May 2012

Julian Sanders: My Life as a Chocolatier

April 2012

Barbara Miller: Jews in Medieval Norfolk

March 2012

John Kitson: 40 years of News-Gathering

February 2012

Sally Warboyes - So You Want to Write?

January 2012

Graham Sigley - Town Twinning

December 2011

Pip Wright - Transportation to Australia

November 2011

Mike Clark and Pepper - Guide Dogs for the Blind

October 2011

Yvonne and David Leonard - Botanical Highlights of Travels

September 2011

AGM

August 2011

Elizabeth Truss MP - One year in office

July 2011

Gary Sander – Perception

June 2011

Paul Stancliffe - The Work of the BTO

May 2011

Danny Jeffrey– Canon of the Holy Sepulchre

April 2011

David Osborne - Education in Thetford

March 2011

Barbara Miller – Norwich Cathedral

February 2011

Pauline Quadling - Riversdale

January 2011

David O'Neal – the History of Bridgham

December 2010

David Osborne - Recreation & Leisure in Thetford

November 2010

Trevor Burlingham on byways of Norfolk

October 2010

Canon Bob Baker - Norfolk's Medieval Churches

September 2010

AGM

August 2010

Trevor Burlingham - Views of Norfolk

July 2010

Ian Hingley - The Norkies

June 2010

David Osborne - Thetford's Inns and Public Houses

May 2010

David Grimes - Edwardian Life in Norfolk

April 2010

Rod Telfer - The Moon

March 2010

Daryl Stevens - Breckland Wildlife

February 2010

Jo van der Hulks - Cambridge University Library

January 2010

'Face to Face' with Thomas Paine

December 2009

Roger Smith - the history of the Coastguard Service

November 2009

Stuart Hobday - Harriet Martineau, nineteenth century author and campaigner

October 2009

Len Hedges

The Henry Cabell Story:  Norfolk Author Len Hedges recounted the tale of Henry Cabell from his time at Thetford Gaol being transported to Australia and then becoming the colony's first chief constable. Copies of the book Enduring Spirit telling the full story were available from the author on the night.

September 2009

George Pipe

The AGM of the Thetford Society was held on Tuesday, 1st September in the United Reformed Church, Thetford.  Danny Jeffrey opened the meeting by asking for a minute’s silence to be held for Mr Stammers, a founder member of the Society who had recently died. 

 A Sausage Supper and Quiz will be held at the URC on Saturday, 3rd October, in aid of the East Anglian Children’s Hospice.  The Christmas Party will be held on the first Saturday in January as usual.  The magazine will not be available until at least mid-October.Stuart announced that the programme for the Heritage Open Days on the weekend of 12 & 13th September was now available.  The latest programme for the Tom Paine 200 events was also available, and this includes details of the autumn lecture series.

The AGM business then took place.  This is reported on separately.

The speaker was George Pipe, a bellringer of 30 years standing, who has a high regard for Thetford and its churches and for the area generally.  He spoke about the history of church bells in Thetford from the time Thetford had a cathedral in 1071 to the current day with the loss of churches in the town.  He explained that Thetford is still considered to be a cathedral town as the status cannot be taken away.  He spoke about the local foundries and particularly the bells of St Peter’s Church.  Mr Pipe hoped that the bells of St Peter’s Church would not be lost, as if they were, it would be the first ever case of a Cathedral town not having a ring of bells.  

 At the completion of the talk, Stuart updated the meeting on the situation with St Peter’s Church.  The Town Council is in the process of acquiring St Peter’s for the town.  Its use has not yet been decided (there will be a public meeting to discuss this) but Stuart confirmed that despite rumours around the town, the bells are not for sale.

 The meeting was followed by cheese and wine.

August 2009

In the absence of the Chairman, Danny Jeffrey opened the meeting by telling members that the Art Gallery will be holding its annual Upstairs Comes Downstairs event from 8th to 15th September which everyone is invited to visit.

Karen-Emma White announced that the Dad’s Army Museum will be holding a book launch on Saturday, 5th September at which Nicolas Ridley (Godfrey's son) will be at the Museum during the day signing his new book, Godfrey's Ghost, all about the life of his late father, Arnold Ridley. After the museum closes Nicolas will give a reading from the book. Places for the talk are free but limited so book early to avoid disappointment. The Dad’s Army 1940s style Christmas Party will be held on 5th December from 6.30 pm at the Carnegie Room. For more information or to book either event contact Corrinne Fulford. The Dad’s Army team will be attending the Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum’s Village at War Day on 30th and 31st August – see them there.

The Ancient House Museum’s next Changing Display will be Moving Stories and the Museum is looking for an American Serviceman who stayed in Thetford after the war to take part in the event. The museum is also hoping to make contact with any Ugandan refugees who came to Thetford in 1970.

Danny stated that the annual barbecue was attended by approximately 80 people and he expects that over £200 will be donated to the Hospice after expenses have been covered. The trip to Cromer Pier show is now full, but there are still 13 places for Thursford in December.

The speaker was Squadron Leader John Bloomfield, who told the story of the short life of Robert McNamara, an RAF Airman who was with the Namsos Campaign when the British No. 263 Squadron RAF operated with 18 Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters from the frozen surface of Lake Lesjaskogsvatnet at Lesjaskog during the Second World War. He joined the RAF aged 19 and was killed aged just 20 years old but in that short time lived an extraordinary life in circumstances which are still unexplained by the authorities. Danny Jeffrey thanked Sqdn Ldr Bloomfield for his fascinating talk and reminded members that the next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting which will be held on Tuesday, 1st September, starting at 7.30 pm in the United Reformed Church, Earls Street, Thetford. New committee members would be welcomed; if anyone is interested in helping to run the Society please contact Stuart Wright.

July 2009

A minute's silence was held for George Wright, who died recently.  Danny Jeffrey reported that there are just six places left for the Cromer Pier show on 15th August. The Strawberry Tea was a great success with over eighty people attending. Two hundred pounds were taken, of which half goes to the St Nicholas Hospice. Danny thanked Wendy’s team for doing the catering and washing up, and Stuart’s group for setting out the marquee and tables. The Annual Barbeque will be held on 1st August at St Audrey’s. Tickets are £5.

The Tom Paine 200 events continue with the play Face to Face, written by Wendy Serjeant and performed by Mike Brindle and Colin Orbell, taking place on 15th and 16th July.

Stuart Wilson gave an update on the Abbey Barns. The application has been called in, and an Inspector has been appointed to investigate. The Inspector starts from scratch without reference to any previous submissions. The Society is urging members to write to the Inspector and has produced a template which has hints and suggestions and can be used as the basis for a letter to the Inspector. All submissions must be received by 24th July. It is hoped that the public enquiry will be held at the end of this year.

Stuart Wright thanked Digby Smith for his efforts on the River Corridor and said that the next work would be cutting back trees on the Nuns’ Bridges and Haling Path area.

The speaker was Gerald Seymour who spoke on the railways of Norfolk over the past 50 years, including the changes of ownership and management from Railtrack to Network Rail and Anglia Railways to One to National Express with further changes expected. He talked about the progression from steam power to diesel and electrification, from the days when steam engines had names such as ‘Clive of India’ and ‘Norwich City’ through to diesel rail cars, four-wheeled rail buses and the diesel trains of today. He mentioned the cuts and improvements made by Dr Beeching, and his thoughts on the future state of the railways which is likely to include a further change of ownership and management, more electrification of the lines and the possibility of electrical multiple units instead of the current trains.

Stuart Wright thanked Mr Seymour for his talk and reminded members that the June newsletter was now available for collection.

June 2009

Digby Smith - Life in Moscow in the 1990s

A minute's silence was held for Ken Bunker, who died recently.  Danny Jeffrey gave details of events in the town, including the Tom Paine 200 weekend and the Open Gardens day on 21 June, at which 34 gardens in the town would be open in aid of the St Nicholas Hospice. Don Goveia has tickets for a raffle which will be held on the same day. The Strawberry Tea will be held on 28th June. Helpers would be appreciated, especially to make cakes.

Stuart announced that the Thetford Singers would be holding a concert at 7.30 pm on 20th June in the Carnegie Rooms. The River Corridor Working Party will be meeting on Thursday 4th June and volunteers would be welcomed.
There will be two evening talks about the history of the Abbey Gardens, given by David Osborne, on 5th June and 1st July. Both start at 6.20 pm at the Priory.

The speaker was Digby Smith who talked about life as it was in Russia in the 1990s. He spoke about an economy with a 2,500% rate of inflation over 1992; hostility between residents of St Petersburg and Moscow, and the difficulties this caused him in his job; the lack furniture in his flat which was ordered but arrived intermittently over a period of months; central heating controlled centrally so one could be overheating in summer and freezing in winter; the difficulty in driving when manhole covers were regularly stolen leaving holes in the road and frequent unwanted gifts of pickled gerkins.

Stuart Wright thanked Digby for his talk and reminded members that the next meeting would be held on Tuesday 7th July.

May 2009

David Grimes - How We Used To Live

The May meeting had one of the largest attendances ever and was a great success.

Opening the meeting, Danny Jeffrey asked for more people to show an interest in the various projected outings, particularly the trip to Hatfield House on June 20th. He also made the penultimate call for articles and letters for this year's magazine.

Keith Ready spoke about difficulties some people were having with bus trips to Norwich and asked anyone who had more information to contact him.

Stuart Wilson updated the meeting on the Abbey Barns saga and said the next move was to try to get the Secretary of State to call in the Planning Application. To this end he had produced letters and cards which required only a signature and a stamp to send off, and handed them round. See the Abbey Barns page for full details.

