BERRYNARBOR LADIES' GROUP
The Speaker at the April Meeting was
Bernard Hill, known as
the Fox Man because of his ability to imitate wild animals to catch foxes.
He was born into a farming family in Langtree in 1932 and
during the war years loved to join his father trapping rabbits, which they sold
locally.
It was during the 1950's that Bernard discovered he had a
gift for making foxes come to him.
Before long he used his skills to help local farmers who were losing
lambs daily. Over the course of a few
weeks he had lured more than twenty foxes by imitating birds, mice and other
animals hunted by them.
His love of the countryside has not diminished since he was a
boy; he is a skilled Devon stone wall
builder, thatcher, rick maker and Devon hedge layer, to mention a few of his
attributes - no wonder he had no time to get married!
Fourteen members and three visitors attended the Meeting on 4th
May which was chaired by 'yours truly' as Janet Gibbins had to stand down due
to her many other commitments.
Janet Gammon suggested an outing to Hartland Abbey in
June. Fifteen members were needed to
fill the minibus to make it viable but unfortunately numbers were not
forthcoming. She is now looking into an
outing to the Woody Bay Railway to include lunch and/or a cream tea. Members’ cars could be used for this short
distance.
Tom Bartlett then showed slides of postcards of old
Berrynarbor.
He and Inge came to
Ilfracombe in 1964 - they were the youngest hoteliers in the town. They
bought Tower Cottage in 1973 and moved there permanently a few years later.
Tom blames Inge for his interest in postcards as she bought
five for him from the market in 1971 and his collection now contains 56,000!! Mr. Garratt, the photographer, took nearly
200 photos of Berrynarbor - did he have a girlfriend in the village?! It was
interesting to see how it looked in the early 1900's - Miss Muffet’s was a shop
and Langleigh House was the post office.
There was a photo of Jim Dart, the knife sharpener, who travelled around
the area staying a few days in each place.
Rosemary Gaydon thanked Tom for his interesting presentation
and the raffle was won by Janet Gammon.
Tim Davis, from Harpers
Mill, will be speaking about birds in and around Berrynarbor on the 1st June
and Marilyn Richards explains acupuncture to us on 6th July.
As usual there will be no Meeting in August. Meetings
recommence on 7th September when Stephen Davies from the Citizens Advice Bureau
will be coming to talk to us.
It would be nice to see a few more ladies at these Meetings.
so please come along - first Tuesday in
the month in the Manor Hall at 2.00
p.m.
Doreen Prater
TOBY WOOD 1920-2010
Toby died peacefully at home on the 2nd April.
We, and the family, should like to thank the village for the
words of comfort and sympathy, and the cards and flowers we received.
Toby moved to Orchard House 35 years ago on retiring from farming. He enjoyed the village life, attending most
local events. He loved his painting
hobby, local history, wine making and gardening. He enjoyed the snooker club, meeting up with
Len Bowden, Don Arscott and many others, ending the night with a pint or
two. He was a founder member of the U3A
and the Berrynarbor Wine Circle.
It helps us to know that he was so well thought of by the
village.
Joan and David
We have been thinking of Joan and David during the long time
they have looked after Toby - he could not have received more loving and supportive
care - and our thoughts continue to be with them and all the family at this sad
time following Toby's death on Good Friday.
Bless you all.
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Following the superb service on Mothering Sunday, the church
was full again on Palm Sunday when the service was led by Rector Keith and the
school choir came in to join the village choir. Everyone was invited to join the procession
around the church after paper palm leaves had been scattered along the aisles
by the children and the palm crosses had been handed round. The popular Palm Sunday hymns were sung and
also a lively rendition of 'Jubilate'.
Special thanks to Mrs. Newell and school staff for their work with the
children.
Easter Day was celebrated by about 60 adults and children, the
sun streaming through the windows at last, and the church once again bright
with flowers, thanks to Sue and her helpers, as everyone rejoiced in the
glorious Easter message.
There will be some changes to services at the end of June as
we say our farewells to Rector Keith on his retirement. He will celebrate his last Eucharist in
Berrynarbor at the 11.00 a.m.
service on Sunday, 20th June, which incidentally is also Fathers' Day. Then there will be no morning service in the
village on Sunday, 27th June, as we shall all be going over to Combe Martin to
join in the service there to celebrate Keith's time with us as well as his 38
years of ministry. This service will
begin at 10.00 a.m. and we
may need to get there in good time!
That evening, Christians Together will be holding their 6.30 p.m. service led by Rector
Keith in Berrynarbor church, so do come along - this is always a happy occasion
and there will be refreshments afterwards.
And if you are planning to come to the Farewell Party on 19th
June, be sure to obtain your ticket while there are still some available.
Over the summer, services will continue as usual beginning at
11.00 a.m. and overseen by
the Archdeacon of Barnstaple. There
will always be someone to lead the service and it will be up to us to make
every effort to come along and support whoever it may be, ready for when a new
Rector arrives.
St. Peter's continues to need funds and the PCC will be holding a Gift Day on Wednesday, 30th
June. As usual, letters and envelopes
will be delivered around the village the week before and the PCC and church members will be at the lych gate to
receive your donations. Again, do
support us - all aspects of the church are so important to the village.
Following on, the
Summer Fayre will be held on Tuesday, 3rd August this year.
The observant will have noticed a cross
that has been erected in the churchyard by the tower. This cross has been given in memory of the
late Daisy Carter by her family and may be used by anyone in the parish. There are many living in the village who
have come from away and are not always able to visit family graves; others have interred or scattered ashes
elsewhere. A wish has been expressed
for a focal point where flowers could be laid on anniversaries and festivals. There is now a special spot thanks to Marion
and her family.
Christian Aid envelopes have been delivered around the
village. If you still have one which you
would like to return, please hand it in to the Community Shop or at
church. Donations from all the churches
will be presented at the Christians Together service on the 27th June. Friendship Lunches will be held at The Globe
on Wednesdays 23rd June and
28th July. All welcome.
Mary Tucker
CHARITY CONCERT PARTY
The concert party, Tim Massey, Phil Bridle, Norma and Tony
Holland and three ladies from Ilfracombe and Lee, recently donated a cheque for
£600 to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
This excellent figure was raised during 2009 by performing at
Residential Homes, Day Care Centres, Pensioners' Clubs and W.I's.
This year we have decided to concentrate our fund-raising on
charities helping those in our local community suffering from various forms of
dementia. Initially, we shall be
supporting the Castle Café, Ilfracombe [featured in the April Newsletter] which
provides a friendly and informal café with a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere
for people with memory problems and their families. Meetings are held on the
4th Tuesday of every month, from 2.00
to 4.00 p.m. in the Common
Room at The Candar, next door to Ilfracombe Library. Information and support is available as well
as direct access to professional health and social care staff.
We are currently planning to set up a 'Singing for the Brain'
group in our area under the auspices of The Alzheimer's Society. Briefly, group singing provides a novel way
for people with dementia, along with their carers, to express themselves - a
means of accessing memories and an opportunity to interact creatively with
others. Even when many memories are
hard to retrieve, music can still be recalled thus creating a bond of unity
between the person with dementia and their carer.
