Edition 108 - June 2007

EDITORIAL
After a glorious April, May has so far been slightly more unsettled but the gardens were beginning to need if bit of rain and now everything, including the weeds, is flourishing.
With longer evenings, June and July seem to be the 'events' months, including the two Open Gardens, the School Fete and Berry Revels [to be followed by St. Peter's Church Fayre], a BBQ at Middle Lee and A Country Collection art display in the Manor Hall. So please do make a note of the dates and support the events when you can.
As always, my thanks to everyone for contributing to another full and interesting issue. Especial thanks to Peter for the cover [and other illustrations] and Lorna for her very interesting article on the Chichesters of Berrynarbor. Thanks are also due for the many generous donations received, in particular from the Berry Broadcasting Company.
Items for the August issue will be needed please by Monday,
16th August - or earlier if you can! Don't forget, the Horticultural Show Schedule and Entry Forms will be included, so make sure you get your copy.
Judie - Ed
1
BERRYNARBOR LADIES' GROUP
The
April meeting was well attended when Mr. Mandrey gave an interesting talk about
the shipwrecks around the
The
hall was filled with lovely aromas on the 1st May when Susan Coles from the
Tarka Clinic introduced us to the various treatments using the pure, natural
essential oils extracted from flowers, leaves, wood and bark of plants. Aromatherapy is an ideal treatment to relieve
stress and promote relaxation. The
raffle was won by Jan Gammon and Ethel Tidsbury raffled another doll
which was won by Joan Wood. Joan kindly
donated this to St. Peter's Church to raise funds. We were pleased to welcome Vi Davies as a member, bringing the total membership to
29.
On
the 5th June, our own Di Hillier will be talking about the Mission Aviation
Fellowship - her interest comes from the fact that her son, Geoff, works for
the
At
the July meeting on the 3rd, Mr. K. Pugsley will be telling us about his
travels. There will be no meeting in
August.
On
the 25th April, twelve ladies enjoyed an outing, travelling by mini-bus, to the
National Trust property Cotehele, near Saltash. Other than a few spots of rain, the weather
was fine which enabled most to walk down to the Quay as well as
visit the house. Cotehele, the first
house owned by the National Trust, is medieval with superb collections of textiles, armour
and furniture. The restored Tamar
sailing barge, Shamrock, is moored alongside the Quay.
There
will be a visit to the Calvert Trust on the 10th July. This will include a tour around the complex
and a cream tea.
A
trip to
A
reminder, meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month [excluding
August] at
2

IN
MEMORIAM
It
is with sadness that we report the deaths of Alec Davies, Win Sanders and
Brenda Walton.
Prayer
in the Gethsemane Chapel,
Keep joy
within, keep bitterness out; WINIFRED MARY SANDERS Win,
late of the Lee House and latterly the Susan Day Home in Ilfracombe, passed
away peacefully on the 22nd April at the age of 87. She will be missed by her family and our
thoughts are with Graham, Sarah and Ben at this time of sorrow. ALEC DAVIES How
sad we were to learn that Alec had passed away on the 6th April and our
thoughts continue to be with Vi, Brian, Ann and all
the family in their loss. REGINALD 'ALEC' DAVIES Leeside Vi and family would like to say thank you to everyone for
their kind messages of sympathy and support following the death of Alec. Alec
was a quiet man who enjoyed nothing more than walking his dogs Charlie, Badger
and Nutty and 'pottering about' at home. Following
a private funeral, £400 was collected at Leeside and this has been donated to
the North Devon Hospice who cared for Alec with compassion and dignity during
his final days. He
will be greatly missed and not forgotten.
A specimen oak tree is being planted at Leeside to celebrate and
remember the life of this quiet and much-loved man. BRENDA K. WALTON 1926-2007 Although
Brenda lived in Combe Martin, her heart was in Berrynarbor where she had spent
happy years at various points of her life.
So it seemed fitting to say our last 'goodbyes' to her here in Berrynarbor
under the kind guidance of Keith. Thank
you to so many who were there. Brenda
never married but she had a very varied and interesting career. After graduating in Zoology at Brenda
took early retirement in order to look after our mother, which she did with
great love and devotion. Once more she
was living in Berrynarbor but then had to battle over nearly 20 years with
cancer and depression. God
bless my dear Sister, who was also a much loved aunt. Jill McCrae Jill,
our thoughts are with you not only in your loss but also for your stay in
hospital - get well soon. Eunice
would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their generous
donations. A cheque for £741 has been
sent to Cancer Research 3
Keep generosity within, keep greed out;
Keep love within, keep self-seeking out;
Keep light within, keep darkness out.