The speaker for the evening was David Grimes, who spoke (with many illustrations) of the 'Way we Used to Live'. His droll delivery in his own Norfolk dialect had immediate appeal for the audience who were thoroughly entertained for over an hour and a half as they steeped themselves in nostalgia.

April 2009

David Osborne - Thetford Overspill

Stuart Wilson gave an update on the application to develop the Abbey Barns.  The planners have asked for proposals for alternative schemes, and it is possible that Breckland Council may buy back the barns.

Stuart Wright updated the meeting on the plans for the Tom Paine 200 weekend and asked for volunteers to help with the various events over the weekend.

Because of cancellation by the booked speaker, David Osborne spoke to the meeting about the Thetford Overspill in the late 1950s and early 1960s, showing many fascinating ‘before and after’ photos. 

Stuart Wright thanked David for his talk and concluded the meeting by telling members that the March newsletter is now available.

March 2009

Special Meeting

Over 60 people attended the meeting. Danny Jeffrey announced that places have been allocated for Thursford on 15th December. Tickets are now available for the Cheese and Wine evening on Saturday 28th March. The guided tour of Cambridge is likely to be on 9th April and the trip to Cromer Pier on 15th August. Articles are needed urgently for the magazine.
Stuart Wright introduced Richard Kay from Breckland Council’s Thetford Growth Point Team who had come to the special meeting to talk about progress on Moving Thetford Forward. Stuart reminded members that the consultation document was available inside this month’s About Thetford magazine.

Richard Kay explained that Breckland is trying to tackle the problems of the town centre, in particular the state of the Anchor Hotel and the decaying historic sites in the town. He explained that regeneration of the town centre is dependent on increased numbers of houses, and that ‘the scale of the change is huge’. Richard Kay said that this growth is unavoidable as it has been imposed on Thetford from above; however he later confirmed that Breckland had requested this expansion through GPS and was in favour of it. The growth will take place in two stages; 1) preparing an overall Thetford Area Action Plan, and 2) undertaking more detailed action plans on which it is hoped that work will start this year. Having completed the first stage of consultation, further consultation is now under way on the preferred options.

After the presentation, questions were taken from the floor. Concerns raised included the unsuitability of the proposed location for the bus station in St Nicholas Street because of lack of parking (a drop-off area only is proposed); access, and the congestion and traffic along the inner relief road which currently causes long hold-ups for drivers and will cause delays to buses. There was unease that more attention is paid to wildlife (stone curlews) than to people. There are fears that because the bulk of the growth and new housing will be in Kilverstone, Thetford will not benefit from any increased revenue/council taxes but would be expected to provide services for the houses and residents. There was unanimous opposition to the suggested location of the new college in the existing bus station area. There are serious doubts about where the 5000 new jobs are coming from; this question has been asked many times over the past months but no answer has been given and it is felt that the current economic climate will make it even less likely that these jobs will materialise. There is disappointment that the townspeople are being asked only for their choice of location for the new houses but not if they were wanted; and it is felt that residents should have been consulted before Breckland applied for GPS. It was requested that the river corridor area should be made into a welcoming, lively, social area with cafes and shops, not built up with homes or a college complex. There are worries that the infrastructure (roads, health services, schools) is not sufficient to support the existing residents and it is feared that funding will not be confirmed to provide the increased infrastructure necessary for the expansion.

Richard Kay reminded members that comments on the consultation could be made online, by text (07766 427980) email or on paper (forms available from Breckland Council on 0184 756598) and that forms were also available in March's About Thetford magazine, council offices, and other locations around the town. Stuart Wright thanked Mr Kay and encouraged everyone to make their views known on the plans by responding to the consultation.

March 2009

David Osborne and Danny Jeffrey - Thetford Municipal Charities

Danny Jeffrey announced that he had not yet heard which date had been allocated for the Thursford Christmas event. The trip to Cromer Pier would be on 15th August and there will be a visit to the Royal Norfolk Show on Thursday 2nd July. A outing to Hatfield House is being planned. The guided tour of Cambridge will be on 9th April. A Cheese & Wine social evening will be held in the United Reformed Church on Saturday 28th March to get to know new members. Tickets are £5 each with proceeds going to St Nicholas Hospice. For more details of any of these activities contact Danny Jeffrey on 01842 753770.

The Ancient House Museum will be holding a series of monthly talks on various subjects. Contact the museum on 01842 752599 for full details.

Stuart Wright reported on progress with the Abbey Barns appeal. The original planning application was challenged by the Thetford Society and is to be quashed. The Society has been asked by Breckland to put forward viable proposals for the use of the barns, if not for residential use.

The new planning permission submitted by the current owner is identical to the previous application and Breckland could refuse it if there is no other proposal. The Society is reworking an earlier proposal by English Heritage. A start may be made on clearing the Thetford River Corridor on 28th March. Anyone interested in helping should contact Digby Smith.
David Osborne and Danny Jeffrey spoke about Thetford Municipal Charities. David spoke of the long history of charitable donations made to Thetford, starting with the Duke of Norfolk’s Charity, and also including charitable works and donations by Sir Richard Fulmerston, Sir Joseph Williamson and various aldermen. Danny talked about the situation today with the remaining almshouses which still offer places to qualifying applicants in Thetford.

Stuart Wright thanked David and Danny for their talk. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 7th April at 7.30 pm in the United Reformed Church.

February 2009

Sqdn Ldr John Bloomfield - ' A Remarkable Young Man'

The February meeting had to be cancelled because of icy weather conditions.

January 2009

Sean Manning - Flying an Airbus

Danny Jeffrey greeted members and wished them a happy new year.  He gave details of possible future trips.  These include a trip to London (Kensington) where members may visit the museums or spend free time (£11 per person); a visit to Norwich to see the Norwich Union Marble Halls; a conducted tour of Cambridge sometime in March and the Cromer Pier show in August or September.  Danny would also like to know if there is enough interest to run a trip to Thursford again.  Exact prices will depend on numbers going and anyone interested should contact Danny on 01842 753770 as soon as possible as the trips will not run unless there are enough people to fill a coach. 

Danny gave details of a flyer supplied by Terry Jermy, who is running several trips to see West End shows, including Billy Elliot; and also to Cadbury World.

Stuart Wright said that the Christmas Party had been enjoyed by everyone, with an excellent meal provided and dancing to music by Martyn Williams.  A pearl-type earring had been found during the evening.

The speaker was Sean Manning who talked about his career flying an Airbus and other commercial planes after leaving the RAF.  He spoke about some of the many automated systems used including ACARS and TCAS.  ACARS, the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System, reports from air to ground and back information about the aircraft such as height, speed, temperature, wind, fuel and positional information, and also transmits details about faults which need to be fixed.  The Traffic Collision Avoidance System TCAS monitors position and location and can take action in the event of two or more planes coming too close together.  Sean reassured members by telling them that in the event of all engines failing, it is possible for a plane to glide for up to 100 miles without an engine.

Stuart Wright thanked Sean for his talk. 

December 2008

Geoff Hinchcliffe - Barrenland Beauty

Stuart Wright announced that a special meeting would be held on Tuesday 10th March at which Richard Kay of Breckland Council will present the preferred options for Moving Thetford Forward. The Thomas Paine Society/Thetford Society annual dinner will be held on 31st January. Tickets are available from Stuart.

Stuart announced that a recent report on the state of the population of stone curlews in the north and south east area of Thetford had ruled out development in that area, making it necessary to increase the density of development in other areas. Shadwell would like the support of the Thetford Society in challenging this report in court. Stuart reported that the Society’s Environment Committee had met and felt that a balance of buildings and green space must be retained, and that the Association should support Shadwell; however it had to have the support of members. The meeting was asked if anyone objected to this. After some discussion, a vote was taken and as the majority was in agreement, it was agreed to support Shadwell in its appeal.

Also discussed was the proposal to build a new training college for 14-19 year olds in Thetford. One of the sites earmarked for it is the old bus station/Anchor hotel area in the centre of town. Members discussed this proposal and raised serious concerns about access; lack of parking for both students and staff; the size of the site which was felt to be too small for the proposed buildings now and would not allow expansion in the future; and the impact on the riverside area. A vote was taken on whether the Thetford Society should challenge the proposal to build on this particular site, and this was carried unanimously.

The speaker was Geoff Hinchcliffe. Geoff showed slides and talked about trips he has made to north Canada, one of which was made with Bill Oddie for BBC Wildlife magazine. Geoff explained that ‘barrenland’ was a misnomer and showed many slides of plants growing in the area, including wild lupins, louseworts, wintergreen, saxifrages, orchids, helleborines, campions and more. After the talk, members were able to look at Geoff’s photograph albums and collection of carvings and fossils. Stuart Wright thanked Geoff for his talk.

November 2008

In the absence of the Chairman the meeting was chaired by Danny Jeffrey.

Danny reported that he had received a letter from the new President of the Civic Trust, Griff Rhys Jones, explaining that the Civic Trust needs more income if it is to raise its profile nationally and work on a par with other campaigning groups such as Natural England and Friends of the Earth. The Civic Trust is the umbrella organisation for Civic Societies across the country and supports Societies in shaping their own communities. The Civic Trust is proposing a membership scheme whereby local Civic Society members can join the Trust as individuals to help support the work of the Trust. More information is available from Danny Jeffrey or from www.civictrust.org.uk.

Events: Tickets are now available for the Thursford trip. A Remembrance Day concert will be held on Friday with the usual service on Sunday. The Concert Committee is presenting a performance by the Cawston Band in St Cuthbert’s Church on 29th November. Just a few tickets are available for the Forties Night Dance and buffet organised by the Dad’s Army committee for 15th November. Tickets are £10 each including buffet, from Corinne Fulford.

