H&F u3a NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024

Welcome to the autumn Newsletter.  Many thanks to all members of the branch who have contributed articles.

A WORD FROM THE CHAIR

We had another hitch at the June meeting when the scheduled speaker pulled out at the last minute.  Fortunately, Muriel was able to organise a last-minute replacement in David Evans who gave an excellent talk on BBC Radio broadcasts to France during World War II.  We are very grateful to David for stepping in at short notice.

I have printed some posters advertising our Open Day on 10^th September.  You may be able to spot some of these in local libraries, health centres, etc.

After many years serving on the committee faithfully, both as Chair and now as Vicechair, Pamela Keep has decided to call it a day after November’s AGM.  Vicechair is an essential role on the executive committee and, under our constitution, we cannot continue as a u3a without somebody taking up this position.  The role description can be found at Role Vicechair.  The role is not onerous and so if you would like to volunteer for it, please contact me at comsec.u3ahf@gmail.com.

HOW FAR CAN YOU TRAVEL FOR £10?
by Amanda Laman

I was lucky that the age of majority was reduced in 1969 allowing me to take advantage of the £10 migration scheme without my parents’ permission.  My father was in the navy and hence we had moved house so many times and I had been to so many schools that at times I found it hard to identify where I actually belonged.  When yet again my parents announced that they had decided to uproot from Emsworth to Hayling Island, I finally had had enough.  The only place I could afford to go was…Australia! 

The preliminaries were surprisingly easy – having undergone secretarial training I was designated as having a professional trade unlike many university graduates.  My chest x-ray was clear and before I knew it, I was booked on a plane to Sydney.  All your worldly belongings are to be packed in a suitcase, so my mother insisted I wore 4 sets of clothes and had towels etc pinned into the coat slung around my shoulders.  My suitcase was full of tennis racquet, paintbox and various other nonsensical items.  Of course, I nearly died of the heat on board the plane and had to keep nipping to the lavatory to divest myself of yet another layer of clothing, re-emerging with plastic bags of items. 

The plane landed at various airports en route to refuel but the most exciting time was over Hong Kong when we were hit by lightning, causing injury to an air hostess and the man in the seat behind me to have a heart attack.  We had to stop over in Hong Kong for repairs which meant we were put up in a very expensive hotel overnight.  Not bad for £10.

Before disembarking, we were all sprayed with insecticide to prevent our infecting the promised land and my first sight of Sydney was seeing a banner held aloft signing “go home bloody Poms”!  Very welcoming.  I was met by a GP who had emigrated with his family from Emsworth to Palm Beach in New South Wales.  My recollection of him was of a rather serious chap but he had embraced Australia and was wearing such a tight pair of suede trousers that he was unable to get his hand in his pocket to extract the money to pay the toll on Sydney Harbour Bridge.  Interesting times were ahead.  The house was lovely with sweeping lawns down to Pittwater.  All houses in the neighbourhood appeared to have swimming pools and beautifully tended gardens.  This is the life I thought to myself.

After a couple of weeks, I started to look for work and moved into “a hotel” in Kings Cross which is a suburb of Sydney.  The hotel was actually a pub in rather a sleezy area often frequented by American servicemen involved in the Vietnam war.  Australians were also called up for the war based on a lottery of their dates of birth.  Sadly, as time went by the Australians who had served came home embittered, scarred and some had turned on their officers.  Drug-taking was rife and, like returning Americans, they were virtually shunned when their tour of duty was over.  I naively wrote home to say I was staying in a nice little place in Kings Cross only to get a telegram back from my father saying “get out quickly, it is a red-light area” … how did he know?  Well, he had been loaned to the Australian navy during the second World War!

I temped for a while, starting out at the Sydney Morning Herald which was very challenging [they did not like Poms].  I then worked for Wilkinson Sword who made farm equipment as well as shaving gear [they liked Poms even less] and then I moved on to a Real Estate Agency which welcomed me as one of their valuers was a cockney and nobody could understand a word he said.  This was in a huge open-plan office and I was astounded how everyone ran for the lifts at 5pm to go home, even stopping mid-sentence! 

On my second day as the stampede erupted, one girl fainted and they did not break step, just leaving her on the floor.  I went to see if she was ok and helped her to the train station, so she could get home.  This really unnerved me: you could drop down dead in front of them but if it was going home time, they just did not care.  The poor victim was off work for a week and, when she came back, she was bearing “googies” i.e.  fresh eggs as a gift from her mother for helping her.  The same lack of empathy happened when one of the directors had a heart attack and they demanded his work car back whilst he was still in hospital [writing him off as thereafter unemployable]!

