Edition 194 - October 2021
Artwork: Paul Swailes
EDITORIAL
Weatherwise, August was not too good a
month. Why is it that it always seems
to change when the schools break up and gets better when they start again?
So far September has been sunny and pretty dry
- not really forecast - but there is a definite feel of autumn in the air and
the evenings are really drawing in.
Don't forget to put your clocks back at the end of October.
With a slight return to normal, classes,
groups and events have taken place, but with all the summer visitors, needed,
and a rise in cases of the virus, it is wise to stay vigilant and safe.
Hopefully
those who have succumbed and those not well, are now on the mend - get better
soon. We also send good wishes to
newcomers to the village and hope you will be happy in your new homes.
We have a
wonderful new Newsletter website!
Please do make sure you read the article about it and take a look, I
think you will be pleasantly surprised.
As always, I must thank everyone who has
contributed - we have an interesting, informative, humorous and enjoyable set
of regular articles, but there is always room for the one from YOU! My especial thanks to Paul for his autumnal
cover and his usual delightful illustrations.
Do please support him and visit his Exhibition on the Pier, Wild White
Horses, details are on page 47. Items
for the December, Christmas and January edition would be welcome as soon as
possible, and by Thursday, 11th November, at the latest. Thank you.
Judie - Ed
1
ST
PETER'S CHURCH
Stuart and I have been on a much-needed
break in North Yorkshire and Scotland, and so this contribution will be a
little shorter than usual.
One piece of good news is that the congregation is now
allowed to sing during the service. We
still have to wear face masks, but singing makes the service so much more
enjoyable.
Church services are advertised on the notice boards by the lych
gate, as well as in the church porch and top churchyard gate. Whilst we strive to have 4 services each
month, occasionally this is reduced to 3 when we are regretfully without a
Minister or Lay Reader to conduct the service. We do, however, convey our sincere thanks to
Rev John Roles and Rural Dean Rev Rosie Austin who are covering for wedding and
funeral services in Berrynarbor during this period of Interregnum.
On a positive note, following a meeting
of all three churches within our group [Combe Martin, Berrynarbor and Pip &
Jim's] we have prepared our individual Parish Profiles in preparation for interviews
with new candidates for the post of Priest in Charge. We are hoping to commence these interviews in
November/December.
You may recall Stuart's plea for people to serve on our PCC
otherwise Berrynarbor Church will be in serious danger of closing. It is
gratifying, therefore, to have had two volunteers to come forward and join us -
but we still desperately need a PCC Secretary to help bolster our ranks as soon
as possible. Please contact me on
883893 if you are willing to help us! Remember,
there are only 6 meetings in the year - which is not a big ask!
Repairs to the church are now completed and our sincere
thanks to Kevin Brooks and his team for their hard work over the last year. Also, we now have 5 brand new gas heaters
installed by Martin Pollard of Hydronics Plumbing & Heating Ltd., and the
condemned heaters have now been removed.
We must also pay great tribute to our Gardener, Simon
Partridge, who keeps both churchyards in the most beautiful condition. So many visitors and local residents have
passed comment on his efforts throughout this year!
We continue to pray at this time for all
those who are sick, awaiting operations or hospital treatment. Our sincere condolences to Lorna Bowden's
family, her funeral was held whilst we were away. Also, the Gibbs family at The Lodge, on the
loss of Yvonne.
Finally, isn't it great to hear the Church bells ringing once again especially with another Wedding later on this year. Let's hope the weather stays fine for the couple!
Sue Neale
2
WEATHER OR NOT
June, July and August
I
am back from my northern travels having had a very successful holiday. The last three months have gone by so quickly
and the days are already shorter.
I will start by looking at the 1st of
June. The morning was dry, warm, bright
sun and 4/8ths cloud cover, the overnight temperature of 9.7 Deg C climbed to
26.8 Deg C by 1700hrs, making it the highest temperature of the year so far. The wind was very gentle from the west and
reached a maximum of 9 mph. The
barometer was falling during the day to 1010.3mbars at 1700hrs and climbed to
1011.2 by 2300hrs.before starting to fall again. The sun managed to shine for 8.37 hours.
Looking at the whole of June, top
temperature was on the 1st at 26.8 Deg C [average 27.24 Deg C] with the
lowest on the 4th at 5.1 Deg C [average 6.76 Deg C]. The highest wind speed on the 11th was
21.4 mph
[average 30.20mph] from the SSW. The
wind chill lowest temperature was 5.4 Deg C on the 4th [average 6.62 Deg C]. The wettest day was on the 28th with 8.0mm. Total for the month 25.2mm. [average 78.83mm] with
a total for the year by the end of the month at 541.0mm. The barometer was highest on the 12th at
1027.6mbars. and lowest on the 20th at 1006.0mbars. The sunniest day was the 1st with 8.37 hours
and total for the month 172.77 hours [average 171.19hours]. Humidity reached a high of 94% at 0700hrs. on
the 30th and a low of 39% at 1700hrs.on the 1st.
The July information available is only
that automatically recorded as I was away on holiday. I also
had technical problems with the wind speeds recorded so those marked with * may
be unreliable.
The summary for the month starting with
the maximum temperature of 30.2 Deg C at 1300hrs. on the 22nd [average
27.74 Deg C] and a low of 9.3 Deg C at 0500hrs. on the 2nd [average
8.88 Deg C]. The maximum wind speed
was 25.2mph* at 0100hrs on the 29th from the SSW [average 29.12mph]. The lowest wind chill was 9.5 Deg C at
0600hrs. on the 2nd [average 8.4 Deg C].
The wettest day was the 4th with 12.6mm and a total for the month of
79.2mm [average 91.03 mm]. Total
rainfall for the year so far 620.2mm. The
barometer ranged from a high on the 17th at 0900hrs of 1028.7mbars and a low on
the 30th at 0530hrs. at 990.8mbars. The
sunniest day was the 16th with 8.16 hours and a total for the month of 166.18 hours
[average 174.29 hours]. On the 2nd,
16th and 18th, the humidity was 95% and a low on the 21st of 48%.
The 1st August started overcast and
damp with full cloud cover and an overnight low temperature of 13.4 Deg C at
0230hrs. During the day we had a couple
of light showers [total 0.4mm] and by 1700hrs the temperature was 18.2 Deg C. The wind was mainly light from the SSW before
going into the NNE in the afternoon. The
barometer reached 1014.9mbars by 1400hrs before starting to fall. The sun managed to shine for 5.1 hours.
Puffins on Berneray, Barra Head,
Hebrides
Looking at the rest of August the
highest temperature was 23.3 Deg C on the 14th [average 26.8 Deg C] and the
lowest was 7.6 Deg C on the 27th [average 8.94 Deg C]. The maximum wind speed was on the 13th at
27mph from the south [average 29.86 mph].
The lowest wind chill factor was on the 27th at 7.9 Deg C [average
8.16 Deg C]. The wettest day was the 5th with 12.8mm of
rain which was more than a third of the month's total of 34.8mm [average
101.8mm]. This made it the second
lowest rainfall for August in my records; in 1995 we only had 11mm. From the 22nd to the end of August we had no
measurable precipitation. Total rainfall
for 2021 so far is 655.0mm.
In the early part of the month the barometer was
mainly low; on the 7th it was 993.3mbars after which it was mainly on the high
side with highest reading right at the end of the month at 2359hrs on the 31st
at 1031.0mbars rising. The sun was
in hiding, as we only had a total of 134.07 hours with the best day being the 10th
with 7.71hours [average 165.50]. The
humidity ranged between 61% and 95% on many occasions during the month.
As I complete this article we are enjoying a lovely sunny
evenings, long may it continue.
I wish you all
a safe and happy Autumn.
Simon
3
IN MEMORIAM
LORNA BOWDEN
10.4.1939 - 9.8.2021
The village was saddened to learn that after suffering
poor health for the last few years, Lorna had passed away peacefully on the 8th
August. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family
at this time of sorrow, with Bob and Jane, Chris and Helen, Richard and Delphine
and her six grandchildren.
A
service to celebrate her life taken by Rosie Austin, Rural Dean for North Devon
was held at St. Peter's on the 3rd September.
The church, full to the capacity allowed, was testament to the love and
respect in which Lorna was held. Lorna
was all things Berrynarbor!
Lorna was primarily a loyal wife, a loving mother to
her three boys, a devoted grandmother to her six grandchildren and a teacher to
many.
