“Twas the night before Christmas”, as indeed it was. Last opportunity for the revellers to enjoy their mulled wine, sausage rolls and mince pies!
More photographs on the next page (Click on “Read the rest of this entry”)
Everyone was there……..
….even the “halt and the lame”!
And finally the shutters were pulled down on the window and this year’s celebrations.
The decoration of “Advent Calendar” windows in Sulgrave was first proposed by Shrimp Christy and Ingram Lloyd in 2014. For six years, Shrimp, Ingram and Hywel have turned up almost 150 times at a multitude of venues in all sorts of weather with the all important mulled wine. However, they all go back a lot further than that, as can be seen from this picture taken in Castle Green in about 1975:
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Ingram, then a teacher at Sulgrave School, at the ceremonial planting of a tree on Castle Green……..
Photograph: Colin Wootton
….which now looks like this, having grown a little during the intervening 45 years!
Photograph: Colin Wootton
The then Head Teacher, Mrs Nicholson encourages a recorder trio….
Photograph: Colin Wootton
…..and two of the smaller children say their “prayers”! (Rachel Wootton and Sophie Charlton).
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Ingram, with Molly Wootton and some of the children, at a Sports Day in the gardens of Sulgrave House in Little Street, then the home of the Magnay Family. This picture was taken at about the same time.
So, for almost 50 years, Hywel and Ingram have been an integral part of the village, involved in activities too numerous to mention but here a few examples:
Photograph: Colin Wootton
A “Bridge Party” at Church Cottage during the 2005 “Open Gardens Day” (organised every two years by Ingram).
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Hywel bell ringing as “Captain of the Tower” in the Church of St James the Less.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Ingram, a regular volunteer at the Village Community shop, welcomes a new resident to the village.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Ingram at a Vintage Car Day at Sulgrave Manor, which she organised.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Hywel and daughter Angharad on her wedding day in the village in 2011.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Ingram and son Caerwen on the same day.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Hywel plays the part of the son and heir of the murdered Duke of Felthorpe in a mystery play.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
Ingram hosting a surprise party for Shrimp Christy.
Photograph: Colin Wootton
“Last of the Summer Wine”. Garden party at Church Cottage.
When not working in the village, Hywel and Ingram can be found rock climbing, snow and ice climbing or ski mountaineering in the Alps, Himalayas and elsewhere. Ingram is a past Secretary of the Alpine Ski Club. As I have always done a little in that line myself, almost forty five years ago, I joined them on a number of mountain adventures in the UK and I thought it might interest/entertain/amuse people as to how we looked in those now far off days.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Hywel at Loch Coruisk, the inner sanctuary of the Cuillin Mountains on the Isle of Skye where we camped so as to gain immediate access to the ridge. September 1976.
Photo: Colin Wootton
On the route from Coruisk to Camasunary, via the notorious “bad step” above Loch Scavaig. Hywel with the ration box.
Photo: Hywel Lloyd.
Myself in the same place. Everyone wore climbing breeches in those days.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Hywel abseiling from the Sgurr Dubh Beag ridge.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Standard rations at that time!
Photo: Unknown
Hywel on the left and myself on the right on the way out from Coruisk.
Photo: Hywel Lloyd
The Mountaineer “doubts how he came there and wonders how he shall return“. Dr Johnson. Myself on Sgurr na Stri.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Ingram climbing Gulley “B” on Y Garn, Snowdonia. January 1977
Photo: Colin Wootton
At the summit of Y Garn with Roger Jones, who was living in Manor Road, Sulgrave at that time.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Radiant from a fine winter’s day on the Snowdonia tops.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Hywel exiting the same gulley.
Photo: Colin Wootton
Crib Goch and Snowdon after an overnight blizzard which had blocked the Llanberis pass.
And so, after 24 days of early evening assemblies of people of all ages with their children and dogs, frequently in near darkness, during one of the rainiest and muddiest advent seasons I can remember, we come to Christmas itself. There has been a real sense of community; of friendship; of caring for each other; of the tolerance and good neighbourliness which is a hallmark of Sulgrave. Above all this year, many newcomers have played a full part in the ceremonies and have been made welcome in the true spirit of Christmas.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
Colin Wootton
Well done Colin, your daily reports and photographs have been a real delight. Ingram had the original idea about the Advent Windows, all credit to her to get it organised in our village. My only contribution was a dream I had for quite a long time of turning the bus shelter into a Nativity! These last 24 days have shown Sulgrave in its true colours. Thank you to all those window openers who, voluntarily, provided all those hot mince pies and sausage rolls. No wonder the crowds grew and grew! I hope that when the village children grow up they will tell their children and grandchildren all about what they did every evening in the run up to Christmas. Thank you Colin for ensuring that all these activities are now recorded for the Sulgrave village archive! No doubt there are some who are already thinking about what they’re going to do next year!
Just brilliant Cloin, what gems you have published, flares, red socks, scratchy breeches, brown hair etc etc. Our (not so young) have been falling about with mirth and amazement!! Thanks again for all the wonderful work for the village website, it’s a gem of local history!