Jowett Annual Weekend May 25th -27th 2007, Cheshire

[Forumadmin]

At our recent Executive Committee meeting Dennis Mitchell mentioned what we have in mind for our programme of events. Without going into too fine a detail at this stage, here is a summary.

An innovative idea we have for the Friday evening after the buffet is a fun auction of Jowett-related items. No bulk, e.g. engines, gearboxes, chassis, axles etc., and nothing oily, greasy, rusty, or remotely dirty that is likely to offend the delicate sensibilities of the Daresbury Park staff... We hope to recruit the services of one who is an expert in this field to conduct the proceedings with his usual aplomb and no little humour.
Another innovation is that, instead of a scenic route common to all on the Saturday, you will be offered a choice of places to go to instead, with the respective routes to each venue(s) and return therefrom in your own time. So it’s your choice to visit any, all, or none of them. We have yet to work out whether there will be a communal lunchtime halt before we each go our various ways again - watch this space! In the evening after our meal we shall have members of the George Formby Appreciation Society to plonk their banjoleles for us, so don’t forget to pack your plectrum.
We have prevailed upon the good offices of our Club’s leading supplier of Concours services for Walton Hall on the Sunday (as Dennis graciously remarked at the EC, we hope that Paul’s arm is well healed by now...), where the awards will be presented at the end of the afternoon. The Hall is only a couple of miles down the road towards Warrington from the hotel and its estate offers all of the usual civic amenities such as a formal garden and a woodland garden, pitch ‘n’ putt, bowling greens, crazy golf, picnic areas, and a children’s zoo. The cars will be displayed on a terraced grassy area close by the refreshments room in the Hall, and opposite a bandstand which we might be able to use for our own convenience. If you see what I mean.

Incidentally, the approach to Walton Hall passes over the Bridgewater Canal, itself a historic achievement of note. Sometimes described as England’s first canal, it was certainly the first to be built which didn’t follow an existing watercourse. Opened by the Duke of Bridgewater in 1871, its original purpose was to transport coal from his mine at Worsley to Manchester (the canal thereabouts is usually a deep orange colour from the surrounding seams of iron ore); there is an impressive swing bridge called Barton Aqueduct near Trafford Park, which carries the canal over the Manchester Ship Canal. Nowadays it is famous as a part of the tourist’s ‘Cheshire Ring’ through pastoral countryside for narrow boat cruising, with links to adjacent networks.

But we digress: The evening’s music back in the hotel’s Alice Suite will be provided by a local jazz band, and we are determined to contain the presentation of national awards to within as brief a time as decently possible; those who threaten to become intoxicated by the extent of their own verbosity shall be discouraged! More next month. -AB

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First of all we’ll clear out of the way last month’s ‘senior moment’. I mixed up the Saturday with the Sunday, and in particular the scenic run and the concours. Here is the definitive outline programme for the weekend:
• Friday: arrival, followed by the evening buffet and a Jowett-related ‘fun auction’.
• Saturday: Concours, then the Evening Buffet and ‘George Formby’ entertainment.
• Sunday: choice of scenic runs, then Evening Dinner, Presentation of Awards, and the
‘Rioters’ Dixieland Jazz Band band (they do NOT make excessive use of amplifiers!).

Right, now - where were we? Oh yes, last month we were talking about Walton Hall, the venue for our concours (and thereby lies another ‘senior moment’ - unimportant now, but see page 19). The Hall and its grounds that you see today are all that remain of a very large estate that was the seat of a family brewing dynasty, long since swallowed up by the multi-national conglomerates. It was built in the 1830s and various additions were commissioned in the ‘70s; its first resident was Gilbert Greenall, grandson of Thomas who founded the family’s first brewery; a stained glass window commemorates Susannah and Bertha Greenall, the sisters of the first Lord Daresbury, another Gilbert and great-grandson of Thomas. The family’s peerage was granted in 1927, largely because of Gilbert’s commitment to the revival of British livestock after the Great War; he was a co-founder of the Royal International Horse Show, and saviour of the Royal Agricultural Society from insolvency. His Lordship handed in his dinner pail in 1938, and death duties allied to pre-Second World War jitters prompted the estate’s sale in 1941 The park and its adjacent golf course is now owned by Warrington Council.

