The Chileans and Harry Middleditch

[Peter B]

This is to announce that Harry Middleditch, the prime mover for the Chileans group, has been taken ill and is now in a care home as he needs 24 hour care. I have a very out of date list of members sent to me by family. I am comparing it to another list sent to me by Roy Purves, the treasurer, which is also a few years old. I have so far been able to contact 18 people within the British Isles and about 10 abroad. I need to inform all members of the Chileans that the likelihooid of the Chileans continuing is less than 2% as I have been in touch with major contributors and ex major contributors who all share the view that the contribution this group can make to the study of South American cacti is now negligible. If you are a member and have not received a letter I would appreciate it if you would contact me by PM with name and address so that I can send a letter giving full details. If you know someone else who is not a forum user please let me know.

Thank you.

Peter B

Just seen that Dave W has put a copy of the letter on the forum

[Chris L]

I visited Harry last September to say hello. Had a very enjoyable hour or so chatting to him.
Thought people might like to see the photo I took of him.

Harry Middleditch

*** If anyone wants any journals please PM me ***

[DaveW]

I have not seen Harry for years but always got a Christmas Card from him. I was often phoned up and asked if I could find out anything about "so and so" on the Internet until seemingly he eventually learnt how to "Google" for it himself when he got a new computer.

The Chileans original started through correspondence between some members of the Dononaeus Society he met whilst abroad and John Donald and myself regarding the new Chilean plants just being introduced by Friedrich Ritter through his sister Frau Winter's nursery, hence the name The Chileans, though the publication soon broadened out to include all S. American cacti.

I remember the first Chileans Weekend at Brooksby, Leicestershire and actually seeing habitat slides for the first time, since if I remember correctly he invited and part of the participants fees paid for a Dr Moyna? to come over from Uruguay, the first overseas speaker we had seen because weekends or conventions importing speakers from abroad was something new in our hobby then. Habitat slides in those days were virtually unknown to us since no Brits we knew had ever visited habitat. People these days do not realise how much first hand information is now available to them.

Also I remember the impromptu slide sessions going on until 1am to 2am in the morning on the dormitory landings, since it was easy to just insert peoples individual slides into a slide magazine for viewing. Something no longer easily done with digital projection. Meaning after obtaining the initial drink in those days when the bar opened it usually then used to be virtually left empty, with the barman poking his head around the door and asking if he could go since nobody was using him? Seeing slides of other peoples plants was more important than drink in those days. Now with the Cactus Explorers and less flexible digital projection the bar is usually full when scheduled talks end.

[Tony R]

I have split this 'topic' to keep this thread relevant to The Chileans and Harry. Thanks.

[lobman]

I think that the long term benefit of The Chileans will be benefit gained by those who met at the weekend event -- long ceased -- and inspired each other . Unfortunately the actual membership was always guarded , which hindered contact between those who did not attend the meetings as the they would simply not know who they were ! . I did work out the membership numbers roughly from the accounts a few years ago , I think it was about 100 or so , allowing for subscriptions to institutions like Kew . I suspect it has dropped off sharply in the past few years .