Edition 151 - August 2014
  EDITORIAL So, it was 25 years ago that Issue No. 1, just 20 pages, rolled off the duplicator! There have been many changes since then, both quantity and quality, but hopefully for the enjoyment of readers. Some regular articles have been running almost as long - Tom's Old Berrynarbor will make 25 years with the October issue, and our Local Walker has been doing just that for 24 years, as has Paul with his illustrations,. Thank you all, your support has been marvellous and much appreciated. My thanks and appreciation to the other regulars hot on their heels - Weather or Not, Movers and Shakers, Tony's Tales and Rural Reflections and not forgetting the reports from the various groups and Wendy's delicious recipes. . . . . and all have contributed to this birthday issue. The cover, the work of our talented Debbie, who has also been illustrating from the early days, and once again it has been sponsored by Mike and Sue Richards of Napps, as they have for the last eight years. We have already enjoyed many of the summer events but there are still some to come - the Berry Revels, Church Fayre and the WW1 Exhibition. So make a note of the dates and give them your support. Welcome to all newcomers to the village and farewell to those on the move - we wish you all happiness in your new homes. We also hope that those in poor health will be feeling better soon. Articles and items for the October issue are welcome any time but they will be needed by Wednesday, 10th September at the latest please. Enjoy the rest of the summer - the evenings are drawing in!
Judie - Ed 1  IN MEMORIAM After I Have Gone I loved the quiet things, the flowers and the dew, Field mice; birds homing; and the frost that shone On nursery windows when my years were few; And autumn mists subduing hill and plain and blurring outlines of those older moods that follow, after loss and grief and pain - And last and best, a gentle laugh with friends, All bitterness foregone, and evening near. If we be kind and faithful when day ends, We shall not meet that ragged starveling 'fear' As one by one we take the unknown way - Speak my name softly - there's no more to say - Vera I. Arlett [1896-1948] INA HODKINSON Although she had been unwell for some time, it was with much sadness we learnt that Ina had passed away on the 3rd July. Ina and her husband Cecil, who sadly passed away last November at the age of 102, moved to Devon from Coventry in 1952 and for 44 years ran a small pottery business in Braunton. Married for 71 years, Philton House with Pip and Tony, was latterly home to them both - for Ina for 11 years before increasing dementia meant that she could no longer be looked after at home and she moved to a residential home. As her condition became worse, she moved to Edenmore Nursing Home in Ilfracombe, where she was wonderfully looked after. Gradually weakening over the last months, particularly since Cecil's death, she died peacefully in her sleep at the beginning of July. Our thoughts are with Pip and Tony and all her family at this time of sorrow.  2  ST. PETER'S CHURCH Our thanks to everyone who helped on Gift Day and for your generous donations. At the time of writing, the total received stands at £783 with envelopes still coming in. If you have not returned yours yet, it is not too late, please hand it in to church or the village shop. The weather held for the day which was especially busy in the morning with Bishop Robert Atwell's visit and the children out and about enjoying their community week. Our next major fund-raising event will be our Church Fayre, to be held on Tuesday,19th August, at the Manor Hall, commencing at 6.30 p.m. There will be sideshows, skittle alley, barbeque, bric-a-brac, raffle and refreshments will be served all evening. Offers of help and, as always, gifts of cakes, bottles [full!], books, good bric-a-brac, china and glass, raffle prizes, etc., will be very welcome. Please contact Sue and Stuart Neale [883893] with your offers. BUT, most importantly, please come along on the day, support us and join in the fun!The Christians Together Service held on 22nd June in the evening was enjoyed by all who came. Linda Pearce, the Methodist Minister, and Avril Harrild from the Baptist Church, gave a lively 'interview' about their five days living on the line, each spending only £1 a day on food, all for Christian Aid. There may be another Christians Together Service in Berrynarbor on the evening of Sunday, 31st August. The Berrynarbor Choir will be giving a Concert in St. Peter's on Saturday, 27th September, starting at 7.30 p.m. Tickets, which will include a Cheese and Wine Supper [to follow the concert] will cost £5.00 and will be available from the Village Shop in early September. Services will continue as usual throughout August and September, with Holy Communion on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. Harvest will be celebrated on Sunday, 5th October, with a Family Service at 11.00 a.m. and the Supper on Wednesday, 8th October - more details in the next Newsletter but also look out for posters. Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 27th August and 24th September, 12.00 noon onwards and everyone welcome as always. Mary Tucker 3 BETTY RICHARDS Many of you will know that Mum had a tragic accident at the end of January, falling in her kitchen whilst making her morning cuppa. She broke her neck and was left paralysed from the chest down. After almost three months in intensive care at Taunton and Barnstaple, she is now resident at Tyspane nursing home in Braunton, where she is very well looked after. She has battled, and won, against several infections, including 2 bouts of pneumonia, but unfortunately there is no hope of any recovery from her paralysis. We should like to thank all those friends who enquire after her, and whose regular visits are very much appreciated. Mike & Sue Richards Our thoughts are with Betty, Mike and Sue and all the family. 4 ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITION AT LEE Come and visit us in our delightful village and browse a wide selection of beautiful arts and crafts all created by local artists with an opportunity to purchase unique and unusual items either as a gift or as a treat for yourself! Delicious refreshments available throughout the exhibition also a wonderful patchwork quilt offered as first prize in the grand draw along with other lovely prizes. Free admission and ample parking next to the Memorial Hall. Everyone welcome - we look forward to seeing you all. 5 
6  WEATHER OR NOT 
We were away from the 24th May to 10th June which means that some of the statistics for the two months have had to be amalgamated. May was fairly unsettled and often windy. Over the weekend of the 10th and 11th [the Ten Torrs weekend] there were strong to gale force winds and blustery showers to hamper the youngsters and also strong enough to bring down a couple of trees in our garden. The strongest gust of the month was 31 knots on the 10th. Up to the 24th we recorded 58mm of rain and a minimum temperature of 5.9 Deg C on the 21st. 164.71 hours of sunshine were recorded which was fairly average for May. When we returned home on the 10th June we had 68mm in the rain gauge and then the weather settled right down and for the rest of the month we recorded only 9mm of rain of which 6mm fell on the 27th [the start of Glastonbury!] In total for May and June we recorded 135mm and for the first six months of the year 679mm. The last three weeks of June were for the most part bright, sunny warm and dry. The temperature reached over 20 Deg C every day but one and peaked at 24.2 Deg C on the 23rd. Not surprisingly the 193.14 hours of sunshine were the second highest since 2003, beaten only by June 2010. Winds were light, mainly around 0 - 12 knots with the strongest gust only 18 knots. We have had a taste of summer - dare we hope for more? Simon and Sue 7 THANK YOU The girls at Lee Lodge put on another wonderful afternoon of music and refreshments to celebrate Ron's Birthday, his 98th, and those who joined him for this occasion would like to thank them. Ron, too, would like to say a very big thank you to them for doing him so proud yet again and also to everyone who came to join him, sent him cards and gave him presents. So many cards it was hard to find somewhere to display them! During the afternoon there was a raffle, flowers, fruit and vegetables for sale and a bric-a-brac stall. The staff would like to thank everyone for their support in helping to raise £200 which will go to providing the residents with Christmas celebrations and Lunch. 8 VALLEY ADVENTURE 
