Kington

EDWARD HALL -- The death has occurred at Oxford of Professor Edward Hall, a distinguished scholar whose well-established local connections led to him being invited to perform the official opening of the Thomas Carleton Skarratt extension to Kington's museum 10 years ago. To a wider audience he will be remembered for his role in the carbon-dating tests for the Turin Shroud, which his laboratory dated as 13th or 14th century. More locally, Teddy Hall will be recalled as the son of Lieutenant Colonel Walter D'Arcy Hall, formerly Tory MP for Brecon and Radnor, whose name has for long been attached to an annual whist tournament played out in the two counties for the benefit of Conservative funds. The professor's great-grandfather was also Walter Hall, who arrived in Kington about two centuries ago to become the miller at Hergest. His son Tom, Teddy's grandfather, made a fortune in the Australian goldfields and, as Thomas Skarratt Hall, presented Kington with its fine recreation ground in 1888. As many of those who met him at Kington Museum in 1991 will recall, Teddy Hall was a delightful man -- and more than that, he seemed genuinely delighted to be back among his roots.

BANKS -- The long association of the Banks family, of Ridgebourne and Hergest Croft, Kington, with the Cambrian Archaeological Association, is highlighted in a contribution to the current issue of Archaeologia Cambrensis, the annual publication of that distinguished learned society. It comes from the pen of the Rev. Dr Roy Fenn, custodian of the Banks Archives, and it records the close links of four successive generations of the Banks family -- Richard William, William Hartland and Richard Alford (all deceased), and the present William Lawrence -- with the Welsh association. Richard William, who lived between 1819 and 1891, is described by Dr Fenn as "a long serving and prolific Cambrian, who for many years was also the association's treasurer", joining it in 1864, the year after it held its first summer meeting at Kington.

SEMINAR -- KC3, the local internet service provider and Learndirect centre, is arranging a free business seminar at Kington and Leominster early this month. Those attending will learn how the internet can help their businesses to achieve an internet presence. The seminar will be held on September 10 at the Talbot Hotel, Leominster, at 7pm. Please telephone Claire Wozencroft on 01544 231768, or email www.info@ke3.net to reserve places or for further information.

TWIN --An open invitation to anyone interested in visiting Kington's French twin town of Marines during the weekend of October 19-21 appears in the latest newsletter of the Kington-Marines Twinning Association. To book a seat, or to obtain details, intending visitors to Marines are asked to contact the association's secretary, Vera Morris, on 01544 231451.