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TANSLEY LADIES GROUP OFFICERS

Chairman: Diana Dakin

Secretary: Mary Eatherden

Treasurer: Mary Templeman

Catering Officer: Norma Maskell

 

LUCKY OR WHAT? 
A report on the Ladies Group August barbecue

 by Diana Dakin

Lucky - or what?!!  That’s what Tansley Ladies, their family and friends were last Saturday (14th August) evening; after rain - some torrential - on and off for most of the day, the clouds cleared, and by 7 o'clock when our barbecue at the home of Val and Bryan Wildgoose was kicking off about 60 of us were able to enjoy a very pleasant evening.

Bryan had erected three gazeboes, to be on the safe side, but they were not essential to the evening. Bryan and his able helper, Matt Maycock did a sterling job with the cooking, and Richard Dakin poured the squash (!) with his usual jocular flair! 

It was a lovely evening shared by young and the not so young, enjoying a relaxing summer’s evening in delightful surroundings with good food, good liquid refreshment and most importantly - good company.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS!

23rd August 2010

 

LADIES GROUP CAROL EVENING RAISES £100 FOR VILLAGE HALL

Tansley Ladies Group raised £100 for the Village Hall Restoration Fund at its Carol Evening on 11th December 2009.

Ladies Group Chairman Diana Dakin says:

"Despite a dismal night outside, there was warmth and comfort (on the new chairs!) in the village hall as many - young and not so young came to enjoy our Carol Evening. It was a delight to hear the schoolchildren sing their three carols, after which mulled wine, sherry and mince pies were served by the ladies, the drink helping to lubricate everyone's voices for the second half!

"The evening would not have seemed complete without three delightful carols by the late David Brewster - carols that are unique to the village. Through the singing of these carols he will always be remembered for his musical contributions over the years.

"Our three-minute Cinderella panto caused much laughter as did other readings throughout the evening. The event was brought to a close with a gift presentation by Diana Dakin to pianist Bill Templeman on behalf of the Ladies Group in recognition of the fact that he has played at nearly all the group's 25 Carol Evenings.

 Ladies Group Kitchen Stall a Great Success!

Ladies Group chairman Diana Dakin reports that the Ladies Group had an excellent kitchen stall at the The Gate's Ladies Charity Night on November 19th. The stall (well placed between the flowers and chocolate tables!) made a total of £84, of which £40 was donated to The Gate to support its chosen causes - Tansley Primary School and Ashgate Hospice. The remainder went into the Ladies Group's own funds.

Diana says: "Many thanks to all those ladies who supplied our stall and to those who came and supported a most enjoyable evening at our very own local."

 

 

TANSLEY LADIES GROUP

For further information, Email Diana  or phone 01629 55530

TANSLEY LADIES GROUP – 1959 to 2010

By Diana Dakin

“The group has survived through the years, mainly because its members enjoy life and enjoy meeting up with others in the village.”

 

A Young Wives’ Fellowship was formed in Tansley on 12th January 1959, opening with a party held at the Rectory by kind permission of Mrs Cordes the vicar’s wife, and attended by 24 ladies. In March of the same year a committee was elected.

 

In those early days the group met fortnightly, members paying 6d (2.5p) each time. Speakers were invited to every other meeting and on alternate weeks the group made its own entertainment, such as play reading, listening to records, sing-song and beetle drives. By the end of April in the first year, the fee was raised to a shilling (5p) as the venue was to be moved to the village hall, which would cost five shillings a night to hire.

 

The Minute Books highlight the interesting history of the group over the last half a century. Many of the speakers at the group's earlier meetings concentrated on providing help with new electrical gadgets, which were coming on the market at a rapid pace.

 

By the year 2000, 38 members were each paying a yearly subscription of £4, and a 20p raffle took place at every meeting.  

 

In those early years, the group thrived and provided parties for the elderly members of the village. As the years passed more and more members looked forward to taking their turn to sit back and enjoy the parties themselves, but sadly the dwindling number of younger members made party preparations increasingly difficult, and the last party was held in May 1999. Cream teas were provided by the ladies for the next two years but sadly they also ceased.

 

For a number of years, a children’s party was also held, and in fact the group seemed to be the main force behind any social events in the village. The harvest suppers were organised – and in 1964, the £3 raised from the sale of the produce was given to help buy robes for the church choir. Village pantomimes, written by Joyce Leaney (a Ladies Group member) and produced by Peter Clark, were performed by members until the formation of the Tansley Players in 1970. The group also organised dances, including one on Field Day, Halloween parties, discos, Bonfire Nights, carol singing, Christmas bazaars, fashion shows and treasure hunts.

