Chelmsford & District National Trust Supporter Group

Report by Shirley Deering

The meeting of 13th March began with the AGM, attended by 55 members. Chairman Chris Bellamy introduced the members of the committee, and thanked each of them for the role they play. Special thanks were also given to three members of the group who play an outstanding part in contributing to our fund-raising effort at the Christmas Market - Thelma Wilson and Olive Baldwin for their knitted novelties, and Laurie Boyal for his conserves and preserves. Individual Officer’s gave their reports, which were all positive and optimistic. This included an update from Paul Chaplin, Programme Secretary, on the response to outings and holiday bookings, which he said had been encouraging.

The AGM closed at 8.25 pm.

Chris Bellamy then introduced Liz Hartly and Kay Bright, who had come to talk about the life and work of Bryan Saunders, a little-known local craftsman in wood carving.

Born in Coggeshall in 1893, Bryan Saunders was apprenticed to a local wood carver at the age of 14. His first job was to repair the figurehead of a ship anchored off the coast of Spain. To undertake this, he had to be suspended up-side-down in a sling! By the age of 21 he had developed varicose veins, which he believed to be a result of working with machinery. He therefore vowed he would never use wood-turning lathes again but would carry out all his carving using only hand tools. At least this condition made him unfit for military service, though he tried to enlist in both World Wars.

Most of his commissions were for church work, such as pew ends, Choir stalls and pulpits. He never signed his work or incorporated a specific emblem by which he could be recognised, therefore it is impossible to identify his work visually. Fortunately, he was a man who kept everything! After his death in 1973 his daughter found 21 boxes of paperwork relating to his career. It will take years of hard work to sort and catalogue everything, which only started in 2021. She bequeathed his tools to the Grange Barn in Coggeshall, where they are now on display. Liz and Kay brought along a selection of the tools, which members could handle as an inducement to visit Grange Barn, and learn about this remarkable craftsman.