The Sunday Archive: St Martin's Cloak - Covering the Whole Parish - April/May 2006 - Part 2

The Sunday Archive: St Martin's Cloak - Covering the Whole Parish - April/May 2006 - Part 2

Have a good laugh - it keeps you young!

Percy Chalker is 103 on April 23, and can't understand what all the fuss and attention is about.

`It's no big deal being this old, and I don't feel my age,' says Percy with a twinkle in his eyes.

In the warm and friendly surroundings of Longue Rue House, the residential home that has been Percy's home for the past 16 years, there will be a party and a birthday cake, and no doubt a good many cards.

He is a small man with a ready laugh, a great-grandfather with an extended family in the island and in Alderney and Jersey, who relishes his job of delivering the daily post to the 52 residents every morning.

Even operating the heavy double metal doors of the lift do not deter the oldest postman on the island!

Apart from arthritis that causes him some pain and discomfort, and consequently limiting his ability to walk distances, Percy hears and sees well, still able to read his newspaper without glasses in a good light. On a good day he will attend the Sunday services at Carmel Mission, and he likes the varied trips in the home's minibus or to go out with his daughter.

He wakes at 5am and spends some of his day in his comfortable room, but otherwise he enjoys the company of the other residents, particularly Joyce Hubert, who he affectionately calls his ladyfriend.

He was born, educated and worked in the Vale before moving to the home in St Martin, and remembers earning money after school with his brother Clifford by cracking stone in the Beaucette Quarry, when he was just 12.

`We left school at 13 in those days, and I worked in the tomato greenhouses for the Bichards,' he recalled. 'We didn't have time or cash for holidays in those days."

Percy was the fourth of seven children, and the only one still alive. His brothers and sisters were John, Elise, Clifford, Henry, Wilson and Rita.

Percy married twice and had two sons, John and Harold, and a daughter, Melva Stacey, by his first wife. Both the sons have since died.

He outlived both his wives and it was only after living for two years on his own, in his mid-eighties and with only a cat for company, that he felt the need for regular company.

`I was looking after myself just fine, but I didn't like the long winter evenings on my own. My brother Clifford was in here for many years and I used to visit him, so I thought it would be a good place for me too, and I was accepted soon after I applied,' he said. 'I remember that it was April 2 when I moved in.'

The lifestyle at Longue Rue House is relaxed and residents are encouraged to go out whenever they please. The rooms are comfortable - Percy has a television for his own use - and regular meals and snacks are served in a bright and airy dining room. There is obvious affection between the residents and the staff, and it would be difficult to imagine anyone being bored or unhappy.

`I watch the planes go in or out 4.om my room, depending on the wind direction,' said Percy, who is usually in his bed by 10pm, having put out his tablets for the following morning, and probably poured himself a bath and cleaned it out afterwards. He is a fiercely independent man.

`I can do everything for myself, although I do get a bit out of breath walking upstairs to my room, so I use the lifts instead.

`I'm never fed up with my life, and I like to have a good laugh - it keeps you young!'

He already has his message from the Queen to mark his centenary. Now he is looking forward to reaching 105, when he hopes there might be another message from her to frame on his bedroom wall.

Pauline Torode


For whom the bell tolls

My footsteps sounded hollow on the slim metal treads of the spiral staircase which wound its way tightly towards the upper reaches of St Martin's Church interior. I clung to the metal rail and did not look down. When the spiral could proceed no further, because of the slope of the roof, a wooden ladder completed the access way to the small door behind which our destination lay.

We are led to believe that people used to be smaller in past centuries. The dimensions of the room we found ourselves in bore this out. The present church was built in the 13th century and, though sections have been added or renovated, the tower is thought to be part of the original.

There are three sections. We entered the lower one and found it largely taken up by a wooden cupboard or cabinet, which housed the weights and the pendulum. This level bears the rather grand title of `the ringing chamber' because to the left of the door can be seen an unusual device for ringing the bells.

No easy rope-end to grasp and tug here; instead a six-foot diameter wooden wheel with metal teeth and a large handle takes up the whole of one wall.

Sidling round the cupboard, I was shown the stone arch of an old doorway, now filled in with random stone. According to the St Martin's Church Guide (price £1, to be found next to the font,) this used to be the old entrance to the tower, reached by a ladder from outside.

More rungs led upwards through a hatchway to the clock, a giant-sized version of a pocket-watch of impressive complexity, solemnly ticking away the unforgiving minutes. Since the quarter chime was due, we paused to watch a lever being slowly raised towards a 'bite' in a brass disc.

I felt slightly nervous, thinking of The Nine Taylors by Dorothy Sayers, where a man is driven to his death by proximity to the chiming of a huge bell. However, as the lever fell into place, there was merely a whirring of wires and a gentle ting-tong of the two smaller bells.