As a result of my recent [all be it unplanned] adventure in the Sterridge Valley, it has cemented our firm belief that when we moved into Berrynarbor, Paul and I found ourselves in a very special place with some very special people. Many of you reading this will be aware of the excitement that came to the village one sunny afternoon in May when the big yellow Chivenor helicopter was spotted hovering mysteriously over the pine trees in the Sterridge. Certainly it was a day that will forever be in my memory. I had decided to take the dog for a quick run around the woods and before I knew it, found myself sitting in the middle of the path with a broken ankle. In many ways I had a lucky break! Lucky I had my mobile phone with me, lucky I had a phone signal, and lucky that the helicopter crew were already on exercise nearby. It took the two ambulance crews that were sent out 45 minutes to track me down, and as they could not get their vehicles close to where I was, they arranged a rescue by helicopter. I was just the type of exercise they like to practice on! Just as in the movies, white blankets were laid on the forest floor so that I could be spotted from above through the thick canopy. And without much ado a friendly guy descended on a winch, introduced himself and explained how they proposed to get me into the helicopter. So with a couple of straps under my arms I was swiftly scooped up and winched into the sky. Before I knew it I found myself in Barnstaple A & E, feeling a little shell shocked by the whole event. As I write this I am nearing the end of my six weeks in plaster and looking forward to getting my life back on track. However, I should really like to take this opportunity of thanking the many, many people of the village, whose concern and kindness have been overwhelming for both Paul and me. We have been inundated with cards, flowers, cakes and food parcels of all sorts, visits, phone calls and general offers of help - not to mention the army of volunteers for dog walking duties which Paul has certainly found invaluable. As I mentioned in the beginning, it is at times such as this that you realise what a very special village spirit exists here in Berrynarbor. We both feel very lucky to live among such wonderful people. A very big thank you once again. Pat & Paul 9 JOY IN THE VILLAGES Things don't change in Berry, do they? This cutting was taken from the North Devon Journal and kept by my grandmother, who must have enjoyed herself. Berrynarbor's Record Day "The loyalty of the residents of Berrynarbor was demonstrated in no uncertain manner. The Committee worked hard to achieve success, and had the co-operation of every resident, down to the humblest cottager. Indeed, the spirit of co-operation was never more strikingly exemplified, and it was without doubt the most successful and enjoyable day in the history of this ancient village. "The Jubilee* spirit was everywhere, and it was a day that will never be forgotten by those who were privileged to take part. On behalf of the Parish Council, Mr. Wm. Draper, the Chairman, sent a message of hearty congratulations to Their Majesties and a gracious reply was received. "Every seat in the ancient Parish Church was occupied for the morning service, which was conducted by Rev. Cain in the unavoidable absence of the rector, Rev. R. Churchill, the lessons being read by Mr. C. Whale as representing the Nonconformists. "In the afternoon there were sports for the children, and what a joyous time the youngsters spent in striving for the numerous prizes! The sports were followed by a tea, to which every parishioner was invited. There was happiness everywhere; and outside the flags fluttered in the breeze, giving the whole village an atmosphere of festivity and rejoicing. Nearly 300 at Dance "The climax to a wonderful day was reached in the evening, when the Manor Hall attracted a crowd of nearly 300 for the dance in aid of Ilfracombe Hospital. Here again the carnival spirit was supreme, and all agreed that it was a record-breaking function. The decorations were of a comprehensive and charming character. The hall was floodlit, and the fairy lights added to the pretty scene. "Mrs. Penn-Curzon, C.B.E., looked in during the evening, and during an interval delivered a happy little speech on the significance of the day, saying how thankful all were that King George and Queen Mary had been spared to reign for such a long period. Mr. H. Holbrook, hon. secretary of the Ilfracombe Hospital, in a few well-chosen words, thanked everybody for supporting the hospital funds in such a handsome manner. "There was also a huge bonfire, which illuminated the whole countryside. "The following day teas were taken to those who, owing to old age or infirmity, had been unable to attend the festivities the previous day. "Berrynarbor certainly showed a wonderful spirit in celebrating the Jubilee.* "There was not a single hitch, and all pulled together for the good of the whole," remarked a member of the Committee." * Silver Jubilee of King George V, May 1935. 
The First World War broke out in 1914, during which the King made several visits to the front line in France and Belgium. He was a war casualty himself: during a visit to France in 1915, his horse rolled on him and he received serious internal injuries from which he never fully recovered. The 1914-1918 war enabled the King and Queen Mary to come into close contact with the mass of their people, to an extent unknown since the seventeenth century. Lorna Bowden 10  YOUR MANOR HALL Berrynarbor Parish has a long record of turning up trumps supporting both celebrations, as above, and catastrophes. It is our star asset - the old Manor House and Manor Hall that is in trouble at present. The mediaeval roof trusses and supports to the Manor House roof are under severe attack from dry rot. They need to be treated and replaced in places with some urgency. The Manor Hall floor supports are suffering from wet rot and need urgent work. The Management Committee are busy preparing a case for funds from the National Lottery, The Hereditary Fund and the Halsinger Down Fund, but these will depend on how much we can raise ourselves. The Committee would be very pleased to receive input and ideas for fundraising events and we are hoping the Annual Revels on the 5th August will be well supported and any kind of help would be much appreciated. Lorna Bowden 11 INTERNET FRAUD My story and the lessons I have learned I recently allowed myself to get drawn in to a cold calling computer scam. I now appreciate that it has been floating around for many years and involves people in Indian call centres pretending they are representatives of Microsoft technical support. They tell the victim that they know their computer is running slowly and that they can fix it. The whole episode left me feeling mentally mugged. However, I'm much wiser now and am determined to help others from falling into the same trap by sharing my experience and the lessons I have learned. The scam I was immediately drawn in to believing that the caller really did know that my computer was working slowly and that he could fix it. [When I took the call I did not appreciate that Microsoft could not possibly have known this and that they NEVER call customers anyway]. The caller showed me how to allow him to access my computer remotely. Then, by manipulating my cursor, he showed me a log of all Microsoft reports. He asked me to count the errors, before warning me: "These are very harmful for your computer and are major problems. Each one has already started to corrupt your whole system. They are malicious hacking files that are making the computer infected and the system slow. Do not delete any of the files as they could be activated and crash the computer. You have 100 hacking files on your computer, you are very high risk." I now realise that a key contributor to the success of these scams is to involve the victim in counting the errors and in making spurious notes about the technical expert's progress. It's all about social engineering. The caller went on to tell me that my software warranty had expired and showed me that some of the services had a "stopped" status because my warranty had expired and only a Microsoft technician could start them again. At this point I was advised that I needed to register for a warranty renewal for £150. It was sold as a complete one off payment for the next 5 years. Out of misplaced trust I regrettably paid this sum. When I related the conversation to my wife, it suddenly dawned on me that I had been duped! I called the firm's number I had been given and told a supervisor that I was convinced I had been conned. In a sinister tone he replied that if I turned off my computer before the repairs had been completed all the files would be corrupted. The consequence - for my computer As soon as the bogus technician had left my computer, I turned it off and called Nick Burnell of Exmoor Computers. When he started my computer he could see that the settings had been interfered with to give the appearance that my computer had significant operating errors. To my great relief he was able to change all the revised settings back to their original state and so leave my computer in full working order. Phew! Nick tells me that the changes were made in order to scare me into believing that the errors were serious. The fraudsters had deliberately left my computer so that it showed that a number of these errors remained, in order to persuade me to pay them more money in order - apparently - to fix them. Indeed the fraudsters called repeatedly for days afterwards. When I demanded that they should immediately repay the money they had taken under false pretences from my bank account, I was told they would never do that. The consequence - for my bank balance My bank was very cooperative from the outset and asked me to write to explain the basis of my claim that they were fraudulent. As a result, I'm happy to report the sum I paid to the tricksters was reimbursed by Visa. One thing that helped my case was that I reported the scam to ActionFraud. Whilst they are unable to investigate every case, it enables them to build a picture of the range of fraudulent crimes being committed and the perpetrators.
