| 2nd March 2016 | Updated the Home Page and added this page to the record of 2015. |
The Danbury Society AGM.
Thursday, 19th November in The Danbury Sports and Social Centre at 8pm.
It was a full evening - after the short AGM business meeting to report on the Society - there was an interesting talk by John King about the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
The AGM Top Table - Bob Booker, Treasurer - Norman Bartlett, Chairman - John Deamer, Hon Secretary.
Photos by John Bowen
The Chairman welcomed a large audience and said that the Danbury Society had had a good year with nearly 800 Members. They had done a nummber of new things this year including a quiz and a walk in Maldon.
The Treasuer said that they had made a number of Grants including £1,000 to the car park at St John's Green.
John Deamer said the Art Exhibition had been succesful but could always do with more help - can YOU assist?
Norman was re-elected Chairman but in doing so he suggested that "No Chairman should serve for more than 3 years consectively". Section 6.1 Amendment.
After "Any Other Business" and Question Time the Chairman closed the AGM.
He then said Mrs Myra Wilkinson had donated 2 lovely framed Herildry pictures to the Danbury Society - the first was presented to Dr Cooper who said he was going to hang the one for Little Baddow in the Village Hall at North Hill.
Norman presenting the picture to Dr Cooper.
The second of Danbury was going to be hung in the Bar at the Sport & Social Centre.
Norman presenting the picture of Danbury to be hung in the Bar.
The Chaiman thanked Mrs Wilkinson for the two gifts.
The Chairman then introduced John King who told the story of William Hillary living at Danbury Place and spending
his Wifes money to form an Army to repel Napoleon Bonaparte in 1805 - he was Knighted by Geoge III but had to flee
to the Isle of Man in 1808 to escape his creditors. While there he witnessed ship wrecks where
sailors and passengers died due to no organised rescue service.
He formed the National Institution for the Preservation of Lives and Property from Shipwreck in
1824 which some 30 years later became the RNLI.
John King - Organiser of the RNLI from Chelmsford.
The Organiser's Table.
A new RNLI Lifeboat - the Shannon.
The meeting then was invited to partake with cheese, biscuits, orange duce or wine.
Catering was organised by Glad Deamer with helpers.
John Collier waiting to serve the wine.
Discussing varios items from the meeting.
It was a very pleasent evening.
The Autumn Meeting.
Thursday, 17th September at 8.00pm.
In the Danbury Sports and Social Centre.
The September Talk of the Society was led by Angela Aries, the author of the standard biography of Armstrong Gibbs, the celebrated and prolific composer who lived in Danbury for many years.
Angela Aries.
Photo by Norman Bartlett.
She recounted how he was a Son of the Gibbs family, the toothpaste manufacturers. His early childhood was spent at the Vineyards, Great Baddow, in those days a very handsome Georgian mansion, a picture of which Angela showed. His childhood was unhappy as his mother died when he was young and a series of aunts provided the female element in his upbringing. His father was a disciplinarian and got him off to a prep school. Armstrong Gibbs was plagued with ill health throughout his life but nevertheless wrote an enormous amount of music. He was very popular during the 1930s with his music, particularly his songs, being widely performed.
A copy of the book she wrote was browsed by members of the audience. Angela played some of his most delightful pieces and gave a very thorough and interesting talk on his life and time.
The second half of the evening was given by the new Chairman, Norman Bartlett, with stories of the famous and infamous residents of Danbury.a mixture of talk, photos and video clips about entertainers, sportsmen, celebrities and other notables associated by birth or residence with Danbury which included Neil Innes, Nasser Hussein, Jeannette Charles, Marty Feldman, Tony and Barry Drewitt-Barlow, Christopher Cockerell, Martin Clunes and Jimmy Greaves.
At the end of the evening complimentary refreshements were serves as usual.
The 43rd Annual Art Exhibition.
This was held at the Danbury Sports and Social Centre , Eve's Corner on the Bank Holiday weekend, 28th, 29th & 30th August.
This year it was opened by Danbury Artist - Janet Reid.
Janet Reid Opening the 2015 Art Exhibition.
