20th August 2024

A person who was alive at the beginning of the twentieth century could well have witnessed both the first flight of a ‘heavier-than-air’ flying machine (in the first decade of that century) and could also have witnessed, on their television screen, the first moon landing (in 1969). Such have been the amazing technological advances over the course of a single human lifetime. Examples of this sort of development in a particular field, in this case the printing industry, were given in this talk by club member, Tony Fry who described the changes that had taken place during his own working career.

The speaker demonstrated how some advances in technology often enhanced and improved upon processes that had preceded them, but others had the effect of rendering even the latest technologies obsolete. His career started in 1974 when he joined the research division of Crosfield Electronics Ltd., a market leader of products for the printing industry. He described the development of scanning and laser-gravure engraving systems using increasingly sophisticated technologies but, by the time he left Crosfield in 1983, advances in the printing and graphic arts industry had largely superseded the processes that were reliant on technologies Crosfield had developed.

Therefore, in 1983, Tony moved to Xerox Research (UK) Ltd. Over the next four years, the rapid changes in data communications eclipsed the requirement for newly developed technology. In 1997 he transferred from engineering to the Rank Xerox international marketing team, where he managed development and delivery of technologies to integrate IBM compatible, Xerox laser printing systems, to enable connection to mainframe computers from other computer manufacturers. This led, in 1994 to management of Alliances between Rank Xerox and several computer manufacturers requiring high volume laser printers. It was during the period from 1984 to 2002 that mainframe computing was supplanted by smaller and more flexible computer technologies. Internet and on-line services grew and demand for high volume laser printers declined.

Between 2003 and 2010, Tony managed business development for a Finnish manufacturer and distributor of camera inspection equipment for laser printing systems and devices to process printed documents for postal delivery. For the latter part of his career, he was able to make use of his experience with an employer, based in the UK. Here he managed products to handle and process banknotes within bank branches in World markets. This company had, in the 1960s, developed the once-ubiquitous ATM cashpoint machine.

Tony Fry and Ron Enock

6th August 2024

With memories of the former British Empire now fading into history, it was fascinating for our club members at this meeting to hear a first-hand account of life in pre-independence Nigeria from our most senior member, Robert Graham.

Robert described how, as a young man in 1954, he arrived in Lagos on board the Elder Dempster Mail Boat ‘Accra’, then spent two days travelling by train to Enugu, the capital of the Eastern Region of Nigeria. On his arrival there, his first thoughts were, “What have I done?”, but he soon settled down and, in the event, spent eleven years in the country between 1954 and 1965. For the first three, and the last three of these years, he was a District Officer in H.M. Overseas Civil Service. For most of the period between 1957 and 1962, during which time Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, he was Secretary to the Governor of Eastern Nigeria, based in Enugu. It was in describing this period of his life that he related several amusing – and, at times, alarming – anecdotes, one of which involved a visit in 1957 by the Princess Royal (Princess Mary, aunt to Queen Elizabeth II).

Picture the scene. The Princess, with her lady-in-waiting, Miss Gwyneth Lloyd had been attending a number of formal engagements at Onitsha on the banks of the Niger River. For this particular event it had been suggested that, to mark the official opening of a new market, the Princess Royal and the Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe, should jointly carry out the task by switching on the flood lighting for the market. So it was that, in the company of dozens of notable people including the Executive Council of Eastern Nigeria, an archbishop, four bishops, and many other luminaries, at the appointed time as dusk fell, the switch was thrown and the whole area was flooded with light. Immediately, attracted by the illuminations, there came thousands of very large flying beetles from the swampy land on the opposite bank of the Niger. They landed everywhere, but notably on the persons of the Princess and Miss Lloyd, including in their clothing and hair. Understandably, the whole evening broke up in total confusion, with the ladies swiftly retreating to their private accommodation to undertake the delicate job of de-beetling themselves.

This was only one of the tales told by the speaker who clearly retains a lasting affection for Nigeria which he described as his ‘second country’. But he expressed a sense of sadness over the ways that it has developed since independence, not least its notorious levels of corruption and periods of inter-tribal violence.

