Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 296 - Spring 1978
The scanned images of the Slasher were produced by and courtesy of the Forest Research library staff based at Alice Holt, Surry, where the original copies are 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 2009.
Summary of Contents
Duke of Edinburgh Backs Foresters
A report on the Duke of Edinburgh's speech at the annual conference of the Tree Council in London, during which he praised foresters and farmers.
Picture: The Duke of Edinburgh.
Fire Takes a Toll in Shin and Glentrool
Fire destroyed 1,500 acres at Shin and Glentrool Forests in Galloway on 8th May 1978.
At Glentrool Forest the fire started near the Martyr’s Tomb monument, near the Commission’s Caldrons campsite and destroyed 800 acres of 15 year old Sitka spruce.
At Shin Forest, the fire claimed 750 acres of the Fiag section containing a wide collection of provenances of Lodgepole pine.
Commission Beats Target
At a press conference for the publication of the 1976-77 annual report, Chairman John Mackie said the Forestry Commission exceeded its target of a three per cent rate of return in real terms after taking account of planting and restocking subsidies. Details are given of the five year analysis of planting, timber, income, landscape and recreational use.
Picture: Chairman John Mackie speaking at the press conference, accompanied by George Holmes.
Winning Suggestions
Conservator John Davies presented awards for the Staff Suggestion Scheme to three S(S) staff: David Murray, Head Forester at Fleet Nursery; Beverley Graham, CO at Conservancy Office; Jim Scott, Forest Craftsman at Ae Forest.
Picture: David Murray, Beverley Graham and Jim Scott.
First Sighting of Loch Ness Monster
During an evening in March, John Thomson, FC Driver, and his son William aged 12, spotted a commotion on Loch Ness from his house in Primrose Bay, Invermoriston, which he believes could have been the Loch Ness monster.
Mast For Schooner From Tintern Forest
A 21 metre long Douglas fir pole was shipped from Tintern Forest, South Wales to St Lucia in the West Indies to be used as a mast for a schooner being built there.
Picture: The pole being manoeuvred through Tintern Village.
Queen’s House Evacuated
The Queen's House, Lyndhurst, has been evacuated after the building was found to be structurally unsafe. Some of the main beams were declared unsafe and Len Bowman, A&FO, handed over his room to the typists. When it was discovered virtually the whole of the Queen’s House was unsafe, most of the staff moved to the Verderer's Hall.
Over a period of 3 years in the mid 1970s, the staff spent their lunch hours clearing brambles and ground elder from the Annexe garden to grow vegetables. The workers included Brenda Smith (CO Private Woodlands), Dick Murray (now HEO at HQ), Liz Broadley (EO Estates), Mike Wheeler (CO Accounts), Ivy Sims (CO Civil Engineering), John Ward (HEO) and Nora Vigour (CO – now retired).
Picture: Queen’s House, Lyndhurst.
Pensioners’ Address Service
A new scheme helping Forestry Commission pensioners to get in touch with former colleagues.
Shelter in the Wilderness
John Davies, Conservator, gave details of a wilderness shelter being provided by the Forestry Commission for long distance ramblers in the Galloway Hills, South Scotland. Second-year students in the Department of Architecture at Edinburgh University have been working on designs. Roger Larsen, Head of Recreation Branch gave the shelter design requirements. A design by Nicola Foot was chosen from among 22 design proposals.
Picture: Nicola Foot with her design for a wilderness shelter in the Galloway Hills, South Scotland.
FC Drivers Please Note
Doug Petty, Conservancy Mechanical Engineer NE(E) sent a tongue-in-cheek memo to FC drivers, “Forestry Commission Vehicles and How to Recognise Them”.
The Glories of Westonbirt
The Duke of Beaufort opened the new pavilion and visitor centre at the Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire. At the opening ceremony were Sir Richard Cotterell (who served as the Chairman of the Westonbirt Consultative Committee), and Forestry Commission staff who worked on the new pavilion including Alan Mitchell (Alice Holt), Dick Crowther (Alice Holt), David Johnston (Director of Research), Bob Jones (Designer), Des Cousins (Chief Forester), Peter Webb (Forester), John White (Forester) and their staff at Westonbirt.
Pictures: (1) The green caravan which served as the old information centre at Westonbirt. (2) The ornamental entrance to the visitor pavilion at Westonbirt with the glass dome of the pavilion just showing above the trees. (3) The new pavilion beside some of the 2,000 trees. (4) The refreshment area, laid out with timber seats. A smaller pavilion houses the cafeteria, a short distance from the main pavilion.