If any reader would like to know more about any concerns they may have arising from this article, please feel free to call me. Stewart Crocker - Pink Heather 12 
13 TREV'S TWITTERS The Castle by the Lake
Have you seen the castle?
The tall castle by the lake? With the rosy golden clouds Of evening high above? Oft have I seen it thus. Also by bright moonlight, With mist far out spread. It sometimes seems to bow To its image down below, And then to stretch and strain To the cloudy evening glow. Do the wind and the water's lapping Take on a fresher note? Or is it the sound of lute strings From the halls and festive song?  Illustrated by: Paul Swailes [A rough translation from one of Germany's 3 major poets - Schiller perhaps.] 
Walter Savage Landor © National Portrait Gallery, London The Dragonfly I wish no happier one than to be laid Walter Savage Landor [1775-1864] Youth and Age
Verse, a breeze mid blossoms straying,
Where Hope clung feeding, like a bee- Both were mine! Life went a-maying With Nature, Hope, and Poesy, When I was young! When I was young?-Ah, woful When! Ah! for the change 'twixt Now and Then! This breathing house not built with hands, This body that does me grievous wrong, O'er aery cliffs and glittering sands, How lightly then it flashed along:- Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore, On winding lakes and rivers wide, That ask no aid of sail or oar, That fear no spite of wind or tide! Nought cared this body for wind or weather When Youth and I lived in't together. Flowers are lovely; Love is flower-like; Friendship is a sheltering tree; O! the joys, that came down shower-like, Of Friendship, Love, and Liberty, Ere I was old! Ere I was old? Ah woful Ere, Which tells me, Youth's no longer here! O Youth! for years so many and sweet, 'Tis known, that Thou and I were one, I'll think it but a fond conceit- It cannot be that Thou art gone! Thy vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:- And thou wert aye a masker bold! What strange disguise hast now put on, To make believe, that thou are gone? I see these locks in silvery slips, This drooping gait, this altered size: But Spring-tide blossoms on thy lips, And tears take sunshine from thine eyes! Life is but thought: so think I will That Youth and I are house-mates still. Dew-drops are the gems of morning, But the tears of mournful eve! Where no hope is, life's a warning That only serves to make us grieve, When we are old: That only serves to make us grieve With oft and tedious taking-leave, Like some poor nigh-related guest, That may not rudely be dismist; Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while, And tells the jest without the smile. Verse, a breeze mid blossoms straying, Where Hope clung feeding, like a bee- Both were mine! Life went a-maying With Nature, Hope, and Poesy, When I was young!
When I was young?-Ah, woful When!
Ah! for the change 'twixt Now and Then! This breathing house not built with hands, This body that does me grievous wrong, O'er aery cliffs and glittering sands, How lightly then it flashed along:- Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore, On winding lakes and rivers wide, That ask no aid of sail or oar, That fear no spite of wind or tide! Nought cared this body for wind or weather When Youth and I lived in't together. Flowers are lovely; Love is flower-like; Friendship is a sheltering tree; O! the joys, that came down shower-like, Of Friendship, Love, and Liberty, Ere I was old! Ere I was old? Ah woful Ere, Which tells me, Youth's no longer here! O Youth! for years so many and sweet, 'Tis known, that Thou and I were one, I'll think it but a fond conceit- It cannot be that Thou art gone! Thy vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:- And thou wert aye a masker bold! What strange disguise hast now put on, To make believe, that thou are gone? I see these locks in silvery slips, This drooping gait, this altered size: But Spring-tide blossoms on thy lips, And tears take sunshine from thine eyes! Life is but thought: so think I will That Youth and I are house-mates still. Dew-drops are the gems of morning, But the tears of mournful eve! Where no hope is, life's a warning That only serves to make us grieve, When we are old: That only serves to make us grieve With oft and tedious taking-leave, Like some poor nigh-related guest, That may not rudely be dismist; Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while, And tells the jest without the smile. Verse, a breeze mid blossoms straying, Where Hope clung feeding, like a bee- Both were mine! Life went a-maying With Nature, Hope, and Poesy, When I was young!
When I was young?-Ah, woeful When!
Ah! for the change 'twixt Now and Then! This breathing house not built with hands, This body that does me grievous wrong, O'er aery cliffs and glittering sands, How lightly then it flashed along:- Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore, On winding lakes and rivers wide, That ask no aid of sail or oar, That fear no spite of wind or tide! Nought cared this body for wind or weather When Youth and I lived in't together. Flowers are lovely; Love is flower-like; Friendship is a sheltering tree; O! the joys, that came down shower-like, Of Friendship, Love, and Liberty, Ere I was old! Ere I was old? Ah woeful Ere, Which tells me, Youth's no longer here! O Youth! for years so many and sweet, 'Tis known, that Thou and I were one, I'll think it but a fond conceit- It cannot be that Thou art gone! Thy vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:- And thou wert aye a masker bold! What strange disguise hast now put on, To make believe, that thou are gone? I see these locks in silvery slips, This drooping gait, this altered size: But Spring-tide blossoms on thy lips, And tears take sunshine from thine eyes! Life is but thought: so think I will That Youth and I are house-mates still. Dew-drops are the gems of morning, But the tears of mournful eve! Where no hope is, life's a warning That only serves to make us grieve, When we are old: That only serves to make us grieve With oft and tedious taking-leave, Like some poor nigh-related guest, That may not rudely be dismist; Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while, And tells the jest without the smile. Samuel Taylor Coleridge [1772-1834] The Cuckoo There are many rhymes about the cuckoo and its length of stay. Here are just a few. Do you know another one? In April come I will, The cuckoo comes in April The cuckoo comes in April, In April, come he will. Trev 14 
15  BERRYNARBOR WINE CIRCLE 'Penicillin
cures but wine makes people happy.' May's meeting commences with our AGM, which is historically-brief, but informative and proper. As Chairman, Tony Summers delivered this and was pleased to announce, among other things, that because of our good attendances recently, our healthy budget enables our 40+ regularly-attending members to sample excellent wines. The hall is capacious and can take plenty more, so if you fancy joining us please do. Our 2014-15 season begins at 8.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 15th October in the Manor Hall. Tony Summers' 'Mystery Tour' was so-called because the prices were to us! For our last Wine Circle meeting of the 2013-14 season, he presented wines bought in Roscoff, Brittany. We started with a bubbly - a Sparkling Saumur. Tony had done his homework: it would have cost anything up to £13.49 a bottle in the UK, however, it was only €7. It was a lovely bubbly, but the other two whites were equally as good. One was a Sauvignon Blanc, the other a Muscadet. Their prices were €4.50 and €4.00. The reds were equally as good. The first was a 2010 Beaujolais. It was smooth, hand-picked Gamay grapes and €9. A Malbec next, stronger than the first, but also very good at only €7, and finally a 2006 Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon which was described as complex, superior and needed food. On the 'net, similar wines would have been £16-£21 per bottle. Tony bought it for €11.5 or £9.80. There wasn't one 'iffy' wine among them, even though the cheapest worked out to be £3.42 a bottle, which just proves and highlights the tax differences on alcohol between France and the UK! Judith Adam - Secretary and Promotional Co-ordinator 16  FROM THE RECTOR . . . Disputed memory I am very much looking forward to the weekend of commemoration of the First World War at the Manor Hall on 2nd and 3rd August. The shadow of this terrible war is lengthening now, yet no doubt many of us have family and folk memories. My Grandpa saw his tenth birthday the day war was declared and showed me some of the headlines of the period. Were members of your family involved directly or knew those who were? Maybe some of your memorabilia will be in evidence at our village commemoration. 