Robert Graham and Ron Enock

16th July 2024

Rheumatism and arthritis are terms that cover more than a hundred medical conditions affecting bone, cartilage, muscle, skin, and the immune, heart and respiratory systems of the body. At today’s meeting, club member Kim Rainsford outlined some of the features of these diseases and described the history of their treatment.

As he explained, one of the major diseases, rheumatoid arthritis was first identified on paleontological records of ancient Egypt and in writings from the early Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Indian periods of history. Deformities of the hand shown in paintings by fifteenth century (and later) Flemish and French artists provide evidence of this disease at that time. Multiple treatments have evolved over the decades, focussing on physical therapies as well as a range of medications. Since the introduction in 1994 of highly specific biologic agents that regulate the workings of immune-regulatory proteins, the cytokines, there has been a dramatic reduction in rheumatoid arthritis.

Kim continued his talk by discussing the joint degenerative condition of osteoarthritis. This is a widespread disease which has been identified in human skeletons from far back in history, as well as in Egyptian mummies. It is not restricted to humans however, being observed in the skeletons of apes and other animals.

Another member of this group of diseases is gout. This is the only rheumatic condition that has a defined biochemical origin – the over-production and accumulation in joints of the chemical, urate. It is associated with the excessive intake of alcoholic drinks and rich protein foods, and has been described as the “King of Disease” or the “Disease of Kings”. Many luminaries have suffered from gout over the centuries including Alexander the Great, Kublai Khan, The Medici, Prime Minister William Cecil, James VI of Scotland (James I of England), Benjamin Franklin, Cardinal Wolsey and John Wesley, to name a few. It has to be wondered if the pain from this affliction influenced the actions and responses by these famous individuals.

In conclusion, the speaker described the many treatments for these diseases over the centuries. Spa therapy was popular from Roman times (in locations such as Bath and Buxton) through to the Victorian period. Ancient remedies include the herbal – colchicine from the Autumn Crocus and salicylates from Willow bark. In more recent years research has led to the development of new anti-gout drugs. Even so, the incidence of this particular condition has recently shown an upward trend, indicating that further work needs to be done in this respect.

There are many rheumatic conditions that have been discovered over the centuries. In this talk by club member Kim Rainsford, he discussed the ways in which recent research into the origins and development of these diseases has enabled treatments to evolve.

Kim Rainsford

2nd July 2024

What options are available for solving the housing crisis other than building new? This was the question addressed by today’s speaker, club member Tony Crook who, as Emeritus Professor of Town & Regional Planning at Sheffield University, is a recognized expert on the subject of housing policy.

Tony started his talk by outlining the factors that have led to the current situation. For decades, under successive governments of both major parties, the numbers of new homes being built have been consistently below target. Incomes have failed to keep up with the rates of increase in house prices and rentals, with the effect that these have become unaffordable for a significant number of people and, as a consequence, an increasing number of younger people are having to resort to living in the parental home or even forced into homelessness.

He continued by describing the ways in which he, in association with experts in other related disciplines, has identified some options for helping to solve the housing crisis. Firstly, we should make better use of the existing housing stock. A third of all heads of households are over the age of 65 and 80% own their homes. Many live alone and/or are disabled and would like to downsize but are discouraged from doing so by the lack of suitable accommodation and the imposition of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when moving house. To exempt people over 65 from SDLT would tackle one of these restraints. There is then the question of holiday homes and short-term lettings which remove the stock of housing in mainly rural areas. These could be discouraged if planning consent were required for such conversions and if the taxation system which currently benefits the owners were modified.

Turning to taxation in relation to housing in general, the speaker proposed that Council Tax should relate more closely to current housing values and that the exemption from Capital Gains Tax on primary residences should be removed. These and other changes would result in a fall in house prices and hence improved affordability. They would also generate additional tax income to support the building of new affordable homes. And mandatory house building targets should continue to be set but administered locally with developers required to build new affordable as well as market homes.

At the end of a very detailed presentation, Tony identified the actions that the forthcoming new government should take. He suggested that the existing policy must be modified and then the taxation regime changed to create more funding for affordable homes.

