Tuesday 6 November 2018

Brian Wilson Lost Certainties & Arcadia i ii iii

Copies are available from Lynn Davidson memoirclub@msn.com  mob 0755 2086888



Lost Certainties is a sequel to A Faith Unfaithful, Brian Wilson’s previous collection of broadcasts, sermons and addresses. In this new publication, through the medium of essays and letters to friends, he seeks to give an account of the evolution of his own faith and explores the dilemma, which he shares with many modern Christians, of how to reconcile a rational and educated modern mind with the largely mythological faith still propagated by the traditional Church. He makes no claim to having the answers. But he firmly believes that if those who are sympathetic to the Christian faith can bring themselves to recognise those elements of faith which modern scientific knowledge and biblical scholarship have rendered untenable to the modern mind, it will help them to rediscover the true value of teaching of the historical Jesus of Nazareth, who was transformed by centuries of theological argument into the Christ of Faith. Religion, he argues, is not just an intellectual construct; but without a solid rational basis, it is as a house built upon sand.

With two archbishops, a bishop, and a monsignor in his immediate ancestry, he has found it as difficult to abandon the faith of his fathers as it is to accept the traditional teaching of the Church in the face of what we now know of Biblical scholarship, the early years of Christianity within the Roman Empire, and what modern science has tell us about creation, and the evolution of our species. We are not fallen angels, he argues, but risen apes. He has found many friends and colleagues, both in his own teaching profession and further afield, who have had similar problems of belief. This book contains a selection of his essays and letters written for them.    

Brian Wilson is classical scholar of Christ’s College, Cambridge, for whom theology has been a lifelong interest. He taught in several leading independent schools, (Radley College, King’s Canterbury, and Eastbourne College), before becoming Headmaster of Campbell College, Belfast during a challenging period of educational and civil disturbance. He has been a guest speaker for Swan Hellenic on Mediterranean cruises, an A Level examiner in Latin and Ancient History, the co-author of several ancient history source books, a religious broadcaster, and served for a time on the joint Central Religious Advisory Committee of the BBC/ITV.  The evolution of his increasingly radical view of the faith of his church will disturb traditionalists, but may encourage those of a more progressive disposition, who like him still wrestle with their faith.       


REVIEW by Roger Harington


Do you think the Bible is literally the Word of God? Do you think Jesus is literally the Son of God? Do you think that this is what Christians should believe? And must they also believe in the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection? Brian Wilson says no. He says these beliefs are a product of their time. They’re the kind of thing people said 2000 years ago when various other heroes could be called sons of God and Roman emperors could be called divine. Of course at that time people used that kind of language to illustrate the importance of Jesus. But it’s no longer the language that we should use. It no longer makes sense. And the Doctrine of the Trinity? Well what do you expect if the Church allies itself with power and allows an Emperor to call the tune? Consensus became more important than truth.


And Mr. Wilson argues that this has continued to be the case. That the Church has failed, again and again, to allow new understanding of the world and human experience to have any effect on its teaching. Or at least on what it allows the laity to be taught. One of his main complaints is that the clergy are often aware that the Bible is not the Word of God, that Jesus is not divine etc etc but dare not rock the ecclesiastical boat by sharing their knowledge with the laity. Result? A church that has refused to grow up.


This book is a very enjoyable collection of lectures, articles and letters covering similar themes. It is very clearly written...with various entertaining asides...and this reader finds the case the author puts completely persuasive. Mr. Wilson frequently admits to not being a Theologian. But as a teacher of Latin, Greek and Ancient History he has considerable knowledge of the period when Christianity began.


But if it’s true that the Church has not grown up what can be done about it? Jesus remains for Mr. Wilson as someone to follow and be inspired by. But he thinks the Church should be disestablished. Teaching must improve. Completely new ways of expressing the faith need to be found. The Eucharist should be there for those who value it but it shouldn’t be the central act of worship as it demands membership/Confirmation before you can fully participate. We shouldn’t be so hung up on doctrine. Right living is more important than right believing.


These and other ideas may well be attractive to many. But they clearly will offend many others. They are not ideas that a Church of England is going to acclaim as central to its existence any time soon. So the question for Mr. Wilson and those who agree with him is this: why stay in the C of E? If you try and get the C of E to follow what you say will you for ever be battering your head against an extremely solid dogmatic wall? Do you want to do that? Or would you be better off starting something new?

Thursday 17 May 2018

Centenary History of 201 Field Hospital edited Ann Clouston





Centenary History of 201 Field Hospital edited byAnn Clouston

Price £12.99 + £2.01 postage. 






HOW TO BUY THIS BOOK
Email: memoirclub@msn.com
Mail a cheque to The Memoir Club, 34 Lynwood Way, South Shields, Tyne & Wear NE34 8DB



                                                                 100 Years of Service
A time to remember and reflect and give thanks for the brave men and women who have served in 1 Northern and 201 General and Field hospitals.


The Territorial Army has had its ups and downs in both its numbers and credibility over the previous 100 years. There has been a change in requirement, attitude and socio-political shifts but the territorials have served in every conflict all over the world, working alongside their regular counterparts.


Territorial medical units are different from other military units in that their medical skill and expertise can often be superior to the regular service. For example, senior consultants may have thirty years experience of trauma in a civilian environment and the regular army does not always have that level of expertise.


