Society reports (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Society reports

4:03pm Thursday 22nd January 2009 in Bulletin By Gail Hébert

An actor’s life TWICKENHAM WI A good crowd turned out on a wintry evening for the first meeting of the year when Jonathan Fryer entertained members with the humorous side of being an actor.

For 53 years he has performed on stage and television. His father was a script writer who wrote for Tommy Handley and also helped King George VI to overcome his stammer.

Jonathan spent much time in repertory, where he became well known to the locals. He has performed in theatres across the country and had a fund of funny stories and anecdotes. He delighted in recounting tales of other actors.

When Noel Coward was in Australia he was interviewed by the press. “Would you like to say something to the Evening Star?” asked the journalist. Coward answered: “Twinkle, twinkle”.

Questioned on her long marriage to Lewis Casson who was known to be a difficult man. Sybil Thorndike was asked, “Have you ever considered divorce?” Sybil replied: “Divorce, never - murder often”.

It was good to welcome some visitors to the meeting and the ladies marked the new year with several new members.

In February there is a talk on St George’s Chapel, Windsor by Brian Ducktt.

Twickenham WI meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month, 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church Hall, Church Street, Twickenham. 020 8878 0640, 020 8892 4852, 020 8894 1907 or just go along. Galapagos cruise HEATHFIELD EVENING TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD Speaker Tony Leppard took members on a guided cruise of the Galapagos Islands with his illustrated talk at the January meeting.

The beautiful wild life is all indigenous. Someone once introduced goats to the islands and they had to be destroyed as they were eating the vegetation without giving it a chance to grow again.

Tony gives many talks and always gives his fee to The Shooting Stars Hospice in Hampton.

The competition, Ode to a giant Tortoise, was won by Joyce Cusden and the raffle prizes by Madeleine Forbes, Sheena Chappell, Margaret Hardy and Marjorie Cunningham.

The sales table of unwanted Christmas presents raised funds for the guild.

The Federation has a full programme this year and several events were announced including a trip to the Isle Of Wight and also a trip to a working farm. Add to that a St Trinian’s lunch and if everyone goes in costume it should be great fun.

The groups are all going strong with a trip to Richmond Theatre arranged.

Next meeting is on February 10 when the subject will be the Life of an Author.

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the Methodist Church Hall, Percy Road Whitton. Visitors always welcome. For more information phone 0208 894 6874.

Catching up ST PHILIP & ST JAMES WOMEN’S GROUP There were fewer people than usual attending the coffee morning on January 2, probably as it was so close to new year. Things should get back to normal when the next one takes place on Friday 6. It is a good time to catch up on news and chat to other members.

In the second week of January several volunteers helped to organise a tea party for clients of Whitton Network. The food was prepared by members and the tea party was much enjoyed by those who attended.

The AGM takes place on Thursday February 19 at 8pm in the church hall. It is hoped that many members will be able to support the committee for this important meeting.

Everyone enjoyed inviting husbands and friends along to the annual party recently. The committee and helpers had worked hard to set everything up to make the evening a go well.

Hot food, followed by delicious desserts and cheese and biscuits was served. The raffle prizes were fabulous! The DJ played many old favourites and succeeded in getting many people up to dance towards the end of the evening.

For further details about the group please ring 020 8894 0362.

Pill boxes and hatpins HAMPTON LADIES’ PROBUS CLUB President Jean Wood thanked Joy Turner on behalf of members at the January meeting, for organising the successful Christmas luncheon.

The pub lunch will be at the Seven Stars, Newark lane, Ripley on Tuesday February 3 from 12 noon. The walk will start at 10am from the car park in the High Street. On February 26, an outing is being organised by Men’s Probus to the Musical Museum at Brentford.

A quiz evening will be held on March 14 at St Mary’s Church Hall to raise funds for The Princess Alice Hospice. A trip to Woking Theatre has been arranged on May 7 to see Singin’ in the Rain. The Norfolk holiday will be from September 20-24.

Joan Gomer gave a short talk on her antique hatpin collection. The ladies saw some 14in pins worn at the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s. There were black hatpins for mourning and sporting hatpins with objects on the end such as a tennis racket, golf ball and a hockey stick.

Hatpins can be dangerous and in November 1908 The Daily Mail wrote that lady prisoners were forbidden to have them.

Another member talked about her collection of pill boxes and snuff boxes. She said that antique dealers were wont to call these “bottle of gin purchases” because they bought them from little old ladies for the price of a bottle of gin. She displayed some beautiful 18th century boxes,one of which held beauty spots for men. A papier maché box made in the 1930s held a tiny ladies’ razor, an inch long.

Margaret Woodrow produced some of her attractive water colours for members to examine.

The next meeting will be on February 9 when Andrew McElwee will talk about Scenes behind the National Trust.