This was contrasted with the wonderful welcome and hospitality offered when I and two friends travelled round in a Combi-van.  Households we did not know welcomed us, allowing connection to their electricity supply and other facilities.  I had shared a flat with two girls and initially we had gone to stay in the Outback with Jo’s parents who were selling their farm. 

It was so hot and there was no air conditioning, mains water or sewerage.  Water for washing was rainwater collected in tall, corrugated iron containers – you had to get up early to bathe because once the sun had been up for a few hours, it was too hot to wash.  You had outdoor lavatories and yes, you had to check there was no snake curled around the pan [they found it cool] just as you had to check the car because snakes could get in there just to surprise you.  We were taught how to fight bushfires and talk to the flying doctor on the walkie talkie.  Spiders could be challenging although rarely lethal. 

Wirrabara, where this farm or station was, did not allow alcohol to be drunk after about 9 pm so you had to get in the car and drive over the city boundary which could be 5 miles up the road and then carry on imbibing there.  Some so-called cities only consisted of about half a dozen properties.  I went into a pub to raffle a pig and was met with stony silence as I did not appreciate “Sheilas were not allowed in the public bar”.  Imagine the response when I then tried to order a gin and tonic. 

We had many scrapes driving round in our van and certainly saw a lot of the Outback.  I finally settled in Adelaide and worked for architects who had been chosen to not only design the shop outlets for many wineries [lovely tasting their products] but also to work on settlements for aborigines in Ernabella.  We had to read up about their ley lines and observe their strict codes of conduct.  They were delightful people, and their uncomplicated way of life was so refreshing but it could be challenging as, when trying to meet a deadline, you found the main players had gone walkabout.  When the muse takes them, they just have to wander off and you have to understand.  No mobile phones or worldwide web then – it was all walkie talkies and light aircraft.  When I said goodbye to that job, they gave me some lovely aboriginal carvings which I still treasure.

One of the holidays I took was to Coober Pedy – opal mining.  A group of us set off in a minivan and were awestruck by the way they lived there.  Most lived in underground caves which was cooler and everything and everyone was covered by thick red dust.  Water was so precious that you were allotted a couple of washers per day to use for washing etc and you could buy a daily licence to allow you to “noodle” i.e.  pick through the discarded diggings to see if you could spot an opal.  In fact, one of our group kicked up a sizeable opal, much to our delight and the disgust of the miners. 

Many miners of Greek and Italian extract [known as new Australians] had borrowed so much to enable them to continue to chase the elusive big find that they were really desperate.  The population there was several hundred men and only a few women.  The women in my group had a shack to sleep in at night with an armed guard sitting outside!  When we ate in the canteen, I was astonished to find that I knew the waitress – we had been to school together [mind you, I had been to so many schools, perhaps it was not so strange].  I was given a handful of small opals by one of the miners and I shared them with my group, telling him that was what I was doing so he did not get any proprietorial ideas.  I could see why they became obsessed there – after a few days, even turning on a tap gave the illusion of opals pouring out.  I think if we had stayed any longer, we might have been similarly addicted.

I loved my time in Australia – I had stayed 4 years [it was mandatory to stay 2 years or reimburse the fare out], but my father was diagnosed with Parkinsons and I was asked to return home.  I had never been away from home before this adventure and really felt it was time to go back.  However, it took a good few years to stop feeling homesick for Australia and all my friends there.

HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM’S OTHER PALACE
by David C Evans

No, not one to equal Fulham Palace but the Gaumont Palace cinema, Queen Caroline Street, W6 - now the Eventim Apollo - which opened on 28th March 1932.

The difference between this and other Gaumont Palaces in the country was that the Hammersmith theatre complemented the studios of the Gaumont-British Picture Corporation in Lime Grove, W6, where many very popular films were made in the 1930s and 1940s.  For example, Hitchcock’s “The Thirty-Nine Steps” (1935) and “The Lady Vanishes” (1938), not to mention bodice-rippers like “Fanny by Gaslight” (1944), with James Mason and Phyllis Calvert and “The Wicked Lady” (1946), with James Mason, again, and Margaret Lockwood.  All shown in the sumptuous auditorium, seating just over 3500, reached via well-designed Art-Deco foyers.  This was appropriately contained behind a red brick exterior which at 190 ft in width was one of the longest, for a cinema, in the whole country.

From 1937, the “Palace” was dropped from the title and the building became quite simply the Gaumont but its palatial appearance and reputation as a top movie venue continued with major Technicolor pictures such as “Ramona” in the same year and Walt Disney’s sensational first full-length cartoon, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” the following year.  Another interesting picture, from today’s point of view, was a futuristic British film, made at Lime Grove, entitled “Non-Stop New York” (1938), which developed around a trans-Atlantic passenger flight long before such service existed.  Passengers on board had separate cabins, as on a ship and had access to a viewing platform on one side of the enormous aircraft - in reality no more than a small model used for exterior shots.  I wonder how the Gaumont patrons of 1938 would have reacted to any prediction that one day in the future hundreds of such aircraft a week would be filling Hammersmith’s skies on their way to Heathrow Airport?