 

Since 1985 the group has also organised village picnics (some turning out wetter than others!) and  race nights (played with wooden horses crafted by Nigel Griffiths, two large sponge die and a plastic track running  three-quarters of the way down the hall). It also put on an art exhibition featuring Tansley artists Enid Sewall, Kevin, Norma and Leavon Archer, Rachel Brewster, Eileen Wilding, Linda Winder, Gilbert and Margaret Seymour, John and Patrick Eatherden, Duncan Rose and Peter Duggan. An Any Questions evening was also held, and panel member Patrick McLoughlin, our local MP, arranged for the group to visit The House of Commons; we left early on a snowy April morning, slipping and sliding up Nottingham Road onto the moor with snow showers falling nearly all the way to London! A carol evening is now held within the comfort of the village hall, with a good break for sherry and mince pies to lubricate everyone’s vocal chords!

 

In 1963, the name of the group was changed to The Tansley Wives Fellowship, as it was felt that some members could no longer be viewed as young! The name changed again in 1972 – to The Tansley Ladies Fellowship – meaning that you did not need to be married in order to join – and again in 1985 when the group became known quite simply as the Tansley Ladies Group.

 

In 1980 the number of members attending meetings on a regular basis dwindled drastically and the group was nearly disbanded. However, in 1982 it was agreed to meet only monthly (the first Monday of each month) and to end the year in July with an outing of some sort – theatre, barge trip, mystery trip etc. The idea of a village walk was also born – a walk ending up for refreshments at the Royal Oak, The Tavern or the Gate. More recently we have walked up to Riber Manor, the home of Colonel Walton, or Heatherfield Lodge on Lant Lane where group member Val Wildgoose lives both having the most delightful gardens to enjoy; when meeting at the latter venues, a group of expert sandwich makers convene at 49 Riber View Close in the afternoon and then the refreshments are taken there ready for the weary walkers to refresh themselves before the walk back. Some of the ladies who find the walk a little too far, meet up just for the refreshments and a good old natter! The group would not meet in August, and the AGM was to be held in September.

 

Over the years, the group has managed not only to provide parties for the children and senior citizens of the village, it has also been able to help the village school, playschool, the church and the chapel, and in acquiring the village Fete Field. Donations have been made to various charities but mainly to the Air Ambulance Service and to the Whitworth Hospital Minor Injuries Unit which has included the provision of an Oxygen Probe.

 

The group has survived through the years, mainly because its members enjoy life and enjoy meeting up with others in the village.

 

In 1982, the group celebrated 25 years when 19 members attended a meal at the Black Swan, Ashover, inviting founder members. On 18th January 1999, more than 60 past and present members (including four original committee members – Rosemary Mantell, Jean Clark, Margaret Lomas and Agnes Slack – celebrated the 40th anniversary with lunch served in the Village Hall and memorabilia displayed creating much interest. Brenda Travis, a founder member of the group was presented with a bouquet of flowers in recognition of her loyalty and continued membership, being the group’s longest serving member.

 

January 12th 2009 marked exactly 50 years since the formation in 1959 of The Tansley Young Wives Fellowship. The Ladies Group celebrated its Golden Anniversary with a dinner at Alison House, Cromford, in January, and culminating with Pimms and an evening meal in The Burlington Room within the surroundings of Chatsworth House in July 2009.

Current chairman of the Ladies Group is Diana Dakin, who has held the post since 1985. She joined the group in 1978 when she first came to live in Tansley.

Today the group has around 45 members, including three people whose involvement dates back to the group's inception - Marjorie Ramwell, Sheila Newton and Agnes Slack. Subscription is now £10 and the raffle 50p. The age range of members (without wishing to give away any secrets!) is from around 50 years to 99 years - meaning that the younger members were only just being born when the group began!

 

7th August 2010

Ladies group 2010 programme

Meetings take place in Tansley Village Hall at 7.30pm on Monday evenings unless otherwise specified.