Her
father, Jack Richards, moved from No. 22 Hagginton Hill to South Wales to take
up work for the Penn Curzon family.
There he met and married Lorna's mother, Susan Rebecca Salter. Lorna was born on the 19th April, 1939,
growing up and attending school in Milford Haven. South Wales suffered badly during the War
and life there was very hard. Her
character was largely forged during her formative years in South Wales,
Berrynarbor and the East End of London.
As
things started to return to normal, Lorna regularly returned to Berrynarbor
with her parents by Campbell Steamer to visit her father's family and mix with
other children in the village. Her
mother died when she was 10 years old and she and her elder sister, Margaret,
were brought up by her father and grandmother and she was greatly influenced by
her Aunt Muriel, who lived at Wood Park.
As a
youngster, Lorna was a very good swimmer and a keen athlete. She followed her sister and aunt into
teaching and attended teacher training college in Bristol. Following graduation, her first job was at a
school in the East End of London, which she found both challenging and rewarding. Some of the families were so poor, she would
take them food and clothing.
During
one of her visits to Berrynarbor she met Michael and a few years later, in
1962, they married here in St. Peter's church.
Bob was the firstborn and to make ends meet, Lorna opened a small gift
shop in the front room of No. 46 the Village, and did some supply teaching,
mainly in Braunton. Three years later
Chris and Richard came along. However,
with three small boys to look after, she gave up the gift shop but continued
with the supply teaching. Once the boys
were older, she took up a full-time teaching position at Combe Martin, which
continued for 30 years.
Lorna
was a great supporter of the village.
She served on the Parish Council for over 30 years and was their
representative on the Manor Hall Management Committee. Together with Jim Brooks, she ran the Youth
Club during the 1970's, and for many years organised whist drives every
Thursday night in the Penn Curzon Room to raise money for the Manor Hall and
was a very keen bridge player. She was
also a great supporter to the Village Shop, always shopping there and
volunteering when it became a Community Shop.
Lorna's
knowledge of the history of the village was immense. She researched the archives at the local
library and church records, massing over more than 50 years a huge amount of
her own chronicled handwritten records.
She was a keen conservationist and to quote her family: 'Mother never wanted any trees to be cut
down, but when father needed a trailer load of logs for a customer, it would
get a bit heated at home!'
Family
life was very important and again to quote her family: 'If you couldn't make the Sunday roast there
would be a court of enquiry and wo betide you if you missed the next one!' With her six grandchildren - Samuel, Anna,
Jonathan, Tom, Tyler and Archie, their parents, Michael and Lorna, Sunday lunch
could be for as many as 14!
Sadly,
Loran's health deteriorated during the last few years and despite being
diagnosed with dementia, she never forgot the children she taught in the East
End of London, Braunton and Combe Martin, her family or the different types of
trees which wouldn't let Michael cut down!
Lorna
was a quiet, gentle, unassuming person who guided her family and the children
she taught by her own honest and high principles. She will be very sadly missed.
FOR LESLEY
A
Celebration of the Life of Lesley Symes, aged 63, was held on a beautiful sunny
day, attended by a full house of family and friends allowed at that time.
The
Service was simple, beautiful and very poignant, accompanied by Lesley's smile
- a lovely photograph taken by Dave shortly after they first met. Planned by herself, Lesley chose the music,
hymns and poem, and specifically asked for no eulogy.
Those
attending entered to Om Namah Shivaya by Sacred Earth; reflected to Elgar's Cello Concerto played by
Jacqueline du Pre and left as Diana Ross sang Touch Me in the Morning. They heard the hymns Morning has Broken and
All Things Bright and Beautiful and listened to the poem Prayer for Always
Peace.
In his
introduction, Celebrant Michael Pearson, said:
"We come together to celebrate Lesley's life, to remember all the good
things about her life, her dreams and aspirations, her kindness and helpfulness
to so many people. The music and words
have all been chosen by Lesley to reflect what was important to her. First and foremost, they are about hope,
which was so big a part of her approach to life. They also reflect her love of nature, which
was seen in her enjoyment of the outdoors, of her dogs, of walking and in her
devotion to gardens. Lesley was
passionate about social justice and she loved to travel. She was interested in people and believed in
kindness and nurturing. She found
fulfilment through her relationship with Dave and through her opportunities for
creativity through art.
"Lesley
was highly thought of and loved by so many people many of whom recall the
different ways they knew her and how she touched their lives and helped them."
Dave
would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the very many
messages of sympathy and love for Lesley, and all those who were able to attend
with him, the Celebration of her Life.
Prayer for Always Peace
I ask all the animals to open their mouths
to howl this prayer for peace
I ask all the birds to life their songs to the winds
and sing this prayer for peace
I ask all the trees and flowers, all that is green growing
to open their hollow throats where the sap runs
to call this prayer for peace
I ask the rocks to ream this prayer for peace
I ask the sand to rearrange its grains
and write this prayer for peace
I ask the ocean wave to shout this prayer for peace
or whisper it on the lonely listening beaches
where the rivers will send it upstream
in the willing breath of fish
I ask the deep wells to give rise to this prayer for peace
I ask the holy hills to toll this prayer for peace
I ask the stars to shine the spelling
of this prayer for peace
and the moon and the sun pause in the sky
as night and day, as right and left, as east and west
as all this is opposite yet may still come into balance
in harmony with this world, and in time
I ask for every candleflame to ignite this prayer for peace
so that this prayer is in the world and of the world
and becomes the world and the world is peace.
Rose Flint
4
NEWS FROM OUR VILLAGE SHOP
And Breathe!
Wow, didn't we see a lot of visitors to our village over the
summer holidays! That gave a much-needed
boost to local businesses and our shop was no exception. And while we're delighted to say that with
only one or two minor breaches, the vast majority of our visitors respected our
social distancing and mask wearing codes. However, the after-effects of so many people
coming to Devon did lead to a steep spike in Covid cases and the Government
placed us in an 'enhanced response area'.
The shop's current opening times are constantly reviewed
with the aim of getting back to normal hours just as soon as we can. At the time of this newsletter's deadline, many
restrictions still remain in place because of the coronavirus. We shall continue to make the safety and
well-being of staff and customers our top priority and so for the time being
our opening hours will remain as they are.
Special Offers
We cannot believe that we're already into October. Where has the year gone? So we'll whisper it quietly. You'll probably be turning your thoughts to
that significant festive period that is fast approaching over the horizon. We're here to help.
Our October offers are all about fruitcakes [no, not the
human kind!]. Now a recipe from around
2000 years ago, as older readers may remember, had pomegranate seeds, pine nuts
and raisins mixed into a cake of barley mash.
Later, in the Middle Ages
fruitcakes with honey, preserved fruit and spices became popular and were even
used to sustain crusaders! I'm afraid
we're just out of barley mash so instead we have all the ingredients for a more
modern version at discounted prices. Check
out our bargain prices on flour, caster, demerara light and brown sugars and
dried fruits especially reduced for you to prepare your favourite cake
treats.
As we move into November, you will be able to stock up your
cocktail cabinet, or marinade your delicious cake in, with our drinks
offers. If you prefer something a little more
sobering, we'll also have Kenco coffee and Exmoor based Miles tea, coffee and
hot chocolate at reduced prices too.
Raffle
November will also see the launch of our 2021 seasonal Hampers'
Raffle draw. This annual raffle is
extremely popular and there are two fabulous hampers to be won - a grocery
based one with essentials and treats to go with the festive fayre, and a drinks'
hamper to help wash down that Christmas meal or just whenever to spoil
yourself. Don't miss out so make sure
you get your tickets!
Christmas Food Orders
Rumours and speculation currently abound as to whether some
food supplies will be difficult to get hold of over the Christmas period. We shall be working hard to ensure our lines
of supply are sound and we should be able to provide you with whatever you
need. Make sure you fill out our
Christmas food, grocery and meat order forms [available from November] to
ensure that you get what you want - without leaving the village! We'll
go the extra mile so you don't have to.
5
6
7
OUR NEW WEBSITE
Over
its 193 editions and 30 years [and counting], the Newsletter has provided a
unique, in-depth view of the social history of Berrynarbor. Featuring articles and images from the past
along with what was happening in any given year. Village fetes, fund raising, holidays abroad,
births, deaths, hog-roasts, barn dances and marriages - they are all covered in
detail!