Ron Enock and Tony Crook

18th June 2024

At a time, such as now, when the performing arts in this country are under so much pressure from cuts in funding and declining participation by the public, it was encouraging to learn at this meeting that a new cultural centre for the arts is being created in Chesterfield. Club member John Robinson introduced a guest speaker, Jonathan Francis to talk about the Rose Hill Arts Centre where he holds the position of Artistic Director.

Jonathan described his own experiences of music education when he was growing up and the excellent tuition he received in the 1990s at Highfields School in Matlock which, at the time, included a large school choir that provided an outlet for his musical talents. Much later, in London he worked as a theatre director but once again was drawn back to music. This brought him back to Chesterfield where the Rose Hill United Reform Church had accommodation – the Eastwood Hall – available for lease. In 2009 Jonathan founded a performing arts school in this hall, and it made good progress until, in common with all other such activities, the Covid pandemic created difficulties that have only recently been overcome.

As the speaker continued, the next significant development occurred in 2023 when the United Reform Church authorities decided to close Rose Hill and put the building up for sale. However, its future use could be neither commercial nor residential; it had to be retained as a community asset. This stipulation meant that the way was open for Jonathan and his team to make a bid to secure the entire building and convert it into a centre where young people with an interest in the arts could be given the training and encouragement that is so underfunded in the state education system.

Now looking to obtain charitable status the Rose Hill Arts Centre is due to open later this year. No doubt, it will be of huge benefit to the people of Chesterfield and its surrounding area.

Jonathan Francis and John Robinson

4th June 2024

Nineteen Eighty-Four – a date now forty years into history but, for those of us who grew up at the time when it was still far into the future, it was the title of a book which presented the disturbing prospect of a dystopian, nightmare world. The book’s story tells of an imagined future in which much of the world is in a state of perpetual war, with Airstrip One (UK) as part of a superstate, Oceania, led by the dictator ‘Big Brother’, and controlled by the ruling party’s ‘Thought Police’. Government surveillance is everywhere, history is rewritten to suit the latest propaganda, and individuality and independent thinking are ruthlessly persecuted. Surely the author of the book, George Orwell, when he published it in 1949, was describing an impossible, unreal future world? Or was he?

At today’s meeting, Club member Peter Holt talked with great authority about George Orwell’s life and the experiences which so strongly influenced the writing of not only his most famous work, Nineteen Eighty-Four, but also several other books. Included among these is Animal Farm which, although subtitled ‘a fairy story’ is actually a satirical essay based on the events of the Russian Revolution and the emergence of Stalin in its aftermath.

As the speaker related, Orwell was born in 1903 and, after a sometimes unhappy school life, joined the Indian Imperial Police Force serving in Burma. Here he found himself sympathising with the indigenous population that was so resentful of the imperialists ruling their country. He left Burma after five years’ service and returned home determined to become a writer. In late 1936 he travelled to Spain as a journalist and enlisted in a Republican unit fighting Franco’s fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Injured during this war, he returned to the UK where, in the peace and quiet of a remote farmhouse on the Isle of Jura, he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. On completing this work, he returned to London where, in 1950, he died of tuberculosis.

Now, forty years after the ‘imaginary’ events described in the book we find ourselves in a world of ‘alternative facts’ (i.e. outright lies) emanating from the supporters of Donald Trump. In Russia and China the totalitarian regimes of Putin and Xi suppress political opposition and the media are tightly controlled. And, even in our own country, the Post Office and Infected Blood Scandals have been shown to feature significant elements of cover-up to hide the truth. Nineteen eighty-four again?

Ron Enock and Peter Holt

21st May 2024

In recent years, the NHS has struggled to provide a comprehensive and adequate dental service for the general public. Underfunding, workforce shortages and, more recently, the effects of the Covid pandemic are all factors that have contributed to these difficulties but, as today’s speaker, club member Derrick Willmot explained, the technical advances in dental treatment with their associated increased costs have also had an adverse effect on the NHS’s ability to satisfy the demands made upon it.