'Singing for the Brain' was the subject of an excellent
documentary broadcast on BBC2 and
having seen it, we have been inspired to try and create a group here in North Devon. When
we initially contacted the Alzheimer's Society, it was suggested we help out at
Plymouth, Exeter or Taunton . . . . .
If anyone is aware of a patient and carer [or friend] who may
benefit from joining a local group, then please speak to us on [01271]
883989. Also, we are seeking the help
of volunteers to assist us for a couple of hours once a fortnight - either
singing with the group, helping with admin., fund raising, or more importantly,
making the tea!
Norma and Tony Holland
WEATHER OR NOT
March was true to the old saying 'in like a lamb, out like a
lion'. It started off cold but calm and
dry. By the middle of the month it
became more like spring but then on the night of the 16th, the temperature
rose, the high pressure moved away and the winds went round to the south and
south west. Low after low arrived, bringing
more unsettled weather and the first rain of the month. The total was 94mm [3¾"], all of which
fell after the 16th, the wettest day being the 30th when 17mm [11/16"]
fell. The maximum temperature was 15°C,
with a minimum of -2.3°C, both of which were on the low side of average.
Overnight on the 30th and on the 31st there was a return to
winter with sleet and hail showers, gales, snow on high ground and a wind chill
of -12°C on the 31st.
In the first three months of the year we recorded a total of
245mm [9¾"] which made this only the second driest first quarter of the
year we have ever recorded, in 2006 during the same period, we had only 195mm
[7¾"].
The recorded hours of sunshine at 88.78 were a bit up on the
average.
April was another dry month with 16mm [5/8"] falling in
the first week followed by sixteen days without rain at all. We were away during the last week, to the
2nd May, so the total is not accurate but we had approximately 25mm [1"]
in the month. Although this was well
below average in April 2007, we recorded only 9mm [7/16"]. It was generally a bright sunny month but
with a frequent northerly or easterly direction to the wind, it was quite
chilly and there were many overnight frosts.
The temperature was generally a bit below average although it did rise
to a maximum of 23°C at the end of the month.
The minimum was 1.5°C and we had a wind chill of -5°C.
Again the hours of sunshine were above average at 147.42 for
the month.
I don't think that we are alone in worrying that all this
calm, dry, sunny weather may come to an abrupt end as the summer arrives!
Simon and Sue
OUR
ADOPTED PUPPIES
In April's issue we met our adopted puppy, born in Devon, Pebbles.
Pebbles, who can be described as a long-legged, scruffy, silver
'doodle', is progressing well with her puppy parent, living in East Sussex and
near the sea, and learning the early commands that will eventually make her an
assistance dog.
'Sit' and 'lie down' are obvious commands and 'settle down'
means she should relax and chill out!
'Tug, Tug' begins as play pulling on a toy, but will progress first to
pulling open a door by a rope and then by opening the door itself. 'Tug, Tug' also teaches the dog to remove
clothes by pulling gently at sleeves, shirts and socks, etc. They are taught to only use the edge of
their teeth so as not to hurt their 'partner'.
Picking up a plastic bowl is another early command. The puppy has to learn to pick the bowl up
from the opposite side [a bit like trying to drink out of the wrong side of a
glass to relieve hiccups!], because if they pick it up from the side nearest
them, it covers their face and they can't see.
We now have our second puppy, Ruby, who will be following
Pebbles in learning these commands.
She is a very cute yellow Labrador
puppy who has already been the star at local events, including mixing with
royalty! She received a cuddle from HRH The Countess of Wessex, while her bigger puppy
friends demonstrated how they learn and develop to become assistance dogs of
the future. Every week she will attend
class with other dogs all training to be canine partners, but she also has
plenty of time having fun just being a puppy.
Her brother Rufus is also training at a different puppy training satellite.
WEDDING
Saturday, 8th May, was overcast and chilly, butat St. Peter's
Church and surrounded by family and friends, the warmth and happiness at the
wedding of Peter Pell and Jean Ede was palpable. Jean was escorted up the aisle by her two
sons,
Darren and Ben, and
attended by her four granddaughters - Jasmin, Maddie, Lily and Lottie. Peter's Best Man, Tom, did a grand job even
if it was the first time he had undertaken such a duty and that photo he had of
Peter's past . . . well!
The reception took place at Ash Barton House at Braunton and
surprise, surprise, the newly weds spent a few days away at a golfing spa at St.
Mellion!
Our
congratulations and best wishes to you both.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations
to Karl Ozelton who completed the London
Marathon in 5 hours 37 minutes, raising over £1,600 for the Well Child Charity.
Karl
would like to thank everyone for their support and sponsorship. He enjoyed the atmosphere of the event so
much that he has applied for a place in next year's event, when he will be
trying to beat his time!
WELCOME IMOGEN & TIANNA!
June and Bernard are delighted to announce the safe arrival
of their fifth grandchild. Cassia
Imogen Pickford, a daughter for Claire and Justin, and baby sister for Keenan
and Cormack, was born on the 22nd April and weighed in at 7lbs 5oz.
Sue and Alan Richards of East Hagginton
are delighted to announce that they have another granddaughter. Tianna Julie was born to Jamie and Julie-Ann
in Australia
on the 18th May, weighing 6lb. All
well.
A
warm welcome to the new arrivals and congratulations and best wishes to the
proud parents and grandparents.
MANOR HALL
MATTERS
The AGM was
disappointing in terms of attendance, but the business agenda was transacted,
Accounts for 2009-2010 approved and the Committee for the next twelve months
voted in. Thanks were expressed for the
inputs over time of Margaret Weller and Mick Gadd, who are now stepping back.
The questionnaires from User Groups are still coming in, so
it's a bit early to report a full analysis, except to say that heating,
lighting and kitchen get a fair number of mentions! Hopefully the new Committee will have the
opportunity for a first discussion on all points at the June meeting.
Meantime, as I write this, work is about to start on external
decorating of windows using the same contractor who did the internal decorating
of the main hall last year. The
programme is likely to take 4-5 days but should not be disruptive on routine
use of the main Hall, Penn Curzon Room or Men's Institute.
Discussions are underway with Beaford Arts for events in
October and November time, but an earlier date for your diary is the Berry
Revels on Tuesday, 17th August when we shall be looking for help and input from
User Groups to run various stalls and we should like to introduce a number of
new activities if possible, to breathe some variety into the event. So your ideas and thoughts would be welcome
please!
Finally, with the hint of summer around, a reminder that the
Manor Hall has 2 gazebos and a 'new in 2009' larger marquee-type shelter, so if
you're planning a big BBQ or family gathering in the garden, then these are
available for hire at a modest cost!
Colin - Chairman
NEWS
FROM OUR COMMUNITY SHOP AND POST OFFICE
Although voted the best in the South West
by the Countryside Commission, we didn’t get into the top two of the 10 areas. Still, we plan to enter next time and who
knows? Third time lucky?
The herb trough mentioned in the last
issue has happened! A wide range of
herbs, already growing, will be ready for picking by customers in about two
weeks' time. Do have a look at the
variety and take advantage if you want a sprig of rosemary, sage, [various
types] thyme or any of the other delectables.
Thank you Berrynarbor in Bloom for this lovely idea.
