History Society AGM and talk

Fifty members and visitors attended the AGM when a summary of another successful year was given.

The society celebrates its 35th anniversary in January 2015. John Whitehead retires as Chairman at the end of the year and thanks were recorded to the two resigning committee members, Jean Watson and Geraint Davies.

Then, Geoff Farr took over with his usual blend of humour and knowledge of flying. He gave a talk around 1981 to the Society which is still recalled especially that as his registration is G-FARR his call sign is Romeo Romeo!

Many traces of previous activity can be seen from the air, particularly in drought conditions or melting snow. This time he concentrated on the path of the old railway line, starting in Market Drayton and ending at Nantwich.

Coxbank, Swanbach, the Whitchurch Rd, Heathfield Rd, the marina and fishery were all seen clearly.

He also recalled Audlem people such as 'Patsy' Matthews (commemorated in Matthews Way) whose father tried to buy Ternhill airfield and Patsy himself took off in a home made aeroplane and circled Audlem wondering how to get down.

He recalled how Little Heath was used by Bonells to dump the cinders from their steam engines and that 60 Whitchurch Road is where the pedestrian way to the station went. He has part of the embankment in his present garden.

He is very grateful to the Williamson family who have let him use their field as a landing strip for all these years.

He went through the purpose of many of the cockpit instruments – see above – so there was much
to interest the mixture of people in his audience.

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