Gossip Bench
Letters will be edited for content and style. Publication is at the editor's discretion. No anonymous letters will
be published. Email your submissions to gossip.bench@hornton.org.uk. Go on, let's hear
from you - make your views known!
As a previous resident of first Horley and then Hornton in the mid-late
1980's I have been recently interested in viewing the Hornton website.
I still keep in touch with friends from Hornton even though I now live in a
village in Perthshire in Scotland, I noted when I first hit the website that
there was a section for past residents, however I have not seen it
advertised since, so perhaps it is no longer available.
When I lived in the area ( an area which is still home to me) I founded and ran a local junior
and senior youth club that was held in the old school of Horley and was open to Hornton
youngsters too. We all had to work at obtaining the support of all members of the community
then in order to function and did go on to win first prize in the village venture competition.
This massive prize of £250 enabled us to purchase much needed equipment for the senior youth
club as well as funding a memorable day for them at Alton Towers in the days when leaders were
not so hampered by continual risk assessments. It was great fun if hard work even though I had
enlisted the help of parents via a rota system.
As well as the outing we had a treasure hunt, Halloween and Christmas parties and hosted one for
the elderly members of the community, a wise PR move.
I also used to host evenings for the youngsters to watch videos at home in the days when not
everyone had the same access to the media that is so taken as read today. (And again with
the emphasis on risk assessment one could not do that today, however careful and well
intentioned.)
We were also involved in the Hornton Allsorts which was always
loads of fun an experience I truly enjoyed and have never managed to replicate since. I
think it was either during a final dress rehearsal or last performance that I brought in
some of my parents 10 year old homemade parsnip wine for all to taste. It must have been a
production of 'Robin Hood with me as a rather worse for wear 'Alan a Dale' I am not sure
that anyone will have experienced such a raucous production before or since, my family made
homemade wine via recipes used through generations and this one proved to be particularly
lethal, Needless to say it was hilarious and we had a great time.
I have photos of one Hornton Allsorts production, possibly Cinderella in which my daughter
is a singing Princess (dressed in white, singing 'I got You Babe') Sitting on stage front
right (viewers left) is a slightly chubby young girl, so
any publication of that, although not particularly obvious unless you knew her to actually
pick her out, may require her express permission given her recent status, I claim copywright
however.!!
Finally with the decision to revive the traditional May Day celebrations 1987(?) my eldest
son was selected as the first May King with someone (used to live in the Manor House)
as the First May Queen, I have one Photo of this momentous occasion, which given the
time of year you may like to place on the website if it is of good enough quality that is.
I was also a participating member of the Sunrising Morris ladies side which again provided
much enjoyment as well as a lively way of keeping fit. (for those male sceptics, just note
that it was a female morris side that danced as the stone was laid for the foundations or
opening ceremony of Blenheim Palace
Finally various pics of the youthclub during Halloween, treasure hunt and the party for
elderly, showing:
Rachel Hamer, Louise, Richard and Victoria Patching, Sarah and Catherine, Samantha, Janine
King (daughter of Horley shop owner at the time.) Joanne and Sarah Woodford, one where Kian
is being helped to 'eat an apple' at Halloween, and one with Kirstin her nose 'bloodied.'
I of course do not know how many of these young people still live locally, but they were a
really great, lovely bunch of 'kids' and so would love to hear how any of them are doing as
I still think of them sometimes.
And finally, because Cameron my youngest son's school has an inset day on Tuesday 2nd May
which is unusual, we have made plans to travel down tomorrow to attend this May Day
celebration and return on Tuesday. So of course we are especially praying for good weather
to prevail.
With good wishes.
Heather Martin (Nee: Northcote/Jordan)
The Gossip (Issue 45) featured two anonymous letters from villagers, for and against the quarrying application.
The one that supported the quarrying was little more than a dig at newcomers to the village and the suggestion of a
conspiracy theory. So let's set the record straight.