We had 3 excellent fund
raising events over the Bank Holiday Weekend.
John Boxall teed off on the Friday with the Community Shop
Golf Tournament. Twelve teams turned
out in fairly atrocious weather to contest the Sandy Anderson Grocer’s cup. Over £900 was raised for the shop. Well
done John.
On Saturday a sell out performance by ‘Uninvited Guests’ – a
troupe that were spotted by the Beaford Centre whilst performing at the
Edinburgh Fringe Festival – gave a night to remember. If you went you will know what happened, if
not [like me!] it was a chance to dedicate poems or songs to loved ones. The Manor Hall looked lovely and the smell of
narcissi got visitors in the right mood.
‘Master Chefs’, Jane Vanstone and Julia Fairchild, cooked for 40 guests
a fantastic meal of pâté and venison casserole and Wendy Applegate’s scrummy
puddings made everyone happy. The
evening raised about £400, which was divided between the Manor Hall and our
Shop.
Not to be outdone, on Bank Holiday Monday the Manor Hall was
set for another event: The Great Plant Sale. Kath Thorndycroft and her team organised a
superb selection of plants and garden ‘bits’. Thanks are due to her, to those who gave
plants and cakes, to the ones who produced the teas - and of course to the
buyers! The event raised over £550 and
this sum is still growing. You’ve probably seen [and maybe bought] some of the
plants in our new ‘garden centre’. The
porch is proving popular and means that the local cauliflowers, and yummy asparagus,
strawberries and raspberries are selling well.
Paperbacks have also got their own space outside, with books to suit all
tastes.
Pickled Crofter chutneys are now on sale – very local
as they are made in our village!
We hope that you managed to get at least one £5 voucher in
the bonus scheme. It was successful and we plan to repeat this idea later in
the year.
The Shop’s 5th AGM
was held on 15th May. We recorded an
increase in turnover and a net profit of just over £1,000. The committee remains the same, with the
addition of Phil Brown as Treasurer and Debbie Thomas.
As you see, it’s been a
busy two months. For the next 3 or 4
months we hope we shall be welcoming visitors and taking food orders to
self-catering properties. But YOU will
still be there when they have returned home so are even more important. Do please keep shopping with us!
PP of DC
Holiday Accommodation in Berrynarbor
I have visited several establishments in the village for
brochures on hotels, eating places, bed and breakfast, guest houses, etc., and
have had considerable success from the owners.
If I have not got to you, or found you were out, please could
you take brochures or business cards to the Community Shop for inclusion in
this file, a cheap [£5 entry for shop funds] way of advertising your business.
We are also intending to add a page of business cards for
those in the village offering services such as plumbing, gardening, taxis,
printing, window cleaning, building, etc.
So please hand these in to the Shop, for the same fee, and they will be
displayed. Many thanks.
Yvonne Davey
BERRYNARBOR WATER MILLS
When walking in the Sterridge Valley,
do you stop on Riversdale
Bridge and watch the
stream gush over the rock-step to the pool below? Even when not in spate, the power of this
tiny waterfall is quite awesome.
In these difficult times, do you wonder why water-power is
ignored as a source of energy? We have
plenty of rainfall feeding our rivers and streams. Surely, small unobtrusive turbines along the
length of our stream would go a fair way to supplying our local electrical
needs.
There are many streams and rivers in North
Devon which over the centuries have driven water wheels,
benefiting the welfare and industry of local people.
Our own little stream, which rises above Ettiford Farm and is
fed by several tributaries on its way to Watermouth, powered at least three
mills along its course. I also know of
three farms, and suspect that there were more, that used their own waterwheels
for 'drashing', milling their corn and shearing sheep. One at Stowford, another at Wheel Farm and
Uncle Jimmy, Ivan and Bill Huxtable were still using theirs at Woolscott in the
1950's. The alternative was horse power
in a 'round house'. A lovely example
can be seen from the road at Widmouth Farm.
I don't know how old our mills are. They were not listed in the Domesday Returns
1085. We know the Normans were master builders in stone and as
the country settled down under their control, the old Saxon wooden buildings
would have been replaced in stone. Hele
Mill, according to an ancient deed, was operating in the early 1300's in the
reign of Edward III. As our own Manor House, sometimes referred
to as 'The Old Court' was built about this time, when the Berry family was established here, it is
feasible to assume that Berry Corn Mill was built at the same time. Also, with the coming of the Normans, the sparse rural
population of North Devon in Saxon times,
expanded. The growth of the cloth trade
gave farmersa market for their wool.
More and more pasture fields were being created by clearing woodland.
Whereas previously local people would card, spin, weave and
tuck cloth for their own needs, they were now making cloth for a wider and
lucrative market. Because our 'roads'
were no more than rough, ancient, ridgeway tracks, most of the cloth was
exported from Barnstaple and Bideford by ship.
Tucking is an old Devonshire
word for processing woven cloth.
Elsewhere it was known as 'fulling'.
Lengths of cloth were soaked in vats or urine to shrink it. Next it was trodden by foot to raise a close
nap on the surface. Finally it was
washed and hung out to dry in the 'Tucking Meadows'. With the growth of the cloth trade, this
process was soon being performed by 'tucking mills'.
Of our three mills, I think Harper's Mill would have been a
tucking mill. It lacks the tall stature
of a corn mill and its enclosed position, at the head of a steep valley,
doesn't lend itself to dealing with long lengths of timber.
I have read that where there was a tucking mill, a family of
Tuckers lived nearby. 'Tucker' is a Devonshire, occupational surname, e.g. Richard le
Tourkere recorded in Kentisbury in 1332 - so I went searching!
I found the Tooker family well established in the 1500's
suggesting a much earlier settlement here.
Several were church wardens which indicates that they were educated and
held in high esteem by fellow parishioners - take a look at the plaque on the
lych-gate commemorating its reconstruction in 1671. It records George Westcott [Rector], Thomas
Tucker and John Reed [church wardens].
N.B. John Reed farmed at
Ruggaton.
The Tuckers were yeomen farmers. Men who owned and worked their own land. They paid tax to the Crown, 1/10th of their
income in tithes to the church and were beholden to the lord of the manor to
serve as foot soldiers in troubled times.
One branch of the family farmed at Bowden - '1706 Dorethy daughter of
John Tucker of Booden was Christened'.
It is possible that this family followed the Jewell's occupation of
Booden. They would have been familiar
with the Bowden Farm Screen! My father
always referred to the farm as Booden.
Berry Corn Mill is a special place to me. I write this in memory of a remarkable
woman, Jan Dyer, my 3 x great grandmother who worked the mill in the 1840's and
'50's. She lost her husband John soon
after taking over the mill, then her eldest son died. She soldiered on, raising her family and
keeping the mill going with hired help.
Her daughter Mary Ann married Benjamin Richards of Hammonds Farm in
1843. All the many descendants of that
union share her genes with me.
The last miller at Berry Mill was Ernest Smith. The photo shown here belongs to his grandson
Robin Kiff. Robin's mother, Evelyn,
would be one of the children near the water wheel.
Lorna
WORDS FROM DOWN UNDER
On the mailing list for some time now and receiving her
Newsletter in Australia
is Janice Alcock, from Woodlands, Sterridge
Valley, who has recently
written:
My sympathies to all on the nasty winter the northern
hemisphere has had to bear. Mind you,
us down under had constant 35-40° heat!
