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Michael Stokes died on 10 March
2011 in Biddenden, aged 84. He joined the Ashford
Ramblers, probably, in 1982 or 1983, and was a member of
our Committee from at least 1983 (Chairman in 1986–87
and probably for some years later) to February 2003; he
was also Kent Area Chairman from 1994 to 1998 and
Chairman of their European Group from 1998 to 2001.
He played an important part in securing public access to
the path along the Royal
Military Canal. It was his idea to produce the
book 21 Walks Around Ashford, which
came out in 1991, and he wrote some of the
descriptions. He also wrote 5 Walks Around
Biddenden. For some years, starting in 1985,
he was involved in regular exchanges with Bad
Münstereifel in Germany and Fougères in France, two
towns twinned
with Ashford. He was the last but one survivor
of the group of six who in the 1980s went out every
Tuesday as a party working on footpaths in the Ashford
area (others included Arthur Jackson, Doug Lycett and
Ivan Light).
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Michael was born in Hampshire in July 1926. His
father was at that time an education officer in the RAF,
and the family went to India in 1931 and returned in
1935. The outbreak of war found him at Rossall
School, temporarily on the seacoast in Cumberland.
His wartime experiences are described in an interview
which was recorded and typed out, to be found in Ashford
Library (he was in the RAF himself from 1944 to 1946 or
1947). After the war (1947–51) he read German,
Russian and Serbo-Croat at Oxford, where he met his wife
Prue. They married in 1951. He then
joined the Foreign Office and spent his working life as
a diplomat. His postings included Germany (twice),
Denmark, the United States, Singapore and India.
In about 1977 he joined BACSA, the British Association
for Cemeteries in South Asia, and was Chairman for about
seven years.
He is survived by his wife Prue, three children and
five grandchildren.
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Michael Stokes |
We reproduce here a couple
of articles from the Autumn 1997 issue of Kent Area News
that describe exchanges with French walkers organised by
Michael.
The Canterbury Trails - or Trials! (apologies to G.
Chaucer, Esq!)
On May the 1st - which you may remember was the day
of the General Election - several stalwarts of the RA
were to be seen at Dover awaiting the arrival of the 9am
Seafrance Ferry from Calais. Abroad were 850
French ramblers and their 16 coaches . Once
ashore, walk-leaders and their assistants were appointed
to each coach and they were guided to various
destinations in East Kent. Then, from Whitstable,
Grove Ferry, Chilham, Denton, Wickham, Petham,
Yorkletts, Chartham, Shepherdswell, Dunkirk, Bridge -
and other places beyond - each group was guided to the
Kingsmead Cricket ground where, during the afternoon, a
ceremony was held celebrating the 50th Anniversary of
the FFRP (Federation Francaise de la Randonnee Pedestre)
and to 'twin' the FFRP of Nord Pas de Calais with RA
Kent Area. This was the largest event involving
walkers from abroad ever organised by the RA.
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The whole day proved to be a considerable success,
and particular thanks are due to Mike Sharp for his
meticulous planning, and to our chairman Michael Stokes,
without whose enthusiasm for the project the idea would
have been a considerable 'flop'! Our French
counterparts greatly enjoyed their springtime glimpse of
this corner of England; they even seemed to enjoy the
disorganised ceremony at the cricket ground - those who
hadn't sneaked off to Marks & Sparks!
Such complaints as were heard were gastonomic, in
that insufficient time, they felt, had been allowed for
their pique-niques!
A major disappointment for our chairman was the fact
that the "flambeaux", which he had been asked to present
to the French groups, and which they would follow behind
as they walked to Paris in the summer, were not actually
"flaming tourches" but small wooden shields on poles!
It is hoped that our walk-leaders enjoyed the day as
much as our visitors. We were most grateful for the way
in which willing volunteers responded to the call for
help in what must have sounded like a really
hare-brained project.
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"Guines Was Good for Us" or "The Kentente Cordiale"
Readers will remember the invitation in the Spring
edition of KAN to join a walk in France in the Autumn.