Traditionally
it has been enjoyed in paper form, edition by edition. Then, starting in 2004, it was also available
online offering a chance to see the artwork and images in full colour and in
more detail.
But
what if you are looking for local walks to go on? Or Recipes to cook? Or want to browse through Tom Bartlett's
collection of postcards? Or binge on
Bailey's adventures Netflix style? That
hasn't been easy to do as the articles only appeared in isolation in each
edition. The updated website is
the answer, offering a chance to enjoy the content via the traditional
edition-by-edition view, but also via article type, allowing you to view all
the Rural Reflections in one place, or enjoy all of the Poems, many of which
are originals.
The
articles have been split up into "Series", "Regulars" and "Groups", each of
which can be accessed via the drop-down menus at the top of the website.
- Series:
Childhood Literature, Editorials, In Memoriam, Locak Characters, Local Walks, Movers and
Shakers, Nature Notes, Old Berrynarbor, Poems, Primary School History, Quick Quotes, Recipes,
Rural Reflections and Weather or Not
- Regulars: Alex
Parke, Bailey's Blog, Lorna Bowden, Tony Beauclerk, Trev's Twitters, Vicars Views and Walter's Whispers.
- Groups: Berry in
Bloom, Berrynarbor Ladies Group, Horticultural and Craft Show, Manor Hall, Parish Council, Pre-School, Primary School, St Peter's
Church, The Men's Institute, Village Shop and Wine Circle.
Note:
More article types will be added as more content is uploaded. Currently
the site has all the editions back to February 2009 categorised for viewing,
but we have plans to go back as far as 2004.
So
now you can:
- Pick a walk to follow by browsing the Local Walks.
- Flick through all temptations on offer in Wendy's Recipes.
- Enjoy Tom's postcards in one place under 'Old Berrynarbor'.
- Catch up on the adventures of our houndly hero in Bailey's Blog.
- Learn about Berrynarbor's rich history from Lorna Bowden's articles.
- Find out what's been happening at the Primary School.
- Peruse all the articles from the Wine Circle to locate that special tipple.
- ... and many more!
The
Newsletter also has a huge amount of original artwork lovingly created for each
and every edition. The new and updated
website allows that to be showcased - it really is quite breath-taking when you
see it all together - featuring the work of
Paul Swailes,
Debbie Rigler Cook,
Nigel Mason and
Peter Rothwell. Each artist's talent is
now showcased in their own section under the Illustrations menu.
Finally,
what if you are looking to find out about a relative, read a story from the
past, or find out how the village honoured those lost in the World Wars?
The new Search facility allows you to look for what you are interested in
and will show you all the editions that contain your search term, with a handy
link to take you directly to the article. It is incredibly
powerful. Give it a go!
Type a name, place or event in the Search page and see what comes back!
You are the one in charge now - enjoy
and explore the entire depth of the Newsletter's social history as you want.
We hope you enjoy this unique resource
on our village.
JW & JW
[Judie and James Weedon]
Three Generations
- Judie - of course being the Editor and motive force behind over 30 years of the Newsletter. Six editions a year, come rain or shine.
- James [Judie's son and ex-pupil of the Primary School] - the creator of the old website in 2004 who has been publishing each edition online ever since.
- Harry [Judie's grandson] - currently studying for his A-Levels and who has taken the content from the old website and turned it into the 'Data Lake' [to use a current I.T. term] you see now. Undertaken as a project for a Harvard University online IT course he has been taking this summer. We are pleased to say he passed!
8
NEWS FROM BERRYNARBOR PRE-SCHOOL
A first taste of education
Welcome back to Preschool. We hope you all had a lovely
summer break.We have all worked hard
to make sure that the Pre-school is a safe and welcoming environment for your
children to return to.
Over
the summer our room had a bit of a makeover, with new flooring, newly painted
walls and carpentry work done in the bathroom. Work has also been completed outside by the
back gate creating the Children's Communication Corner. This is where we will encourage your children
to share their learning topics and adventures with you.It was built by the Berry in Bloom team and will help us support the new
Early Year Foundation Stage [EYFS] curriculum, focusing on Language and
Communication. Work still needs to take place in the
garden as we prepare for our new shed.
A letter
from the Committee
Berrynarbor Preschool is a Charity, run by a small committee team which
allows it to function legally.The Committee
is made up of volunteers, mainly parents of the Pre-school children but we also
invite members of the community.
As the new school
year has started, we are looking for new members to join the team and help us
ensure Berrynarbor Pre-school can offer its services to the local families that
access it. This does take up a small amount of time, with evening
meetings being held approximately every 6 weeks and helping hands needed during
our fundraising events.
We really hope that all parents and any members of the
community can make the AGM to be held in October [date to be confirmed] even if
you don't intend to be a committee member, as it is important to understand how
Berrynarbor Pre-school runs. We
certainly would love to hear any fun ideas for fundraising or you may have some
handy contacts who would be interested in becoming a member.This is a great
way to make new friends, gain a new skill and be supportive in your child's
education and learning journey.
Without
your input or support preschool cannot open or run or provide a service.
Topic of
Learning
Everything
is new! Even to us. The government has rewritten our Early Year
Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, focusing on Language and Communication.
We have supported the children to
settle in, explained our routines and rules, such as
hand washing, using hand gel, finding their tray and peg and where to store
their lunch bag. With guidance, the children have set some of
their own rules to keep themselves safe. They have explored both inside and outside
activities and toys.We have chatted with the children, read
stories and got to know them, their interests, ideas and built-up good
relationships.
We started the term with the topic All about Me; learning about ourselves, family and our
friends. We talked about what we like
and dislike and used some of our senses, such as taste, sight, smell, hearing
and touch. We worked around stories
such as Going to Pre-school, Why should we Share and Head to Toe.
As our season changes, we shall explore outside, looking at
leaves changing colour and the important job our farmers do at harvest time. Weather permitting, we hope to go on nature
walks around the village and explore our environment. Familiar stories will be read such as The
Gruffalo and Going on a Bear Hunt.We
intend to keep learning simple, fun and at the children learning levels and
interests.
Clothes Recycling
We
have booked another Bag2School collection date for Tuesday,2nd November. They will take any unwanted clothes,
handbags, paired shoes, belts, bed sheets and soft toys.Please
place items into a black sack/bag and bring it into Pre-school near the
collection date. Unfortunately, they
will not take school uniform, pillows or duvets. Start sorting out your wardrobes and drawers
for any unwanted clothes and raise some money for us.Thank
you
Bee Brick
Thank you to everyone who nominated our Pre-school
for a Bee Brick. We received one and
have placed it in our garden for the bees to make a new home.Thank you RGB Building Supplies for running
the competition.
A message from our Community Nurse
Immunisation: It's
really important that children continue to receive their booster vaccines and
MMR vaccine. They are also entitled to
the Flu Nasal spray.For more details
see the links below:
Best
wishes from all the staff at Pre-school
Sue,
Lynne, Lisa and Lorraine
9
10
BERRY IN BLOOM
This summer there have been so many visitors in our village
and, having spoken to a few, they have said how much they enjoy all the
flowers.The hanging baskets made by Sally, Dan and Oli
have been great and the new and extended watering systems have kept everything
in tiptop condition.
At the time of writing, we are still awaiting the results of
the competition but I am hopeful we shall be awarded GOLD again.
Our
next task will be to take out all the summer bedding and get in the spring
bulbs. So, the annual cycle of spring
and autumn goes round again.
Jean has been very busy again this year taking cuttings and
raising seed, and once again has very kindly donated half of the takings to
Berry in Bloom, an amazing £1910.00. Well done,
Jean, we are so
grateful.
We must not forget Gill, in the Sterridge Valley, who has
also been growing plants for us.Gill grew all the plants for the tubs and
planters at cost price and has also been selling cuttings and young plants at
the gate for Berry in Bloom.Thank you,
too, Gill for your donation of £250.00.
Once again we are extremely grateful to both of you, and to
Arthur and Andy for helping their wives with their efforts.Also
thank you to all the villagers for buying the plants.
We are hoping to start our own fund-raising now that most of
the covid restrictions have eased, and Phil has agreed to be Quiz Master once
again for a Fun Quiz and Supper on Saturday,
16th October in the Manor
Hall.Tickets are on sale in the Village Shop.Supper will be good old cottage pie with a
vegetarian option and a cupcake to follow. Teams of roughly up to 8.Doors
open at 6.45 for a 7.15 p.m. start. Hope
to see you there.