Illustration by: Paul Swailes Monday 4th August will see me in Belgium at the Menin Gate for the daily ceremony at 8.00 p.m. when the Last Post is sounded. Many will be remembering the exact time our country entered the war by holding a candlelit vigil between 10.00 and 11.00 in the evening. I used to teach history and am well aware of the difficulty of the task of remembering. Memory and meaning are entwined together; what events meant to different people then and now results in memory. becoming contested. For example, in present day Serbia, Gavrilo Princep, the young 19 year old student who shot the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is hailed as a freedom fighter. Yet those shots rang round the world and set in motion the chain of events that led to a general European and then a global catastrophe. Remembering becomes very tricky. Although subscribing a bit less than I once did to 'Lions led by donkeys', the waste of lives and the appalling tactics of sending men up against the lethal fire power of machine guns has haunted generations since. Was the War really necessary? Should we not have stayed out and left the European powers to get on with it? Why were no statesmen prepared to stand back and prevent the descent into barbarity and the implosion of civilisation? These are questions that are being hotly debated and I expect many of us will have a view. Remembering any major event that sears itself into memory is difficult territory. Memory of the past is all wrapped up with people's identities. One far off night, another figure from history sat with his followers. It was late that evening too. "Remember me like this." said Jesus. "Remember me like this"! With every good wish, Rev Chris 17 POOR
SLIGHTED HUGH O'NEILL Oh dear! On our way back from a great holiday in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, we turned the car homewards at Diggers Cross to see tis sign: 
I wrote of the Flight of the Earls in the June 1993 edition, but as you will either have forgotten or weren't even living in Berrynarbor then, I will repeat that Combe Martin's much disparaged Earl of Rone was none other than the much revered Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, who was forced to flee from Ireland, thus subjugating the Irish to English rule for many years to come. Together with Rory O'Donnell [Earl of Tyrconnell] and Sea Captain Cuconnaught Maguire, he fled with over 90 followers from the shores of Rathmullan on Loch Swilly, County Donegal, at midnight on September 12th 1607. We lived in that delightful village for 6 years in the 1970's, and knew how revered the Earls were and what an impact the Flight had on Irish history.  Since our last visit to
Rathmullan, two life-size bronze sculptures had been erected on the beach, one
of the Flight of the Earls and next to them their sorrowing and grieving
clansmen, now leaderless. The Earls never returned to Ireland, but unlike the
Combe Martin version, the Earl of Tyrone wasn't drowned at Combe Martin beach,
nor taken to Exeter, tried for treason, found guilty and executed. Instead,
both Earls moved to Rome where, arriving in May 1608, they were welcomed by
Pope Paul V and "amply provided with every requirement befitting people of
their condition". Although Rory died within a few weeks of arriving there,
Hugh survived until July 20th 1616, when he died aged 76.
Coming back to the impressive sculptures on Rathmullan beach, these were opened by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, exactly 400 years to the day in 2007. 
Doc Rowe, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. So, my thoughts are with poor old Hugh. My 'Irishness' says that to have as a memorial some fellow stuffed with straw, seated backwards on a donkey, spurs reversed, to say nothing of being shot, falling off several times and revived by the 'Hoss' and the 'Fool', and then thrown into the sea is sacrilege! I've never watched this dastardly event, but have it on good authority that the compliant donkey died two years ago. Last year's replacement was a grumpy beast who threw the Earl off without asking! So this year, the poor chap had to walk to his drenching. At least there's a bit of justice somewhere. Serves 'em all right ... !! Hugh O'Neill sounds quite a character. I feel a 'Mover and Shaker' might be in the wings one day. Watch this space. P O'P of DC! 18 
19  PRE-SCHOOL NEWS 
It has been a very busy month at the Preschool. The children have been enjoying the sunny weather playing in the garden and have planted and grown some runner beans and strawberries. The 4 year olds [and very nearly 4 year olds] are getting ready to go to 'Big School' and have been enjoying some transition visits where they are able to have lunch, play in the playground with the older children and see the routines that they will experience in September. On the 5th of July, Preschool celebrated its 30th Birthday - since it was registered with Ofsted as a Preschool - with games and a BBQ at the Manor Hall. The weather was unexpectedly good and the children enjoyed strawberries and cream, face painting, balloon modelling, biscuit decorating and splat the rat, along with many other activities. In total we raised £247 which will go towards an outdoor classroom for the children of the Preschool to enjoy for the next 30 years! In October, Preschool will be holding its AGM where a number of committee members will be stepping down. The positions of Treasurer and Chairperson will become vacant and we shall be looking for volunteers to fill these positions. The Preschool can only remain open if there are 5 committee members. We are, therefore, looking for members of the community, as well as parents, to help fill these positions. Volunteers do not need any educational experience, just a DBS [criminal record] check, which the Preschool can help you complete. Please drop in to Preschool if you are able to help in any way and see what we are all up to. Catherine Orr - Chair 20  BERRYNARBOR
HORTICULTURAL & CRAFT SHOW Schedules and Entry Forms for the Show to be held on Saturday, 30th August, in the Manor Hall are available from the Shop, Sue's of Combe Martin and The Globe. 
Open to residents, non-residents and visitors, we hope that everyone, including all the youngsters, will try to put in at least one entry, but more preferably! Importantly, no one is looking for perfect items, just the enjoyment of joining in this village event. Remember, just because you have ticked a class on the entry form, it does not mean that you have to submit an entry - so, go on, tick as many as you can! Whether you enter something or not, do come along on the day of the Show, from 2.00 p.m. to view all the exhibits and to take part in the raffle. How are your spuds and sunflowers going? Hopefully OK. Bring your potatoes, still in the pot but minus any foliage, and your sunflower head placed in a jar or vase, along to the Hall, either on Friday evening, from 7.00 to 8.30 p.m. or Saturday morning, from 9.00 to 10.30 a.m. Please make sure your pot or jar is clearly labelled with your name and stating if you are a junior. Your haul [and pot] may be collected, for later consumption, during the afternoon, and your sunflower! Uncollected potatoes will be deemed free to sell. So, LOTS and LOTS of entries please, and lots of visitors for the Show, Prize Giving and Raffle. See you there. Linda, Karen, Yvonne, Pip, and Charlotte - the Organising Group 21  ALL THOSE YEARS LATER Yes, I do miss Berrynarbor! Although I only spent the six and a half years through World War II and a little beyond there - it was a very impressionable time. Although I am very happy here in our bungalow in Suffolk with its pleasant [not flat] countryside, I still reminisce about my time spent in Devon. The rugged shore line, pretty little coves, secluded beaches and, of course, the fine sands [7th best in the world] at Woolacombe. In my time in your village, transport was very limited. Due to there being few private cars and petrol rationing, you were more or less restricted to bus, bicycle or shanks pony. 