This resulted in 69 members assembling at Ashford
Station at 6.45am on 18th October. The time
difference in France demanded such an early start.
We travelled by ferry, mainly because of price, so did
not arrive until 10.45am French time; but we took
advantage of the more leisurely journey to eat a second
breakfast aboard ship. Waiting for us at Calais
was Edmond Tellier and three of his colleagues - Miriam,
Maria-Therese and Ingrid representing "Jeunes en
Nature". This organisation, part of the FFRP in
the Pas de Calais, with which Kent Area is 'twinned',
exists "to protect and defend nature".
They guided our coaches to the Forest of Guines an
extensive woodland south of Calais, which was looking
its best in the autumn sunshine. In his inimitable
English Edmond remarked "Just remember - Guines is good
for you!" We then split into two groups; one
looking at flora and fauna led by Edmond, whilst the
other was led by Marie-Therese and Ingrid on a longer
walk to a ridge above the forest from which we enjoyed a
superb view of the coastline from Calais to Dunkirk.
After a brief snack we returned to our coaches and
reached the Centre Europeen de Sejours where after a
misunderstanding about timing, we enjoyed an excellent
meal. We were now running late and our drivers had
to concoct some taradiddle about punctures to enable us
to catch our ferry at the last moment. We enjoyed
a last look at the French coastline in the evening
sunshine. We hope to run two or three similar
trips next year: Edmond invited us to take part in a
festival he is running on 29th March - who'd like to
come?
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And here is an article by
Michael from the Summer 1999 issue of Kent Area News...
Eurolink (French Connection)
Twenty six of us, from seven of our eleven Groups,
have just returned from the first Kent Area weekend in
France. We have had the most enjoyable couple of
days; we were comfortably accommodated, we ate well and
we were comfortably transported to and from two
delightful and widely contrasting walks.
At the recommendation of the Federation Francaise de
Randonnee Pedestre (FFRP), we stayed at the "Village
Vacances" at Ambleteuse, on the coast eight miles north
of Boulogne. This is a great find, offering a
range of comfortable accommodation, from single rooms to
5-bed family 'cottages', all with private facilities.
The food is good and plentiful and wine comes with the
meal. Generous picnic lunches are provided; there
is a swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, a tennis court
and a pleasant bar and lounge. All this costs
about £30 a day.
The pleasant, English-speaking manager hired us a
35-seater coach which met us off the ferry at Calais on
Friday afternoon. The next morning it took us 40
miles inland to walk through the fascinating marshlands
of Audomarois - a network of canals running through lush
farmland, famous for its bird life. After a pub-stop, a
ferry and a picnic we were given a tour of the pleasant,
historic town of St. Omer, returning to dinner and a
disco.
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On Sunday we walked about 8 miles, up to Cap Blanc
Nez and then downhill along the cliffs, with wonderful
wide views, to Sangatte, near the Chunnel terminus.
After a pleasant pub-stop, the coach took us to the
ferry terminal; we were back at Dover at 5pm.
We had an excellent FFRP guide, Albert; he is a great
expert on the area and a delightful person to walk with.
We were welcomed by the president of the FFRP's Calais
region and on Sunday we walked with Paul Jarry,
President of the Pas de Calais/Nord Area, with which we
have been twinned since June 1997.
Most of us only glimpse the Pas-de-Calais area from
the motorway and we tend to dismiss it as flat and dull.
In fact it is ideal walking country, beautiful, varied
and easily reached.
At the Kent Area AGM you were kind enough to elect me
Chairman of our European Group, I am keen to do all I
can to promote our links with the FFRP and with other
national organisations and to promote walking with them.
Each Group in Kent is now represented on a team which is
working on this. Several are already in touch with
the French or Belgian walkers. If you are interested in
taking part, please contact either your Group
representative, or me, Michael Stokes...
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Michael Stokes and his wife Prue
from the March 1995 issue of Kent Area News
Also from the March 1995 issue of
Kent Area News, Michael Stokes and Pat Wilson cut a cake
to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Ramblers
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