The 

Cookham Society

Newsletter

JUNE 2000

COOKHAM BRIDGE - welcome back ! 

By the time this Newsletter is published, the bridge should have been re-opened with one way alternative working controlled by lights. The majority of our members supported this option and we hope you are pleased with the result. The settings of the lights are adjustable and there may be opportunities to fine tune the traffic flows by altering the sequencing of the lights. 

The new footway is there to be used, please make use of it, there are some lovely walks to be had by turning right over on the Bucks side and joining the Beeches Way which leads to Hedsor Church and beyond.

JLB

July 15 Cookham Moor

(Society photographs on display)

This takes place on Saturday 9th September and we will be selling Christmas Cards at this event as we did last year. 

We are once again ordering specially commissioned scenes of Cookham. There is one of The Crown Public House on the Moor, one of people attending Cookham Dean Church and hopefully an impression of the old Marlow Donkey Steam train which is not yet to hand. 

PLEASE COME ALONG AND SUPPORT THE FETE ORGANISERS

At the AGM on the11th May this year we were delighted to welcome a new committee member, Bill Spicer. 

The Spicer family moved to the High Road in 1948. Bill's father had ownership of Spicer's newsagents and confectionery business that used to be based in the small wooden hut building that is now the shoe repair shop next to Cookham Railway Station. 

Bill and his wife Sue married in 1970 and have lived in the same house in the High Road ever since. They are playing mem bers of the Pinder Badminton club. Their son Paul has just finished his University degree and is now back home again. 

Members of the Society since 1979, they have always responded to requests, to write letters of protest and support the various issues and concern for the protection of Cookham and its surrounding area. 

Dedicated walkers will know that it is not possible to use a section of the towpath in front of Ferry Cottage continuing under Cookham Bridge. The Borough Council need evidence that this stretch was open to the public in the past. 

They have asked us to appeal to any member who can possibly give evidence to support this fact. Do you remember or know someone who does? Do you have a photograph to support this claim? If you can help, please contact the Chairman or any member of the committee. 

(addresses and telephone below). Thankyou 

01628 819107

MILLENNIUM NOTICEBOARD

-Ready to go!

Thanks to everyone who supported the Antiques Evening, a profit of £674 resulted, an excellent result indeed. The committee feels that we now have sufficient funds to purchase the board and hence we have placed an order with the manufacturers. 

We have also appointed a contractor to carry out the installation as we are confident that the additional £900 required to cover the work will be forthcoming once the results of our efforts are on view. 

Target date for installation is 15th July, to coincide with the Millennium Pageant; we will have an opening ceremony, watch the Advertiser for details. 

A Notice Board is no good without notices, so please consider using our board when looking for advertising space in the village. Material should be A4 maximum and should advertise Village Events, not sales or wants. 

The display panels are in fact lockable cabinets and the operation will be controlled by the Society. If you have a poster you would like to be displayed could you please hand them to either Michelle Jones or ]ohn Bowley, addresses in next column.  JLB 

COOKHAM'S MILLENNIUM PAGEANT 

- once every 1000 years 

July 15th is the big day, and the Cookham Society will be there supporting important village event. 

The Society has a very good collection of photographs of Cookham donated by members over the years and these have not seen the light of day for nearly 20 years. 

They are being assembled into a display for us by Pam Knight and Leslie Ritson- Smith and are sure to revive memories for old Cookhamites as well as create interest for newer residents. Be sure to visit our display on the big day.  JLB 

MARSH MEADOW CAR PARK - PROGRESS REPORT

The Extraordinary General Meeting called in January was very well attended, a very full discussion took place, but no vote was taken. 

The questionnaire included with the last Newsletter produced 100 returns. Two points came across, firrstly our members feel most strongly that there is a need to improve off street parking in Cookham Village and secondly a majority of two to one support in prinnciple, the idea of relocating the National Trust car park from the Moor to Marsh Meadow. This being the case the Society will continue to promote the idea. 

So what happened to the planning application?

Well after several delays it was judged to be inappropriate to proceed until the Council elections were completed in May. Now a further parking survey is deemed to be necessary and this cannot take place until Cookham Bridge has reopened. 

When the planning application finally appears it will cover on street parking, as weil as off street parking, (Sue Williams, Transport Manager, RBW&M) 

Let us hope that once the normal parking chaos has returned, this will concentrate the minds of our council representatives to tackle this problem once and for all. 
JLB 

Millennium Notice Board

Opening Ceremony

by

Chris Barrie

(TV Celebrity of Red Dwarf abd Brittas Empire)

15th July - 9.30am

Cookham Railway Station