April 2009 - The Kentones

The Kentonian
Page 1
The Kentonian
March/April 2009
THE BROMLEY BARBERSHOP HARMONY CLUB MAGAZINE
Volume 3 Issue 14
Great Coaching Weekend
The coaching we received last year
from Martin Ford brought us
through the 60% barrier as he said
it would. His help this year must
also be acknowledged, but unfortunate circumstances have brought
this to an abrupt end. We are very
fortunate, however, to have been
able to enlist the help of two of this
country's great lady Barbershoppers, Gaynor Dugay and Jackie Driscol, who took us
on at very short notice and saved our coaching weekend. I know I'm not exaggerating when I say that
these two ladies are absolutely brilliant as coaches
and we are so lucky that they want to help us.
With Gaynor , on Saturday 14th
March, we improved our vocal
quality, which was very satisfying. She stressed the importance
of vowel matching to make the
chords ring, which is why we sing
Barbershop. Also, with vocal
demonstration, she helped us produce a quieter sound but with
more energy.
Sunday was Jackie's day and she
was bowled over by the improvement in our sound. Jackie was
one of the contributors to our success last year, with her know ledge of presentation, and she has
taken up the challenge again this
year. Working on Steve Beaney's
Registered Charity 1094386
choreography she soon had us
looking like a chorus with its eyes
set on a 70%+ mark.
Sadly, some of our chorus members missed out on these two days
which are so important when approaching convention.
There was a great feeling of camaraderie and friendship throughout
the weekend, and working together with the will to
improve can only be good for us all.
Some of our lady Supporters were also present to take care of our
need for refreshment.
Our thanks to Pam Taylor (lovely cakes Pam,
you'll be hearing from
my dietician), Brenda
Newman, Sue Couves,
Peggy Bensaid and Veronica Taylor , all of whom
doubled as our audience and provided much appreciated feedback on our performance. I mustn’t forget
Jackie's little daughter Esme, who
was an absolute delight and behaved admirably throughout the
Sunday session.
Last, but by no means least, our
thanks to our hard working chorus
directors, Mike and Colin. Don't
forget, guys, that these two people
are very…
(Continued page 2)
www.bromleykentones.org.uk
The Kentonian
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Coaching weekend
(Continued from page 1) ...important to us and they need our support. If on a Thursday
evening you perhaps don't feel like turning out, give a thought to them. They (Mike in particular) are there
every week for our benefit as well as their own. Let us make every effort to attend every rehearsal up to convention so we can celebrate when all the hard work is done and say, “It was worth it.”
Peter Aylett
Some more of the goings on:-
Splendid venue at Badgers Mount
Working on the finer points of interpretation
Baritones plotting mischief?
Gaynor and Mike put us
through our paces
Time for lunch, made all the
nicer by Pam’s delicious cakes
Bare your soul and tell me the story
The Kentonian
WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY
We were two lovers meeting in Mayfair. The clouds
were drifting by, and it was going to be a wonderful day.
I had said, “Wait till the sun shines, Nellie,” and she did,
and now there was a blue bird sitting on my shoulder doing what blue birds do when they hear the people sing. It
could have been Vera, Chuck and Dave.
Nearby, a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square, having
dined well at the Ritz, but this sounded like the song of
angry men (and women). There was the beating of the
drum – ba doom, ba doom, ba doom, ba doom. I love the
way the little drummer did that. Reminded me of that
hazy, crazy night we met.
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I said, “I’m beginning to see the light. And I can tell by
your friendly face there’s a meeting here tonight.”
“You’re too young to pray,” he replied, “but let’s get
together again.” And like a rolling stone he rolled
away.
Just then, passing me by that summer’s day, was that
sweet, oh so sweet ...
“Hello Mary Lou!” I called, as the breeze ruffled her
hair.
“Who’s that, mister?” asked Nellie, suddenly suspicious.
“’Tain’t my sister,” was my rejoinder. “No gal made has
got a shade on sweet Mary Lou.”
But that was long ago. I never knew the sun could shine
like this. I never knew that someone like you would be
sitting on top of the world, just singing a song, carrying
your part – doom bah doom bah doom bah doom. You
were just doin’ it , soft shoein’ it.
“Is she sugar and spice, the light of your life?”