Stuart Wilson reported on the results of the planning application put forward for the old Cottage Hospital site. Breckland Council supported the Thetford Society in opposing the application, and refused it, saying that any development of the site should take into account the original building. An appeal may be lodged by the Health authority.

A further planning application has been submitted in respect of the Abbey Barns, identical to the original application. Comments can be made until 10th November. This can be done through Breckland Council’s website - search for application number 3PL/2008/1340/F. Stuart Wilson has met with the Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust, which wants to be involved in the plans for the site. The Society has written to the Commissioners of English Heritage asking for their support. The Town Council has backed the ideas that the barns should not be used for residential use and should be open to the public.

The speakers were Patti and Rita from the Samaritans who talked about the work of the Samaritans in supporting people suffering from emotional distress. In the UK a contact is made to the Samaritans every seven seconds. In addition to the telephone helpline, the Samaritans support people by email and letter, text message and face-to-face. The Samaritans train Listeners in prisons - prisoners who support fellow prisoners who need emotional support. The number of young people seeking support has increased over the past years and the Samaritans work with teenagers in schools. New volunteers are always needed and undergo a training course to ensure they are suitable and are fully prepared for the work before responding to contacts. The service depends mainly on unpaid volunteers and is funded solely by donations.

Danny Jeffrey thanked Patti and Rita for their talk.

October 2008

David Clayton, BBC Radio Norfolk 

Danny Jeffrey announced that a ceilidh is being held in aid of St Cuthbert’s Church on 24th November.  On 15th November the Dad’s Army Museum will be holding a dance to Mustang Squadron in the Carnegie Hall.  Thetford Society calendars are still available from Wendy Raphael and Corinne Brindle.  The sausage supper was a success and raised £260. 

Stuart Wright said that Breckland Council is holding a follow-up meeting at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 21st October in the Carnegie Room.  The library is being refurbished. The Tom Paine 200 Committee is meeting regularly to fundraise and plan events. 

The speaker was David Clayton of BBC Radio Norfolk, who gave an enthralling talk about his life in radio, from his days as a child listening to the pirate stations Radio Luxembourg, Radio Caroline and Radio London, followed by the introduction of Radios 1, 2, 3 and 4 in 1967, which paved the way for BBC local radio stations.  David told lively anecdotes from his working life with colleagues at BBC Radio Norfolk, and concluded by answering questions from members.

September 2008

 NCC Highways

The speakers were Tim Edmond and Owen Jenkins from Norfolk County Council Highways, who spoke to the meeting about the highways strategy for Thetford.  This followed concerns raised by Stuart Wilson about increased traffic on Norwich Road following the building of several new developments just off Norwich road and, in particular, the Bryant Homes development next to the Ark (now the Leaping Deer) public house on Norwich Road. Members were concerned that a full transport assessment had not been carried out, and that the cumulative effect of many small developments had not been taken into consideration.  Mr Edmond explained that developments of fewer than 100 dwellings do not need a transport assessment carried out. This limit of 100 dwellings takes no account of the size of the environment and is the same regardless of whether the area is a village, town or city.  Mr Edmond and Mr Jenkins assured the meeting that assessments of this area had been carried out at different times of the day and on different days of the week, and that it was felt that any increase in traffic would not be sufficient to cause problems.  Mr Edmond told the meeting that a town such as Thetford, in a rural area with very little alternative to the car, needs traffic to live; remove it and the town will die.

After the talk, the business of the AGM took place.  Thetford Society calendars are now available, showing scenes of Thetford painted by local artists, for £6 each.  Membership subscriptions are now due; any member who has not yet paid should send a cheque to Mrs Pat Pearson.

Danny Jeffrey announced that a Sausage Supper and Quiz would be held on Friday 26th September in the United Reformed Church.  Tickets are £6 per person for teams of a maximum of four people.  The Christmas Party will be held on 3 January.

On 21st October a meeting with Breckland Council staff will be held, with William Nunn and Trevor Holden attending, to follow-up matters raised at the public meeting in the Carnegie Room in April.  This will be held in the Carnegie Room, Thetford, at 7.30 pm.

August 2008

 Mike Brindle - A Soldier

Danny Jeffrey announced that a band concert by the Breckland Band would be held in King’s House Gardens on Sunday 17th August.   The Art Gallery is holding a series of competitions and a full programme of events, and Danny urged everyone to take part. The Dad’s Army weekend had been a huge success.

Mrs Pat Pearson reminded members that subscriptions were due at the next meeting, and asked for them to be paid by cheque, not cash, as it is easier for the treasurer.

The speaker was Mike Brindle, who told the story of a young man from Roumania who became a soldier and eventually settled in England, firstly in Ely then in Littleport. It was a fascinating and moving story and Mike kept his audience spellbound with the tale, which had been passed on to him by a pupil whilst he was a teacher in Littleport.

The next meeting will be the AGM which will be held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday, 2nd September in the United Reformed Church, Earls Street, Thetford.  The speakers will be Owen Jenkins and Tim Edmunds from Norfolk County Council, on the Highway Strategy for Thetford.

July 2008

 Danny Jeffrey - History of Medicines

A minute’s silence was held for Mr Kenney, who died at the end of June. 

Danny Jeffrey announced that he had been asked to thank all contributors to the Open Gardens Day, which had raised over £4,000 for the St Nicholas Hospice.

The Strawberry Tea had been a success although fewer people had attended this year.

The Town Council is putting on a series of musical events in King’s House Gardens starting on 20th July, in aid of the Mayor’s charity.

The newsletter is now available and details of planned events are given.  Danny asked that people let him know in good time if they are interested in any of the events or trips so they can be confirmed.  These include trips to the Honington RAF Museum and the Tank Museum on 30th July; the Cromer Pier Show on 2nd August, La Boheme or Tosca in Norwich on 4th October and the Thursford Christmas Spectacular 26th November.

Other events in Thetford included the Dad’s Army weekend at the end of July, and Upstairs Comes Down in the Guildhall - a two-week long series of art and crafts in the large courtroom.  Stewards are needed, and people to staff the coffee shop.  Anyone able to offer help in one or two hour blocks should contact Margaret Ince or the Art Gallery.

As the booked speaker had had to cancel owing to illness, Danny Jeffrey talked to the meeting on the subject of the History of Medicines, which was interesting and thought-provoking.

Stuart Wright thanked Danny for stepping in at short notice, and closed the meeting by reminding members of the Special Meeting with Richard Kay about Thetford Growth Point, to be held the following week.

June 2008

 Sqd Ldr John Bloomfield

Stuart Wright told members that the action points from the public meeting with Breckland Council officials are now on the Society’s website (www.thetfordsociety.org.uk).  He asked that any concerns involving Breckland Council should be reported to the Society. 

The Open Gardens day in aid of the St Nicholas Hospice will be held on Sunday 22nd June. 

Thetford Town Council has set up a River Corridor Management Committee and along with the Thetford Society is asking for ideas from townspeople on how to develop the river corridor.  A form is available on the Society’s website.  Volunteers are also needed to make up a work party to clear ditches and paths.   Members are invited to a private viewing of the Thetford Treasure at the Ancient House museum on Tuesday 15th July, starting at 7pm.  Places are limited and booking is essential.

Stuart Wilson gave details of the Dad’s Army weekend over 26th and 27th July, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first filming of the programme.  Anyone able to give up a couple of hours to act as stewards over the weekend would be very welcome.  Additional sponsors and donations of raffle prizes would be appreciated.  The museum is going from strength to strength, having received its 1000th visitor. In response to demand, it is now opening more frequently. 

The speaker was Sqd Ldr John Bloomfield who spoke entertainingly about some of the happenings during the Cold War, including tales of his time flying Shackletons with 120 Squadron.

Stuart Wright thanked Sqd Ldr Bloomfield for his talk and concluded the meeting.   

May 2008

 David Robertson: Anglo Saxon Towns

Stuart Wright thanked members for coming to the public meeting with Breckland Council and said that the Society is still waiting for the promised written responses to the Society’s questions.  When they have been received they will be made available on the website.  A special meeting will be held in the United Reformed Church on Tuesday 8th July at which Richard Kay, Principal Planning Officer for Thetford Growth Point Status, will be speaking.  All are welcome.

The Friends of Dad’s Army Museum are looking for more members to help in the Museum. Anyone interested should speak to Stuart.  The Tom Paine 200 committee has gained £50,000 Heritage Lottery Funding but still needs more donations to gain the full £100,000 applied for.

David Robertson from Norfolk Landscape Archaeology spoke about Anglo-Saxon towns and the impact they made on the area.  Thetford was an important industrial town then, particularly in terms of Thetford ware pottery, and also had a mint.  It had a dense population for those times.

Stuart Wilson reported on the Abbey Barns appeal.  Planning Permission has been granted, and the plot is now for sale at an asking price of £1.6 million - a huge increase on the £265,000 it was sold for by Breckland Council.  A court case is pending as the early stage of a judicial review.

April 2008

 Barbara Miller: The Real Edith Cavell

A minute’s silence was held for Toni Woodrow, who died at the age of 91 during the Easter weekend. Toni was well known in the town and will be sadly missed.

Danny Jeffrey reported that the Archant/EDP and Ely trips went well, despite the bad weather for the Ely trip, and gave details of the next outings and events.

Keith Ready had asked members to be advised that a survey asking users’ opinions on the Healthy Living Centre is available from the Centre.