Wendy Applegate
11
Artwork: Angela Bartlett
Wendy Applegate
12
NATURE NOTES NO. 7
Tracking the
Cuckoo's Decline
Tim Davis
Over my years in the Sterridge Valley,
I have often been asked why cuckoos are now rarely heard and, much less likely,
seen. Time was when the first cuckoo of
spring would be reported in TheTimes newspaper. Once a common sight in the UK, their numbers
have dwindled to the extent that the cuckoo is now a Red-listed Bird of
Conservation Concern. Surveys over the
past 25 years have revealed that we have lost over half of our breeding
cuckoos.
In efforts to find out why they are
declining, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) began satellite-tagging
cuckoos in 2011.This enabled them to be tracked from their
breeding areas in the UK to wintering grounds in the Congolese rainforests of
Africa. A lot of vital knowledge has
since been gained, such as how the different routes taken to and
from the UK year on year by individual cuckoos are linked to declines, and some
of the pressures they face on migration.
It has also revealed that they are in the UK for a surprisingly short
time (most only arrive in late April but start leaving again as early as June).
Breeding season surveys have shown, too,
that Cuckoos are doing better in some areas of the country than in others, the
decline in England being greater than in Scotland and Wales. Why this should be is not clear, so a greater
understanding of all aspects of the cuckoo's annual cycle is needed in order to
get a better idea of the factors driving the decline.
Male
Cuckoo, Lundy, May 2021 [photo by Dean Jones]
Whilst much has been learned, much
remains to be discovered.Researchers are now looking closely at how
dependent cuckoos are on - and how much their migration is linked to - the
rains of the weather system known as the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
as the birds move out of their wintering areas and begin their long journey
back to the UK via West Africa.
At present the study has focused on
male cuckoos as they are larger than females and better able to carry the
5-gram tags more easily. The tags are solar-powered,
transmitting for 10 hours and then going into 'sleep' mode for 48 hours to
allow the solar panel to recharge the battery.
Once smaller tags are available, females and juvenile birds will also be
ringed, yielding new insights into how their migrations differ from the males
tracked so far.
In addition, identifying areas of
importance for wintering cuckoos will allow study of pressures there which may
throw more light on the losses of British cuckoos.
You can read more
on the BTO's website (www.bto.org) by entering
'Cuckoo Tracking Project' in the search box on the home page.
13
14
BERRYNARBOR WINE CIRCLE
What's drinking? A mere pause from thinking!
Lord Byron, The Deformed
Transformed
Wednesday, 20th October is on the
horizon and I'm pleased to say that the Wine Circle has plans!The
Manor Hall is capacious; our members are looking forward to returning safely to
our first meeting, hosted by our able Chairman, Tony Summers.
Bray Valley Wines, South Molton, is,
thankfully, a pandemic-survivor. Charlie
Cotton, its knowledgeable founder, has put us in his diary for Wednesday, 17th November.
The 'bewitching hour' starts at 8.00
p.m. for both events, but it will continue until we've all tasted . . . thought
about them . . . and decided we'd like to try some more in roughly four weeks'
time!
We hope you will join us. It's a
great way of drinking, thinking, chatting and laughing!
Judith Adam - Promotional Co-ordinator
15
MYSTERY SOLVED?
Whilst uploading back editions of the Newsletter
for the new and improved website [see: www.berrynarbor-news.co.uk] I came across an article with a picture that left
me totally befuddled. It was in the
December 2011 edition [No 135] with a picture entitled 'Sheep in the Sterridge
Valley', written by Lorna Bowden.
The more I
stared at the picture, the more familiar it seemed - yet I could not for the
life of me work out where it was taken. That, despite spending the
formative years of my childhood pedalling manically up and down the Sterridge
on push bikes in the company of the valley gang of the day - Guy Harding,
Philip Worth, the three Coopers [Shaun, Neil and Dean], Warren Bailey and, more
often than not, Nick Constantine - an interloper from the 'wrong' side of Two
Rocks!
The photo featured what looked like Barn
Cottage, but there was no sign of what my sister Helen and I always referred to
as The Ice Cream house. Why the Ice Cream House?Because during the 1970's it was painted in
the same colours as a block of Neapolitan ice cream!
But I
digress. If it really was Barn
Cottage on the right-hand side of the road, where was what is more commonly
known as Derrivale? It should
have been on the left- hand side of the road. Plus, the road towards Barn Cottage from Tree
Tops is pretty much flat. The road
in the photo seemed to be sloping sharply up hill . . . and where had the
cottage shown on the left disappeared to? There are no buildings opposite Tree
Tops. Just a wall of earth.
As published in Edition 135...
... Corrected!
With my brain unscrambled, it is back
to converting and categorising old editions of the Newsletter for me. Having started with the August 2021 edition, I
have currently converted 59 taking the site content back to No. 135, December
2011. So just another 134 editions
to go then. The first edition published online was October
2004 - No 92, so we can definitely get that far back. Going beyond that
might be tricky since only hard copies exist of those first 91 editions. But even so, 100 editions on the web is a good
target - wish me luck!
James Weedon
[formerly of
Chicane]
PS - If you have not seen the new website, do take a
look. The Search page is very
powerful. Try entering your
surname or that of a relative, or a local place name. You will be amazed at what turns up and we
only have about 25% of the total Newsletter content on the site
currently. The Newsletter is a massive source of information on the
village. Memories, social history,
photos, stories and more, resulting from the hard graft by the editor, her
contributors and the newsletter artists. Now preserved online in a more
digestible form for all to enjoy, and hopefully as a research tool for years to
come.
PPS - Having been thinking about the Valley gang, I
feel a belated apology is due to Les Bowen for all the times footballs banged
into his van, parked outside his workshop where Riverside is now. With
current traffic levels, it seems odd to think of playing football on that
stretch of road, but we were always out there. I distinctly remember a
side mirror getting broken on one occasion, with much scurrying home in the
aftermath. Must have been Shaun's fault I reckon, he was usually the ring
leader in our adventures!
17
MANOR HALL MATTERS
Finally, we welcome back our regular
user groups this Autumn with no restrictions or boring risk assessments.The only safety concession to the 'C' word
is slightly smaller numbers for the larger gatherings.
Over the summer, the Pre-school had its
turn with updating - freshly painted walls, new flooring and some general
updating in the toilets were completed.
We are delighted to report that our Summer
Fete was able to go ahead this year and we were blessed with a lovely day. We send our very grateful thanks to all our
helpers who made this day so successful with a very respectable total of £1750
raised. It was a fun-filled family
afternoon with locals and holidaymakers alike enjoying a drink and a burger,
the skittles, coconut shy and other games were popular and as usual Wendy and
Co's cake stall was a big draw with all their homemade cakes selling out fast.
Our next fundraiser is our Fashion Show
on Thursday, 21st October at 7.00 p.m. in the hall. Once again, the popular Ilfracombe ladies
fashion shop, Clathers, will be presenting their autumn collection.Tickets are £5, to include nibbles and a
glass of prosecco, and are available from Sharon on 07823881455, numbers
will
be limited, so get your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.
On Friday, 5th November, the hall will be hosting The Moscow
Drug Club in association with Beaford Arts [don't panic, we are not turning to
drugs to supplement our income!]. This
is a very successful 5-piece band of professional musicians and performers
combing jazz, cabaret and storytelling.
This will be a BYO drinks [nibbles provided] evening- look out for the
posters for more details and booking information.
On
Saturday 5th December we will be holding a Christmas Fayre, table
are available to hire and for full details please contact Caroline on
07525040060.
Then on Saturday, 11th December we shall be having a
Christmas Wreath and Table Decoration workshop kindly demonstrated by Sue Neale.
Refreshments and most equipment
necessary, will be included to make a gorgeous wreath for your front door and
or a festive table decoration to adorn your Christmas Day table. Please contact
me, Julia, on 01271 882783 to book a place.
So, along with a Quiz Night on the 16tth October
run by the Berry in Bloom team, there is a busy time ahead in our lovely
village hall - we look forward to welcoming you all.
Julia
Fairchild
- Chairman [882783]
Alan
Hamilton
- Treasurer [07905445072]
18
19
BAILEY'S BLOG
So, this month I want to talk about invasions or should I
say invaders. I am not talking about
the Grockles again or Blow-ins. I am
actually talking about the four-legged variety, or in some cases six-legged. I have found myself defending my land on more
than one occasion over the last few weeks.