Newborough is a Credit to Bob
Bob Griffiths, MBE, Head Forester, Newborough, Anglesey, Wales, is credited with transforming Newborough Warren from mobile sand dunes, strewn with high explosives from a wartime military training ground to Newborough Forest, an established forest with timber production.
The Wood Ant – A Forester’s Friend
Dr Eric Lucey of Edinburgh University's Department of Animal Genetics has appealed for information on locations of wood ant nests for a film he hopes to make on their life.
Picture: A thriving wood ants’ nest in Dr Lucey’s laboratory at Edinburgh University.
Jack Jones Visits Thetford
Jack Jones, the retiring Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union viewed forestry techniques and met staff and workers in the Santon Downham Office and Nursery, the Brandon Depot and King's Forest.
Pictures: (1) Jack Jones with Dave Allen, King’s Chainsawyer; Ken Buswell, District Officer; Stan Cator, Union Representative Brandon Depot. (2) Viewing first thinning operations at Kings: Jack Jones, Stan Cator, Ken Buswell and Ron Todd
Motor Auction
Surplus Forestry Commission vehicles, machinery and equipment will be sold at Motor Auctions (Scotland), Newmains, Wishaw, Lanark.
See Your Forests Week
A series of guides and maps has been produced which coincides with the Forestry Commission's See Your Forests Week 20th - 27th May 1978, which reminds forest visitors of their welcome to visit. The Guide “See Your Forests 1978” was illustrated by John Thirsk. Bill Ball of Forest Design Branch, Graham Bull and Keith Ball of HQ Drawing Office and the CRPO’s District Officers and Foresters produced the maps and information.
Pots From Alice
Archaeologists Malcolm Lyne and Rosemary Jeffries are surveying and excavating a site in Alice Holt Forest looking for remains of pottery.
Focus on Munros
Nigel Hawkins, Press Officer and Assistant Editor of Slasher, Information Branch, has climbed all of Scotland's 280 distinct mountains over 3,000 feet in three years.
Picture: Nigel Hawkins finishing winter gulley climb near summit of Stob Coire Lochain (3,657 ft) in Glencoe.
A Look at Chiltern Forest
Simon Leatherdale, Forest Worker, Chiltern, writes about the history and current state of Chiltern Forest.
Highlights from the 1976-1977 Annual Report
Land Acquisition, Commission planting, Private planting and Accounts are mentioned in the 1976-1977 Annual Report.
Exam Successes
Gordon Simpson, Head Forester, Cleveland Forest, has been awarded a BA degree with a distinction in Genetics after six years of study with the Open University.
Graham Wilson, Senior Superintendent of Works, Llandovery, has been appointed a Member of the Institute of Explosives Engineers after successfully completing the examinations.
Postbag
Letter from Michael James King, Forest Craftsman, Dunnerdale Forest, Cumbria on nuclear waste in forests.
Appointment
Sandy Morrison becomes Director of Private Forestry and Land Use Planning.
Picture: Sandy Morrison
Honour
Alec Donnet, part-time Forestry Commissioner since 1973, was created a Life Peer in March 1978 and introduced into the House of Lords as Baron Donnet of Balgay. He was the Scottish Regional Secretary of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.
Retired
Dick Richards (E.G. Richards), Director of Land Use Planning, London, since 1974 is retiring at the end of June after 40 years’ service (including war service). He joined the Commission in North Wales in 1938 as a temporary surveyor, then became a census surveyor in other areas. After war service, he returned to the Commission as a District Officer at Inverness and was also stationed at Beauly. In 1951 he was transferred to the Directorate of Research in London as Utilisation Development Officer. He was promoted to Divisional Officer. As Conservator, he took charge of the newly created Harvesting and Marketing Division in London. He became Conservator of Forests for East Scotland, based at Aberdeen.
Robert Innes (Bob Innes), Conservator North (Scotland), has retired. He joined the Commission in 1947 in the North Conservancy as a District Officer, became Assistant Conservator in 1956 and Conservator in 1970.
Picture: Bob Innes with John Mackie, Chairman; George Stewart, Commissioner; John Dickson, former Director General; George Holmes, Director General.
Lewis Robertson, Glenmore Forest, has retired. He joined the Commission in 1935.
