...... Well here we are in late September 2024.  We have had a protracted Faculty application for the Mains Water supply.  Severn Trent have been extremely helpful but to date 2 paid applications for them to start our connection process have been in vain.  We were unable to get the Faculty approved due to several glitches beyond our control.  Severn Trent's permissions and prices only last 6 months.

November 2022 - plans are afoot to get mains water to the church.  Then, we can have a simple servery area, and maybe later a toilet

 

 

November 2021 - another looming project is raising funds to continue caring for the churchyard.  It is hoped to keep a separate fund for this, as many of our Givers are not keen for their donations to go to the Diocese Gift made by each church, every year.  We did not donate to the Diocese in 2020.  This was due to a shortage of fundraising due to the Pandemic.  We also had other extraordinary expenses such as tree and hedge surgery.

Lets not forget the need for runing water. Mentioned below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  The refurbishment of the church clock face          (Project now completed)

The blue clock face is suddenly looking very shabby. Two quotations are being sought .   Some history of the church clock is shown below..........................

Church Clock  - history notes

 

It is thought that the clock is ‘second hand’ having started out life as the church clock of St Mary’s Melton Mowbray.  It was made around 1750 and came to Great Dalby in 1802.  It was out of action for 20 years, from 1966.

 

In 1986/7, over a period of 16 months,  it was lovingly restored by a villager,  Mr Brian Mills and his work colleague Mr Mark Green, who both worked at Charles Keene college in Leicester.  Brian was a lecturer in Pattern Making and Mark was a engineer.  No charge was made for this project.

 

They took a small sample of the old paint on the clock face,  to The Leicester Paint and Lead Company, who identified it as ‘Trafalgar Blue’.   At some point in the clock’s history,  minute hands were added.  Previously only an hour hand was thought necessary – no train time tables or Ebay countdowns to adhere to.

 

Wrought iron of Triple Best quality was used in the workings of the clock.  This is denoted by 3 dots on the iron.  2 large weights, which hung down in to the bell tower were removed by Brian & Mark, being replaced by 2 newly cast smaller and lighter weights.  Originally the clock needed rewinding every 36 hours.  Latterly this had been done by the Bell Captain, Charlie Cooper.  His wages were half a pint of beer in the Royal Oak after each winding session..

 

Before starting the refurbishment the clock was taken to an expert in Uffington for advice.  The winding mechanism was electrified.  There were some teething problems over the first few months and Messrs Smiths of Derby were consulted, and further adjustments were made.  However the clock has been working nicely ever since.  It is looked after by John Simms, with Roger Sharpe deputising.

 

To paint the clock face, back in the 1980’s Brian tied a rope to the bell frame, which came out of the tower via the louvres.  He then tied a rope round himself and with a bit of support from young Phil Tyler managed to get the blue and gold paint onto the clock face.

 

Notes from the old Minute Books

 

1945 – The church clock had been repaired by Mr Pickle of Owston and it was proposed that a letter of thanks be sent to him.  As Mr Pickle would not make a charge for his work it was proposed to send him a guinea in appreciation of his kindness.