The speaker was Barbara Miller who spoke about the life of the nurse Edith Cavell who was born in 1865 in Swardeston, near Norwich. She had a shrewd business mind at an early age as at 14 years old she wrote to the Bishop of Norwich asking him to match funds to provide a village hall if they raised half. Later she worked as a student teacher of languages before becoming a governess and working in Belgium. She trained as a nurse at the London Hospital (now the Royal London Hospital) and, at the outbreak of the First World War, worked again in Belgium as a nurse. Here she became involved in the Belgian Resistance network, helping many people to escape to safety before she was eventually captured by the Germans and executed despite appeals from Hugh Gibson, First Secretary of the American legation at Brussels. Her body was later brought home to Swardeston. Barbara Miller was thanked by the Chairman.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 6th May when the speaker will be David Robertson, talking about Anglo Saxon Towns.

March 2008

 Neil Stott, Keystone Development Trust

Stuart Wilson spoke about progress on the campaign to save the Abbey Barns.  It is believed there are grounds to force a judicial review of the case, at which interested bodies will give their view.  It is felt that the plans for the development of the building are contrary to Breckland’s own policies.  Breckland’s Local Development Framework document is available on their website; it is difficult to find but once found it is possible to leave comments on it.  It is a long document and it is suggested that it is better to concentrate on the eight main points or themes.  Comments can also be made in writing to Breckland Council. 

Stuart Wright introduced the speaker, Neil Stott, Chief Executive of Keystone Development Trust. Neil reported on Keystone’s work to date, and stressed the Trust’s aim of tackling financial and social exclusion in a sustainable manner.  He explained that in recent years public money available to Keystone has gone down from 99% and now 99% of their income is earned money.

Neil spoke about Keystone’s work with children and young people, adults, community groups, migrant workers, and young parents, including the Kollectiv, the Big Sitting Room, META (Mobile Europeans Taking Action), the Food Box Scheme and the Credit Union.  Neil is pleased that Keystone has been nationally recognised on more than one occasion for the work they have carried out.  Neil answered questions from the meeting before being thanked for his talk by Stuart Wright, who said that copies of Keystone’s updates would be available from the Thetford Society’s website (see the Newsletters page).

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 1 April at 7.30 pm in the United Reformed Church, Earls Street, when Barbara Miller will be speaking about The Real Edith Cavell.

February 2008

 Ed Wortley:

The History of Euston Estate

Stuart Wright reported on the progress of work to save the Abbey Barns from redevelopment.  He urged members to write to Go East to express their concern about the proposed plans for the barns.

Breckland has appointed a new Growth Point Status Senior Planning Officer and it is hoped that he will be able to speak at a future meeting.

The Town Council has voted to close the Tourist Information Centre as of 31st March.

The Thomas Paine dinner was well attended with 40 people there.  The West Suffolk Hospital is applying for Foundation Status and a public meeting will be held in the Guildhall on 19th February from 10.30 am.

Ed Wortley, Voluntary Archivist to the estate, spoke about the history of the Euston Estate and the Dukes of Grafton from the time of Henry Bennett, Earl of Arlington, to the present day.  He spoke about the grounds and buildings. He showed slides including pictures of a sundial which is believed to date back to the time of the first building and is still in the same position today.  The Dukes Ride which crosses the estate was created to enable the Duke to more easily get to the Newmarket Races.  The large ornamental lake was designed by Capability Brown.  Many of the photos of the estate are from postcards taken by Thetford photographers, including Boughton.  Euston Mill, fed by the river Blackbourne, is the only mill to be fitted with a waterwheel made by the Charles Burrell company of Thetford. Anyone wishing to know more about the estate may visit on summer Thursdays when the house and gardens are open to the public.

January 2008

 Stephen Pope -

The History of Aviation in Norfolk

Danny Jeffrey wished all members a happy new year and circulated a list of possible outings for 2008, asking for feedback before making a decisions on what to book.

Contributions are needed for September’s magazine so if anyone has a story to tell or a point to be made, please submit it in writing to Danny as soon as possible.

Stuart Wright said that the Christmas Party had been enjoyed by all who attended.  He announced that a consultation on future health service provision is taking place.  Public meetings will be held in Swaffham and Norwich.  There are concerns that services will be based on the population of Thetford at the date of the last census and the population is now much larger.  Members are encouraged to make their views known.  Leaflets are available from the School Lane Surgery or the PCT. 

The speaker was Stephen Pope who gave a talk with slides about aviation history in Norfolk.  The first reference to flight in Norfolk was in the 1780s with a subscription for a hot air balloon.  In 1897 the Norwich photographer Coe took the first aerial photograph of Norwich from a balloon.  During the WW1, bombs were often dropped by a man who had been winched down in a wicker basket under the plane to below the cloud level.  Aviation manufacturing developed in Norfolk with local firms Bolton and Paul and Mann Egerton involved in making planes, particularly during the First and Second World Wars.  It continues today but on a much smaller scale.  Stuart Wright thanked Stephen Pope for his talk and hoped he could return for a further talk covering aviation in the Suffolk area.

December 2007

 David Osborne on Victorian Thetford

Danny Jeffrey said that the trip to the House of Commons had been very successful, and those who went enjoyed the concert at St Andrews Hall, particularly the Carmina Burana.  The Sausage Supper and Quiz had raised £200 for EACH.  The next meeting would not be on the first Tuesday of the month since this was New Year’s Day, but on January 8th the subject would be ‘The History of Aviation in Norfolk’.  The Christmas Buffet would be on January 5th in the Carnegie Room.  Cost is £8. 

Stuart Wright said that in combination with the Thomas Paine Society there would be a dinner at the Bell Hotel on February 16th; cost £20, in aid of the 2009 centenary celebrations.  David Osborne gave an interesting talk with slides in his own inimitable style on the subject of Victorian Thetford.  His talk was well researched as usual and showed the transition of Thetford from a town of about 3,000 to one of 4,500 people at the end of the century.  There had been a transition from a town entirely reliant on agriculture to a town still having an agricultural background, but also having some manufacturing industry.  The advent of steam had made a considerable difference, not only with the introduction of steam traction engines on farms and the Burrell Works producing them, but also the introduction of the railway in 1845.  Previously, coaching was an important part of Thetford life since we were on the main highway from London to Norwich, but very soon after the introduction of the railways the coaching inns closed.  Heavy goods which had previously been brought up the river by barge and distributed locally were now transported by rail, leading to a decline in navigation.  A number of local businesses related to the manufacture of agricultural tools and such things as saddlery, tannery and broom-making were now faced with competition from much wider afield, and many closed down.  New industries like the Fisons Fertiliser plant and four breweries sprang up in the town. Mains water was introduced towards the end of the 19th century, as were electricity and gas, and these made a considerable difference to the towns.  Many agricultural workers lost their jobs and a workhouse was set up on Bury Road.  Many new non-conformist churches and the Salvation Army came into town.  The town was more prosperous and had better health at the end of the Victorian era than at the beginning, but it had been an era of considerable change.

November 2007

 Geoff Hinchcliffe on Antarctica  

Danny Jeffrey said that all monies owing for the trip to the Houses of Parliament are now due.  There are still a few places left for the concert on 1st December.  Mrs Pat Pearson will be holding a coffee morning in aid of St Nicholas Hospice on 15th November. 

Stuart Wright asked for volunteers to decorate a Christmas tree in the Methodist Church I December.  He announced that the Thetford Society would not be producing calendars this year as the Tourist Information Centre is producing them; they will be available any time now.  The X4 bus to Norwich has been withdrawn but bus passes will be valid on the National Express 727 to Norwich (and possibly soon on the 490).  Keith Ready asked for anyone finding problems having their pass accepted to let him know.

The Ancient House Museum is putting on Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale on 23rd November.  Contact the museum for prices and further details.  A whole-day seminar on Two Thousand Years of Thetford History will be held in the Carnegie Rooms on 17th November.

Stuart Wilson reported on the campaign to save the Abbey Barns.  There had been a hearing at Dereham at which Breckland Council had disregarded appeals from the Thetford Society, Thetford Town Council, local residents, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the Council for Archaeology and their own solicitor.  The case must now go to the Secretary of State for Public Enquiries.  Anyone wishing to make their views known should contact Stuart Wilson for details of how to go about it.

The speaker was Geoff Hinchcliffe, who talked about a trip he had made to Antarctica.  He showed a series of striking slides with views of icebergs and ice floes, penguins, seals and seabirds.

October 2007

 Thetford's Growth Point Status Plans

Danny Jeffrey reported that the Heritage Weekend had attracted a large number of visitors.

More places have been made available for the trip to the House of Commons on Tuesday 27th November. There will be a Quiz and Sausage Supper on 24th November in aid of the East Anglian Children’s Hospice, for teams of four people at £5 per head.  It will take place in the United Reformed Church at 7.30 pm.  Book places with Danny Jeffrey.

There were a lot of people at the meeting, having come to hear about Thetford’s Growth Point Status from Breckland and Thetford Town Councils. Sadly, despite having originally agreed to send representatives, the councils then withdrew, saying that they would not speak to interest groups.  Those attending the meeting were exasperated and disappointed and asked that the committee send a letter to both councils, deploring their non-attendance.

