13 August 2014 - The Life and Times of Barbara Cursley - From Clogs to Louboutins

.


  Barbara started her talk by singing the opening lyrics from "I'm a lassie from Lancashire". Indeed she was born in Bolton Lancs at the nd of WW2. Her parents ran a country pub . She enjoyed a country upbringing with animals in the back gardenand attended Rivingtom Grammar School. The Headmaster, like her father was a Rotarian. The school was overlooked by Rivington Pike, the site of one of the beacons lit during the Queen's Jubilee.

Three weeks after the Munich air crash that killed Manchester Unite football players, a chartered aircraft flying from Isle of Man to Manchester crashed in thick snow on Rivington Pike killing 35 passengers and leaving only 7 survivors. Barbara's father was one of the first on the scene. To commemorate the tragedy Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Horwich and Douglas IOM meet at the crash site annually.

Her "Rotary Moment" arrived during July/Agust 1962 when she visited Rotarian Welsh-Lehman in Itzehoe (near Hamburg). A proposed trip to Berlin, one year after the wall was built, was more difficult than expected because her canny father had obtained a one year only passport which was not accepted at the East German border. She eventually got there by flying from Hanover, on her own ans "slightly" worried.

Barbara undertook a secretarial course at Bolton Tech and initially worked locally. She went into the hospitallity industry and worked at the Exchange Hotel, Liverpool before graduating south on a trajectory that saw her working at the Castle Hotel, Windsor at the right time to meet the new junior manager Chalmers Cursley. Asked about her feeling towards him at that time she said that she was somewhat annoyed because he, being senior, took her room.  She onviously got over this because they married in 1972.

Being in the hotel business they moved several times before ending up at Chorley Wood with their 2 children. Chalmers was the managing director of a hotel group and Barbara was teaching a City and Guilds course. After Chalmers was made redundant they bought the lease on the Crooked House restaurant in Windsor, near to the castle. This was around the time that the castle re-opened after the fire and she remembers the restaurant being packed out every day.  After this very stressful time retirement beckoned.

Barbara now enjoys golf, bridge and travelling, which is just as well as her children live in Australia, and she is enjoying her time as a Rotarian.  She showed us photos of her family, children and grandchildren and several shots of her years in Lancashire.  We all enjoyed her talk, which was followed by questions, and she received a well deserved round of applause.

Related pages...

A short history of knee replacement surgery

more A talk by Rotarian Pepe Pozo

My Time with HM Inspectorate of Prisons

more A talk by Rotarian Jane Mackay

Stephen Shearing - My life and times

more .

The life and times of Ralph Davies

more .

Club Visit to Trieste

more .

ANDREW WARREN'S LIFE & TIMES

more .

30 May - 2 June 2014 - Club visit to Bensheim

more .

18 June 2014 - David Bull asks 'Who'd be an ad-man?'

more .

21 May 2014 - Stan Fraser tells of 'Pirates, historic problem and modern scourge'

more .

29 January 2014 - members enjoy a great evening with a 'Touch of Tartan'

more .

8 January 2014 - New member Terry Neale tells of her 'Life and Times'

more .

8 January 2014 - Barbara Cursley becomes a member of the Club

more Barbara Cursley, wife of Rotarian Chalmers Cursley, was today inducted into membership of the Club.

18 December 2013 - members and wives enjoy an excellent Christmas lunch

more In the spacious dining room of Beaconsfield Golf Club.

14 December 2013 - Club visit to the Tower of London

more .

30 October 2013 - Club outing to Greenwich ends on a high

more .

18th September 2013 - Club member Ron Charlton talks about Lady Hamilton, England's Mistress

more 18th September 2013 - Club member Ron Charlton talks about Lady Hamilton, England's Mistress

11 September 2013 - Charles Hogbin: 'My life and (soft) times'

more .

7 August 2013 - President and Interviewer go head to head

more .

31 July 2013 - Gee Gahir reveals insights into Feng Shui

more .

17 July 2013 - Richard McKeen talks about his life and career

more .

21 August - Chris Mellor talks about his Life and Times

Chris Mellor talks about his Life and Times

more 21 August - Chris Mellor talks about his Life and Times

28 June 2013 - President's Night is judged a huge success

more .

19 June 2013 - John Stephenson says 'Life is what you make it'

more .

5 June 2013 - Assistant District Governor Gerald Peacock praises Club's programme

more .

27 March 2013 - Charles Hogbin is welcomed into Club membership

more .

20 March 2013 - visit of RIBI President John Minhinick

more .

20 February 2013 - Frugal Lunch. Amanda Watkin envisages A Future for Rotary

more .

20 February 2013 - Club welcomes another new member

more .

19 December 2012 - Club's Christmas lunch is a happy occasion

more .

5 December 2012 - Emily Toettcher talks about Amersham Museum and the town's history

more .

26 November 2012 - a wonderful evening with Val Doonican

more '

21 November 2012 - Nick Webb:

more .

14 November 2012 - Michael Gahagan talks about "Housing for England"

more .

7 November 2012 - Visit of District Governor Debbie Hodge

more .

Picture shows Red Neale with his Swingle Singers son Christopher.

2 November 2012 - outing to Swingle Singers concert

more .

31 October 2012 - Wine tasting with John Ducker

more .