Photos by Norman Bartlett
Sixty-eight artists submitted a total of 253 paintings with a total sales value of over £15,000. The most expensive painting on show carried a tag of £450 and the cheapest just £15.
The 2015 Art Exhibition.
The most popular medium was watercolour with 104 paintings, acrylics with 68 and 38 oil paintings. There were almost as many drawings with 17 in pastel, 10 in ink and 7 in pencil. Of the others at least 7 were in mixed media, there were 4 linoprints and 3 in gouache.
As well as the adult paintings, the three Danbury primary schools also submitted their entries for a competition that the Society sponsored. These were on show too at the side of the exhibition space.
The 2015 Art Exhibition.
Visitors commended the standard of Art on show and welcomed the pleasant environment of a high, light space with soft music playing. As the show was in the Sports & Social Centre, refreshments were available throughout the show in the bar upstairs.
The show also featured a painting demonstration by Pauline Groves of her skills and techniques in floral watercolour.
The 2015 Art Exhibition.
On the Sunday of the show, tables were laid out for visitors to try their hand at drawing. Free paper, pencils and crayons were provided.
The 2015 Art Exhibition.
The show was an undoubted success with several hundred people passing through.
Preliminary results indicate that the surplus on the event was over £800, a significant increase on the previous year. This sum is added to Danbury Society funds, from which grants are made to other village organisations or activities.
Report by Norman Bartlett, Chairman.
Danbury Society Quiz.
Saturday, 21st March at 8.00pm.
In the Danbury Sports and Social Centre.
It was a full house at what is believed to be the first quiz to be organised by Danbury Society.
About 60 people in the form of ten teams took part in a General Knowledge Quiz. Questions were arranged by Malcolm Reid and the question mistress for the evening was his wife, Janet. Scoring was varied with some teams making a rapid advance and some wallowing throughout the contest.
The winning team was led by John Deamer whose team members received a case of wine as their prize. Even the losers acknowledged it had been a good-humoured and successful evening.
Danbury Society Talk.
Thursday, 26th March at 8.00pm.
In the Danbury Sports and Social Centre.
“Land of Fire and Ice - The Nature of Iceland” by Alan Thorpe, local Scientist and resident.
Alan has visited Iceland on several occasions, driving around to every part of the country. His main focus is the bird life but he also has a continuing interest in the fascinating geology of the land.
It is of volcanic origin sitting astride the mid-Atlantic fault line that separates the North American and European tectonic plates. Formed by volcanoes it is still being changed today by volcanoes and associated earth movements.
It was the wonderful wildllife photos that enthralled the audience. They were colourful, intimate and entertaining.
It was the first of Danbury Society's talks to be held in the Sports & Social Centre and drew an audience of about 40 - much larger than usual. As well as the usual free coffee and biscuits, some members took advantage of the Centre's own bar for refreshment.
The Danbury Society Walk this year is something slightly different.
Thursday, 18th June at 7.15pm.
Starting at All Saints Church, Maldon.
Danbury Society took a Maldon Town Walk guided by Stephen Nunn, the renowned local expert on the town. Stephen started with an introduction to the walk in All Saints Church.
The theme of the walk was the founding fathers of Maldon and he proceeded to show some of them in niches on the outside of the church, such as Earl Byrhtnoth, Sir Robert D'Arcy, owner of the 15th Century Moot Hall , Dr Thomas Plume, town benefactor and founder.
After a brief chat about Edward Bright, the fat man of Maldon, the group walked down the High Street. He
showed the entrance to the famous Plume Library in the old St Peters Church. More prosaically,
further down the High Street is the place where Tesco opened its first self-service supermarket in an old cinema.
At St Mary’s Church, Stephen pointed out how the basic nave was identical to that of St Peters at
Bradwell, indicating to him that the church’s origins were actually much earlier than the claimed 11th century.