“Friends, just friends.”
A policeman came by saying, “How do you do?” as he
checked out our bags. And we laughed as though tomorrow wasn’t there.
Well, I may be right, I could be wrong, but I believe
gals are jealous. There’s no doubt. So I’d advise you to
try a little tenderness. You won’t regret it.
“Everything was ours!” I exclaimed in a sweet and lovely
way, looking on the bright side of life.
By now the sun was as big as a yellow
balloon. I asked it to shine on me. Round
in circles I’d go, singing a song – hey
nonny ding dong, a-lang, a-lang, a-lang.
Then he said, “Some things in life are bad, so don’t be
silly chumps. Will you join in the fight that gives you the
right to be free?”
So Nellie said, “I want to know, what do you think
about me?”
Life could be a dream.
Phillip Khan-Panni
Peggie’s Patch
Dare we mention the weather? Why not? Come rain or
shine does it really matter? Not very much I feel, for
when the sun comes peeping through, bringing a sparkling aura and warmth in its very being, it assures me
that every cloud has a silver lining, or maybe even a
touch of gold! One thing is certain that the absolute
dedication and effort the Kentones are portraying is the
best in Barbershop singing, which is a delight to both
see and hear, touching the hearts of so many.
With Convention 09 just around the corner, and with
Mike steering your way through a tough road to that
place at the "TOP", we know that you will be giving of
your best, and family, friends and Supporters are with
you all the way.
The Supporters have fun events in the pipeline which
we hope you will support and enjoy. We congratulate
the Kentones for all their achievements and wish them
the happiest and most successful Convention ever.
Be lucky, keep smiling and GO FOR IT!
Topical Banter
Deduce the banter by using all nine letters. Wherever you start you must
only travel via adjacent letters and you must only use each letter once.
(Answers on page 11)
Peggie Bensaid
U
D
N
V
N E
A K P
C
O E
O
P
E
A
T
O W E
I
L
C A
S M S
The Kentonian
South Rampart Street Parade
The song 'South Rampart Street Parade' was written by
Jo Sullivan in 1936 and celebrated two things, the first
is a famous street in New Orleans called 'Rampart
Street' which comes from the French word 'Rempart' or
wall, the fortifications when the city was built by the
French in the mid 18th century. The second was Mardi
Gras, the famous parade. The first Mardi Gras was held
in New Orleans in 1748.
Mardi Gras is, in fact, French for 'Fat Tuesday' and is
the last day of carnival. There is also Lundi Gras which
is 'Fat Monday', the 4 day Christian festival includes
Sunday and Ash Wednesday, giving Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday preceding lent.
Carnival has also been celebrated since 1703 by French
settlers in 'Mobile', a town we are familiar with. The
first horse drawn floats were in 1840.
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'Eagle Saloon' and 'Oddfellows Hall' are 19th century
lodge buildings still surviving today and were very important places. They were bases for the 'Eagle Band'
where Buddy Bolden, Freddie Keppard, Buddie Petit
and the one and only Louis Armstrong played, in the
early days of jazz.
Our song, I am suggesting, is set in the mid 1930's when
jazz bands were well integrated into carnival with traditional brass bands, creating
a fantastic mix of musical
styles. The vivid colours,
the polished instruments
sparkling and shining in
the southern sun, along
with plumes and streamers
all added to the cacophony
of symbols, tambourines,
bells and shrilling whistles, making a riot of movement,
infecting the crowd with beat and rhythm from the parade.
The people in the crowd further down the street know
what is coming as they are
there every year. The atmosphere is absolutely electric,
crackling with anticipation
and excitement.
This, gentlemen, is what we
are singing about.
Steve Beaney
Kentones’ Convention Diet
This is a specially formulated diet designed to help the
Kentones cope with the stress that builds up during the run up
to convention.
DAY 1 and every day:
BREAKFAST 1 Grapefruit; 1 slice whole meal toast; 1 cup
skimmed milk.
LUNCH 1 small portion lean, steamed chicken with a cup of
spinach; 1 cup herbal tea; 1 biscuit.
AFTERNOON TEA The rest of the biscuits from the packet;
1 tub of gino ginelli ice cream with chocolate topping.
DINNER 4 bottles of wine (red or white); 2 loaves garlic
bread; 1 family size supreme pizza; 3 chocolate bars.