ST PETER'S CHURCH
A
happy service was enjoyed on Mothering Sunday although there were a few spaces
in the pews. By the end of the
service, all the posies had disappeared and our thanks to the ladies who spent
time on the Saturday making up the
bunches. It was lovely to see the
children's faces as they went round the congregation making sure no-one had been
forgotten.
What
glorious weather for the Easter week-end!
We had a good congregation for the Sunday service with families and
visitors coming along to take part.
Luckily Rector Keith had enough Easter eggs to go round! The choir sang "All in the April
Evening" most beautifully and once again the flower arrangers had done us
proud and our thanks go to those who gave so generously - we were able to
decorate the south windows again this year.
The
Coffee Morning held on Election Day was quieter than usual and we did miss the
social side. However, proceeds came to
£120 - well up to average - the cake and plant stalls doing particularly
well. In addition, over £30 was raised
on the Fairtrade stall. Thanks to the
efforts of Janet Gibbins, a book of Gospel Readings for the Rector to use on
Sundays and a table for the church have been purchased with the profits from
the Fairtrade Stall to date.
GIFT DAY will be on Wednesday, 27th
June. Rector Keith and members of
the PCC will again be at the lichgate all day to receive your donations and
have a chat. Look out for letters
through your box!
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe continue through the summer with the next on Wednesdays
27th June and 25th July. If you would
like to join us, we meet from
ADVANCE
NOTICE: The Church Summer Fayre with
all the usual stalls and attractions will be on Tuesday, 14th August.
Mary Tucker
4
CHURCH CHOIR
A
few months ago I mulled over the idea of producing a photographic record of St.
Peter's Church Choir to place on display in the church for all to see. I don't know what started me off on this
quest, save to say that as Organist and Choirmaster, I naturally had a vested
interest in the subject, so I set about obtaining as much information as
possible!
Photographs
that go back many years are not always easy to source. However, I had a stroke
of good fortune in that Sally Barten - a choir member with her daughters in the
60's and 70's - furnished me with several excellent photos of the choir. Photos are one thing, but names are
another! Here, several villagers came
to my rescue, especially Vic and Anita Cornish, John Huxtable and Betty Brooks
and, of course, good old Ron Toms!
However, an unexpected surprise was presented to me by Lorna Bowden who
came across a choir photo [sepia postcard] dated 1913! I couldn't believe my luck and by utilising
the services of Kingsley Printers in Ilfracombe, I managed to enlarge this
particular photo to A4 size with excellent clarity. The real bonus was to come, however, when
Lorna actually
identified everyone in the picture, taken to record a special day's outing to
Woolacombe! My
sincere thanks to Lorna for allowing me to incorporate this in my display which
spans from 1913 to 2006. I am
really pleased to include a photo of Reg Gosling [Organist and Choirmaster 1975
to 1999] and that young boy soprano, Bobby Bowden! How delighted we all are that Bobby is one
of our tenors in the present choir.
I
have now placed all the photos on a special display panel in the church and I
hope that this historical photographic record will be of interest to villagers
and visitors alike!
Stuart Neale
Footnote: If anyone has any other photographs of the
Choir in their possession that have eluded my investigations, please contact me
on [01271] 882447.
5
TRAINEE CHURCH ORGANIST
As
you may know, I have been the resident organist at St. Peter's since 2000. During this period I have on rare occasions
needed a 'deputy' to cover for me when I am on holiday or visiting
family/friends. I am indebted to Phil
Bridle who has stepped in for me sometimes at short notice - to
play for the occasional service, wedding or funeral.
Although
I have every intention of continuing to play for all church services [health
permitting], I should welcome anyone from 14 years upwards who would be
interested and enjoy learning to play the organ, to contact me at the earliest
opportunity!
Some
experience in playing piano or keyboard would obviously be helpful, together
with a moderate ability to read music.
Playing
the organ is not just about playing hymns but a whole range of music suitable
for different occasions. I do not
intend to charge for lessons, but a small charge may occasionally be made to
cover the cost of sheet music. Please
feel free to contact me on [01271]882447 - evenings only.
Stuart Neale
6
'PERKS'!
One
of the perks of editing the Newsletter is receiving letters from readers for whom
memories have been evoked by articles that have appeared. Following Pam's article on Walter Bassett,
both Tom and Don Thirkell were able to add
'snippets' and since then I have received a letter from 92-year old Stanley
Barnes from York, who lived here briefly just at the end of World War I. He writes:
My uncle E.J. Harding, who was born at
55 The Village in 1872, known as John or Jack, later trained as an engineer in
London and some time later was employed by Mr. Bassett. I remember Uncle Jack telling me that he had
worked on building the Ferris wheels, although I don't know if he worked on the
wheel in
Walter Bassett had a steam launch on the
Thames at, or near,
When Mr. Bassett decided to leave
Harbour
- a distance, I estimate from measuring on the map, to have been at least 70
miles. How they managed for supplies
and coal for the voyage I have no idea, or even how they located Watermouth. It seems to me that it must have been a most
hazardous voyage and certainly must have needed much courage! I do not know the date of the venture.
After this expedition, my uncle went to
And,
following Tony's article on the
The picture of the
7
THE CARRION CROW
This
little ditty was learnt at primary school, long ago, and surfaced in my mind
recently. If you think it lacks a final
verse, I have to agree, but can recall no single word of any such. Does anyone else remember it and if so, can
they help?
Trev
Caw, caw the carrion crow.
And she was plagued by a carrion crow,
Caw, caw the carrion crow,
Hey derry down derry dido.
Caw, caw the carrion crow.
And I will shoot that carrion crow,
Caw, caw the carrion crow,
Hey derry down derry dido.
The tailor shot but he missed his
mark,
Caw, caw the carrion crow.
And saw his old sow lying stiff and
stark,
Caw, caw the carrion crow,
Hey derry
down derry dido.
Caw, caw the carrion crow.
For our old sow is lying in a swoon,
Caw, caw the carrion crow,
Hey derry down derry dido.
8

MANOR HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The
Annual General Meeting was held on the 2nd May at which the Chairman, Bob
Hobson, gave his report:
Our
main programme over the year has been twofold: [1] to maintain sufficient funds
to cover the cost of maintaining the Hall and [2] to work on meeting the
requirements of government legislation, in particular the Disability
Discrimination Act.
We
first paid for a 'walk and talk audit' of the buildings to find out what work
was required. A report was issued from which we produced an
Action Plan. This plan has been the
focus of the Committee for the year with many of the projects being
achieved. Many of them were required
under the DDA, such as the parking bay by the door, the ramp and rails in the
porch, the induction loop and access to the ambulant toilet.
In
August the Penn Curzon Room was redecorated and new display boards installed. This was funded by a grant from Pre-School
via Sure Start and the Manor Hall.
The
Berry Revels raised over £1,500 with a further £300
being raised by an evening with the Hearts of Oak folk group.
On
7th November, a fire occurred in the boiler room resulting in the closure of
the Pre-School and some hall activities.
The cost of repairs and loss of earnings were covered by the
insurance. Cleaning and redecorating
took place where necessary and a new boiler installed.
Thanks
to our cleaners, Barbara and John, who after 18 years of service have resigned. Charlotte
Fryer has taken over the cleaning duties and Hedi Belka, after an absence due
to illness, has returned as our Caretaker.
A
humidifier was purchased and was successful in keeping the winter condensation
at bay, but we have had many small maintenance problems with some still
ongoing, and John Fanner has been helpful solving many.
Our
other task of controlling the finances has been successful and we finish the
year in the black to the tune of £275 and we have £18,000 in our building
society account.
A new lease of 25 years for the
Parish Room is near to conclusion which should mean the refurbishment of the
building to meet legislation for schools.
For
the coming year we are looking to improve the shrubbery around the buildings
and car park and to look at the problems of dampness in the listed building, on
the ground floor and in the Men's Institute.
Advice is being sought on the best solution considering the age of the
building and its category as a listed building.
Finally, a big thank you to all the team that keeps the main hall
in good shape and financially viable.
Bob Hobson - Chairman
The
resignations from the Committee by Vi and Ann Davis were
regrettably accepted and they were thanked for all the hard work they had put
in over the years and were assured of a warm welcome should they feel able to
return.
The
Committee for the year 2007-2008 is:
Chairman: Bob Hobson
Secretary: Margaret
Weller
Treasurer: Nora
Rowlands
Hall
Bookings: Alan
Rowlands
General
Committee: Tom Bartlett,
Marion Carter,
Julia
Fairchild, Ann Hinchliffe,
Sue
Sussex, Jane Vanstone
9