The speaker opened his talk with a description of the way in which dental practitioners have been trained since the days of the Medical Act of 1858, when the Royal College of Surgeons was mandated to issue a licence in dental surgery, the LDS. In the early decades of the 20^th century, a number of university dental schools were established and they awarded degrees in dental surgery (BDS) on the completion of 4-5 years of study, including clinical practice. By the 1960s, most treatment was carried out under the NHS but dentists were able to practise independently at that stage and there was no official recognition of the status of dental specialists (e.g. orthodontists). Nowadays, such specialists undergo 3-5 years of post-graduate training and, since 1998, have been recognized by the General Dental Council.

Derrick qualified in 1969 and spent the following fifty years in a number of roles, including as a hospital house surgeon, a general dental practitioner, and a Registrar in Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. In 1984 he was appointed as an NHS consultant in Chesterfield and at the Charles Clifford Dental Hospital in Sheffield. Later, having expanded his academic and research roles at Sheffield University he was appointed Professor at the School of Clinical Dentistry.

He continued his presentation by describing the dramatic changes to dentistry that have occurred over the course of his career, in particular the ways in which the management and treatment of dental defects and diseases has changed with better materials and techniques. Having trained as an orthodontist, in forty years he has witnessed an enormous growth in this specialty. Technical advances now allow both major and minor dental irregularities to be treated easily and effectively. His role at the University was to train undergraduate and postgraduate students in the subject, and to provide NHS treatment for extreme cases of dental and facial deformity, which he illustrated with some dramatic photographs.

In conclusion, Derrick stressed that research is very important for the future management of orofacial diseases and he explained some of the work done at Sheffield University and how it might impact on future care. As for the NHS’s current problems, he explained the need for increased funding, reforms to the dental contract, efforts to recruit and retain dental professionals, and strategies to improve access to care for underserved populations.

Ron Enock and Derrick Willmot

7th May 2024

These days, it seems that any major building or infrastructure project almost invariably costs considerably more and takes much longer to complete than originally envisaged. Even before construction can start, the time taken from inception can be months or even years, while a whole series of procedures are followed. The design and planning of the job are just two basic aspects. Added to these are other considerations such as the need for public consultation, planning consent, environmental impact assessments and archaeological surveys. In contrast, our Victorian ancestors, being supremely confident and enterprising, had a very different way of doing things. This was illustrated at today’s meeting when member, Hugh Wright, told the story of the making of the Great Exhibition held in London in 1851.

Hugh explained that a number of European cities had already held exhibitions to promote their industries and to encourage trade. Not to be outdone, at a meeting in June 1849 the British, led by Prince Albert, proposed a similar project to stimulate British design and manufacture but one that was also open to exhibits ‘from all Nations’. The date set for this Great Exhibition to open to the public was 1^st May 1851 – less than two years ahead.

After some initial negotiations with a potential contractor it was decided, in January 1850, that a Royal Commission should be responsible for organising the event. Two months later, a competition brief for the Commission’s requirements was published. Among other conditions, this stipulated that this was to be a temporary building in a section of Hyde Park and that it was to have a covered floor space of 700,000 sq. ft. (65,000 sq. m. – the size of nine football pitches). Entrants to this competition were allowed less than four weeks to submit their designs. In the event, after a number of proposals had been discussed by the Commission, Joseph Paxton suggested a design, based on prefabricated iron and glass (such as the greenhouses at Chatsworth already built by him). This proposal proved acceptable to the Commission, and work started on site at the end of July 1850, leaving a mere 39 weeks before the planned opening date.

The speaker continued by describing, in detail, the building itself and the remarkable speed and efficiency with which its component parts (ironwork and glass) were manufactured in Birmingham, transported to site in London, and erected in Hyde Park. Amazingly, it was completed in time for its public opening on 1^st May 1851. The Exhibition was staged for 24 weeks, during which time it attracted six million visitors (equivalent to a third of the entire population of Britain at the time). Yet another triumph for Victorian entrepreneurship!