LATE NIGHT SNACK 1 whole cheesecake (eaten straight
from the freezer).
FINALLY, here is some advice for you.
Pass this on to two of your friends and you will
lose 2 kg.
Pass this on to all of your friends and you will
lose 10 kg.
If you wish to keep this to yourself you will gain 10 kg.
Dr. Neil proclaimed the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started.....
So I looked around my house to see what things I have not
finished and before leaving this morning I finished off a bottle of merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bole of Baileys, a
butle of Kehuha, a pockage of biscutes, the mainder of bot
prozic and valum scriptin, th res of der e e ssecake, som s a
ltarnis, an o bax e cholates.
Yu haf no idr ho gud I fel.
REMEMBER
'STRESSED' spelt backwards is 'DESSERTS'.
Passed on by Alan Lynch
The Kentonian
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The New Demelza House
Saturday 24th January
was the morning after
the Burns Supper, with
dancing the night before! Chris and Margaret picked us up about
10 am for a tour of the
newly built children’s
hospice in Eltham.
When we arrived we were signed in and we made our
way into the café area for coffee and biscuits. Our
‘guide’ came in, and about ten of us started our tour.
The building is a bit like the Tardis and feels very much
bigger inside than out. The car park, for families only, is
underground with lift access to all floors. The ground
floor is a communal area for those children who are
staying, as well as those who visit during the day.
There is a large lounge with soft seating, a large flat
screen television, games consoles and various other toys
and games. Around the edge of this area are two
smaller rooms with computers and art and craft facilities. The whole area is light and bright because all the
windows are fitted to catch all the available daylight.
The area is also monitored from the nurses’ hub, with
staff able to respond to the needs of the children.
The second floor has administration offices and accommodation for up to six children and their families. The
children’s rooms are like hotel rooms rather than hospital rooms and are fitted with hoists to allow easy access
to the en-suite facilities. The bathroom doors go back
into the walls, the baths,
sinks and toilets can be
raised and lowered and
the whole area is sealed
so showers can be taken.
The family rooms are
fitted out like hotel
rooms with cots avail-
able, as well as adjoining rooms for siblings to stay with
parents so that family unity is maintained. There is a
communal rela xing area with cooking facilities, soft
seating and a television, and again natural light brought
in through the light wells in the ceiling. I think I would
like the architect to build me a house!
The next room was to have a profound effect on everyone in the group and really brought home the importance of the hospice, and its benefits for families with
children whose lives may be short. The room was for
children who had reached the end of their lives. They
could remain there, and their relatives could visit them
before the funeral. There is a multi-faith room, again
very light due to its glass roof, which can be used for
services or just quiet reflection.
To complete our tour we went outside to the walk of
life, which leads to a play area and is made of paving
slabs purchased by supporters. The Kentones have a
square ‘clown’ in this path.
I could write a lot more about the visit but
suffice it to say I feel privileged to have
seen the amazing facilities provided for
those children, and their families, who are
in need of them.
Linda Scothern
In Memoriam - Christine Brooks
It is with regret that we announce the death of Christine Brooks, on Monday 26th January. For the newer members of
the Chorus, Christine’s husband, John Brooks who died in 2004, was a long-time, hard working member of the Chorus,
and Christine was a loyal supporter of the Kentones and also a member of our Supporters’ Club. The news of her death
came as a great shock to all who knew her and to her family and friends.
The internment was at Beckenham Crematorium on the 11th February. The service, led by Revd. Jeanette Crouch, was
well attended by family, friends and the Chorus, with tribute readings given by members of the family. A donation has
been forwarded to the British Stroke Association on behalf of the Chorus.
Our thoughts are with Christine’s son, David, and daughter, Susan, and all members of the family at this time.
Denis Delaroute and John Weeks
The Kentonian
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Quiz Night
On a very cold, icy, Saturday night in
February the Supporters Club held
another of their delightfully devious
quiz nights. Although numbers were
depleted, due to the arctic conditions,
there were enough "quizzers" to
make for a great cranium-provoking
evening. The usual torturer-in-chief Geoff Mountney,
ably assisted by Stella, had set rounds of questions which
were easy if you knew the answers, and diabolical if you
didn't! The first few rounds were fairly even, with no
'jokers' being played, but by the break John 'Mastermind'
Ray’s team had slightly edged ahead.