In their place, members of the Society’s Environment Committee gave the Society’s view on the plans for Growth Point Status.  Danny Jeffrey explained the background and Mike Brindle talked about the current position. There is concern that local councils appear to believe that more houses must automatically be a good thing, and that their quoted figure of 6,000 new jobs coming into the area does not seem have any basis in fact.  This goes against the principle of sustainable development with new residents having to travel to jobs some distance from Thetford.  It was also pointed out that the figures for the plan are based on the 2001 census which gives Thetford a population of 21,000, rather than the current figure which is nearer to 28,000 (based on the number of patients currently registered with Thetford GPs).  Thetford currently has 10,000 houses and an increase of another 6,500 will cause immense strain on the current infrastructure such as roads and other transport, and services such as water, sewage, gas and electricity supplies, and schools and health services including doctors and dentists, none of which are mentioned in the GPS plan. The plan talks about ‘enhancing green spaces’ but also about building more houses on open spaces.

Stuart Wilson talked about work he has done to try to protect the Priory from further vandalism and to safeguard the Abbey Barns.  Danny Jeffrey said that Glebe House would not now be demolished, as public opinion was so deeply against it.

The next meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 6th November at the United Reformed Church, Earls Street, Thetford.

September 2007 Meeting & AGM

The AGM of the Thetford Society was held on Tuesday, 4^th September at the United Reformed Church, Thetford.

Danny Jeffrey announced that there would be a trip to St Andrews Hall for a Symphony Concert on 6^th October. 

Stuart Wright gave details of a series of talks on Victorian Thetford at the Ancient House Museum.  Contact the Museum for more information.

Subscriptions are now due and cheques should be sent to Mrs Pat Pearson.

A request has been received from Redcastle Youth Centre asking for occasional help.

A training session on recording details of Thetford’s Vernacular Buildings will be arranged soon.

The formal business of the AGM included the Chairman’s report, by Stuart Wright, which concentrated on the Growth Point Status; and the Treasurer’s Report, by Sylvia Wright.  This confirmed that the Society currently has a healthy balance.  Mrs Pat Pearson, Membership Secretary, reported that membership is steady.  Please advise her if you have changed your address since the last AGM.

Danny Jeffrey reported on the years activities; there have been twelve speakers, 2 extra meetings and numerous outings.

Mike Brindle reported on the work of the Environmental Committee which concentrated on concerns about redevelopment.  Members are encouraged to attend the next meeting, at which various speakers will talk about the Moving Thetford Forward Growth Point Status plans and Thetford’s Green Infrastructure.

Election of Officers – all were prepared to stand for another year and all were re-elected.  A vote of thanks was proposed to the committee.  It was reported that there would be no change to the annual subscription rate.

The speaker, John Weeks, talked about the plans to celebrate the bicentennial of the death of Thomas Paine.  A wide range of organisations is involved.  They plan to consult widely about activities and events.  A series of activities is planned, including reconstructions, a street market and open air plays and tableaux.  A questionnaire is available for members of the public to give their comments and ideas.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 2^nd October at 7.30 pm at the United Reformed Church, at which speakers will update the Society about Thetford Growth Point Status plans. All welcome.

August 2007

Water Conservation

Two minutes silence was held for John Scott, member of the society, who died recently. 

Stuart Wright talked about the Growth Point Status master plan and summarised the Society’s response to it, which is that the plan appears to be homes-driven and fails to show there will be sufficient new jobs to support the number of new houses and people.  Jobs are essential to prevent the town from becoming a dormitory town.  The plan is based on the population at the last census but this has increased greatly over the past few years.  Town centre development in tandem with new houses is vital, as is the need for a sufficient health, education and transport infrastructure.

A working party is being set up to protect and maintain the river corridor.  Anyone prepared to offer help should contact Colin Armes.

Anglia Television is reinstating ‘Bygones’ and an episode due to be transmitted in October will include Thetford Pulp Works.

The Ancient House Museum will be holding an exhibition on local collectors and their collections.  Contact Ros Leake at the Museum for more information.

Mrs Pat Pearson reminded members that subs are due at the AGM in September; cheques are preferred to cash.

The speaker was Alan Spidy from Anglian Water.  Mr Spidy talked about the work of AW for its 5.6 million customers.  Sources of water included abstraction from rivers under licence from local pumping stations – there is a limit on the amount of water which can be extracted which is significant given the proposed large increase in new homes in the area.  Water is also obtained from reservoirs and groundwater.  AW has the lowest level of leakage in the country and its technology is highly regarded and exported worldwide.

Customers can conserve water by fixing dripping taps or overflowing tanks, ensuring there are no leaks from pipes on their property (for which customers are responsible), not running taps whilst washing vegetables or brushing teeth and showering instead of bathing (but avoiding power showers).  In the garden, sprinklers should be avoided and hoses used carefully.  Rainwater should be collected and plants should be spot-watered.  A bucket and sponge should be used for car-washing rather than a hosepipe.

Debate afterwards included a question about whether a customer could change supplier, as with other utilities.  This is not possible owing to the complex nature of water supply.  There was discussion about bottled water versus tap water (bottled water is not subject to the same stringent tests undergone by tap water);  the value of water filter jugs in removing impurities; liaison with other agencies eg health authority such as in the recent case in North Walsham involving the cryptosporidium organism; concern about the build-up of sand and silt in local rivers (this is the responsibility of the Environment Agency, not AW), and worries about the building of new houses on flood plains (this is discouraged by AW).

The next meeting will be the AGM on 4th September, which will include an update on Moving Thetford Forward.

July 2007

Stuart Wright also gave details of the concert to take place at 2.30 pm in the King’s House Gardens on Sunday 15th July, by the Thetford Music Project.

Stuart announced that the Draft Plan for Thetford’s Growth Point Status is available on Breckland’s website.  It is a lengthy document but worth a read, and members are invited to make their comments known.

Stuart introduced the evening’s speaker, Dr Giles Smith, who gave a informative and very amusing talk about his trip to Meghalaya in the north of India.  Dr Smith was part of a small group of health professionals on a scientific expedition to offer medical assistance to the local people.  There was no mobile phone contact so it was necessary to go back to old-fashioned letter writing.  The village is a source of water and everything takes place around the water – washing, fishing, drinking, washing clothes.  The main crop is ‘dry’ rice, grown on a new area of ground each year.

Whilst there, the group went on a two-day trek to see local wildlife but managed a glimpse only of a porcupine and a deer.

The group recorded health details of all the people in the village, including height, weight, and medical history.  Despite the lack of what we would think of as medical essentials, they were a very healthy group of people, probably due to their active lifestyle and healthy diet.  The group brought back the results of their research which has been collated into a report and a book is also available.  Stuart Wright closed the meeting by thanking Dr Smith for such an enjoyable talk.

June 2007

Danny Jeffrey reported on the visit to Spalding, which went well, and the trip to Bury to see the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, which was not so good as the Gurkhas had been called to Cyprus.  

All ten places on the visit to the Nunnery Stud are booked.  Tickets for the Strawberry Tea on Saturday 17th June are available at £3.50 each.  Helpers are needed, as are volunteers to provide cakes – please let Danny know if you are able to help .

More places are available on the trip to Hampton Court on 14th July.  The Barbecue at St Audreys (off Mill Lane) on 6 July is £6 per head.  The visit to the House of Commons has been moved to 27th November.  A boat trip on the Broads has been arranged for 18th August, from Oulton Broad, along the Waveney.  The cost, including coach and four-and-a-half-hour boat trip, is £23.

The Friends of St Nicholas Hospice are holding a Golf competition on 13th June for teams of four.  Tee-off is at 12.30 pm; pay on the day.  The fee of £40 includes food.

Speaker:  Laetitia Hilliard from the Air Ambulance was unable to make the meeting, but Emma Flack stood in admirably.  Emma  explained that the air ambulance is funded entirely by public donations, receiving no Government or National Lottery funding.  The Air Ambulance runs its own lottery to help raise funds.  The first air ambulance in the UK was in Cornwall in 1987, and East Anglia acquired its first air ambulance in 2000.  The first one had limited space, but the newer one is bigger with room to treat the patient and for a relative or friend to accompany the patient.  They carry two paramedics or one paramedic and one doctor.  The paramedics also work on the land-based ambulances.  The doctors are usually GPs who give up their day off.  There is currently a pool of 6-8 GPs on which to call.  The pilots all have first aid training, and the paramedics are trained in navigation skills.  The ambulances are leased, at a cost of £110,000 per month, which includes the pilots.  The NHS supplies bandages, saline, plasters, etc, but the expensive, high-tech equipment has to be funded from public donations.  The decision to call out the air ambulance is made by the 999 operator, and the patient is not necessarily taken to the nearest hospital, but to the one which can best cater for the patient’s specific needs.  Call-outs vary between  4-7 per day, and the ambulances can fly for up to 11 hours per day.  The Air Ambulance is based in Norwich but the crews fly first to Honington as that is the most central point in East Anglia.  Visits and tours of the hangar can be arranged and may be a future Thetford Society trip.

May 2007

Two minutes’ silence was held in respect of John Fadden, who died recently after a short illness.  John was a member of the Thetford Society Committee and Chairman of the Environment sub-committee, and will be sadly missed.

 Danny Jeffrey announced that the Ancient House Museum would be running a Family History course, starting on 24 May, from 10 am – 12.30 pm.  Contact the Museum on 01842 752599 for more information.  The trip to Spalding is fully booked, but the visit to Anglesea Abbey has been cancelled as there was insufficient interest.  A minibus is being booked for the Bury Festival to see the Brigade of Ghurkas Beating the Retreat.  The trip to Hampton Court has been changed from 6th July, as the Flower Show takes place that weekend, to the 14th July.  Admission to the Garden and Maze is £12 per person, and the bus is expected to cost £10 per person.  Danny is negotiating with the Nunnery Stud for a visit, and will co-ordinate transport there once it has been arranged.

