The Editorial Team Alan
Edwards - David Burton - Ken Farrell - Lesley Pugh -
Christine Stead Our reporters cannot be everywhere. If you have
a story contact any team member or ring 01978 710422 |
School celebrates its life and success On the 4th February, Members of the Governing Body, past Governors and Teachers gathered together to celebrate the life and success of the School. The main purpose of the evening was to offer thanks to the work of three outstanding Governors who had recently retired, and to celebrate the success of the school and in particular the leadership of Headteacher, Mrs Pat Clarke Over 60 people attended the celebratory evening held in the school hall, including present and past Governors and Teachers and their spouses. Chairman of the Governors, Phil Humphreys gave an address in which he outlined the purpose of the evening, praising the unique team spirit that existed between the Governors and the Teachers, who had worked hard to make Overton Primary School one of the finest in Wales. He paid tribute to three Governors in particular who were instrumental in seeing that the old Primary School was replaced with a new facility, thus securing not only a modern building for the children of the village, but also ensuring that Overton remained an attractive place in which to live. He referred to the dedication and support that Governors Keith Overthrow, Peter Rosselli and Margaret Sampson had displayed throughout the last 17 years and in particular the support they had given Headteacher, Pat Clarke, and presented each of them with a wooden inscribed bowl made locally out of wood from the Bryn-y-Pys Estate. Peter Rosselli then gave a short speech of thanks on behalf of the other retired Governors.
Mr Humphreys also referred to the recent Ofsted Inspection which praised the academic achievements of the School, and the praise given by the Inspectors, in particular the relationship between the staff and pupils which was described as exemplary and constituted one of the major strengths of the school. He praised the work of Pat Clarke and the Teachers Retired Governor Margaret Sampson then presented a similar bowl and flowers to Pat Clarke who thanked the Governors for their support since 1986, remembering the day she sat before them at the interview. With their support and that of the other Governors and especially the Teachers, Overton Primary School had since been extended on two occasions, making it one of the finest teaching establishments and to which she was proud to belong. As a result of the efforts of everyone involved with the School, the number of pupils had more than doubled since its initial intake of some 70 pupils in 1986 to its present number of 173 today. The presentation evening was rounded off with a superb buffet provided by donations, and everyone had an opportunity to see the excellent wall displays of the recent school trip to Autrans, France, when 27 children took part in an international skiing competition. The retiring Governors have been replaced by Margaret Evison, Claire Rosselli and Euan Stevenson. Overton Brownies could be forced to close in July 2003 Overton Brownies could be forced to shut its doors in July unless something happens that can reverse the decline in numbers and the secure income it needs to survive. Brown Owl, Chris Jobson, has written to all Brownie parents seeking their help, and to explain that she has tried everything she knows to attract both much needed funds and to increase the number of Brownies, all without success. She is desperately looking for any ideas to reverse this trend as sadly the unit cannot survive in its present state and will have to close in July unless circumstances change. If you can help in any way to ensure this does not happen, please ring Chris on 01978 780450. Letters to the editor Dear Editor, I would like to correct the article by Euan Stevenson in the February issue on "Wartime Memories". The American wounded were brought to Overton Station and then taken by ambulances to Penley hospitals, mostly through the night. Irene Lewis Bangor Road, Overton. Dear Editor, Hooray! There is a new non-slip surface at the top of the hill and today (25 Feb) chevrons have gone up indicating the corner from both directions. I could go on to suggest that the 30mph sign be moved, at very little cost, to half-way up the hill, but lest that seems ungrateful, I say again HOORAY! and thank you to the campaigning ORACLE. Well Done Nonna Woodward The Lodge, Wrexham Road. Ed: We would also thank the Community Council and the Police, who pressurised Wrexham Council to act before a serious accident occurs. Please support the Royal British
Legion
With our thanks to the Oracle, we are able to bring you some information concerning Legion affairs. For some of you, just a read, but I'm sure a lot of you out there could be persuaded to join. Go on chaps - 20p per week to support this cause (£10 per year). Send it to me with the enclosed application form or give me a ring on 01978 710792 and I will collect it. Please support the Legion. Maelor Music Society News There was a large appreciative audience for the visit of the students from Cheetham School of Music. It was a wonderful evening with many talented young artists, including a 14 year old pianist whose playing will be long remembered by the society members. Such evenings of varied music open doors and let the sunshine in on our musical experience. Wednesday 5th March at 7.30.pm is the next concert at Penley School. Celtaidd Wind Chamber Ensemble are outstanding young Welsh professionals. They include Catherine Lacy (Clarinet) from our locality. The final concert on Wednesday 26th March is the well known Northop Silver Band kindly sponsored by the