This article first appeared in Issue 200 and it
documents the first twenty or so years of the
magazine’s life.
In a pre-launch issue of The Chronicle, editor-elect Graham Parker
wrote "The Parish Council has accepted the responsibility of producing
a monthly newsletter for the village and somehow or other I appear to
have been given the job as editor - the principle reason for the dubious
honour is probably that I was not at the meeting when the position
was discussed".
Issue Number 1 of The Chronicle hit the streets in September 1983.
Articles told how Aston Abbotts came second in Bucks in the Best Kept
Village competition; an item on the possibility of connecting
households to North Sea Gas; Gardening Tips; the Aston Abbotts
Cookbook; and a report on the 1983 fete, which was opened by Vic
Scott and raised £969.17.
There was also an update on Parish Council activities, with the Parish
Council then consisting of Colin Higgs (chairman), John Whyte, Peter
Dines, Graham Parker, Les Smith and David Watts. A reply slip asked
for views on the future of the Church Room (199 issues later The
Chronicle was to do the same again). A feature article by Ruth and
David Watts touched on 900 years of Aston Abbotts history and the
Message From The Rector Fr. John Heffer, in addition to wishing The
Chronicle well, gave news of a forthcoming visit by the Bishop of
Buckingham (I feel a limerick
coming on).
And with this first issue of 12
pages The
Chronicle was established,
garnering a favourable reaction
from villagers.
The first issues contained no
advertising, but by issue 3
Graham was saying, "This
issue of funding must be
faced," and estimating the
annual cost at £150. Free
distribution was an
essential guiding
principle of The
Chronicle and issue 5 in
January 1984 carried
the first
advertisements.
By the time The
Chronicle
celebrated its first
year in
publication with
issue 12 the
'Noticeboard'
page - the
forerunner to
our Peoples
Page and What's On
pages - was becoming
established and regular
contributors were emerging, including an
occasional column written by 'Bucket Of Booze'
which poked fun at village events. Local news included
the granting of planning permission for conversion of the former
school to a restaurant, despite a petition against it signed by 42 local
residents. Less than a year later the Old Masters was open and Juan
had become a regular advertiser supporting The Chronicle, as he still
does today.
Issue 12 also contained the news that Aston Abbotts had won the
Gurney cup for the best kept village in Bucks and the first anniversary
issue carried more news of this including a reprinted newspaper report
telling how Aston Abbotts resident Kitty Kelleher was praising Parish
Councillors for their efforts towards the award.
By the end of 1984 editor Graham Parker was threatening to "bore you
into submission" if he didn't receive more articles, and admitting that
The Chronicle was running at a loss.
1985 saw the Chronicle reporting on a planning application to build
three houses between the Royal Oak and Oak Farm (this was to
become The Acorns) and issue 27 featured the first Andy Bystra
cartoon showing Ernie and Eileen Naylor leaving the Bull and Butcher.
The Noticeboard page had metamorphosed into the Peoples Page,
edited by Bridget Brandon, with a separate events listing.
In January 86 Graham reported The Chronicle as still running at a loss,
despite contributions from the Parish Council (£10) and the Christmas
Show (£5)). At that time few people realised that Graham was making
up the deficit out of his own pocket.
Issue 30 in February saw the first Andy Bystra cover drawing and some
sun appeared on the financial horizon with the publication of a letter
from 'The Friends Of The Chronicle':
Dear Graham,
The purpose of this letter is two fold. Firstly to extend thanks to you
for the work you do in bringing out the Chronicle ever month. The
paper is enjoyed by a great many people and is a source of
conversation in many houses not to mention pubs. It is something we
all look forward to dropping through our letter boxes. The second
reason is that we would like to be of some help. Some of us send in
the odd article, some of us raise funds which eventually get to you,
some of us just smile as we read.
However we realise that you need additional funds to run the
Chronicle and we would like to ensure its future health. In
conversations this Christmas we came up with the idea of "THE
FRIENDS OF THE CHRONICLE".
This would be a group of people willing to contribute a small sum of
money on an occasional basis to give your venture some additional
security.
The authors of this letter have already volunteered to become a
"Friend" By the publication of this letter we would ask any one else
who enjoys the Chronicle and who would like to become a "FRIEND"
to contact any one of the people below.
Yours sincerely,
Andy Bystra, Bridget Brandon, Chris Brandon. Neil Chesher, Margaret
Chesher, Helga Davies, Stuart Davies, Fred Poulter, Molly Poulter,
Patricia Sims, Patrick Sims, Tricia Webb, Marshall Webb, John
Whyte, Dee Whyte and Rita Robinson.
In the same issue another letter from Basil
Bottom threatened to take over The
Chronicle, saying, "I am
thinking of making a
bid for your
magazine and to
thereby increase
the size of my
publishing empire.
At present I produce
the following: The
Undertakers Weekly, -
but the circulation of
this publication seems
to be dying". The
peoples page had the
following message,
"Congratulations to John
and Dee Whyte who are
expecting their first child.
John tells me they are
desperately seeking a name
for their child. Perhaps you can
help. Please contact John with
any suggestions. Matt, Off,
Brilliant, and Gloss have already
been suggested." [I understand
that there was also the inspired
suggestion of Isla - webmaster]
As 1986 progressed Fr John Heffer
made an appeal for a demonstration
at the dangerous Wingrave crossroads
following the death of Wingrave cyclist
David Gaskell. The campaigning and
protest was to gain momentum over the year featuring in local
newspapers as well as in The Chronicle.
'View From The Corner Of The Bar', penned by Neil Chesher, appeared
and by the middle of the year contributions and fund-raising events
were beginning to ensure a future for The Chronicle. The village shop
started selling Bric-a-brac and The Chronicle expressed its best
wishes to the O'Sullivan and Perkins families whose homes were
destroyed by fire. Peter Knight won first prize in the Bucks farming
and Wildlife competition.