This meant that the extent of my travelling was about 10 to 12 miles. Cycling was pretty hard even if you were lucky enough to have a three speed gear, and you spent a long time pushing your bike up one side of a hill only to spend what seemed like minutes coming down the other side! At one point, with my education lacking, I was sent to a tutor in Shute Lane and that is quite a push I can tell you! We would cycle to Barnstaple or Woolacombe but never attempted the full Sterridge Valley right to the top. Berrynarbor has drawn me back for holidays in the North Devon area several times, however, now at 85 years of age, I find I cannot face long distance travel. Mentioning my age, I should also mention that on the 12th May last, Betty and I celebrated our 60th Wedding Anniversary and had our card from Her Majesty the Queen. Over the years I have seen some changes. Berrynarbor now has caravan sites, Miss Cooper's shop has long gone and now you have your own Village Shop. The Manor Hall is much the same but when I saw it last there was no stage. In Ilfracombe there were two cinemas, alas only one now. I was very sad to see the Victoria Pavilion go although I have enjoyed shows and films at the new Landmark Theatre. The Alexandra Theatre I knew well and enjoyed dances and plays there, so I was pleased to see that after many changes, it is still in use. Alongside the Quay in Ilfracombe were private houses, these are now all businesses. It is now 68 years since we left Devon to return to our own house in Upminster where I lived again from the age of 16 until I got married in 1954. Two years later it was sold to actor Victor Maddern [of Cockleshell Heroes and Carrington VC fame, as well as many other parts here and in Hollywood]. Victor Maddern eventually sold together with his neighbour, the houses pulled down and flats built on the site. The picture you see would have been taken with a plate camera about 107 years ago. The stables, provided only for the use of horses or horse drawn vehicles, were later converted into garages and a garage built on the right hand side. The maintenance of a house like that was even in our time far too costly to continue with, and my mother and half-brother moved into a small bungalow at Billericay. When Betty and I married we moved into a maisonette at Gidea Park just outside Romford. Since then we have moved to Billericay, Tiptree, 3 times in Colchester and now to Suffolk. We are not moving anymore! As they say! I was walking past our local undertaker the other day and spotted one of the funeral directors standing outside. "Not today thank you,." I called cheerfully. "Catch you later," he replied with a smile. Tony Beauclerk - Stowmarket 22 THE PTFA SUMMER FETE & BGT 
With beautiful days either side, it was disappointing that Saturday, 12th July was damp and dull, but that did not dampen spirits and what a great day of action packed fun it was! The fete in the Pitt Hill sports field was busy from mid-day with a falconry display, bouncy castles, coconut shy, hoopla, tombola, cheer leading display, ball toss and lots, lots more. 
During the afternoon Beaford Arts gave two performances of The Boy Who Fell in Love with the Stars, at the Manor Hall. As five o'clock approached, everyone gravitated to the Manor Hall where the first ever final of Berrynarbor's Got Talent was to take place. Whilst mouth-watering smells wafted from the BBQ, the hall became full of eager participants, parents, siblings and villagers, for what was billed to be a great show and it was! Following auditions, nine finalists took to the stage, compered by Dave and assisted by our own Ant and Dec, Dylan and Louis. Beth, Karina, Emily, Olivia, Katelyn and Anna, with a dancing Hazel, delighted the audience with their singing talent, whilst Thomas entertained with his armpit music, Peter gave an amusing recitation and Fenella and Bees Aloud buzzed their way through an amusing song and dance routine. The votes counted, the raffle drawn and the burgers and hot dogs demolished, the winners were announced. Bees Aloud took third place, Olivia second and Katelyn, who sang Let It Go from Frozen took first place and the trophy. Congratulations to the winners and all the participants for a great show and evening's entertainment. The evening continued with live music from Gemma, Kenny, Rob, Charmaine and Lyndsey, followed by the Knowleberries who finished the day off with a bang. Jenny and Gemma would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended the day and a very special thank you to all the many helpers without whom it would not have been such a fabulous day, raising approximately £1400. . ... and from those attending, a big thank you to Jenny and Gemma for their tireless hard work deserving of success. Will there be an annual BGT in future?   23 CAR BOOT SALES Sunday, 3rd August [Kentisbury W.I.] KENTISBURY ANNUAL CLAY PIGEON SHOOT Bratton Fleming Flower Club invite you to a 24  NEWS FROM OUR COMMUNITY SHOP & POST OFFICE WARNING: BRIGHT NEW VILLAGE SHOP SIGNS Look out for our new signs, they are popping up everywhere. Yes, before you ask, we do have permission and have checked all the regulations. Debbie and Keith worked into the night to get them all displayed but sadly the sign fairy appeared and one was gone in a flash overnight. Any information regarding this sign, please let us know - you could get a reward - a big smile! Well, we all know how good the Pantry's Multi-seed bread is for those that buy it every week, but do you realise how well travelled it is? One of our customers takes a loaf to work over at Braunton every week and an American visitor liked the bread so much she took one back to the USA. How's that for bread miles? We stock a good assortment of cider: Thatchers, Sam's Poundhouse, Scrumpy Jack and Hancocks, which includes their Molton Nector and flagons of Devon Cider - would make a great gift for a cider drinker! Good value lines New Lines We are also trying a new egg supplier: Freebird Free Range Poultry based at March End Farm, Georgeham. We did ask for Large eggs but can only get Medium due to the small chickens - maybe we will get large when the chickens grow! If you have not visited us for some time why not come in and see what we offer - we do not bite! COMMUNITY SHOP TREASURER Due to the impending retirement of the present Treasurer we are looking for a successor. The duties include :
We use a Sage accounting package. The ideal person should have some book keeping/accountancy experience, although full training can be given as required. The job is honorary - i.e. no salary is paid - and the Treasurer is a key member of the Shop Committee, the majority of whom are also non-paid volunteers. If you are interested in contributing to this important village enterprise please contact me for further details. Tony
Kitchin - ChairmanTel
883129 or e-mail 25 
26  NOTES FROM
THE PARISH COUNCIL No applications for co-option to the Parish Council had been received and due to the disqualification of Cllr. Lethaby for non-attendance, there are now 3 vacancies. Reports at both meetings had been received from the Police, County Councillor Andrea Davis, and District Councillors Yvette Gubb and Julia Clarke. Councillors Lorna Bowden and Linda Thomas and Councillor Steve Hill reported on Manor Hall matters and the play area respectively. The initiative of a Parish Council website was again deferred to be discussed at the August meeting. Finance - balances were given and budgetary figures circulated for May and June. Investigations are on-going regarding the ownership of a triangular piece of land at Pitt Hill, and five planning applications were discussed. The Environment Agency had written with regard to the dumping of shillet and been informed of the work at Harpers Mill. Councillors agreed to send a letter of support to DCC Public Rights of Way Department in connection with the Sterridge Valley Schedule 14 Application submitted by Graham Sanders. A donation had been made to the WWI Centenary Exhibition and Councillors acknowledged the sterling effort and work put in by Wendy Applegate and the Berry in Bloom team. The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Tuesday, 12th August, 7.00 p.m. at the Manor Hall. 27 I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN A COMMUNE! Community
- dictionary definition:
Can we please go back to being villagers, parishioners and neighbours - a word with Anglo Saxon origins? I don't want to live in a commune - 'a number of unrelated families and individuals living together with shared accommodation, supplies and responsibilities.' I want to go the village shop, pubs and school and the Parish Church. I noticed that in her Millennium speech, the Queen didn't mention communities, just neighbourhoods. What's good enough for the Queen is good enough for me! Lorna Bowden 28 MANOR HALL TRUST The Manor Hall - the state we're in The Manor Hall AGM took place on 2nd July and the opportunity was taken to have a good question and answer session on the disrepair issues at the hall and the potential solutions. Some of you may have seen the leaflet at the shop which summarises the problems and suggestions for a renovated main hall. These are also given below. Before this let's make a point about funding. It is intended to pursue several grants, some of them very large, notably from the Big Lottery. This isn't an easy process and will take time, well over a year in fact. For anyone concerned that calls for money will be made to the community at large, as attempted back in the 1990's, it's very simple. Most of the work will be grant funded. Therefore three things can happen: 1. We get nothing [unlikely] 2. We get a modest amount, in which case we carry out the most urgent works, or 3. We get what we need or close to it. This is not to say that fundraising, like the current sale of the Rotary Club raffle tickets, or Berry Revels on 5th August, are not important - it all raises money and as importantly shows the support of the community. Disrepair and Building Defects at the Manor Hall  The roof to the manor hall wing (Tudor or possibly medieval) - damage by woodworm clearly visible A lot of disrepair is visible, but we have also used accredited historic buildings surveyors, Smith Gore of Exeter, to survey the whole building, plus Orbis structural engineers from Barnstaple to design remedies to the defects in the old roof. So what needs to be done? The main works defects are: The old roof (manor house wing) This old oak roof has several defects - little lateral restraint at ceiling level, which has caused the wall to push out, no original purlins and hence some racking (rafters leaning sideways), and little support to the roof in one corner where the wall has fallen away. Some of the joints have pulled apart and some timbers are extensively degraded by woodworm. Externally, the exposed wall plates at the corners are rotted and sections need to be replaced. Floor and stage area to main hall The hall floor is poorly ventilated underneath, and under the stage it is very damp, resulting in extensive wet rot and some dry rot, with air bricks partly blocked due to the raised ground outside. In one corner you can put your hand through the floorboards. General repairs across the two wings There is an extensive list: pointing required to cracked walls, rotten external woodwork, broken gutters, rotten window frames (e.g. the two large windows behind the stage) and some new sills required to windows. The old stone facade to the manor house wing needs pointing and work to stop raining-in. The roof to both wings have a limited life and if finances permit full reroofing of the whole hall should be carried out. The stage in the main hall As well as the problems underneath, the stage is in poor shape. Neither the spotlights nor the audio system work, the curtains are in poor condition and there is a large amount of loose electrical wiring. The stage has to be removed to facilitate the repairs and treatment underneath. What else do we think needs to be done? It seems wrong to carry out a wide range of repairs and leave the main hall just as it is. User groups have commented on poor lighting, inadequate heating, insufficient storage and a tired and drab appearance generally. Therefore, we have set out various suggestions for the renovation of the main hall and the Basset Room. These include:
Some of these proposals are set out on the suggested floor plan of the main hall on the next page. Your views are welcome. Please let us know what you think! You can email comments to narb@btinternet.com, leave comments on the sheets in the Manor Hall (box by kitchen) or use the comments box at the shop. Len Narborough and the Management Committee Potential layout of main hall To facilitate remodelling of toilets and expansion of kitchen. The serving/bar area is indicative - it shows what could be provided. The stage is shown as removed, but with an example of a moveable system, shown here along the side wall as an example. The areas shown in different colours representt new facilities. Each toilet area is outlined in a different colour. This is all new work and replaces facilities that are totally unsuitable for a hall serving up to 200 people  Berrynarbor Manor Hall Trust Renewal and Refurbishment Project Outline of Interior works to Hall March 2014 29  RURAL REFLECTIONS NO. 64 It wasn't exactly 'Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun', more a case of flummoxed dogs and one Englishman out in the midsummer rain! The cows were pretty intrigued too. And who could blame them? They were after all observing a rather bizarre scene, one that had been the consequence of the interception of precipitation - in other words, plants catching hold of rain droplets which were destined for the root systems of the underworld. I have always struggled with the word droplets when it comes to rain. It is too complimentary in my view. But then rain is at the bottom of my weather list, with easterly winds one place above it. Combine the two, so that it feels like the North Sea is being endlessly pummelled into your cheeks [albeit salt free], and I am not a happy bunny. "Just get out in it, throw your hood back and keep going," I was told by a walker last winter. "You will soon get used to the rain and even come to enjoy it." So I tried it. And I didn't - on both counts.  I have. however. recently moved rain up one place and demoted easterly winds to the bottom on account of my experience as the afore mentioned Englishman; for I have come to realise that there is one situation when I enjoy personal participation with precipitation. The key requisite is a spell of dry weather. One that is just long enough for the soil to hint at cracking, for Lundy Island to be forgotten behind a constant heat haze and for tractors to throw up dirt particles so that they leave behind a thick trail of dust. With all three requirements met it is time for the weather gods to do a bit of polishing. Cue stage left, from the west, a plethora of wet grey dusters. On the day in question, one such duster loomed ominously in the sky over Bideford/Barnstaple Bay. It is a sight which I have often witnessed since moving to Yelland, one that rarely stirs me into picking in the washing; for more often than not, the duster rips itself in half and soaks the North Devon peninsula and the inhabitants surrounding South Molton, respectively. The meeting place of the Taw and Torridge estuaries always seems to escape. But driving home, having walked the dogs near Bideford, I could see that on this occasion Yelland was in for more than just a spit and polish. With a bit of luck I could get back in time to pick in the washing. It was then, however, that I made the irrational decision to let it all get wet and take a detour instead!  Illustrations by: Paul Swailes Turning into a country lane, I headed up and then through Westleigh before bringing my car to a halt at two farm gates where the hill reached its summit. As I stepped out of the car I immediately noticed a clump of red campion in the hedge-bank beside one of the gates, now fluorescent in the ever darkening atmosphere. Beside the other gate occasional umbelifers of hogweed and a solitary dog rose were struggling to stay upright in an ever increasing wind. By now Appledore had vanished and soon both estuaries were hidden behind rainfall. As the wind became gusty so the first droplets arrived. Then came a few more. Moments later the rainfall was constant - soon followed by the preordained deluge. The resulting smell was intoxicating, none more so than from the hedge-banks, where, through intervention, grasses such as black bent, cocksfoot and timothy had held onto the falling precipitation. And by opening up their cells to allow moisture to enter, they had let out their own unique heady aromas. While the dogs and the cows looked on, I stood and enjoyed the foolhardiness of being out in the midsummer rain. Stephen McCarthy 30 LOCAL WALK - 145 Not a bored walk on the boardwalk We were heading for the boardwalk from Broadsands Car Park but first made a favourite detour through a little damp meadow flanked by a spinney. Since parking was restricted to one end of the former car park area, several small clearings and the tracks leading from them have become very overgrown. We pushed through the brambles and nettles and were rewarded by a flurry of common blue butterflies with bright orange-brown small heaths among them. 
There was an array of ragged robins, southern marsh orchids and yellow flag irises. Several of the female common blue butterflies were of the brown form which resemble the brown argus with orange dots around the margin of the upper side, but with a shading of blue close to the body. As we cross the boardwalk we always look out for lizards basking on the wooden slats, the least vibration and they disappear. There are the less common and declining sand lizards on the Burrows but we have yet to see them. When a common lizard seems greener than usual, I hope it might be a sand lizard but it's only wishful thinking. There was yellow hay rattle in flower, eyebright and a few seaside pansies. Linnets perched on bushes along the way and I spotted a lone painted lady. This summer migrant is always a welcome sight. At the end of the boardwalk at the edge of the sands were sea stocks; woolly grey stems and leaves and mauve flowers but no sign of the rare sea rocket. 
