Eye - 25 July 2014
From Norwich to nuke-free knee warmers
Norwich re-enactment
The past was brought to life recently in Norwich Meeting when local Friends re-enacted some archive minutes that had been written during the first world war.
Local Friend Fran Warns described the event: ‘We had already made a banner for Conscientious Objectors Day which said “It’s not easy to say NO”, so we started by hanging it on the wall…
‘The children gave everyone a souvenir card and we played some rousing music by Handel, which included the words “the trumpets loud clamour excites us to war”. The point being that it is easy to be swept along with patriotic enthusiasm but it is much more difficult to say no.’
The minutes offered an insight into the challenges facing Friends.
‘The clerk explained that he had had two letters from Friends who wanted to resign because they wanted to join the army – the bottom line being, is it possible to be a Quaker and a soldier? He then said, using the usual phrase, “the matter is before you Friends”.
‘Two people spoke to this using their personal experiences, which were sincere and moving.
‘The archive minute was then read, which had been read by the clerk of Norwich Meeting a hundred years ago and in the same room we worship in today.
‘We then heard other minutes, which came from General Meeting and another Norfolk Meeting which no longer exists. We ended with two members giving a modern perspective on world war one.’
Nuke-free knee warmer
Margaret Cook shared this recent snap (below) with Eye: ‘We had an enjoyable Woodbrooke-on-the-Road at Milton Keynes Meeting on 28 June (‘Quaker faith & practice: Past and present’, with tutor Helen Rowlands) but suddenly the temperature dropped and we all started to feel rather chilly. Here is a photo of our remedy – an alternative use of the pink peace scarf our members are creating for the Wool against Weapons demonstration on 9 August, which will link the nuclear bomb factories at Aldermaston and Burghfield!’
Fashion and arms
Peace protesters who bore witness at the Eurosatory arms fair in Villepoint near Paris between 16-20 June missed the presence of the late Yvonne Kressman.
Yvonne, who died in 2012, had maintained a faithful Quaker vigil at the biannual arms fair for more than thirty years.
Ian Kirk-Smith, editor of the Friend, remembers protesting with Yvonne at Le Bourget and later at Villepoint: ‘Yvonne was an inspiration and also great fun. She had been a fashion designer in Lebanon and had worked in the business in Paris. I remember, to pass the time, we sometimes chatted about the dress sense of delegates. Yvonne’s comments were witty and full of insight.
‘She had a soft spot for the low-key elegance of delegates from the Scandinavian countries. They liked Hugo Boss and Armani.
‘She hated the brash clothes of the military. She would comment on things like the shoulders, the quality of the cloth and so on, poor colour coordination, vulgar ties, the cut of the trousers and the way a jacket hung. It was fascinating. An education.’
Libby Perkins, who also protested with her, has fond memories of Yvonne and her peace witness: ‘She was a remarkable woman and a real unsung heroine with a single purpose.
‘France Yearly Meeting was always supportive thanks to Yvonne’s efforts. There was only a small budget. It was used initially to make banners – one had doves of peace dripping with blood… I remember picking roses from my house, removing the prickles and wrapping them in foil. I offered one to an over-decorated American general. “How much?” he asked. “But nothing – it is for peace”.’