Enough for now of all this Upstairs,Downstairs stuff, what of the Gardens? In the old Stable Yard there is a Heritage Centre incorporating both an interesting exhibition of the Greenall family’s life and times, and a shop promoting ‘Alice in Wonderland’ merchandise. The Lewis Carroll connection is well publicised here (we will take a look at him next month) and, as well as the famous commemorative stained glass window in Daresbury church, the preserved site of his birthplace is just two miles away. There is a pedal cycle museum opposite the Stable Yard, with everything from the primitive ‘bone shaker’, via the penny-farthing (or ‘safety cycle’), to today’s recliners - and you can have a (supervised) go on some of them if you’re brave enough. The children’s zoo contains many creatures from far and near: American chipmunks (related to ‘our’ grey squirrel), and indeed our native red squirrels, pot-bellied pygmy pigs, donkeys, geese, peacocks, rabbits, ducks, budgies and cockateels, goats, etc. We have touched on the pitch ‘n’ putt, and crazy golf before, but there are also two bowling greens. More next month. -AR

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THE FRIbAY NIGHT ‘FUN’ AUCTION
Doris Whitney writes:
As most of you are already aware, the N.W. Section is planning to hold an auction on the evening of Friday May 25th. 2007. The idea is to have a bit of fun and at the same time make a few bob towards Rally costs. It is hoped that most of the lots will be Jowett related, but that is not essential. If anyone wishes to enter large items, e.g. engines, gearboxes, complete cars (at this point, certain staff at the Daresbury Park, who receive each month’s copy of Jowetteer, will be suffering varying degrees of apoplexy - but read on...! -Ed.), these items should be by description and/or photographs only and on the basis of collection/delivery to be arranged between vendor and buyer. A commission of 10% of the selling price will be charged (minimum SOp.)

The 2007 Rally will soon be upon us so get sorting through those unwanted parts and memorabilia. Tim Brown will be our auctioneer (he knows a bit about these things). He will be assisted by Paul Brierley who will look after the administration. Description of the items to be entered should be sent to Paul. It will be the responsibility of the vendor to remove any unsold items after the auction. Just to whet your appetite, items already promised are: A 1925 sales brochure in very good condition; a Triang Minic ‘Push & Go’ Javelin still in its original box, which is very rare; and back copies of Jowetteer. Please feel free to donate any items if you are so rich that you don’t want the money! -DW

Doris adds that Brian White, our entertainer on the Saturday, although he is a member of the George Formby Society, will also be singing other Lancashire songs; I think that if you are going to join in and anticipate difficulty in hitting that high note as demanded by the second ‘Sall-ee’ in ‘Pride of our Alley’ then perhaps you should loosen off your clothing, take a deep breath, and start practising now...
REMINDER: Would those who have paid their deposit on the 20117 Rally please remember to return the booking form giving details of
their requirements. - Yvonne Brierley

[Forumadmin]

Here is the programme for the weekend, subject to any lastminute
‘fine tuning’, that is.
FRIDAY
Lunchtime onwards - Welcome! - from the ‘White Rabbit’ and his chums.
7.00 pm - Assemble in the bar area near the Alice Suite. Meet friends old and new;
relax with a drink if you wish.
7.00 pm for 7.30 pm - A buffet meal will be served in the Alice Suite.
8.45 pm (approx.) - An auction of Jowett parts, ephemera, and literature will go towards
Rally funds, so please bid generously.
9.30 pm (approx.) To the accompaniment of suitable background music, this is the
time for renewing friendships, chatting about the manifold joys of Jowetteering, perhaps
dancing if you wish, and generally looking forward to the weekend ahead.
SATURDAY
10.00am to 11.00am - Cars leave the hotel for the concours site at Walton Hall, just
two miles away; route instructions will be published with your Rally pack, and in
next month’s Jowetteer for those not staying at the hotel.
11.00am - Concours judging commences.
12.00 noon to 2.00pm - Snack lunches are available in Walton Hall, where we have
booked the ground floor Concert Room with access from the display area outside,
for our exclusive use. There is a small cafeteria located next to the Heritage Centre
opposite the Cycle Museum with an outdoor patio, and the Walton Arms gastro-pub
is just by the approach road from off the A56.
A ‘period dress to suit the year of your car’ competition will be held during the afternoon
for the Keir Williams Trophy.
4.00 pm - Presentation of the Concours Awards on site.
7.00 for 7.30pm - A buffet meal will be served in the Alice Suite.
8.45 pm (approx.) An ‘Alice in Wonderland’ fancy dress parade for those who
wish to take part.
9.00 pm - ‘George Formby’-type entertainment.
SUNDAY
10.00am onwards - Leave the hotel for the attractions of your choice. Rally Committee
members will be at the entrance to the Alice Suite to offer suggestions to
those who have not yet made up their mind, on how to get lost. NO! - only kidding!
But we will be on hand to give advice. There will be a map by the Jowett
desk at reception, a sketch map in your Rally pack covering all the major venues,
and each of the brochures will also give their own respective directions.
7.00 pm for 7.30pm - The Rally Dinner will be served in the Alice Suite.
9.00 pm (approx.) - The presentation of the Club Awards will take place, followed
by the Rally Raffle draw.
9.30 pm (approx.) After a (very) few words from the Rally Chairman, you will be
entertained by the ‘Rioters’ Dixieland Jazz Band.

