THE GUILDFORD SOCIETY
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - November 2011
Social &
Making a Difference
The title of our 75th Anniversary booklet reminds us to ask ourselves again just what are we here for? It’s always worth a reminder of those aims spelled out in our constitution – protecting and enhancing the town’s beauty and amenity, encouraging wider interest, promoting high standards of planning and design, securing protection and improvement of features of interest, collaborating with other groups for the benefit of the town. The booklet celebrates those occasions when we feel The Society has achieved its aims – and confesses or regrets one or two failures.
We welcome and are encouraged by the number of new members joining over recent months, many of whom attended the Welcome Meeting in September. Your concern and wish to be involved was made very clear following the discussion on plans for the town – and the manifest lack of long-term vision to meet the ever-growing pressures which are stifling it.
Reports in the newsletter and this website highlight The Society’s activities during the past year, indicating new and ongoing threats and challenges, and activities to encourage wider interest in our town and its heritage. May I encourage you – long-term members as well as new – to identify those areas where your main interest lies – planning, design and heritage, transport, social, publicity – and to get in touch with the relevant person or group by e-mail or telephone? While the impact of The Guildford Society on decisions taken on our behalf results in part from the overall weight of membership numbers, it is more directly the outcome of committed action and expertise by you and me – by those who care enough to do something about it!
As new members have joined, so we have to say farewell to those who have moved on or away. Our most significant loss is that of Michael, Lord Onslow, and President for the past 35 years. His obituary follows this report. In due course your Committee will be looking for a successor and will welcome suggestions.
During the year the Planning Group has been closely involved in the Borough’s Town Centre Masterplan making our concerns known at all stages. At the National level we have submitted our concerns on the proposed National Planning Policy Framework, along with other associations including Civic Voice. The proposals are loudly acclaimed by their supporters – including the house developers’ lobby – for doing away with a thousand pages of legislation – all of which was introduced at various times to ensure adequate protection of our heritage and environment. The time for comment is closed and it remains to be seen if anyone has been listening to us.
Recent concern in the press has centred on the suggested bus station move, one of several factors looked at in the Masterplan report now to be taken further. Your Committee’s concern is that, as so often, decisions are taken with no long-term vision for the town or clear idea of how to overcome and perhaps reverse the impact of through traffic, parking and frequent gridlock. We are in discussion with the Council to see if they might engage those with experience of such problems elsewhere.
By the time this article is published our Forum on “Localism” (the in word for “power to the people”) and housing will have taken place, sub-titled “Getting Things Done”. In this of course your participation is invaluable!
Also coming up are the Guildford Society Christmas Craft Market on the Town Bridge - I hope you will make sure you inspect and select from the wares on offer- and our Christmas Social when we look forward to meeting new, old and “dormant” members to wish you all a very happy Christmas.
Michael, Earl of Onslow
President of the Guildford Society 1976-2011
Our 75th Anniversary Year was opened at the AGM in May 2010 by our President, Michael Onslow, “cutting the cake”. Sadly the anniversary booklet published at the end of that year noted that he had died just days before this year’s AGM. The insert remarked that the Foreword he had written earlier in the year was particularly poignant. It was written very much as a valedictory with his best wishes for the years to come and his hope that his successors would ever be rooting for us.
I had enjoyed the privilege of periodic contact over many years of association with the Society’s annual Design Awards, as each certificate bore the “Onslow” Presidential signature alongside that of the Chairman of the day. And on each occasion I was regaled with his latest enthusiasm for doing things well. He wished us to press for a proper grand gate to the High Street when it was closed to vehicles for safer pedestrian use, rather than the very ordinary example of municipal clutter we now have. He had – and shared – visions for giving the buildings of his own estate a viable use to cover the costs of their maintenance. There was one occasion when, having been asked to write about significant moments in his life, he recalled with heartfelt sadness the childhood time when his father had to take the decision to hand the family house – his home – on trust to the nation.
Picture from the New York Times
obituary.
He was one of those remarkable people who always left one feeling enriched by the encounter.
That ability – and enthusiasm – showed through on the occasions when he was able to present our Design Awards in person, or as at last year’s AGM to address The Society and identify himself fully with its aims and objectives – even if on occasion disagreeing with specific actions.
It was apparent that he had a similar impact on others – he was among the 92 hereditary peers elected by his fellow-peers to remain when the 1999 reforms swept away the vast majority of his colleagues. He retained strong views in support of what he regarded as a necessary reform – but had stronger views on the inadequacy of any proposals to date. His clarity of thought and ability to present that thought impacted far and wide. He was frequently featured in television broadcasts of debates in the Upper House. And the New York Times headed its obituary “Lord Onslow, a Peer by Birth and Contrarian by Nature”.
Our sympathy and condolences are offered to Robin, Lady Onslow, who has herself on occasion stood in for Lord Onslow when other duties forced him to cry off. Contributions have been invited towards saplings for a commemorative wood. In due course we will be discussing with Robin how the Society’s indebtedness for those thirty-five years of support may be adequately recorded.
Michael JefferyComments and suggestions are always welcome. Please send them to: chair@guildfordsociety.org.uk by clicking this link.
(November)