Barbara ‘Phonist’ Clusky pointed out that the programme for the coming season was somewhat reduced, but perhaps more aggressive than might have been expected. This was partly a result of the splendid determination of Tarleton Brass forces to occupy the formidable ‘August’ position in the face of some opposition.

Carefully watched by independent election observers Kevin Day and Jim Newcomb, democracy then took place as the central committee members nominated, seconded and elected each other for a further year in office. A number of retiring members had apparently hoped to avoid the future struggle by being unable to attend the meeting, but the ploy failed. Noisy acclamation greeted the news that, with the genial support of the Great Leader, President Dorothy Trippier, David Clusky, Elizabeth Caunce, Kath Wright, Barbara Clusky, Trish Whitehead, Ed Clark, Gill Clark, Olive Clarke and John Nairne would be manning the barricades once again. Savage internecine manoeuvering might now be expected at the next meeting of this group to secure positions of influence, but no change is expected to result.

Following a review of progress with the new signage proposal, and a warning from The Churches Conservation Trust of the current revalence of lead-stripping theft, the exhausted participants fell upon tea and biscuits as night closed in.

Next up, at 2pm on Thursday 8th May is the annual Spring Clean of the Old Church. Buckets, brushes, dustpans, mops, cloths, polish, coffee, biscuits and friendly companionship are all laid on. All you need bring, if you fancy helping us out, is a bit of energy, some enthusiam for the task and no fear of spiders.

As I write, the sky is blue, the sun shines and the birds think spring has arrived. If it weren’t for the chill in the breeze and the patch of snow just visible on Winter Hill I might think so too. Nevertheless, it is time to turn our attention to the Old Church and our plans for the coming season.

The Annual General Meeting of the Friends will take place, in the Old Church, at 7.30pm on Thursday 3rd April. We’ll take a look at our financial position, what we achieved during the 2007 and what might come about during 2008; and we’ll doubtless be caught mumbling, shuffling our feet and trying to look invisible as a committee is elected. If you feel strong enough to face such a challenging occasion, we’d make you very welcome, and ply you with coffee and cake when the formal proceedings finish.

We mentioned at the end of last season that, without an influx of fresh help, we might have to limit our ambition in 2008. That has come to pass, although Barbara Clusky has been busy enough with calendar and telephone to give at least an impression of business as usual – and some of the regular performers were adamant about coming whether we liked it or not … (we did, of course – like it, I mean!). So, the 2008 season looks like this:

11th May 2008
Leyland Male Voice Choir
2.30pm A welcome return visit from a very well received group.
Tickets £3.00, includes refreshments.
Vintage bus running from All Saints church hall car park

29th June 2008
Gardens Open Day
The Old Church will be open from 11am to support this village event
Refreshments available

13th July 2008
Old Church Sunday (Annual Parish event)
10.30am Procession down Becconsall Lane from All Saints, with the
Silver Band, and Morning Service in the Old Church

27th July 2008
Art Exhibition
2.30pm Local artists display their skills
Free admission. Vintage bus from All Saints church hall car park
Refreshments available

31st August 2008
Tarleton Brass
2.30pm The annual concert of this terrific local band
Tickets £3.00, includes refreshments.
Vintage bus from All Saints church hall car park

13th/14th September 2008
National Heritage Weekend
The Old Church will be open from noon until 4.30pm both
days. Local produce, plants, home-made preserves, cakes, local cheese etc
Free admission

7th December 2008
A Seasonal Concert
2.30pm Maghull Hand-bell Ringers
Tickets £3.00. includes refreshments.
Vintage bus from All Saints church hall car park

Finally, The Churches Conservation Trust has found a bit of money for some signs to encourage visitors to the Old Church. We’ve been debating possible sites, and so far we are considering a replacement for the large sign which once stood over the rectory hedge at the corner of Becconsall Lane, and a fingerpost at the edge of the popular coastal footpath which runs through the boatyard. If you have any ideas, we’d be pleased to hear them: send me an e-mail or give me a ring – contact details are elsewhere on this page.