The midway break saw a "cordon bleu” array of French
bread, cheeses and pate, served by a bevy of lovely Supporters’ Club ladies. The liquid refreshment supplied by
individual members obviously improved their thinking
power as the scores gathered momentum during the second half. A flurry of jokers saw team scores accelerate
across the leader board. In the end true class shone
through with John Ray’s team winning by a small, but
effective, margin. His reward for the night’s endeavours
was a bottle of wine for each team member.
Thanks must go to Geoff and Stella for compiling the
questions, building a league table and coping with a temperamental microphone. Thanks also to the ladies of the
Supporters’ Club who purchased and prepared the food.
We all left the hall dressed as Inuits, feeling we had enjoyed a splendid night’s entertainment.
Quiz question for the future - who was the chorus member who, when Geoff asked for a team member wearing
red underwear to bring their sheet up for marking,
strolled up as if it was normal practice?
Chris Garrard
Supporters’ Club
Thank you to everyone for renewing
their February membership and also
to the new members who joined;
Mrs Pat Delaroute, Mrs Joyce Beardall and Mrs Jean Mander. If there
are any other partners or friends,
male or female, who would like to
become members of the Supporters’
Club you would be most welcome.
Our main aim is to raise funds for the chorus to help
towards buying new uniforms, music or whatever else
is required. The membership fee is currently £5 per
person per annum. This provides each member with a
bi-monthly copy of The Kentonian magazine and discounts on any tickets for function we organise eg quiz,
boules or, this summer, a bat and trap evening (more
about that from Margaret Garrard above). We are open
to any other suggestions. We did have a very good
horse race night last year, maybe we could repeat that.
Some members help with the tea making on rehearsal
evenings. All provisions are supplied, so if you feel
you can help in this way that would be great. We hold
an A.G.M. of our own. If you are interested, or know
anyone else who would like to join, please call Brenda
Newman on 01689 859359. Mike and the chorus always make us very welcome at rehearsals. Just turn up
on a Thursday evening to experience the friendly camaraderie and singing. I hope to hear from some of
you.
Brenda Newman
The Kentonian
AUTUMN SHOW –
“BARBERSHOP AND BRASS”
Subject only to final agreement between the parties, the
arrangements for the Autumn Show are as follows:The Show will be held at the Priory School,
Orpington, which has a 500-seat main hall
and good changing rooms. There is plenty of
car parking.
It will be held on TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS – Friday
13th and Saturday 14th November 2009. The Bromley
Concert Band will be joining us on both nights. Read all
about them on the web: www.bromleyconcertband.com
On the Friday night we will also have Velvet Harmony
singing with us, fresh from the LABBS Convention in October. On the Saturday we will have the Surrey Harmony Chorus, newly returned from competing at International in Nashville.
Tickets will be £10 each (Concessions £8) first come first
served, with wine at the interval and a raffle. Tickets will
be on sale from 1st September 2009. As usual we hope
to at least record, if not video, the whole show.
We had hoped to hire the Fairfield Halls for another major Show – our last Shows there were in 2000 and 2003,
but the only Saturday available was in mid December
and the Band were very committed at that time; also the
Ladies were worried about ticket sales. The trouble is
that there are very few halls with a capacity of 800-1000,
hence the two Shows as an experiment. I have no doubt
that we can sell out these two days, based on our successful 2007 Show, but we will have to sell hard. If we
do, then we can look forward to a Fairfield Concert the
following year, confident that we can be well on the way
to a full house there (1500 seats).
As in 2007, I shall be looking after the production aspects and John Rayfield will handle the logistics. More
details as soon as we have had our full meeting.
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We are also entered into the Bournemouth Festival as
an octet, to be selected from the membership.
One feature of the arrangements for these practices is
that all those participating are asked to fill in a personal
assessment of how well they know each of the 30-odd
songs we sing in Cordon. This information is useful
when planning our singouts, and also in deciding where
we should concentrate our practices. Singing with a
small group is actually harder than singing with the Chorus (you can’t lean on others and mistakes show up!) but
it does make for much more confident performers!
