Annual Report 2015-16incorporating

BANDSTAND

MALVERNCIVICSOCIETYCaring about Malvern

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The Society Executive Committee 2015-16

PresidentDudley Brook

Vice Presidents John Harcup OBE Nic Lloyd Ian Rowat Roger Sutton

Clive Hooper Chairman 562 214Katharine Barber Vice Chairman 566 249John Dixon Vice Chairman 574 144Valerie Gilmer Hon Secretary 575 230Andrew Huntley Hon Treasurer 899 455Bob Tilley Planning (until February)Graham Myatt Planning 567 197

Committee Members Elizabeth Adlam Trees/Editorial 892 425Peter Clement Railway 891 815Louisa Davidson Architecture 568 322 Felicity Ebsworth Distribution 560 019Meg Everett Walks/Editorial 574 884Brian Iles Plaques/Cemetery 575 336Iain MacLeod Programme 575 317Cara Roslington Archives 575 758Philip Rumney High Street Malvern 564 650

Non-Committee Members with special responsibilitiesPhilip Robinson Membership 893 490Denise Preston PublicityAnn Bartlett Bookings 561 510

ContentsPresident’s report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Chairman’s report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Weekly Town Walks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Membership Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Programme Sub-Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Editorial Sub-Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Treasurer’s report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Planning Sub-Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–7Malvern Civic Society Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Civic Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Malvern Community Partnership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The Friends of Malvern’s Railway Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Life and Trials of the Tree Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Monthly Country Walks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Malvern Spa Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Wilson Memorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Minutes of the 56th Annual General Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14–15AGM 2016 Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Holyrood House at risk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Editor: John DixonDesign and typesetting: John Roslington

Registered charity no . 111 7906malverncivicsociety .org .uk

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BANDSTANDThe quarterly newsletter of the Malvern Civic Society

Volume 58 No. 4 October 2016

President’s reportDudley BrookUnder the leadership of the Chairman, Clive Hooper, each of the 16 members of the Executive Committee and three non-committee members with special responsibilities have played a vital part in the workings of the Malvern Civic Society in the past year.

Vice Chairman, Katharine Barber, deserves our special thanks for the amount of work she has done in the organisation of the Society’s Civic Week which was once again a very successful event in drawing public attention to the work of the Society and in raising funds for charities.

Vice Chairman, John Dixon, has ably arranged the judging of buildings nominated for the 2016 Civic Award which was won by the magnificent property, Elmslie House, in Avenue Road. He has also served well in editing our newsletter Bandstand.

Chairman’s reportClive HooperThe move to the Eden Church Centre for last year’s AGM and our subsequent monthly talks has proved to be popular – warm, welcoming and comfortable on cold evenings, and a spacious reception area where we can have refreshments and chat after the meetings. Our talks have been well attended, many of our visits have been well supported and membership numbers

have steadily increased.

It has been another busy year, as is demonstrated in the records of the work of all our various sub-committees to be found in this annual report. I have to thank them and all our other volunteers for

the contribution they make to the Society’s activities. Much has been achieved, but much more needs to be done in the year

ahead, and we have to remain particularly vigilant over historic buildings at risk in our community.

During the year, two new members have been co-opted onto the Executive Committee: Louisa Davidson who chairs the Architecture Sub-Committee, and Graham Myatt who has taken over as Chairman of our Planning Sub-Committee in succession to Bob Tilley (who still remains an Executive Committee member). Meg Everett has stepped down from the Executive Committee, but she continues to be involved in sub-committee work. I am grateful to her and to Bob for their hard work over the years in their different roles and, as ever, I am indebted to all the other members of the Executive Committee for what they do and for the great support they have given me in the past year.

Dudley Brook will be relinquishing his position as our President at the AGM. He has been an inspiration to us all. A very loyal, dedicated and long-standing member of Malvern Civic Society, President for five years and a former Chairman and Vice-President, he has remained the epitome of charm and delight, steering us with his sound advice and good humour. He will be greatly missed.

We look forward to another busy year ahead. If you are not already involved, do join in our work and help us fulfil our role in ‘Caring about Malvern’.

Brian Iles has excelled in organising the erection of several commemorative plaques and also in heading the work which resulted in the new Wilson Memorial at the junction of Priory Road with Abbey Road.

There has been a change in the Chairmanship of the Planning Sub-Committee. Bob Tilley has filled this office for some years with wisdom gained from experience in planning matters and was a hard act to follow. We thank him and wish him well in his move to a new area. He will be sadly missed in Malvern. However,

his office has been taken over smoothly by Graham Myatt. Graham has already made his mark in planning matters for the Town Council and straight away made his presence felt for the benefit of the Civic Society.

Yet another year in the annals of the Malvern Civic Society can show that we have been successful in helping to preserve the Victorian ambience and future prosperity of the dear old town and in enrolling the help of a membership of over 400 townspeople.