Stuart Wright reminded members that he is a member of the Moving Thetford Forward Steering Group.  There is a Thetford Green Infrastructure Study Stakeholder Meeting on May 15th and a meeting of the Steering Group on the May 17th.  Stuart asked for any issues to be forwarded to him to raise at the meetings.  He also reported that he has had contact from the new owner of part of the Old Gaol, and has arranged a visit for members on Wednesday 16th May at 7 pm.  He has also heard that with regard to the Healthy Living Centre, the bus stop is to be moved closer to the building, and negotiation is under way to provide more parking spaces.

The speaker was Mike Wabe, who had changed from his mediaeval costume of Michael, a Sergeant Templar in the second Crusade, since his last talk to the Society, into the uniform of his day job as Prison Officer at HM Prison Wayland.  Mike is a member of the No Way Trust Ltd, (www.pmnw.co.uk) an independent registered Charity which seeks to guide and inspire young people and help them to recognise their own personal power.  In this role Mike visits schools, both secondary schools and increasingly now, primary schools, to talk about life in prison as a deterrent to children.  The law states that criminal responsibility is held from the age of ten years old; at fifteen years, children can go to prison – Young Offenders Institutes for boys and ordinary prison for girls.  Children younger than fifteen would be admitted to a secure home.  HM Prison Wayland has 709 inmates, of which the youngest is 21 and the oldest is 82. 

Mike gave a potted history of jails, and of the court and judicial system, from its beginnings in 1166 when the first jail was built by King Henry II in Newgate; the use of ships as floating prisons in the 1700s; transportation of prisoners first to North America, then to Australia from 1786-1791; the creation of the Howard League for Penal Reform, by John Howard, in 1777; the design of the ‘ideal prison’ – the panopticon – in 1791 by the philosopher, Jeremy Bentham (although it was never built as such, it was used as the model for Millbank and Pentonville prisons); the campaign by Elizabeth Fry for reform, and the founding of a prison school for children imprisoned with the mothers, in 18917; and the introduction of the Criminal Justice Act of 1948, which recommends training and rehabilitation, and is the model used today.

Mike then gave a taste of life in prison, including the removal of personal possessions, freedom, dignity, and even one’s name.  He gave a graphic description of what could be expected in daily life as a prisoner, leaving us in no doubt as to the indignities suffered. 

 Mike finished by giving details of the first Crime & Safety Awareness Day to be held in this area at Rosemary Musker High School, Thetford, on 5th July.  These are multi-agency events that include workshops, role-plays and drama, through which young people are provided with a unique opportunity to learn about the possible consequences of becoming involved in anti-social or or criminal behaviour.

March  2007

The March meeting was held on Tuesday, 6th March at the United Reformed Church. 

Danny Jeffrey announced that a raffle was being held to help raise funds towards a new PA system for the United Reformed Church.  Regarding outings, he said that the trip for the Symphony Concert was very successful and would be repeated later in the year.

Stuart Wright publicised a consultancy by Breckland about the Local Development Framework to be held on 29th March from 10 – 2 and 5 – 7 in the Carnegie Room.

Ed Chambers, Town Clerk, chaired the meeting, introducing Susan Glossop, Town Manager, and speakers: Nick Vass-Bowen and Natalie Beal, Growth Point Planners; Mark Stanton, Economic Development Officer, Senior Officer Andrea Long, Environmental Planning, Breckland Council; and Paul Crick, Head of Strategy and Performance, Norfolk County Council Planning and Transport.

Nick Vass-Bowen and Natalie Beal spoke about Thetford’s Growth Point Status and the importance of looking ahead ten years to provide support and infrastructure. GPS is a joint initiative between Thetford Town Council, Breckland and Norfolk County Councils. A study is to be commissioned to find out what’s needed in terms of physical and social infrastructure, and a green environmental study to be completed by March 2008.  These will be the first of many consultations.

Nick Vass-Bowen spoke of the key objectives in guidance for growth of housing and jobs.  He said that the details of the Local Development Framework were available on Breckland’s website (breckland.gov.uk) and that the team could be contacted by emailing planningpolicyteam@breckland.gov.uk.

Mark Stanton explained that 4000 new jobs will be needed to support the new housing.  They want to make Thetford a place in which to live, work and play, building on the Rural Enterprise Valley (REV) and Thetford Enterprise Park.

Paul Crick spoke of the need for suitable infrastructure, especially the dualling of the All which Norfolk County Council is lobbying for. A transport study will take place to monitor traffic to find out where it’s coming from and where it’s going to.

Concerns raised by members were addressed by the panel. Danny Jeffrey questioned it being called Thetford Growth Point Status when it was, in fact, mostly outside Thetford, in Kilverstone, Croxton, etc.  Andrea Long replied that it spreads outside the area but will impact on Thetford’s services, and there has been a request for an extension of the boundary.  Nick Vass-Bowen added that parishes are invited to take part in the consultation. 

Mayor Thelma Paines said that parishes will get the funds but the town will have to foot the bill. She is keen that local councilors are involved.  Andrea Long confirmed that input from local councillors will be welcomed.

Barrie Nutt said that many of the companies that had come into the area twenty years ago had now left, often because of transport problems.  He feels that dualling of the A11 is most important.  There is also a need for tertiary education to be offered in Thetford.

Someone asked why only 4000 jobs and 6000 houses?  The response was that in fact 1000 houses have already been built or planned, so it will be only 5000 houses now.

Danny Jeffrey said that at a Regional Strategy meeting, everyone was agreed that housing provision across the county is in excess of the number of jobs.

Margaret Ince was concerned that if the facilities are not there from the outset and people get used to leaving the town for shopping and entertainment, etc, they will continue to do so. She was also concerned about the amount of ‘consultation’ taking place. Mark Stanton replied that they were obliged to consult; it is important to get the views of local people.

Wendy Raphael asked how many years consultation was needed for a bus station? Andrea Long said that they were aware of the need for improved local transport, especially buses and trains, and needed to work with Norfolk County Council.

Keith Ready stated that buses have to be fully accessible by 2012, but the bus station isn’t compatible.  Ed Chambers replied that there is ongoing work and a lot of integrated planning going on.

Margaret Kent was concerned about the lack of public transport both within the town and to and from the town.  Couldn’t the council give tokens for taxis?  Paul Crick said that he didn’t know about bus timings, but any transport policy has to be integrated.

Someone asked how GPS would benefit quality and results of secondary education.  Mark Vass-Bowen said that a specialist analysis of school infrastructure had been undertaken and he is already working on projects with schools to raise standards.

Mr Pat Pearson asked whether GPS encompassed the town centre redevelopment.  Andrea Long replied that GPS covered the whole of Thetford, including the town centre redevelopment.  Ed Chambers added that Moving Thetford Forward was a major point in gaining GPS.

Charles Napier asked who the consultants were.  Andrea responded that they were specialist staff employed by Breckland. 

It was also asked whether the Carnegie Hall site was one of the brownfield sites referred to?  The answer to this was ‘no’. 

February  2007 Meeting

The February meeting was held on Friday 2nd February at the Methodist Church. 

Danny Jeffrey announced that a trip to the Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket would take place on the first weekend in April. For details phone Danny on 01842 753770.  Thetford Twinning Association will be celebrating 10 years of twinning with Les Ulis in France on the weekend of 10th – 11th March, including a dinner on the Saturday night.  Contact Barrie Nutt on 01842 754414 for more information.  Mrs Pat Pearson's coffee morning in aid of St Nicholas Hospice is on 15th March in the United Reformed Church from 10.30 am - 12 noon.

Stuart Wright said that the Society is still pursuing options for a noticeboard in the town.  Norfolk County Council had refused a request for a noticeboard outside the library.  However they are considering providing a reading room, which could also be used as a small meeting room, in the library.

The speaker was Christopher Fraser, MP for West Norfolk.  Mr Fraser gave an entertaining talk on his work as an MP, both in the West Norfolk area and in the Houses of Parliament.  He travels regularly on the A11 and understands the problems there.  He is meeting with Stephen Ladyman and will stress that the upgrading of the A11 is a fundamental requirement with the planned expansion of the town.

He told us that his area covers 85,000 people in 5 towns and 45 villages.  He spoke about the workings of Parliament and how the advent of e-mail has increased the speed and number of communications received, but explained that he is unable to take up issues on behalf of people without a signature, so a letter is needed.

There are four aspects to consideration of any decision made– national interest, constituency issues, electoral platform as a Conservative, and issues of conscience.

Regular themes in his postbag are the rise in violent crime; the perception that there are not enough police on the streets; NHS debt and cuts to the delivery of the service; concerns about the education system; worries about loss of personal freedom and bureaucracy issues; issues around local unemployment, including both the local indigenous population and migrant workers; the need for guidance for the future for young people, including the requirement for vocational skills and qualifications; issues around obligations and responsibilities as well as rights; rising levels of debt; issues of conscience such as gay adoption, abortion, euthanasia and capital punishment; protecting rural bus services; closure of Post Offices; the transport infrastructure; local infrastructure to support new houses; concern about the Fire Service.  Immigration was often raised as an issue, but it was interesting to note that of the approximately 50 people at the meeting, only about 12 were Thetford born and bred; all the others were effectively migrants. 

Mr Fraser deals with these issues through debates in the House of Commons; oral questions to the relevant Minister or the Secretary of State; written questions; Early Day Motions (EDMs) – expressions of opinion on a subject, eg “thirty MPs think that …”; or by writing directly to a Minister. 

