FCA Magazine (FCAtoday) - Issue 39: December 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 39: December 2009
Articles
Benmore Reunion 2009
Frank Thom writes about the reunion in August 2009 when nine Benmore Forestry School old boys returned to renew old friendships, some for the first time in 47 years. During their stay at the Whistlefield Bunkhouse, as well as reminiscing, dining and drinking well, they had the opportunity to see the old house again at the invitation of the Principal, who entertained them to afternoon tea in what used to be Percy Gough’s office, where a photo was taken. In the photo are: - Frank Thom (1960-62); John Livingstone (1960-62); Ken Johnstone (1960-62); Ian Tillotson (1960-62); John Gault (1959-61); Ken Ellis (1963-65); Trevor Wilson (1957-59); Brian Monaghan (1960-62) and John Boyd (1960-62).
Faskally Reunion 2010
George Bruce is organising a reunion of the 1959, 1960 and 1961 intake at Faskally. The reunion would be between the end of February and the end of March 2010 in Pitlochry.
Last of the Summer Wine
George Bruce reports on the meeting of the Yorkshire branch on 1st April at the Royal Armouries, Leeds, where the gents and some of the ladies enjoyed the Armouries and its events. The photo shows Pete Green, Chris Griffith and Geoff Barry leaning against a lock gate on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Italian POWS and Internees During WW2
Isobel Wilson is researching for the Anglo-Italian Family History Society and is hoping for readers’ memories. After General Wavell’s campaign in Libya, large numbers of Italian prisoners were brought over from Africa in 1942 to be employed on the land. 4000 were allocated for timber production. Camps at Setley Plain near Brockenhurst and Blair Atholl and Craigellachie in Scotland accommodated 1500 while 2500 others were dispersed among camps established for agriculture. Does anyone remember A. Perione POW at Studley sawmill near Calne Wiltshire owned by the Beint family? On an old scrap of sheeting he painted a delightful rural scene of the mill which is now in Chippenham museum. A clipper on show at Chavenage House near Tetbury was made from scraps of wood from the estate. It had sheep’s teeth for oars on the lifeboats, seed bag sacking for sails and shoe eyelets for portholes. 15 ex POWs returned there in 1981 and had an emotional moment when seeing “their” ship again. More memories are required of POWs employed in forestry and also concerts given by a Quaker couple touring Scottish camps in 1944.
Wartime Stories – and after
Dorothy “Doe” Edmondson remembers winter evenings as a schoolgirl when homework was interrupted by air-raids and daytime lessons were often spent in the school air-raid shelter. She left school in 1942 and started work with the FC as the lowest grade of Temporary Clerk, working a 44 hour week. The FC had moved from central London to what they hoped would be the safety of the South West. The offices of HQ and Asst. Commissioner (England and Wales) were set up in Camp House, near the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol. Dorothy remembers Ella Johnson being the first female CO to be employed by the Commission. Dorothy enjoyed the work, despite the many cost saving rules. She remembers colleagues John Overy, a member of the Home Guard and Maggie Kuenzler who organised parcels to be sent to former staff serving in the forces and edited a Newsletter called “The Log”, an early predecessor to the Slasher. In the spring of 1946, the office was moved back to 25 Savile Row, London.
Forestry Memories
Norman Davidson says an interest that has occupied some of his time for a year or two is the placement of old photographs of forestry people, forest operations and other records of past times on to the University of the Highlands and Islands/FC website www.forestry-memories.org.uk. It is a Scotland wide national archive project which includes recording the voices of people telling their stories of forest life and careers, writing down the social and community story and producing booklets focusing on locality forest histories such as Argyll, The Great Glen and Glenmore. Norman’s aim with the help of past employees, families and others involved in the industry, is to help add a little illumination to the largely unrecorded local story of forestry in Scotland over the last century. Don MacLeman, the son of the Alex MacLeman who was his first Chief Forester in 1967, passed on some of his father’s Forestry School photographs, two photographs are included in the article, which shows the student class at Benmore Forestry School around 1935 or perhaps as late as 1937. Identified in the photographs are Alex MacLeman, George Small and Jackie Frater.