First
there were those pesky red ants. They
took over a particularly nice bit of our garden where I liked to bury my bones.
They trailed all over the area making
great big mounds, causing me to have to find a new graveyard.
I have been hurt by a particularly spikey ball though. It looked just like the one I stole from the
Mrs. She used to sit on the sofa and
roll her foot over it most evenings. I
thought it was wasted on her so I pinched it to add to my collection. That was a particularly nice, small white one,
but the one that hurt me was a bigger brown one.
I
discovered it hiding under a log and tried gently rolling it into the garden. Unfortunately, it turned out not to be a ball
at all, nor did it want to be played with! I ended up with spikes on my nose, not that
anyone seemed worried about me. All
attention was on the 'rescue hedgehog mission'.
Julia headed up the mission and even took away some of Alfie's food to
give to the spikey ball.Apparently, she made a special home for him. I have been on guard ever since, but he has
not invaded our garden again.
Finally, there were the sheep. Now
you know how much I have wanted to befriend these woolly creatures that look
just like me.I was so excited that they had turned up to
play, but the Mrs. didn't share my enthusiasm.
On the contrary, she seemed truly
shocked to discover four of them munching away on our lawn one Sunday morning
when we got back from our walk on the beach.
I had to stay firmly locked in the boot of
the car, whilst she played with them. First,
they ran one way and then another. The
Mrs. might have grown up in Wales but she clearly didn't have a clue how to
herd sheep. If only she had let me out,
I would have sorted it in minutes.Instead, she enlisted the help of Sal and
Chris from Barn Cottage. They clearly
had more idea than her, but even so it took them quite some time. Picture the scene, the three of them
scuttling along the road with their arms widespread, calling the sheep on.The sheep were clearly unimpressed and
proceeded to leave their mark all the way along the Sterridge Valley. It should be noted that their 'deposits'
stayed - no embarrassing poo bags for them! They did eventually get home and I am sad to
say they haven't attempted another great escape since. Now that's one invasion I would love to see
again!
Illustrations: Paul
Swailes
20
END OF
SUMMER
Mid-August and the summer flowers are fading
Replaced by seed heads hard and brown
Or floating fluffy shafts of down
Bees, butterflies and other insects
busy now after spring's late start
find other flowers
In the hedgerows dancing fuchsias dangle
and soft pink hemp agrimony
stands strong and tall
dreamy flaxen headed meadowsweet floats;
lacy hogweed and red campion linger...
In the meadows
knapweed and vetches still flourish
bunches of ragwort glow
and on the walls
stalwart Mexican daisies never stop
geraniums, some roses and the glorious
hanging baskets bloom on
high and mighty buddleia boasts its big
purple spears above banks of
fiery glowing montbretia
hydrangea's multi flowered heads have
suddenly dramatically opened
in beautiful bright
changing colours: from greenish white to
creamy yellow;
from shades of palest pink to lilac, purple,
deepest red and blue
Late August - summer's flowers are fading fast
early morning mists are creeping in
the scent of autumn's in the air
Virginia Evans- Lee
Copse
Illustration by: Paul Swailes
21
ALICE
IN WONDERLAND
Ilfracombe Flower Club was asked to
help decorate one of the garden shelters at RHS Rosemoor to coincide with their
Summer Flower Show. The theme was
'Alice in Wonderland'. Three other
flower clubs were involved - Barnstaple, Atlantic and South Molton.
I rang
all the other Chairmen to ascertain which story each club was interpreting so
that we didn't double up!
Ilfracombe chose the Queen of Hearts,
who Stole the Tarts. Over the preceding months we planned our exhibit and the
week before set-up, we 'mocked up' in our conservatory, as it was pouring with
rain!
We had a team of seven - each with a specific
task - arriving at Rosemoor at 10 o'clock.
All the foliage and flowers had
to be checked by one of the gardeners, and certain imported flowers were
rejected for fear of bringing in disease to the Garden. This included 3 bunches of Supermarket roses
which had been purchased by Jenny, specifically for the Queen's dress!She was extremely upset!Fortunately, these were later re-instated!
We all set to work and by 11 o'clock it
was taking shape.The weather was kind
to us thank goodness and the visitors started to file past, intrigued at the
work in progress. Our colour theme was
red, green, white/cream. We used
Carnations, Roses, Gemini, Chrysanthemums and Gladioli - supplemented by a few
garden flowers with RHS Rosemoor generously giving £300 to each club to cover
costs.
By 2 o'clock we had finished, pleased
with our efforts and it gave us time to inspect the other club's work! We hope to participate next year, but
Rosemoor are keeping the theme under wraps!
We are looking forward to reopening the
club on 14th September with our first demonstration since arch 2020!New
members always welcome.For further
information ring me on [01271] 883893
Sue Neale
22
BERRYNARBOR
HORTICULTURAL & CRAFT SHOW
Sadly, due to the
current circumstances this village event has not been able to be held for a
couple of years - it has been missed!
However,
so that this popular event can carry on into the future, a NEW COMMITTEE is
needed.Could YOU help?
There
are sufficient funds available, so no fund-raising is necessary now, and help
will be available to show what is needed to be done and how the event has run
in the past.
So that
this event can be held next year, please put your name forward at the Community
Shop, or speak to me if you would like more information.
Karen Loftus
23
A BIG THANK YOU!
On
behalf of Lee and myself, we should like to thank everyone who sent well wishes
and prayers following on from Louis' accident back in June. A super big thank you to Jim, Jenny, Scott
and Linda for helping out when it happened.
Thankfully,
after eight weeks of intense rehab, Louis is now back in a pair of rugby boots
and had his first game under the Exeter Chiefs Academy last week.
It was
quite overwhelming to have so many people ask after him which makes part of
living in a lovely village so special.
Jenny
24
25
FROM THE GLOBE
I'd like to write individually to all
of you who have supported The Globe since this pandemic began, but it would cut
into precious time needed to run this valuable village asset.Last
year and this have been unprecedented times, as no public house, in living
memory, has had to deal with lockdowns, meaning numerous months of closure, and
restrictions that include social distancing, which necessitates fewer tables,
essential booking and unfortunate and unavoidable delays.
Sadly, my staff, as with thousands of
others up and down the country, have enduredimpatience, rudeness and
intolerance from visiting holidaymakers.
Members of staff can only serve
one table at a time and running is not an option! The hospitality industry has been stretched
and pushed to almost breaking point, nationwide.Many pubs have closed, some may become
residential homes and, therefore, the closure is a permanent loss to a
village.
'Spread booking' has been another
issue: several places are booked for a
meal; one is chosen, but the other venues are not cancelled, and, therefore,
businesses, including ours, suffer with financial loss: if a table is reserved, we do not double-book
it as a 'just in-case'.
Drinking, choosing to eat at a later
hour, then accusing the landlord or owner that they have waited hours for their
meal and then see fit to walk away without paying, has occurred at The Globe,
also, but only once, thankfully.It
won't happen again!
Nic
26
FROM THE PARISH
COUNCIL
BERRYNARBOR PARISH COUNCIL
berrynarborparishcouncil.org.uk
Chairman: Adam Stanbury [01271] 882252
Councillors:
Gemma Bacon, Jenny Beer, Andy Burch,
Adrian Coppin, Bernadette Joyce, Jody Latham,
Nic Wright
Parish Clerk: clerk@berrynarborparishcouncil.org.uk.
County Councillor: Andrea Davis
District Councillor: Joe Tucker
Snow Warden: Adrian Coppin
Congratulations
to our Parish Council Clerk, Vicki Woodhouse, on the early but safe delivery of
a son.We send our best wishes to the
family.
Vicki
will continue working as Clerk for the Parish Council, but will not be
attending meetings at present.Please
continue to contact her with any items you wish to bring forward or questions
that she can answer.
If you
have any items that you wish to raise with the Parish Council, please in the
first place direct your query to the Chair or Clerk, e-mail:clerk@berrynarborparishcouncil.org.uk.
The Parish Council would like to remind all property/land owners with road-side frontage, that it is your responsibility to maintain these.
We have had a number of complaints about the lack of visibility and impact on road safety due to overgrown hedges and banks, and we politely ask you to ensure that your hedges and banks are in good order and cut back.
The next
Parish Council Meeting will be on Tuesday, 12th October, at 7.00 p.m. in the
Manor Hall.Members of the public are
welcome to attend.
