Effingham Eye: The Nativity Play, Brooklands, Road Fatality and a New Political Group

Published on: 13 Jan, 2019
Updated on: 15 Jan, 2019

Chris Dick gives his personal report on Effingham events including: a humorous Living Nativity Play, a classic car rally, various World War II bombs, a fatal accident and the call for more Independent candidates.

Living Nativity Play

The annual Living Nativity Play got underway on December 19 (2018) during a fortuitous break in sheeting rain. This popular event drew about 130 onlookers and participants.

Centre stage at the St Lawrence Church Living Nativity play was Jimmy a donkey who really seemed to enjoy the attention

The biblical story started outside the Haig Pub with a humorous commentary covering Mary and Joseph looking for somewhere to stay. There were various present-day references to amuse everyone as the actors, Jimmy the donkey and crowd wound their way around the village failing at every stop to find accommodation.

This time the donkey managed not to poo in church, a great improvement on previous years. Somehow Brexit managed to find its way into the script along with Airbnb.

But there was a cheerful feeling to the whole thing. Indeed there was something slightly chaotic and joyful about the event with actors missing their cues (guilty as charged) and running out of mince pies (yup … guilty as charged again!)

All in all, it was a great success and one that is clearly set to become a regular feature for Effingham at this time of the year. Whether The Haig will be able to host the free after-show sandwiches is another matter as its future, as previously reported, is in doubt.

New Years Day Classic car rally at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge

8,000 visitors attended Brooklands Museum Car Rally on New Year’s Day

A large crowd of enthusiasts gathered on New Year’s Day at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge to see 1,500 classic cars on display. Organisers were delighted to see so many attend this, their biggest ever event.

Classic cars on the famous, banked Brooklands circuit.

One member of staff told The Guildford Dragon that good weather had increased those attending from the expected 5,000 people to 8,000. An estimated 3,000 members and 5,000 ticket holders attended.

“Tallboy” replica bomb outside factory hanger at Brooklands Museum

Cars, planes and buses are always on display alongside items from both world wars such as replicas of the Dambusters’ Bouncing Bomb and the “Tallboy” bomb (pictured above).

Both these bombs were designed by Effingham’s Sir Barnes Wallis and filled and packed with munitions in the Royal Ordinance Factory at Elstow, Bedfordshire (Filling Factory No. 16) which, as I have recently learnt, was managed by my grandfather.

The factory was responsible for the filling of some of the larger of the RAF earthquake bombs, including the 8,000 and 12,000-pound “Tallboys” as well as the massive 22,000 pounds “Grand Slam” bombs. The 12,000 “Tallboy” was used to sink the Tirpitz. Germany’s largest World War II battleship.

For the history buffs, Tirpitz was the second of two Bismarck-class battleships built for Nazi Germany’s navy during World War II. After a series of wartime modifications, she was 2,000 tonnes heavier than Bismarck, making her the heaviest battleship ever built by a European navy.

In September 1943, Tirpitz, along with the battleship Scharnhorst, bombarded Allied positions on Spitzbergen, Norway. It was the only time the ship used her main battery in an offensive role. Shortly after, the ship was damaged in an attack by British mini-submarines and subsequently subjected to a series of large-scale air raids.

On November 12, 1944, British Lancaster bombers from 617 and 9 Squadrons, equipped with the 12,000-pound (5,400 kg) “Tallboy” bombs scored two direct hits and some near misses which caused the ship to capsize rapidly. A deck fire spread to the ammunition magazine for one of the main battery turrets, which caused a large explosion. Figures for the number of men killed in the attack range from 950 to 1,204.

The Dambusters and what came next – A talk

St Lawrence Church Effingham with packed audience listened to Dambuster Talk in June 2018.

On June 8, 2019 St Lawrence Church, Effingham will mark the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the Tirpitz with another free talk from Dr Robert Owen, official historian to 617 Squadron – better known as the Dambusters. The talk starts at 7.30 pm but, as those attending last year will recall, it is popular. Every seat was taken by 7 pm and those arriving later were obliged to stand or listen outside via repeated speakers.

Fatal Collision Lower Road

Police closed Lower Road following fatality

A fatal road traffic collision took place on Wednesday, January 9. The collision has been reported extensively in the press but on social media residents of Effingham and Bookham have been voicing their concerns about this stretch of road.

In the past Howard of Effingham sixth-formers parked on the grass verge opposite the school. This practice was stopped as it damaged the verge and was perceived to be a risk with cars that reversed off the verge blind to oncoming traffic. The present arrangements, parking on the road itself, are by no means satisfactory and causes congestion and long tailbacks during term time.

Residents and Effingham Parish Council have asked Berkeley Homes to ensure that the new school has sufficient provision on site for all vehicles associated with the new build to negate the need for cars to park on Lower Road and surrounding narrow streets.

However, at a recent joint meetings Berkeley Homes representatives were reported as being unclear on their plans for parking on site.

Simon Bisson, a local Effingham resident contacted Dragon NEWS to say: “This tragic accident further underlines the importance of ensuring that the plans for the new school have adequate provision for on-site parking, drop-off and pickup points etc. for all staff and pupils. If proper off road parking is not made available for pupils in particular, then the current mayhem – and sadly accidents – will continue.”

Independent Candidates Meeting

The logo of the new “Residents for Guildford and Villages” group

Effingham Residents Association (EFFRA) picked up on a Guildford Dragon article about a meeting for prospective Independent candidates for the May 2019 council elections.

In an article, New Group “Residents for Guildford and Villages” Call Meeting to Encourage More Independent Candidates, the new organisation, claims “widespread dissatisfaction across the borough at the way Guildford Council (GBC) is currently operating and ignoring people’s wishes”.

In my opinion, the main political parties have become stale with uninspired mantras about the so-called housing crisis and their unwavering support for development companies. The cynic might say that the more development GBC introduces the more money it raises through taxation.

The public meeting will take place at 7.30 pm Tuesday, January 15 at The Baptist Centre, Millmead, Guildford. Hopefully, this initiative, which has received some support from some local Parties like the Liberal Democrats and the Guildford Greenbelt Group (GGG), will improve the political balance at GBC and local parish councils.

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