WEATHER OR NOT
The beginning of March saw some rain
fall but this died away and after the 8th we recorded only 13mm [1/2]. We cannot give an accurate total for the
month as we were away until the 7th, so rain that fell at the beginning of the
month was included in February's figure but it was a very dry month.
The maximum
temperature was 15.1 Deg C on the 31st, which was the lowest maximum since 1994,
apart from March 2001 which was also 15.1 Deg C.
The minimum temperature of 0.9 Deg C was a bit up on previous years but we
also recorded a wind chill of -11 Deg C, which was colder than normal. In spite of these temperatures we had 73.44
hours of sunshine which was more than the previous three years. The strongest gust of wind was 35 knots -
fairly average.
You do not need us to tell you that
April was a very dry month. In fact we
had a recordable amount of rain on only two days and with a total of 9mm
[3/8"] for the month, it was the driest month that we have ever recorded,
the next being August 1995 with 11mm [7/16"]. It was also a consistently warm month with a
maximum temperature of 21.8 Deg C on the 14th, and an average maximum over the
month of 17.19 Deg C. The daily minimum
temperature ranged between 1.7 Deg C and 12.7 Deg C, giving an average for the month of
6.73 Deg C. Winds were generally very light
with only six days with gusts over 15 knots and a maximum gust of 22 knots on
the 24th. The 154.62 hours of sunshine
reflected the dry warm weather - April 2006 was the next sunniest with 136.96
hours.
The total rainfall for the first quarter
of this year was 389mm [15 1/4"] which although more than we recorded for the
same period in 2003, 2005 and 2006, is quite low compared to many years. As we write this, however, it is pouring
down with rain, cold and miserable but at least we don't have to water the
garden.
Simon and Sue
10
DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTION
May I thank all those people who helped
me over the weeks prior to Election Day on the 3rd May, and all those who kept
my spirits up whilst walking the streets and knocking on doors - the kind words
of encouragement were my strength, thank you all. My biggest thanks must go to those who voted
me in, I promise not to let you down.
Over the next couple of months I shall
be attending intensive training courses, but will be available to speak to
anyone who wishes to contact me with regards to Council matters, either at my
shop [01271 882214] or at home [01271 882916].
Thank you once again.
Sue Sussex - District Councillor
I should like to thank all those
who supported me in the recent Elections.
I am pleased that I shall be able to represent you for another four years,
and continue the work that is already in progress. If you have any questions or issues that you
wish to discuss with me, please do not hesitate to contact me on [01271]882364.
Thank you once again.
Yvette Gubb
My thanks to those of you who turned out
on polling day to cast your vote - just over 50% made their way to the polling
stations, down on previous elections but still a respectable turnout.
I wasn't re-elected, disappointing for
me but that is the democratic process in action.
My regards and good
wishes to you all.
Julia Clark
11

LETTER FROM THE RECTOR
The
Rectory
Combe
Martin
Dear Friends
John
Constable [1776-1837] is one of the greatest artists
On
one occasion when he was very famous, he was staying at a village inn where a
young girl of eleven was also staying and trying to paint landscapes.
It
so happened that one afternoon he came across this young girl painting but
without much success. He stood quietly
by as she tried to make the paint behave itself but she was getting more and
more frustrated and angry.
The
great man went and stood by her and asked if he could borrow her brush. The girl handed it over. With a few quick strokes, Constable, without
altering in any way the work the girl had done, transformed the painting into a
thing of beauty.
When
we invite God into our lives, He never seeks to change what we are, but
transforms us into what we have the potential to become.
With all good wishes.
Your
Friend and Rector
Keith Wyer
12

WELCOME AND FAREWELL
A warm welcome to the
first two residents at Lee Lodge, Bill Kieff and
Walter Canham.
Bill, who originally comes from
Walter has not moved far - just from
Goosewell, where for the past few years he has been living with his son Malcolm
and Sue.
Walter, who celebrated his 90th birthday
in May with a party at Burrow House, comes from a family boasting longevity -
both his mother and father lived to 96 and Walter says he is going to break
that record!
Ex-Rotarian [and President for the
Portslade Club in West Sussex in 1973, and founder member of the Sussex Film
Society], Walter's career was in Chartered Accountancy, so he was the obvious
man to be Treasurer of the British Automobile Racing Club for 12 years.
From the age of 7, a keen collector of
stamps, mainly from Scandinavia and
We wish both Bill and Walter every happiness in their new 'home from home'.
Farewell
to You All
I
shall always have such happy memories of Berrynarbor. Bernard and I came here 28 years ago and we
found paradise at
Bali-Hai and the beautiful
We decided to move nearer to our
children before Bernard's death and I have now found a bungalow close to them
in Burgess Hill near
I shall miss all the friends I have made
in the village, but look forward to beginning again in my new surroundings
where I hope to find some more very nice people. I shall keep in touch and read all the
village news through the newsletter.
Eunice
We shall miss you too, Eunice, but wish
you every happiness in your new home with the family
nearby.
Last August we welcomed Debbie and
Stuart, their two dogs and two cats and wished them well in looking for a home
in the village. Achieved! Together with three inherited goldfish [!]
they are all now the new residents at Bali-Hai. We wish you every
happiness in your new home and good luck with the gardening!
13
CHURCH
BULLETINS
- The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
- The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water". The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus".
- Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale - it's a chance to get rid of
those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
- The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled due to a conflict.
- Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
- Miss Charlene Mason sang, "I will not pass this way again", giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
- For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
- Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
- The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: "Break Forth Into Joy ".
- Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24th in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
- A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
- At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
- Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
- Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
- The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility. Potluck supper Sunday at 5: 00 p.m. Prayer and medication to follow.
- The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
- This evening at 7 p.m. there will be hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
- The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
- Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 p.m. Please use the back door.
- The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
- Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
- The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours".
Alan and
Patsy, Sheaves
14
SLOLEY BARN DANCE
Well
another brilliant barn dance it has to be said! I'm not sure on numbers but judging by the empties
and the length of time it took South Molton Recycle to tip them into their lorry last Tuesday
there must have been about 200 - that's a lot of broken glass and very noisy it
sounded at 8.20 in the morning. The
Boxall reputation has certainly been blown for another year! What needs to be said? A
great party and of course thanks to the usual suspects - in no particular
order:
Lynne, Phil and family - for just
getting the whole thing off the ground; June,
Ivan and the boys for the pig, sausages and hard work in carving; Jane Jones
and Anne Davies for running the buffet;
'Folk in Motion' for their brilliant music and calling; Richard Gingell for sorting the barn [sorry
about the smell but it does add to the atmosphere!]; Bett Brooks and Ursula Rouse for
running the raffle - between them they added almost another £200
to the takings and by the way, the dog was called 'Johno';
Keith Jones and Tony Kitchen for hauling
the tables and chairs to and from the Manor Hall; and, of course, all the wonderful cooks in
the village who contributed to the most magnificent spread - it just
gets better every time - a bit like the
loaves and fishes, holding out so everyone gets fed. Finally, of course, my dear husband who
managed to return when everything had been tidied away nicely and ask casually,
"So was it a good party?"
The good news is that we raised over £900, which means you all had a
fantastic night out for about a fiver a head - probably the best value dinner,
let alone dance, in the whole of Devon, if not the world!
After careful consultation, the beneficiaries are being notified as we
go to press. They are: the Pre-School,
Church/Bellringers, Carnival Club,
Here's to the next one!
Fenella
15