27
Just to
let all visitors to the Harbour know that new car parking arrangements are in
operation.The system uses cameras to
check vehicles entering and leaving the harbour car park and the charge is £1
an hour, 24/7.
Make
sure you have some change with you and you purchase a ticket from the pay machine!
28
RABBITS - THE
SURVIVORS!
Living
in Berrynarbor through the war years, a chance of additional food was much
appreciated!
It was
not long before a friend of mine and I came up with a solution.We borrowed Stan Huxtable's shot fun [a
twelve bore] and made for Ruggaton Farm. There
were dozens of rabbits there and it was possible to shoot two at a time!
Illustrations by: Paul Swailes
We took
plenty home and the way to have them was to cut them in pieces, boil, and fry
in butter.You say BUTTTER in war
time!Well, we had a friend in the Air
Force at Chivenor who could 'borrow' a bit of that!
Rabbits
are coming back despite myxomatosis and near Ipswich there is a colony on a
roundabout.I suppose their survival is
assured as it would be too dangerous to use a shot gun there.Pretty little things, aren't they?
Tony Beauclerk - Stowmarket
29
RURAL
REFLECTIONS - 101
The other day I came across a quote
relating to the sun's disappearance beneath the western horizon just after the
moon had risen: "Her hour of rest
is haunted, her heart chilled by the cold face of her dead sister".The concept that the face of our neighbouring
satellite is "dead and cold" is an interesting euphemism which I am
certain would have been utterly discounted by our farming ancestors, for in
their eyes, quite literally, the moon's 28-day cycle was very much alive.Indeed, the four phases of the moon, from New
Moon to Full Moon and then round to the next New Moon, have long been
considered a prominent factor in planting schedules. Furthermore, with evidence
now backed up by modern scientific research, lunar farming is just as relevant
today with many modern-day farmers endorsing the practice by utilising lunar
rhythms as a tool for navigating planting periods and harvest dates.
It is a well-known fact that the moon's
magnetic forces affect the tides of our oceans and lead to a swelling in two
tidal bulges on the opposite sides of the earth. These bulges then cause the side of the earth
closest to the moon to be swelled by gravity while the earth's opposite side is
swelled by inertia.
Put
simply, the moon dictates when the tide comes in and when it goes out.Perhaps less well known is that these same
forces have an effect on ground water tables, with the moon's gravitational
pull generating greater water content in the soil, a process which in turn
enhances seed sprouting and plant growth.
Evidence of such benefits to a
plant's metabolism as a result of the moon has been proven through scientific
research on trees where, during certain phases of the moon's cycle, a tree may
have either a spurt in its initial growth or an increase in its germination
rate. This effect also extends to a
variety of plants such as root growth in sunflowers and beans and the extra
absorption of oxygen in plants such as potatoes, carrots and sunflowers.
To explain in simple terms the four
phases [or quarters] of the moon's cycle, it can be best to describe how much
of the moon [it's 'face'] can be seen in the sky. The first phase is from when the moon rises in
the west so close the sun's rising that the moon cannot be observed with the
naked eye and ends when all of the right-hand side of its face can be seen. During this period the moon exerts a force on
the earth's water opposite to that of the earth's gravity.This is considered to be a time when the
ground is consequently fertile and wet and therefore an opportunity for lunar
farmers to plant above ground and in particular leafy crops.With
each passing day of the lunar month's second quarter, a little more of the
moon's face is revealed
in the sky, with its last day occurring when we see the Full Moon. Over this period the moon will still exert a
pulling force on the earth's gravity, making it an ideal time for planting
plants within enclosed seeds such as beans, tomatoes or peas. These first two
quarters, from New Moon to Full Moon, are known as the moon's waxing phase. Lunar farmers see this period as being
suitable for transplanting and sowing any short-lived plants. It is also believed to be a desirable time
for planting plants with the intention to harvest flowers, leaves, seeds or
fruits.
The moon's waning phase occurs during
its third and fourth quarters, from Full Moon round to the next New Moon. In this period its gravitational pull on the
earth lessens and, as a consequence, tides decrease and the earth's soil
becomes drier. During the third
quarter, a period that begins on the day after the Full Moon and finishes when
we see only the left-hand face of the moon, the earth's gravity becomes focused
on a root-ward direction. Lunar farmers
will therefore use this time to plant longer lived crops such as perennials and
root crops such as potatoes and carrots. Finally, during the last quarter of the
moon's 28-day cycle, its lunar gravity [or 'pull'] is at its weakest. This allows the earth's own gravity to exert
its strongest force, in turn pushing water tables to their lowest depths in the
soil. With the soil drier and therefore
easier to work. lunar farmers regard the moon's last phase as the best time for
harvesting, transplanting and pruning. They
also see it as an ideal time for soil improvement such as soil turning, weeding
and adding compost.
As mentioned earlier, the value of
accounting for lunar cycles in farming practices has been carried over from
traditional wisdom. Moreover, so much did our agricultural ancestors place more
emphasis on the lunar months rather than the solar year, they even christened
each month's Full Moon with a name that had its roots in nature. For example, five months of the year had Full Moons named after
animals. January's was traditionally known as the Wolf Moon, named after the
howling wolves, while March has the Worm Moon because of the earthworms that
come out at the end of winter. The Full
Moon in July is known as the Buck Moon to signify the new antlers that appear
on deer bucks' foreheads around this time and in August we see the Sturgeon
Moon, named after the large number of fish in the lakes where the Algonquin
tribes of East Canada fished. Finally, the
Beaver Moon, which this year will rise on 19th November, is according to
folklore named after beavers who become active while preparing for the coming
winter.
The names of two Full Moons traditionally relate to flowers.April's is known as the Pink Moon from the
pink flowers of phlox that emerge in early spring whilst the Full Moon in May
is simply called the Flower Moon to reflect the abundance of flowers that bloom
during this month. A further two Full Moons have links with the
weather, February's known as the Snow Moon and December's the Cold Moon. Some North American tribes named February's
Full Moon the Hunger Moon due to the scarce food sources during midwinter,
while June's is called the Strawberry Moon to reflect the little red berries
that ripen at this time. On 20th October
this year we will see the rising of the Hunter's Moon, a Full Moon that
represented a traditional time when people in the northern hemisphere spent the
month preparing for the coming winter by hunting, slaughtering and preparing
meats. The Full Moon in July is also
known as the Hay Moon while other names for August's include the Barley Moon
and Grain Moon. Corn, meanwhile, is a feature of three Full Moons. In May we
see the Corn Planting Moon, in August the Green Corn Moon and in September the
Corn Moon. Finally, there is the
Harvest Moon which, as I mentioned in last October's article, is the only Full
Moon that can occur in one of two months, September or October, depending on
which month's Full Moon is closest to the autumnal equinox.For
example, this year's Harvest Moon occurred on 21st September, with the equinox
on the following day, while last year's rose on the 3rd October.
Farming by the lunar calendar, however, both traditionally
and in modern times, is not just limited to crops. On North Ronaldsay, for example, sheep
shearing is always done on the first New Moon closest to the end of July or
beginning of August.It is intriguing that this ancient custom is
carried out on a breed that is one of the few links to the primitive sheep that
first came to our isles. But more of
this next time.
Steve
McCarthy
Illustrated by: Paul Swailes
30
AUTUMN
As October nights draw in,
Reach for the firelighters; seek warmth from within.
Close the curtains; snuggle in for the night
As the owls hoot and the merlins take flight.
The trees undress each and every day.
Ever-changing colours, their limbs bow and sway.
Until a colourful carpet lies on the lawn.
Rich golden hues our gardens adorn.
The hedgehogs adore it, the squirrels too
Foraging around, so much to do.
There's food to be stored, time cannot wait
Now is the time to prepare to hibernate.
Stay warm and safe in each of your homes
Villagers of Berrynarbor, you are never alone.
Outside nature is slowly changing its face
Enhancing our enjoyment of this very special place.
Pam Robinson
Illustrated by: Paul Swailes
31
CHILDHOOD LITERATURE
'It had been an unhappy day for little
Kay Harker.To begin with, at breakfast
time the governess had received a letter from his guardian, Sir Theopompous,
the chemical powder merchant, to say that he would be there for lunch, but
would like lunch at 2 p.m., as the trains did not suit.This made the governess cross, or, as she
called it, 'put out'.On giving the
order to Jane, the cook, for a very good lunch at two o'clock, instead of one,
Jane was put out, for it was her afternoon off and she did not like to be put
upon.Ellen, the maid, was also put
out, because if you have lunch so late, it is teatime before you have finished
washing up. Jane and Ellen between them
put the governess much further out, and then it was lesson time:Divinity, French, History and Latin.