WREXHAM COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Again we are sure that many of you will not wish to miss these concerts. NON-members are welcome. Tickets on the door £6. Any society enquiries please to Carol Peters 01978 780246. COUNTRY BEAT When one thinks of the poacher, mental pictures emerge of bright moonlit nights, trees and hedgerows silhouetted against the sky, the leaves rustling in the wind, and the hoot of the distant owl perched high in the treetops surveying its territory. Picture the rough looking bloke wearing the old cloth cap and baggy coat, the terrier busily running around his heels, as he stealthily meanders across the landscape exploring the hedgerows and ditches then tiptoeing through the woods, every footstep measured to avoid the noisy brittle carpet of twigs and bracken. The coat and pockets alive with the movement of the jostling ferrets, eagerly awaiting the hunt, the renewed encounter with the rabbits, rabbits that would provide food for the table, or sell for a few shillings around the village. The poaching laws were wide-ranging with severe punishments; the lawmakers of the time were also the major landowners with shooting game rights to preserve! Gamekeepers were employed, some of whom used draconian methods to catch the poachers, mantraps which injured and maimed were commonplace, rough treatment in the form of beatings were the norm, and if the transgressor ever appeared before the magistrate, no matter what tale of woe or hardship was offered in mitigation, he would not receive a sympathetic hearing. Long prison sentences were imposed; the magistrates were usually the same landowners and lawmakers. Poaching is still a common practice today, but the modern poacher is more likely to be part of a well-organised gang, highly mobile and equipped with modern communications. They have the ability to descend on a trout fishery or salmon pool, net the contents, and be away from the scene, long before the offence is discovered. Deer have been shot with high-powered rifles, and pheasants stolen, not the odd one or two, but entire pens emptied of the two to three hundred birds! Gamekeepers, farmers and smallholders have been threatened with violence or worse when confronting these gangs. One animal that is particularly at risk is the badger; which is captured live and used in a fight to the death, for entertainment purposes, with dogs. The badger is usually injured so that it cannot defend itself and inflict injuries on the dogs. This is done by either removing its claws or by breaking its jaw, so that it cannot bite. Dogs which have been specially bred and trained are used, and the fight normally takes place in a `pit` which is dug out of the ground, or a `ring` formed by a circle of straw bales. The event takes place either outdoors or inside a warehouse or barn. This is not restricted to rural locations; events like this have occurred within inner cities. Fighting dogs, which have proven themselves in such events, can exchange hands for hundreds of pounds. The events are organised and attended by spectators who place bets on particular dogs. In order to capture the badger, the sett is usually dug up, and the badger caught and kept alive until it is needed. Both the badger and sett are protected by law; the sett is protected from any disturbance, and possession of a badger either dead or alive or any part of a badger, i.e. its hide is an offence. Also, all the offences carry stiff financial penalties and terms of imprisonment. We are lucky to reside in an area rich in wildlife, flora and fauna, and we should strive to protect it, and I would urge you to report anything suspicious or anyone you suspect to be involved in such activities. Constable 978 Kelvin Povey, Buckley Police Station. Wildlife & Environmental Officer, South Flintshire. "STARGAZER" THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE MILLIONAIRES! While reading the latest instalment of the history of Overton's water supply my attention was caught by two words - "healing powers". It was suggested that the spring water emerging from the bank leading down to the Sewage Works might well have curative properties much appreciated by earlier generations. Why, I asked myself, has this not been taken up by some Overtonian entrepreneur and turned into hard cash ? Just think, we might have re-packaged our village as "Overton Spa". Or even "Overton Wells and Spa." If Buxton or Bath could do it why not Overton? Outside Bangor racecourse is a notice board stating 'Free car parking at Overton", which I've always thought a bit of a cheek. It may benefit Bangor but doesn't do Overton much good. It obviously needs rewording. I suggest "Parking (it doesn't have to be free !) at Overton Wells and Spa, the home of Aqua Overtonis - Nature's gift and cure-all." 'Gift' is not to be taken too literally. On the Car Park there could be a large stall with suitably labelled bottles, costing £1.99 or two for £3.97, proclaiming the virtues of this precious liquid - "Cures Gout, Falling Hair, Migraines, Common Colds, Warts, Bunions and In-Growing Toenails." Then when the clientele had drunk their fill they could proceed to our Free Toilets - they'd probably need to! My word, yes, this does sound promising. I think I'll pop along to see Robin and Colin and ask how many bottles they'd like for a start. And then later I can try the new Health Centre. Meanwhile, I think I'll stop doing the Lottery and start collecting some of those bottles I see lying about in the village streets. Looking Back This month we feature a photograph of Overton Football Club taken in 1952 , obviously taken to celebrate winning all those cups! Do you recognise anyone and can anyone say what the cups were for?
