Last of the Summer Wine

East Anglia Section - Last of the Summer Wine.

This is East Anglia’s last event of 2022 combined with our first Christmas lunch.

Our favoured venue at The Hare in Long Melford was chosen and organised by Cathy and Mark Kingstone. We all appreciated the mascot connection to Alvis. Our thanks go to the Kingstones for their hard work.

Eight Alvis cars, three pre-war and five post war, were spread around the car park but we did mange to get four cars parked together as our photo shows. The centre of attention was David Halsall’s new acquisition, a beautiful green four door Cross and Ellis Firebird tourer, famed for being considered as the poor man’s Speed Twenty. David said that he bought the car as a bid and was appalled at its dirty condition, but after a thorough clean and attention to an oil seal the car looks and apparently handles  wonderfully. A nice stable mate for his 12/60.

The crescendo of noise was a clear indication that 28 of us were enjoying each others company, the venue and the superb food and drinks being presented to us by the ever patient and attentive staff.

After dinner speeches encompassed our thanks, (amongst many other thanks), to all those that were involved with the hard work of presenting the 2022 International at Hintlesham Hall and a chance to say how much the other Sections appreciated our efforts. We were also thankful that we seem, at last, to have left behind us the awful circumstances of Covid.

A special thank you went to Hugh Ivins.  Hugh has decided that he no longer wishes to participate in committee activities but nonetheless hopes to be active locally in Norfolk with matters Alvis and classic cars. Hugh has been a stalwart to the committee and was responsible for the production of the programme for the 2022 International – thanks again Hugh.

Steve Horne was invited to present a couple of trophies dedicated to the East Anglia Section. The Ed Norris Trophy went to Clare Symes in recognition for her and her late husband Brian in venturing with their TA21 to other Sections. Clare has continued these ventures with the TA21 and with her Rolls Royce; all part of the family of cars left to her by Brian. I was awarded the Brian Smith Trophy in appreciation of the long and hard fought restoration of my TA21 DHC.

Full of Christmas cheer we all departed our various ways with the prospect of family celebrations over Christmas and the New Year.

Malcolm Kindell
Chairman
East Anglia Section