There are three bells in all, recast in 1735 by Frenchman J B Brocard and weighing 4481bs, 6771bs and 9471bs. They are housed in the third chamber, above the clock, and seem huge at close quarters. The tenor bell has a chunk out of its rim, but still functions perfectly. They are struck by hammers, thereby sparing the tower of any strain which the swinging would impose.

The church has five or six bell-ringers who are paid once a year. More are needed, though, especially for Evensong.

C Le Poidevin


Parish Matters

About a year ago, the idea of moving the War Memorial was floated, and it attracted a good deal of interest. The response was sufficient for those in parish office to prepare a plan of action.

'If the feeling of the parishioners were demonstrably in favour of the idea, progress could be made towards this aim.' Very cautious words these, because at no time, do I wish to suggest that decisions have already been taken. To develop this idea further I am using this widely read magazine to reach as many of the parish as possible.

I will try, as fairly as I can, to outline the arguments for and against this proposal, that have been received by letter, or by word of mouth and reported to the Constables or the Douzeniers.

The Memorial is on the site chosep by the Parish, and dedicated in 1923. It is clearly visible and well maintained, indeed a very attractive feature, as you exit Rue des Blanches. So why move it?

A number of people have argued that we should not interfere with the wishes of the people, who let's face it, lived through this horrendous war, which affected so many families in the Parish. The inference here is that we might be seen as meddling.

The strongest of these views have associated the argument to a superstitious feeling, of disturbing the rest of the dead.

Although understandable, this argument is less easy to sustain because this is not a grave, it is a Memorial, a celebration of bravery and sacrifice.

The perceived problem with the site is a modern one. If I was to ask you, the parishioners, how many of you have visited the Memorial in recent times, I suspect it would be very few. The fact is that despite its apparent well being, its site has become difficult and dangerous to access because of the proximity of traffic lights which keep up an almost continuous flow of traffic, on a blind, right angled corner. Believe me, it is a dangerous place to get to!

How many of you, the Parishioners would, be able to relate the names of the brave men who died in this war? Surely, if this is a celebration of their sacrifice, we should know who they are!

The question of moving the Memorial has been mooted in the past, but a problem was always that there was not an obvious site to move it to, which was appropriate to its importance to the Parish.

This has changed recently. The development of the Community centre on glebe land has freed up a possible prime site, which did not exist previously. This site would be easily accessible and remain in the heart of the community. It could be laid out to include benches for reflection, or simply as a quiet corner.

A small investigative committee was formed to bring these ideas together and to take them forward. This committee, which includes the Rev Mike Keirle, has identified a possible site. There are opportunities for discussion at future open parish meetings, but before this stage the committee needs a demonstration of support, or possibly rebuke from the Parish. This is a difficult concept because it must be shown that everybody, or as near to, has had an opportunity to say yes, or no.

To this end we have provided a poll slip for you, and your family, to indicate your support, or not, to the proposition on the slip. We feel this will give us a fair indication of the underlying feeling. This is a poll, not a vote but we think that the voting age of eighteen should be the eligible age for the poll.

It would be valuable and interesting for the schools to conduct their own polls. Please regard this as an invitation to return the poll slips. If the poll indicates a positive feeling, further plans can be discussed at the Parish Meeting to be held on Wednesday, April 26. If the poll indicates a negative feeling then perhaps well is left alone.




Tales of smuggling....

In 2005 a guided walk was started from Sausmarez Manor Garden down to Fermain Tea Rooms and it has proved to be popular and I learned more each time of the history of the valley and its buildings and the people who lived and worked there - not to mention the changing flowers and plants over the season.

I was helped initially by local historians Richard Strappini, Ann Woodington and Roger Berry and natural history expert Nigel Gee. When I took Nigel and Jenny Gee down to the bay in the early spring ,Jenny told me that she and her sister had

picked daffodils and violets for pocket money. These were then growing on the south side of the valley - now there are bluebells and primroses. Jenny also told me of the hidden house by the bay which I had been puzzled to see on old photographs.

Peter de Sausmarez has a deep knowledge of his family history and the Manor and tells many interesting stories, such as his family lending Victor Hugo part of the money with which to buy Hauteville House in October 1855. He paid it back within 3 years! Then of course, there are the stories of Le Grand Matthieu and his nefarious doings....

Both local people and those from elsewhere have come on the walk and what they have to say and their views on what they see has proved to be very interesting. A certain Deputy chose to come on the Walk and regaled us with stories about the doings of certain of the people with whom he worked and his views on John Wesley. Every week there has been something surprising and new.

Some who have come on the walk have enjoyed reading Elizabeth Henry's book, "No Place of Hiding" which is an exciting adventure story and a different view of the Manor and the Valley.

The walk called "Tales of Smuggling and the Iron Hand" starts on Easter Monday, April 17th at 2pm and most Monday afternoons after that until September. It is not steep but is sometimes a bit muddy.