WOOKEY HOLE W.I. NOVEMBER MEETING REPORT
Our meeting commenced with good news and a celebration. Jill
said that Sue B was making good progress following her illness and was
now at home.
Tempting chocolates supplied by Elizabeth welcomed us on
arrival. Fifty years had passed since she joined Wookey Hole W.I. and
she was given a rousing accolade.
Anne's coffee mornings remain popular and gives us a chance to
chat. Jill thanked all those who had generously filled thirteen shoe
boxes which will be given to
young people at the YMCA. It is often the only gift that they
will receive.
Clare Blackmore was our speaker. Whilst
researching the 'Looking Back' feature which she previously wrote for
the Journal she became interested in poems
written in the mid 1800's by a Wells baker. These poems give us
an insite into life in our area at the time. The baker was William
Catcott who was born in 1808
at West Horrington. Books were in short supply in the cottage but
he had a thirst for knowledge. Clare read poems to us that illustrated
William's love of nature,
animals and the strong need to write about events that he felt
strongly about. At the age of 21 William took over his Uncles bakery and
became known as 'Baker Bard'.
Clare managed to collect 125 poems which, thanks to the generosity
of Glastonbury baker Bob Burns and his family, have now been published.
His words have
been brought back to life in the city that he loved and wrote
about. William died at the age of 62. His great great nephew was Bill
Allen of Wookey and the book is dedicated to him.
Anne thanked Clare for telling us about this
talented Victorian man of Wells. Clare judged our competition for an old
picture of Wells. There was great interest in this
and many were personal photographs of times gone by.
1st Jan ....2nd Jill....3rd Pat. Flowers 1st...Sue H
....2nd Lavinia ....3rd Pat.
Come and join us for our Christmas meeting. First Mon in Dec
.2.30pm Wookey Hole Community Hall. Jill Deane
Attached is a photograph showing the old pictures of Wells