Chairman at Bands in the Park

President feeds the Elmslie House dragon

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From the Membership SecretaryThe membership of the Society continues to grow; there are now 413 members .

You are reminded that renewal of subscription is due on 1st October 2016; a Blue renewal form is included with this mailing .

We are delighted to confirm that the annual subscription remains at £10 per member . This means that if you pay by standing order and intend to renew your subscription you need take no action . Those paying annually, by cheque or cash, will need to use the Blue 2016-17 renewal form .

Three editions of Bandstand will continue to be distributed as an email attachment to members who have supplied an email address . There is no extra charge for the emailed copy . For those members who would like a paper copy of Bandstand, there is a charge of £6 to cover printing and delivery . Please use the Green form if

you wish to order printed copies .Change of contact details:Please notify the Membership Secretary of any change of contact details — i .e . postal address, email address or phone number .Gift Aid Please consider Gift Aid if you are a tax payer . You can use the Gift Aid declaration on the reverse of the Blue form, or contact the Treasurer .

Philip RobinsonMembership SecretaryRedwood House, LawnsideAlbert Road SouthGreat Malvern WR14 3AHmembership@malverncivicsociety .org .uk01684 89349007870 329959

Weekly Town Walks Denise Preston — Town walks coordinator for Malvern town guides (John Dixon, Doreen Graham, Joan Murphy, Denise Preston, Roger Sutton and Carleton Tarr).

We have seen a steady increase over the last few years in the numbers of people

who come on our Victorian heritage town walks, scheduled at 10 .30am to 12 noon on Saturday and Sunday mornings from April to the end of September . Residents and visitors alike sign up for our walks at the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) and enjoy a relaxed tour of the town, where they view the buildings and gardens and hear about the history of Malvern .

We provide an overview across the centuries of interesting information, and those who attend come with their own anecdotes . For example, one lady whose mother worked at the former Warwick House department store mentioned the bespoke tailoring service that the store offered, and that someone would be sent to the customer’s home for fittings and consultations . We usually ask people if they have visited Malvern Museum, as this is an excellent way of learning more about the town .

This year Doreen Graham joined us on the rota, and has tackled her town tours with gusto . She is typical of the type of guide we seek: someone with a love of local history who constantly adds to her knowledge and who has a genuine interest in the people who attend . They come from a huge variety of backgrounds and nationalities; for example, on one of Doreen’s walks there was a couple from Telford alongside an Israeli businessman on a security mission!

By the end of July this year, we had had 130 enthusiastic

walkers, including a happy child who blew bubbles as he followed Carleton . On John’s recent walk a New York lady suggested we could make the walk “more interesting” if we got the townspeople and ourselves dressed up as Victorians and presented a re-enactment of the Water Cure! Are there any volunteers?

For more information on the town walks, please visit our website at www .malverncivicsociety .org .uk/walks_guided_n .htm If you wish to join our group of Civic Society-sponsored town guides, please get in touch with me by emailingpr@malverncivicsociety .org .uk or with the TIC in Church Street

on 01684 892289 . There is plenty of training available and a flexible rota which will typically give you between 8 and 11 turns to lead walks in the season, or fewer if you prefer . You can also have a gentle start and learn the ropes for a season, like the very enthusiastic Ian Foster, who we hope will be joining our regular rota in 2017 . Last but not least, I would like to thank the TIC for carrying out the administration of our tickets for the walks and for making everyone very welcome .

Weekly town walk group with Elgar on Belle Vue Island

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Ironbridge and Kelmscott were, however, enjoyed by those who did sign up .

Opportunities to see behind the scenes at the police station, the county archives, Malvern College and Just Rachel ice cream proved popular, as well as country house and church visits .

None of these activities could have happened without volunteers – those who come forward to lead the outings, for example, and Ann Bartlett who works so hard to manage

the bookings . Everyone involved is happy when members express their appreciation for the opportunities which Society membership brings – but yet again this report ends with an urgent plea for more help . To keep our programme alive and interesting we need more ideas and more people willing to lend a hand to make things happen .

Programme Sub-Committee— talks, walks and tripsIain Macleod

The Society’s programme for 2016 followed the well-tried formula of talks, walks and visits . Meg Everett reports separately on monthly country walks and deserves warm thanks for all her work in co-ordinating the programme and enlisting the support of leaders .

Having taken the difficult decision to leave Christ Church, we enjoyed new

surroundings for our talks, once again organised by Valerie Gilmer with a keen eye for variety and interest . The Eden Church Centre offers a warm welcome, comfortable seats and built-in technology – and members have been entertained and well informed about topics ranging from stained glass to William Langland to particle physics .