A near capacity audience filled the Old Church for the last event of 2007. The members of the Fishermen’s Friend Jazz Band played a typically enthusiastic set, starting with ‘Bill Bailey’, closing with ‘Down by the Riverside’, and taking in such old favourites as ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘Whistlin’ Rufus’ and ‘I Scream, You Scream’ on the way. Band leader Gerald Rimmer’s granddaughter, Charlotte Rimmer, added variety with well-received performances of a dialect monologue called ‘Bolton’s Yard’ and the carol ‘Bethlehem’. During the interval, since the numbers present and the inclement weather made the usual self-service arrangements impractical, Friends’ volunteers whirled among the audience with trays of mince pies and mulled wine. To add to the cheerful atmosphere of the afternoon, a basket of cheeses, donated by Grace and Peter Proctor of Greenfield Dairy, Chipping, was raffled for the benefit of our funds. Now the Old Church will settle down to the silence of its chilly Winter snooze.

Inevitably, the Friends have been thinking about a programme for next year, in the light of rather disappointing numbers at some events this year, and our own increasingly limited resources in the shape of active volunteers. Chairman David Clusky warned the audience on Sunday that we may not be able to stretch to monthly events throughout Spring and Summer, although we remain committed to seeing the building in use and thronged with people as often as we can manage. Some additional volunteers have recently come forward, so perhaps the situation will improve as the warmer weather returns.

On a brighter note, we have had an additional power point installed, making the use of electric heaters rather more practical. The Churches Conservation Trust has asked us not to use portable gas heaters, since the moisture created by this form of heating is potentially damaging to a building already plagued by major damp problems.

Finally, recent visitors to the Old Church and others strolling down Becconsall Lane may have noticed a mysterious excavation in the bank just opposite Ferry Cottage. This is in fact the remains of a well which may at one time have been the only source of fresh water for the Old Church and the scatter of older dwellings in the area. Ken Wareing, a descendent of the family who ran the ferry which, as the name of the cottage suggests, once crossed the river Douglas at this point, noticed the well on an 1815 map of the area, and decided to look for it. It’s good to see interest being taken in these important reminders of village history.

…. BUT THE CIVIC TRUST’S HERITAGE WEEKEND is fast approaching, when ancient buildings all over the country, including many not normally accessible, are open to the public.

The Old Church is participating, and will be open from 12 noon until 4.30pm on Saturday and Sunday, 8th and 9th September. Hesketh Bank Heritage Harvest, mainly organised by Trish Whitehead with the support of local growers and producers, will feature local produce, plants, home-made preserves, cakes and local cheese, as well as our own notelets, calendars and so on. Why not pop in to have a look round and a chat with the stewards on duty, and perhaps pick up a bargain!

In the meantime, why not reflect on yet another splendid concert by Gillian Bould and Tarleton and District Brass which was recently held at Becconsall Old Church.

Tarleton Brass at Becconsall Old Church

Thus A E Houseman described the bells rung ‘round both the shires’ and heard by a Shropshire lad and his lass on Bredon Hill in summertime.

There were no ‘steeples far and near’ contributing to the equally delightful music in the Old Church on Sunday, but instead those well-known and highly-skilled Handbell Ringers from Maghull Parish. For their third visit to Becconsall, they played their usual varied programme, ranging across arrangements of pieces by Haydn and Dvorak, encompassing Japanese folk song and Scottish airs and syncopating Richard Rodgers and Scott Joplin before finishing in rousing fashion with Strauss’s Tritsch-Tratsch Polka. The audience was delighted, we were delighted to welcome a larger audience (but there is always room for more) … and, in one of those strokes of optimism which characterize local volunteer groups, we booked them to come again for a Christmas concert in 2008 – date to be decided. Ring-a-ding-ding!

