as Branch
Delegate to County. “I felt very much like the new boy”. “Very much in the
branch interest to be represented at these meetings although they seem very
keen in handing jobs around and your name was mentioned as a possible Treasurer
for the Convention at Cheltenham next year!”.
Up until March
1964, Miss York sent regular letters about Branch affairs to Mr Robinson for
inclusion in the GBKA Bulletin. However:
25 March
1964 From N. B. Lovegrove, Editor of
“The Honybee Times”.
“Edited and
Managed since 1950 for the Wiltshire Beekeepers’ Association by Norman B.
Lovegrove, 1 Leamington Terrace, Swindon”.
“The Concise
and Comprehensive Bee Journal for County Craftsmen Founded by Harold Teal in
1939”
“Events, News,
Queries, Method, Science and Practice”
Decision was
made (following a resolution of the Gloucestershire Beekeepers’ Association) to
take “The Honeybee Times” “in lieu of the Bulletin previously prepared by Mr.
Robinson”. The Honeybee Times requested regular information from Miss York on
branch activities etc. The Honeybee Times was published every 2 months (6
issues per annum).
5 October
1964: Mr Larkins to Miss York: “It has occurred to me that there may be a
suitable man living in this village who would make an excellent member of the
Brains Trust Panel. His name is Joe Elliott, you may have seen him on TV. He
runs an Alpine Nursery and is…an expert on flowers which, being so closely
associated with beekeeping, would widen the scope of the proposed panel”.
6 October
1964: D. Davies B.A., Headmaster, Moreton-in-Marsh Secondary Modern School:
letter confirming dates of meetings booked.
22nd
January 1964 Letter from Mr H.Ashworth New film “City of the Bees” (Fact &
Faith): “a special film for showing to Cheltenham & Stroud Clubs” in
October. “There is about 10 minutes to sum up, in the film, with a short sermon
which I am told is very well done”. Plus two other films:
“The Heart of
England” a “general interest film of this part of the country as it is my
favourite”
“The Rivals”
John Firkins
Ltd, Teddington Manor, Beckford, Tewkesbury
In June 1964,
the Branch placed a large order with John Firkins. Items purchased included
|
Item |
Cost - £.s.d |
|
1964 Queen
(Ashforth Strain) |
21/- post paid |
|
1964 - 4 comb nucleus (delivery July onwards) |
£5.5.0 |
|
1964 - 5
comb nucleus (delivery July onwards) |
£6.6.0 |
|
1963 – 6
comb nucleus (delivery late May) |
£7.17.6 |
|
1963 – 8
comb nucleus (delivery late May) |
£8.18.6 |
|
1963 – 10
comb nucleus (delivery late May) |
£10.0.0 |
|
Standard
W.B.C with floor (4 oak legs),body, 2 lifts & roof |
£3.2.6 each |
|
Easy to work
W.B.C with floor (4 oak legs),body, 2 lifts & roof |
£2.0.0 each |
|
Extra lifts
for above |
5/- each |
|
10 Drawn
Virgin Brood Combs in W.B.C. Broodchamber with dummy and metal ends |
£2.12.6 |
|
W.B.C.
supers with 8 drawn combs and self-spacers |
£1.10.0 |
|
W.B.C
hanging section racks c/w 21 new sections fitted with foundation |
£1.5.6 |
|
W.B.C.
supers, empty |
7/- |
|
W.B.C.
broodchambers, empty |