Slasher Magazine Summary: Publication No. 9 - September 1948
The scanned images of the Slasher were produced by and courtesy of the Forest Research Data and Information Team staff based at Roslin, where some of the original copies are located. The Forestry England Information Knowledge Management Team and New Forest Heritage made available copies of The Slasher from their collections. Brian Mahony of the FC Retirement Association devised and coordinates the Slasher Project and has been instrumental in locating many missing editions and coordinating the searches to locate all the earlier publication numbers.
The content summary below was again very kindly compiled by Diane Birkett, Bedfordshire. See PDF attachment link below the text summary to view the full document. A total of over 420 issues or publications were produced between January 1948 and the final publication in 2010.
State and Local Authority Join Hands
A ceremony took place recently at Lake Vyrnwy (North Wales), when foundation stones for a new school-cum-social centre were laid, by the Chairman of the Montgomery Education Committee and the Chairman of the Liverpool Water Committee.
At Vyrnwy the Forestry Commission is in partnership with the Liverpool Corporation in a joint scheme of afforestation. The Commission and the Corporation share the cost of forming the plantations, and the receipts from the sale of timber. The article lists many statistics for the area.
The new school will include an assembly hall with a stage, lecture room, library, reading and club room, and a handicraft centre equipped with lathes and benches for the teaching of rural crafts to Vyrnwy's youth. Surrounding the school will be 20 new houses, to be erected for forestry workers and waterworks employees.
Grist to the Mill
During the war 770 acres on the Lake Vyrnwy Estate were clear-felled and produced nearly 1¾ million cubic feet of timber, most of this going to the coalmines; 50,000 cubic feet of sawn timber was produced at the Estate mill. About 200 acres of plantations are now being thinned annually, and in some Sitka areas more than 700 cubic feet per acre is being taken out in the first thinning.
Appointment of New Commissioners
The Rev. J.E. Hamilton M.C.; Mr W.H. Vaughan O.B.E.; and Major John Stirling of Fairburn have been appointed as Commissioners, filling vacancies created by the resignations of the Rt. Hon. Thomas Johnston and Lt. Col. William Joseph Stirling of Keir and the retirement of the Rt. Hon Lord Courthope.
Summer Outing
Staff in the North West England Conservancy went on their summer outing to Trentham Gardens in the Midlands. After lunch and visits to the lake, swimming pool, miniature railway, putting greens, tennis courts, Italian and rose gardens and the ballroom, the party ended the day with tea and the two hour journey back to Upton Grange, near Chester.
Glentrool Camping Grounds Opened
Camping grounds have been opened in Glentrool, Scotland's third National Forest Park.
Social Life at Mabie Hostel
The beautifully sited hostel at Mabie Forest, in the South Conservancy, Scotland, now houses about 40 Trainees and Forest Workers. To provide recreational facilities, a club has been formed on lines suggested by Forester A. Graham and with the co-operation of the Conservancy staff and the Warden, Mr Matthews, successful whist drives and dances have already been held. Incidentally, the hostel is a large country house, suitably converted, and therefore has excellent accommodation for such social events.
The club is open to all Mabie workers and residents, and dart-boards, table tennis and other equipment, purchased from the proceeds of dances and so on, are in considerable use. A hard tennis court has been restored to a playable condition and is much frequented.
A good library has been arranged through the County Librarian, who loans books, in batches of 300 at a time. A Committee with Donald Stewart as Hon. Secretary, now runs the club.
Forest Cameos (Continued)
State Forest Officer G.F. Ballance, SW(E) says "Forester E.C. Kibble at Eggesford may rest content that his forest holds one unassailable record - that of being the oldest Forestry Commission unit. For it was here, in November 1919, that the very first trees were planted by the new State Forest Service; the historic site is marked with a bronze plaque, now mounted on a granite monolith in order that the spot may be commemorated for all time.
"As if inspired by this Holy of Holies, the remaining 1,000 acres of Eggesford, scattered in thirteen blocks on the hillocks of the valley of the River Taw, have developed far beyond earlier expectations and the stands of Douglas, Sitka and Norway, leavened with a little Larch and mixed hardwoods, present a pleasing picture. Planting at Eggesford is an almost forgotten art, for the emphasis is now on utilisation, and despatches have averaged over ten trucks per week for the whole of the current forest year."
