A FEW of our members, namely Nige, Andy, John and Cliff, enjoyed a delicious bacon butty breakfast, courtesy of Dave, prior to our meeting on April 21. All members then took the opportunity to wish Her Majesty the Queen a very happy 90th birthday. We were also pleased to award Club membership to Ian Lloyd-Oswell thus increasing our numbers to a very respectable 40.

President Brian Ireland then invited John Cotton, our retired Farm Manager, to share his life story with us.

John held us spellbound with a clear, open and honest account of his personal and working life in the farming world. Coming from farming stock, he had enjoyed a lovely upbringing with his one sister and two brothers. His account included references to boarding school and university, Blenheim Palace, Chatsworth House, racehorses, polo clubs, turkeys, beef and a variety of farms as well as the local vegetable industry.

He clearly was able to command the respect of both his employers with his considerable knowledge as well as the employees with his managerial skills. The latter included people from Europe as well as the Indian sub continent and the Caribbean.

John responded positively to our many farming related questions and thanked us for making him feel so welcome. Brian Ireland thanked John.

On April 28 we shall learn about nocturnal starfish, whatever they are, and on May 5 we shall be regaled with an account of the Great Escape.

CHRIS DONOUGH