NEWS FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Hello, my name is Susan Carey and I am
the new Head Teacher at Berrynarbor VC Primary School.
I arrived after Easter and already feel very at home in our wonderful
village school. I have been made to
feel very welcome by the children and their parents and am being well supported
by the committed team of staff and governors.
Children, parents, staff and school
governors joined together to bid farewell to Mrs. Crutchfield at the end of the
Spring Term - the children sang and presented her with gifts and flowers. We all wish her well in her new position as
Head Teacher at
We have had a very busy start to the
Summer Term. We made the best of the
good weather and have started a range of after-school clubs. The children thoroughly enjoy these
opportunities to pursue their interests in a range of hobbies including
recorders, football, choir, netball and guitar. Clubs are run by members of staff or parents
who give up their time for the benefit of the children. Lee Barrow [coach and scout for Plymouth
Argyll] will be running after-school training for six weeks later in the term
and children are already enthusiastically signing up.
Parent Mrs. Fairchild has been visiting
us weekly to work with groups of children from Classes 1 and 2 in the
garden. They have been tidying planters
and sowing seeds. The children look
forward eagerly to 'their turn' at gardening and we thank Mrs. Fairchild for
her continued support. Class 1 are learning about how things grow this term and the
children have created some pictures for you to enjoy.
A Bean Growing in
a Jar
![]() Miles Rees, Year 1 [6] |
![]() Jak Daglish, Reception [5] |
|
![]() Caitlin Burgess, Year 1 [6] |
![]() Ellie Saxby, Year 1 [5] |
Class
3 have been working with Mr. McMannus to learn to
play tag rugby and Class 2 have been swimming each
week. I have been impressed by the
children's confidence and ability in the water - such an important skill in
this coastal region. Class 3 will start
swimming again after the half term break.
The
oldest children have been preparing for their end of key stage tests [SATs]
which they sat this week. As I write
the children are returning from the beach - a treat for all their hard work. We are very proud of the responsible
attitude that the children have shown towards these tests. They have studied hard and I am sure will
obtain results to be proud of.
We
have been experimenting with our ten new keyboards which were purchased for us
by our hard working PTA. The Combe
Martin Carnival Committee have kindly donated £150 to the school which we shall
use to purchase some head phones so that the
children are able to use the keyboards more regularly - the acoustics in our
beautiful old build are good but unfortunately the sound insulation between
classrooms wasn't designed for our very
creative children!
Years
5 and 6 will be travelling to
The PTA are already planning our Summer Fete which will be held during the evening of
17th July. I have heard that it is an
event not to be missed and I am looking forward to meeting members of the
Berrynarbor community. We are also
planning an afternoon of sports to be held on the Parish field on Thursday,
28th June [or Friday, 6th July if the weather doesn't hold]. The PTA are organising refreshments and we
are hoping that our young athletes will be well supported by family and friends
of the school. The money raised by the
PTA will help to fund the upgrading of our ICT facilities.
As a school we are at the beginning
stages of planning strategic developments for the next three years. We feel very strongly that our role is to
prepare the children for their future so that they are able to take their place
in the community as responsible citizens.
To that end we shall be considering how we deliver the curriculum to our
children and would welcome the support and involvement of the village
community. If you have any suggestions,
skills or expertise or if you would like to know more about what we are doing,
we'd love to hear from you.
Susan Carey -
Head Teacher
16
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Ever
since Mona Lott [ITMA] and possibly further back, we have been amused by
incongruous juxtapositions of first and second names - remember Frank Muir and
Denis Norden in 'My Word'?
Here
are 24 first and second names for you to match up in the most appropriate [or
inappropriate, as you will] combination.
My own choice appears later on
page 24.
First Names:
Barbara, Carol, Carrie, Evan, Gail,
Harold, Harry, Honor, Hugh, Ivan, Jack, Joe, Justin, Maurice, Noah, Norah,
Pete,
Second Names:
Angel, Banks, Boggs, Bone, Bull, Caine, Case, Hall, Inkling, King,
Knott, Lamb, Mynah, Over, Peel, Ray, Rowe, Sattak, Savours, Shaw, Singer,
Uppas, Warning, Wright
Trev
17

JUST ARRIVED!
It is lovely to welcome two new babies and to wish them healthy and happy futures and congratulate their parents and grandparents.
Jack Peter arrived at Fondi Italy, on the 26th March, weighing in at 7lbs 4oz to delighted parents Kim [nee Jost] and Mark Barber.
Big sister Sally has had a wonderful time
celebrating her brother's arrival, Easter and her 3rd birthday, not to mention
visits by her proud grandparents, Rainer and Jill.
Superceding baby Ruby as our youngest
resident, Sarah and Terry are delighted to announce the arrival of Jed on the 12th May. Brother to Ryan, Keifer, Tia and Caolan, and
grandchild No. 9 for Gary and Joyce, he weighed 6lbs 13oz.
18

At the April meeting, Ruth Diggle gave an
extremely knowledgeable presentation on English wines based upon Denbies
Vineyard in
The final meeting for the season was held
on 16th May and was preceded by the AGM.
Alex Parke, Chairman of the Club, welcomed everyone and undertook to
make the AGM as short as posssible, hopefully even beating his record of 9.5
minutes, set last year! He summarised
the attendance records, income and expenditure as all being slightly up on last
year. It was agreed that the cost of
membership and pricing system for the monthly meetings remain unchanged and
with no new nominations, the committee also remained unchanged. Alex thanked the committee for their work
and closed the meeting in a new record time of 7.3 minutes!
The evening's presentation with wines
selected by long standing friend of the
The committee will now start planning
for next season, which starts on the third Wednesday in October and then meets on
the third Wednesday of each month through to May 2008. Anyone who likes wine and enjoys an
excellent social evening with like-minded friends, tasting and learning more
about wines, is welcome to join us. A
better value, friendly, social evening is hard to envisage! Contact either Tony Summers [Secretary] on
883600 or Alex Parke [Chairman] on 883758 for more information and inclusion on
the mailing list. Or alternatively,
e-mail Tony at tony@veronas.freeserve.co.uk. Tom and Tony
19
SLUGS 'N'
MICE!
We have had a problem with slugs and
mice.
Slugs - we have tried pellets but they
seem to enjoy them, they also love the taste of our hostas.
We have put down bait for the mice
- surprisingly, when I went to move some pieces of old rock I found that they
had moved some of the bait and stored it up for eating later. I thought I'd better consult the experts, so
off I went to our DIY centre.
"Ah, yes," said the
assistant. "We have a nice line in
mouse traps at 50p each." I
thought, that's quite reasonable, I'll have a couple.
"What is the best bait for mouse
traps?" I asked, "Because I've heard that cheese is not
that good."
The assistant smiled, "Chocolate,
or better still a Mars Bar."
Perhaps they might like to wash it down with champagne, I thought!
What about dealing with slugs?" He thought for a moment. "Yes, we have quite a clever
device." He reached up to
a shelf and removed the device from its cardboard box. It was made from plastic and had three
reservoirs.
"Tell me more," I said.
"Well, you fill the reservoirs with
beer which they love. They get drunk and fall in and drown."
"Very ingenious", I gasped,
"Would they like a nice drop of Guiness?"
Surprisingly, both methods worked,
though we did enjoy some of the beer and a bit of Mars Bar!
20

