Stanhoe news
Signs and stories
It was a happy crowd of members and visitors who attended the February meeting of Stanhoe and Barwick WI to hear Mike Weatherstone, a former policeman and keen photographer, give a presentation called “Norfolk, a history through its village signs”.
Inspired by an old publication about village signs, in recent years he spent 15 months travelling over 5,000 miles around Norfolk visiting 500 villages and looking at 450 signs. Eventually he created his own book from his images, with the same name as his presentation.
Mike Weatherstone begins his talk
We were treated to a wide selection of images with stories behind them, from the Blakeney sign showing the galleons recording that three similar ships from Blakeney helped to defeat the Spanish Armada; Corpusty has a plough, recording as many do, the agricultural heritage of the village; and to our own Stanhoe sign carved from oak by a village craftsman and depicting a famous figure, Sir Hervey de Stanhoe, as well as country images.
It was a very informative afternoon.
After a tea break our business meeting outlined forthcoming events, and then gave heartfelt thanks to Frances Ulyatt for the hard work that went into the production of her legendary history book of Stanhoe and Barwick WI, and to Pamela Austin for her beautifully presented portfolio of events in our centenary year. The president celebrated both of these achievements with a very apt poem.