Hugh Wright and Ron Enock

16th April 2024

Of all the privatisations of the nationalised British industries, one of the more contentious at the time was that of British Rail. It was during the later years of the Conservative government (1979 – 1997) that the policy of transferring the ownership and operation of the railways to private ventures was put into effect. Begun in 1994, the process was largely completed by 1997, by which time ownership of the infrastructure, including the larger stations, had passed to the new privately owned company, Railtrack, and the rolling stock (i.e. the trains themselves) to a variety of other private operators.

Today, club member Tom Johnstone (who, in his working life, had been the Finance Director of one of these businesses, Unipart) asked the question, “Was the privatisation of British Rail a success?”. In addressing this question, he provided much evidence to demonstrate the growth in rail usage since privatisation which, although a financial benefit to the system, brought its own problems of congestion on a very crowded network. The way in which the railway was privatised into over a hundred different businesses created an extremely complex structure of management and financing. On the positive side, privatisation brought much needed investment in new trains and the infrastructure on which to run them.

In his presentation, Tom showed several tables and graphs which illustrated how the Covid pandemic had seriously affected the railways. Clearly there was a huge decline in the numbers of passengers using the network, especially during periods of ‘lock-down’. Consequently, because the trains were kept running even when almost empty, the costs incurred in so doing were enormous. This required considerable financial support from the government which, in turn, changed government attitudes towards the railways. Back in 2001, with the collapse of Railtrack, the railway infrastructure was, in effect, re-nationalised through the creation of Network Rail. Now, post-Covid, the train-operating companies have become far more tightly controlled by government. Since 2021 there have been moves to simplify the overall rail structure by the creation of a single body, Great Britain Railways, but this has not yet been established.

The speaker, at the end of his talk, answered his own question by saying that, on balance, he believed the privatisation of the railways to have been a success. But, in the general discussion afterwards, the views of his audience were generally more ambivalent.

Tom Johnstone and Ron Enock

2nd April 2024

For several years, we have held an annual springtime debate among our members. On this occasion, the motion was ‘Our National Health Service should embrace the Private Sector’. Leading the discussions were club members Stefan Andrejczuk who supported the proposition and Kim Rainsford who opposed it, with Chairman Ron Enock overseeing the proceedings. A preliminary vote among those present indicated a clear majority for the motion, with 23 in favour, compared with 9 against and 2 abstentions.

In his opening arguments, Stefan (whose former career had been in senior management of a private healthcare business) reminded his audience that a basic tenet of the NHS when it was founded in 1948 (and, indeed, still holds true) is that it should be free at the point of use and funded through general taxation. However, from the earliest days, in effect there was involvement from the private sector in that, due to resistance by the General Medical Council, GP’s services – along with dentistry, ophthalmology and pharmacy – have been contracted out to individual practices. In more recent years, increasing numbers of treatments have been carried out by private healthcare companies, thereby easing some of the pressures on the NHS. From a commercial point of view, this development is also beneficial to the NHS as it costs no more to employ private companies than to carry out the treatment using its own resources. One of the reasons why the private sector can be competitive is that it is far more efficient than the NHS, mainly by being better managed and, significantly, relatively free of political interference.

In opposition to the motion, Kim Rainsford (who is Emeritus Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University) stressed that his arguments were based on his personal and professional experiences during his long career in biomedical research. As he pointed out, we, the taxpayers, are paying huge amounts for our health service but we are not getting value for our money. Involving the private healthcare companies is not the best way to tackle this problem; rather, the root cause is disorganisation and inefficiency in the system, together with misuse and wastage of the NHS’s resources by the general public. Being unique in the world by offering free treatment, the NHS differs from other counties whose funding of their health services involves contributions from both state and insurance sources. In general, this leads to a more efficient organisation.

In spite of taking opposing views on the use of private health providers, both Stefan and Kim agreed on the need for NHS reform, to improve its efficiency and to be freed from continuous interference by politicians. A consensus between the political parties on how to carry out this reform would make a huge impact on stabilising the situation. These were very much the points agreed by members of the audience during the general discussion following the formal submissions. At the close of proceedings, a second vote was taken with the result that, although there remained a majority in favour of the motion (17), this was a reduced number with several members now opting to abstain.

