Welcome to the Sixties, WOAPA Day..

Tom and Lou teaching us Welcome to the Sixties

Well, can you believe it's that time of year again? WOAPA DAY has once more been and gone. I can't believe how fast this year is going. This Sunday in August has got to be one of the highlights of my year and serves to keep me from getting withdrawal symptoms as we don't meet on a Wednesday during the school holidays.

Every year a theme is chosen for the day and this year it was music from the 60's. Being a 'lady of a certain age', I knew that I would really enjoy singing songs which I was sure would bring back memories. I was not disappointed.

Jo and Diane practising

As usual we gathered at 10am in the main hall of a local school. There was an excited buzz, with a few brave individuals who had opted to do a duet or group performance busily expressing their nervousness and questioning their sanity. Some of the more seasoned performers seemed to be taking it in their stride.

I felt quite sombre at the beginning as we arrived to the lilting sound of Cilla Black singing, 'Anyone who had a heart', particularly poignant as Cilla had recently passed away and if anyone female singer embodied the 60's, for me it is Cilla.We sang a range of songs including a Eurovision and a Beatles Medley, with a lot of other brilliant songs in between.

Anyone who has read any of my previous blogs will know that I'm a frustrated Karen Carpenter or Lulu, and this is usually my time to get up on the stage and sing a solo. But this year I decided to just enjoy the day and let other people experience butterflies in the stomach and feeling sick, that accompany the nerves of solo performing. But fate had other ideas. The previous Wednesday I was approached by Lou and asked if I'd be willing to step in and sing a duet with Gail, as her partner couldn't make it. With very little persuasion, I agreed. The song being, 'To Sir with Love'.

Our two brave guys.

There were a few firsts that day. for one thing, we had some men come along and not only did they join in the day, they actually gave a wonderful rendition of Elvis's 'The Wonder of You'. Another first was Tom, Brian and Lou's eldest son, taught us a number from the musical Hairspray called, 'Welcome to the Sixties', which he conducted for us in the evening's performance. And a brilliant job he did too.

After an exhausting , but fun day, we had a break for a couple of hours, then reconvened at 7pm to perform in front of our family and friends.

The Golden Girls

The evening began with us all singing, 'Welcome to the Sixties' , followed by, the wonderful Petula Clark's, 'Downton'. Then seven of our more mature ladies, calling themselves 'The Golden Girls' sang a number called, 'Everybody's Somebody's Fool'. The girls were really nervous, but did a great job, so much so, that Brian asked them to sing a few lines together in the closing number of the show. The rest of the programme was supposed to be;-

Eurovision Medley, Everyone
Son of a Preacher Man, Chris and Gladys, (alias Lucy)
Build Me Up Buttercup, Jo and Diane
Beatles Medley, Everyone
Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Laura and Marilyn
Something Tells Me I'm Into Something Good, Everyone
To Sir With Love, Gail and yours truly.
The Wonder of You, Dave and Russ
Your Loves Keeps Lifting Me, various artistes.

Dame Shirley Bassey.

But Brian and Lou had a surprise in store. Instead of the music for Something Tells Me', Brian announced that there was to be a celebrity guest appearance by Dame Shirley Bassey. The lights were turned on to the curtains across the entrance at the back of the room, which then opened to reveal the amazing apparition that was Dame Shirley Bassey, alias Louis Raschke in drag. To rapturous applause, Dame Shirley made her way on to the stage and gave a rendition of 'Gold Finger' that the Dame herself would be proud of, if somewhat of a more comical version. The audience and singers alike loved it.

Follow that! 

My partner in crime, Gail.

I thoroughly enjoyed singing with Gail and was very glad that I had performed a duet. I know that if I hadn't, I would've regretted it.

The evening ended with a spirited rendition of 'You Keep Liftin Me', performed by the Golden Girls, some of the duet singers, including myself, and two brave volunteers, Sarah and Ellen.

