December 15, 2014
The traditional beer and curry night held by Balham Circle at the Mirch Masala restaurant in Upper Tooting Road was popular as ever. We were pleased that visiting gentleman John Nelligan and his wife Nuala (pictured below) joined us for our festive feast.
The few pictures included here are totally unposed and perhaps do not do justice to the event, offering as they do only a few snapshots of just some of those attending. Hopefully they will serve as a reminder of our informal gathering just before Christmas and encourage other brothers and their wives to join us next December. TGB
December 5, 2014
- Interior view of Leighton House
Charles and Marianne Marriott and Steve Palmer joined me at Leyton house and we all enjoyed the splendours of this Victorian studio house with its Moorish details and impressive north-light studio.
The ” Victorian Obsession” exhibition of paintings by Lord Leighton and contemporaries including Pre-Raphaelite painters John Everett Millais, John William Waterhouse and Edward Burn-Jones added much to the enjoyment of the visit. Leyton house is certainly one of London’s hidden gems. Some already knew the building quite well but for others it was a new experience. Sadly, though they proposed to come, Bernard and Jane Diver were kept at home by a major plumbing emergency!
We met in before hand Café Fred in Earls Court Road over a coffee and after our visit enjoyed a lunch in a Lebanese restaurant in Kensington High Street before going our separate ways. TGB
September 28, 2014
Balham Brothers celebrate President’s Sunday at St Thomas a Becket Church and in the garden at Lucille and Terry Browns home. See Post for further description.
The itinerary was as follows: 10:00 hours: Mass at St Thomas a Becket Church, Santos Road, Wandsworth, SW18 1NT. This was the normal Sunday Parish Mass, but was dedicated to the Catenian Association, with readings by Balham Brothers and followed by a brief presentation to parishioners by Brother Charles explaining the ethos & activities of the Catenian Association. There followed, for Brothers and guests only, a short tour of the church with an explanation of some of its historic details lead by Brother William. Aferwards a drinks reception for Brothers and their guests was arranged at Terry and Lucille’s home, 24 West Hill Road, SW18 1LN.
July 20, 2014
The second president’s “join me” event was a visit to the Chelsea Physic Garden. We met for coffee in the café at about 11:00. It was a small party comprising only Bill Gallagher and Terry Brown! We roamed the garden and then returned to the café for lunch together. The café is very popular for Sunday lunch, but we got a table without much trouble and enjoyed a delicious portion of salmon en croute and salad! We agreed that the garden is a lovely haven in central London with a host of interesting plants all well described and enjoyed a pleasant hour or so absorbed by the fascinating variety of forms and colours and the uses to which plants are put.
July 9, 2014
Brothers Noel, William and Terry attended the Reigate Circle meeting on Wednesday July 9 to join them in celebrating their circle’s 600th meeting. This was also a celebration of 50 years of continuous circle meetings and was all the more special because one of the founding circle members, Bernard Monahan was present. The other founding member, Tom Corrigan could not be present because he was at Buckingham Palace with the Queen.
The meeting was attended by brothers from circles all over the country and was followed by a splendid dinner. Speeches were made by Grand President Bob Butler and Immediate Past Grand President John Rayer as well as Tom Cahalane, President of the Reigate circle.
Balham Circle by contrast held its 60th meeting last month and will soon begin planning a celebration of our 100th meeting which is in 2018. As for our own 600th meeting this will take place in 2059 so we still have time to work towards that.
June 23, 2014
At the circle meeting Balham brothers were joined by visiting brothers from four circles. From Wimbledon, Des O’Brien, President, Bill Sathananthan, Vice President and Press and Publicity officer William Rhind joined us in the company of David Arundale, President and Provincial Treasurer and Mike O’Neill, National Press and Publicity officer from Ascot and Sunningdale circle, also joint members of Osterley and District circle. From Runnymede we were joined by President Ken Byerley and Press and Publicity officer John Lydon. The evening took the usual Balham form with the circle meeting followed by dinner and lively conversation.