This was the era when massive numbers of people went to the pictures at least once a week.  World War Two and the search for “escapism” saw that figure continue to rise and reach a peak in 1946 when UK customers paid over 1,600 million(!) visits to their local cinemas.  Huge numbers of Gaumont customers flocked to see box-office hits like the Technicolor “Hello Frisco, Hello” (1943) and, the locally-made at Lime Grove Studio, “The Man in Grey” in the same year.  However, not every offering was a surefire hit with the “Evening Standard” for 17th June 1940 revealing that the Gaumont was then playing a “Mr Wong” detective movie made by what was known as a “Poverty Row” studio in Hollywood, Monogram Pictures.  These were part of a cheaply-made series, starring Boris Karloff, as an Oriental detective, meant to rival, not very successfully, the bigger budget “Charlie Chan” and “Mr Moto” pictures made by 20th Century-Fox.

By 1962, the Gaumont had been renamed the Odeon and its future as a music venue was foretold when from 24th December 1964 to 16th January 1965, it was home to “Another Beatles’ Christmas Show” featuring the Beatles, Freddie and the Dreamers and the Yardbirds, among others, with a top ticket price of £1 for the front stalls and front circle seats.  Those were the days!

HUMANITY ON DISPLAY: A HEARTWARMING TALE OF KINDNESS
by Ivy Branson

In July 2022, an incident occurred that profoundly touched me.  Hamilton Island, a small gem off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is only a tenth the size of the Isle of Wight.  Known for its luxurious appeal, it offers accommodation ranging from £75 to thousands per night.  Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Johnny Depp, and George Clooney have all stayed there—though I doubt they were bunking in hostels!

On a particular day during the school holidays, JetStar, a budget airline, flew in with 130 holidaymakers.  Another 130 were scheduled to leave, but an engineering issue grounded their flight, leaving them stranded with no available accommodation on the island.  The solution? Ferry them back to the mainland.

Upon arrival in Airlie Beach, night had fallen, and the rain was relentless.  Astonishingly, no one from the airline was there to greet the soaked and weary travellers.  In a village of just 4,000 people, there was no hotel accommodation available.  For perspective, Windsor, home to the King's residence, has eight times that population.

It was 8pm, the heart of winter, and these men, women, children, and elderly folks were cold, wet, and hungry.  The local gymnasium had closed for the night but was reopened, offering nothing more than gymnastic mats to sleep on, and even those were insufficient.  But then, something remarkable happened.  The local fish and chips shop and pizza shop owners opened their doors, providing free food.

The townspeople, likely settled in for the night, perhaps watching TV, sprang into action.  They flooded the gymnasium with offers of accommodation: "I can take two adults," "I can take two adults and one child," and so on.  Out of the 130 stranded travellers, only 20 ended up sleeping on the gymnasium floor.

You can find more about this heartwarming incident by googling "Jetstar cancellation, Hamilton Island."

When I heard this story, I was nearly moved to tears.  Who WERE these extraordinary people? These locals welcomed strangers into their homes without a second thought, expecting nothing in return, knowing they would likely never see these travellers again.  Such acts of kindness are rare and precious.  Or are they? What if there was a way to facilitate such social bonds more formally? There is!

Friendship Force International

Founded in 1977 by Wayne Smith and supported by Jimmy Carter (who became the President of the United States that year), Friendship Force International operates in 60 countries with about 360 clubs.  It is non-profit and non-religious.  In England, there are clubs in Cornwall and the Isle of Wight, among others.  The Manchester club started over 35 years ago, and Leicestershire celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.  Plans are afoot to start a club in London.

So, how does it work?  Members of one club are hosted by another club for a week, learning each other's cultures and discovering shared humanity.  Hosts organise week-long programs that encompass visits to local points of interest and participation in a variety of engaging activities such as lawn bowls, language immersion, painting, quilting, sailing, archery, sculpting, or whatever local clubs decide to arrange.  Group meals are a mainstay and are always included, sometimes in the hosts’ homes, sometimes in restaurants.  Visitors pay out-of-pocket expenses e.g.  museum entry fees, their own restaurant meals and drinks.  Hosts provide lodging and breakfast and sometimes evening meals without payment.

As a Londoner, what seems mundane to you is often fascinating to visitors.  Have you noticed tourists taking photos of the common old London bus you frequently see and probably ride every day? The street art you pass by every day without so much as a glance can be a delightful discovery for someone else.  A walk along streets with the architecture of 19th-century London, often overlooked by locals, offers a uniquely captivating experience to visitors. 