I miss England
and Berrynarbor in particular.
My sadness over all these years is not being with my dogs and
horses but now I have acute bad news from the Prince of Wales' farm where my
Suffolk Punch horse Rizzla has been on loan to Prince Charles.
Rizzla has developed some very nasty ailment in his hoof, or
bone, making him very lame and in pain.
They are wanting to destroy him!
Nige [Walker] used to ride him into the village bareback on a
regular basis, so some people may remember him - a beautiful chestnut colour
with blonde mane and tail. A heavy
working horse, of course, and the breed is in worrying decline. Apparently Princess Anne has a mare and has
bred some new stock, supplying Charles with a filly. My boy Rizzla [they renamed him 'Duke' as
they thought Rizzla not appropriate for royalty] was gelded many years ago
after he cleared five foot gates to rush out of the drive at Woodlands and
mounted a mare - in season - taking a tourist for a hack along the Sterridge Valley - one of Challacombe's group
rides! Wonderful horse, so clever yet
kind and generous of nature. Pity he
could not have sired a foal or two.
Nige is devastated too, but he will go to Rizzla and be with
him at the end if that is what must happen.
On a happier note, my daughter Saffron and I plus another
English family from Bude put on a Mad Hatter's Tea Party for Easter Sunday,
with long trestle tables joined up in street-party style. Got out the damask cloths and candelabras,
made cakes, sandwiches and exotica.
People brought a plate so some very interesting food turned up. All the children were given chocolate eggs
and Saffron organised a treasure hunt.
We held the party in a huge
nearby park. The men had a sack race as
well as the children - such fun. Bye
for now . . .
Two days after writing to you I had a 'phone call from
Nige. He had contacted the veterinary
responsible for Rizzla who was unaware that he should need to be put down. Oh, I am so relieved. Nige will bring him back to Woodland House
if he has the means to look after him as he certainly has something awfully
wrong with his hoof/leg.
He will find out what,
but for now - reprieve!
I REMEMBER . . . .
The Local Characters' article in the April issue brought to
mind childhood memories.
I went to school with Tiddly Edwards and everyone would get
him to play his 'air guitar'. Like him,
I rode my bike over the heap of sand and ended up in hospital having stitches
put in my face by Dr. King.
We had plans passed to build a house in the field behind
Middle Lee, but funds did not run to that, but I planted some poplar cuttings
in the bank near the gate to stabilise the soil. These cuttings came from Dan Jones in the Sterridge Valley, who ran a building
business. At the beginning of the war
he built a little cottage [Bridge Cottage] onto his cottage [Riversdale] and
let it to Mr. and Mrs. Orrin and their daughter. I think he was told to demolish it after the
war as it had been made of odds and ends with no planning approval. [This
in fact did not happen, it was
demolished in the '60's.]
Mr. Kamp was the blacksmith, just past Mr. Baker's village
shop, and we used to go down and watch him shoeing the horses.
Every now and then, Capt. James from Watermouth would arrange
for the school children to visit the shop and each was given an allowance of
sweets after filing in in an orderly fashion.
The trap we had for our donkey was the one that Mr. Irwin
[George's father] used to visit The Globe on Saturday evenings and is, I
believe, now on display at Miss Chichester's museum at Arlington Court. I also remember Kathleen Richards in a vivid
blue ball gown and Gerry Beauclerk singing a duet on the Manor Hall stage -
Gerry would play his Beckstein grand piano, especially brought down for the
Show - and it would beat any present day TV programme!
Don Thirkell - St. Columb
Major
RURAL
REFLECTIONS No. 44
There was just one topic on the lips of people in the park
after the 6th of May. Join in any conversation and one found the
same two questions being asked: “What
will happen?" and "Who can we blame?”
Yet the subject matter had nothing to do with politics,
although the issue under discussion had striking similarities with the election
result.
The
ensuing debates, as they always are in Bicclescombe Park
at this time of year, centred around the ducks. For a few days, perhaps three at the most,
the mallard population equalled that of another prominent bird species - on the
water at least. Moreover, a coalition
with the minority moorhens enabled a duck majority to hold power in the park. But it was not to last; and of course time
will only tell whether our own coalition government will follow the same fate.
The ducks' temporary majority was the result of twenty or so
newly hatched mallard ducklings [this number varied depending on who provided
your statistics - another affinity with party politics!]. But with each passing night their numbers
dwindled. At the last count, only three
remained. The ducks' coalition had
crumbled.
One viewpoint not being put forward amongst the discussions
was whether the reduction was just part of the natural process. Was this because it had occurred in a public
rather than a natural surrounding? After all, would those same people be
perturbed if they came across a dead chick in a woodland? Possibly not; yet ironically their lack of
concern for some bird species at least, would be fully justified.
Take the blue tit. Every
year, one half of each breeding pair dies. This means that only one youngster from their
yearly brood needs to survive in order to keep the population steady. Yet up to ten fledglings will leave the nest. Nature,
however, takes its course ensuring that in most cases nine out of the ten do
not make it through to the following spring. Amazingly, the survival of more
than one chick would lead to our countryside being inundated with blue tits.
Whilst nature takes care to guarantee that numbers do not
increase, many of us do our bit to make sure that the blue tit population and
that of other bird species do not dwindle by providing opportunities for nest
building in our own gardens. This time
last year, however, I found myself doing more than just helping a pair of blue
tits raise a brood by providing a nest box.
Having delivered moss, grass and leaves to the box, the
female then perched herself comfortably on her nest. The male was then seen fastidiously delivering
food to her whilst she laid her eggs. Her
re-emergence to deliver food to the box herself [along with the sound of high
pitched calls] was a sure sign that her chicks had hatched. All too soon the chicks had matured enough
to peep out of the hole in order to take a glimpse of the world beyond their
box.
Then, very early one morning, they fledged - except one, the
runt of the brood, so to speak. Pushing
its tiny little head out of the box, it called and it called. The minutes turned into hours. Yet the mother was nowhere to be seen. With starvation the only forecast, the
youngster accepted there was only one option, to take to the air.
Its attempt proved feeble. Now lying on the lawn and too weak to try a
second takeoff, the pitiful creature, whose tattered and incomplete feathers
made its species almost unidentifiable, seemed destined to become nourishment
for any lurking predator. Time, it seemed, for mankind to intervene.
Gently taking hold of the youngster, I placed it on the rim
of the nest box hole only for it to immediately attempt another unsuccessful
launch. So I tried again, and then again.
It seemed that instinct had kicked in, telling the youngster’s minute
brain that having left the nest it was not supposed to return. I was therefore left with only one option. Gently picking it up once more, the fragile
fledgling allowed me to restit upon a branch in our hedge, leaving it calling
once more for food, I walked back
inside and allowed nature to take its course.
A few days later I recognised that feeble looking fledgling
by its unkempt plumage which had still not fully formed. Its beak was once more wide open and calling, until,
that was, its mother arrived. Then all
fell silent whilst the youngster took
in a scrumptious morsel
of food. Looking at it perched
contentedly upon a branch of our greengage tree, it was good to see how it had
already grown in size.