Ron Enock, Kim Rainsford and Stefan Andrejczuk

19th March 2024

Here in landlocked Derbyshire it can easily be forgotten that we live in a maritime nation, and therefore, at this meeting we were pleased to welcome Rod Shiers, a guest speaker arranged by club member Duncan Gordon. Rod’s talk was about his experiences as a yachtsman over three decades.

His early life was spent in Leigh-on-Sea on the Essex coast where he learned to sail and was a member of the local Sea Scout troop. At the age of seventeen, he joined the crew of one of the two RNLI lifeboats stationed at Southend. This was a ‘D’ class inflatable boat, designed to operate close to shore in shallower waters. Here he was involved in much of the action of this, one of the busiest lifeboat stations in the country.

Later, having qualified as a solicitor, he moved to Chesterfield and it seemed that his sailing days, if not over completely, would nevertheless be severely curtailed. Ogston reservoir provided the opportunity for dinghy sailing but he felt the need for something more adventurous. Hence, in 1984 he bought his first of a succession of sea-going yachts which he based at an anchorage in the Dart Estuary in Devon. Over the years he, with his growing family, undertook increasingly ambitious voyages, eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea where, amongst many other places, they explored the Balkan coasts of Croatia and Montenegro as well as Venice and Malta.

Having retired in 2012, Rod now had the time to put into action a long-standing wish, which was to buy an old boat, restore it, and sail around the coast of Britain. In this he was successful but the circumnavigation of our island was far from uneventful, being subjected to storms and several very long and arduous passages between ports and anchorages. The whole trip amounted to 2,400 miles and took 80 days to accomplish. Rod relates the story of this voyage in his book ‘All Aboard!’; he donates the royalties to the RNLI.

From being a volunteer crewman in his youth, throughout his life Rod (who is now the Chairman of the Matlock and Bakewell Fundraising Branch) has been a supporter of the RNLI. This year, 2024, marks the 200^th anniversary of this much-respected and admired organisation which deserves everyone’s support, even as far from the sea as here in Derbyshire.

Rod Shiers and Duncan Gordon

5th March 2024

For the past two years, Ukraine has rarely been out of the news but, before the Russian invasion of that country in February 2022, it had been one of those far-away places about which many of us knew almost nothing. Similarly we, in common with much of the rest of the world, had been ignorant of a disaster suffered by the Ukrainian people during 1932/33. This was a man-made famine, ‘The Holodomor’, and it was the subject of this talk by Club member David Webb.

As David explained, throughout its history Ukraine has been very much influenced by its large and powerful neighbour, Russia, although during the Middle Ages it was Ukraine that was the centre of East Slavic culture. However, its geographical location on the borders of Europe and Asia, and the ease with which any invading force could sweep across its predominantly low-lying terrain made it vulnerable to attack. Consequently, it lost its independence to a succession of external powers culminating in its absorption into the Russian Empire during the eighteenth century.

In spite of this annexation, Ukraine was granted a degree of autonomy whereby its people retained their culture and language, but the remaining bonds between the two countries meant that the Russian Revolution of 1917 spilled over into Ukraine. For the next few years there was chaos and civil war resulting in Ukraine becoming a constituent republic within the Soviet Union in 1922. Two years later, Joseph Stalin became leader of the USSR and thereafter pursued a policy of agricultural collectivisation and rapid industrialisation which proved catastrophic. By appropriating Ukraine’s production of grain for consumption throughout the Soviet Union, this policy deprived Ukraine’s peasantry of its staple food and famine was the result, with an estimated 4 million deaths in 1932/33.

The speaker continued by discussing the way that news of this disaster was suppressed at the time, not only by the Soviet authorities themselves but also by foreign apologists for that regime. A lone voice, attempting to draw the world’s attention to this famine was that of Welsh journalist, Gareth Jones who, first-hand, witnessed its horrors. His efforts were recognised when he was posthumously awarded the Ukrainian Order of Merit in 2008.

David Webb and Ron Enock