1st February Derbyshire Dales - aspects of local life, food, work, leisure, crime etc revealed in diaries from the1680s to 1900. Speaker Ruth Gordon.
1st March The stunning collection of hats belonging to Irene Yarnell. Bring along some your own favourite hats.
19th April The Art of Storytelling - Rosemary Aspden
17th May Reflexology Demonstration - Tina Cox
7th June The highs and lows of a guided walk business - Sally Moseley
21st June Summer walk (date to be confirmed)
5th July Annual summer dinner (date to be confirmed)
NO MEETINGS DURING AUGUST
6th Septmember      Annual General Meeting (in upstairs room of Village Hall) plus a trip down memory lane
4th October A lingerie designer's amazing life - Mrs R Lovatt
1st November The astounding life of Bess Hardwick - Mary Eatherden
6th December Party date (to be confirmed)
December Carol Evening (date to be decided)

Click HERE to see more photos

TANSLEY LADIES GROUP SUMMER OUTING 2010

By Mary Eatherden 

Another evening trip out for the ladies of Tansley. This was the final one of the season and took us on a mystery tour finishing at The Rising Sun in Bamford. What a difference good summer weather makes to any outing!  In the past the weather has only been suitable for a winter’s day, but not this year. Nearly fifty ladies left The Village Hall at 6.15 pm on Monday 5th July by coach heading for a destination only known to our chairman Diana Dakin. The route ran through Chatsworth Park, Froggat Edge (where we stopped to enjoy the view and drink wine and eat nibbles), past the Longshaw Estate and onto The Fox Inn where we turned left and people began to make assumptions as to our destination - but almost immediately these ended and only ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ could be heard in the coach as we passed through and overlooked some of the most beautiful scenery in Derbyshire. The ‘Surprise View’ is on this route. This was a real delight for not only those who hadn’t been there previously, but also for those who knew it. Of course, the perfect summer evening weather showed the view at its very best.

At the Rising Sun in Bamford friendly staff and a glass of Pimms welcomed us in the reception area from where we later went into the dining room to eat a meal that was simply delicious, attractively presented and well served. The wine flowed, the conversation rose to great heights, tributes were paid and toasts made to absent friends.  I won’t say we staggered into the return coach, but certainly our feet were light-hearted as we climbed the steps.

Thank you, Diana, for organising yet another trip and for being such a superb chairman.

July 14th 2010

 

 

A PERFECT SUMMER’S DAY

By Mary Eatherden 

Photos by Diana Dakin

It’s not always good weather for the Ladies’ Group Summer walk held annually in June, but this year everything was perfect. Nineteen members set off from the Village Hall to walk to Riber Manor (home of Colonel Dennis Walton) on the evening of Monday 21st June via Tinkers’ Bridge, Gypsy Lane and the Riber fields. The views on this route are spectacular and everyone living in Tansley should walk this route at least once! Ten members who were not so ‘fleet of foot’ met up with the walkers at The Manor.

Chairs and tables had been put on the lawn in a setting of tranquil beauty.The garden had interesting features and everyone was free to wander along the hidden paths and discover further intriguing delights.

During the evening Colonel Walton gave a short history of the Manor which is a Listed Building dating back to 1633. He also generously gave guided tours of the building for three groups that showed its ancient origins and adherence to the character of the building by its decoration and contents.

When the sun set, with the wine and food gone, reluctantly members set off for home. Not so many walking back, but nevertheless still some stalwarts who enjoyed the end of a perfect summer’s day with a twilight walk through the glorious fields and paths of the area on the night of the Summer Solstice.

Before leaving Colonel Walton was thanked for his hospitality and for allowing everyone to enjoy his beautiful house and garden on a wonderful English summer’s evening. 

 

Ladies Group members enjoying themselves!

Trip to Knightsbridge & Royal Ascot Ladies Day
organised by Hilary Connor (second from left)
(June 2010)

 

 

 

"The Highs & Lows of the Guided Walk Business" - a very enjoyable presentation

By Mary Eatherden 

Sally Moseley, well-known writer in The Peak Advertiser about walks in the Peak District with her dog Alfie, came to talk to the Tansley Ladies Group on Monday 7th June, bringing Alfie, lover of biscuits, with her. Her talk on the highs and lows of a guided walks business was given with an obvious sense of fun and joy in what she was doing with her life. It was an illustrated talk and the ladies were shown scenes, with related tales, in the Peak District, many of which were known to all, but quite a lot unknown and this prompted much interest with decisions to seek them out at some time.

Photos by Diana Dakin

Everyone was surprised at the extent of the themed walks that Sally provided: the Willy Wonka (of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame) walk that went to a hidden spot in the Peak District where a chocolatier worked to produce the most delicious sweets;  the picnic trail, with upmarket picnic meals provided at certain spots; the dating walks for lonesome couples looking for a partner (very successful we learnt – Sally has already been invited to one wedding!); the teapot trail, taking in cafes providing tea and ending at Cromford where Sally bought a hat in the shape of a teapot. She brought this to the meeting and wore it for photographs  taken with the members.