Practices will normally be on a Monday or Tuesday and
held for 2 hours at the homes of our members, with a
cup of tea half way through. We would welcome a few
more attending to ensure we have four parts whenever
possible. Ring John Vaughan on 0208 395 4574 for
dates and details.
Cordon Bleu Group is getting under way again and we
hope shortly to be able to ring around all those Clubs we
have had to put off recently to tell them that once again
we hope to be able to sing for them. There is a list of
confirmed Cordon Bleu dates on the back page.
Dates still to be arranged
Horsenden Social Club, near Paddock Wood, Kent.
Friday evening. To sing 2x20 min slots.
Age Concern, St Edwards Church, Keverne Road, Mottingham. 1.20pm.
Royal Oak PH (Beefeater-type), Green Street Green. To
sing in Restaurant for about 40 min. Friday 8pm.
Sunrise Residential Home, Croydon Lane, Banstead
SM7 3AG. To sing for 2x20 min for a garden party.
Minimum 10 singers. Friday in July, pm.
Branksome Place, Surrey. To sing intermittently for 2
hours on hotel lawns, during the reception at a wedding.
September 2010,
John Vaughan
MID-WEEK SINGING PRACTICES
The mid-week singing practices are now under way
again. They are open to everyone, but of special interest
to those of you who are retired and would like to sing
with the Cordon Bleu Group. We will be practising Chorus songs as well as some new fun songs that can feature in the Cordon programme. These currently include
Ragtime Cowboy Joe, Robinson Crusoe, MacNamara’s
Band, For Me and My Girl and I’m Still Having Fun. We
shall also check out “When I’m 64” and “If I Loved You”
which the Group are singing in the forthcoming Bromley
Music Festival on 27th March at Bromley High School, in
competition with two Ladies’ Choruses. Teach discs are
available.
Cartoon passed on by Mike Corr
The Kentonian
Getting to Know You...
“Hi there, do you know me? Of course
you do, I’m Johnny Ray.”
“Well give us a song.”
I started life on the 5th October 1932 in Lewisham Hospital. Mum & Dad had a flat in Lee. In 1935 they moved
to 116 Westcombe Hill, Greenwich. I started school at 5
years old, attending Invicta Road Infants School. When
war was declared in 1939 Mum, my baby brother and I
evacuated to my great-grandparents’ small holding in
Hextable, near Dartford. Nothing happened so we returned home to Westcombe Hill. At Easter 1940 I started
school at Sherington Road Primary as Invicta Road
School had been taken over by the Fire Brigade. In June
1940 I was again evacuated, this time to North Devon,
living on a big farm (details were documented in Vol. 3
Issue 2 of The Kentonian).
I returned to London in July 1945, the war in Europe having ended, and started school at Greenwich and Charlton
Central in Greenwich, later transferring to Charlton Central in Charlton, now the Greenwich Fire Station. When I
was 14 my father suggested I
leave school and become apprenticed to the River as a
Waterman & Lighterman
(family profession) but I had
other ideas. I wanted to be a
Design Draughtsman so I
stayed on at school until I was
16, obtained my School Certificate and started on a heavy
engineering apprenticeship as a fitter & turner at Thames
Shipway, Erith. During my time as an apprentice I had
the opportunity to work in the office but after 10 months I
decided that office work was not for me.
At the end of my 5 year apprenticeship I had to make a
choice. I was called up as a
fifth class ERA in the Royal
Navy (to do my National Service) but I opted instead for the
Merchant Navy as an Engineering Officer. The next five
years I was lucky enough to
travel to India, South Africa,
South America (fifteen times),
France, Belgium and Holland.
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As a young apprentice I had met a young, innocent, 16
year old Convent girl. Boy did I learn quickly what innocent meant. We married when I obtained my Board of
Trade Certificate (Second Class) in March 1956, and by
the time I had obtained my Chief’s (First Class) in October 1958, we had 2 children and I was able to leave the
sea, my National Service having been completed. I duly
‘swallowed the anchor’ coming ashore in December
1958 and joined Royal and General as an Engineer Surveyor Pressure Vessels. This job lasted 17 years, during
which time we had a further 3 children.