It was another fun and enjoyable day and I can't wait to find out what the theme for next year will be. Thank you so much Brian and Lou, not forgetting Tom, Eddie  and of course Louis, for all your hard work. It's much appreciated.


Finally, I wouldn't be me if I didn't include the video of Gail and me singing, 'To Sir with Love'. (apologies for the quality). 

Photographs courtesy of ;-

Woapa
Diane Iverson
Isabel Johnstone

Videos:- Isabel Johnstone.
Celebrity guest video courtesy of WOAPA

Isabel Johnstone 2015 ©

Cogges Memory Tree

Drawing of Wadard in the Bayeux Tapestry.

This season we have started doing Downton Abbey tours at Cogges and I'm one of the tour guides. One of the facts I like to tell the visitors is that we have over a thousand years of history to our name. Some people believe that the mounds and bumps in the field beside the walled garden are the remains of a Saxon settlement down by the river, from around 500 AD. In fact, the remains of what is believed to be a Saxon dwelling, were found under the floor of the kitchen of the Manor House during excavations a number of years ago.

But the first recorded land owner of Cogges was a Norman knight by the name of Wadard who is depicted on the Bayeux tapestry and mentioned in the 1086 Doomsday book.

Imagine then how many memories there must be about this lovely location.

Elizabeth's original comment.

Unfortunately, many of these memories have been lost in the midst of time. But we at Cogges are anxious to make and preserve as many memories as we can. Many visitor attractions have a visitors' book for people to sign and we are no exception. Until recently there was a memory book in the house. The first entry in this memory book is by one of our longest -serving volunteers, Elizabeth.

'I first came to Cogges farm with my father in September 1945. It was, I think, something to do with a Shooting Party, but I don't recall the details as I was 13 years old and more interested in the large walnut trees on the front lawn, hoping I suspect to pick up a few walnuts! Apart from a brief visit in 1952, (my first year as a married woman), when I came with my husband, who worked here for a very short time as a cowman, I had no opportunity to see the farm again until I applied for a position as a House Demonstrator, 25 years ago. It was no longer run by the Mawle so f course, although , as a family, they visited often. Cogges Manor Farm seems to have been a part of my life, it is a beautiful place to visit, and I do hope our visitors will keep very fond memories of their time spent here.' Volunteer cook, Elizabeth.

What a wonderful memory. An elderly visitor, another Elizabeth, a lady 88 years young, also wrote:- 

'Brought back many happy memories of my childhood days, especially in the kitchen and back kitchen.' Elizabeth, 88 years old, 27th September 2014.

Olivia Nichols.

But not all our visitors are older people. We have had some lovely comments written by children, some even accompanied by pictures. Children see a side to Cogges that is quite different to what adults see. But their comments are just as valid as those of the adults and show that, this is a place that can be enjoyed and appreciated, by young and old.

Neil, with the Memory Tree.

This year we have come up with a novel idea. Instead of a book, we are going to have a Memory Tree. Neil Cap, a talented sculptor and one of our volunteers, has been working hard and has produced a wonderful wooden tree sculpture. The idea is that the visitors can write a memory or comment on a luggage label, which they then hang from one of the branches of the tree. To launch the tree, some of our volunteers recently made a start by adding their own special memories to the tree.

One of the aims of the Cogges Heritage Trust, is to preserve the house and grounds for future generations. By writing our memories, we will be adding a 'voice' to Cogges. This will enable future generations to hear as well as see, what it was like to visit Cogges in the 21st century.

Memory Tree.

The tree will be situated in the back kitchen of the house and we hope to encourage visitors to write a comment about their visit. We also hope that our regular visitors will be inspired to add their own special memory; either past or present.

Cogges isn't just a place, it has a life and vibrancy of its own. A tree is a living, breathing thing and somehow having a memory tree seems quite a fitting way to help record and celebrate the wonderful place we all love; Cogges Manor Farm.

Photographs courtesy of Isabel Johnstone.

Isabel Johnstone 2015 ©