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Great Western Society Newsletter August 2016

Newsletter time. August 2016

A quick rundown of 2015/6

We have had member’s slides, a videographer, diesels, our own Peter Gray and of course we had the inimitable Peter Triggs and Colin and Rosemary with the Christmas meeting. This year Amyas filled in the gap caused by John Crownshaw's sudden death. Thank you, Amyas.

Our average attendance was 38 over the year, with our highest attendance being 53 by a head count, (44 according to our sign-in records). It would be lovely if we could hit that number every meeting. This audience was achieved by Eric Bottomley.

In the programme for March we had Eric Bottomley. He is a member of the Guild of Railway Artists and gives very few talks. His talk was very well supported and he said that he had really enjoyed himself. His talk was different and more in the style of presentation that Richard Hardy used to give - no slides, just chat. Richard by the way is still writing lovely letters in his turquoise ink and seems to be very well in his 90th year. He always sends his regards to the people he met at our meetings and wishes he could come back and renew acquaintances. In April we had Bernard Mills talk to us about "Railways in Plymouth".

The new Season will start with a talk by Terry McCarthy, a GWS member for as long as I can remember. He has a lovely title for his talk, a new word for most of us. In October we are having a requested return visit from Simon Foote with “Steam in the Hills” November will bring us David Brabner with his “Transport Video Highlights 2015” Our Christmas meeting will follow the same pattern as before: a “Quiz” with Rosemary and Colin and the imitable Peter Triggs looking at “Another 50 Years Ago”

2017 starts with a new venture for us. This was to be Peter Gray’s evening. At very short notice I have managed to get a new local speaker; John Risdon has been to us before but did not have another long railway talk, however he has an excellent talk entitled “A Journey Around the South Devon Coast”. He is a very accomplished speaker and I am sure there will be something for everyone. Please support him as he is a wonderful speaker and has been very kind filling in the gap for us. February is the GAM followed by Richard Antliff with an unusual talk for him "Didcot Inspirations - A World Ranging Look". March brings us a visit from Richard Croucher, the Society Chairman, and in April we have a return of Philip Bissat with "Europe at the Millennium". Please note the date of the April Meeting, the third Saturday is Easter!

If you are able to receive Emails and haven't given us your address could you fill in one of the forms provided on the back table, and could you keep us up to date with any changes, please.

Similarly, if you are a non member, without an email address, could you just fill out the form with your postal address and telephone number.

I do try to decipher your signatures at send-out time but I am not sure if all my missives reach you. It is quite important that you sign the book each time you attend our meetings as we use that information in various ways, but we never divulge peoples’ names.

I will finish by hoping you enjoy next year’s programme and ask you to let me know if you know of anyone else who is available to give talks to us.

See you in September,

Joan.

PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS AUTUMN 2016/2017

All meetings are held at the Parish Centre, Church End Road, Klngskerswell Starting at 6.30pm.
Second Hand Book Stall and Home Made Refreshments.
Any queries to Joan Lemar 01803 326329 or mobile 0797142715 E.mail joan|emar@yahoo.com or to Colin Stone 01803 527360.
2016
SEPTEMBER 17th TRAVAILS OF A FERROEQUINOLOGIST
Speaker: Terry McCarthy
OCTOBER 15th STEAM IN THE HILLS
Speaker: Simon Foote
NOVEMBER 19th TRANSPORT VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS 2015
Speaker: David Brabner
DECEMBER 17th OUR CHRISTMAS EVENING
  Colin and Rosemary Stone entertain
Plus
“ANOTHER 50 YEARS AGO”
Peter Triggs
2017
JANUARY 21st A JOURNEY ALONG THE SOUTH DEVON COAST
Speaker: John Risdon
FEBRUARY 18th GROUP ANNUAL MEETING
  Followed by DIDCOT INSPIRATIONS - A WORLD RANGING LOOK.
Richard Antliff
MARCH 18th AN EVENING WITH THE G.W.S CHAIRMAN
Speaker: RICHARD CROUCHER
APRIL 22nd. EUROPE AT THE MILLENIUM Travels on the Continent on Trains, trams etc.
Speaker: Philip Bissat


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