The June weather was unkind and meant cancellation of a planned social event and our coach trips did not attract as much support as we would have liked . Visits to Shrewsbury,

Treasurer’s report Andrew HuntleyIn much of the detail of the Executive Committee discussion over the past year, one comment struck home to me . It was that the role of the Civic Society in Malvern is to act as a facilitator rather than a funding body . As a Society, we have a modest income of around £13,000, but have been able to make an impact on Caring about Malvern in a number of ways . Here are two examples . The first is the publication of a Malvern Heritage Trail leaflet, on sale for £1 a copy . This has been a great success with visitors at Malvern TIC .

The second was our Civic Week in June with 40 events

in the programme . Many of these ‘banged the drum’ for organisations, businesses and activities in the town . One was the ‘Walk with Kilvert’ talk at Malvern Priory in aid of the Friends of Malvern Priory . Peter Chappell, the chairman, was delighted because not only did this raise £200 for the Friends but also it raised the profile of this worthwhile charity .

Your support as a member of this Society is valued because it makes a lot of this possible . We are holding our subscription at £10 per person for another year .

Editorial Sub-Committee John DixonThis sub-committee continues to publicise the Society and its activities . The quarterly newsletter Bandstand was produced in January, March and June and emailed to all members with an email address . Hard copies were supplied to those who took up the subscription scheme which is again being offered for 2017 . (Please see Membership Secretary’s report for details.) This annual report has been sent to all members free of charge .

An attractive events leaflet was also produced for general distribution . I am extremely grateful for the support of Denise Preston, Meg Everett, Elizabeth Adlam, Kevin Brewer and particularly John Roslington, whose IT skills and sense of design have made our publications so attractive .

The Speer family ofMalvern

Felicity Ebsworth

Contents

Alfred Speer (1825-1894) and the Priory Mansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Joseph Templeman Speer (1857-1876) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

William Henry Speer (1863-1937) and the Lyttleton School . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The marriage of Miss Estridge to Mr W .H . Speer, a transcription . . . . . . . . . . 4

Alfred Ernest Speer (1867-1918) and Frederick Arthur Speer (1869) . . . . . . . 5

Lionel Arthur Templeman Speer (1898-1981) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

This history of the Speer family and their association with Malvern first appeared as a series of articles in

Bandstand, the quarterly newsletter of the Malvern Civic Society, and was written by ©Felicity Ebsworth.

A life-long friend of the family, Felicity would like to acknowledge the information she has received from

Josephine Wibberley (née Speer), the late Phyllis Mann of the Malvern Gazette and Ann Backhouse, who

found the wedding photograph reproduced on page four.

John Roslington has put together Felicity Ebsworth’s Bandstand articles on the Speer Family of Malvern into an interesting booklet, which has proved popular at £2 a copy . He and John Dixon also produced a Malvern Heritage

Trail leaflet, which is selling well at the Tourist Information Centre .

Denise continues to write excellent reports for the local press and to liaise with Kevin Brewer, who keeps our website organised and up-to-date . Denise has also revised the very informative Walking Tour of Malvern which can be seen on our website .

Katharine Barber was in charge of arrangements for this year’s Civic Week, which gave the Society much good publicity, and she also emails a monthly summary of the Society’s activities to all members .

In all these ways we have tried to keep our members informed and to bring the Society to the notice of the local community .

Kelmscott Manor

Piers Plowman

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Southern Area Planning Committee but the developers held an open consultation in August 2016 with new plans . They had modified some aspects of their design, but the threat

of demolition still hangs over the hospital and this issue is yet unresolved .

Hayslan Fields Owned by Malvern St James, this land was formerly playing fields and meadowland .

In 2003, aware of the neglect of the fields by the school, local residents sought to register the land as ‘Village Green’, but failed to do so . The school management then ploughed it up and an application was soon made by a development company to build 150 houses . This was refused by MHDC and the subsequent appeal by Malvern St James was recently turned down by the Planning Inspectorate . The Society was active in the campaign to save

the fields . They are now safe for the foreseeable future, but we continue to support local pressure to restore them to the meadowlands of past decades .

Gospel Centre - Ranelagh RoadThe Gospel Centre is one of the least-known historic sites in Malvern . Founded as a community for Anglican nuns as the Convent of the Holy Name, it was occupied from 1881 until the nuns left in 1989, since when there have been several changes of ownership and increasing dereliction . The whole complex of buildings, although considered to be of ‘special architectural and historic interest’ and listed Grade II, is now on Historic England’s ‘Buildings at Risk’ list .

The buildings are important . There are four houses, built by the distinguished Victorian architects GF Bodley and Philip Webb in 1868-9 in a pioneering Queen Anne style, and a chapel, the interior of which was designed by Ninian Comper, one of the most prestigious gothic revival architects of the 20th century and a great favourite of John Betjeman .

The whole site is now subject to four planning applications, only one of which has so far been approved, yet building

Graham Myatt & Bob Tilley The Society has much to thank Bob Tilley for . He has been chair of the Planning Sub-Committee (PSC) for the past

five-and-a-half years and he has been a wise and energetic leader . I took over in February and I am grateful to him for his support since then .

