The following might amuse on this dark and cold Saturday morning. I wrote this as a filler for the February 2018 BROADSHEET which went to press last week and will shortly be distributed to some 1,400 homes in Aldborough Hatch and wing its way by post to some 30 readers and by email to over 300 others around the country and the world!
How it all began!
Have you wondered how long the BROADSHEET has been in this two-sides-of-A4 format? Here’s how!
In the summer of 1980, the Revd Bill Barnes invited me to edit the Parish Magazine – an occasional publication which the Revd Barnes produced as and when he felt like it. The magazine was of eight or 12 pages, run off on a duplicator and came out perhaps four or so times a year.
I offered to edit a monthly newsletter of two sides of A4 paper. “Not enough,” said the Revd Barnes. “It must be at least twelve pages.”
But I stuck to my guns, for I was convinced few would read more than two sides of A4. “Make it eight pages,” said the Revd Barnes. “Two sides of A4 or nothing!” said I. “Four pages,” pleaded the Revd Barnes. “Two sides of A4,” said I with a glint in my eye as I sensed victory.
“Right,” cried the Revd Barnes, “but it will never last and I insist that you have a Committee to guide you.”
The Committee met once, but I never called another meeting! The first issue appeared in September 1980. Packed with exciting news items, we read that Pat Hicks was looking for volunteers to pot attractive plants for the Bazaar, whilst readers were invited to “save your wool and your number nines for a knitting event in January”.
The October 1980 issue carried the first of many articles written under the pseudonym Tailcorn (Shirley Rudge in case you did not know!) with the opening paragraph: “It is with some sadness that I watched the men cut the corn for the last time on the field designated for gravel . . .”
I have copies of every issue in two ring binders and three folders. As editor, I have had three members of St. Peter’s organising the local distribution to homes in the parish – Una Paul, Yvonne and today Glenn Harvey – numerous good folk posting copies through letterboxes, whilst six incumbents have written the leading articles over those 37 years. And today we email copies to over 300 addresses around the world!
And, what’s more, it has lasted! RJ
