December 2007
TADS news
Visit to Hampshire Museum HQ
Carol and Derek from the Project Team visited Hampshire Museum HQ at Chilcomb on the 22nd August at the invitation of Wendy Bowen head of Historical Photographic Collections to look at any photographs they had of our area, especially those of Pamber Heath. This was followed by a tour of the Chilcomb site with thoughts towards a TADS general or project visit in the future. During the afternoon a visit to Hampshire Records Office was made where information was gained about the dedication of the Stained Glass Window at St Lukes Pamber Heath in October 1929.
Historic Ordnance Survey Maps
These maps from Cassini Publishing have been rescaled and recentered to exactly match the modern OS Landranger series. (1:50,000 scale). They are available for 1830 and 1919. TADS Members ordered over 10 of these maps at the July meeting thus earning 35% discount for themselves and a permanent 35% discount for future TADS member orders with FREE post and packing for orders of 5 or more. Rosmary Bond will be at the September meeting with samples and willing to take orders then. (It is fascinating to see how things have changed, or not, during the last 187 years - the Editor)
Tadley Common Postcards
Coloured Postcards showing the flora and fauna of Tadley Common SSSI, as on the Interpretation Boards, are available at the Town Council Offices, 2 Franklin Avenue. The artwork was by Rosemary Bond's artist daughter, Susie.
TADS outing on Saturday 22nd September.
There are a couple of places left on this outing to the Winchester Gurkha and Military Museums (fee payable), and then to Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill (this is said to be an excellent museum and entry is free). The transport is leaving St Paul's Church just after 9.00am and the fare is £10.00. Book with David Day on 0118 970 0909. Will those already booked please pay David at Wednesday's meeting.
TADS Talks (Programme) Organiser
We are still desperate for a volunteer to take on this job to keep the Society going.
It is not very onerous or difficult to prepare the annual programme of 10 talks: In September or October list 15 potential speakers from information already available. List the 10 dates for the next year (3rd Wednesdays) Find out how to contact the speakers. Usually easy, but can be a bit roundabout. Contact the speakers by phone. If they are able and willing to do a talk agree a date and fee. Some juggling of dates may be necessary. Try to get a balanced programme. Confirm the arrangements in writing with each speaker and include a map showing how to find the hall. Provide the programme to the Committee for the preparation and printing of the programmes for issue at the AGM or January meeting. The Talks Organiser does NOT have to introduce the speaker at meetings, a committee member will do it. Bob (0118 9816109) has enough leads for about 3 years of talks and is willing to hold your hand for the first year, if necessary.
History in the making
Albert West, broom maker, died on 19 July, aged 96 years. See 'Around Tadley fact and fable', page 133 for details of his life.
At 11.00am on 10 September the first stage of the 'Tour of Britain' cycle race came through Pamber Heath & Tadley on its way from Reading to Southampton. The first sprint of the day was at 'The Pelican' in Pamber Heath. The 100 riders then sped on to Tadley traffic lights and down 'The Pineapple' straight on their way to Kingsclere.
What's on - local events
Hampshire Record Office
(Sussex Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8TH. Tel 01962 846154). Thursday lectures: 1.15 - 1.45 pm; admission free, but donations welcome.
Thursday 27 September: 'The English Civil War: some Hampshire sources' by Sarah Lewin.
4 September - 27 October: 'Literary Hampshire', an exhibition exploring some of Hampshire's literary links using items from the collections held in the Record Office.
Basingstoke Archaeological & Historical Society
(7.30 pm, Church Cottage, Basingstoke.)
11 October: The Portable Antiquities Scheme in Hampshire, Sally Worrall.
Friends of the Willis Museum
Thursday 20 September: 'North Hampshire Gardens through the ages' by Elizabeth Proudman.
Willis Museum exhibitions
25 August - 6 October: Basingstoke at work. Celebrating the industrial achievements of the town, past and present.
10 October - 10 November: The Scouts: Celebrating 100 Years of Scouting.
Milestones Museum
24 October: Theatre of Making - Fired Up. A variety of workshops for all the family in metal and ceramics and demon- strations in bronze casting, glass blowing and live firings of ceramics.
Kingsclere - The Tidgrove Warren Farm excavation site
The site will be having a special public open weekend on Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 September. The farm is off the B3051, half way between Kingsclere and Overton.
Last month's TADS meeting; July 2007
Women in Khaki, By Ian Bailey, Curator of The Adjutant General's Corps Museum, Peninsular Barracks, Winchester
According to TADS' member and venerated Lady in Khaki - Clare Best, (ATS), it's a wonder we Brits won WWII. What with the FANYs (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, 1907), the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service, 1930s), the WRACs (Women's Royal Army Corps, 1949) and multitudes of men wondering if women in khaki could cope, eventually the women just got on and did the job.
Clare said she served at Aldermaston Court (among other places) and began with a khaki uniform but no shoes. Supplies were tight. Clare said everything was disorganised. Ian Bailey painted much the same general picture.
In the 17th century women marched with the Army for all sorts of reasons, working as cooks, seamstresses, washerwomen and first aiders (later the FANYs). They were known as Camp Followers.
Numbers were controlled, and paid for by the army, but women were kept off battle sites (even Florence Nightingale was off-site in the 1850s Crimean War). In 1881 there were Army nurses at Netley, Hants, but NOT at battle sites.
The affluent FANYs had to buy their own nursing uniforms and own a horse, in order to dispense First Aid. There were 40 FANYs to start with in WW1. Women wanted to fight, but men wouldn't let them because it took their jobs and the little woman should really be at home looking after the kids...
1915 saw the founding of the Women's Legion. Even the Pankhursts ceased suffragetting temporarily in 1916, because of the Great War. A spirited lady, later known personally to Clare, one Helen Gwynne-Vaughn, was the first ATS Director (1916). Then came Jean Knox who tweaked their image, as did her Deputy, Lesley Whately.
Women wanted to wear khaki now.
By the end of WW1, the 'Tommies' were thinking of disbanding 'Les Tomettes', some of whom had won Military Medals. However, Queen Mary approved of them; and the 1930s Hitler threats and WW2 meant the 'Muck and Manure Brigade' (FANYs) and the ATS sallied forth, allegedly in non-combatant duties: driving, (one drove Rudolf Hess in Scotland and wouldn't tell him where he was!); and other services needing energy and initiative. Apparently some ladies fired the odd gun!
Ian Bailey hinted that in WW2 Tidworth Garrison (Hants) was thrown into some chaos by the addition of the ATS who appeared wearing MEN's uniforms when theirs got rain-sodden; or civvies with a badge!
Obviously when the Tommies were in close proximity with the khaki ATS it was all a new notion and things could get frisky. One lady went for a medical but accidentally ended up naked on a stage!
Little accidents aside, women were soon volunteering as fitters, welders, electricians, linguists, etc. and by 1943 were employed in over 80 trades, with trade pay and independence. Pandora was finally Out Of The Box! However, equality brings equal danger and many ATS girls were killed in accidents as well as Action.
March 1945 saw our Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, as an apparent ATS driver and mechanic in the Camberley area.
In 1949, the ATS became the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC), and still the women in khaki march on...
Thank you, Ian, for your Curator's touch; and thank you Clare, for your I-was-there hands-on anecdotes. All quite fascinating and living history here in Tadley.
Rosemary Bond
Find out more from the website: WWW.WinchesterMilitaryMuseums.co.uk
Page last updated: Sunday 16 December 2007