A comment from Marion Brown

I remember Fred Wren as being the patriach of Summervale when it came to lighting the bonfire. No-one seemed to do anything until that point. Then as the fires burned low we put our potatoes at the base. Who remembers me jumping over the embers the day after Guy Fawkes night one year and burning my leg? Who else had to wait freezing at the top of sledging field whilst the dads 'tried' the sledges to make sure they were safe. Marion Cane nee Brown.

Fred Wren was the Tzar of Summervale and we all had to wait, and wait for him to appear and light the bonfire.
He worked with my Dad on the pumps and the two families lived together on a farm near Chard before moving to the bungalows.

Here is a photo of Fred, Tony, my uncle Steve and my Mum. There's a good few eggs in that there basket!

Here is a photo of Allen Dixon hauling the guy to the top of the fire.
What struck me about this photo is that all the kids look dressed up for school. No play clothes in those days - too poor I guess.


We used to build and rebuild that bonfire and it grew week by week as more and more was added. I have a vague memory of there being run-ins with the Winterhaye kids. To destroy the others fire was a feather in our caps. The boys may remember more of this. There certainly was a rivalry between the two areas.


I don't remember your accident Marion but you had the perfect parents to deal with it with their First Aid training.

The sledging field ! OMG, how dangerous was that. Would not be allowed in today's world.
I remember that there was a barbed wire fence across the bottom of the field and we played chicken as to who would jump off first. I'm not sure if anyone did go right through - I bet there was someone.

WELL ARE WE READY FOR JUNE? THERE ARE GOING TO BE SO MANY MEMORIES I'M SURE WE WILL BE UP MOST OF THE NIGHT.


JUST A REMINDER TO GET YOUR CHEQUE OFF TO PETER BY THE END OF THIS MONTH IF YOU CAN. HE HAS TOLD ME HOW DISAPPOINTED HE IS THAT SO MANY HAVE IGNORED HIS INVITATIONS.A REUNION  IS NOT EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA ( I NORMALLY AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE) BUT IT WOULD BE KIND TO AT LEAST REPLY. 
NEVER MIND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF US TO MAKE THE DAY A SUCCESS.
JJ

A post from Allen Day

This was posted in the comments way down on the blog but it deserves to be shown here.

AllenFeb 5, 2012 04:04 AM

I will keep writing these comments until I know at least one has gone thro!!! New fangled things sometimes takes a while to sort them out. It has been good to read the blog about Summervale. I used to live there with my mum and Ruth & Norman Day, in the same prefab as my cousins June,Joan,Cynthia and Lesley Wakeham, along with their mum and dad Rose and Bill.How we all lived in one prefab I really do not know!!!I remember many of the names on the list, so will try and get to the reunion. We now live in Summerlands, which was part of the old Summervale.Look forward to seeing many "old" faces Cheers Allen Day

As you can see Allen it has worked and thank you for taking the timer and effort to make contact.
I have also received your email and will reply direct. I remember you I'm sure as Joan and I were quite close as children.

Derek Mothersele

I'm not sure how but I had an email from a David Mills ho went to school wiht Derek.He Asked me to forward an email to Dianne. This I did and he also sent me a photo from Steps Cross School showing both Derek & himself.
The photo was not brilliant

 but with the magic of one of my  programmes I have enhanced it.
Can you recognise Derek?

JJ

A message from Bobby Chambers

Hi Jeannie, HNY, hope the move went well, and you are feeling much better. So sorry to hear about Derek M, I remember him so well. Really looking forward to the reunion, stopped in Ilminster a couple of weeks ago, wife did some retail therapy in Labels for Less, opposite the Dolphin, town was quite busy despite iffy weather, good to be in the old place again, ah nostalgia, there’s no future in it. Cheers for now, LBC.

Bob

Smiling Bobby with Tony Satchell,one of the Jolly girls, not sure which one and Malcolm Driver?

Sadly Derek Mothersele has died

I am sorry to have to say my brother past away suddenly on New Years Eve.

He will be sadly missed by all.

Eric and myself will still attend the re-union.

Regards

Dianne (Mothersele)

FLYER A LA PETER

This is the flyer Peter will be sending out shortly. What it lacks in artistic merit it makes up for in simplicity

SUMMERVALE REUNION

WEDNESDAY, 27^TH JUNE 2012

AT THE SHRUBBERY HOTEL

Jean Boyce and Peter Westmacott are trying to contact as many Summervalians as possible for a very informal gathering in Ilminster at the Shrubbery. We shall meet from 10 a.m. in the Somerset Room, which we have hired for the day. Tea/coffee will be served on arrival, there will be a buffet lunch and afternoon tea. The cost, including the room hire, will be £20 per person.

This is a golden opportunity for you to meet old friends from the 1940s and 50s, and to reminisce about those wonderful Summervale days. This is a real one-off chance to see all your old friends, so we hope you will make every effort to come along to what should be a great day.

CUT    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

SUMMERVALE REUNION

Please book by Wednesday, 29^th February 2012, and return this form and cheque (made payable to P.B. & G. Westmacott) to Peter Westmacott,

29 Meadow Gardens, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 9PA.

Tel. 01502 716387 e-mail glen63@live.co.uk

Name(s) ………………………………………..

Address ………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..

Tel. No. …………………………………………

Total payment (£20 each) £…………..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want overnight accommodation The Shrubbery are offering a double room and full English breakfast at £100.00.
Phone – 01460 52108
or The Travelodge at Horton Cross currently have rooms at £29.00 for 27th June. Phone – 08719846229.
I am getting quite excited now as I have wanted to do this for years but I am not up to organising anything these days. Peter tells me has experience in organising reunions so I am more than happy to leave it all to him.
DON’T FORGET YOU CAN HELP BY CONTACTING EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF THIS BLOG.

SEE YOU HERE VERY SOON

 

JJ
 
 

REUNION FLYER

I am about to send this out to people for whom I have addresses but not email addresses.

This is the list I have so far -
Carol Richards
Lily Wren
Gloria Dixon
John Rogers
Joan Wakeham
Mike Jolly ( number not known)
Peter Plumridge
If you can help me save a few pennies and you know someone’s contact details please either let them know or advise me or Peter.

---

I have email addresses for the following -
Adrian Hooke
Bobby Chambers
Brenda SIMPSON
Carole Brown
Christine JOLLY
Dianne MOTHERSELL
Graham Whiting
Irene BROWN
Janice SYMONS
John Satchell
Marion BROWN
Mike Smith
Norman Newlyn
Peter Symons
Rob Drayton
Roger Everson
Terry Pell
If you can help in anyway to contact others to make this reunion a success I would be very grateful.