June 20, 2014
The Balham ‘JoinMe’ visits got going on Friday June 20 with a trip to the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
It was a lovely day, blessed with sunshine and Brothers Terry and Steve were delighted to find Brother Brian and wife Valerie enjoying a cup of coffee at the Gallery Cafe when they arrived. This was in the true tradition of informality for the ‘JoinMe’ visits and we count this one as a success! Brian and Valery enjoyed their first visit to the Gallery with a viewing of the permanent collection, while Steve and Terry sampled the current exhibition of Ben and Winifred Nicholson’s works together with contemporaries Christopher Wood, Alfred Wallis, William Staite Murray in the years from 1920 to 1931. This proved to be an interesting insight into the influences and separate visions of artists working in close proximity.
The Balham group rounded off their excursion with a pub lunch at the ‘Crown & Greyhound’ pub a short walk from the Picture Gallery and there seemed to be a consensus that the trip had been well worthwhile. TGB
May 19, 2014:
The May meeting of the Balham Circle was the first opportunity to invite a priest from one of the local parishes to sit in on an actual meeting as an observer. Fr Davis of St Thomas a Becket Parish in Wandsworth was very lucky because the meeting was the shortest on record at twenty minutes. This was mainly because we were hurrying to join our ladies who were patiently waiting outside in the bar. Over the coming months we will be inviting other priests from the area so that they get an impression of how we conduct our meetings and how we share our fraternal bonds on meeting night.
We had also invited and were pleased to welcome the Grand Vice President of the Association Peter Woodford together with his wife Anne and our newly installed Provincial President Barry Dale together with his wife Barbara.
There was a good attendance of Balham brothers with their wives including the circle’s immediate past President, David Prebble accompanied by his friend of many years Karen Hartley. We were also graced by the presence of John and Agnes Murphy and Kevin and Jane Mallet from Sutton mid Surrey Circle. All of our visitors and guests appeared to enjoy the food, the ambience and company so we can be very proud of the first event of Bro Terry’s year as President. Here’s to many more! NB
See gallery for more pictures!
March 18, 2014:
The Purley/Balham team came second at the Weybridge Circle general knowledge evening. They ceded the cup to the Sutton team losing by only two points (48 to 50). A clearly disappointed Charles Marriott declared ” We’ll be back!”. Balham also fielded a second team, but sadly they were unplaced! Brothers David Prebble, Charles Marriot, Nader Sheta, Chris Brown and Terry Brown were the Balham participants with Bill Higgins from Purley joining Charles and David in the team that won the plate.
February 24, 2014:
At the Balham Circle February meeting brothers were given a talk about the Permanent Diaconate by Reverend Brother Phil Pond of Croydon Circle. He told us that it was an ancient ministry of the Church that had been revived by the Second Vatican Council. Deacons report to their bishop rather than working under a parish priest, although they are normally posted to parishes. They can officiate at funerals and assist at Mass. When present it is their job to read the gospel. They cannot consecrate the host or give absolution for sins. There are no plans to open the ministry to women.
Bro Phil told us about his own vocation and how he had discussed it with his family before putting himself forward. There were a number of courses that he had to undertake and tests to make sure that he was suitable. The talk was most interesting and, who knows, it may have made one of our own brothers think about whether he had a vocation. CM
February 8, 2014:
On Saturday February 8, a contingent of Balham brothers and ladies took a minibus to the RAC Club country retreat at Woodcote Park in Epsom and are seen here enjoying a cordial night out at the Epsom Circle Valentine Ball. It was a splendid occasion as ever and with a full table Balham brothers, wives and friends enjoyed good food, a glass or two of wine and great company.
January 22, 2014: On Wednesday, January 22 the Balham Circle held its annual Ladies and Clergy night at the Bellevue Rendezvous restaurant in Trinity Road. It was a very convivial occasion and the brothers and their wives were pleased to welcome four priests, Fr Davis, Fr Gerry, Fr Martin and Fr Tom. Brothers Bill, Brian, Charles, David, Donald, Nader, Noel, Paul, Steve and Terry were joined by wives Anne, Lucille, Marianne, Moya, Tracy and Valery.
Balham Circle 350 