GROWTH OF WOMEN'S SPORT IN BRITAIN - CURRENT PROGRAMMES ON WOMEN'S HOUR

Women's sporting talent is now very much in the headlines. Female careers in cricket, hockey, golf, boxing, tennis and so many other sporting activities have never been so popular, especially football. Over one hundred years ago, certainly during the Great War, there were numeous ladies' football teams attached to some of our large industrial companies in the south east and East London areas.  

Lady Warwick with the Sterling football team

We are now learning about superb women athletes and certainly the Women's Super League and those Lionesses' wonderful successes over the last few years, plus so many girl athletes training very hard in all professional sports. 

It's good learning about the Olympic role models today and in the past.  Many years ago, I was lucky enough to interview  sporting stars of both sexes and particularly remember meeting javelin superstar Fatima Whitbread who lived near me at the time.

Here we are with a memorable group of superstars - circa 2008 you may recognise some of them - and as a non-fit person at the time, I was amazed to hear of some of their stringent training stories. At least it prompted me to dig out my yoga mat!   Good luck to all our great sporting friends.

DAGENHAM GIRL PIPERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT ONCE AGAIN THANKS TO MICHAEL PORTILLO

I managed to catch Michael Portillo's programme last night via his Great British Railway Journeys, It was interesting to see the brilliant Sheila Hatcher who organised some of the DGP team demonstrating why they are still making their impressive presence seen and heard at important events.

The history of the Dagenham Girl Pipers is amazing, founded as it was in 1930 by the Reverend Joseph W Graves. This man was no ordinary minister. When he and his family arrived in Dagenham, he was getting on in life.  The fifty-year-oldis known to have had a strong personality. Alongside his Congregational church activities, Joseph organised the Sunday School. To motivate the youngsters, he introduced the bagpipes, the swirl and sound of which he'd loved from his own youth.

The excitement with which this idea was received by the Sunday School girls, prompted him to approach Pipe-Major Douglas Taylor with the King's Own Scottish Borderers who ran a Highland dance and piping academy in Hertfordshire. At first, Pipe-Major Taylor was doubtful. "There's no reason - no physical reason at least, why girls shouldn't play the pipes. It's just that the bagpipe is a man's instrument and if I started to teach girls how to play, I should be not only criticised in my own country, but probably ostracised as well. Now, if you were thinking of forming a boys' band.." You could see his point.

Pipe-Major Taylor eventually agreed to teach piping to a dozen girls. The first practice meeting for the youngsters was Saturday 4 October 1930. This day was an important one for 11-year-old Peggy Iris, a slim dark-haired girl whose own destiny was shaped by that first introduction to the bagpipes. Her role within the DGP was to be a life-long profession.

Author Linda Rhodes' book tells the full story, including the band’s crucial role during the Second World War; also the heart-warming Millennium Day reunion. Linda's book is excellent, one that will bring pleasure to readers including the many former Dagenham Girl Pipers and their families around the world. It is also a valuable historical book about Dagenham's past. 

www.valencehousemuseum@lbbd.gov.ukopens phone dialer

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50 ORGANISATIONS SIGNED UP FOR OUR VIRTUAL FUN WALK WHICH STARTS ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2021

John Baron MP: Let’s make this a record year!

With registered charities and local good causes estimating they have more than 2,000 participants who will take part in the 2021 Fun Walk, the pressure has been on The Fun Walk Trust to ensure that there is a ‘Bonus Pot’ ready to use, and our wonderful local businesses have responded by pledging nearly £25,000.

The ‘Bonus Pot’ remains a key incentive for supporters to take part as it tops up the money raised in sponsorship by each participating organisation.

The event organisers are hoping to beat last year’s total raised of £103,000 that went to registered charities, local schools and churches, grass roots sports teams and other community groups.

John Baron MP and Chair of the Fun Walk Trustees said:
“We are all trying to make this another record year, as we know how difficult it remains for charities and local groups to raise funds on their own. The event organisation is done by the Fun Walk team, which means participating organisations can concentrate on getting their supporters on-board, and focused on raising sponsorship money for their walk.

Our thanks go to the generous local businesses that have committed to support the 2021 Fun Walk. So far they include Swan New Homes, Anisha Grange Care Home, Butyl Products, IFE Global Logistics, Leonardo MW, Tunnelcraft, McDonald’s Restaurants Basildon and others. Businesses are welcome to join us and use the Fun Walk as their charity conduit given the event supports 80-100 charities each year.”

Organisations are encouraged to register at www.thefunwalktrust.co.uk

IT'S COMING - NOT LONG NOW - ESSEX BOOK FESTIVAL 2021

 Essex Book Festival 2021 -  hope to see you there?

 

With less than two weeks to go before we launch this year’s extended Essex Book Festival #WordsMatter, a fabulous mix of 100+ digital, in person and on foot events in 40+ venues across Essex taking place between 6^th June and 29^thAugust, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to attend any of the four events detailed below, which will be taking place during our launch week.   

 

All you need to do is send an email to hello@essexbookfestival.org.uk outlining which ones you are interested in attending, and we will send you the relevant zoom (s) or other link (s) closer to the time. Tickets are limited so it will be on a first come basis. 

 

Here goes! 

 

2.30PM: 6 JUNE - We Need To Talk About Essex Girls - an online panel discussion with three amazing Women of Essex: Sarah Perry, Syd Moore and Sadie Hasler who will be discussing what it means to be an Essex Girl: the jokes, the misconceptions, and the strengths and growing movements that are starting to challenge these preconceptions. 

