Wates Family
July 1999
I am afraid that rather a long time has elapsed since my last letter,
and this letter is in some ways just an update to keep in touch, with a few
news items that I have collected overleaf. I am hoping to find a newsletter editor for future editions. Any volunteers !?
I had 60 or 70 replies to the questionnaire and many of those replying
indicated that they would be prepared to help particularly in supplying
information to update the Saga and keep it updated.
Mailing list
I am sending this letter to everyone on the original mailing list as
well as those who have been added since, except those who replied indicating
that they did not want to receive further communications. This is to enable
anyone who did not reply before to do so if they wish to remain on the mailing
list. I am not at present proposing a subscription but should the numbers
increase,which I hope they will do, this may become necessary in future.
Updating the Saga
I have been in touch with most of those who indicated that they would be
willing to help or supply information. If you haven't heard from me you will do
soon. I would like to thank all those who have already supplied information and
look forward to hearing from those who are still working on it.
As those who are on the internet will already know, the work of putting
the Saga onto computer disk was completed.
It includes Margaret Pitt's own annotations and additional information
that I had or was supplied to me after my first letter in Feb 1997. It does not
include the information supplied by correspondents following the
questionnaire. This will appear in a
second revised edition in due course.
This edition does not include the invaluable index, although a word search can
help in finding an entry. If anyone has any ideas as to how to construct an
index please contact Ian Roberts. There are no plans to republish in print at
the moment, so if you haven't got a computer find someone who has !
Brian A Wates (dblebba)
48 Miskin Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 2LS, England; tel: 01322 221620;
office fax: 0171-831 7454; e-mail: bawates@globalnet.co.uk
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The Wates Family Saga on the internet
Twenty or so years ago, when Margaret Pitt first
published "The Wates Family Saga", distribution was somewhat of a
problem. The cost of copying and
mailing a 200 page book to dozens, if not tens of dozens of people was just too
enormous for one person on a pension to bear.
Well, the computer has changed that.
It is now possible to send the entire work through the mail for very
little more than the cost of a normal letter.
The internet has made it accessible to anyone around the world with the
click of a mouse button.
To access the revised Wates Family Saga on the
internet, go to http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~dd404/ and follow the directions to
download the file. If you do not have
access to the internet, send a letter to Brian Wates in Britain or Ian Roberts
in Canada and a diskette will be mailed to you. In either case, there is no charge.
Whether you download it or request a diskette, the
Saga is stored in "Rich Text" format. This is the most versatile given the various versions of word
processing programs which exist. The
one restriction is that one must have either a Windows or an OS/2 based word
processor. If you are using strictly
DOS, please indicate this fact in your letter and state the type of word
processor you do use (i.e.: Wordperfect for DOS). Every attempt will be made to ensure you receive a copy that is compatible
to your computer system.
G. Ian Roberts (dbhahaaa)
84 Moresby Drive, Kanata, Ontario, Canada K2M 2J6
tel: 613 599-4395; e-mail: dd404@freenet.carleton.ca
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NEWS ITEMS
Honours and appointments
Jane Wates (baakceb), daughter of Allan Wates, was awarded the O.B.E. in the
1999 New Year's Honour List for charitable services to the community of
Berkshire. In addition to devoting time to the Berkshire Community Trust over the last 10 years she has served as a
trustee of the Wates Foundation for 15 years.
Julian Wates (dbcagba), a Liberal Democrat
councillor on Luton Borough Council since 1996, has been appointed
Secretary of the Liberal Summer School,
and Secretary of the John Stuart Mill Institute.
Anthony Wates (dblebbc), a grandson of
Margaret Pitt's brother G.Leslie Wates, was awarded the M.B.E. in the 1999
Birthday Honour List for services to education. For 18 years a headmaster in
Plymouth and Tavistock, Devon promoting a child-centre approach, he also served
on the National Curriculum Council and Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education in the early 90s assisting in the promotion of educational reform
David Tredinnick (baakfba), grandson of Arthur
Wates of E.& A. Wates, has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for
Bosworth since 1987. Is he the only member of the family to be a member of a
national legislature ?
Keith Toms, the husband of Naomi Toms
(dblecb), a daughter of Margaret Pitt, having been a Labour councillor for the
London Borough of Harrow for many years, served as Mayor of Harrow in 1998/99
Letters
William Hughes (dbhbtb) PO Box 834, Armidale,
NSW 2350, Australia says that he is
particularly keen to receive
visitors and asked for this offer to be
included in the newsletter. He says Armidale is midway between Sidney and Brisbane and is easy to reach by
plane, bus or train.
Patricia Subhas (nee Wates) (dblgAhc) writes
from India that life for Anglo-Indians is difficult and she and her family, the
children of Stanley Wates whose death was mentioned in the last newsletter, seek
assistance to migrate to Australia or England. Her address is 14/236,
Mirjalguda, Malkgjiri Road, Hyderabad 500 047