At least I had given this 'ugly duckling' an equal chance to
be the one member of the brood to survive into the following year. I wonder if he is still around?
Stephen McCarthy
EDDIE STOBART
I have just spent a very nice holiday in
the Scottish Highlands - such beautiful scenery with snow capped mountains and
picturesque glens. I
joined a Filers’ coach trip organised by Janet Gibbins. There
were 26 of us in total - a very congenial bunch of friends.
Travelling on the various motorways, I was puzzled to see so
many Eddie Stobart lorries and even a goods train, and began to wonder 'Who is
this Eddie Stobart?' I have done a bit
of investigating and came up with the following.
Edward Stobart was
born in Cumberland
in November 1954 and grew up on a farm near Carlisle. As a
child he was very interested in lorries and when he left school he started
working with his father’s lorries delivering agricultural material locally.
By 1970 the company consisted of three main parts -
fertilizers, haulage and farm shop and Edward took over the haulage side and
the name 'Eddie Stobart' was born.
In 1976 Edward and his eight lorries moved to Carlisle itself to be nearer the M6 motorway. He
worked hard, kept his lorries immaculately clean and this eventually paid off
and he started to get orders from larger businesses.
By the year 2000 the company had 1,000 lorries and 24 storage
depots around the United
Kingdom.
As Edward had the quaint habit of
giving his lorry cabins female names and with the distinctive livery, many
members of the public started to 'collect' sightings of the Stobart lorries and
a fan club was formed.
The Stobart family is strongly religious and has donated much
of their wealth to local churches.
In
2002 Edward Stobart sold the company to his brother William. Eddie Stobart Ltd
is now a subsidiary of WA Developments International Ltd and it was announced
in 2006 that this company is to buy Carlisle
Airport to develop it
into a corporate headquarters and build a new runway.
What a success story!
Some of you may already know this but I hope the rest will find it
interesting.
DP
REPORT FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL
The Annual Parish Meeting was held on 13th April and Chaired
by Councillor Sue Sussex. In her Chairman's
report she gave an update on the playground and refurbishment of the Millennium
fountain.
She thanked Councillors for all their hard work and members
of the parish who had helped with the installation of the playground
equipment. She also expressed thanks to
Judie Weedon for her hard work in connection with the Newsletter, the Manor
Hall Committee, Berry in Bloom for ensuring the village looks lovely for
visitors and locals, the Police - this Council is grateful to have a Police
presence at meetings - and finally to the Parish Clerk for keeping Councillors
up to date.
She paid tribute and gave sincere thanks to the community of
Berrynarbor, whether they had been paid to do work or work carried out on a
voluntary basis. She felt there was a
lot of goodwill in the village, with people giving a lot of their time. She concluded by saying the village has a
very good community spirit, quite a rarity these days.
Other reports were received from the Police, Footpath Warden,
the Manor Hall Management Committee, the Primary School Governing Body, County
Councillor Andrea Davis and District Councillor Sue Sussex. The Clerk presented the Accounts for the
year ended 31st March 2010.
At the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on 11th May,
Councillor Sue Sussex sent her apologies and advised the meeting that she wished
to resign as Chairman. This post was
not filled at the meeting and Councillor Richard Gingell, who was elected Vice
Chairman, agreed to act as Chairman until the post was filled. Parish representatives were elected 'en
bloc'.
Councillors
were continuing to resolve the problem with the play area surface, realising
that it is waiting to be used,
and assure residents
that every effort is being made to get the work completed to a satisfactory
level.
There is still a vacancy on the Council
following the resignation of Ann Hinchliffe.
If you would like to serve your community in this way, please send a
letter of application to the Parish Clerk who would be pleased to answer any questions you may have
about the role, as would any of the Councillors.
Sue Squire - Parish Clerk
William H - Year 5
MARK MY WORDS . . . A GRUESOME
TALE!
Gary Foster was a likeable chap who lived in the town of Chestham. Of neat appearance and of a public spirited
nature, his hair was always in place and he always wore a sports jacket,
flannel trousers and collar and tie. Gary was of an age when
his parents had passed on and the only remaining relative was a very elderly
aunt called Gladys, who had outlived other members of her family. Gary
had taken it upon himself to visit her in the residential home, Eventide, which
was not far away also in Chestham.
He would take Gladys a bunch of flowers, chocolates or some
other little treat to try to brighten up her life. Although usually clear headed about what was
going on, Gladys would some times make remarks which could not possibly be
true.
On one of Gary's
visits she told him that Fred had called and they had had a very pleasant
chat. Gary knew this was not possible, Uncle Fred
had died two years previously.
On another occasion, Gladys related to him that late at
night, when she looked out, two men were on the back lawn, there was a shot and
one man seemed to be dragging the other in the direction of the summer
house. But it was so dark she couldn't
really be sure.
On a visit about a week later, Gary was greeted at the front door of the
home by Mrs. Weeks, the Matron.
"Could I have a word please, Matron?" Gary asked.
"Of course," she replied, "In what way can I
help?"
"Well, Aunt Gladys told me a strange story about two men
and a gun out in the back garden, which seems highly improbable."
Matron smiled, "Oh, that one!" she said, "She
has also told that story to her doctor and the best thing to do is to say,
'yes, yes, yes' and go along with it."
"Right ho, I'll do just that."
The matter was not mentioned again.
Two years later, the betting shop next door-but-one to
Eventide had been shut up for over a week without even a notice on the door
giving the reason why. The proprietor,
Frank Gale, was a man known for his bad temper and heart problems.
Several people called at Chestham police station complaining
about the closure, so Inspector Channing decided they would have to
investigate. The front door was broken
down and the police went in and through to the back room. There, sitting in a chair, was Frank Gale
and it was obvious he had been dead for some time.
"Whilst we're here, I think we'll have a good look
round," remarked Inspector Channing.
On opening a drawer in a desk a revolver and a number of
diaries going back over several years were found. Flicking through the diaries, the Inspector
came across an entry for a couple of years back which read:
'Dealt with Fred
Bell.' He showed it to one of his
constables, saying
"We'd better make
some local enquiries."
Gradually things began to fit together and upon visiting the
home, Aunt Gladys's story, retold by the Matron, the Doctor and Gary tied
up. It seemed that Fred Bell had owed
the betting shop a lot of money.
On examining the summer house at the home, the remains of
Fred bell were found underneath together with the bullet that corresponded with
the revolver.
Problem solved - what a pity they didn't believe Aunty
Gladys!
Tony Beauclerk - Stowupland
HORTICULTURAL & CRAFT SHOW
To give our artists and photographers time to get working for
the Show, here, as promised, are the details:
ART
This will be wider-based with
subjects of your own choice. The
section will be divided into the use of different mediums and where possible
size should be kept to a maximum of A3 [297 x 420mm].
1. Oil 3. Any Other Medium
2. Watercolour 4. A Collage
PHOTOGRAPHY
1. This Changing
World 4. In the Garden
2. Watching 5. Sky Scapes
3. Travel 6. Street Scene
As you are probably aware, the current organising group will
be stepping down after this year's Show - a breath of fresh air is needed! But all are more than willing to give help
and support to a new group. It seems we may be lucky and this year's event
won't be the last.
