Antiques Valuation Evening

There was a good turn out at the recent Thornbury Twinning Association Antiques Valuation Evening.

The audience were entertained by Philip Taubenheim of Wotton Auction Rooms who regaled those attending with anecdotes of his life as an auctioneer, his training and experiences.

The audience had been invited to bring along articles for Philip to examine and these varied from an early 19th Century muzzle loading gun to a battery powered aeroplane, complete with box, as well as sundry items of pottery and jewellery.

Philip's comments were both interesting and informative and he traced the pedigree of each article ending with an approximate value.

Sad to say, there were no "discoveries" of note although the star item was a Lalique glass bowl recovered from a cottage in Ireland where it had lain for many years and acquiring a patina of black mould. Once restored to its original condition it took on a wonderful lustre confirming its beauty and worth.

A mystery item was a brown shellac folding case dating from the 1920s whose exact function was unknown. It was too thin for a cigarette case; Philip thought it might have been used for carrying calling cards or even paper money.

Another curio was a 19th century leather boot recovered from a Thornbury house during renovations. Although of no monetary value, Philip spoke at length about the boot and speculated as to its origin and possible wearer or wearers.

So successful was this event that the Twinning Association are planning another Antiques Evening in 2010. Watch out for further details.

A report on the 2009 Twinning Visit

Thornbury Twinning Association hosted a visit by a group from the Bockenem Twinning Association. A total of twelve people of all age groups stayed with host families for five days, and in addition to a number of informal gatherings, there were some organised events.

On the Saturday morning the visitors with their hosts were invited to a civic reception in the Town Hall, during which the deputy Mayor welcomed the visitors to Thornbury and expressed his support for the continuing links between our two towns.

The group were taken on a day trip to Wells where they could visit the cathedral or stroll around the town. This was followed in the afternoon by a visit to Wookey Hole.

After touring the spectacular caves there was time for a walk around the visitor attractions, which included the opportunity to pose as cavemen.

On the last evening a meal for visitors, hosts and Twinning Association members was held in the function room of The Ship Inn, Alveston.

Everyone agreed that the excellent food and venue contributed to a very enjoyable evening to mark the end of another successful exchange visit.

About the Twinning Association

The Thornbury Twinning Association was set up in 1986 to promote links between Thornbury and Bockenem in Germany, and help us understand how other people live.

The two towns are well-suited, being of a similar size and mentality.

We arrange regular exchange visits between the towns. Because we stay with families, we see how people really live in that part of Germany.

Twinning is for everyone in Thornbury, not just the civic members of the the town. Everyone who goes on a visit is expected to pay for the coach and the air fare. Accommodation with German hosts is on a reciprocal basis.

Social activities are not neglected, and although there's no local wine, there are numerous opportunities to sample the local beer, along with the local sausages, smoked meats, cheeses and delicious cakes.

From the beginning, Thornbury's Castle School has maintained strong links with the Wilhelm Busch Realschule in Bockenem, and there are exchanges both ways each year. The children often work in a variety of local jobs to improve their German.

There's plenty to see and do in the area, and now we can travel easily to nearby East Germany. There are attractive towns to visit, such as Hanover, Hamelin, Wernigerode and Quedlinburg (now a World Heritage Site), as well as the beautiful scenery of the nearby Harz mountains.

The Twinning Association welcomes new members - if you'd like to know more, host German guests or join us on a visit to Bockenem, call our Chairman Nigel Hale on 01454 884042 and e-mail .

Alternatively, you can contact Judith Payne, Town Clerk on or 01454 412103.