The Planning Sub-Committee, in addition to the monthly routine of reviewing local planning applications, has been involved in the following six planning issues during the past year:

South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP)At long last, the SWDP was adopted on 25 February 2016 . It is now an integral part of the Development Plan for the administrative areas of Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and the Wychavon District and, with the national Planning Policy Framework, will be the firm basis for all planning decisions by these local authorities . It is hoped that the Plan has assigned sufficient land for housing to meet Government demands for the next five years and that this will put a stop to the random targeting of land by developers experienced in recent years . Since the earliest stages of the Plan’s development and through the several consultation stages, we have contributed views and evidence and we shall continue to be vigilant .

Community Hospital, Lansdowne CrescentA planning application in 2015 sought approval for complete demolition of the former Malvern Community Hospital in Lansdowne Crescent and its replacement with a care home . Malvern people remember that the Hospital was gifted to Malvern residents by CW Dyson Perrins, a major local and national benefactor . The building has innovative design features and has heritage connections both with Malvern and with the development of hospital architecture . We told MHDC planners and councillors that the building made a positive contribution to the Great Malvern Conservation Area and that we consider demolition to be unacceptable . The 2015 planning application was refused by the MHDC

Joy at Hayslan Fields decision

Convent of the Holy Name at risk

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Planning Sub-Committee

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Audley EllersliePlanning permission was sought in 2010 for this former school site as a care community creating 98 units of accommodation with associated communal facilities and landscaping, to be achieved partly through new build

and partly through conversion of Ellerslie Lodge, Ellerslie House, Cherbourg and Southlands, all between Abbey Road and Wells Road . Work has been ongoing during the past year .

This large scheme received planning permission about 3 years ago . The Society’s Planning Sub- Committee was supportive with one proviso . We wanted planning permission to be dependent on improving the left turn junction from Wells Road into Abbey Road so that large vehicles, particularly coaches,

could make this turn and avoid having to drive as far south as Malvern Wells and the Three Counties Showground in order to return to Great Malvern . This was sadly considered to be too expensive! We supported the scheme as it is of very high quality in design and renovates three important listed buildings . Audley, the developer and operator, are experienced and well-funded and we are confident (as far as is possible in these uncertain times) that the scheme will be completed successfully .

work has already begun without planning permission . We are concerned that it is by no means clear what will happen to this prestigious site or what damage will be done to its fabric . Continued vigilance is again needed .

Malvernbury, Abbey RoadMalvernbury is on an historic Malvern Spa site and is a large detached house dating from 1907-8, designed by the Worcester architect A . Hill Parker in the Arts and Crafts style . A planning application in 2009 sought approval for its conversion into eight apartments plus the construction of three town houses and a coach house . Permission for this was granted in 2012 and a further planning application was approved in 2015 . Development is underway, but we are concerned that part of the work being done is unauthorised .

We have told MHDC and have been given to understand that Enforcement Officers, who have shown themselves capable of rigorous action to stop work on other sites, are involved .

Ellerslie House

Southlands in scaffold

Malvernbury

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John DixonThe competition for the Society’s Award for a new or renovated building of outstanding quality is now in its 23rd year . Nominations by Society members and the general public were of very high quality this year .

As usual, the award committee very much enjoyed themselves inspecting each properly and were given a very warm welcome by all the owners and developers . In the end it was our unanimous decision to give this year’s award to Elmslie House . Anna and Bernard Taylor bought The Grove in

2013, renamed it Elmslie House in honour of its architect and first owner, and with total dedication and superb attention to detail in the craftsmanship, have saved for posterity an iconic Malvern mansion .

As always, I am grateful to the following members of the award committee: Katharine Barber, Dudley Brook, Peter Clement, Louisa Davidson, Philip Duckworth, Meg Everett and Cora Weaver.

Ann Backhouse has carried out research into the history of the house and I am grateful to her for writing the following account:Elmslie House, or Falston as it was first known, was designed by Malvern architect Edmund Wallace Elmslie for himself. Built in 1862, the Elmslie family lived there until early 1867 and no expense was spared in its construction or furnishing. It was described as “erected in the most substantial manner” and “very handsomely decorated and fitted up” in an advertisement for its sale when Elmslie needed to raise funds.

The purchaser was Dr Archibald Weir, a local general practitioner, who moved into the house he called St Mungho’s with his wife Fanny and two young sons. In November 1867, Fanny’s diary records “we are nicely settled in our new home, and A. likes it much” and then in April 1868 “on Easter Sunday our third son was haply born” but sadly, their happiness was cut short when Fanny died from diphtheria in 1870. During the following 34 years, Dr Weir remarried and had three more sons at St Mungho’s; he also added a billiard room to the Avenue Road side of the house in 1884.