So we then had 2 girls and 3 boys, all at school….and I
was made redundant! Our business was sold off to another Insurance Organisation. What do I do? I’m 43 and
I can’t get a job. A friend suggested I apply to Townsend Thorensen Ferries as they were looking for Engineer Officers. I did, and they accepted me as a Fourth
Engineer (starting at the bottom again) but I was lucky
enough to be in the right place at the right time and rose
to Second Engineer within the year. Eventually I became
Senior Second Engineer (Relief Chief) and finally, in
1982, a Chief Engineer, so being made redundant was a
good career move. Eventually I contracted heart disease
and was discharged as medically unfit from the Merchant
Navy in July 1988. My last occupation had been the best
job I ever had.
As for singing, I started, like most, in church choirs. In
1952 Anne and I
holidayed at Pontins, in Paignton,
where I got involved with the
“Concert Party”
and for the first
time I sang barbershop in a group of
“Singing Waiters”. When we moved to Eltham in 1960 I
got involved with Parents Associations, which eventually
led to me singing in the local Church Folk Choir, which
lasted 30 years. One day I heard barbershop on the radio
and recorded it. At the end of the programme a contact
number was given. I duly called this number and was
put in touch with the Kentones. That was in 1991. I attended a practice night, loved it from the first, did my
audition and, as they say, the rest is history. My only regret is that I did not find barbershop twenty years earlier.
I have, however, been lucky enough to have kept the innocent Convent girl for 53 years.
John Ray
Puzzle from Al Horton
Twelve match sticks are used to form six equilateral triangles, as shown.
By moving four matchsticks can you form three equilateral triangles?
Answer on page 11
Answer on page 11
The Kentonian
Page 9
Getting to Know You…
Hi! I was born on 7.10.40 at
Lambeth Hospital. My name is
William (Bill) John Lazell. I
was evacuated to somewhere in
Kent. We moved to Catford in
1943 and got through the war
years.
When I was eleven we moved
to Lewisham, where I spent
my teens. I joined a youth
club and met new friends who
turned out to be life-long
friends. Six of us formed a
skiffle group, which was the
music of the time. None of
us played instruments but we
learned very quickly. We
played every Saturday night at Chislehurst Caves and
The Tiger’s Head in Bellingham.
I met my wife Janet, had one daughter and
have now got five grandchildren. I live in
Barnhurst and have my own building bus iness, which I run with Alan Lynch.
Bowls is my sport and singing my
relaxation, which I love. Over the
years I have made some lovely
friends. That’s enough about me
now so I’m signing off. Bill Lazell
A Note from Pam
First of all may I say a big thank you to all
the Chorus members for making sure that
their deposits for the hotel in Llandudno
were paid on time. It certainly made life easier for me.
Musical Medicine
Singing is so good for body and soul that
doctors may soon prescribe it, according to
the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for
Arts and Health. Research at the Centre,
which is part of Canterbury University,
and studies by health experts worldwide,
show that song is powerful medicine. The
physical, emotional and social benefits of singing are a
tonic for people with a wide range of health problems,
from chronic pain to depression, and also helps those recovering from strokes or heart attacks.
The notion that singing, like exercise, can be prescribed for health
and well-being at all ages is rapidly gaining currency. Current projects around the country include
‘Singing Medicine’ at Birmingham
Children's Hospital, ‘Singing for the Brain’ with East
Berkshire Alzheimer's Society, and the ‘Sounds Lively’
choir on the Isle of Wight.
Passed on by Margaret Garrard
Who is this?
It’s Ian Quinn!
Surely the mischievous grin gives him
away. And isn’t he
still as charming and
as cute as ever? Butter
wouldn’t melt in his
mouth would it?
Now who is this?
On a different note I have decided, probably rashly, to enter the ‘Race for Life’ event organised by and for Cancer
Research UK. This is a series of races held in various parts
of the country for women who want to raise money for
cancer research.
My race will be in Hyde Park on Sunday 19th July at
11am. It is over 5km and there will be thousands of
women taking part. I wonder if any of you would like to
sponsor me?
I, and Cancer Research UK, would be grateful for any
sponsorship, large or small. Donations can be paid directly
to http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/pamelataylor2 or,
of course, to me. If any other ladies fancy joining me I’d
love to have some company! (By the way, we don’t have
to run, we can walk the course!)
Thanks.
Pam Taylor
Talented and entertaining even at this young age, but who is
he? That is the question.
Answer in the May/June issue of The Kentonian.