Linda Camplin, together with a couple of friends, is
interested in forming a new group. So,
if you think you could help too, please do give Linda a ring on 883322 and keep
this long-standing village event alive.
Schedules and Entry Forms for 2010 will be available with the
August Newsletter or from the Community Shop.
Ellie
G - Year 6
BERRYNARBOR
WINE CIRCLE
In April we had the pleasure of Brett Stevens from the
Fabulous Wine Company as our presenter and what a superb night it turned
out to be. Brett's wife, Jane,
volunteered to make some canapés to accompany each wine and show the relationship
between wine and food - how one can complement the other. Not a small undertaking when you consider
that we have between 35 and 40 people at most meetings, so for 6 different
wines to taste – I’ll leave you to do the maths yourselves! And what
wonderful canapés they were, superbly matched to the wines, even to the last
one an Australian equivalent to vintage port – a fortified shiraz at £29.98 per 50cc bottle! As Brett described it 'a bit of indulgence'. The wines were excellent, the food first-class
and the atmosphere incredible – one of the best meetings for some time
At the May meeting, preceded
by the Circle's AGM, Chairman
Alex Parke managed to complete that part of the evening in record time,
taking less than 7 minutes to conclude all business. Tom Bartlett stepped down from the committee
so we shall be looking for a new recruit to replace him. As the Circle has been going for over 20
years, most things virtually look after themselves so the position is not
onerous, but a new voice with new ideas would be welcome. Alex thanked the committee for all
their work making his job as Chairman an easy one before introducing the
speaker for the evening, Jan Tonkin, a long standing member of the group and ex-committee
member.
As usual, Jan gave a very
interesting presentation on South African wines accompanied by slides and
videos from last year’s holiday he and Mary spent there. As usual a great night
was had by all.
The Circle now takes a
break and the next meeting will be in October by which time the committee will
have decided upon themes and presenters for the new 'tasting season'. If you have any ideas or suggestions or fancy
doing a presentation yourself, please contact me so that this can be
incorporated. The new programme will be
sent out to all existing members in September, anyone else who is new to the Wine Circle and
wishes to be included on the mailing list and receive a copy should e-mail me
on tony.veranos@googlemail.com .
Tony
Summers
BERRY
IN BLOOM AND BEST KEPT VILLAGE
After a lovely but late show of tulips and daffodils
in the tubs around the village, we have replaced the spring flowers with summer
bedding, mainly geraniums that will require less watering
when we get that long awaited scorcher of a summer!
Following
the great Berrynarbor Plant Sale we were donated lots of lupins, so these have
been planted at the Manor Hall and in the car park. However, we have done away with bedding at
the village shop and have planted herbs and edible flowers.
The
idea came about last summer when a customer wanted to buy a couple of sprigs of
mint for a Pimms or was it mint sauce or rosemary for lamb? Well, whatever, the idea of 'pick your own
herbs' has now come to fruition but please hold back for a while to allow the
herbs to grow a little and we hope you enjoy them.
This
year we are again opening the Berrynarbor gardens to raise funds. The Sterridge Valley
Gardens will be open on
Sunday, 20th June, with teas at Chicane courtesy of Judie and Ken, and the Village Gardens on 18th July, with teas at The
Lodge courtesy of Lyn and Phil. Please
come along and view the lovely gardens and have a great cream tea, whatever the
weather throws at us! If you would
like to open your garden please contact me on 882296, we are always looking for
‘fresh mud’!
Litter picks will continue, so keep a look out for
our posters. The Best Kept Village contest judging is on-going and
we do not know when the judges are in the village. We do not yet have the date for Britain in
Bloom judging, but it is usually in mid-July.
Hannah
- Year 6
Fruit
and Nut Squares with Chocolate Drizzle
Something quick and easy to make for this busy time of the
year but sweet and yummy all the same.
200g/8oz
porridge oats
25g/1oz
desiccated coconut
140g/5oz
butter
50g/2oz
light muscovado sugar
5 tbsp
golden syrup
175g/6oz
of any mixed unsalted
nuts
[such
as pistachio, pecan, cashew] chunkily chopped
50g/2oz
dried cranberries or cherries
Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas4. Butter
an 18 x 28cm cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Mix
together the oats and coconut. Melt the
butter in a pan over a medium heat with the sugar and syrup. Stir gently until the sugar and butter has
melted. Take the pan off the heat and
stir in the oat mix, the nuts and fruit.
Leave to get cold and then add two thirds of the chocolate cut into biggish
chunks. Now tip the mixture on to the
paper in the tin and spread until even.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until pale golden. Mark into squares while still warm. When completely cold, cut all the way
through. Melt the remaining chocolate
and drizzle casually over the top of the bars.
These will keep for up to a week in an airtight tin.
Wendy
LOCAL WALK
120
'Bring forth May flowers.'
The anonymous rhyme, 'March winds and April showers. Bringeth vo'th May flowers' was collected by
Frederick Thomas Elworthy in his 'West
Somerset Word-Book' 1886.
This spring the April showers had been strangely absent but
the grassy slopes above the Hoaroak Water at Hillsford Bridge
were liberally studded with May flowers - violets, primroses and blue spikes of
pyramidal bugle.
We followed the path to Lynmouth. It was not long before we spotted the two
stars of these fast flowing, boulder strewn rivers - the dipper and the grey
wagtail.
We took the short detour to the waterfall. It was more impressive than I remembered it
to be but it gets less attention than the waterfall further along at
Watersmeet.
Nearby were patches of wood anemone and the rare Irish spurge
[Euphorbia Hyberna], a handsome plant with yellow-green flowers. This is the only place in England where
it grows.
Between Watersmeet and Lynmouth, 'Myrtleberry' had always been
a focus of cosy domesticity amid the grandeur of the deep gorge. But the hens and beehives had disappeared
from the tiny meadow across the river and the house and garden were completely
hidden behind high 'fortifications'.
However, a little further on, the stoneware ginger beer
bottle was still set into the rock, marking the site where the Lynrock Water
factory had been before it was swept away in the flood of 1952.
Along this stretch of the East Lyn River there is a series of natural
pools; Ramsey Pool, Blackpool
. . . under Blackpool
Bridge there was much
dipper activity.
Normally the words Blackpool
and dipper would suggest an amusement park at a busy seaside resort, but here
in this tranquil place, the dippers were dumpy, brown and white birds, adept at
diving and swimming under water. They
often nest under bridges or behind waterfalls.
Beyond the bridge the floral mixture changed - stitchwort,
yellow archangel and mauve bush vetch.
Green-veined white butterflies fluttered among the alkanet and
triangular-stalked garlic, growing at the gravelly edges of the river.
Green-veined white butterflies resemble the small white in
flight. But when they land the
grey-green vein pattern can be seen on the hind wings. In the females of the summer brood, the
veins are paler and less distinct.
As we reached Lynmouth the numbers of grey wagtails
increased. The males showed the black
throat patch of their summer plumage;
perched on rocks, flicking their long tails; their bills crammed with flies.
Paul Swailes
NEWS FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our Summer Term has got off to a great start. This is always a really busy term with lots
of trips away and events taking place at school.
SAT's week
commencing 10th May - Despite national speculation about the boycotting of the SAT's. our school participated in all the tests,
including Science.
