FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 38: July 2009
FC staff Retirement Association magazine. The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment below the text to view the full document. A total of 77 issues were completed between 1997 and the final issue in 2023.
Issue 38: July 2009
Articles
Benmore Goes to North Wales
John White recalls it was FC policy to shift all the FTS students round for a six-week period half way through the course to widen their experience. In August 1961, nine students from Benmore arrived at Gwydyr to join some of the students from Dean and Faskally. After the pseudo-baronial setting of Benmore, Gwydyr school was something of an architectural disappointment. The corrugated iron huts in a secure looking compound were reminiscent of a 1930s displaced persons camp. Were they expecting an escape attempt? However experiences outside ‘the wire’ were pretty good in both an educational and social sense. Noteworthy among excursions was a visit to Bowaters paper mill at Ellesmere Port. A photograph shows: - HF Griffiths; Gwyn Francis; Ian Embury; John White; Ken Russell; Jock Campbell; John Livingstone; Norman MacIlmoyle; Stan Maconachy; Arthur Barlow; Brian Monaghan; Bob Alpe and Jim Findley.
Goodbye Victoria
Shaun Mather writes: After many decades in Victoria House on the Aberystwyth seafront, the FC Wales National Office is moving. From October 2009 FC Wales will be based in the new Welsh Assembly Government building in the heart of the town. The staff are planning a dinner dance as a farewell to the old building.
Faskally – A Balanced View
Gordon Rae, a former student at Faskally, comments on the articles in the last two editions of FCA Today by John McNeil, Ralph Nickerson and Ted Radford. Gordon believes the regime was necessary to supervise the afforestation programme adequately because the FC was expanding rapidly. Despite some shortcomings, he believes Faskally produced some accomplished foresters and feels proud to have studied there and qualified successfully despite the obstacles. A photo shows those who graduated in 1964.
Faskally Reunion 2009
Hamish McIntyre is organising a reunion for the final year students of 1958-1960.
Touchwood Branches Out – and would like your help
Following the success of the Touchwood History Projects in Mid-Argyll, the Great Glen and Glenmore, a three year forestry history project, A Social History of Forestry in Scotland in the Twentieth Century, will create an historic record of forestry throughout Scotland. The Touchwood Project has already resulted in an oral archive of well over a hundred hours. Two successful booklets, Smell of the Rosin, Noise of the Saw, now into its second edition, and The Forest is a Beautiful Place to Be, have been written by project coordinator Mairi Stewart. The research team is led by Professor James Hunter.
The FC Journal
Gwyn Francis has deposited a complete bound set of FC Journals in the library at the NRS Bush (the Alice Holt library already has a copy). They cover subjects as varied as Aesthetic Afforestation, Note on a Visit to Scotland, An English View of Scottish Forests, A View of Savile Row and D. Micans – a Threat?
AGM 2009
Bart Venner reports on the AGM at Oak Lodge, Thetford which was an admirable setting, if only the USAF had not been flying over so often. Plans were going ahead to hold the AGM for 2010 in the Dean and for 2011 in North Wales. The tour included some good discussions.
Dughall Mor’s taken down a peg or two!
Recent height measurements by the Woodland Trust have revealed that Dughall Mor has slipped into third place. The Stronardron Douglas fir, part of an avenue in Glendaruel, has made 63.79m. It was planted by Archibald Fletcher of Dunans in 1848. A Grand fir in Diana’s Grove in Blair Castle has also taken a spurt to 62.70m, now taking second place. Dughall has fallen back to third at a revised measurement of 62.02m, while the Hermitage Douglas fir is just behind at 61.31m. So the title of Master Tree 2009 moves to Cowal.
Are You a Scot?
A waggish test to see if you are Scottish.
Obituaries
Cliff Featherstone remembers two friends.
Ken Capstick died aged 81 in January. He started in the FC at Helmsley in 1958, where he enjoyed using his skills in all aspects of forestry, and demonstrated his ability in dry stone walling brought with him from Wensleydale. Ken spent 34 years helping develop the forests in Ryedale.
Thomas Johnstone died aged 89 in February. After attending Glentress FTS from 1946-8, his first posting was to Rothbury. On retirement in 1984 he moved to Thornton Dale and was involved in setting up the Dalby Forest Visitor Centre and in voluntary work with the Beck Isle Museum in Pickering.
Norman Davidson and Bill Taylor have memories of Jack Christie who died in January aged 84. Jack joined the Forestry Commission as a worker in Kirkhill Forest in 1949. He went to Forester Training School at Glentress 1950-1952 where he was the Gold Medallist for his year. His first posting was Clashindarroch Forest where he was stationed at Gartly. He retired in 1985.
Lena Birchall said that Frankie (Frances) Edwards died in April. She joined the Alice Holt Research Station in 1971 as a typist, until retirement in 1979. In recent years she was Social Secretary of the Alice Holt FCA group.
Friends remember Sid Farquar who died last October aged 89. After the war, he rejoined the FC at the Forest of Deer as a Wildlife Ranger, rising to Senior Ranger, First Class, where he remained until he retired in 1983.
Mervyn Davies remembers Mike Reaney who died recently. He joined the FC as an Area Civil Engineer. In South Wales his abilities as a sound engineer were soon recognised and appreciated on a wide front both within and without the FC.
Arthur Taylor’s daughter Susan writes to tell us of his death in February aged 97. Arthur, originally from Manchester, joined the FC in 1946 aged 33. He retired in 1976 and took up photography.