From there the group walked down a footpath to the Hythe where he seemed to know all about the sailing barges moored there, then it was along the Downs, a stretch which had been quite down market but was now being transformed with expensive houses. That took the party past Maldon Salt Works and to Fullbridge. Over the road and then a stiff walk up Cromwell Hill. The pump there was the town's first public water supply which had been provided as a gift to the town by Thomas Cammocke in the 16th century fed from an aqueduct running from a Beeleigh spring. He also had 22 children.
Then it was back along Silver Street – the name was nothing to do with the metal but from the appearance of the fish that were sold there years ago – to reveal, hidden away along a small track off the street, the most wonderful Tudor Chantry. From there it was but a few steps to return to All Saints churchyard and the revelation of the final founding father: the stained glass window and memorial tablet to Rev. Laurence Washington, the great great grandfather of George Washington, buried in the churchyard.
A really enjoyable summer evening's walk on almost the longest day of the year.
The event is organised by a small team, each member is responsible for one aspect of the show. If you are an artist and you are interested in exhibiting or assisting in 2016, please contact the Artists' Liaison Representative.
Click here to e-mail the Artist's Liaison Rep directly.
Carols Around the Christmas Tree at Eves Corner
This will be a Wednesday in December 2015.
The annual Carol Service around the Christmas Tree on the village green usually has a Silver Band to provide the music however this year Danbury may be using recorded Digital Music/Carols. There will be powerful flood lights to help read the song sheets more easily since the power pillar was erected.
Eves Corner Tree in 2013.
For many years, the Danbury Society organised the Christmas Tree and associated works but since various Regulations came along amateur help is frowned on. The Society would like to thank the Parish Council for taking on the task of providing the tree and to others who make the "Carols Around the Tree" so popular.
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Aims of The Danbury Society
To involve the residents of Danbury in interests and
pursuits to enrich village life.
To ensure that changes in the Village are undertaken with sensitivity
to the character of Danbury.
To protect the natural beauty of the local landscape and to promote
its maintenance and care.
To Work for the preservation and protection of buildings and features
of interest in Danbury.
To promote the general charitable benefit of the inhabitants of
the Danbury area by provision of such financial and/or material
benefit as the Trustees for the time being shall determine.
The Danbury Society supports the Village
As part of its Charitable Objects, the Danbury Society makes grants to village activities and organisations of all kinds. Since its formation in 1967, the Society has donated many thousands of pounds ranging from improvements at Eves Corner, refurbishing the Village Hall, restoration of the Grade 1 listed Parish Church to helping out with youth organisations.
The Danbury Society publish a Newsletter every 4 months. This is available to paid-up Members
Contact Information
The Danbury Society Web Site Address is:-
http://www.danburysociety.org.uk
The following links "Open in a New Page" - use the top right (X) to close the New Page to return to this Web Site.
This Web Site is hosted by
Easyspace
St John's Parish Church.
Visit the Church Web Site for more details:-
http://www.stjohnbaptistdanbury.org.uk/
The Danbury Society supports The Parish Council.
Visit the Parish Council's new Web Site for more details:-
http://www.danbury-essex.gov.uk/
Danbury Palace Babies Contact Information
Telephone Marie Polley on 01245 356276
or Caroline Lambert on 01245 224661
Click here to link to Danbury Park Babies Web Site
The Danbury Society Blog
The Chairman of The Danbury Society, Norman Bartlett, is running a Blog
on Danbury village matters. He tries to cover events and incidents that are
relevant to the objects of Danbury Society.
Have a look for yourself at: -
http://danburysociety.blogspot.com/
You can add comments of your own to what Norman has written by clicking on the 'comment' link at the foot of each blog.
Note, this is a Server based site and therefore not a "www" (World Wide Web site).
Joining The Danbury Society
If you live in Danbury, please support The
Danbury Society by joining. It is only £1.00 per
household per year or £2.00 if we cannot deliver
your Newsletter on foot. See clickable link below: -
To contact the Chairman: -
The Danbury Society,
Hopping Jacks Lane, Danbury, CHELMSFORD. CM3 4
Telephone -- 01245 225649
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Click
here to e-mail Mr Norman Bartlett directly.
Comments and Suggestions regarding the Web Site
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here to e-mail the WebMaster directly.
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Copyright (c) John Bowen 2015