[Forumadmin]

This is the penultimate issue of Jowetteer before our Rally. Time to start finalising all the arrangements in both this month’s Rally report and again in the next issue. The approach to Daresbury Park from Junction 11 on M56. If you travel via the M6 from north and south, then turn to the west heading towards Liverpool at the interchange with M56. From the east past Manchester Airport on M56, then of course you carry straight on at the interchange. Either way, once you are heading west beyond the interchange, then Junction 11 is the second one you come to: then follow
the route indicated below. The OS grid reference is 572816.
Next month, I shall present several suggested routes to the Hotel which avoid the motorways, together with Dennis Mitchell’s directions to Walton Hall on the Saturday for those who are going there direct and have no need to call at the Hotel.

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE - ATTENTION!
We want your Jowett! Especially pre-war models and Bradfords. We are
celebrating 60 years of the Javelin, but we’ve no wish to forget the earlier cars and the Bradfords. Please help us to present as comprehensive a display as possible for our, and for the public’s, enjoyment; the cars will be positioned at random on grass, as at Bingley, so as to promote an informal atmosphere and encourage fraternal dialogue between either sides of the war. Contact Paul Beaumont as soon as possible, if you haven’t entered already.

ATTENTION TROPHY HOLDERS!
Please can you remember to bring them with you to the Rally. If you are
unable to to make it to the Rally, please can you let me know what arrangements are being made for its return. If for any reason the only way is by post, please let me know before you post it. I can be contacted on 0131 556 4503, or by e-mail at sandrapurves at postmaster.co.uk Also, for anyone who has period costume which is appropriate for the year of their car, don’t forget there is the Keir Williams Trophy awarded for the best turn-out. -Sandra Purves

RALLY RAFFLE & MENU CHOICES!
Two reminders - please don’t forget to send your raffle tickets and monies
back to Doris Whitney. Like wise, please don’t forget to return your choices from the menu to Yvonne Brierley, if you haven’t already done so. Thank you.

WE WANT LOTS OF LOTS!
Please support our Friday (not Saturday, as I stupidly indicated last month) night Auction with your goodies. Anything Jowett related (EXCEPT engines, gearboxes, and bulky heavy, or dirty items, such as may be encrusted with oil and grease). These latter ‘inappropriate’ items can still be offered by way of a description and/or photograph; likewise, full size cars can be offered in the same way. We have the services of an experienced and entertaining auctioneer, which should make for a fun evening - not to mention a profitable one! Proceeds go to Rally funds, and you can specify whether the item is donated to the Auction’s proceeds, or whether it is subject to a commission sale. Please let Paul Brierley have the details a.s.a.p. at paul.brierley at ntlworld.com or telephone the Editor.
The area covered by our Rally this weekend spreads over four adjacent Ordnance Survey maps. Whilst it would be an advantage for you to bring your own maps, your Rally committee, at enormous expense(!) has commissioned the Ordnance Survey to produce a single map that includes the Hotel and all the likely attractions; this will be displayed by the Jowett desk in reception. Respective thumb-nail diagrams of how to get from the Hotel to the various roads leading to each venue will be in your Rally pack.

[Drummond Black]

I consider that Dennis Mitchell and his committee deserve an acolade for the organisation of a very enjoyable Rally. Even poor weather did not dampen the Jowettering Spirit.

Well Done Drummond

[Masons]

Well done the members of the North West Section on organizing a fabulous weekend.

It was great to see all the Jowetts and their owners, and the support from the non Jowett owner/drivers. The location for the concourse was brilliant and I am delighted to have discovered, through you, such a beautiful park so near to our home.

I trust everyone arrived home safely. We made it here to France, but it took over twelve hours driving and the weather was not helpful.

Anyway, we now have twelve months to get the JAvelin (or Bradford) ready for Scotland, next year.

Sue and David

[Alastair Gregg]

Or possibly even the other Javelin (Burgundy). Does this mean you won't be at NW meetings for another year?!!!

Best Regards

Tony

[Masons]

Or possibly even the other Javelin (Burgundy). Does this mean you won't be at NW meetings for another year?!!!

Best Regards

Tony

Hello Alastair,
As you can see, we are not at Crieff despite our good intentions.
Instead, we are living in Singapore, and commuting to Mumbai regularly (some would say too regularly)
We are thinking about you all having fun in the sun in Scotland.

Best wishes all round

Sue and David

[Alastair Gregg]

Well Mr and Mrs Mason, I suspect we had more fun and equally as warm weather on a Bank Holiday weekend as you did in Mumbai. But you missed all the fun of a brilliantly organised weekend with nearly 70 Jowetts in attendance and around 200 Jowetteers. Shame on you. The early warning is that 2009 is in Bideford, 2010 Wakefield (area) and this is designated special cos its 100 years since Jowett started to produce cars, 2011 is some where round Lincoln. We trust the allure of Singapore and India will have dimninished by then and we can expect to see at least one Jowett from the Mason household. I am reliably informed you have several stashed away and could have at least one more ready if you get a wiggle on

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

To add to Alistair's comments you will be pleased to hear that your partner in crime Timotheous, of the Brown variety, dispatched the lots of the auction with his usual aplomb, confusion and humour in more or less equal parts!