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Week beginning March 15th 2004
Hedon Navigation Trust : this week
sees the start of a technical assessment to establish the viability
of the project to restore the navigation to the ancient Haven at Hedon.
Funded by private donations, grants from DEFRA and the EU, under the
auspices of the ERYC 'Leader + ' scheme, a full scale Project Forwarding
Scheme is to establish how the water will be restored and how any archaeological
remains will be incorporated into the scheme. The Hedon Haven Navigation
Trust has commissioned the study, by Ove Arup and Partners and the results
are expected in early summer.
Because Hedon was once the eleventh largest port in England and a medieval
'new town', an Archaeological Desk-Top Survey had to be commissioned
and is now complete. There is still a long way to go, but as soon as
the scheme is proved feasible a public presentation and exhibition will
be mounted, featuring all the details of the scheme and thereby enabling
the public to share in this exciting project for Hedon and Holderness.
Fort Paull and the Blackburn Beverley : I have just
(10/03/04) finished reading a “letter to the editor” in
the Mail about the recent purchase of the Blackburn Beverley aircraft
by Mr. Brian Rushworth, owner of Fort Paull. It’s not the first
item I’ve read on the subject and most seem to think that the
plane has nothing to do with the village and ask the question –
why Paull? So I am about to put the record straight.
On March 30th 1974, half the village (or so it seemed) went along to
Paull Airfield to witness the landing of the last flying Beverley aircraft.
Most, it must be admitted, expected it to sink up to its axles (or even
deeper!) when it touched down on the grass airstrip but surprisingly
it didn’t and trundled to an uneventful halt, never to fly again.
I know this to be a fact because I was there.
The Beverley was subsequently gutted and converted into a clubhouse
for Paull Aero Club (complete with bar) and there it remained until
1983, when the airfield and aero club closed and the Beverley was sold
on to the military museum in its namesake town.
The letter in this week’s Mail questioned the motives of its
current purchaser and so, intrigued, I contacted him for his statement
on the matter. “Our motives,” said Mr. Rushworth, “are
very simple. We wish to display and preserve the Blackburn Beverley
for present and future generations in a safe and secure environment
at Paull, where it made its last landing. It remained there until 1983
without suffering any major corrosion. At the time the only other Beverley
was in the custody of the National Aviation Musem at Hendon, who sadly
allowed this aircraft to deteriorate and (to use a phrase from the letter)
return to nature.” The demise of the Hendon aircraft has been
to the current Beverley’s benefit, as salvaged parts have enabled
it to be fully restored.
I was also intrugued with the implication of political interference
so put this to Mr. Rushworth too : “The enormous expense involved
in the purchase, dismantling, relocating and reassembling this aircraft
will take most of the museum’s reserves for the next few years,
so we would be very grateful to know how a short-term profit is to be
made. As for politics, I find it hard to understand how even the most
astute politician could influence the outcome of a sealed tender.”
Fort Paull museum is a registered Not-For-Profit organisation and they
are in the process of setting up the Blackburn Beverley Charitable Trust.
They are already welcoming many school, parties as well as family groups
and individuals, and there is much to interest all ages. For details
of the Fort (including opening times and displays) you can either visit
the website on http://www.fortpaull.com or telephone 01482 882655.
Art exhibition in Hedon : Wyvern Arts are a group
of artists all living and working in Holderness and they are holding
an exhibition to mark the launch of their new website, http://www.wyvernarts.com
. This is being held in the Council Chamber in Hedon Town Hall, St.
Augustine’s Gate, and will be open from Tuesday March 16th to
Friday March 19th betweeen 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. each day, admission
free.
Police Band Concert in Hedon : tickets are now on
sale for a concert being held in St. Augustine’s Church, Hedon,
with the kind permission of the Vicar and members of the Church Council.
In it the Humberside Police Band will be presenting their springtime
programme at the invitation of the Mayor of Hedon, Councillor Mrs. Ann
Suggit. The concert will be eheld on Friday, April 16th commencing at
7.30 p.m. and tickets, available from the Town Hall (telephone 01482
898428) Bamford Digital (896166) and Frames of Hedon (890214), cost
£5 each. Light refreshments will be served during the interval,
and all proceeds will be shared between the Mayor’s Charity and
St. Augustine’s Church.
The following church services will take place on Sunday March
21st (Mothering Sunday)
Hedon : St. Augustine’s Parish Church : Sung Eucharist at 9.30
a.m.
Hedon Methodist Church, Church Lane : communion service at 9.30 a.m.,
morning service at 10.30 a.m., evening service at 6.30 p.m.
Saints Mary & Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Baxtergate, Hedon :
Daily Mass times : Sunday 10.30 a.m., Monday 9.15 a.m., Tuesday 9.15
a.m., Wednesday 7.30 p.m., Thursday 9.15 a.m., Friday 7.30 p.m., Saturday
6 p.m.
Hedon Pentecostal Church meets every Sunday at 10.30 a.m. in the Jubilee
Room of the Alexandra Hall, St. Augustine’s Gate; a Sunday School
is also held at 10.30 a.m. every Sunday.
Paull : St Andrew’s Parish Church : Family Service for Mothering
Sunday at 11.15 a.m.
Paull Methodist Church, Main Street : no service this week – next
service will be on Sunday March 28th at 3.00 p.m.
Preston: All Saint’s Parish Church : (third Sunday in the month)
- service of Holy Communion at 11.00 a.m.
Preston Methodist Church : morning service at 10.30 a.m.
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