31st December, 2009

Hello everyone

I’m just writing to let you know that my father, Bert, died on January 9th,   He was 101, two months away from his next birthday. We buried him on Thursday 28th Jan.

I’m attaching a bio of him and also my tribute at the funeral – not sure if these are appropriate for your records. Please let me know.

I do hope I will be able to come to Filkins for a day before I leave. I have another 3 weeks in UK.
Please would you let Ena and Sheila (sorry I have forgotten their married names) know.

With thanks
Dorin Hart (nee Doreen Spragg)

PS Just looked up Filkins website to get this address and found a letter from Delia, whom I remember from primary school – how amazing!

28th December, 2009

Hi,
 
I kinda found this website by accident, altho im really glad i did.
 
My names kayleigh filkins, from England, UK.
 
Where a lil family with only 8 family members left with the last name filkins, and its so good to know theres others out there.
 
Its so hard to find out any information free on my Filkins last name on the internet, so if anyone out there want to get in touch my emails.  kayleighmoo@hotmail.co.uk
 
p.s i have got to come vist the village of filkins, i find it so intresting.
 
many thanx, kayleigh

16th December, 2009

Following on from Ian Bailey's correspondence regarding the little egrets on the Broadwell Brook back in 2008 am happy to say that at least one has returned this winter. I accidentally disturbed it on the river upstream of the Mill last Sunday afternoon; it took off in the direction of the withy beds, which based on previous year's behaviour seems to be where it hides up. This will be the fourth year out of seven when we've seen them on the river; according to the textbooks their adult life expectancy is around 5 years, so this may well be the same bird returning each year. Unlike 2008-9 we've seen no sign as yet of a mate, but hopefully one will also appear again, and as a pair they may stay with us for 3-4 weeks as they did before. Incredibly easy to spot - like a slightly smaller heron, but the purest white all over.
Charlie Payne

21st October, 2009

Hello to Filkins England from,
Anne E. Filkins Degli-Angeli and, Janet R. Filkins Reynolds. We are looking for Filkins family and information on your lovely village. This web site asks us to write but there was no address. Please contact us at bethangeli@frontiernet.net and bigwig2@windstream.net.
We cain't wait to hear from you sincerely, Anne & Janet 

8th June, 2009

Hello to all,
 
Just a quick hello ladies and gentlemen, to inform and invite you all to participate in the very first (of many) Five Alls annual charity quiz on Sunday, June 28th in aid of Macmillan. The quizzes have been a marvellous sucess so far and most importantly great fun. We would love to have a huge village presence for this and all the various clubs, commitees and juntas to have teams competing.
We are contemplating organising an auction for the evening to raise as much as possible for this worthy cause. As a complete newcomer to the village I am slowly learning the names of everyone but not what people do for a living and therefore what delightful prizes people are able to offer. We have done well so far but if any one can provide me with a few leads, that would be most helpful.
As someone whose family has benefitted from the great work Macmillan does, I hope that we can count on some amazing village support for what should be a super event.
Please contact me via email or alternatively on 01367 860 553
 
Many thanks for your continued support at the pub, it is greatly appreciated.
Andre
The Five Alls

15th March, 2009

Sir,

It's no good. I've tried hard over the past weeks to learn to love the village "signpost". To no avail.

Filkins is not Disneyland and does not need this vulgar, intrusive, ill-mannered, ill conceived and out of character edifice. I say edifice, for what might have been a simple signpost (even were one needed) has become a pretentious irrelevant monstrosity. From the grossly disproportionate, massive and unnecessary stone base to the twee carved lettering it is totally out of place in a delightful country village that needs neither embellishment nor navigational directions. It contrasts vividly with, and both detracts and distracts from,the dignified simplicity of the War Memorial over which it looms.

If this is acceptable in a conservation area one wonders just what it is we are trying to conserve!

Sincerely
Peter King

22nd January, 2009

Hello
 
I lived in Filkins from 1946 until 1957 when I left home. My parents, Jack and Gwen Harries, kept the village shop known I think by most people as "the bottom shop" (there was also a "top shop", a bakers and a post office). Our address was The Corner, Filkins, Nr Leachlade, Glos. My father was also a church warden for some years.
 
Two years ago my Mother died at the amazing age of 105 years, and I have only now begun to sort through a couple of boxes of memorabilia that she left. My excuse for only now doing so is that my husband and I have moved house from Bristol to Cumbria since her death and been fully occupied in sorting and organizing our own effects.
 
My reason for writing to you is to enquire if there is any sort of Filkins archive and if there is whether anything I find would be of interest? I have for instance found a page from the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, of Saturday January 16 1954, which has an almost full page article entitled Filkins means to preserve its Heritage.
 
I would be very grateful if you could tell me of anyone who may be interested, of course I am finding it fascinating to look back on my happy childhood in the village but these things are of very little interest to my own children or anyone else who has no connection with the village.
 
Looking at your website I am very pleased to see that the spirit of the village seems just as I remember it.
 
Delia Stevens née Harries

Delia at the Filkins Village fete in 1949
(Delia is the clock... who are the others... any ideas?)
Click on the image for a larger view

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