Page 17 - BR December 2023

December 2023 December 2023

FIRST THURSDAY CLUB FUNERAL TRIBUTES
(AUTUMN LEAVES)

We were not expecting many members to brave
Storm “Ciaran” and all the amber weather Michael Norwood
warnings. Fortunately the worst of the wind and Menzies
rain had passed through and we had 22 people
turn up. 21.11.50 - 20.10.23

Our Speaker Damian Clark also made it from Dorchester and he did not Mike Menzies, Churchwarden at St Laurence,
disappoint. His enthusiasm and knowledge for the ancient instruments of the Affpuddle, was remembered at a service of
Hurdy Gurdy and the Dulcimer captivated our audience. He explained the Thanksgiving and Celebration on Friday 10th
history of the instruments from the Crusades and their arrival and development November 2023. The church was packed to
since their arrival in this country. The Hurdy Gurdy is a forerunner of the bagpipes overflowing, with standing room only, a
and the Dulcimer, a forerunner of the piano. Damian demonstrated the testament to the love, respect and friendship
instruments by playing various songs and tunes and then ended with a rousing for this key member of our community.
rendition of the Sloop John B.
From Liz McLoughlin, Mike’s elder sister
Next month we have a
change from Music. My very first memory is also the time I first met Mike. I was sitting on my mother’s
Barry Graham from the knee in the front of the car on the way back from the hospital and I looked
Dorset Branch of the over her shoulder to see this little chap - That Michael as I called him - in his
Rare Breed Survival carrycot on the back seat.
Trust is talking on the
work of the trust in this As That Michael got older - brilliantly renaming himself Roger Rex Spellerman -
area and nationally. I realised what an asset a younger brother could be. Let’s face it a Hornby
He will explain the Double O is much more fun than dolls or knitting. And the Lion comic was a far
reasons why this is better read than the Girl’s Crystal magazine.
important particularly And the bedtime stories! When we were little we shared a bedroom and had a
f o r n a t u r e pact to tell each other bedtime stories. Mine were invariably short and dull. But
conservation and Mike’s were epic – the adventures of two earthworms burrowing their way to
genetic preservation. Some Dorset Sheep are on the danger list with numbers of Australia. The episodes went on and on. Sadly I can’t remember if they ever
breeding ewes in our famous breeds getting dangerously low. You may discover got there.
what a “Somerset Sheeter” is. (I have not spelt that wrong but I expect it does
that as well) I am hoping for better weather and new faces. When Mike was 10, I was 13 and Jan the ripe old age of 2, our parents moved
to London for a while. Boarding school was not a happy time for Mike and
The First Thursday club must be the bargain of the month. There is no subscription when Mum and Dad moved back up north I used to take Mike out on Sundays
just turn up on the first Thursday if you are interested. The cost is £3.00 to include and provide him with tuck to take back to school. Unfortunately I was going
tea, the entertainment or talk and a raffle. through a rather porky phase and quite often we would find that the tuck had
Looking ahead into the New Year we have on Thursday 4 January the Sea been tucked into.
th
Shanty Choir. I am told this choir does some superb renditions of sea shanties. If So it was a good job that Mike then escaped to Liverpool College where, as
you haven’t had enough of Christmas food we will be serving a new year Tea with Jan says, he seemed to be head of pretty well everything. And then Surrey
a fish flavours in the sandwiches . There will be mince pies and sausage rolls. University and the foundations of the able and knowledgeable chemical
engineer that he became.

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