VILLAGE HALL GETS NEW ROOF   The old asbestos roof is removed and replaced by metal tiles

SWAKELEYS ROAD RE-SURFACING

COTTAGES JUBILEE PARTY

 

ALAN WILLIAM IMBER

1919 š 2002

Readers will be saddened to hear of the passing of one of Ickenham‰s best known residents. Bill died peacefully in Michael Sobell House (after a long period of illness) at 6.10 a.m. on Saturday 15^th June. His family was beside his bed and there was sunshine and birdsong as he left this world.

 

Bill was loved for his stoicism in the face of many personal, family, bereavements š he lost both wives Midge and Dulcie and latterly his son Bob. His good humour and personal integrity were the hallmarks of this remarkable man.

 

Bill was brought up in Devon, Harrow and Letchworth and came to Ickenham in 1956 where he worked for Bishop and Marsh. He launched his own Estate Agency, ëImbers‰, in 1962.

 

Prior to WW2 he volunteered for the Territorial Army before being conscripted into the Royal Artillery. Bill served with this Regiment during the long North Africa and Italy campaigns where he and his battery comrades stuck together rather than accepting promotions and commissions.

 

Bill enjoyed the company of his many friends in the Home Guard, and loved his golf especially with the ëWags‰ and the ëDawn Patrol‰ from the Sandy Lodge Golf Club.

 

Breakspear Crematorium was full to overflowing at the funeral service on 24^th June where Mike Bisset (St. Giles‰ Curate) led the service and Bill‰s son Mark delivered a moving eulogy.

 

All Bill‰s family, friends, colleagues and neighbours will miss him very much and raise their glasses, and hats, to a much loved gentleman and a brave soldier.

EDITOR

 

 

ENTER THIS DOOR

The following, rather beautiful verse, was discovered by Joan Brownlie in the porch of the Parish Church in Kilve, Somerset. It is printed as it was seen.

 

Enter this door

ææææ as if the floor

ææææ within were gold

ææææ and every wall

ææææ of jewels all

ææææ of wealth untold;

As if a choir

ææææ in robes of fire

ææææ were singing here.

Nor shout, nor rush,

æææ But hushá

For God is here.

ææææææææææææææææææææææ

æææææææææææææææææææææææææ Rev. J. Mackay.

 

PETE COTTAGE AND GARDEN CENTRE

Conservation Area Status Update

After much support from Ickenham Residents‰ Association, Ickenham Conservation Areaæ Advisory Panel, our Member of Parliament, John Randall, local Councillors Ray Puddifoot and John Hensley and many local people, the following recommendations relating to the procedure to bring Pete Cottage and Ickenham Garden Centre within Ickenham Conservation Area were approved by Uxbridge Planning Committee at its meeting of 16^th July.

 

1. æ That Officers be authorised to consult with a range of organisations, including local

ææææææææææææ ææresidents and English Heritage on the proposed designation for a period of 6 weeks

ææææææææææææææ from mid August 2002, and

2. æ That following the consultation period, a further report is submitted to a future meeting

ææææææææ of this Committee for consideration.

æææææ 3.ææææ That the possibility of ëLocal Listing‰ be investigated.

The date of the next Planning Committee meeting is expected on 24th September and readers can comment on the proposal JMF/CA-IV in writing to the Principal Architect/Planner of the Department of Planning and Transportation š Urban Design and Conservation at Uxbridge Civic Centre or email jfinney@hillingdon.gov.uk A copy of the full proposal can be seen in Ickenham Library and several local shops.

 

PLANNING APPLICATION RE-SUBMITTED

In early August the freeholder of the property re-submitted his original, and temporarily withdrawn, plan to demolish Pete Cottage and build, on the site, three-storey offices and flats. Because the re-submission counted as a new application, anyone who had commented on the original proposal in writing to the Head of Planning and Transportation at Uxbridge Civic Centre, had to do so again. The new application number is 57069/APP/2002/1709.

 

In the meantime David Edington, who received notice to quit his garden Centre by 28^th September, is preparing to wind down his business after so many successful years of trading.

Editor

 

VILLAGE PUMP IN DISREPAIR

The Grade ll Listed central symbol of our community is falling into decay and the Ickenham Conservation Area Advisory Panel, and Councillor John Hensley, are working hard to get Hillingdon Council to fund the necessary repairs this year. The cost is estimated at £10,000 but the Council‰s Chrysalis Programme, which gives money for environmental projects each year, advises that there is no funding left in its current budget. The manager of the programme said that the restoration of the pump will go forward to the panel for consideration when allocating next year‰s funding. Doubtless local folk will wish to support continuing moves to expedite funding in 2002 so that winter will not ravage, further, the woodwork. Continual maintenance and upgrading of the village pond is another necessary priority.

Editor

 

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