This was the first outing for our ‘new’ chairs, kindly donated to us by Formby Methodist Church, which is currently being refurbished. These boast padded seats in cheery red, blue or green, and the word is that they are more comfortable than those they have replaced – which we, in our turn, were able to donate to the International Aid Trust. Why not come along and try them out …… during the next formal opportunity to do so at 2.30pm on Sunday 26th August, when our good friends in Tarleton Brass will return to give us what is certain to be another lively concert. Tickets £3.00 as usual, including refreshments and the bonus coach ride to and from All Saints Church Hall car park.

Sorry for the hiatus: something unavoidable intervened. I was also unable to attend the concert by Roundelays but I’m told that the performance was first-rate. The choir sang a rich variety of songs from all over the world, usually in the original language, often unaccompanied. If we can persuade them to come again, then we’d very much like to do so, perhaps for a Christmas concert. Unfortunately, audience numbers were very much down for this excellent event, to the extent that the choir refused to accept a fee. This was disappointing for them and frustrating for us – hence my fears about the choir’s willingness to give us another try, despite their enthusiasm for the venue itself. Perhaps the sunny afternoon persuaded people that a deck chair in the garden was just too tempting: understandable perhaps in this so far disappointing summer. Just make a note not to miss them next time.

Sunday the 15th July is Old Church Sunday, when the Hesketh Bank Silver Band leads down Becconsall Lane a procession of parishioners and members of clubs and organizations associated with All Saints to attend Morning Service in the Old Church. Let’s hope the weather improves for them, although for a while before the old building was restored, this annual event took place in an adjoining field, even more at the mercy of wind and rain beating up the estuary! But they’re a hardy lot, the older villagers. As one of them explained when I politely inquired about fieldworkers’ use of string to keep trousers hoisted, “It’s the string as keeps us warm!”.

The Friends’ next event is a welcome return by Maghull Hand Bell Ringers at 2.30pm on Sunday 22nd July. Group hand bell ringing is a considerable skill, and the Maghull Ringers have a fine reputation, which they demonstrated during their previous concert at the Old Church to be fully justified. If the thought of this unusual approach to melody, harmony and rhythm chimes with you, then we’ll be delighted to see you there. Tickets as usual are £3.00, a price which includes some refreshment and, of course, a free trip on a vintage coach from All Saints Church Hall car park. Please note that some early copies of the year’s programme showed the date for this event as 15th July, but we had to change the date to ensure that we got a full band of players: 22nd July is definitely the correct date.

What can we expect to hear from Roundelay, the chamber choir appearing at the Old Church on Sunday10th June? Directed by Pamela Horswood, once a singer with the BBC, the group has been in xistence for more than 20 years, with a long list of appearances to its credit. A typical programme might range across classical, popular, folk and gospel music, often sung a capella, but sometimes accompanied by keyboard, guitar and woodwind. We can look forward, therefore, to a varied concert, put across with the skill which comes with experience, from a group of people who sing for the sheer pleasure of doing so.

We shall be warming up the building, if summer hasn’t returned, for the usual 2.30pm start. The £3.00 entrance includes some refreshment during the interval. Please catch the smart vintage coach from the All Saints Church Hall car park, or enjoy a pleasant stroll down Becconsall Lane, since there is no parking at the Old Church or in the adjacent boatyard. We look forward to seeing you there.

Currently, the Friends’ committee is looking at the possibility of replacing the existing set of chairs in the Old Church with something more comfortable and even – perhaps! - padded at the crucial contact points. Since the present batch, whilst having served us well, seem to have been freighted in from a Victorian workhouse, and apparently from the puinishment block at that, we feel that such a change could do much to improve the comfort of those of attending events. But never fear, we would retain the existing pews for those who might prefer the real 18th century experience …

Soon there was a crowd at the door and the chatter of acquaintance resumed: not a large gathering, but comfortingly sufficient for the organisers and, we were hoping, for the speaker as well.