THE NEWSLETTER
It's time to get your pens out.
Write your tales, young or old.
Get it down on paper,
Come on, just be bold!
We all have a story, glad or sad.
Some with glory, some that are bad.
So set it down now, 'cause folks want to hear
Perhaps from The Globe over a beer.
You'll see your bit, set down in print,
I'm telling you now, it's not just a hint.
Your
So tell us all, we're waiting to cheer!
Don't just talk about, Do it!
Tony Beauclerk -
21
OF THIS . . . AND
THAT . . .
THANKS:
Just
to say thank you to all my friends who made my 90th Birthday such a happy
event. Special thanks to Chris and Pat
and the 'Marigold' girls.
With
all the presents, flowers, bottles, chocolates and cards, I considered opening
a shop in opposition to the village emporium!
Thanks
again.
Phyl W - Cherry Tree Cottage
22
![]() |
TAW & TORRIDGE CARING Castle Centre, |
A charitable organisation running carer support services in the area, Taw and Torridge Caring provide volunteers who will sit with and befriend the 'Cared for Person' allowing the Carer to have some time for themselves.
If you are
interested and would like more information or would like to volunteer, please
contact Sharron O'Neil on [01271] 372250.
23
TAKE
NOTICE!
24
QUICK
QUOTE "Grandparents are for life, not just for Birthdays and
Christmas!"
[from Heather Maynard, given with feeling!]
25
We, in Combe Martin, look forward
again to meeting with some of you 'near neighbours from over the hill' at our
Parish Church Open Gardens on the week-end of 23rd and 24th June, from 2.00 to
6.00 p.m. each day.
A time to meet old
and new friends and visitors too, to join the trek to view some, if not all, of
the 16 gardens open.
Cream teas will be on offer at two venues and a plant stall at Adams
Hay.
Programmes will be available from
Sue's of Combe Martin and the Tourist Information Centre in
26
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Barbara Sattak | Justin Case |
Carol Singer | Maurice Mynah |
Carrie Over | Noah Peel |
Evan Savours | Norah Bone |
Gail Warning | Pete Boggs |
Hugh Ray | Pierre Rowe |
Harold Angel | Sandy Banks |
Harry Caine | Saul Wright |
Honor Uppas | Sean Lamb |
Ivan Inkling | Shirley Knott |
Jack Hall | Terry Bull |
Joe King | Toby Shaw |
27

PARISH COUNCIL REPORT
The
first meeting of the new Council was held on the 15th May. I was very pleased to be re-elected as
Chairman and to welcome a new Councillor, David Richards of
The
Council would like to thank Keith Walls, who stood down at the Election, for
all his hard work, commitment and enthusiasm over the last four years.
As
villagers will have noticed, major landscaping of Claude's Garden has started
and an open meeting, to discuss plans and formulate ideas, was held on the 22nd
May. Present were members of the
Council, the family, the
Jill
Sidebottom, one of the Trustees, gave details of the terms of Claude Richard's
will: the land was left to the village
for the creation of a quiet garden; it could not be sold, built on or
otherwise used.
The
five main issues were:
- Low Maintenance
- Safety
- Funding
- Privacy to Neighbours
- Access
The
first phase will be to erect fencing and grass the whole area. A landscaping scheme will then be drawn up
and displayed in the village shop and villager's comments will be welcome. It is hoped to provide additional access
from the corner by the bench at the bottom of Castle Hill.
The
next Council Meeting will be on Tuesday, 19th June [a week later than
normal], at
Sue Sussex - Chairman
28
THE CHICHESTERS AND BERRYNARBOR
Originally
from
Sir Richard de Chichester
accompanied Richard Coeur de Lion on his crusades 1189-1199. His descendant, Roger Chichester, was
knighted at the Siege of Calais 4.9.1346 by Edward III and was mentioned at the
battle of
The
family arrived in
In
modern times, we are familiar with the exploits of Sir Francis Chichester and
Gypsy Moth, of the
The
little farm in BerryNarbornamed 'Chichesters'
[Easter Court]opposite Hammonds Farm,possibly
derived its name from
HENRY
and
EDWARD
Edward
was Henry's second son and was 27 when he succeeded his father. Between them, they held the living for 61
years.
In
1727, Edward received a questionnaire from the Dean of Exeter which asked every
parson in the diocese to complete a 'terrier' or report on his church and
lands, including the nature of his tithes.
The
original rectory stood somewhere behind Rectory Cottage [Wild Violets]. Joyce and Gary have a photocopy of the old
terrier but the original had been torn and damaged and made little sense. They kindly let me have a go at deciphering
it and after much pen sucking and head scratching, it
came together, giving a fascinating picture of life in
It
is too long to copy verbatim so I shall try and precis the contents although I
shall copy entry 35 as written, because it gives an insight of a man with a
'modern' outlook but being aware of the need to manage and conserve the land of
which he was custodian.
"Ye
timber to ye parsonage is very considerable, ye present incumbent having been
obliged to take down ye greater part thereof for ye necessary repairs of his
house, much dilapidated at his first coming to it and erecting ye edifice as
mentioned above* but in ye room he has planted a walk of trees in a field
leading up to ye church called Oakland to ye number of fifty and about twenty
ash; plants around ye churchyard and
other plants of ye Globe, which are all in a flourishing condition."
*The
edifice mentioned was 'an Anti-Hall which is floored with
Edward's
'walk of trees' still lined the footpath across Little Oaklands in the
1980's. The powers that be deemed that
they were dying of heart-rot and cut them down. After felling, it was proved that only one
ash was affected, the others were perfectly healthy - a sad day.
The
parsonage appears to have been as large as the original Manor House. On the ground floor was the anti-hall,
little parlour, great parlour, 4 chambers, the stair plot and little room,
kitchen, larder, pantry, dairy, a brew house, ale house, a chamber for keeping
apples and wool, a malt house chamber and 4 cellars. Upstairs there were 6 chambers.
The
doors were wainscoted, the walls all built of stone except the little parlour
which was cob. "Ye house is rough
casted after a handsome manner, covered with
Around
the parsonage were many outhouses including "a gate house with a chamber
above", a pound house [could be round house], a barn, stables, a cow
shipping, a dove house and 4 thatched pigs' houses.
"There
are seven little orchards containing about 2 acres of land, some made by ye
pore, some made by ye present incumbent viz Ye Easter Orchard, Ye Alder Park,
The
Parsonage land totalled about 76 acres, some as far afield as Bitadon and Combe
Martin. The large fields are named and
familiar to us, such as "Peter's Meadow containing two acres and eight
yards, bounded on ye west with a river and a meadow in ye possession of William
Vellacott, on ye north with a little meadow of hempland in ye tenure of John Gold and a hempland in ye
tenure of John Hicks and another part with Centuryland; which said meadow is watered with ye
water yt runs from
The
channels for this water are still visible following the contours at the top of
Peter's Meadow. It was known in my
family as the Water Meadow. I don't
know what the term centuryland means - it could possibly mean the
There
are many little unnamed meadow and closes listed, quite a few of which are hemp
or hopland. Hemp was used to make rope
and string and needed soaking or retting when harvested. "There belongs to this
Parsonage two Hemp Pools, one of ye lower end of
Much
of the land was occupied by tenants, but the land around the Parsonage, Edward
farmed to provide for his own household.
Besides
land, the Parsonage owned [1] a dwelling house of a hall and 2 chambers with a
2 acre close bounded by a little river, 2 orchards, the highway and Peter's
Meadow - possibly Bet and Kevin Brooks' cottage.
[2]
A little thatched house adjoining the Church House [right hand side of
the Lych Gate] containing 1 under room and a chamber having 2 little gardens -
still there in 1861.
Church
Fees
1. Easter Offering 16 yrs + 2d.
A tradesman
6d.
2. Marriage by Banns 5s.6d.
By licence 5s.
3. Churching a Woman after
childbirth 6d.
4. Nothing for burials
5. Breaking a grave in the church 6s.8d.
6. Leave to make a grave? in the chancel
£1.1s.
7. Mortuaries are paid according to
Status
8. "All tithes are due to ye Rector, in kind if he pleases to
take
them so"
The parishioners repair the church
and churchyard fences. "Ye
minister ye chancel which is handsomely ceiled overhead by the present
incumbent."
"The
Clerks wage is £3 per annum, the Sextons 10s, paid by the Parishioners but
appointed by the Rector."
John
Hicks was Churchwarden.
Lorna Bowden
Re. Gary
and Joyce Songhurst
Ref:
The Knights of
History of Georgeham - Lois Lamplugh
Illustrations by: Peter Rothwell
N.B. 1. The cutting through Rockhill had not been
made.
2. I think Orchard House was built on the site
of an old building.
3. The Temperance Hall - still standing - was probably the barn belonging to the Parsonage. It was still being used for social and meetings when Aunty Lorna was a child.
29
COMBE MARTIN CARNIVAL
At
the Cheese and Wine Evening held in April, cheques were presented to
organisations and individuals who received a share of the £2,200, and this
included a donation to
A reminder that Strawberry Fair takes place on Sunday, 17th June,
from
Nominations
are now being taken for Carnival Queen - entrants must be 16 or over and
available for functions over the 8 days.
Nominations must be received in writing by 30th June to Richard's
Electrical or Sue's of Combe Martin.
If
any organisation wishes to run a Barbecue, send a written request to The
Carnival Secretary: John Fletcher, Field
House,
Sue Sussex - Chairman
30