More About Grizedale
"The monks of old", writes District Officer E.E. Dixon, "were noted for their choice of ideal country and it is not surprising that they should have settled in the Furness district, stretching from Barrow to the Valley of Grizedale. In possessing Grizedale, the Forestry Commission has an almost unique forest, for its 4,000 acres embrace the valley and almost everything in it, except the church and the "pub"; should the monks return they might well renounce their vows of celibacy, particularly after looking in at the Forester’s office.
In Grizedale's name, there is a reminder of the days when the grize or wild boar was a common object of the chase. Its descendants are tame, but Forester Arthur King (known locally as King Arthur) carries on the arduous task of hunting in pursuit of all and sundry.
"Grizedale was the scene of No. 1 Officer P.O.W. Camp, and at one time the Commission had 17 German generals preparing produce. Had they escaped, they might have been confused by some of the place names - New South Wales, China, Black Apple Tree, Potato Peg, Heel Toe Hill, Ciceley's Brow and Bogle Crag."
Fiunary and the Railway
When we suggested Forester Drysdale of Fiunary was farthest, at 45 miles from a railway station (Fort William), Glentress Education Officer T.A. Robbie said Forester Drysdale could go a shorter route, by road to Corran Ferry, cross, then get the train at Ballachulish.
Another suggestion is to take the mailboat from Lochaline to Oban which would reduce the journey to 22 miles, but Forester Drysdale points out the toll of eight boats wrecked within sight of Fiunary since 1931.
Around and About
District Officer W.S. Fergusson, SE(E), has returned to work after a serious illness.
Bill Nankeville represented Britain at the Olympic Games. His wife is a member of the South East (England) Conservancy staff.
Forester J.E. Evans and Forest Worker R.R. Pierce of Beddgelert, recently took part in a feature in Welsh on the B.B.C.'s Welsh Home Service, the subject being "Working in the Woods".
Slip Up
Last month's The Slasher (August 1948) was incorrectly numbered 9 instead of 8.
He’s Likely to be Popular
Josef Kaminski, a Polish worker at Braydon Forest has planted tobacco seed on waste ground. Some fine leaves have already been produced. Some of the leaves have been dried and prepared, and now Mr Kaminski is often seen smoking his home-grown, home-made cigarettes.
Transfers
J. Kennedy, Head Forester, Inverliever, transferred to Asknish and Minard, W(S);
R. Crozier, Forester, Loch Ard, (Ackray), W(S), transferred to Inverliever;
J.R. Small, Forester, Thornthwaite, NW(E), transferred to Grizedale, NW(E);
D.H. Ross, Asknish, and Minard, W(S), transferred to Loch Ard, (Ackray), W(S);
W. Walton, Forester, Kershope, transferred to Thornthwaite, NW(E);
K.A. Beaton, Forester, Fearnoch, transferred to Glenduror, W(S)
J. Mackay, Forester, Ardross, transferred to South Strome, W(S);
D. McDowell, Foreman, New Forest, transferred to Dalby NE(E);
D. Ross, Foreman, Findon, transferred to Kessock, N(S);
D. Murray, Foreman, Millbuie, transferred to Craigphadrig, N(S);
F.O. Beautement, S.T.A., Inverness, transferred to Office of Director, England;
Miss J.M.D. Thomson, E.O., Dumfries, transferred to Inverness;
Miss J.C.S. McNeil, E.O., Office of Director, Wales, transferred to Cardiff.
Retired
Head Forester Tom Lewis, Tintern, has retired after 50 years' service with the Commission. He commenced work in the Dean in 1898 when he was 15 years old. In 1903 he became one of the students at the first School of Forestry at Park End, which Mr Philip Bayliss, then Deputy Surveyor, was instrumental in starting. His instructor was C.O. Hanson and he was awarded his certificate in 1905. A year later he was appointed Woodman Forester in charge of the Churchill District of the Dean. His wage was 18 shillings a week plus house and he was granted the privilege of grazing a couple of heads of cattle in the enclosure. Tom served under the following officers, Deputy Surveyors Bayliss, Lease, Osmaston, Young, Taylor, Long and Popert; Conservators Broadwood, Muir and Ryle.
Obituary
Mr Fraser Story O.B.E., former Commission Education and Publications Officer until retirement in 1941, died in August aged 72. Earlier in his career, he was Professor of Forestry at the University College of North Wales, Bangor.