SARUM U3A Press Report October 2004

    The more than 100 members and invited guests who attended the October Coffee Morning were greeted with the hall decorated with balloons, flowers and a table set with a beautifully decorated cake to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the organisation. There was a banner created by the Art group and a board of memorabilia and photos describing the last 10 years of the many activities which members take part in. The partying came at the end of the morning so more of this later.

   
    The usual initial socialising, information on activities such as the walkers group; the strollers group; a new group dedicated to seeking out those “special” places for a lunch-time drink and snack/meal; and the photographic competition was followed by a talk designed to complement the mood of this special coffee morning.

    The speaker was Kathy Quinn who treated members to a “Lighthearted look at Salisbury” and it certainly lived up to its title. Kathy, a blue badge guide, had a fund of stories and reminiscences which kept her audience both spellbound, in fits of laughter as well as knowing a lot more about their city.

    Of her stories, some were legendary, some were historic, but all were intriguing. Such as the confrontation between the clergy and the soldiers at Old Sarum which led to the Bishop finding a new location for the cathedral by getting an archer to fire an arrow which flew 2 miles to the cathedral's present position. What an archer!! The reputation, until 1852, of Salisbury as the Venice of England created by the water channels which flowed down the streets but which unfortunately carried disease with the water. The origins of the Charter Market, the squatters in Butchers and Fish Row, the history behind the statue of Henry Fawcett in the Market Square, the origins of the building which now houses the cinema and why it is called the “Odeon”; the stories came thick and fast and it would be impossible to cover them all here. However it is a must to mention the existence of a scary story about the ghost of Duke Henry Stafford said to haunt one of the buildings in the centre of the city. It is impossible here to do justice to what was a truly wonderful talk and members showed their appreciation with long and loud applause.