The wonderful weather that we had in late March and April means
that the spring bulbs, primroses and cowslips were over in a flash. We do not start watering the tubs and plants until the summer bedding is in, so the poor old
tulips, daffodils and primulas suffered quite a bit. Who would think that we could complain about
it being too dry in April!
This
year we have been asked by the Parish Council to help with the rejuvenation of
Claude's Garden. Over the years this
has become overgrown and in need of a make-over. The idea is to open it up and make it more
accessible. To enable the whole village
to have their say as to how they would like to see the garden progress, a
meeting was held on the 22nd May to discuss the options. The Parish Council is applying for grants to
help the funding of this, but it is hoped that the whole village will join in
and be involved.
The
litter picks continue and the hanging baskets are due to be delivered on the
25th May. The dates for the
SUNDAY, 17TH JUNE
The
1.00
Teas
from
SUNDAY 15TH JULY
The
Village
1.00 to
Teas
from
If
you would like to have your garden open on one of these dates, please 'phone
Wendy on [01271]882296. It's a lovely
way to meet people and your garden doesn't have to be perfect. If you are in the process of rejuvenating
an old garden or creating a new one, we should love to see 'work in progress'.
Please
make a note of the dates and come along and support us.
Judging
for the
31

RECIPE FOR JUNE
Date and
This is
a simple, moist and sticky cake and it keeps well - if you can stop everyone
eating it!
4 fl. oz Water
6 oz [175g] Soft Brown Sugar
Grated Rind of an Orange
8 oz [225g] Self-raising Flour
3 oz [75g] Butter or Margarine
1 Free-range Egg, beaten
1 Rounded teaspoon of Cinnamon
2 tbsp Orange Juice
Put
the dates and water in a saucepan and simmer until the dates are pulpy. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the butter or margarine, beat well and add the grated orange zest and
juice. Allow to cool for a couple of
minutes then add the beaten egg and mix again.
Sieve the flour and cinnamon together and add a little at a time to the
date mixture. Pour into a prepared 1kg
loaf tin. Bake for 1 hour and 10
minutes at 350 Deg F, 180 Deg C or Gas Mark 4.
Cool on a rack. When cold keep
for about 2 days wrapped in tin foil to mature before eating.
Serve
the loaf sliced plain or buttered.
* This loaf will be the item at the
Horticultural & Craft Show to be made to a given recipe - so try it out now
and keep practising!
32
MOVER AND SHAKERS NO.9
WILLIAM
S. HARLEY
29.12.1880 -
18.9.1943
Founder [with Arthur
Davidson] of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle
Ever since Billy Connolly 'swanned' around
Oz on a three-wheeler Harley-Davidson for a TV series, I've had the ambition to
ride one of these beauties to celebrate my big Seven O. After all, my most recent driving licence is
still valid for: 'A' Motorcycle
Licence [for a Lambretta in the late '50's!].
It reads 'After 2 years any size motor cycle can be ridden', but not a
word against after 50!
Fenella's 50th extravaganza, when she
arranged for the local Harley-Davidson Club to offer rides for charity from our
square, only fuelled my enthusiasm. For
the entire ride, albeit as pillion of course, I had an idiotic grin on my face
[hidden by the crash helmet] so that my cheeks ached. I can
still hear the powerful roar of the engine.
So how did this superb machine come
about? William S. Harley was the son of William
Harley who had emigrated from Littleport, Cambridgeshire, in 1859. William was born in 1880. Arthur Davidson, a year younger, was the son
of William C. Davidson, an immigrant Scottish carpenter.
As teenagers, William Harley and Arthur
Davidson, neighbours in
In 1901, he and Davidson produced 4
engines designed to fit into bicycle frames. The engines were underpowered and the bicycle
frame not strong enough, so it was back to the drawing board!
1903 was a historic one for the internal
combustion engine: Wilbur and Orville
Wright achieved powered flight with a 16 horsepower engine they'd made in their
bicycle shop; Henry
Ford founded his motor company, and the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle
appeared and was sold to Henry Meyer, a school friend.
The Davidson basement was the 'factory'
until father built them a 10
x 15 foot wooden shed in the garden. Arthur's older brother, Walter, joined the
enterprise and his sister Janet playfully painted on the door 'Harley-Davidson
Motor Company'. She also designed a logo - an eagle and
flag, symbols of freedom and independence - which she painted in red on the grey petrol
tanks: and a legend was born. In 1903-4
only 3 bikes were produced, but as an act of faith, C H Lang of Chicago set up
a Harley-Davidson dealership. They also began to gain a name for themselves
by participating - and winning - in motorcycle racing.
However, money was tight in the early
days but family came to the rescue. An 80-year old hermit uncle, who kept bees,
donated his life-savings, whilst Elizabeth Davidson, three years younger than
Arthur, did the accounts and somehow they survived.
By 1905 the first employee was hired. In the
next year, a new factory 28 x 80 feet was built and there were 6 employees. William A. Davidson, Arthur's older brother,
decided to quit his job as a tool foreman for the Milwaukee Railroad and join
the embryonic company. On 17th September
the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was registered and the stock split between
the four men.
The company grew rapidly, the factory
was enlarged and more employees hired. Harley-Davidsons
won endurance and reliability contests and the police started buying them. In 1910, the present bar and shield logo was
patented.
In 1916, a dozen Harley-Davidsons with
machine guns mounted on sidecars were ordered by the
In 1921 a Harley-Davidson achieved fame
as the first vehicle to win a race with an average speed of over 100 mph.
During the Depression, only two motor