Brian Holtam, Conservator, East England, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission.
John Foote, Senior Clerk of Works, Thetford has retired after serving 27 years in E(E) Conservancy.
Willie Gerrie, Ranger/Forest Craftsman, Bennarchie Forest, East Scotland, has retired after 27 years’ service.
David John Price, Forest Craftsman, Caeo, South Wales has retired. He was in a team of mobile ploughmen between 1948-1966.
Albert Parker, Forest Craftsman, Tintern Forest (formerly Chepstow Forest) has retired after 16 years’ service with the Commission.
D.T. Davies (Llew Davies), Tanker Driver, Llandovery, has retired after 28 years’ service with the Commission. He started work in Caeo Forest S(W) and progressed to become Shotsman for the Forest Area. He joined the newly formed Llandovery Civil Engineering Department in 1954 and became a Tanker Driver in 1965.
Andy Watt, Ganger, Laigh of Moray, has retired after 32 years’ service with the Commission. He worked in Monaughty Forest, Dallas (Wangie Hill Plantations), Glendevon and Newtyle (now part of Laigh of Moray).
George Masters, Superintendent of Works, New Forest, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission. He joined as a Lorry Driver in 1946, later becoming a Carpenter, Road Foreman and was appointed Superintendent of Works in 1971. Recently, he worked with the New Forest Conservation Project.
Davy Walker, Ganger, Solway Forest, South Scotland, has retired after joining the Commission in 1947.
Paul Elliot, Handyman, Solway Forest, South Scotland, has retired after 21 years’ service with the Commission.
Bert Graham, Ganger, Solway Forest, South Scotland, has retired after joining the Commission in 1947.
Len Bowman, Administration and Finance Officer for the South East England Conservancy at Lyndhurst, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission.
Bleddyn Lloyd, Lorry Driver, Bronaber, Trawsfynydd, Coed y Brenin Forest, North Wales, has retired after 29 years’ service with the Commission. He was presented with a Gold Medal from the National Safe Driving Campaign.
Picture: Bleddyn Lloyd presented with the Safe Driving Medal by Alan Rix, Assistant Conservator, North Wales Conservancy.
Percy Mayne, Executive Officer, Publications Section, Alice Holt, has retired.
Trevor Owen, Forest Craftsman, Mathrafal Forest, has retired after 30 years’ service with the Commission. He started as a Forest Worker in 1947 in Dyfnant Forest, then became a Lorry Driver.
John McLean, Fitter's Mate, Central Engineering Workshops, Chapelhall has retired.
Obituaries
Jack Gunning, former member of the Carrick Forest work force has died. In 1948 he planted some of the first trees at Tairlaw, now part of Carrick Forest.
J.N. Judge (Norman Judge), Head Forester, Private Woodlands, Hereford & Worcester since 1969, has died. He went to Forestry School at New Park, Brockenhurst and Gwydyr. He worked in Wales, New Forest, Byrness, Bristol Forest, Wareham and Malvern.
A. Leslie Large (Les Large), Forester, Ceri, has died aged 52. He joined the Commission as a Forest Worker at Walcot Forest NW(E) in 1948. He went to Gwydyr Forester Training School for two years and was appointed to Carno Forest as a Ganger in 1952, then became Foreman and Assistant Forester. He worked in the Newtown area at Carno Forest, Walcot Forest and was seconded to Flintshire Woodlands Ltd.
Frank Shinn, Former Forester, E(E) has died aged 77. He retired in 1969 having served in E(E) for the whole of his service. He served mainly in the Thetford area and was transferred to Tunstall Forest in 1960, then to Waveney (now Wensum).
Miss Margaret Smart, Telephonist, West Conservancy, Scotland, has died aged 57. She worked at Bothwell Street, Glasgow, where she started as a typist in 1949, prior to service in West George Street, Renfrew Street and India Street.
Cyril Spencer, retired Skilled Forest Worker, Kesteven Forest, East England, has died aged 66. He retired in 1975 after 17 years’ service with the Commission.
Frank Watson Smith, Forest Craftsman, Wark Forest has died aged 47. He served with the Commission for 29 years.
Joe Westacott, Head Forester, Dartmoor Forest, from 1972, has died. He worked in the Forest of Dean for 18 years.
Leslie White, retired Forest Worker, Kesteven Forest, East England has died. He retired in 1972 at the age of 73.
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