Kay's magical adventures seeking his
great-grandfather's lost treasure start.
John Masefield - 1936
Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Probably better known as the Poet
Laureate and for his poems than his novels, the fantasy story The Midnight Folk
and its sequel, The Box of Delights, which The Times claims are 'two of the
greatest children's books ever written', first published in 1927, are the work
of John Masefield.
John Edward Masefield was born in
Ledbury, Herefordshire, on the 1st June 1878.
When he was six, his mother died giving birth to his sister and he was
sent to live with his aunt.His father
died shortly after following a mental breakdown.
For three years to 1891, Masefield was
an unhappy boarder at Kings School, Warwick, leaving to board HMS Conway to
train for a life at sea, but also as his aunt intended, to break his addiction
to reading.However, he found that
during his three years on the Conway, he was able to spend much time reading,
writing and listening to stories about sea-lore, that his love of storytelling
grew.
His second ship, the Gilcruix, was
bound for Chile and sailing through extreme weather, seeing flying fish, porpoises
and birds, he was struck by the beauty of nature.Hospitalised from sunstroke, he eventually
returned to England as a steamship passenger.
In 1895 he went back to sea on a
windjammer destined for New York, but as a result of his lack of ambition to be
a sailor and his desire to write, he jumped ship when they docked.For several months he roamed the
countryside, living as a vagrant before returning to New York where he found
work as a barkeeper's assistant.In
December of that year, he read Duncan Campbell Scott's poem, The Piper of
Aril.Never before having cared much
for poetry, this impressed him so much that he was, so to speak, hooked!
When Masefield was 23, he met his
future wife, Constance de la Cherois Crommelin [1867-1960], 13 years his
senior.They married in London in June
1903.Despite the difference in their
ages, she was a good match for him, educated in English Literature and
classics, and a mathematics teacher.
Their daughter, Isabel Judith, known as Judith, was born in 1904
[d.1988] and their son, Lewis, in 1910, who was killed in action in Africa in
1942.
In 1902, Masefield was in charge of the
fine art section of the Arts and Industrial Exhibition in Wolverhampton, by
which time some of his poems were being published, including his first
collection, Sea-Water Ballads, in which the well-known Sea Fever appeared.This was followed in the next years by many
best-selling books of poems, novels and plays.
Although exempted from service in the
First World War, due to his age, he served briefly in France as a hospital
orderly.At around that time, he moved
his country retreat to Berkshire, the setting inspiring a number of poems and
sonnets.
During the war, Masefield undertook two
invited lecture tours in the United States increasing his ability as a public
speaker.At the end of his second tour,
both Yale and Harvard Universities conferred honorary doctorates of letters on
him and in 1921, Oxford University awarded him an honorary doctorate in
Literature.
During the 1920's he was an
accomplished and respected published writer, both of novels and poetry.The family were able to settle at Boar's
Hill, a rural setting not far from Oxford, where he enjoyed bee-keeping,
goat-herding and poultry-keeping.
On the death of Robert Bridges in 1930,
a new Poet Laureate was needed and on the recommendation of Prime Minister
Ramsay MacDonald, King George V appointed Masefield to the post, a position he
remained in until his death in 1967.
Following his appointment, the King awarded him the Order of Merit, and
many
British
universities honorary degrees.He took
his appointment seriously and produced a great number of poems for royal
occasions.These were sent to The Times
for publication, his modesty shown by his inclusion of a self-addressed,
stamped envelope with each submission.
It was not until he was in his early
70's that he slowed down, mainly due to ill health.Following a long illness, Constance died in
1960 at the age of 93, which Masefield found distressing, having spent a long
year watching the woman he loved die.
In the autumn of 1966, he developed
gangrene in his ankle which spread and he died of the infection on the 12th May
1967.
In accordance with his wishes, he was
cremated, and his ashes placed in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey.However, sometime later the following verse
was found addressed to his 'Heirs, Administrators and Assigns.'
Let no religious
rite be done or read
In any place for me
when I am dead,
But burn my body
into ash, and scatter
The ash in secret
into running water,
Or on the windy
down, and let none see;
And then thank God
that there's an end of me.
Judie Weedon
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CROSSWORD ANSWERS
ACROSS
1. Jeeps, 4. Wreak, 10. Outdo, 11. Rampart, 12. Reasoned, 12. Role, 15. Advent, 17. Fluent, 19. Even, 20. Imminent, 23. Tunisia, 24. Outdo, 25. Amman, 26. Tiara.DOWN
2. Extra, 3. Profound, 5. Ramp, 6. Abalone, 7. Tournament, 8. Greed, 9. Attestation, 14. Albinoni, 16. Vietnam, 18. Smear, 21. Enter, 22. Asia.33
MOVERS AND SHAKERS - NO. 95
MAX WOOSEY
[Aged 11]
"The Boy in the Tent"
Just a few miles away in Braunton, a young lad prepares for
another night sleeping in his tent in the family garden. Hopefully there won't be a thunderstorm, a
high wind won't unhitch his tent and it's unlikely to be either a hot sticky
night or freezing. Yet since 20th March
2020, more than 500 nights, he's weathered all that - and not given in. Even when he caught Covid, he insisted on
staying out and his supportive mum valiantly slept alongside. Latterly he's
been joined by the family labradoodle, Digby, who's inclined to lick Max's face
at all hours!
So why does he do it? Well, his parents were helping to care for a
family friend, Rick Abbott, who was dying of cancer.They were all impressed by the care Rick had
from the North Devon Hospice that enabled him to stay in his home. Sadly, he died on Valentine's Day 2020, but
beforehand, having been a keen adventurer, camper and outdoor sports
enthusiast, he gave his tent to Max, telling him to have an adventure. Little did he know that Max's adventure would
lead to the vast sum of over £600,000 - and still rising - being raised for
that Hospice.
Max had only one camping expedition on Exmoor with his dad
when lockdown hit the country, but the camping bug had hit and he badgered his
parents to let him put his tent up in the garden. "That's what Rick would have wanted," he persisted.
Images with of Max
by kind permission of North Devon Hospice
The original idea was that he would sleep out for just a few
days, and maybe raise £100 for the Hospice, but as lockdown dragged on, and
donations poured in to his JustGiving page, he continued his adventure. He found freedom too.No one
could tell him to put the light out and go to sleep! He doesn't know when he will stop, perhaps if
it's no longer fun, but reckons that even if he gets very rich, he won't want
posh hotels. "A tent will do me!" he declares.
Max's 'Adventure' has taken him to some unexpected places.
Coming up to his 500th night out, he was invited to pitch his tent on the lawn
of 10 Downing Street where he met Boris Johnson, who had already sent messages
of support. Dilyn the dog gave him an
equally enthusiastic welcome, resulting in Max having to chase him around the
garden to retrieve two of his cuddly toys: Spike the lemur and Heidi the
lioness. "That was bizarre," said Max.
Talking of lions, he
was also invited by the charity 'Action for Children' to pitch his tent next to
the lions at London Zoo on July 9th this year. Dr Tim O'Neill, the charity's Managing Director
of children's services, felt that such an adventurer would inspire other
children to sleep out and raise money. This
they did, about a thousand from all over the world. He was even interviewed on NBC's breakfast
show in the USA in the run up to the event, called 'The Big Camp Out'. As a result, children from the United States
joined in. In total, over £1/2 million
was raised.
When
Max's own fund-raising reached half a million pounds, he was delighted to get
messages of support from Bear Grylls and Johnny Wilkinson, and a video message
from Exeter Chiefs' Jack Nowell, together with a shirt signed by the whole
team.He loved the latter for when he is
older, he either wants to be an adventurer or a rugby player!
He has now gone through 10 tents and other camping gear,
much of it offered by businesses. He
couldn't have managed it without the support of his dad, Mark, a Royal Marine,
and his mum Rachel, an accountant. Says
his mum, "We are all so proud of Max . . . We've received messages from people
from far and wide, including local people who are so grateful for the fantastic
care our Hospice provides".