Long before TA units were regularly mobilised for operations since World War Two, TA medical staff have been covering the leave and gaps in the regular army orbat. This has included: The Balkans, Iraq (OP GRANBY, OP TELIC), Afghanistan (OP HERRICK), Northern Ireland, Brunei, Belize, Cyprus, Germany 


Background to putting this book together

The centenary of the unit focuses one’s attention to history. I volunteered to bring together the history of the unit using the very people who contributed to it. It was very disappointing to find few records either from military sources, unit resource or library/internet resource. I gathered together a band of willing volunteers to assist in the identification of material and photographs and whilst there are many gaps we have a foundation for the history of 201. All of the material gathered has been digitised and a copy will be put into Newcastle upon Tyne archives. It is a foundation on which hopefully others may wish to take forward in the future.


The history group was formed initially in 2007 as part of a working group considering how best to celebrate the forthcoming Centenary anniversary.


The unit was planning its mobilisation to Afghanistan and I was asked to assist in the planning of the events. I volunteered to put together a book as I felt it was something important to recognise the contribution made by the men and women of the North East of England and beyond.


I wrote to many individuals and asked if they would be prepared to assist, not only in the book but also in helping to catalogue photographs and material that was around in the unit.


A history group was formed, and we have had a lot of happy times identifying people in pictures and recounting our own experiences. 

FOREWORD

As the current commanding officer of 201 Field Hospital, it is an honour and a privilege to write the first page of this important and deeply personal piece of work. After twenty-eight years with the unit, I am very familiar with many of the individuals who have contributed including my own father.

Col (Retd) Clouston, the leader of the group, has required both strength and determination in order to see the book to its finish. I have no doubt that this is the capstone of both her and the group’s service to the country and the locality.

There can be no argument as to the importance of history in military medical practice and the reader will understand the development and utility of the Territorial Army in war time, but also its origins and position in local society. It is this symbiotic professional relationship that sets the Defence Medical Services above that of the remainder of the Armed Services with two-way learning being a feature throughout the 100 years recounted. Dominance in this balance is simply a function of peace or war. In today’s 201 Field Hospital, the understanding of that harmony is vital to us in not forgetting the lessons of the past and maintaining the outstanding standards of clinical care that have been delivered since 1909.

                   Doctors will have more lives to answer for in the next world than even we generals.                                                                                                                     Napoleon Bonaparte

Never has a quote been more relevant in demonstrating the value of this book in preventing the loss of an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience. On a personal level, it highlights the camaraderie and bonds formed across traditional social and professional boundaries that enable the delivery of exceptional healthcare wherever a service person may be practicing.

I finish by applauding Col (Retd) Clouston’s self-sacrifice in completing this book noting her direction that it remains incomplete and future generations should not be inhibited from contributing to its content.


                                                                                             Col B Banerjee QVRM DL VR RAMC
                                                                                             Commanding Officer 201 Field Hospital

Book launch 





Tuesday 6 March 2018

GARY BENNETT'S FOOTBALL SCRAPBOOK - THE BLACK CAT

GARY BENNETT'S FOOTBALL SCRAPBOOK - THE BLACK CAT

Available SALE price of £10 (was £17.99). Hardback lots of colour photos can mail or collect mob 07552086888     memoirclub@msn.com    

When Gary Bennett arrived at Roker Park in the Summer of 1984, few people had heard of the club's new signing from Cardiff City. In the ten years that followed he would become a Sunderland Legend!
In a roller coaster career in the famous red and white stripes, Gary experienced two promotions, three relegations and four appearances at Wembley.

All these and many more memories are captured in this lavishly illustrated publication which boasts over 250 photographs, many previously published - from Gary's early life growing up in Manchester right through to the present day covering SAFC games for Radio Newcastle and, perhaps his greatest achievement in football, working for @Show Racism the Red Card campaign.

Friday 2 February 2018

Family of the Raj John Morton


ORDER YOUR COPY – PRICE: £29 P & P £3.00
John Morton, Park Farm, 175 Brent Street, Brent Knoll, Highbridge, Somerset. TA94BE
Cheques payable to Mr John Morton
Email: johnmorton2015@outlook.com



This is more than just a book about a family. It captures the history of the origins of the dispossessed O'Kinealy family from County Limerick in Ireland to Cavan against the background of what was one of the greatest emigration stories of the 19th century, when over a period of fifty years, the Irish population dropped from an estimated 8 million to just 3 million towards the end of the century. Many emigrated to the new founded British colonies, amongst them James O'Kinealy the authors great-grandfather and his younger brother Peter. Both obtained degrees from Galway University and passed the Indian civil service exams. They both later became high court judges in the Bengal judiciary.
The book explores James achievements in his summary of the evidence in the notorious Wahhabi Conspiracy case in 1871, his work on the transfer of the civil service pension funds across to the British government, and the root and branch changes introduced in the 1885 Bengal Land Tenancy Act, in which he was significant player.
A major section is devoted to the career of his eldest son Colonel Frederick O'Kinealy the author's grandfather, and a surgeon in the Indian Medical Service. He saw service on the North West Frontier in the last years of the 19th century, and became surgeon to Lord Hardinge, the Viceroy, in 1910, attending the Delhi Durbar in 1911, before becoming surgeon superintendent of the Presidency General Hospital in Calcutta. He was a significant contributor to the medical development and research of both ophthalmic and ear nose and throat surgery and treatment. He became surgeon general within the Bengal Province, and ended his career in India as chief medical officer to HRH Edward Prince of Wales during his tour of India and Burma across the winter of 1921-22. His complete diaries of the tour are being published in full for the first time in this book.
Interleaved with this historical account is the author’s own experiences as a child in wartime India from 1936-45, and later reminiscences on return to India 1961-64 as an employee of the Indian Tube Company, a subsidiary of the Tata organisation.
The book is lavishly illustrated with photos and paintings of the period.