THE founder and chairperson of Howden-le-Wear History Society has stepped down after 30 years.
Former primary school teacher at the village school, Mrs Joan Potts, founded the History Society in 1995 in the former Community Centre. She has, over the years and beforehand, gathered artefacts and information from all aspects of village history. She retains an unequalled knowledge of the area and remains as enthusiastic and motivated as she always was but as she enters her ninth decade, she has decided to hand over the reins but will remain as a committee member.
Joan’s eagerness and profound interest in the subject has helped many people to focus on enhancing their knowledge of it. She has made many contacts around the world from former villagers and their descendants.
Mrs Potts has keenly booked speakers over the last 30 years to talk about all aspects of history, which impacted on the lives of people not only from Howden-le-Wear but nationally. These have included Chris Lloyd on the Stockton and Darlington Railway, Gary Bankhead on diving in Durham and even the local Rington’s man, Darren, who spoke about the history of this door-to-door tea-selling company.
Then there have been the detailed and enlightening exhibitions she has organised too, which brought folk from a wide area to view the objects, photographs, old manuscripts and more over the whole life of the village. There have also been projects, including a book published to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as well as another to commemorate the 100th anniversary of WW1, which involved many villagers.
At her last meeting as Chairman, held in the Village Hall in Howden-le-Wear, John Richardson accepted the baton of leader and, on behalf of members of the Society, he presented Mrs Potts with a bouquet of flowers in appreciation of 30 years’ work.
Joan responded by saying that it was a long held dream of hers to set up the history society and although she is stepping down as Chairman, she remains as interested as she always had been.