We sat on a lump of concrete at the site of the old lighthouse and looked across to Irsha Street and Kipling Tors and a distant, hazy blue Hartland Point; a flotilla of sailing boats. Driftwood, bleached silver and forming beautiful shapes and textures lay on the sand. Informal sculptures. At Crow Point we were shocked to see the extent of erosion of the sand dunes but it was around the corner on the edge of Broadsands that we eventually found one sea rocket plant, a healthy looking specimen, its leaves a similar shape to ragwort but shiny and fleshy. Further along we looked in vain for the yellow horned poppy, the only example of it in the whole area of the Burrows. It may have been lost to erosion. A notice by the White House warned that the path around Horsey Island had been 'compromised' due to erosion. There were some deep holes and dips which were not there before and by the end of the summer through lack of use the nettles and brambles will have effectively closed it. But in early June, fragrant Rosa Rugosa with ox-eye daisies flanked the path. Illustrated by: Paul Swailes Sue H 31 Berrynarbor History Society I am pleased to report that this group is now up and running. We have just had our second meeting: a gathering of keen, interested villagers, long-standing and recently arrived. If you too are interested to investigate the past of our beautiful Domesday village, then join us - the more the merrier. Our broad study is our parish and the old buildings of this village. The fabric and structure of our Manor Hall has recently been examined by expert architectural archaeologists to determine its age: medieval rather than Tudor. We thought it would be appropriate to add our findings to their research, delving into its past, as it is and always has been, a prominent building in this village. We are having a summer break but re-grouping on Wednesday 3rd September, 8.00 p.m. in The Globe. If you are intrigued and would like to know more about your village, join us. Judith Adam 32  BERRYNARBOR SCHOOL NEWS We are nearly at the end of another year - the time has flown! It has been an action packed term and we are all ready for the holiday. As I write, Blueberry Class (Year 3 and Year 4), together with Willow Class from West Down, are enjoying a residential trip at Emercombe. They are sleeping in yurts, using composting loos, building rafts and dens and learning about the natural environment. While Blueberry Class have been away, the rest of the school have hosted our third annual Federation Day. The children and staff from West Down were welcomed to Berrynarbor. The children enjoyed renewing friendships with friends from the other school while taking part in a morning of problem solving and team building activities and an afternoon of sports activities. Both schools enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch in the sunshine, prepared and served by Mrs Peach and her colleague, Mrs Hazlehurst from West Down. Other highlights of this term have been the Elderberry Class residential to Bristol, a whole school trip to see Essex Dance, a visit from a hive of bees (yes the bees really did come into school to visit us - along with their keeper Mr Barrett) and getting to know the new children who will be joining us in September. A few weeks ago we enjoyed our first community week - the normal timetable was suspended but lots of useful learning went on. The aims of the week were to give the children a greater understanding and appreciation of the community of which they are a part, to get the children out into the community so that our neighbours could meet and feel proud of the wonderful young people who attend our village school, and to extend the opportunities for the children to contribute positively to the community. The week started with the children delivering questionnaires to the houses in the centre of the village. Many of these questionnaires were returned and the children used them to find out about the wealth of experience and expertise that people living in the village had. Berrynarbor is a beautiful part of the world to live in, the children noticed from the questionnaires that some people had lived in the village all their lives, others had been born here, travelled the world and then returned and others had moved here for a number of different reasons. Some residents of the village came into school to be interviewed by the children and some children went out to meet our neighbours in their homes. Other children visited Lee Lodge and some older children took a turn at helping in the shop. A group of children met Bishop Robert in the village and presented him with a book of prayers that they had written. The children learnt more about the history of the church, some climbed the bell tower and they explored the graveyard and collected information about the families that had lived and died in the village in the past. In this age of social media and 'online friends' we taught the children about social etiquette and courtesy - how to greet someone, how to make eye contact and talk confidently to someone that you are meeting for the first time, how to behave politely in someone else's home, how to show respect to people and property. The children made posters, wrote biographies and newspaper articles and plotted 'village links' on a world map. The week ended with a celebration afternoon when we invited our community to come to school to visit us. The children baked cakes and scones, served tea and coffee, led guided tours of the school and showed their visitors what they had learnt. Watching the children enthusiastically welcome our neighbours to the school and proudly share their work was wonderful and I should like to thank all those who gave their time so generously to meet and speak to the children. The children thoroughly enjoyed the week - the most talked about activity was meeting and talking to our neighbours about their lives and hearing about how life was in the past. Parents have told us that their children went home buzzing about what they had learnt and the teachers and children all agree that we should like to repeat the project next year as there is so much more we should like to do - if you have any suggestions or would like to be involved next time - please get in touch. If you would like to be part of our school and spend time with the children helping with reading, craft work or gardening or simply talking to the children over lunch please get in touch. Safeguarding checks will be made and an induction will be given to volunteers. The children like other adults to share their achievements and support them with their challenges and they benefit hugely from people with the time to take an interest in their lives. Life can be busy for us all but simple conversations and sharing the wisdom of the past can make a real impact on the lives of children today. We should love to work more closely with our community. With a week to go before the end of term, we are still looking forward to our traditional Year 6 water fight on the playground tomorrow after school and the Years 5/6 show in the Manor Hall next week. On Saturday we will enjoy a surprise tea party in the hall to say Thank You to Mrs Lucas for her many years of service to the school. Mrs Lucas, the organiser of many Senior Dudes Meals, Forest School and our much loved and respected Years 5/6 teacher will be retiring at the end of this term. She ends her time at our school on a high with a fantastic set of SAT's results and 'the most responsible group of children' to be taken away on residential. Next week we shall also say thank you and goodbye to Mrs Balment and our Year 6 children Dylan, Anna, William, Lawrence, Alfie, Roker, Ellis, Indianna and Sam. We wish them all success and happiness in the next chapter of their lives. Sue Carey - Headteacher 33  BERRY IN BLOOM & BEST KEPT VILLAGE How lovely the village looks this summer. The warm weather has really brought all the flowers to a peak, both the wild flowers in the hedgerows and gardens and also the hanging baskets and tubs. The Bloomers have been very busy cutting back, weeding and tidying up in readiness for the R.H.S. Britain in Bloom judging on the 9th July. This year is the 50th anniversary of this competition, so keep your fingers crossed that we will get gold. The Sterridge Valley Open Gardens in June were very successful. The Valley was looking lovely and the gardens that opened were too. Many thanks to all the garden owners for their hard work and many thanks to Judie and her helpers for serving up such a lovely tea. Don't forget the Village Gardens are open on the 7th September from 2.00 to 5.00 with teas at The Lodge. Let's hope the weather is fine and we hope you will come along and support us. If you would like to open your garden in September, please give me a call on [01271] 883170. Wendy Applegate 34  Pumpkin, Pineapple and Prune cake I found this recipe in an Australian magazine a guest left behind, hence the cup measurements. Intrigued I tried the recipe out using a mug and weighed the amounts in the cups/mug to make it easier to follow. It makes a nice moist cake and is another variation of vegetables, such as carrots, used to make a cake.
Lemon Glace Icing
Preheat oven to190 Deg C (170 Deg C fan oven). Grease an 8inch/20cm round loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Sift the flours, sugar and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Add the oil and eggs and mix together. Add the pumpkin, pineapple and prunes and stir until well combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly. While still hot, pour 2 dessertspoons of the pineapple syrup over the cake. Leave to cool in the tin for half an hour and then remove from the tin and finish cooling on a wire rack. To ice the cake, sift the icing sugar into a small heatproof bowl, stir in the butter and lemon juice and heat gently by placing the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water until the icing is soft enough to spread. If you need to, add some of the water to loosen it, then cover the cooled cake. 'Nice cake Sheila!' Wendy Applegate 35  NEWS FROM THE GLOBE & SAWMILL INN Entertainment during the School Holidays:
We now have a new menu at The Globe, so come and check it out. Open All Day: Both pubs are open all afternoon during July and August plus The Globe is open for Breakfasts. From Saturday 30th August we shall be back to our Winter opening hours and the Winter fortnightly Quizzes at The Globe recommence Sunday, 7th September. 36 
37
WOOFSTOCK! On Saturday, 27th September, Marwood Hill Gardens will be spending the day fund raising for K9focus. Please give this event your support. During 2012-2013 we managed to rescue over 100 dogs, most of which came to us from Local Authority Dog pounds where they were due to be put to sleep. This simply would not have been possible without YOUR support and thanks to your help, over 400 paws are now happily settled in their own home! 
38 REMEMBERING D DAY This photograph is of John Stewart [2nd left] landing at Ranville, France, to defend Pegasus Bridge. He went in by the third wave of gliders. John was tall but the angle of the camera makes the men look small! 
