Paul Smith

A DOUBLE WITH WEYMOUTH OCTOBERFEST WIN

Elder Sarum ale is a fresh summery brew with elderflowers added. Drinkers at Campaign for Real Ale [CAMRA] beer festivals vote for their favourite beer. This is the first time in West Dorset that the same ale has won twice successively.

“We in the local CAMRA branch were pleased when in October last year, one of our own members’ beers won the public vote at Octoberfest,” comments Dave Harris, CAMRA’s West Dorset Chairman. “We just count the votes- so it really is public acclaim for the brewer. Now we are truly delighted that four months on, Elder Sarum is still the public’s favourite by a big margin. Well done again Small Pauls Brewery!”  A longtime CAMRA member, Paul Smith started brewing in his Gillingham garage in 2006, while still working as a highway engineer for Wiltshire County Council. Initially, he gave samples to friends and publicans from the half-barrel plant, which brews 18 gallons [144 pints] at a time. He received much help and advice from veteran brewer Chaz Hobden at the Wessex Brewery in Longbridge Deverill, just over the border into Wiltshire. Small Pauls ales are still hard to find, limited by the distance that it’s practical to deliver. They are currently on sale in three pubs around Gillingham and two further afield. “I like to put my beer in good pubs- they know how to look after it,” says Paul Smith, who currently makes five real ales- Gylla’s Gold, Wyvern, Gillingham Pale, Challenger Two and Elder Sarum.

“I am pleased that once again the discerning drinkers at two Dorset CAMRA beer festivals have chosen my beer as their favourite, particularly as they are unlikely to have tasted it before in a pub,” says Paul Smith. “I was at one of the festival sessions and it was gratifying to receive direct comments from drinkers who were trying the beer. Although brewed specially for the festival, Elder Sarum will be more widely available from May through to September.”

The 2011 Octoberfest will be held at Weymouth Pavilion’s Ocean Room on 7 and 8 October next year. “We are most grateful to Roger Dalton and Brewers Quay for their kindness and hospitality over eight happy years,” comments CAMRA spokesman Michel Hooper-Immins, “but with Brewers Quay closing last week for redevelopment, we obviously cannot use the building this year. We do however thank Brewers Quay most sincerely for all their valuable help in hosting Octoberfest over eight years.”

Peter Grundy

OLD HARDYEANS GATHER FOR THEIR ANNUAL DINNER;
PRESIDENT APPEALS FOR MORE OLD HARDYEANS TO JOIN THE REUNION;
HELLESPONT SWIMMER IS GUEST SPEAKER

Old Hardyeans are preparing for their annual reunion at Dorchester, in the Sixth Form Centre of the modern Thomas Hardye School on the evening of Saturday 19 March. The popular get-together takes the form of a dinner to which Old Hardyeans and Old Grammarians come from all over the country.

“We want to encourage more Old Hardyeans to come from Dorset itself,” says President Michel Hooper-Immins. “We know there are many old boys of Hardye’s School living in Dorchester, Weymouth, Bridport, Bournemouth, Shaftesbury, Gillingham and many other places within the county. I want to appeal to them to come join us at our annual reunion next month- to join up with their classmates. Wives and partners are very welcome as well.”

This year’s guest speaker is Peter Grundy, who taught English, History and Latin at Hardye’s School from 1968 to 1971. He then went to the International School in Hamburg, followed by five years at the College of the Venerable Bede, then lectured for 23 years at the University of Durham, from where he retired as the Deputy Dean of Arts. In semi-retirement, he enjoyed two years as an English language lecturer at the University of Hong Kong.

Peter Grundy has happy memories of Hardye’s School, “it was a very happy time, everybody was incredibly kind. I set-up the Debating Society- amazingly there wasn’t one at the time. We organised all sorts of discussions, including one at Dorchester Corn Exchange with Jack Straw- then President of the National Union of Students.”

By swimming the famed Hellespont channel last summer, Peter Grundy has raised over £2,000 in sponsorship from Old Hardyeans for the Hardyeans Club Charitable Trust, which provides grants to students of Thomas Hardye School who are going on to university. The Hellespont strait in Turkey- forming the boundary between Europe and Asia- is one of the most significant open water swims in the world. In 1810, the English poet Lord Byron became the first known person to swim across the Hellespont. Byron swam it in honour of Leander, who in Greek mythology, is said to have swum nightly across this stretch of water to meet his lover Hero. Peter Grundy swam four kilometres [2.4 miles] taking one hour 25 minutes and finished the course, exactly 200 years after Lord Byron. Many experienced swimmers failed to complete the course.

The Old Hardyeans’ annual dinner menu begins with cream of mushroom soup, followed by roast turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, served with green beans, garden peas, cauliflower cheese and creamed mashed potato. Strawberry and Sherry trifle is the ever popular dessert.