He explained the source of some expressions now in everyday language, but which originated from the Houses of Parliament.   ‘In the bag’, which relates to the bag behind the Speaker’s chair in the House of Commons, for the receipt of petitions; and ‘toeing the line’ where sword-strapped members were instructed to stand behind lines that were more than a sword’s length from their political rivals. The order to ‘toe the line’ was used to return order to the House and to avoid a possible injury or death.

Questions from members included the relationship with EEDA and EERA, particularly in relation to the A11 upgrade; the recent description in the press of Thetford as a deprived area; whether there should be training for MPs; whether there should be positive discrimination in the selection of MPs; concerns about the amount and density of new building going on, particularly infilling; whether there should be limitations or restrictions on how many migrant workers could come to an area, which prompted a discussion on the differences between migrants, immigrants and illegal immigrants, the need for improved border controls, checks on imported cars, and education about local laws and responsibilities in addition to people’s rights.  Also raised were concerns about local agriculture losing out to imports and the need to support the local economy; environmental concerns such as the requirement for all new housing to have a carbon neutral footprint, discussion about the increase in wind turbines and other renewable energy; anxiety about the loss of the doorstep milk delivery and the associated daily contact for people living on their own; concern over the loss of a sense of community; worries about how Thetford can sustain more people when local services and the social and economic infrastructure are not being improved; and a question about whether new houses currently being built are included in the number of new builds planned for the future under Growth Point Status – when does the counting start? 

Mr Fraser issued an invitation to the Society to visit him at the House of Commons.

Copies of the transcript of his debate on Regeneration of Thetford on 28th February 2006 were available at the meeting.

Christopher Fraser is contactable via the House of Commons or via his website www.christopherfraser.com. 

January  2007

At the meeting on Tuesday 9th January, Danny Jeffrey announced that the very popular Sheringham Shantymen would be playing for the Concert Club in the Guildhall on Saturday 20th January at 7.30 pm.  Entry is £5 on the door.  Mrs Pat’s charity coffee mornings in aid of the St Nicholas Hospice will be held on 18 January, 18 February and 15 March.  

Stuart Wright informed the meeting that Radio 4 will be broadcasting a program about Thetford Market on Sunday 28th January.  He then introduced David Nicholls from Thetford Library to respond to concerns raised by library users and members of the Society.  He explained that posters had been removed from the walls of libraries across the county, not just Thetford, as part of a de-cluttering process, and because the lobby and entrance is a dead area.  It is necessary to get people to come right into the library itself. 

On the point of noise in the library, it was felt that whilst some users may find it distracting, many users find silence is intimidating.  For this reason it is permitted to use mobile phones and to hold conversations in the library.  Members of the Society agreed that silence was not necessary, but felt that the level of noise in the library was often unacceptable.  Stuart Wright asked if it would be possible to set aside a quiet area for users carrying out research and studying as this required concentration, but it was felt that this was unlikely.

Newspapers now have to be asked for at the desk as pages were being removed, making them unavailable for others.

The speaker was Rodney Back, Team Leader with St Matthew Housing.  He told the meeting that St Matthew Housing was started by Richard Carr Gomm in 1973, and that the first house was in Norwich.  They now have 600 beds in 32 towns across 6 counties in East Anglia and the Midlands.  It offers phased housing in different types of accommodation, including supported housing and moving to independent housing.  A range of staff offer support.  Residents have their own room with shared facilities and are provided with support for skills such as cooking, budgeting and shopping, and a shared evening meal.  Group homes give more independence before progressing to ‘Move-on’ flats which offer independent living but with support when it is required, with the ultimate goal of independent living. 

It was explained that homeless people, unless classed as vulnerable, have no statutory rights to housing, and that homelessness can happen to anyone and is often no-one’s fault.  On average it takes 9 years from the time things start to go wrong till someone becomes homeless, and it can happen to people from all walks of life and background.

The Association is financed by charitable donations, local authorities, the Government’s Supporting People initiative and Housing Benefit top-up.  Volunteers play a very important role, particularly in befriending.  There are working partnerships with Local Authorities, Supporting People and voluntary agencies.

The group is now based in the Malthouse project in Bury St Edmunds which offers a Heritage Centre, a conference room, a café and a training centre as well as accommodation.

Questions asked included: How many ‘revolving door’ cases does St Matthew Housing have?  Mr Back did not have exact figures, but it is far fewer since the Supporting People initiative started than when the group was set up.  The aim is for support to decrease gradually until independence is reached.

Are there any special arrangements for ex-Service people, bearing in mind R Carr Gomm’s service background?  Ex-Service personnel can use the service just like anyone else, and are treated just like anyone else.  

December  2006

Danny Jeffrey reported that the Christmas coach trip to London has been combined with another trip running from Thetford on the same day.  Final numbers are needed for the Buffet on 6th January.  A list of outings for the coming year is being delivered to all members and Danny asked members to let him know as soon as possible if they are interested in taking part, to allow him to confirm arrangements in good time.

Several members expressed regret that it is no longer possible to display posters on the notice board in the library.  It is hoped that the library manager will be able to attend a meeting to answer questions from members.

Digby Smith spoke about concerns for pedestrian safety when the Healthy Living Centre opens on Mundford Road.  There are fears that pedestrians will be at risk because of the volume of traffic in the area.  Keith Ready from Thetford Access Group endorsed this.

Stuart Wright advised that calendars had not been produced by the Thetford Society this year but Thetford calendars are available from the Tourist Information Centre.

The speaker was Rob Parker, Conservation Officer and Butterfly Recorder for the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation.  Rob’s area includes Thetford as it was not changed when the boundaries were last moved.  Norfolk’s records also cover Thetford. Rob spoke about the lifecycle of butterflies.  There are just over 30 butterflies in the area, and Thetford has a couple of extras.

The lifecycle of different butterflies varies depending upon when the cycle starts.  Most have a lifecycle of a year, but some have a much shorter lifecycle of just a few weeks.  Some varieties multibrood, and have different durations of lifecycle depending on when the eggs are laid and the temperature at the time.

Butterflies local to Thetford include the Dingy Skipper and the Green Hairstreak, which can be seen on Barnham Cross Common, although both appear to be in decline now.

This summer saw several sightings of the Camberwell Beauty and the. Clouded Yellow, which came from Scandinavia, via the Netherlands.  Non-native butterflies are seen more and more often in this country and this is believed to be due to the warmer temperatures over the last few years.

November 2006

October 2006

The October meeting was held at the Nunnery, by the kind invitation of the BTO.  One minute’s silence was held in respect of a member, Mrs Phyllis Potter, who had recently died.

Mr Graham Appleton (whose official job is Fundraising Manager) gave us a potted history of the building.  It started as a Benedictine Monastery in King Canute’s time, then as it became poorer it was transferred to some Benedictine Nuns from Lyng.  The Abbot of Bury looked after them and provided their food, but there were many raids in transit and eventually the nuns were given money and barley and corn to make their own bread and ale.  By the 14th century its income was diminishing and at the time of the dissolution in 1537 it was described as ‘very poor’.  Just after the dissolution there was a fire and the domestic buildings were destroyed.  Sir Richard Fulmerston purchased the land and the Nunnery was converted to a house known as The Place.  In 1578 Queen Elizabeth I stayed there on her Anglian Progress.

At the beginning of the 17th century a small country house was built next to the chapel remains.  The current square house was built in 1740.  The building was used for farming, grain storage and threshing and in the early part of the 20th century as a stable for racehorses.  Later a grain dryer was installed and for many years the historic buildings were concealed behind modern additions.

In 1991 the BTO moved in.  All worked stone features were revealed and conserved.  Some floor tiles date back to the 14th century.  The south transept includes a curved staircase which would have led to the nuns’ sleeping quarters. It also features a large Tudor fireplace.

After a great deal of work and costing a great deal of money the building has been given a new lease of life as the BTO Resource Centre and Chris Mead Memorial Library housed within the Max Nicholson building.

Graham then went on to tell us what the BTO does.  Essentially, it counts birds.  It gets the information from 30,000 birdwatchers.  From their returns it is able to determine whether numbers of a particular species are going up or down.  There is a project going on till 2012 in which volunteers are working on a new atlas looking at current bird distributions and there are two important surveys; the Breeding Bird Survey and the Wetland Bird Survey.  Details of all birds ringed in Britain are kept which helps keep track of bird movements.

BTO scientists work on a whole range of projects to find out what is happening to Britain’s bird habitats.  They have shown that leaving barley stubble in fields encourages finches and buntings.  They have also shown that deciduous trees, mown and rough grass and bushes are vitally important for urban green spaces.  Research into the nightingale shows that many birds have deserted woodlands and moved into damp bushy corners.

The BTO is a marvellous advert for Thetford; it has its own radio facility and broadcasts regularly.  It also brings in many visitors to our town so we should both support it and be proud of it.

Special Meeting  19 September 2006

A special meeting of the Thetford Society was held on Tuesday 19th September in the Methodist Church Hall, the purpose of which was to determine the feelings of members of the Society about the plans for redevelopment of the Guildhall and Carnegie Room to enable the Chairman to make representation on the behalf of the Society.

A DVD version of the presentation given at the Guildhall in August was played by Ed Chambers, Town Clerk, and  Susan Glossop, Town Centre Manager, after which questions were taken.  The various options were discussed, and concerns were raised about parking, retaining the character of the Guildhall and the surrounding area, the need for a central, suitable space in which to hold large events and the issue of access for disabled people.

A vote was taken.  Members were in agreement that the two options favoured were a limited refurbishment of the Guildhall (with lift to two floors but no extension to the side) and a replacement for the Carnegie Room which will hold 300 people.  The Chairman will represent the Society on these choices.