 

4PM: 6 JUNE – Poland Today: Women, Censorship and Human Rights – an online conversation in partnership with Index on Censorship Magazine with UK-based Polish writer Agnieszka Dale, Warsaw-based Sylwia Chutnik, and Leah Cross, Editor of index on Censorship.

 

7PM: 8 JUNE – Gavin Esler How Britain Ends: English Nationalism and the Rebirth of Four Nations – an online in conversation between award-winning TV and Radio presenter and journalist Gavin Esler and Professor Lorna Fox O’Mahony hosted in partnership with University of Essex. 

 

7.30PM: 10 JUNE – Craig Brown 1,2,3,4: The Beatles In Time, Winner of Baillie Gifford prize 2020, the top prize for UK non-fiction – an online in conversation between best-selling author, satirist and critic Craig Brown and BBC Essex’s Tony Fisher hosted in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University. 

 

For information about the above events, and/or to download a digital copy of this year’s brochure, go to www.essexbookfestival.org.uk. The digital brochure is in the top right-hand corner.

 

See you there

 

Ros

 

Ros Green

Festival Director

Essex Book Festival

+44 (0) 7913061948

ros@essexbookfestival.org.uk

www.essexbookfestival.org.uk

Ros Green

Festival Director

Essex Book Festival

+44 (0) 7913061948

ros@essexbookfestival.org.uk

www.essexbookfestival.org.uk

BECONTREE - AND THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN! A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE ONCE LARGEST COUNCIL ESTATE IN THE WORLD

 

Still working on historical stories gathered from around the globe.  This weekend is devoted to my research into one of my earlier books BARKING AND DAGENHAM FROM OLD PHOTOGRAPHS (Amberley Publishing) written in 2014, in which I traced the provenance of this huge estate. Began in 1921, its life and times are intriguing, bringing thousands of east London residents to the fields of Essex to start a new, healthy life.  Many of those newcomers thrived and they and their families succeeded in so many positive aspects in the different spheres including government, sport, entertainment, the church and music.  Watch this space! 

                 This snap was taken in 1972 - can you name the players - no prizes?

                                    Dudley Moore before he became a filmstar

FISH, FOWL AND OTHER WILDLIFE IN LAKE MEADOWS BILLERICAY

 

Lake Meadows Billericay. So much going on in a lovely part of this small Essex town. Billericay. As well as a great park in which to exercise, the wildlife is great. Such a joy to see  these two-day-old chicks guarded by their protective parents: almost received an angry pecking when I stupidly got up too close and personal! 

This young fishing champion was happy to chat with me on an earlier visit to this lovely park. 

   

https://youtu.be/y5fwmt8ZgNw

TONIGHT'S TV PROGRAMME FROM THE BRITISH LIBRARY WITH JULIA DONALDSON

Julia Donaldson 

How lucky I've been  to receive invitations from publishers and agents to interview some of the most famous writers and entertainers over so many years. It has been exactly ten years since I was asked to meet Julia Donaldson who created The Gruffalo  character which has been such a wonderful series for children. 

There's a Gruffalo Trail in Brentwood's Thorndon Country Park, Essex which is a delight to visit for all the children who love Julia's fascinating hero. Julia uses rhyming couplets to tell her stories and this certainly helps the flow when reading to small children. The Gruffalo films have been extraordinarily successfull, too. Julia works hard at her craft, which follows many years of writing and seeing her work performed on stage and film.  Even before we used phones that perform so many functions, I have always carried a camera and Julia's photograph was snapped in Chelmsford, Essex in 2011. Julia's creations have gone from strength to strength and it was a great pleasure to meet her in my own city.  

 The programme from the British Library tonight was wonderful for me, as I was a regular visitor there after the Library moved to London's St Pancras area. Even before this, I loved the previous British Library blue Reading Room room when it had been part of the British Museum in Bloomsbury.

  

HAPPY MAY DAY! THE BILLERICAY MAYFLOWER MORRIS MEN KICK OFF THE PANDEMIC BLUES

 

Just lately the BBC have been airing documentaries on how England once celebrated the coming of summer in our towns and villages.  It seems that Morris dancing was recognised as one of our ancient rituals and now, after almost fifteen months of sadness and worry wrought by the covid pandemic - we may be able to look forward to a little more freedom from lockdown. This small Essex town of Billericay is fortunate in having had its very own Morris side for almost fifty years. The Mayflower Morris Men were formed in 1973 to dance the Morris in and around Billericay, to learn new dances and to maintain the traditions of the ancient Morris.  Spring and summer are the seasons when you will usually see our local Mayflower Morris dancing out and about in the town and surrounding area.

Their side comes from all walks of life and has a spread of ages from the teens to the fifties. It's a brilliant way to keep fit. Some like it because it is linked to the folk scene, but you can see that all the members dance to enjoy themselves. Usually, they have a full programme of pubs stops, charity events and fetes through the early part of the year, but unfortunately, this has not been possible due to the current pandemic.

When well-presented, the Morris communicates to spectators something more than the simple enjoyment of watching a dance; there's an almost tangible sense of harmony with nature, of primaeval magic and of age-old pre-Dawn Rite conveyed. Enjoy it, and be sure to partake of the Morris' good luck by contribution to the Bag and helping to keep a quintessential part of English rural tradition alive.

There is no subscription and tuition is free (don't forget to bring two handkerchiefs with you) and you will have a warm welcome if you would like to come along, but do make enquiries first via their website: www.mayflowermorris.com

Geoff Douglas Bagman is a mine of information 01277 650631

The Morris Dancing Season - next event: 

Fri 16th July 2021: 7.45pm at West Hanningfield - 

The Three Compasses Barbecue