Letters to the Editor
Faskally – A Balanced View
John Keenleyside responded to the article in the last issue by Gordon Rae, “Faskally – A balanced view”. He says an omission was Glentress, where a great many post war foresters were trained before it closed and moved to Faskally in 1953. He was one of the 1951-53 class and there are around half of that class still on the go. John says the personal assessment mark mentioned in Gordon Rae’s article was more transparent at Glentress, everyone seemed to start with full marks.
Thanks…
Rev. Mark Haworth wished to thank all concerned for the continued arrival of both publications. He left the FC in 1988 when he went into training for the priesthood in the Church of England. He enjoys that sense of ‘continuing family’ with the FC despite the passage of years. Recent indications of restructured FDs in Scotland, reminded him of discussions on whether 3 or 4-tier management structures in the late 1970s/early 1980s would be the best way forward.
Goodbye Victoria
Mike Whitlock says the article entitled “Goodbye Victoria” in the August edition of “FCA Today” brought back memories and more recent experiences of Victoria House, Aberystwyth. In the winter of 1964-65 whilst carrying out a survey of the then Taliesin forest, a team consisting of Jim Jones, Jim Williams, John Whyatt and himself occupied an office in this building. It was on the first floor looking out to sea. On stormy days, with waves breaking over the promenade, sand and small stones were flung against the windows. On such occasions the back entrance was used. His more recent memory whilst walking the newly established Ceredigion (Cardigan) Coastal Path was a conversation he had with another walker. He expressed surprise that the FC had an office in a seaside town. I did point out that as the National Office for Wales it was centrally situated and near large forested areas.
From the Editor
A comment from Richard Toleman.
Obituaries
Elizabeth Broadly, an EO who used to work in the New Forest in the 1980s in Estate Management, died in November. After retirement she and her husband had moved to the south of France where he continues to live.
Peter Davis’s son Clive has told me of his father’s death last September aged 88. His first role as forester was at Clipstone Forest. Following spells at Cotgrave and Packington, he was appointed forester at Haywood. In 1960 Peter moved to Delamere in Cheshire, where his responsibilities included the nursery. In 1966 he was transferred to Work Study at Dolgellau, North Wales.
Thomas A.J. Hooper, a forest worker who retired to Pembrokeshire, passed away in July.
George Stewart recalls R.D’O.P. “Dick” Jackson who died in August aged 88. He joined the FC in 1951 and gave long and devoted service to East Scotland. He started in the Perth District before having 4 years in Acquisitions. After that it was the Buchan district for 10 years before returning to Perth. When the district was amalgamated with its neighbour, he ran H&M in this area. Finally he set up the Tayside FD before retiring in 1984.
Earnest “Dick” Richards died in June 2009 aged 90. He joined the FC in 1938 and after a brief spell as a surveyor in Wales he joined the Royal Engineers in 1939. He saw active service in North Africa, Sicily and Western Europe where he achieved the rank of major and was awarded the Military Cross at El Alamein. In 1946, Dick rejoined the FC as a DO in Inverness, which marked the beginning of a forestry career extending over 60 years. He remained with the FC until he retired in 1978.
Alan Mackay recalled Ken Roscoe who died recently. His career in the FC began in Aberystwyth in 1953. He moved to York a few years later and was transferred to Inverness on promotion. He was transferred to Estate Management Division in Edinburgh in 1973 and returned to Inverness as A&FO in 1980 and retired in 1991.
Alastair Rowan says that the recent death of Bob Stewart will have saddened his friends and colleagues He will be remembered as an outstanding A&FO in the Dumfries office.
John Taylor’s daughter, Carol, writes to tell of his death in July, aged 79. Originally from Eastbourne, John moved to Scotland in the early 1950s to pursue a career in forestry. His postings took him from Dunoon to Glentrool, then Hawick, Newton Stewart and finally to Bennan. He retired from the FC in 1995.
George Stewart has gathered information from many sources about John Zehetmayr who died in July aged 87. He joined the Forestry Commission in 1948 and was appointed Assistant Silviculturalist at the Research Branch in Edinburgh.