Classes 1 and 3 have started their 10 swimming sessions at
Ilfracombe Swimming Pool and Year 2 and 3 are having tri-golf lessons here at
school and will finish off with a tournament at Ilfracombe Golf club with other
local schools. Mark Davies is the
coach and he is spending many hours with all the schools, encouraging an
interest in golf.
On Thursday, 13th May, Class 3 spent a day at The Exmoor
Zoological Park with their teacher Miss Vickery. They had a talk from the Zoo Keeper about
the teeth and eating habits of animals, followed by a grand tour, picnic lunch
and ice-cream.
On Wednesday, 19th May, we were thrilled that the Tesco Great
School Run 2010 agreed to come to our school for the afternoon. They invited the local media to come along
and their Roadshow Team organised:
·
Fun PE-style games and
activities
·
Music led aerobic warm up
·
Mini fun run with inflatable
start/finish gantry
From 24th to 28th May, Mrs. Lucas and Class 4 will be off on
their well-deserved residential trip to the Goblin Combe Environmental Centre
near Bristol. Their week of camping will include visits to
the Ice Rink, Cheddar Gorge, Clifton
Suspension Bridge,
@Bristol and other exciting activities.
Whilst they are away on the 27th May, Classes 1 and 2 will be
spending a day at the Wildlife and Dinosaur
Park in Combe
Martin. This will include a picnic
lunch and an ice-cream.
Monday
19th - Thursday 22nd July, a.m. only - Year 6
Bikeability Training
Mobile
Phones
- If you have any old mobile phones which you no longer require, please bring
them in to school as we can obtain commission from a recycling company.
Billy - Year 5
School Fete - our
Fete will take place on Friday, 16th
July, from 6.30 p.m.
at the Manor Hall. An annual event not
to be missed!
EVERYONE welcome.
Thank you for your continued
support.
Mary -Jane Newell - Acting
Headteacher
Pupils have been
drawing flowers seen in the village.
They are shown throughout the Newsletter.
FUND RAISING FOR CANINE
PARTNERS
Anna [6½ years], who
lives in County Down, Northern Ireland, comes to stay for
a week's holiday every year. She loves
the North Devon countryside and coast and she
is most impressed by the way people have stalls at their gates to raise money
for different charities.
When she read the newsletter article about Canine Partners
and puppy adoption, Anna wanted to help.
She made some colourful necklaces and bracelets and sold them to some of
our neighbours and friends - thank you to everyone for their support. She raised £10 - well done!
Pat and Malcolm
PAST TIMES WITH WALTER
Albury
- Albury Park is a Tudor House remodelled by
Pugin, who also designed the village
of Albury in Surrey. The
gardens were laid out by John Evelyn for his friend and neighbour Henry Howard,
the sixth Duke of Norfolk, and include the longest yew hedge in England. Later, the house was owned by the Duke of
Northumberland and the Dowager Duchess of Northumberland was there until her
death in 1965.
The
house was used as the location for the Scottish wedding in the film Four
Weddings and a Funeral. Buried under
the ruined chancel of the redundant Saxon church next door William Oughtred [1575-1660] who, as well
as being parson there
for 50 years, was one of the leading mathematicians of his day. He invented the slide rule and the
multiplication sign [x]. He died from
joy when he heard of the restoration of Charles II to the throne.
The
Quakers
- George Fox, preacher and founder of the Society of Friends, was born in Fenny
Drayton in 1624. On one of the many
occasions he was arrested, Fox bid the judge 'Quake at the word of God', and
from then on his followers were known as Quakers. Members have never used the term themselves, preferring to
be known as 'Friends'.
Quakers reject the religious authority of the established
church, believing that the Bible is the word of God and that he can be found in
every individual, so no mediation is needed from priest or doctrine. At Quaker services, no minister leads the
congregation but, instead, the silence is broken when someone feels moved by
the Holy Spirit to speak. Many
Quakers have been
conscientious objectors and Quakers were amongst the first to speak out against
slavery.
Well-known Quakers include - Abraham Darby [1678-1717] who
kick-started the Industrial Revolution when he discovered how to smelt iron
using coke; Edward Peace [1767-1858]
founder of the world's first passenger railway, the Stockton to Darlington, and
the first Quaker M.P; John Dalton
[1766-1844] father of atomic theory;
Thomas Hodgkin
[1798-1866] pathologist who gave his name to
Hodgkin's Disease; Joseph Lister
[1827-1912] who pioneered the use of antiseptics in surgery; William Penn
[1644-1718] who founded Pennsylvania as a Quaker state; United States Presidents Herbert Hoover
[1874-1964] and Richard Nixon [1913-1994].
Household names founded by Quaker families include Wedgwood Pottery,
Lloyds Bank, Barclays Bank, Huntley and Palmer, Fry's, Cadbury's, Rowntree's,
Clark's Shoes and Bryant and May Matches.
The
Toffee Town - The
'Toffee Town' of Halifax was the home of the 'Toffee King'
John Mackintosh. In 1890, he opened a
confectionery shop in Kings Cross
Lane. He,
and his wife Violet, wanted to have a speciality produce to make a name for the
shop, and decided to try combining soft American caramel with brittle English
butterscotch to produce a high quality toffee.
It became so popular that Mackintosh's toffee outsold everything else in
the shop and, in 1899, they had to move to a factory in Sweets Road. This was burnt down in 1909 and they moved
again to Albion Mills, near the railway station, now their permanent home. In 1936, Mackintosh's introduced a chocolate
and toffee assortment which took its name from a sentimental play by James
Barrie, author of Peter Pan, called Quality
Street.
The product image was based on the main characters of the play, a
soldier and his young lady. Quality
Street is still made in Halifax.
Stilton
Cheese
- The village of Stilton in Huntingdonshire gives its
name to England's
most distinctive blue cheese, excellent with port or melted in a baked
potato! But the cheese that made the
name of Stilton famous across the world has never been made here at all. It was first produced early in the 18th
Century in the area around Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. One lady in particular, Frances Rawlett, who
came from Wymondham, was supremely skilled at making it and she sold much of
her output to Cooper Thornhill, landlord of the Bell Inn at Stilton, a popular
coaching stop on the Great North
Road.
Travellers would tell of 'that delicious cheese we tasted at Stilton',
hence it became known as Stilton cheese.
Today, over one million Stilton cheeses are made every year, with 10%
being exported to more than 40 countries.
Made under licence, to the original recipe, by only six dairies, it is
produced exclusively in the three counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and
Nottinghamshire. It takes 136 pints of
milk to make one 17lb Stilton cheese.
Walter
MOVERS
AND SHAKERS No. 27
DAVID
ANDREW QUAYLE
19th August 1936
– 6th April 2010
Co-founder
of B&Q DIY Stores
Many
a time I have stood in the queue at B&Q on a Wednesday, just one of the
hoard of grey heads waiting for their 10% discount, and never thought of how
the company got its name. So it came as
a shock to read in David Quayle’s obituary, that he was ‘Q’ - not to be
confused with 007!
