Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 221 - May 1966
The digitisation of the Slasher was undertaken by, and images courtesy of, the Forest Research Knowledge and Information Management staff based at both the Northern Research Station in Roslin, Scotland and Alice Holt in Surrey, where the original copies are currently located.
The content summary below was very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text to view the full document. A total of over 400 issues were produced between 1948 and the final issue in 2010.
Welcome to Baby Bison Anita
Anita, a baby bison has been born in the London Zoological Gardens to parents Puchacz and Purosa (Boris and Doris), rare European bison, donated to the Commission by the Polish Ministry of Forestry two years ago.
Obituaries
Mr Tom Bewick, Forester, North East England has died aged 58.
Mrs Doreen Wagstaff (nee Jackson), formerly in the Allerston Forest and Conservancy Drawing Office at York has died.
Retirements
Mr Frank Close, former Forester, Grizedale, North West England has retired after over 40 years' service.
Mr A.M. Stuart, Head Forester at Loch Eck, West Scotland has retired after 30 years in the same post and the same house and a total of 40 years in the spruce areas of the west.
Mr A.H. Spooner, Messenger, Chester Office has retired after 14 years service with the Commission.
Mr Donald MacCallum has retired after 49 years as a forest worker at Inverliever.
Presentations
Mr Frank Close retirement presentation at his Lake District forest.
Mr A.M. Stuart retirement presentation.
Mr A.H. Spooner retirement presentation.
Mr Donald MacCallum retirement presentation.
The Muzzle Loader
Elam Ward, the former wood-cutter in the Dean whose death aged 96 was reported recently triggered memories from several readers.
Fred Courtier, the Commission's Game Warden whose headquarters is in the New Forest, recalls meeting Elam Ward 16 years ago. Though retired for many years, Elam was still very active. Fred Courtier takes up the story: "Elam owned a really ancient muzzle-loading double-barrelled shotgun and with this fearful weapon he would sometimes join me when I was shooting near his house. This musket was loaded with black powder, an unspecified amount of miscellaneous mixed shot and wads made from strips of old newspaper he used to carry in his pockets.
"To be perfectly honest I often wished him and his gun in the next county. On sighting a quarry usually - some unfortunate grey squirrel - he would beg to be allowed first shot. For my part I would place as many large trees between us as I could when he was shooting, for I was scared his gun would blow up and take me with it. In the excitement of the chase he would sometimes reload the same barrel twice, giving it a double charge of powder and shot, which he would ram down with great gusto. Elam was a firm believer in generous portions and this frightful combination would often put him on his back when he next fired. I still have most vivid mental picture of his disappearing from sight behind a huge cloud of black smoke, fringed with a shower of descending bits and pieces of burning newspaper - the remains of his wads. In dry conditions in the spring I even ended up in the role of firefighter. I am sure Mr J.Q. Williamson, who was then Deputy Surveyor, would have called in the gun permits of each of us had he witnessed one of these scenes".
Gone - The Pyromaniac's Heaven
Mr C.A. Connell, Conservator, South West England compares the fire fighting equipment carried and used now to the equipment available twenty years ago.
Those Were The Days
Mr F.D. Barrett, District Officer, East England has supplied extracts from Bellister Castle records of 1776 detailing the labour and the payments made to workers.
Table Tennis
Mr Paul Brook was presented with an inscribed plaque for his outstanding achievement in Table Tennis of winning the H.Q. Annual Handicap Tournament for the third consecutive year.
The Inforesta team made their exit in the quarter-finals of the Middlesex Knock-Out Cup for Table Tennis against formidable opponents. Inforesta Team members were Mr P.W. Brook, Mr R.E. Chappell, Mr N.T. Hall, Mr D.S. Mitchell and Mr A.A. Poulter.
A Thank You
Mr D.M. Beaton, formerly Directorate Engineer, Scotland, sends thanks for his gift on his move to the Scottish Development Department.