The new owner in 1904 was George Silas Guy who let the house, now called Hazeldean. Its long-

term tenant was Dr Andrew Alexander Brockatt, Medical Officer to Malvern College for many years. In 1921, the house changed hands again and was acquired by Lawnside School just across the road, who called it Lawnside Grove. The school added a stage to the billiard room creating a small hall suitable for assemblies and performances, and the house remained a part of the school for over 70 years. There was much activity at Lawnside during the Malvern Festival years and one notable event took place in August 1932, when Dame Laura Knight used the Lawnside Grove hall as a studio to paint George Bernard Shaw’s portrait.

Returning to domestic use after the school closed in 1994, The Grove began opening its doors as a venue for numerous music and charity events, under the direction of new owners Philip and Julia Price. Happily for us, this tradition is being continued by Bernard and Anna Taylor whose splendid restoration has created once again a fine family house and arts venue. The name Elmslie House is a fitting tribute both to the architect of the house and to the man who made such a significant mark on Malvern.

Malvern Civic Society Award

Elsmlie House with details

(right)

Civic Award committee

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Two new venues were used, Elmslie House and the new Lewis Lecture Theatre at Malvern College . The design of the programme was also changed to make it easier to put in your pocket and with an eye-catching picture of Malvern on the front; it was generally liked .

The plaque (right) to celebrate the mulberry tree, nurtured in Australia and then in a secret location in the UK, was unveiled by Di Foster from Malvern, Australia, on the Opening Day . It replaces a mulberry tree originally planted in Priory Park by George Bernard Shaw in 1936 .

I would like to thank all those who supported the events . Many thanks also to the team of Andrew Huntley, Elizabeth Adlam and Roger Sutton for the considerable time given to organising Civic Week and to all those organisations who took part .

We are now wondering what to do next year and your comments and suggestions would be welcome .

Malvern Civic Society Schools’ Literary Competition 2016Katharine Barber

The theme this year was ‘Malvern & Me’ and it was obvious that most of the writers appreciated their home town and especially the Hills .

Whilst we would have been happier if more schools had taken part, those who did produced some very good entries .

The overall winner was Seb Roberts from the Elms; Secondary School winner was Thomas Winters from the Chase and the winner of the Primary Schools category was Elizabeth Jacob (pictured) from Malvern Parish . Prizes were given at the opening ceremony by Councillor John Raine, Chairman of Malvern Hills District Council . All the entries were displayed at The Cube during Civic Week .

Many thanks to those who took part and to judges Christopher Martyn, Margaret Eyre, Joan Burdon, Christine Sutton and Iain MacLeod .

The purpose of our sixth Civic Week was to promote the community of Malvern, to give all who took part a chance to highlight their role and to raise money for charity .

The theme this year was ‘Malvern Celebrates Summer’ which we thought would inspire many people to come along to the various events . However, the attendance at our Civic Society events was less than in previous years which led to the cancellation of Gardeners’ Question Time and the visit to Weston Park . This was disappointing but the visits to The Dell House raised £160 for the National Gardens Scheme; the Malvern Bygones event, organised by Malvern Museum at Elmslie House, raised £700 — many thanks to their owners .

Does this mean that visits to homes in the area which are not always open to the public appealed most and did the fact that the proceeds went directly to NGS and Malvern Museum encourage people to support these items?

The Society arranged three talks on ‘Kick’ Kennedy, Saving Country Houses and Restoring a Gertrude Jekyll Garden .

Civic Week 2016 — 25th June-2nd JulyKatharine Barber – Civic Week coordinator

Commemorative PlaqueBrian Iles During Civic Week, Civic Society president Dudley Brook unveiled a new green plaque on the post office building in Church Street . This marks the site of the medieval parish church of St Thomas on what was then known as Spitalway, which led to the monastic hospital or hospice where guests would have been given shelter and succour .

Councillor John Raine presents a literary competition prize to Elizabeth Jacob

Civic Week plaque unveiling in Church Street

Civic Week begins with Harriett Baldwin MP

Di Foster, from Malvern Australia, plants the mulberry tree in Civic Week

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choir in 2017 and reciprocal Scouts’ activities . The Mariánské Lázně Council is also interested in emulating the Malvern Showground as a way of diversifying from dependence on wellness tourism, which is being affected by austerity in Europe .

It was interesting to discover another connection between the two towns . Mariánské Lázně has a car-component factory, which makes electrical looms and supplies Morgan Cars .

Please contact Roger Sutton on 01684 565 273 and/or roger.sutton1@btinternet.com if you would like to learn more about the partnership .

Malvern Community PartnershipRoger SuttonThe Mayor and Mayoress of Malvern, Councillor Julian and Mrs Helen I’Anson, were the guests of honour at the Mariánské Lázně Spa Opening in May; they were accompanied by the Chairman of the Partnership, Councillor Ian Hopwood, and his wife Janet . The party of eighteen included representatives of the Malvern Spa Association and Malvern Springs and Wells .