The Kentonian
Page 10
Mexico Cycling Challenge for
Macmillan Cancer Support
7 - 19 March 2009
Following the recent deaths from cancer of
two close acquaintances, I decided to do a
sponsored cycle ride for Macmillan Cancer
Support. By the time you read this I hope I
will have successfully completed the course
but here are the details, from my main publicity page, so
you can see what it is all about.
costs for my part of the trip, so that I am not just asking
people to contribute to “Steve’s Next Holiday Fund”. I
hope to raise much more than this and have recently
raised my target to £5000. I hope you will consider
sponsoring me in my challenge, which I am aware is a
very minor one when compared with the challenge that
cancer patients face each day.
If you are able to support me please visit the website that
I have set up at:http://www.justgiving.com/steveisaacson
I will be joining around 55 people cycling Mexico coastto-coast as part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Mexico
‘El Grandisimo’ Cycling Challenge. We will be cycling
for 13 consecutive days and covering just over 600 km.
It promises to be an extremely testing physical challenge, cycling through dense forests and in all weathers. The event, and the months of preparation and training, will be tough.
I'm the one in the middle of this photo. John, on the right, was one of
my friends lost to cancer.
Many thanks !!
Steve Is aacson
News from Friends
Betty & Frank Appleby
On renewing her Supporters’ Club membership in a recent letter, Betty Appleby expressed her appreciation of
The Kentonian. “It is a really interesting magazine.”
Each and every day some 740 people in the UK are told
they have cancer. More than one million people in the
UK today have had a cancer diagnosis, and more than
one in three will be diagnosed at some time in their
life. As well as taking action today to support people
from the moment they suspect they have cancer, Macmillan are shaping the future of cancer care. The increasing range of services, including Macmillan nurses,
doctors and other health and social care professionals,
cancer care centres, a range of cancer information, practical help at home and help with money, is funded entirely through the generosity of their supporters. Thanks
to the support they receive, Macmillan provides the practical and emotional support which makes a real difference to people living with cancer today - and tomorrow.
I originally pledged to raise a minimum of £3200 to take
part in the event, and in fact will be personally contributing £1200 to ensure that I pay the full organisational
Betty and Frank have their health problems to contend
with and they are very much in our thoughts. We wish
them both well.
Gladys McElwaine
When Gladys renewed her membership she wrote,
“I enjoy reading The Kentonian and I remember most of
the people.”
Arthur Jermin
Arthur wrote, “I am keeping well. Regards to the guys
in the Chorus who remember me.”
Brenda Newman
Comment from Barrie Newman
I feel that the words of the song Friends should not be
changed from those as originally written, if it is merely
to placate those who are non-believers.
The Kentonian
Page 11
Councils told to ban the
blue sky babble
Councils must ditch 200 jargon words like "blue
sky thinking" so ordinary people can understand
them.
Business-speak phrases like "predictors of beaconicity" are off the menu if council workers want
to make sense to taxpayers, the Local Government
Association said. They have comp iled a list of
words and phrases that councils should eliminate
from their vocabulary.
Here are some examples – do you know what they
mean? (Answers below.)
1. Across-the-piece
10. Seedbed
2. Benchmarking
11. Shared priority
3. Blue sky thinking
12. Single conversations
4. Coterminosity
13. Slippage
5. Democratic legitimacy
14. Step Change
6. Engaging users
15. Tested for Soundness
7. Outsourced
16. Third sector
8. Quick Hit
17. Upward trend
9. Quick Win
18. Value-added
Answers:1. Everyone working together
10. Idea
11. All working together
2. Measuring
12. Talking to
3. Thinking up ideas
4. All singing from the
same hymn sheet
13. Delay
5. Voted in
15. What works
6. Getting people involved
16. Charities and voluntary organizations
7. Privatized
17. Getting better
What’s in a Song?
What is known of Frederick Weatherly,
who wrote the hauntingly beautiful words
to Danny Boy? Great ballad writer Fred
E. Weatherly (1848-1929) was born in
Somerset and, after being tutored at Hereford Cathedral School, graduated from
Oxford University with a Classics degree
in 1871.
