At the NWEMF AGM on 21 April 2018 the Committee bid a sad, but fond and grateful, farewell to two of its longest-serving and most distinguished members: Elizabeth Dodd and Clive Walkley. Elizabeth had served on the Committee since 1986, while Clive became a member as far back as 1979, barely two years after NWEMF came into existence. Both have left the Committee because, living in Cumbria, they each eventually found it impossible to attend meetings held in Liverpool.
As well as contributing positively to a wide range of Committee discussions, Elizabeth served as Newsletter Editor for some 20 years – a truly momentous achievement. She also joined the team of NWEMF Summer School tutors at a very early stage (1984 or 1985, the SS having started in 1982), serving (particularly as a teacher of viol and of Renaissance dance) until the course ended at Trafford Hall in 2012. In the very early days Elizabeth also tutored a few NWEMF Dance courses, and was a dedicated advocate of activities which would encourage young people to become interested, and involved, in ‘early music’. Elizabeth’s overall contributions to NWEMF, its courses, and its general well-being, is huge indeed.
This is similarly true of Clive. His involvement with NWEMF goes back even further than Elizabeth’s, dating from the late 1970s when he read, in the Newsletter, that we were interested in running a summer school. He contacted me (as the then Secretary) concerning the possibility of holding a course in Ambleside (at what was then called Charlotte Mason College, where Clive was a Senior Lecturer). When the Summer School was inaugurated in 1982 Clive became its first Director, remaining at the helm until 2002. Meanwhile, under his quiet and benign, yet very enlightened, leadership, the Summer School grew, indeed blossomed into one of the finest such courses on offer anywhere – as well as one of the happiest and friendliest. Clive continued as a Summer School tutor for a further four years before retiring in 2006.
Clive succeeded Joan Wess as NWEMF’s Chairman during the mid-1980s, serving in that position for about four years. He will also be remembered for the many NWEMF workshops which he directed, mainly held in Natland, particularly ones devoted to his beloved Spanish repertoire (Boydell & Brewer published his excellent book on Juan Esquivel in 2010).
Both Elizabeth and Clive continue to be active members of NWEMF, and still play their part in organising and promoting NWEMF, and kindred, activities. Few, if any, of our members over the years have proved to be such loyal and dedicated servants of NWEMF, and we all owe both of them a huge debt of gratitude.
Roger Wilkes
Published in September 2018 Newsletter