cycle companies survived: Harley and Indian, and in 1933 production fell from
24,000 to less than 4,000. Undeterred,
they continued to develop classic motorbikes and by 1936, six of the sons of
the founders were working for the company.
After the closure of Indian Motorcycles
in 1953, Harley-Davidson was the sole surviving American producer from more
than 50 companies. After a few rocky years they were bought out
by American Metal Foundries ending 62 years of private family ownership. AMF concentrated on bulk production, losing
the Harley-Davidson character and the business went further downhill. There was a company executive buy-out in 1981,
since when the brand has re-established itself, and in 2003 celebrated its
centenary.
Arthur Davidson became Company Secretary
and General Sales Manager and died in a car accident in December 1950.
On a personal note, William Harley loved
outdoor pursuits, enjoying fishing, hunting and golf. In later years he took up sketching and
wildlife photography.
And what of my
ambition? Well a little bird has whispered that a company in
PP
of DC
33
LOCAL WALKS - 102
William Boot and "the Smith of
Smiths"
Illustrated by: Sidney Smith
Combe
Florey lies in a small valley between the
With
its thatched cottages built of the distinctive red sandstone, its mill stream
and general leafiness, it conforms to the idyllic notion of how a village
should be. And so
thought the Reverend Sidney Smith, Rector of Combe Florey from 1829 until 1845.
"I
am extremely pleased with Combe Florey and pronounce it to be a very pretty
place in a very beautiful county", he wrote to a friend a few months after
arriving there.
But
the famous and much admired reformer and wit was a late convert to country
life. Enjoying
However,
he quickly took to Combe Florey and the residents of Combe Florey took to their
eccentric but humane and cheerful priest.
He continued to live there after becoming Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral.
His
philosophy of life was "Do good and be
happy". He was dubbed "the
Smith of Smiths" and Macauley claimed he was "the greatest master of
ridicule in
I
made my way to the
Stitchwort
and Jack-by-the-hedge were growing along the way, and opposite the church,
ancient steps lead to a steep mount known as the 'Monk's Garden'.
The
gnarled yew in the churchyard is believed to be fifteen hundred years old and
has been awarded a certificate in recognition of its longevity!
A
nuthatch appeared at its base. A song
thrush could be heard, repeating each phrase of its inventive melody and in the
bushes, a blackcap 'clatted' metallically.
The
church has some 15th century carved bench ends but the rood screen is a 19th
century replacement. On the other side
of a little door at the back of the pulpit I found a flight of steps, very
steep and narrow, rather claustrophobic being
blocked up at the top. They had once
led to the rood loft above the screen.
On
the floor lie 14th century stone effigies of a knight and his two wives; stone images of their five dogs at their
feet, an indication of how such people regarded their canine companions so long
ago.
Behind
the church I entered a meadow of speedwell and lady's smock and the buzzing of
bees. Here is a small plot containing
the graves of Evelyn Waugh and his wife Laura.
The famous novelist lived at Combe Florey until his death in 1966.
In
his novel "Scoop",
a satire on journalists and the newspaper trade the unworldly
William Boot is sent - in a case of mistaken identity - to report on a civil
war in the fictitious country of Ishmaelia.
Propelled from his uneventful life of badger watching in a small village
near
Until
then, William Boot has been responsible for writing the natural history column
for a national newspaper - "' Lush places' edited by William Boot,
Countryman".
Examples
of his oeuvre: 'Feather-footed through
the plashy fen passes the questing vole . . ." and "the wagons lumber in the lane
under their golden glory of harvested sheaves; maternal rodents pilot their furry
broad through the stubble . . ."
These
parodies are often quoted as just how unstintingly funny such pieces can
be. At one point, "William
resolved to give rodents a miss . . . and write instead of wild flowers and birdsong.! Oh
dear! I little imagined when I first
read "Scoop" and laughed at these pastiches, that I should be writing
nature notes for a village newsletter over thirty years later.
It
is remarkable that such a small west country village
should have been home to two famous men, very different in character and
temperament and separated by more than a century but both noted for their
mocking wit and sense of the
ridiculous.
Illustrated by: Paul Swailes
Sue H
34
GLORIOUS GLASS
Open
Studio at
Castle
Hill Lodge, Newberry Hill
Friday, 22nd - Monday, 25th June
Lani Shepherd designs and makes
contemporary stained glass panels using handmade glass. She uses the unique qualities of the glass
to create original and exciting work.
Her range includes window panels, doors, wall panels, screens, hangings,
lamps and mirrors.
She
is opening her studio to the public as part of the North Devon Festival's Art
Trek Event and will be demonstrating the craft of stained glass making. She is joined by painter and designer Linda
Hajdukiewicz.
The
Studio is on the coast road, halfway between Berrynarbor and Combe Martin. Everybody is welcome. Refreshments available.
For further
information visit www.artcrop.co.uk/arttrek.
35
CRAFT GROUP
On
Friday 18th May, the Berrynarbor Craft Group hired a small minibus and had a
splendid day out at The American
The
highlight for many of us was the recreation of a series of period rooms showing
how Americans lived from the colonial era to the eve of the Civil War. Only time and weather prevented us from
exploring the beautiful extensive grounds - maybe a good excuse to make another
visit?
So, many thanks to Judie for organising the day so well.
Chris Taylor
A reminder that the Craft Group meets on Monday afternoons at the
Manor Hall, from
36