John, who married my cousin Margaret Gove-Price, was born in West Point, Ireland. His mother was determined he should follow her catholic tradition and join the church. John was having none of it and took himself off and joined the Royal Ulsters at the age of 16 years as a boy soldier. He saw action in China, India and Egypt before D Day. Michael and I visited Ranville some time ago and found the people in the museum there very helpful. Margaret joined the army at 18 and went into Belgium with Montgomery. She was clerically trained and helped establish hospitals for the war injured. A Berrynarbor girl, she and John married after the war and settled in Barnstaple. Lorna Bowden 39 MOVERS AND; SHAKERS - NO. 52 ALFRED RUSSELL PRICE The Teenager who gave future Kaiser Wilhelm a Bloody Nose! 
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - 1902 This month we must congratulate Judie on achieving 25 years of editing our popular newsletter, but my Mover and Shaker goes back even further - exactly one hundred years since Alfie Price became famous! 
Alfie Price Those of you born and bred in these 'ere parts no doubt know all about Alfie, but we incomers hadn't heard of him [in my case] until an article appeared in The Times on 20th April this year "How a Devon beach boy went to war with young Kaiser". I found another article from a day earlier in the Mirror "Did a British Boy who gave Kaiser Bill a bloody nose inadvertently start World War One?" The Journal on 8th May followed with: "The lad who gave the Kaiser a bloody nose". Intrigued, I had to find more and Ilfracombe Museum was the obvious place to get information. They were so helpful and gave me access to private letters and newspaper cuttings, so in brief, here is what happened. Alfie was born at 4 Hillsborough Terrace in 1864. His father, Philip Simpton Price was a local carpenter, and he and his wife Ann later moved to Portsmouth. In 1878, the future Kaiser Wilhelm came to Ilfracombe on holiday, staying at the Ilfracombe Hotel. One day, perhaps out of boredom, he started aiming stones at bathing machines on Rapparee beach. These were leased by Philip Price, and Alfie, in charge of them at the time, saw the youth and shouted at him to stop. The youth squared up to him and shouted, "Do you know who I am?" Alfie later admitted that he did, but wasn't going to let on. "I don't care a dash who you are - stop chucking stones or it will be the worse for you". Prince Wilhelm was renowned to have a vicious temper and was so enraged, he called Alfie a peasant and knocked him down with a rabbit punch. Alfie, although only 15 and smaller than the 19-year old Prince, got up and hit him back. A real punch-up started, won in the end by Alfie who floored the youth, bloodying his nose. At this point, the Prince's tutor stopped the fight and is reported to have given Alfie thirty shillings [about £150 in today's money] to keep his mouth shut about this humiliating scrap. Prince Wilhelm was not pleased. In spite of the hush money, the story soon circulated around the town, but was then forgotten until 1914. By 1916, a poem written by W.H. Coates [a distant relative, and Ilfracombe ironmonger] entitled "Why the Kaiser Hates England - or What Happened at Rapparee" confirmed the story. It must be true. Some years later the author handwrote on the back of a copy of his poem "In conversation with a lady a few years ago - since writing the doggerel - she informed me that in her young days she was bookkeeper at Ilfracombe Hotel and that she remembered the Prince K.B. coming in to the hotel on the memorable morning holding his poor nose." 
The poem was printed in large quantities, sold for charity and sent to the troops to cheer them up. It's a great spoof and you may read it all on Google by putting in "Why the Kaiser Hates England", but here's a bit of it: For what you've done t'mine poor nose Mine word I'll make you pay, I'll build big ships and gurt big guns, Then one day I will come And blow this place t' smithereens And you.......t'kingdom come" After the excitement of his teenage years, Alfie settled down to married life. He firstly married Mary Jane Trentham who was 6 years older than he was and together they ran the Capstone Restaurant. In winter Alfie loved to play 'Don', a card game I've never heard of. He became quite agitated when other players didn't concentrate. This must have caused a few marital upsets. Mary was quite fond of the bottle [whereas Alfie was a strict T.T.] and sometimes fell asleep in the middle of the hand. Alfie was not well pleased! His other great love was at Christmas singing carols [or curls as he called them]. Mary died in 1913. He then married Susan Ley and together they ran a boarding house in Hillsborough Terrace. One letter written by Alf's second cousin remembers visiting Alf at Christmas 1921 with his mother. Alf's first request was for a curl. Alfie died on 31st August 1923 and it is said that on his deathbed he boasted to his friends that his greatest achievement was inflicting a bloody nose on the Kaiser. As for Kaiser Bill, in 1918 he was stripped of his titles and fled to Holland in exile. He failed to persuade Hitler to reinstate the monarchy and died in 1941 aged 82. With hindsight, there may have been another reason why the Kaiser had a grudge against England. Before his birth, his mother, Victoria [but known as Vicky to avoid confusion with her mother, Queen Victoria] was having a difficult time. Queen Victoria sent her own doctor to officiate. During the birth the doctor dislocated the baby's left arm. This wasn't noticed for three days by which time damage had been done and the arm grew 3 inches shorter than the right one, with a hand that was partly paralysed. This was thought to be the reason that the Kaiser always hated the English but perhaps they didn't know about the fracas on Rapparee! Oh and if you want to know more about Alf Price, he will feature in the exhibition at the Museum commemorating the centenary of the start of 'the war to end all wars' coming in August. PP of DC Grateful thanks to Sara Hodson and her team at Ilfracombe Museum 40  OLD BERRYNARBOR - VIEW NO. 150 WWI: Departure of Territorials These two photographic postcards of the Departure of the Territorials from Ilfracombe were taken by Phillipse & Lees, the Ilfracombe Photographers, on the 8th August 1914. They show how virtually the entire population turned out to give the Ilfracombe Territorials, No1 H.B. Devonshire Royal Garrison Artilllery [RGA] a rousing send off. They stopped in the High Street so that the Reverend Johnson of the Parish Church could give his blessing to the five Officers and all the Territorials from the raised embankment opposite Pedlar's.
The proceedings had been opened with an address given by General Williams R.E. of the Indian Army to the soldiers who had received mobilisation only three days before! The mounted Ilfracombe Town Crier, Robert Martin, was in attendance, He lead the procession from the High Street up to Ilfracombe Railway Station, where the Territorials gave assistance in loading their 36 horses into five livestock trucks provided by Southern Railway. The Battery consisted of 5 officers and 125 men, plus 4 guns and wagons. They left Ilfracombe Station at 6.00 p.m. bound for Plymouth and then war. A further 29 horses from Lynton joined them at Barnstaple. The second picture shows how heavy rain started just as they started to march off to the station behind the military band. Tom
BartlettTower
Cottage, July 2014 41 THE RECTORY This postcard of an ivy-clad Rectory is as I remember it as a small child. There is a large glass-house in the garden. The two cottages are Rectory Cottages, now Wild Violets. They are in the area of the original parsonage. The roof in the bottom right must be the old Temperance Hall which was used for social events and meetings before the Manor Hall was built.  There must have been facilities for washing at the Temperance Hall because my great-grandmother and grandmother did the laundry there for the Rev. Churchill's family at the Rectory. In fact the white spots at the bottom of the picture are probably clothes drying on the bushes. Nanny also did the washing for the Collins family at Widmouth House. Dad and Aunty Lorna had to deliver the laundry to Widmouth before going to school on Tuesday morning, whatever the weather! Lorna Bowden 42 BOOK CLUB 
Newcomers
to the village [as well as others] may not be aware of the Village Book Club.
The group meets about every 4 to 6 weeks but for practical reasons - the number
of copies of the book to read
being
available from the library service, the time for each member to express their
pros and cons for each book and meeting in members' homes - the number needs to
be about 15. However, with comings and goings within the village, places
to join the group do occur.
So if you would like to join or have a 'taster'
session or learn more, please do contact Wendy on 883170 43 AT-A-GLANCE DIARY
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