Last month we showed what Turning Street (Bangor Road) looked like some 70 years ago and asked if anyone could shed any light on the history of Quinta Cottages. Our thanks must go to Mrs Evelyn Roberts who has provided a lot of information on previous owners and occupiers. She was born in the first cottage (next to the Quinta) in the 1930's. Her mother was Dorothy Downey who worked at the munitions factory during the War. They lived with her grandparents George and Jane Williams. Her grandfather bought the cottage for £100 in 1922. George Williams was a great storyteller and could be found every evening at 'the corner' (by Pendas House) known as the meeting place, entertaining his friends and always smoking his pipe. Evelyn Downey and her friend June Roberts (Mrs June Jones) often sat on the wall and listened or played in the road, as there was little traffic then.
After serving in the First World War, George worked for local butchers, Mr Percy Reeves, Mr Jack Davies and Mr Ernie Woolley with whom he was life-long friends. In the next cottage lived Mr and Mrs George Gittens. They had two daughters, Gertie(Mrs Herbert Stant) and Dolly (Mrs Curbishley). Mr and Mrs Fred James lived there previously, and it is their daughter Grace in the picture in last month's issue. If you recognise anyone in the above photograph or can say what the cups were for, please write to the Editor, Overton Oracle, 1 St Mary's Court, Overton, Wrexham, LL13 0FA . Planning applications approved
Another scam revealed! Yet another scam revealed by the Oracle. This time it relates to a bogus call from someone claiming to be from an electricity company who has just taken over the company supplying electricity to your house. The caller suggests that the handover may cause a power surge and asks you to disconnect any sensitive electrical equipment such as a computer. Then, about half an hour later he calls back to say that the handover is complete and asks if you had experienced any problems. "No? That's good", he replies. He then goes on to say that whilst checking your customer details, he noticed that the bank details where incomplete and could you confirm them to him. Unsuspecting individuals have then offered to confirm the bank details, only to find on checking their bank statement some time later that money is missing from the account. And yes! You guessed it - your electricity supply company has not been taken over by another provider! So, Oracle readers beware - do not give your bank details out to anyone over the phone or the internet unless you know who you are in contact with. COMIC RELIEF Red Nose Day 14th March. Please give generously to this worthwhile charity which makes a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people across the World Overton's Water Supply Spring water, one would have thought, is preferable to well water and Overton is certainly not lacking in springs, as a short walk through Llan-y-Cefn woods will reveal. One such spring, much nearer home, emerges from the bank to the side of the road leading to the Sewage Works. Various people have told me about the quality and purity of this water which still flows steadily throughout the year. I was told that some folk considered it to have healing powers and came regularly to fill their bottles when they were not well. Early in the last century (I can't be more precise about the date) the Bryn-y-Pys Estate decided to provide Overton with an improved water supply and to do this they erected stand-pipes and taps throughout the village. These were located, I am told, by the Salop Road Smithy, at the corner of Springfield Park, by the Radcliffe flats outside the School, by the Bangor Road Chapel, the Wrexham Road Blacksmith's, opposite the Corner Shop and by the Estate Office, where Peel Close now stands. There were two more - one behind the fence and in the hedge of 7, Salop Road on the corner of Millwood Rise which has sadly disappeared during the last six months or so and one more set into the wall of the Playing Fields along the Wrexham Road which appears to be the sole survivor. The water supply for these taps came from the stream that runs down the woods by Pen-Dyffryn and enters a field alongside the Sewage Works, which, of course did not exist in those days. Just outside the wood was fitted a remarkably efficient piece of machinery called a hydraulic ram or hydram, which was self-operating and which could force the water up to the village indefinitely, relying solely on the flow of water to power it. The hydram was originally invented in 1793 by the Montgolfier brothers of hot-air balloon fame and was very popular in the nineteenth century for supplying water to properties and communities situated high above the original supply. Basically it relies on "water hammer", something we have all heard when we close a tap too quickly and where the mains pressure is high. The Overton hydram disappeared when the Sewage Works were built but an original one dating from the same period can be seen along the Public Footpath in Llan-y-Cefn woods, set in its brick housing and now recently restored and fully working.