17 October 2012 - Bernie Knill: 'Secret wartime activities at Hughenden Manor'

more .

10 October 2012 - Cllr Mimi Harker OBE talks about being Town Mayor

more .

3 October 2012 - Olympics Games Makers Roger & Bruno recall their experiences

more .

19 September 2012 - Rtn Mac Purcell reveals some great British Rotarians

more .

14 September 2012 - purrfect evening at the Black Cat

more .

5 September 2012 - Rtn Pauline Camm:

more .

29 August 2012 - John Beardsmore:

more .

15 August 2012 - Peter Oakden relates

more .

8 August 2012 - Ruth Dunkin outlines work of Stroke Association

more .

1 August 2012 - Lucy Goldsman asks:

more .

11 July 2012 - Brian Weild asks

more a talk about coincidence

4 July 2012 - Richard Langley's 'Life and Times'

more .

4 July 2012 - New Club President is inducted

more President is inducted

29 June 2012 - President's Night at Chartridge Conference Centre

more .

27 June 2012 - Derek Brown recalls his trip to the Canadian Rockies

more Talk, Canada

20 June 2012 - Sir Parry Hughes-Morgan tells

more Sir Parry Hughes-Morgan talks about his career and The Homemade Cake Company.

30 May 2012 - Brian Gofton tells of 'Antarctica - the last unspoilt Continent'

more .

11 April 2012 - Rtn Chalmers Cursley explains the importance of social media to Rotary

more .

2 April 2012 - Roger wins Archie Ferguson Darts Competition

more .

2 April 2012 - Members mourn the loss of a dear friend

more .

Interested in joining Rotary?

more .

Donate Your Books Now!

Library Book Donation Initiative

more

Rotary Stationery Templates

more Templates for 2009 Rotary Club Letterheading and Compliment Slips

11 July 2010 - Rotary on show at Amersham Carnival.

more

15 July 2010 - ridding Amersham of weeds!

more

1 September 2010 - visit of Rotary Club of Barnet

more

29 September 2010 - Major Mark Welham's Personal Perspective on "Company Command in Afghanistan"

more

24 September 2010 - Club visit to Chilterns Crematorium

more

6 October 2010 - Peter Clark tells of his life and career

more

20 October 2010 - Ken Dorling's talk on the Alzheimer's Society

more

3 November 2010 - Janet Wheeler talks about her work as Town Clerk

more

22 November 2010 - Club Golf Society (ROAGS) Dinner at Oaklands Park Golf Club

more

1 December 2010 - Lionel Elton on 'The Play's the Thing'

more

1 December 2010 - Club's charity fund boosted by £500 donation

more

1 December 2010 - Club says a fond farewell to Leonilda Mowlam

more

8 December 2010 - 'Professor' David Warner tells the history of Punch & Judy

more

15 December 2010 - Club Choir leads carol singing at our Christmas Lunch

more

12 January 2011 - Patrick Hudgell talks about his Photo Master Classes

more

19 January 2011 - Richard Neale reveals the secrets of pigeon racing

more

23 February 2011 - Rotary Day - we toast our Paul Harris Fellows and welcome a new member

more

28 February 2011 - members enjoy a great evening at Pizza Express

more

9 March 2011 - Bryan Heeps tells of 'Daytona - an Inside Track'

more

16 March 2011 - Arthur Moore tells the history of Duck Decoys

more

30 March 2011 - Tony Eaton tells of "The Curious Disappearance of Glenn Miller"

more

6 April 2011 - Club welcomes another new member

more Club President Chalmers Cursley (right) welcomes Ray Norris into membership of the Club.

17 April 2011 - Amersham's is largest delegation at RIBI Conference in Dublin

more Amersham Rotary Club President Chalmers Cursley (left) receives the Cule Lewis Attendance Trophy from RIBI President Jim Moulson.

20 April 2011 - Richard Palmer's enigmatically-titled talk 'Educating Dicky'

more Rotarian Richard Palmer with his son David.

6 July 2011 - Induction of Bruno Kilshaw by President George Boyle

more

20 July 2011 - Rotarian Ray Norris talks about his life and career

more

24 August 2011 - Club member Stan Fraser talks about his life and times

more

7 September 2011 - Bryan Long shows videos of Chess Valley Male Voice Choir trip to Vienna

more

30 November 2011 - renowned harpist Clair Jones treats us to a memorable recital and talk

more

14 December 2011 - members and their spouses enjoy the club's Christmas lunch

more

1 February 2012 - two Club members become Paul Harris Fellows

more David Bull and Chalmers Cursley receive their awards from President George Boyle.

1 February 2012 - Professor John Whiteman explains the role of 'Mathematics in the Modern World'

more -

29 February 2012 - judges lead debate on 'The Law is an Ass'

more .

14 March 2012 - we welcome nine old friends to our Past Members' Lunch

more .

14 March 2012 - Tim Hunts talks about the island of St Helena

more .

12 June 2013 - Jenny Muir talks about 2015 Conference and women in Rotary

more .

28 August 2013 - New member Chris Mellor: 'My life and times'

more .

5 February 2014 - we welcome Nick Evans into membership of the Club

more .

30 April 2014 - Richard Norris explains the work of the Search & Rescue Service

more .

back to page above this...

Membership Services

back