But first - a comment. Is it acceptable for people to write letters behind a mask of anonymity? If you have something
to say, say it; but if you are not prepared to add your name, you should not be surprised if people dismiss your views.
The AGM was attended by a number of people who opposed the quarrying application. They were not an organised 'action
group' but they were a group of people who wanted action. They had a view and they attended the public meeting to
express it. The supporters of the quarrying application had an equal right to attend and express their views. Some
did, but if the letter writer is to be believed, and the majority of Hornton residents favour the application, where
were they? You cannot fail to attend and then complain that your view wasn't represented.
The majority vote at the meeting was overwhelmingly against the application. No pressure was applied to the Parish
Council but they were left with a clear impression of the depth of feeling in the audience - a factor the Parish
Council could take account of when framing their response to the planning application.
The anonymous correspondent resents newcomers. Affluent newcomers push up property prices but it is ridiculous and
offensive to suggest that newcomer's prosperity is always at the expense of others. Mr/Ms/Mrs Anonymous - if you had
to move away would you refuse to accept the market rate for your property?
The overwhelming evidence is that new and old villagers co-exist peacefully and work together to make Hornton a
place to be proud of for another millennium; but times change and the measure of our ability to preserve village
life is our ability to adapt.
It's not so long since the village had no mains water or electricity, and no doubt their arrival caused consternation.
But would anyone seriously doubt their benefit? There was also a time when quarrying provided employment for many
families in the village. Does it today? No - so if no one derives direct benefit from the quarrying, is it any
wonder that many people are not prepared to put up with the inconvenience?
The school thrives, with a roll that is at an all time high and for a village of 300 the number of active clubs and
societies is simply astonishing. The Jubilee celebrations outdid every village for miles around and the May Day
celebrations each year attract people from miles away.
The heart of the community is strong, but the aspirations of many Hornton villagers today go beyond the noise and
dust of quarrying.
Paul Barrett
Starveall Barn
Regarding the anonymous letters in the Gossip about the Quarry; one appeared to be from someone who perhaps
felt compelled to comment personally when his or her official opinion should not have been publicly expressed.
The other more offensive letter purported to be from a 'life long resident' but then clearly demonstrated a complete
lack of inside knowledge about Hornton and its people!
Speaking as a 'newcomer', in the twenty five years I've lived here all I've experienced have been the normal likes and
dislikes, ups and downs and differences of opinion that one should expect in any mixed community. In fact, researching
the film demonstrated very clearly that the everyday details of life didn't vary much between 1950's East End of
London, and 1950's Hornton, except that one was falling down because of bombs and the other was falling down because
of neglect - or rather the lack of newcomers' cash - always gratefully received, whether it was earned off of the
sweat of the poor downtrodden worker or not.
Whoever wrote that letter assumed that the Public meeting was packed with 'newcomers' - yet we all know how few
houses change hands and we all recognise (and welcome) the 'newest' people. If the letter writer was at the meeting,
and I suspect he/she was, they didn't know us well enough to recognise anybody - which is presumably why we all looked
new! Perhaps his/her children had never attended the school, or perhaps their family never supported any of the many
events and fundraisers held in the village. Whoever the anonymous writer was, their ignorant diatribe served very well
to illustrate why anonymous letters should always be treated with the contempt that they deserve.
Anne Joyner
An Ode - written by Lord Tweedsmuir to his hosts on the occasion of Lord Tweedsmuir having inadvertently stepped
into 'The Rill' during a recent garden party at Wainsbank'.
What can be said of an ancient creature
Who falls into a Water Feature?
The trouble is, at eighty six,
One's feet play really shocking tricks.
The Lord knows I've had falls galore
But never one like this before.
It didn't hurt. Folk were most kind.
I had a rather wet behind.
Afterwards, all was splendid fun
For us as well as everyone.
I really never meant to trouble you -
Heartfelt apologies and thanks from W!
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