Ribchester History Society

Ian Uzzell Vikings: Warriors and Weavers.

 With a wild banshee wail a hirsute figure, dressed in Viking clothing and wielding a large sword, burst out of a side room into the dining room of the Ribchester Arms. Thus did Ian Uzzell announce his entrance to an expectant audience at the Society`s first meeting of the new season. What then followed was a fascinating insight into Viking life and customs. The audience revelled in it. Ian Uzzell, is a renowned re-enactor and enthusiast of all things Viking. So enthusiastic that at one time we feared for the safety of those on the front row as the mighty Viking sword whirled around them.

What a performance; but what about the man behind the character? A little research soon revealed some surprising facts. Ian joined the Royal Marines in 1971, serving first in 40 commando before qualifying as an helicopter pilot some 5 years later. Following service in Borneo, Malaya, South Arabia and Northern Ireland Ian transferred to the Royal Marine reserve in 1971 before finally retiring in 1993 with the rank of Major. In civilian life Ian has served as a magistrate, at one time acting as Chairman of the Southport bench. Perhaps a greater contrast with the life of a Viking re-enactor you might wish to see.

Clem Talbot The changing face of farming.

Clem Talbot needed no introduction to the members of the Society at its latest meeting on 29 October at the Ribchester Arms. He and his family have farmed in the village for the last 90 years. Everyone knows him and respects his knowledge and commitment to the farm, his family and the community, although he did comment, at one point, that he now knows more people in the graveyard than he does in the village!

His grandfather moved to Alston Farm at the end of the First World War. His father took over in 1930, and Clem took charge of the Friesian herd of dairy cattle in 1939. His son, David, is now in control and the next generation is `waiting in the wings`. In a characteristically humorous but modest way, Clem entertained a capacity audience with an account of how dairy farming has changed in Ribchester over the last 70 years. When he was a boy, it took at least 6 men to hand-milk a herd of 35 heifers twice a day, seven days a week, to feed them and muck them out. It was gruellingly hard physical work so Clem has no regret for the passing of what is now called euphemistically, the `good old days`!

In his working lifetime, Clem has lived through a technical revolution in the dairy industry. Tractors have, of course, taken over from horse-power in the fields, and mechanical vacuum clusters have taken over from hand-labour in the milking parlour. But nothing stands still. David has now replaced his father`s technology with robotic milking in a brand-new building where the cows have quickly learned to present themselves at a feeding station and are automatically milked at the same time to EU standards of hygiene and efficiency. The herd now has 170 cows, and the electrical energy to run this operation is provided by the solar panels on the roof of the cowshed, with any surplus energy being sold back to the National Grid.

Looking ahead, Clem was asked how his industry might develop in the next 70 years. He predicted that future efficiencies would depend upon the size of dairy herds, rather than upon mechanical [or robotic] milking techniques. It will be interesting to look forward in another generation to see how this prediction works out. [Remember to book David to comment in 2035!]

At the end his talk, Clem paid a touching tribute to Harry who had come to Alston Farm as his apprentice stockman 50 years ago and who was still working there to this day, in much the same role. That must be something of a regional record.