NEWS FROM OUR
COMMUNITY SHOP AND POST OFFICE
A
good number of shareholders attended our 3rd AGM on Saturday April 28th.
We now have enough funding to start building
our new shop, hopefully before the end of the summer [although there will still
need to be fund-raising events to complete it!]. Architects have been appointed to design the
shop and North Devon District Council, who have been very supportive all along,
have now formally fulfilled their promise of providing a site in the car park
[valued at £50,000] for a peppercorn rent.
The
'New Building Fund' is mounting. Around
£750 has been raised since last September through 'Help Buy a Brick' [£240],
various raffles, and donations from villagers and by the sale of second hand
books. Hopefully the 18th century quote still rings true: "Take care of the
pence and the pounds will look after themselves"!
However,
in spite of all this good news, we wait with baited breath the disclosure of
the Government's policies on the future of post offices and on the Post
Office's interpretation, to be quite sure that we shall retain our post office
before committing to the project. We
are in touch with the Area Manager who says that we should hear before the end
of June. We are reasonably confident
that Berrynarbor Post Office will survive, but if we're wrong then a major
re-think will be needed.
Meanwhile,
Jackie continues to improve the stock and sales are increasing. She would still like more help, particularly
on Friday mornings and as reserves over the holiday season. If you are unable to work 4 hours, what about just 2 hours? The busiest time is from
Finally, a big 'thank you' to Jill Massey who begs and borrows
props to dress our shop windows and special displays within the shop and then
sets them up with such imagination.
All
for now except - please keep spending!
PP of DC
37
Once again a load
of bonnets have been despatched to the baby unit at the Queen Elizabeth Medical
Centre in
Our daughter Mary is out there
again working in the hospital, teaching anaesthesia. She e-mailed us recently to say that a man had
come into the hospital with a horrible bite wound from a hippo and as
there were no suitable antibiotics in the hospital, she was able to go out and
buy them with money she had been given back here in
Other funds sent out have been
used to buy basic items like towels and flannels to ensure the nurses are able
to wash their hands between patients, avoiding cross infection. Mary has also bought blood pressure machines
and text books for the medical students she has been teaching. The last we
heard she was out buying mattresses and blankets, having discovered that women
recovering from anaesthesia for Caesarean sections were generally laid out on
the floor or a cold steel trolley.
Jenny and Robin from Middle Lee
have kindly agreed that together we organise the BBQ - details above - to raise
much needed funds for
Everyone is welcome and we do hope you
will be able to support this event. If you feel you can help in any
way with the effort in
June and Bernard
38
A COUNTRY COLLECTION
After
a lapse of three years, A Country Collection - a display of the art work of the
four main Newsletter illustrators,
Debbie, Paul, Peter & Nigel - will be taking place over the week-end of 23rd and 24th June, in the Manor
Hall.
The
Show, which will also include other displays of art, craft work and postcards,
etc., will be open on each day from
Home-made
refreshments will be available throughout the day: coffee and cakes in the morning, soup and
rolls at lunchtime and cream teas in the afternoon. Wine and 'nibbles' will be served during the
Saturday evening.
There
will be a selection of items For Sale and a Raffle - proceeds will be for
Newsletter funds and the Children's Hospice South West.
Please
make a note of the dates and keep a bit of 'free' time to 'view', and tell your
friends, family and visitors to come along too!
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BERRYNARBOR HORTICULTURAL & CRAFT SHOW
The
beautiful weather in April has brought plant growth forward, but hopefully
there will be the usual fine array of flowers, fruit and vegetables - you might
put in a second planting to ensure your entry!
Details
of the Art and Photography were given in the April issue and they are:
ART
Any medium may be used for all
classes - oil, watercolour, acrylic, pen and ink, pencil [even collage],
etc. Other than Class 3, which is
obviously smaller, the maximum
size must not exceed A3 [297
x 420mm].
1.
'Music'
2. Harvest
- a Still Life
3. An
invitation to . . . an event of your
choice. On A5 [A4 folded] card
4. 'Songs
of the Sea'
5. 'In
the style of an Old Master'
6. A
design suitable for printing on fabric
PHOTOGRAPHY
All photographs must be maximum size 5" x 8" and mounted on A5
card or paper.
1. Happiness
is . . .
2. Falling
Water
3. The
Sound of Music
4. Entrances
5. In the Pink
6. At
Home-cooking,
Handicrafts, Fruit and Vegetables, Cut Flower and Potted Plants will follow the
pattern of previous years with a few 'tweaks', and the Schedule will be
available a month in advance of the Show, with the August issue of the
Newsletter.
So,
please make a note of the date and give thought to what YOU can enter. The Show is open to residents and non-residents
of the village and we hope to have lots of entries for the Junior
Sections and Prizes [you must be under 14 on
Remember,
we're not looking for perfection, just some fun, so go on have a go!
Vi, Yvonne, Pip, Tony, Janet and Judie
40

OLD BERRYNARBOR
James Norman "Reuben Dale" - View
107
James Norman, born in Combe Martin in
1844, became famous through the publication of The Mighty Atom by Marie
Corelli, whose books in the late 1800's sold by the million.
Whist writing The Mighty Atom, Marie
Corelli resided at 'Waverly' near the
Her home residence was Mason Croft,
Stratford-on-Avon, where she died in 1924.
Quite eccentric, she had brought from
Returning to James Norman, he was born
in a small thatched cottage in Combe Martin's long High Street and was Sexton
for the
To illustrate this article, I have given
Judie some six postcards in the hope that she will find room for them all.
James Norman on the
path to Combe
Martin Church
Marie Corelli's autograph on the
frontispiece of her book 'The Mighty Atom'
41
MARIE CORELLI
1855-1924
The
daughter of Charles Mackay, a Scottish poet and song writer, the novelist Mary
spent her youth in Mickleham, Surrey, before moving to
Her
romantic melodramas, written with exuberant imagination and far-fetched
theories, enthralled her readers and she achieved outstanding success at the
turn of the century, with Queen Victoria,
The
Mighty Atom, published in 1896, was written and set in North Devon, with the
character Reuben Dale being based on James Norman, the Sexton of the
James Norman's birth place
High Street, Combe Martin
Reuben Dale [James Norman] at the Belfry Door of Combe Martin Church
Marie Corelli's Home
Mason Croft, at Stratford-on-Avon
Her
over-the-top characterisations made even the weakest plots come alive and
although her work lack literary quality, her greatest achievement is that with
over 20 novels to her credit, she still commands a place in the study of
women's literature.
Finally, can I appeal for pictures,
preferably postcard based, of Berrynarbor up to the 1980's as it is becoming increasingly
difficult to come up with something about which I have not already written.
Tom
Bartlett, Tower Cottage,
May 2007
e-mail: tombartlett40@hotmail.com
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