The visit was timed to coincide with the official opening of the spa season . Each year at the beginning of May, the Mariánské Lázně Council arranges a gala weekend to celebrate wellness tourism and the taking of the six different spa waters in the town . The Malvern delegation was given a most hospitable reception which included the official opening, a church service conducted by the local abbot of Tepla, an impressive buffet lunch and a concert by the West Bohemia Symphony Orchestra .

The mayoral party was invited to a number of other functions to meet the representatives of other twin towns and we hope to maintain contact with them as well as the Mariánské Lázně Council . The Community Partnership Committee is working on a number of other joint projects including a visit of a Malvern

Mariánské Lázně Spa Opening Fair

Malvern delegation at Mariánské Lázně

Civic Week: A Walk with Kilvert. Andrew Huntley and Robert Payne — see page 5

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The Friends of Malvern’s Railway Group

Peter Clement

Great Malvern Station —Clock Tower Project

In order to advance the fundraising, a leader is required to activate fundraising events and projects . THIS COULD BE YOU! Do not assume someone else will offer . It is better to have several offers than none at all .

The fundraising team have many ideas but a co-ordinator

is required to lead and make it happen . Contact Peter Clement by email railways@malverncivicsociety.org.uk or call 01684 891815 .

Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail (NR), has written in support of the project and has offered help from NR in obtaining planning and listed building consent as well as confirming NR will undertake the maintenance of the structure on completion .

Guided tours of Great Malvern and PowerPoint presentations of the Worcester to Hereford Railway Line have been given to organisations to raise funds for railway preservation in the Malvern Area .

Just to remind you all, the cost of replacing the Victorian Clock Tower has now been broken down into small elements and a Sponsorship Form is now available for anyone who would like to donate; just go to www.malverncivicsociety.org.uk/railway_n.htm and follow the path to the sponsorship form . You can sponsor an element from as little as £10 .

Great Malvern Station — Canopy, Columns, Lighting and Platform Clock NR called a meeting on 25th April 2016 to present the schedule of refurbishment for the above . Their proposal was considered not in line with the heritage design of the building and this was backed up by Railway Heritage Trust . NR has now rescheduled the work for 2018/19 to incorporate more appropriate refurbishment .Malvern Link Station — GardeningBrian Iles is unable to continue leading this work and a new

leader is required . Ideally the work needs to be undertaken about twice a month . If you can take on the role, please contact Brian Iles email plaques@malverncivicsociety.org.uk

or call 01684 575336

VisitsOn Sunday 28th August a fun day visit to the Wingletang Railway was arranged and was enjoyed by 2 to 80-year-olds in mixed weather conditions .

The Friends of Malvern Railway Group are planning a visit in 2017 to Forest of Dean Railway . Look out for more details later .

Anyone wishing to join the group please contact Peter Clement.

Civic Society crocuses by Great Malvern Station

Great Malvern Station in its Victorian heyday

Wingletang Railway visit

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Elizabeth Adlam

I have now finished my first year as Tree Officer having replaced Dudley Brook who has retired . I get the tree applications list each week from

Malvern Hills District Council and go to view each one .

I have been shown the trees in question by many pleasant

and appreciative owners . Unfortunately, one applicant was not pleased; he wrote to the chairman accusing me of trespassing on his land . I had previously been given permission by a charming house-sitting granny to inspect the gentleman’s cedar tree, of which he was obviously

unaware . The reply from the chairman was brief and there

were no further repercussions!Now I only view the trees from

the road or drive as far as possible and rely on our excellent Conservation Officer

Chris Lewis-Farley for the final decision . He has been most helpful in answering several queries,

especially over the many complaints about the tree pruning in Avenue Road, which was a Worcestershire County Council action . They own the trees!

I look forward to next year’s tree observations and to meeting the friendly Malvern tree owners .

Monthly Country WalksMeg Everett

This has been another year of enjoyable walks, often discovering new and unexpected paths in hills, by canals and through villages . Many thanks to the leaders who choose and explore these routes and give us such pleasure .

We are always happy to see new faces and it is a good way to meet people, especially as the walks — usually a leisurely four miles or so — end with the opportunity of a pub meal .

It is a particularly good way for new members to have informal contact with those more established .

If you have a favourite walk you would be willing to share, we would be most pleased to hear from you .

A country walk to the fairy tree near Whiteleaved Oak

Whiteleaved Oak

A country walk at Wellington Heath

Pollarded trees in Avenue Road

Priory Park

The Life and Trialsof the Tree Officer

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Malvern Spa AssociationJohn Harcup, Vice President MCS and Chairman MSA Despite illness amongst the committee, the Malvern Spa Association continues to maintain its aim to preserve Malvern’s water heritage .