Even a walk in your local neighbourhood or in your favourite park is highly anticipated by out-of-towners and overseas visitors. 

Importantly, when a club visits another club, all travellers participate as a group to acknowledge and appreciate the host club's efforts in planning and coordinating a week of activities.

Recently, Manchester club members visited Canada, hosted by the Winnipeg club, and in return, hosted a Japanese club in July.  Visitors stay in the homes of host club members, with couples typically hosted by couples and singles by singles of the same sex.

My personal experience with clubs in Quebec, Ottawa, Lubeck (Germany), and several U.S.  clubs (Richmond, Omaha, and Harrisburg) have been enriching.  Typically, 15-17 members from my club travel together, a mix of 4-5 couples and 3-7 singles.  The mix varies.  Our club will host a Canadian club in November, featuring 1 couple and 13 singles.  Sometimes, even couples travel separately if one spouse has other commitments or dislikes travelling. 

Not all exchanges are international.  Domestic club hosting is also common.  For example, Leicestershire club may host the Isle of Wight club.  Some members prefer to host instead of travelling, finding joy in showcasing their towns and sharing their homes with visitors.  One of our members has hosted 12 times without ever travelling herself.

In a world often overshadowed by news of crime and conflict, it’s easy to forget that such people represent a small minority.  The vast majority are kind, generous, and good-hearted.  Wouldn't you love to meet them and spend a week together, enhancing both your life and theirs?

Ivy Branson, comsec.u3ahf@gmail.com.

A SHORT TRIP ALONG THE COAST OF CROATIA
by Pamela Keep

I went on a week’s cruise along the coast of Croatia at the beginning of July.  There are so many lovely places, I’ll tell you about a few of them.

First thing you should know about the Croatian language is that there are very few vowels.  They get the sounds from the accents above the consonants.  So, I will be able to type out the name of a place but pronouncing it will be up to you!

We started with a little town called Piran.  Very pretty, white stone houses with vibrant red roofs.  Most of the towns look like that.  Dotted along the coast, they invariably have a wall round them which was standard defence back in history.  Some of the towns have now lost their walls, as the local councils wanted to expand the towns.  Anyway, this is Tartini Square, Piran.

We went to another town, Pula, inland and not on the coast, which is famous for having one of the most complete Roman Amphitheatres in the world.

Mali Losinj was another lovely little place with a scented garden full of various lavenders and other plants, but my eye was taken by a lovely butterfly that I had never seen before - the Scarce Swallowtail - and another lovely black and white one.

We also went to the beautiful island of Krka.  Full of waterfalls.

We went to the island of Brac, famous for its white stone, which, when polished looks exactly like marble.  Many of the houses are built out of that stone. 

Then on to Split, famous for the Diocletian Palace. 

After he died the place was deserted for a few hundred years, then locals started moving into the empty spaces.

A schematic of the palace during the emperor’s time

Today the palace is a tourist attraction.  I have a friend who was born and lived within the grounds. 

We next went to the walled town of Korcula.

The wall still stands.  All streets on the Western side of Korcula Old Town run straight, while Eastern streets run in a shape of a small curve, to protect the town from cold and unpleasant North/Eastern winds.

We finished the cruise at Dubrovnik, which has earned itself the designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There is so much to see there, layers and layers of history.  Dubrovnik was founded by the Romans in the 7th century, then came under the influence of the Byzantine Empire, then Venice, Hungary and finally Turkey.  It is a walled city and has a lovely harbour. 

There is so much to show you from Dubrovnik, that I shall leave that for another time.  Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this holiday.

The harbour, Dubrovnik

The main square, Dubrovnik

HISTORY NEWSLETTER
from Mark Brandon

“Jot & Tittle” is a free history newsletter that is published twice a month.  It started from my work in Salisbury Cathedral archives, destined for the 500 cathedral volunteers.  It has since expanded to Wiltshire’s historical societies and museums. 

The latest editions have moved into Dorset and Hampshire and the south-west.  There are also growing numbers of individuals, from as far away as Seattle, who receive copies.  I will forward a recent example on request.

There are two particular attributes to J&T:

• it is decidedly non-academic and at times light-hearted even
• and readers can submit their own articles or correspondence for publication. 

It is also backed-up by a website: https://www.jot-and-tittle.com/ that carries all previous editions. 

I would dearly like it to become more widely known and, if members are interested, would be prepared to offer it to members for distribution as a resource for anyone interested in History.

Contact Mark Brandon at jandthistory@outlook.com .

And finally …

Our next Newsletter is due in December.  The deadline for submitting articles will be 20^th November.  Thank you again to all those who sent in contributions this time and hoping you all enjoy the rest of the summer.