Date: Saturday 25th June 1977
Venue: Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon
Circular to Members
Queen Elizabeth II – SILVER JUBILEE PICNIC
There was considerable enthusiasm for a Jubilee Picnic, and it has been arranged for Saturday, 25th June at the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon. This date was preferred about equally to 21st but the musicians could not manage that day, so we have chosen 25th.
The cost of a ticket for champagne drinkers will be £2.75. Some members preferred white wine so a good white burgundy will be available, at an alternative at a ticket cost of £2.25. As this wine is not easily available in half bottles, tickets will have to be sold in pairs. Soft drink tickets are 50p.
We are advised by the licensing authorities in Stratford-upon-Avon that a license is not necessary if the wine is supplied as part of the ticket which is sold in advance. This means two things. Firstly, we must receive payment in advance. Secondly, we will not be able to supply extra wine on the spot so if you feel that half a bottle is insufficient for your needs, you should bring your own reinforcements.
It may be necessary to limit the numbers as we don’t want to be uncomfortably crowded indoors if the weather is bad. Tickets will be sold strictly in order of receipt of application.
Details of how to get to the Shakespeare Institute and where to park will be sent to you with your tickets.
This circular is being sent to all members even if they said that they couldn’t come on 25th June as their plans may have changed.
PLEASE REPLY BY 7TH JUNE
A SILVER JUBILEE PICNIC – Minutes
Saturday 25th June 1977
The Club was founded in 1952, and it was felt that 1977 should not pass
without some particular event to mark this silver jubilee year. The idea of
holding a jubilee picnic to which members might bring their families and
guests was suggested. A further factor was that for sometime certain of the
more sensitive members had occasionally become aware of not wholly sympathetic
reactions towards the practises of the Club on the part of their ladies. A
picnic to which these ladies were invited might, it was felt, do much to
strengthen the Club. Our Chairman kindly offered to make the Shakespeare
Institute’s beautiful house and garden in Stratford-upon-Avon available for
this purpose. A questionnaire was sent to members and in due course Saturday,
June 25th at 6.30 p.m. was fixed for the occasion.
It was decided that members would bring their own picnic but that the
Club would provide drinks, music and coffee. The drinks were a choice of the
Wine Society’s Champagne or Chablis, Montée de Tonerre 1973 – a half bottle
per head – as well as Schloer grape juice, orange squash and cola for children
and others who preferred it.
The music was organised by Jane Wolfenden and Delia Walker. Details of
the players and the music follow these minutes. They played before and during
our supper and gave much pleasure.
An interesting exhibition of pictures, papers and books related both to
Frank Buckland and to the Club’s dinners was arranged by members of the
Committee and mounted by Philip Walker, the Secretary’s son. Some of the
items follow these minutes and others are preserved in the Club’s archives.
It had been suggested that dress “be informal tending towards the
picturesque, the elegant or even the fantastical”. Members took full advantage
of this. Imagination, ingenuity and the contents of trunks in attics were used
to the full. Only the weather failed us. The band rehearsed in afternoon
sunshine in the garden but half an hour before we were due to arrive the
heavens opened and chairs, tables and music stands were hastily transferred to
the Institute’s hall. Perhaps the gaiety of the clothes and indeed the silver
candelabra brought by one party were even more valuable in raising our spirits
indoors. Indeed, after the first few moments of disappointment all was forgotten
and the party was in full swing.
For the benefit of our guests, our previous Chairman, Charles Chatwin, told
us a little about the history of the Club and later our host and Chairman,
Terence Spencer, was asked to tell us something about the house where we were, and
in particular how it developed when Marie Corelli lived there. It was by then
much too late for the Secretary to record what he said but all were impressed by
the content, style and perfect structure of a speech delivered unprepared and
late in the evening.
All those present at the party agreed that it was a great success and a
worthy celebration of our Silver Jubilee. Eighty-three members, guests and
musicians attended.