All Old Hardyeans and their partners are welcome at the annual dinner on Saturday 19 March, at 8pm, costing only £16. Bookings are being taken by Old Hardyeans’ Treasurer Alan Brown at 40 Valette Road, Moordown, Bournemouth BH9 3JD. Telephone 01202 535034

Founded in 1905 as the Old Grammarians, the Old Hardyeans- alternatively known as the Hardyeans Club- is one of the most successful old school associations in the county, bringing together old boys of Dorchester Grammar School and Hardye’s School, plus ex-students of the modern Thomas Hardye School. In the times of Queen Elizabeth I, it was Thomas Hardye [with a final "e"] described as an yeoman of Frampton, who endowed Dorchester Grammar School in 1569. Hardye’s [shopping] Arcade today stands on the site. The Grammar School moved to Culliford Road in 1928- renamed Hardye’s School from 1954. The modern Thomas Hardye School in Queens Avenue opened in 1992, encompassing the best traditions of the two previous schools- but admitting girls for the first time since 1569! Writer Thomas Hardy OM, who lived at nearby Max Gate, laid the foundation stone of Hardye’s School in 1927. He was no relation to Thomas Hardye, founder of the school, nor of Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy!

Collition Club

COLLITON CLUB TO RECEIVE WESSEX REGIONAL CLUB OF THE YEAR CERTIFICATE

The popular Colliton Club, situated opposite County Hall in Dorchester, has again won the Wessex regional Club of the Year competition run by the Campaign for Real Ale [CAMRA-] for the third time in four years.

The framed certificate will be presented by CAMRA Regional Director John Buckley at the start of the West Dorset branch’s annual general meeting on Wednesday [22 September] at 8pm, which is coincidentally being held at the Colliton Club!

The Wessex region comprises Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and parts of Wiltshire & Somerset.

With 15 other clubs from other regions of the UK, the Colliton Club now goes forward to CAMRA’s national Club of the Year competition. Being voted the West Dorset Club of the Year by members of the CAMRA West Dorset branch earlier in the year, brought automatic nomination to the Wessex regional award.

The Colliton Club was visited independently by three judges and some of their comments are published in the citation- “No background irritants or musak. A good selection of six cask ales covering four breweries. The Club is clean and tidy.” Another judge praised the warm welcome, a pleasant atmosphere and praised the free Wifi.” The third judge comments: “this is a restful club with a nice atmosphere and six cracking real ales on handpumps. Good service and excellent product knowledge from the hard working Steward and his staff. Clearly a well appreciated social centre, a board at the door lists all the various rooms indicating which clubs and groups are meeting there.”

Colliton Club Steward Neil Gatehouse is ecstatic at again being among the 16 top clubs in the entire UK. He says “it’s nice to see that in the present economic climate, people still appreciate real ale and still come into the club to enable us to keep selling six varied real ales.”

West Dorset CAMRA Chairman Dave Harris is pleased with the award: “Once again Neil and his staff at the Colliton Club have won this coveted regional award,” comments Mr. Harris, “showing that clubs, as well as pubs, can deliver a wide variety of quality real ales to their members year after year. We in West Dorset CAMRA are delighted to have such a vibrant club in our area. We wish the club every success in the national competition!”

Regional Club of the Year Organiser Michel Hooper-Immins knows the Colliton Club well. “I always enjoy this vibrant club and the standard of their real ales is consistently excellent. When it’s busy, there are so many activities taking place in the various rooms- it might be skittles, darts or snooker or a gathering of one of the many clubs who choose to meet here- they all enjoy the Colliton Club.”

Collition Club

COLLITON CLUB WINS WESSEX REGIONAL CLUB OF THE YEAR

TITLE THREE TIMES IN FOUR YEARS

The Colliton Club, situated opposite County Hall in Dorchester, has won the Wessex regional Club of the Year competition run by the Campaign for Real Ale [CAMRA] for the third time in four years. The Wessex region comprises Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Islands and parts of Wiltshire & Somerset.

With 15 other clubs from other regions of the UK, the Colliton Club now goes forward to CAMRA’s national Club of the Year competition. Being voted the West Dorset Club of the Year by members of the CAMRA West Dorset branch earlier in the year, brought automatic nomination to the Wessex regional award.

The Colliton Club was visited independently by three judges and some of their comments are published in the citation- “No background irritants or musak. A good selection of six cask ales covering four breweries. The Club is clean and tidy.” Another judge praised the warm welcome, a pleasant atmosphere and praised the free Wifi.” The third judge comments: “this is a restful club with a nice atmosphere and six cracking real ales on handpumps. Good service and excellent product knowledge from the hard working Steward and his staff. Clearly a well appreciated social centre, a board at the door lists all the various rooms indicating which clubs and groups are meeting there.”

CAMRA Regional Director John Buckley will present the 2010 Wessex Club of the Year certificate to Steward Neil Gatehouse on Wednesday 22 September at 8pm, prior to the West Dorset CAMRA branch annual general meeting.

Colliton Club Steward Neil Gatehouse is delighted at again being among the 16 top clubs in the entire UK. He says “it’s nice to see that in the present economic climate, people still appreciate real ale and still come into the club to enable us to keep selling six varied real ales.”

West Dorset CAMRA spokesman Michel Hooper-Immins knows the Colliton Club well. “I always enjoy this vibrant club and the standard of their real ales is always excellent. When it’s busy, there are so many activities taking place in the various rooms- it might be skittles, darts or snooker or a gathering of one of the many clubs who choose to meet here- they all enjoy the Colliton Club. West Dorset CAMRA congratulates Neil Gatehouse on yet another splendid win, much deserved.”