By the 1930's mains water had arrived in the village, flowing from the direction of Penley and enabling every household to have at least one tap to supplement the water from the street taps. Later, much work was undertaken to replace obsolete lead pipes by modern plastic ones. One thing is certain - whichever way you look at it, Overton has always been well watered. Proof of Age Cards Trading Standards Officers of Wrexham County Borough Council have been working undercover in the battle to prevent the sale of alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks, solvents and other harmful products to the underaged. Young volunteers are helping them to catch those who flout the law, and those who are caught could be prosecuted and fined up to £5000. As it is not always easy for retailers to tell a person's age, Wrexham Council has developed a 'Proof of Age' card, which carries a photograph of the cardholder and details of their age. If you're a young person and haven't got a 'Proof of Age' card, call the Public Protection Department on 01978 2960660. Obviously you must have proof of your identity and date of birth to obtain a card. In Brief
Walk the Plank - a success
story
We have been running a series on being photographed with somebody famous. Well, if I showed you a photograph of our niece, Liz Pugh and her partner John Wassell, it would not mean a lot. However, you certainly will have come across their work. Throughout the 1980's, waterside sites began to be developed and Liz and John identified a niche for a touring theatre ship and other aquatic events on the waterways. They purchased an ex- Norwegian cargo and passenger ferry in 1991 and brought her back to Britain for conversion. She now has a theatre seating 120 and a bar located in the ship's funnel. The company Walk The Plank was registered in 1991, www.walktheplank.co.uk and their performances appeal to audiences of all ages, and particularly children. During their first national tour in 1992, HRH Prince Edward formally named the ship the FITZCARRALDO. The name was taken from the film by Werner Herzog in which Klaus Kinski sets off on an adventure with a mad idea involving hauling a ship over a mountain in the jungle - setting up the first touring theatre ship felt just as hard. There were times when family and friends just could not see how the venture would survive, the physical efforts required for raising funding and running the ship and theatre were enormous and exhausting. It is to their great personal credit that colleagues, actors, artists, etc., stayed with them through the lean times. They persevered and progressed to develop WTP Pyrotechnics with John Wassell as Director. This move opened up a whole new meaning to firework displays, as they became more theatrical shows, and we have seen them featured on TV many times. 2001 saw the first international work in Singapore and Portugal. Sir Paul MacCartney was so satisfied with a New Year show they did for him, he commissioned them to do the fireworks for his wedding to Heather Mills in June 2002. Nobody was allowed to discuss details prior to the event or, in keeping with the vegetarian ethic, allowed to wear any animal derivatives, leather shoes or belts for instance. Meanwhile Walk The Plank's activity expanded to include workshops, corporate events, civic events, more theatre. The Company was heavily committed during 2002 with the Golden Jubilee, and many events around Manchester where the ship is based at Salford by the Lowry Centre. There were some difficulties with the closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games and with twelve weeks to the night, the organisers turned to WTP for help. The world saw the results.
Walk The Plank was solely responsible for providing all the lantern images at the event, with over 2500 lanterns of all sizes paraded through the Stadium as part of the show. Over 50 artists and apprentices drawn from the local area and the UK, worked for two months in a warehouse in Trafford to create spectacular lanterns for the event. Twenty of the images were each as big as a transit van; they with the remaining shapes and sizes, represented different Faiths from around the globe. The most impressive of the images had to be the 30 metre long human body, compiled of 37 different parts which came together at the end of the ceremony. Lanterns then spelled out the message 'Seek Peace' before transforming into a dove holding an olive branch, all carried by local people. Over 32,000 batteries powered the lanterns, which were constructed using several tonnes of withies (willow sticks) and reams of tissue paper. The Company says they are very proud to have been part of that historic moment. Ed: We also know you are hugely proud of Liz and John and thankful they had the courage to fulfil their ambitions. |