We need not have worried. John had many an entertaining tale to tell, spinning round his search for wood, any old wood, to spark his imagination. As he and his wife toured France by tandem, ‘found objects’ sprang to his hand to become, with only minimal whittling, a floating bird or a threatening snake, carefully stored in the cycle panniers. At home and abroad, other unwanted or redundant timber from a variety of sources became the basis of his carving, many examples of which could be seen on the display tables, perhaps each of them the source of an amusing anecdote or precious memory.

He told, for example, of an afternoon at a camp site somewhere in the Loire valley, where owner and campers could be seen walking about, bent
double, peering at the ground, as they tried to find out for him how many toes, front and back, were possessed by the lively lizards, one of which he had set out to carve.

This was all well received, with a deal of laughter and and good-natured joshing, until John quietly closed with a kind of philosophy: nothing need be wasted, and something good could be drawn from the most unlikely of materials or events.

Now we look forward to our next event, at 2.30pm on Sunday 10th June, when Roundelay, a mixed choir from Southport, will be making a first visit to the Old Church. They promise a varied programme, and I’ll post more details here as they become available. Why not make a note in your diary and come along to join us?

Ah – those lizards have five toes back and front, it seems – but it took much comic peering to establish this.

The AGM of The Friends of Becconsall Old Church passed quietly enough during the evening of 25th April. We could look back on a successful season of events with increased attendance in 2006; there was sadness, too, as we remembered the loss of Richard Clarke; a healthy bank balance has allowed us to plan early discussions about making positive use of the money; we were also able to donate a useful sum to the Churches Conservation Trust; and an interesting programme had been arranged for the new season.

There were few changes: David Clusky remains Chairman while Barbara Clusky is still Events Organiser, both beavering away well beyond the limits which those titles might suggest. As Treasurer, Elizabeth Caunce continues to keep her watchful eye on our finances. Our remaining President, Dorothy Trippier continues to offer us good advice as a member of the committee, as do Trish Whitehead, Olive Clarke, Gill Clark and Edwin Clark, each in their own invaluable way. Kath Wright, an old friend but newcomer to the committee, takes over as Secretary, and John Nairne continues to look after publicity and to keep this web-page updated. Hidden behind the scenery, as a sort of deus ex machina with a smoking PC, John Dale provides much necessary support with batches of programmes, posters and other material. He is one of a number of people who provide essential help without taking on an ‘official’ role.

The season’s programme has now been finalised – a mix, as usual, of
newcomers and old friends. Incidentally, if anyone reading this has any suggestions for an event which would fit well into the old building, we would be glad to consider it. Just use the e-mail address on this page to contact us.

13th May A Load of Old Rubbish
2.30pm (T) John Townson describes and demonstrates creative and artistic uses for recycled wood.

10th June Roundelay
2.30pm (T) A mixed choir from Southport experiences the Old Church’s superb acoustic for the first time.

8th July Old Church Sunday
10.30am Morning Service – an annual parish event starting with a band-led procession to the Old Church.

15th July Maghull Hand Bell Ringers
2.30pm (T) A welcome return for a talented group.

26th August Tarleton Brass
2.30pm (T) A valued and lively annual concert, not to be missed.

8th & 9th National Heritage Weekend
September Hesketh Bank Heritage Harvest, open from 12 noon to 4.30pm both days with local produce, plants, home-made preserves, cakes, local cheese etc., and displays of village history.

25th Nov It’s Too Early to Call This Christmas!
2.30pm (T) The Fisherman’s Friend, an unusual jazz band from Banks, return to offer some seasonal cheer.

Admission to events marked (T) is £3 (children half price), this includes refreshments and free transport by vintage coach from the All Saints Church Hall car park in the village (there is no parking at the Old Church or in the adjacent boatyard).

Finally, our first committee meeting of the new season will take place on Thursday 10th May, starting at 2pm. I mention this because the intention is to follow this with our annual spring clean – for those of us who remain physically able to wield the necessary tools, anyway! If you’d like to help, give us an hour or so to exhaust the jaw-jaw and join us for coffee before we open the tins of polish and elbow grease!