1. home and garden

Polstead Village Recorder’s Report for 2014-15
Polstead enjoyed a sociable year against a background of rather disappointing weather, with early
frosts resulting in poor apple crops for many and widespread failure of the cherry crop. A mild winter
was followed by a comparatively wet and cool summer, a very wet autumn and a mild winter, the
combination of which brought on a notable range of wild flowers.
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Primroses in Dirty Lane, April 2015
The Recorder’s Team have continued to gather and enhance its records for the long term benefit of the
community. A major acquisition has been a range of recent records kept by Brian Orriss, who sadly
died at the end of August. These records are still being assessed and organised and will contribute to a
number of the special themes on which we are developing records.
Community Shop
The Community Shop celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on 30 April with a splendid birthday party in
the Village Hall with a superb cake.
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Shop 30th Birthday Party
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Joan Coulson and Erica Pomerans
A group with Brian Orriss
Cherry Fair
A repeat and highly successful Cherry Fair was organised by the Parish Council on 5 July. An
entertainer, sports, music and a barbecue were among the attractions on the village green.
Polstead Showcase
Meanwhile, inside the hall, the Village Hall Management Committee had organised an exhibition of
business activities in Polstead entitled Polstead Showcase. Among those exhibiting were Coulson
Bridges, DC Tree Services, Dave Charleston Books, Michael Connellan Violins, Polstead Lodge B&B
and Dave Howard Car Hire, Willow Farm Fruit, Fabby Pym Dressmaking, Jude Pym Photography,
Lionel Hatch Carpets and Keeley Bennet Jams and Chutnies. Poor weather outside, and homemade
teas inside, increased the numbers in the hall.
Dylan Pym held his annual exhibition of fine cabinet making in his workshop at the end of August.
St Mary’s Church
A rainy July caused the Gospel Oak Service, on the second Sunday of July, to be held inside the
church instead of at the site of the oak in the garden of Polstead Hall. Throughout the year the number
of visitors to the church was enhanced by those touring the 100 Treasures nominated by the Diocese
of Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich in celebration of its centenary. The Norman arch over the west door
to the tower was one of these treasures.
The church was generously presented with a beautiful oak platter made by sculptor and craftsman
Donald Simpson from wood from the Gospel Oak which had been kept since the 1950s by Alan
Riddleston. It makes a perfect companion to the silver mounted chalice, also made of wood from the
Gospel Oak, which was presented by Prince Duleep Singh in 1924.
The PCC has recently erected a church noticeboard in memory of Brian Orriss, who was a greatly
respected and hugely liked member of the congregation and who had done so much for the
community, including his time as County Councillor, Chairman of the Parish Council, Trustee of the
Village Hall, builder of the Community Shop, Chairman of the Art Group and much more.
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The Norman arch
Donald Simpson’s Gospel Oak platter
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Church noticeboard
Polstead Films
Polstead Films, the monthly showing of a film in the Village Hall, in association with the Suffolk
Cinema Network, celebrated its tenth anniversary, having shown 133 films in the ten years since its
inauguration in 2004. A weekend mini film festival was held over three days during which the films
shown were Belle, Tracks and a selection of archive films of South Suffolk and the Anglia Television
film on Polstead in 1991.
Open Day
The Recorder’s Open Day was held on 16 November and, in line with the national centenary events,
was devoted to commemorating the 123 men of Polstead who served in the First World War and also
to remembering relatives of current Polstead residents who did so. Among the exhibits was a special
roll of honour in memory of the 21 from Polstead who gave their lives in the war and are listed on the
war memorial, setting out as much of the details of their lives and service as could be established; a
“wall” of names commemorating all who served, with their personal details; copies of war time
photographs of Polstead men; and many individual memorabilia of the war, including original copies
of contemporary newspapers, equipment from the war such as binoculars, compass, helmet, trenching
tool etc.
We are currently considering what might be the format of future Open Days in order to avoid these
becoming too repetitive, but still being a useful way of introducing the records we have to those who
wish to consult them.
photos of Polstead men
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Open Day general view
Roll of Honour
WWI
Village Lunch
The village lunches have taken place in the school holidays and at half term (in order to avoid
disrupting the Play Group) since their inauguration in 2001. The 2014 Christmas lunch proved
particularly popular.
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Village Lunch general view
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The support team
The organiser: Sue Wigglesworth
Records
As noted above, we have continued to develop our records and to improve their accessibility. Martin
Mitchell has been manfully pressing on with the computerisation of the historic church parish records
and is now dealing with records from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Also available to us now is the definitive record of church furnishings compiled over the last three
years by the South Suffolk team of church recorders from National Association of Decorative and
Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS), a copy of which was presented to the PCC at the end of April 2014.
This provides an unrivalled current expert source of reference for the church building and its contents.
Martin and Jackie Mitchell have also reviewed in detail the burials in the churchyard and have
produced a definitive up to date map and index of all the graves in the churchyard. This is now on
display in the church, along with a folder giving detailed guidance to anyone wishing to find any of
the graves from 1934 onwards and any surviving graves from earlier than that. The same information
is available at any time from the Recorder’s Team.
Our grateful thanks go to Martin for his great work in researching and formulating our records and to
Jackie for her kind assistance.
Honour
We were delighted with the award of the MBE to Sue Wigglesworth in the 2015 New Year’s Honours
List, in recognition of over 25 years of service to communities in South Suffolk, in Polstead in
particular, and more widely.
Photos of shop birthday party and village lunch by Mike Constance; other photos by Bill Wigglesworth
Bill Wigglesworth (bill.wigglesworth@btinternet.com) Tel: 01787 210029
6 April 2015