September 2006 Meeting & AGM

At the AGM and September meeting of the Thetford Society on 5th September, Danny Jeffrey gave details of forthcoming events – on September 19th there will be a special meeting to discuss the plans for the Guildhall and Carnegie Rooms, to be held in the Methodist Church Hall at 7.30 pm.  A trip to Norwich Theatre Royal to see Grease and/or Cosi Fan Tutte is planned; the date to be advised.

The AGM was held. Stuart Wright, Chairman: encouraged as many members as possible to attend the special meeting to enable the Society to agree its response to the town centre plans.  The society has written to English Heritage, backed by the town council, to press for the preservation of the Anchor Hotel.  Members concerned about it are requested to write individually to English Heritage.  Members should also submit their views on the plans for the Guildhall and Carnegie Hall.  Sylvia Wright, Treasurer, presented the accounts.  The balance increased this year and membership is up.  The Membership secretary reported 297 members plus 11 corporate making 308.  The Society is stronger and meetings and events are well attended.

Danny Jeffrey reported on activities.  The Society has had excellent speakers over the past year.  Trips have been well attended but members are asked to book places promptly.

There being no new nominations, the Committee was re-elected en bloc. Members are encouraged to approach committee members with any thoughts, comments, concerns, etc.  the Committee proposed that subscriptions should stay at the same price.

Thanks were proposed to all those who helped in any way, both committee and those who worked behind the scenes. Members were reminded that details of the Society’s events were publicised via posters in the town and on the website.

After the AGM the speaker was Ian Shepherd, volunteer from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who gave an interesting and thought-provoking talk on the background behind Thetford’s growth point status and the issues that may arise if the planned 50% increase in housing goes ahead.  Recent changes have been dramatic.  The increase is driven by the Government’s desire for economic growth even at the cost of possible overcrowding, social and infrastructure problems.  Growth point status is supported by Breckland Council, Moving Thetford Forward group and local landowners.  Questions were asked about the infrastructure to support the extra housing, the type and quality of jobs available (will people commute to Cambridge, Norwich, London?) shops, support services such as water supply and sewage systems, transport, facilities for children.  It was felt that Breckland Council equates more people with progress.  A member asked when the Thetford Society and the Town Council were going to get together to fight the plan?  Stuart Wright replied that the Thetford Society feeds into the Town Council and has also been invited to a meeting to discuss the growth point status.  Ian Shepherd felt that it is important for local groups to monitor what is happening; what sort of people are coming in – older people, families, children, workers – and what facilities will be needed for them.  He felt that it was important for members to keep plugging away, as a society and individually.

August 2006

Margaret Ince spoke about the ‘Litterfest’ litter awareness day planned for 22 August. Volunteers are needed to help with tasks such as staffing the competition table and selling raffle tickets.  Help with making a sandwich board would also be appreciated. Contact Margaret on 01842 763183.

Danny Jeffrey gave details of the next excursion, a trip to St Peter’s Brewery at Elmham on 16th September, followed by an afternoon in Southwold.  The bus leaves Thetford at 11 am and the trip will cost £8.  Contact Danny on 01842 753770.

Stuart Wright gave details of an archeological activity day arranged for children on 13th August. 

Stewards are needed for the Dragon Boat Races event on the same day. On 22 August there will be a presentation about the Carnegie Room, and on 19th September a meeting will be held in the Methodist Church Hall in Tanner Street at which Susan Glossop will be present. For more information phone Stuart on 01842 754166.

The speaker was Mike Wabe, who took us back to the year 1175 and gave a fascinating talk about medieval times, explaining the way life was lived then.  He showed the clothes that would have been worn by the various classes of people and also demonstrated different types of armour, protective clothing, tools and weapons.  The misconception of the ‘Lincoln green’ clothing allegedly worn by Robin Hood was explained as Lincoln grene, a type of wool and not green at all.  Mike also talked about the food that would have been eaten and the origins of our (pre-decimal) money, explaining how the ha’penny was literally a penny cut in half and a farthing was half a ha’penny (a ‘four thing’).  The pound got its name as the number of pennies making up a pound sterling weighed one pound.

June 2006

At the June meeting of the Thetford Society, Pip Wright, former teacher turned writer, gave an entertaining talk on sources of local history from old newspapers. He explained how details of life in previous times could be discovered through reports and adverts in newspapers of the day and how he had used them as sources of information for his books, both fiction and non-fiction.

There were tales of East Anglian smugglers, highwaymen, poachers and criminals, reports from local courts and details of sentences imposed including hangings and transportation. Closer to Thetford we heard stories of the local postman whose horse was stuck in a bog overnight after they became lost in a snowstorm, and of reports of noise disturbance from a rowdy travelling theatre in the town.

May 2006

A minute’s silence was held for the late Bill Marriott. 

Tara McEnaney gave an update on the work of the Tourist Office, including the Town Trails and Information Leaflets; the website, a number of themed events which had been held and the Dad’s Army Tours.  Projects planned for the future include the erection of information boards around the town, a Family Activity Trail, Dragon Boat races and a Family Fun Day in August, and securing funding and a permanent home for the Tourist Information Centre itself and its staff.  Questions were asked about the Charles Burrell Museum, the Railway Station, proposed locations for the TiC, and the Golf Club.  The Dad’s Army Extra Time promotional DVD was shown by Stuart Wright, and enjoyed by all present.

April 2006

The Thetford Society met on Tuesday 4th April at the United Reformed Church.  Danny Jeffrey spoke about the campaign to keep the Anchor Hotel building, and Stuart Wright asked for those people who would be prepared to receive their newsletter by e-mail, to cut down on printing costs and delivery time, to e-mail janet-fuller@lineone.net.

Ron Overton, Chief Executive of the St Nicholas’ Hospice, then talked about the development of the Hospice since its beginnings in the Thetford area over 20 years ago. He spoke of its work, including family support, education, spiritual support and fundraising.  He stated that although a large number of patients from the South Norfolk Primary Care Trust's area use the Hospice’s facilities, the Trust provides less in terms of funding than other local sources.  Members who feel strongly about this could write to:

Chris Humphris, Chief Executive

Southern Norfolk PCT

The Courtyard

Ketteringham Hall

Ketteringham

Norfolk

NR18 9RS

A copy should be sent to Ron Overton, at the St Nicholas Hospice, Macmillan Way, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 2QY.

The long term aim of the Hospice is to provide more beds, some of them in a small unit in Thetford so patients can stay in their local area instead of travelling to Bury St Edmunds.  

Danny Jeffrey concluded by reminding members that a barbecue to raise funds for the St Nicholas Hospice will be held on the William Gentle Land, Spring Walk on May 10th starting at 6.30pm. 

March 2006

Baroness Sheppard, the speaker for this meeting, was delayed slightly so Margaret Ince gave an update on the Thetford Litter Campaign.  The aims of the Campaign are not to litter-pick, but to raise awareness and educate people on the problems litter can cause to health, the environment and to wildlife, and remind people to put all litter in a bin or to take it home.  A Litter Awareness Day will be held in the town on 4th April.

Baroness Sheppard then entertained the packed hall with tales of her work and life, and some of the characters,  in the House of Lords, which was extremely interesting and amusing.  Following some of the anecdotes, I won't be able to take 'Today in Parliament' seriously now).   Baroness Sheppard then answered a number of questions from the floor. 

February 2006

The meeting was held on Tuesday 7th February.  Neil Stott, Chief Executive from Keystone Development Trust, spoke about the work being done by Keystone in Thetford.  He talked about the work that had been done over the past three years and ongoing projects, which include a variety of schemes for children and young people involving music, games, IT, skateboarding, the Big Sitting Room and educational work such as the training centre to teach carpentry and bricklaying skills.  For the community in general there were initiatives such as Greenventures furniture recycling, educational work through Hallmark and an eBay sales agency which is just getting under way.

Questions were asked about resources for children after school and at weekends, the lack of a youth club, levels of education and the closure of the minibus service.

January 2006

The January meeting was the Christmas party. See the Past Events page for more details.

December 2005

Thetford's Roads was the subject of a talk at this meeting of the Thetford Society.  Chris Stevenson from Mott McDonald took the place of Richard Doleman from Norfolk County Council, who had been called away, and spoke about the County’s Five Year Transport Plan and Market Towns Strategies for the county, including some small traffic management schemes and enhanced footways in Thetford and some 5,500 new houses planned for this area.  Questions were taken on issues relating to Thetford itself and felt to be a high priority, including the impact of large new housing schemes on the current roads, the dualling of the A11 and a possible link road, environmental issues stemming from the current high volume of traffic in and around Thetford, problems with traffic and road safety in Croxton Road, the proposed new bus station, access to the railway station and the need for an integrated transport system (bus and train links) for Thetford. The next meeting is the Christmas Party on 6th January in the Carnegie Room.

November 2005

Around 60 people attended this meeting to listen to Jim Bacon, BBC weatherman, give a talk on his work.  Jim spoke about how he came to present the weather forecast on the television and his experiences whilst he was presenting.  Jim, who lives locally and is a Thetford Grammar School old boy, gave a most entertaining talk.  Afterwards he answered questions from the audience about his experiences, and about the weather in general.

October 2005

On Thursday 20th October the Thetford Society hosted a talk in the Methodist Church Hall by Heather Wallis from the Norfolk Archaeological Unit.  The talk focussed on ancient burials, buildings and finds from the most recent archaeological excavations in Thetford.  These included sites in Minstergate and Croxton Road, as well as Thetford Grammar School, the Ancient House Museum and Redcastle Furze Primary School.  Around 40 people attended and were shown slides showing the finds, some dating back to the Iron Age, and including a number of skeletons.