The annual May Day well-dressing weekend goes from strength to strength . A record forty-four wells were dressed this year, and the weekend was incorporated into Malvern’s first ever ‘Water Festival’, thanks to an initiative from Malvern Hills District Council . Despite the weather, the weekend was deemed a success and plans are being made for 2017 .

Sadly, Lionel Shorestone has recently died . We send our condolences to Barbara, his wife . We shall miss him tremendously for all the work he did for the well-dressing . Lionel’s work has been taken over enthusiastically by a sub-committee composed of well-dressers and main committee members .

Temperance Fountain on the Link Common was dressed at the request of the Malvern in Bloom organisers this

The Wilson MemorialBrian Iles

The new memorial to Water Cure pioneer Dr James Wilson was installed at the junction of Priory Road and Abbey Road in December 2015 . Worcestershire County Highways have provided York stone paving and volunteers from Malvern Civic Society, Malvern Spa Association and Malvern in Bloom prepared the garden area and put in about 70 plants . Two benches have been provided to enable local people and visitors to sit and rest .

year . A fearsome depiction of a mythical Green Man was the centrepiece, representing the Bloom theme of ‘From Grey to Green’ .

During Civic Week there was a display in the Priory of well-dressing pictures, past and present, arranged by Brian Isles and Ray Roberts . Dr James Wilson, the Water Cure pioneer, made a comeback in Priory Park demonstrating his water treatments with Ted Crump as bath attendant and brave David Armitage as the patient!

Malvern graves have been a focus for our projects this year . Annie Darwin’s grave in the Priory churchyard has been cleaned to reveal a beautiful grey stone and the lettering picked out in black . (Annie was Charles Darwin’s daughter who died whilst under the care of the charismatic Dr Gully .) Dr Wilson’s grave in Malvern cemetery and that of Dr Jacob, who secured Priory Park and the Winter Gardens for the town, are both earmarked for renovation .

The MSA is very concerned about Holyrood House (see back page) on the Wells Road which was once Dr Gully’s Water Cure House for Ladies and is very much part of Malvern’s water heritage . It has been derelict with a leaking roof for some years and is definitely one of Malvern’s ‘At Risk’ buildings . Letters of concern to our local council have not resulted in any plan to halt the daily deterioration . The situation has been discussed by the

Malvern Civic Society Executive Committee and we hope the architectural sub-committee will advise us on this .

Any reader who would like to dress a well or contribute to one or more of our projects is most welcome to do so . Please contact me on 01684 574477 .Temperance fountain on

Link Common

Dr Wilson’s grave

Water cure re-enactment

Wilson Memorial, Abbey Road

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The Society’s President, Dudley Brook, welcomed members to the meeting . He remarked that he saw before him the same friendly faces, but in new surroundings . He thanked those who had made the Society welcome at Christ Church but looked forward with anticipation to the amenities offered by the Eden Conference Centre . Malvern Civic Society was, he felt, prospering .

The Chairman, Clive Hooper, then took the chair .Present and ApologiesFifty-nine members were present . Apologies for absence were received from Sheila Brown, Mary Giles, Valerie Gilmer, Rosemary and John Hubbard . Minutes and Matters Arising The minutes of the 55th Annual General Meeting, held on 7 November 2014, had been circulated . Approval of the minutes was proposed by Ian Rowat, seconded by John Dixon and agreed by the meeting . There were no matters arising from the minutes .Chairman’s Report This had been circulated in the Annual Report but the Chairman took the opportunity to update members on several points He was proud to report that Civic Voice had again recognised the Society’s efforts in Civic Week with a Civic Day Fundraising Award .

The Society relied for its successes on the contributions of many members, whom the Chairman thanked . He was particularly grateful for all the work undertaken by the various sub-committees and other groups: the planning sub-committee, the programme sub-committee, the editorial sub-committee which was responsible for the very successful Bandstand, the award sub-committee, the Civic Week group, the Friends of Malvern’s Railway, the Friends of Malvern Cemetery where it was hoped that new information boards would shortly be erected, the architecture group, the group of town walk leaders, and the Route to the Hills group . The Chairman observed that more help would always be welcome on these groups .

A number of planning matters were currently to the fore . An appeal by a developer against a planning application to build 150 dwellings on Hayslan Fields would shortly be heard . The Society had objected to demolition of the Old Community Hospital; thanks in part to a Heritage Statement and Assessment of Significance produced by Rock Davidson Associates (RDA), Historic England and the Victorian Society had also expressed objections . Society members were invited to help defray RDA’s expenses if they wished . The Society was one of twelve civic societies involved in a ‘Beauty In My Back Yard’ (BIMBY) project promoted

by Prince Charles’s Foundation for Building Community: this aspired to empower communities to work with local authorities to create local housing design manuals . The Society had also been invited by Malvern Town Council to lead a group on housing design as it embarked again on neighbourhood planning and the BIMBY project was hoped to be used for this . A business plan for The Grange, as an Asset of Community Value, was nearing fruition .