Since the start of the pandemic, Max has contributed
enormously to North Devon Hospice through his 'stickability'. For how long is his decision. His mum has told
him numerous times that he doesn't have to stay outside any more, and that he's
already achieved something special, but to date he always says "No". If you want to contribute, you don't have to
pitch your tent! Just go onto his page
on www.justgiving.com. I think this brave lad deserves our support -
and Rick Abbott would have been justly proud of his achievement.
PP of DC
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PRIMARY SCHOOL UPDATE
We hope you have had
a lovely summer break. We welcomed the
children back to school from Monday, 6th September. The return to school has signalled a further
return to normality.
We should like to thank Sarah Hutchings
and her team for running another successful summer club for our children. This year we had record numbers come along to
enjoy fun activities together over the summer. In between running summer club, Sarah somehow
managed to find the time to get married and is now Mrs.
Higgins - congratulations Mrs. and Mr. Higgins!
We worked hard to make sure the school
environment was ready for all the children to return to. We very much hope that they can enjoy a more
settled year this year. At the time of
writing, we no longer needed to maintain bubbles, children have been mixing and
playing together across the school. We
are very excited to be able to allow them to be together again and hope to
re-establish the family culture of children caring for each other. We are
already seeing our older children helping our new little ones and it has been
wonderful to see our family together again.
Speaking of little ones - we are very
pleased to welcome our new children to Reception.They have settled into school life with ease.
Well done to all our new starters and
all our children for such a fab start to the year.
With the end of restrictions, we are
looking forward to continuing to offer our exciting and interesting curriculum.Our staff will continue to specialise in
their own subject areas and will be able to move freely between our two schools
- allowing us to teach in person once again.
Our children have been learning a wide
variety of subjects, from traditional tales and nursery rhymes in Key Stage 1
to the life and work of Vincent Van Gough in Years 5 and 6.We
have also been cracking on with literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils across all Years have been learning
and thinking about how to reimagine Disney's short story "The Feast" from a
different perspective - remembering to include a few adverbial phrases,
alliteration, dialogue, noun phrases, similes, pathetic fallacy, onomatopoeia
and relative clauses.Well done all of you!
Despite the obvious problems COVID19 brought
for us, we have discovered a silver lining by implementing a staggered drop off
and pick up time at the beginning and end to the school day. This has not only aided a more orderly start
to the day for children - we hope that you have noticed this has eased
congestion in the village too. We shall
continue with the staggered timings as it works so well for us and hopefully
helps you as residents in our community too.
We are tentatively starting to plan trips, visits and community
events. We have not planned to arrange
anything in the community until after the October half term, but we very much
hope to allow wider community events leading up to Christmas - fingers crossed
we shall be inviting our senior members of the community to the renowned Senior
Dudes evening. Watch this space!
We are also so looking forward to start
offering residentials and all the other extra-curricular experiences which
enrich school life for our children and families. We have been able to provide bikeability
sessions for our Year 6 pupils this half term - a further signal we are
returning to our usual rhythm.
Please do visit our website for further details of all we do
- the children have been working on their very own section of the site. It includes information for new starters and
even has a staff "Top Trumps" segment. Coming
soon!
Finally, in our last update we mentioned
our filming session on Saunton beach with our Year 6 leavers. If you haven't
already seen it - check out our Federation YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kqBVn8zMZs
With
best wishes
Su
Carey, Faye Poynter
and the whole Staff Team
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MARWOOD HILL
GARDEN
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REMEMBERING PETER AND JEAN PELL
The families of Peter and Jean warmly extend an open invitation to all Pete and Jean's friends and neighbours in the Sterridge Valley and Berrynarbor to a celebration of their lives in the Manor Hall on Sunday 24th October from 12.00 noon onwards. Tea and sandwiches will be offered in the afternoon, with hot food and drinks in the evening.
Various activities are being planned, and the Men's Institute will open the door to the snooker room for those who would like a frame or two.
For more information and to book a place, contact Jean's son Ben Ede by email at ede4000@googlemail.com.
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CHRISTMAS GREETINGS THROUGH THE NEWSLETTER
Although it might seem early to be thinking
about Christmas it is, however, time to let you know that once again your
Christmas greetings for friends and neighbours in the village can be sent via
the December Newsletter.
This now traditional way to send those
greetings is both popular and simple.
To
everyone, especially newcomers, if you would like to do this, just decide on
your message and leave it, with a donation, either at Chicane or the Shop by
Thursday, 11th November at the latest, thank you.
The
donations, after covering the costs of printing, will again be shared between
the Newsletter and the Manor Hall, both benefiting by your donations which have
always been very generous, so please carry on with that tradition!
If you are sending parcels for
Christmas abroad, a reminder that last posting dates for overseas surface mail
are NOW or during October and early November.
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AT-A-GLANCE DIARY
OCTOBER | |
5th | Mobile Library in Village from 11.40 a.m. |
---|---|
12th | Parish Council Meeting, Manor Hall, 7.00 p.m. |
16th | Berry in Bloom: Fun Quiz & Supper, Manor Hall, 6.45 p.m. |
20th | Wine Circle: Manor Hall, 8.00 p.m. |
21st | Fashion Show, Manor Hall, 7.00 p.m. |
22nd | Ilfracombe Academy: Half Term to 29th October |
23rd | to 29th October inc. Paul Swailes Exhibition, Wild White Horses, 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., Pier Ilfracombe |
25th | Primary School: Half Term to 5th November, inc. |
31st | British Summer Time ends, 1.00 a.m. |
NOVEMBER | |
2nd | Mobile Library in Village from 11.40 a.m. |
5th | The Moscow Drug Club, Beaford Arts, Manor Hall |
9th | Parish Council Meeting, Manor Hall, 7.00 p.m. |
11th | Deadline for items for December Newsletter and Christmas Greetings |
17th | Wine Circle, Bray Valley Wines, 8.00 p.m, Manor Hall |
26th | Ilfracombe Academy: Non-pupil Day |
30th | Mobile Library in Village from 11.40 a.m. |
DECEMBER | |
5th | Manor Hall: Christmas Fayre |
Manor Hall Diary | |
Mondays | Upholstery, 9.00 to 1.00 p.m.Craft Group, 1.45 p.m. Badminton, 7.30 p.m. |
---|---|
Tuesdays | N.D. Spinners [2nd & 4th] 1st and 3rd: Craft Art Group, 9.30 a.m. |
Wednesdays | Pilates Body Workout, 9.00 a.m. |
Thursdays | Watercolour Painting 10.00 a.m. [10 week
terms] Pilates, 7.00 to 8.00 p.m. |
Fridays | |
Penn Curzon Room | Pre-School: Daily - Term time only Morning Session: 8.30/9.00 - 12.00 p.m. Afternoon Session: 12.00 to 3.00/3.30 or 4.00 p.m. All Day: 8.30/9.00 a.m. to 3.00/3.30/4.00 p.m. |
Mobile Library | |
Village Shop: 11.40-12.10 p.m. Sterridge Valley: 12.25-12.55 p.m. |
School, Pre-School and Toddler Group - Term Time only
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OLD BERRYNARBOR - VIEW NO. 193
In Berrynarbor, 63 Silver Street
This view of 63 Silver Street, better known as
Brookside Cottage, was taken by John William Garratt c1904.
At that
time, the cottage was thatched and the young girl seen would have been either
Polly or Lucy Draper, daughters of Ben and Polly Draper, who also had a son
Ephraim.
When the
Watermouth Castle Estate went up for sale in 1920, No. 63 Silver Street was
described as:
Lot 58 - A Good Thatched Cottage with Piggery, Workshop, Garden & Premises situate in the village and being in the occupation of Mr. B. Draper as a Quarterly Tennant.
The
property sold for £100 and was purchase by Ben Draper.
At a
much later date, the thatched roof was replaced with corrugate iron
sheets.Fortunately, the very old and
rusted roof was replaced by a new slated roof in the 1980's for Mrs.
Whitehouse, who then owned the property.
Vera and
Fred Whitehouse moved into Brookside in 1948, having come from Hagley,
Birmingham, shortly after their marriage.
Fred, who was 22 years Vera's senior.
Stalwarts of the church, Fred, who was a member of the Church Choir,
died in 1970.Vera moved first into the
Susan Day Home in Ilfracombe in 1989 and then Edenmore.She died on the 2nd January 1992.
The
present owners, Mike and Jo Lane have done much to improve the property which
now has a garage and parking for two vehicles.
Tom Bartlett
Tower
Cottage, September 2021
e-mail: tomandinge40@gmail.com
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