Besides being a very successful barrister, appearing in
many famous criminal cases - invariably for the defence - he wrote thousands of poems, 1,500 of which
were set to music by composers who were keen to get
their hands on them. One such was the young Eric
Coates, Britain's greatest light music composer, who was
22 when he approached Weatherly with a view to setting
his words to music following the Proms success of his
Four Old English Songs to verses by Shakespeare.
Coates subsequently wrote at least six songs to words by
Fred Weatherly - perhaps the best known of which is
The Green Hills O' Somerset.
Weatherly wrote the song Danny Boy in 1910, but it didnot meet with much success. In 1912, his sister-in-law
in America sent him the old Irish tune A Londonderry
Air and the tune matched his lyrics almost perfectly. He
published the now-famous song in 1913. Its mournful
lyrics and musical setting have led to the song becoming
an Irish anthem despite its very English roots.
Of Weatherly’s many popular songs, one of his most
poignant was the ballad Roses Of Picardy (music by
Haydn Wood), written while Weatherly was a military
counsel in 1916. The song was sung by British soldiers
who had left sweethearts behind. However, the song
was written by Weatherly after he had conceived an affection for a French widow while receiving protection at
her home in France.
Passed on by Bill Holliday
14. Improve
8. Success
18. Extra
9. Success
Oh, and “Predictors of Beaconicity” – they
say “it’s meaningless, so why use it at all?”
Passed on by Geoff Mountney
Cartoon passed on by Mike Corr
Answer to puzzles.
Topical banter (page 3):
Education, Open vowel, Pam’s cakes.
Triangles (page 8):
The Kentonian
Page 12
THE KENTONES
Meetings:
Club Night
Venue
-
Thursday at 7.30pm
St. Paul’s Church Hall, Crofton Road, Orpington, Kent.
Main Committee:
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership Secretary
Public Relations Officer
Singout Secretary
-
Denis Delaroute
John Weeks
Brian Scothern
Les Moore
Geoff Mountney
Peter Aylett
Chris Garrard
Music Committee:
Chorus Director
Assistant Chorus Director
Section Leaders:
Lead
Bass
Tenor
Baritone
-
Magazine:
The Kentonian, published bi-monthly.
Editor
David Southgate Tel: 01322 279803
Proof-readers this Issue
Norma and David Southgate
Printer
Dyrck Lamble
-
Mike Corr
Colin Couves
Jack Willoughby
John Mesure
Alan Lamprell
John O’Connor
E-mail: southgate@classicfm.net
Velvet Harmony - 100 Club Draw
1st Prize
2nd Prize
3rd Prize
February
March
54 Amy Cocker
2 Dee Hammett
31 C Cole
77 J Coward
53 Pam Shoebridge
82 Joan Mattinson
Kentones Diary Dates
Fri
Fri
Sat
Sun
Fri
Mon
Thur
Thur
Sat
Sun
Thur
Fri
Sat
Sat
Fri
Date
3
3
9
17
22-25
8
11
18
4
12
24-27
13
14
14
11
April
April
May
May
May
June
June
June
July
July
September
November
November
November
December
Time
10.00am
9.30pm
Venue
Chislehurst
Oakley House, Bromley
Llandudno
Bull’s Head, Pratts Bottom
Eltham College
Evening
Afternoon
Evening
Bromley
Holland
Priory School Orpington
Sidcup
Priory School Orpington
Hayes Free Church
Function
Marjorie McClure School
Dovetail 2 (Charity)
Croydon Music festival
Education Day
Convention
Bat & Trap Evening
Mottingham Festival
Shorne ARA
Bournemouth Music Festival
NSPCC Garden Party
Autumn Show
Disabled Christian Fellowship
Autumn Show
Christmas Tree Charity Concert
Cordon Bleu Diary Dates
Tue
Wed
Wed
Tue
Fri
Fri
Date
14
15
13
15
TBA
TBA
April
April
May
Dec
July
Time
1.30pm
2.00pm
2.15pm
2.00pm
Eve
3pm
Venue
Mottingham
Bromley
Beckenham
Westerham
Horsenden
Banstead
Function
Age Concern Club
Ashcroft Nursing Home
Benedict House NH
Club Party
Club Social
Garden Party
Copy Deadline for May/June Issue - Thursday 14th May
Please submit all items to the Editor as early as possible but by 14th May at the latest; by hand, post, email or telephone.