Proposed by Bob Tilley and seconded by Denise Preston, the meeting agreed that the Chairman’s report be adopted .Annual Accounts Copies had been distributed . The Treasurer reported on another healthy surplus of income over expenditure: excluding the monies being handled by the Society on behalf of Malvern District Council’s Wilson Memorial project the surplus was £1141 . The Society had been able to maintain a full programme of events and care for Malvern in a variety of ways, and still have a robust set of accounts . The funds included sums designated for specific purposes, including the Foster Graves, Friends of Malvern’s Railway and Friends of Malvern Cemetery . The Treasurer noted that after the AGM there would be a discussion about possible projects on which to spend some of the money which was not designated in this way .

The Treasurer urged prompt payment of subscriptions and drew attention to the internet MyDonate facility . He noted that in order to defray the extra cost of printing paper copies of Bandstand, an annual charge of £6 had been introduced for those who wished to have this option .

The Treasurer expressed thanks to Ann Bartlett who handled income from outings, Philip Robinson who dealt with membership matters, and Paul Tuthill who examined the accounts . He remarked on the pleasure he had had in drawing up the Civic Week quiz .

Cora Weaver asked about the cost of restoring the Clock Tower at Great Malvern Station . Whilst investigations were still under way, one estimate had been in the region of £440,000 .

Bob Tilley proposed and Cora Weaver seconded that the accounts be accepted and the meeting agreed .Election of Officers and Committee Members The Chairman noted with much pleasure that Dudley Brook had indicated his willingness to serve as President for a further term and his election was endorsed by acclamation .

The President took the Chair for the election

Minutes of the 56th Annual General Meeting of the Malvern Civic Societyheld in Eden Church Conference Centre, Grovewood Road, Great Malvern

on Friday 6 November 2015 at 7 .30 pm

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BANDSTAND October 2016

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The 57th Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held on Friday 11th November 2016

Starting at 7.30pm

The Eden Church Conference CentreGrovewood Road (off Townsend Way)

WR14 1GD

1 . Apologies for absence 2 . Minutes of the 56th Annual General Meeting 3 . Matters Arising 4 . Chairman’s Report 5 . Treasurer’s Report and Approval of Accounts 6 . To approve the Society’s Rules as amended 7 . Election of Officers 8 . Election of Committee 9 . Election of Vice-Presidents 10 . Election of Hon . Auditor 11 . Any Other Business

Nominations for the Officers and the Committee, countersigned by the nominee, proposer and seconder, should be sent to the Hon . Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the Meeting . Committee Nomination forms accompany this report .

The meeting will be followed by a talk given by Freddie Gick, until recently Chairman of Civic Voice.

Valerie GilmerJuly 2016

of Chairman: the election of Clive Hooper was proposed by Paul Tuthill, seconded by John Dixon and agreed by the meeting .

All current members of the Executive Committee had again been proposed and seconded in accordance with the Society’s Rules . It was proposed by John Harcup and seconded by Carleton Rees Tarr that the following be elected en bloc as the Society’s officers and the meeting agreed: Katharine Barber and John Dixon, Vice-Chairmen; Andrew Huntley, Hon . Treasurer; Valerie Gilmer, Hon . Secretary .

It was proposed by John Dixon and seconded by Bill Pearce that the following be elected en bloc as Executive Committee members and the meeting agreed: Elizabeth Adlam, Peter Clement, Felicity Ebsworth, Meg Everett, Brian Iles, Iain MacLeod, Cara Roslington, Philip Rumney and Bob Tilley .

The Chairman voiced thanks to those others who helped with the Society’s work, some as members of sub-committees and others with particular responsibilities . These included Denise Preston (Press Officer), Ann Bartlett (Outings Bookings), Philip Robinson (Membership Secretary) and Kevin Brewer (Webmaster) .

Appointment of Hon. Auditor The Chairman proposed that Paul Tuthill be re-appointed as Hon . Auditor and this was endorsed by the meeting .Election of Vice-Presidents The re-election of the Vice-Presidents prepared to serve for a further term was proposed by Katharine Barber, seconded by Paul Tuthill and agreed by the meeting . John Harcup, Nic Lloyd, Ian Rowat and Roger Sutton had so indicated .

After many years’ service to the Society, latterly as Chairman and then Vice-President, John Handley had moved from the area, and accordingly he had indicated his intention to step down . He had been thanked by members of the Executive Committee and presented with a farewell gift . The meeting endorsed those thanks .Any Other Business Ian Rowat expressed his delight with the forthcoming programme of talks and excursions which had been published with the Annual Report . This view was endorsed by members present who applauded the hard work of Iain MacLeod and his programme sub-committee .

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Holyrood House –a heritage building

‘At Risk’ – see page 13