Richard Walker (left) and Robin Saville

We were joined by Robin Saville, Malcolm Saville's elder son, and by Lesley Hadcroft, the literary agent for Malcolm Saville's books. A friend of Richard, Chris Eldon-Lee came along to make a tape of the events for a programme for Kaleidoscope on BBC Radio 4. How Dickie would have loved that.

Another person present was to become vital to the Society's survival. This is Mark O'Hanlon. He is a tall, self-effacing youth who appears in photographs at the back or edge of the group, seldom in the middle.

the group are organised by Richard

At Ingles Farm

We journeyed around the Mynd, stopping to explore Ingles Farm actually named Hamperley just off the road up into the Mynd.

Here we met Mrs Foulkes, who remembered Malcolm Saville well, and chuckled as she told us that her husband's name was Tom, so there was still a Tom at 'Ingles'. The picture was taken as Chris recorded her comments for the radio programme. When broadcast, later that year, its title was Witchend Once More.

Mrs Foulkes and grandson with Chris Eldon Lee and Robin Saville at Hamperley Farm

Prior's Holt prototype for Witchend

We walked further on up the valley, with the stream bubbling along under the hedge, until we came to the house that we'd all imagined for so long, Witchend. Prior's Holt is its real name, and the building is not as described in the books. But the setting is. Even in the dull, misty February morning some of the warmth of adventure and young laughter seemed to echo around the buildings as they nestled against the side of the little valley.

From there we travelled to the Stiperstones but the bus was stumbling, its engine stuttering on the hills. We got out and walked up, then got back in to ride down again. Damp and cold, but not copletely dispirited we moaned our way towards the Devil's Chair. We had been planned to visit it. But it was shrouded in mist. I'm not normally superstitious, but there was no way I was going up there !

The bus expired before we reached Shrewsbury which should have spoiled the day but didn't.
I look back on that weekend with a great deal of pleasure.

The Society sort of coalesced that evening, following a Feast for which I still have the menu. It included 'Dickie and Mary's Shropshire Broth', followed by 'Chicken Petronella' and other light-hearted Lone Pine references.
Richard and Mark got together and with assistance from the author's family laid the foundation of a friendly group which has already lasted for more than eight years and has grown to over three hundred members.
A 'gathering' is held each year, in a place associated with Saville's writings. If you are lucky enough to get to one, you will see people who are on my photograph of the first group (above).

Sadly, Richard Walker died in 1999. It was his enthusiasm for the Lone Pine Books and Shropshire that had started the Society, and he ran its magazine for the first two years, before stepping back and letting others carry on. He was a wonderful, enthusiastic, man and we all miss him.

I shall add more about the Society when I get time, and photographs as well . . .

For more information about the Society, see its website, which is listed under 'Links' above.