Nowadays, the idea of selling all home
improvement materials under one huge roof is commonplace, but before ‘Q’, any
amateur had to trail round builders' merchants and hardware stores – slowly -
trying to find what he or she wanted. When
Quayle was working for Marley Tiles in Belgium, he visited a hypermarket
where there was a section of DIY goods.
"This would work in the UK", he declared. He persuaded his brother–in-law, Richard
Block, to join him – and he of course became ‘B’.
Their first outlet was a ‘minimarket’
using the back of a Triumph Herald and a Mini Clubman. This was in 1968, and it worked. Later that year, they spotted a 3,000 sq foot
former cinema in Southampton, borrowed money
from the bank and started fitting it out themselves. It opened on 5th March1969. They named it Block and Quayle, but soon
changed it to B&Q when suppliers abbreviated it on invoices.
They worked extremely hard. Their families operated the tills, whilst
they filled shelves, unloaded stock and served customers. Working a 66-hour week
they paid themselves only £90 per month but the result was that they had paid
off their overdraft in 6 months. Within
5 years they had opened a second store and their turnover was over £1 million.
David Quayle was the son of a RAF wing
commander, and his childhood was spent in RAF camps in UK and Germany. His entrepreneurial skills emerged at an
early age, when he sold chewing gum and comics to his school friends. [How often one reads of a successful
entrepreneur starting off young by supplying tuck to his mates!] An art course followed, which he didn’t
complete, during which he sold paints and brushes to his fellow students. During his National Service, he gained a
reputation for undercutting NAAFI prices.
I bet we could find Eskimos who bought freezers from B&Q!
The two partners had very different
temperaments. Quayle had the ideas and
was the real salesman, whilst Block was steady and ran the day-to-day
operations. The men gradually drifted
apart and in 1976, when there were 13 stores, Block severed his interest in
B&Q and settled for a mere £400,000.
He concentrated on disastrous
experiments growing tomatoes in the Channel Islands
and lost most of his money. Quayle on the
other hand continued to develop his 'empire'.
In four more years, his 37 stores sold to Woolworths for £16.8 million,
and he made £4 million for himself.
He remained as a director until 1982,
after which he became deputy chairman of Television South for 3 years. His next enterprise was investing in
Cityvision. The chain grew to over 600
stores in the UK
whilst he was chairman, and it became the second largest video rental business
in the world. In 3 years, profits grew from £40,000 to £16 million.
Later the company was bought by Blockbuster.
He then became chairman of Granada Leisure, looking after theme parks,
motorway service stations and other interests.
In the early 1990’s he reverted to his
first interest - love of painting - and embarked on a two-year art course in Chelsea. Whilst doing this, he realised that modern
art was popular but had few marketplaces. Drawing
on his experience with B&Q, he created from a disused church a huge gallery
in Hampshire, with special offers to tempt visitors. He named it after his mother: Beatrice Royal Contemporary
Art Gallery.
A well-known philanthropist, he set up
the Tramman Trust from some of the profits from B&Q. This helped many small causes, including
projects to improve the lives of needy children from inner cities. He
also backed West End musicals including
Starlight Express.
When Quayle and Block met in 1998 to pose
for photographs for the opening of the 285th B&Q store, they confessed that
although they each bought with their discount card from B&Q, neither of
them were any good at DIY – which they reckoned had helped them understand the
needs of their clients!
David Quayle loved to travel,
particularly cruising, but sadly his trip on the Aurora in April this year was his last. He suffered a suspected heart attack and
died. His first marriage, during which
he had two sons and a daughter, was dissolved. From his second marriage he had a son and two
stepdaughters, between them they have produced 12 grandchildren.
Watching 'Location, Location, Location'
on TV last night, I caught a bit of the B&Q advert: '. . three little
words: B&Q'. Maybe, but it came about through five large
words: ONE BIG, BIG MAN’S ENTERPRISE!
PP of DC
CELEBRATIONS!
SATURDAY, 7TH AUGUST
21 today and the key of the door will not be needed as the Manor Hall will be open for
everyone to come and join in the celebrations.
During the afternoon, from 3.00 to 5.00 p.m.
and costing £3 each, there will be cream teas and birthday cake and hopefully
some form of entertainment.
For the evening, Debs, Alison and
Fenella have planned a murder mystery - The Mystery of the Extraordinary
Exploding Mouse. Following the discovery of a body and the
questioning of the suspects, there will be a two-course supper and coffee,
after which the culprit will be brought to justice.
Come and discover who's 'done in' and who's 'done it'! To assist with the catering, the evening
will be by ticket, £10.00 each, available nearer the time from the Shop or
Chicane.
It is hoped that you will ALL come to one or
other party, or both, of course. Look out for posters nearer the
time.
Any funds raised will ensure the Newsletter's future!
OLD BERRYNARBOR - No. 125
In Berrynarbor. 100
Linking up with Lorna's article about Berrynarbor Mills, for
this issue I have chosen another photograph taken and published in the early
1920's by John William Garratt.
The view shows what we now know as Mill Park Camping Site
with the east side of Berry Mills House seen in the centre. Of course, at this time it was being used
for farming but already some camping was taking place in the field beyond the
open barn. The card I have was sent to
a
Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Ford
in Street, Somerset,
in the early '20's and reads:
'Ain't it grand to be bluming
well washing! It's far better camping
though! At the moment we are sprawled
out just behind the hedge under the hedge [under the cross on the other
side]. We are very lucky with our
pitch, just near the village store, water and all at hand. It was baking hot yesterday. We visited Combe Martin in the morning,
stayed home in the afternoon, I visited Ilfracombe at night. Just thinking about cooking dinner now. Love Bella.'
The list of Millers for Berry Mills from
1850 [White's Directory] up to 1939 [Kelly's Directory] are:
1850 -
Jane Dyer 1856 - Thomas Pile 1866 - John Hancock, Jnr. 1878-1906 - John
Jewell 1906-1923 - Ernest Smith [Lewis
Smith's father] 1923-1926 - George
Burgess 1926-1939 - James Chugg
The mill had an overshot water wheel
constructed of cast iron with wooden buckets and wheel diameter of 20' and
width of 5'. It was fed with water
running in a leat taken from the stream beyond North Lee Farm and running
alongside the road until it reached Berry Mills.
In the Watermouth Estate Sale of 1924,
Lot 6 describes: 'Berry Mills, a very
desirable Grist Mill and Dairy Farm comprising slated Dwelling House
containing: Sitting room, Kitchen, Back
Kitchen, Dairy and four Bedrooms, with Garden, Mill and water Wheel, Tiled
six-stall Shippen, Dutch Barn, Tiled Piggery, Tiled Shippen, Slated two-stall
Stable, Tiled Calf House and about 16 acres 2r 29p of Rich Watered Meadow,
Pasture and Woodlands, as now in the occupation of Mr. C.H. Burgess as a Yearly
Michaelmas Tenant.' James Chugg was the
purchaser.
At the foot of Hagginton Hill, both
North Lee Farm and the Linhey and out-buildings opposite can be clearly seen as
well as Middle Lee Farm in the distance.
At the top of the picture, Black's Farm and outbuildings can be
seen. The building showing at the top
of Hagginton Hill [top right] is probably 'Grattons'.
Tom
Bartlett,
Tower Cottage, May 2010
e-mail: tombartlett44@hotmail.com
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