Sally’s complete knowledge of walking in the Peak District must be unique. Her website is accessed worldwide and her clients come from all over the world. What a joy to meet this lady!  Alfie’s behaviour throughout was exemplary and he was finally rewarded with a biscuit at the end of the meeting.

Recently one member, Jennifer Chadbourne, had celebrated forty years of wedded bliss with her husband Brian and during the meeting she was presented with a bouquet and card by Chairman Diana Dakin that conveyed the congratulations of the Group on this marvellous milestone in their lives.

17th June 2010

HATS GALORE!

by Mary Eatherden

Hats Galore! Over one hundred in every shape, material and colour (Oh, what beautiful colours!) were brought along by Irene Yarnell of Matlock to the Tansley Ladies Group at its meeting on Monday 1st March.

Irene modelled every hat, at the same time giving its fascinating history. Irene’s interest in hats and clothes started when she was young and she and her twin sister were dressed in matching style by her mother who placed great importance on a hat to complete each ensemble. To this day Irene finds hats irresistible and regrets the decline in their use.

Some members brought their own hats to the meeting and at the end of the evening hats were being passed around with the tea and biscuits! Irene was thanked by Pat Brewster for coming to Tansley and providing such an entertaining evening.

Perhaps one day hats for everyday use will become popular again, but who in Tansley will start the trend?

6th March 2010

Photos by Diana Dakin

Ladies Group Meeting 1st February 2010 - Celebrations! 

Diana Dakin reports:

 "At this meeting we listened to various extracts from Derbyshire Diaries, and afterwards there were refreshments with a difference: Val Wildgoose brought some wine to share in celebration of her 65th birthday and her forthcoming retirement, while Norma Maskell made some delightful birthday buns topped with pink icing. Val was presented with some flowers and a card by Val Neville on behalf of the group.

"Sue Spink was also presented with a card and some flowers, by Pat Brewster, in recognition of the Ruby Anniversary she and John had recently celebrated."  

Photos by Diana Dakin

Ladies Group Annual Dinner - "an ambience of friendship"

by Mary Eatherden

This year the location chosen for the annual January dinner of the Tansley Ladies Group was Shottle Hall at Idridgehay and this was a perfect choice. Thirty-four ladies set off from Tansley Village Hall in a Slacks coach on Monday 18th January for what proved to be a successful, joyful and fun evening.

Shottle Hall is a building of great charm and the dining room/bar spacious with modern, eye-catching décor.  Each attractive table setting had an individual card with name and menu choice tied to a daffodil with ribbon which was the original idea of an artist member Norma Maskrey. The meals were delicious, wine flowed and the ambience during the evening was one of friendship. 

The Chairman toasted absent friends, particularly Ines Boden who was in hospital, but who had originally recommended the venue, an orchid and card were presented to birthday girl Marion Gregory and a bouquet was given to Gwyneth Olive who had celebrated her golden wedding anniversary before Christmas.

Photographs had been taken during the evening but at the end of the meal a group photograph was taken in the drawing room by a staff member amidst great hilarity.   There was an opportunity to peep into other rooms in the Hall before getting on the coach for the return home.

The Group’s programme for the year is varied and the speaker at the February meeting on the first Monday in the month will be Ruth Gordon who will reveal the contents of  Derbyshire diaries relating to aspects of local life, food, work, leisure, crime, etc. from 1680s to 1900.   New members are welcome.        

27th January 2010

 

TANSLEY LADIES GROUP

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY YEAR

 

Tansley Ladies Group celebrated its Golden Anniversary in great style, opening 2009 with a special anniversary dinner at Alison House, Cromford, and enjoying a summer get-together at Chatsworth House.

January 12th 2009, the date of the first celebration, marked exactly 50 years since the formation in 1959 of The Tansley Young Wives Fellowship, as the group was then called.

See Diana Dakin's article Tansley Ladies Group - 1959-2010  to find out more about the history of the group.

Click the photo to see others taken at Alison House

Click the photo to see others taken at Chatsworth

Ladies Group Members Learn Paper Craft Techniques 

(November 2nd 2009)

Photos by Diana Dakin

Margaret Armour demonstrates how to make a Father Christmas

Ladies Group members show off the flowers they have made

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