Edition 177 - December 2018

EDITORIAL

We're nearly into December and Christmas is approaching fast. Are you ready or is it time to panic to get the cake and pudding made, and cards and presents organised? Festivities start this Saturday,

1st December, with a Christmas Sparkle flower demonstration, followed by fairs, coffee mornings, nativity walk and carol singing - enjoy!

A warm welcome to all newcomers to the village, we hope you will be happy here in your new homes, and get-well messages to everyone not feeling at their best right now - we hope you'll be feeling better soon.

Sending your Christmas messages to friends and neighbours through the Newsletter remains popular and thanks to the generous donations, the Manor Hall and the Newsletter funds will benefit. Thank you. Thank you, too, to Debbie for the moon-gazing hare enhancing the messages and the delightful red squirrel and robin cover.

Thinking beyond Christmas, the next issue will be February 2019, the year the Newsletter celebrates its 30th birthday! Items for that issue are welcome as soon as possible and by Wednesday, 9th January at the latest. My sincere thanks to all contributors, not only to this issue but throughout the year, and to all readers for your continued support.

My best wishes to you all. Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Judie - Ed

1

NEW BERRYNARBOR VILLAGE WEBSITE

Launched back in April, the new village website can be found at berrynarborvillage.org and replaces the now defunct Berrynarborvillage.co.uk. The website has been jointly funded by the Shop and Manor Hall and is intended to be a focal point of information for both visitors and residents alike. Why not have a have a look to see the sorts of things going on in the shop, the manor hall, and various groups or to find the phone numbers of a local tradesman or business?

Events are kept up to date so you can find out about plays or other village events and the front page will carry details of any urgent updates like the shop being open in the snow etc. We are also adding places of interest in the area so if your visitors are looking for something to do, check it out.

If you run a local activity and want your own page which you can manage, then get in touch via the contact page. Or if you have a business or trade that you want added, then let us know as well.

2

ST. PETER'S CHURCH

Things have moved on a pace from the October edition of the Berrynarbor Newsletter and we have received applications from two candidates for the position of Priest in Charge to serve St. Peter's Berrynarbor, St. Peter's Combe Martin, together with Pip & Jim's, Ilfracombe.

Following their planned visit to all parishes on the 18th October, formal interviews were held on the following day at a neutral venue. Two representatives from each church were allowed to ask questions to the two candidates, along with contributions from the Bishop of Crediton, the Archdeacon of Barnstaple and the Rev John Fisher. Unfortunately, neither of the two candidates was chosen and the post will be re-advertised.

Our Harvest Festival Service was well supported, as was the Harvest Supper. Our grateful thanks must go to our ladies who provided an excellent buffet, the evening rounding off with a fun quiz. The amount raised from the Harvest Service collection and ticket sales from the Supper - after deducting expenses - was £157.00. Following PCC agreement, this was rounded up to £200 which was donated to the Indonesian Disaster Fund.

At this point we must convey our grateful thanks to all who contributed food, in the form of tins, cereals, pasta, biscuits, etc., for the needy, and with a superb effort from Berrynarbor Schoolchildren and parents. All this food was taken to the Ilfracombe Food Bank which is administered by the Salvation Army from their Hall in Ilfracombe. Photographs were taken to record the event and it is hoped that the North Devon Journal will feature this in a future edition. Well done to everyone!

The Remembrance Sunday Service was very well attended and it was particularly poignant that Armistice Day fell on the 11th of the 11th. Rev. George Billington led the service and at the War Memorial for the two minute silence. Ivan Clarke played the Last Post and Reveille on his bugle. How well he played on this tranquil, sunlit, morning, and there was a touching moment when his son, Ben - a pilot in the RAF - stepped forward to place a poppy wreath on behalf of his Squadron. Clare White, representing the Parish Council, read the Lesson and the Choir sang You Raise me Up - the words conveying both hope and calm. The collection of £200 will be donated to The Royal British Legion.

Christmas is just around the corner and once again we look forward to a full church on Wednesday, 19th December, for our annual Carol Service. The little ones will once again be performing their Nativity Play with songs and carols from 5.45 p.m., the main service commencing promptly at 6.30 p.m.

We look forward to additional contributions from the older children, under the direction of Christina Barrow, plus the Berrynarbor Choir under the direction of Graham Lucas.

We have not received any formal request to take on the position of Organist, and can only hope that someone comes forward to take on this important role. Once again, please contact me, Stuart Neale, on 01271-883893 if you, or you know of someone who is willing to help us out, even on a part time basis!

For those interested in joining our Choir, please contact Graham Lucas on 01271-883847, or just come along to our Monday evening Choir practice in the church at 7.30 p.m. and enjoy a sing-along!

Following our search for the position of PCC Secretary, temporarily undertaken by Sue Neale, we are very pleased to announce that Alison Sharples will take on this important role come the New Year.

As we approach Christmas, we think and pray for those who are unwell in our parish.

December Church Services will be as follows:

• Sundays at 11.00 a.m.
  • 2nd December: Village Service
  • 9th December: Holy Communion
  • 16th December: Songs of Praise
• Wednesday 19th December Carol Service 5.45 p.m. Toddlers Main Service 6.30 p.m.
• Sunday at 11.00 a.m. 23rd December: Holy Communion
• Monday at 9.30 p.m. 24th December: Christmas Eve, Holy Communion
• Tuesday at 11.00 a.m. 25th December: Christmas Day, short Family Service
• Sunday at 11.00 a.m. 30th December: Joint Service at Berrynarbor

Please Note: There will be no Friendship Lunch in December

All Church Services commence at 11.00 a.m. and are as follows:

• 1st Sunday: Village Service
• 2nd Sunday: Holy Communion
• 3rd Sunday: Songs of Praise
• 4th Sunday: Holy Communion

Friendship Lunch will be held on the last Wednesday of the month at The Globe at 12.30 p.m.

Finally, from everyone at St. Peter's Church, we send our very best wishes to you all for a very Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year.

Stuart Neale

3

TO THE
UNFADING MEMORY OF
OUR FALLEN WHO DIED FOR US
1914 - 1918

• ALBERT TRUMP - Private 1st Btn. Devonshire Regiment. Died 30th November 1916, age 30. Son of Sarah and George Trump, husband of Caroline. Buried Baghdad War Cemetery, Iraq

• ARTHUR JOHN SNELL MM [Military Medal] - Private 7th Btn. Bedfordshire Regiment. Son of Joseph and Mary Jane Snell of Berrynarbor. Died of wounds 12th July 1917, age 39. Buried Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

• ALBERT LATHAM - Private 10th Btn. Royal Welch Fusiliers. Killed in action 26th September 1917, age 20. Son of Thomas & Eliza Latham of Henton Hill, Berrynarbor. Buried Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, Belgium.

• SAMUEL TRUMP - Private 9th Btn. The Devonshire Regiment. Killed in action 26th October 1917. B.E.F. France.

• WILLIAM HUXTABLE - Corporal 7th Btn. South Wales Borderers, son of John & Alma Huxtable of cock Hill, Berrynarbor. Died of wounds 8th February 1918, age 24. Buried Sarigol Military Cemetery, Greece

• SIDNEY W. TOMS - Private [Drummer], 13th Btn. Welsh Regiment. Son of John & Mary Toms of Berrynarbor, died 31st October 1918, age 23. Buried Etaples Military Cemetery, France.

• ALBERT [BERT] J. SNELL - Mechanical Supplies Company, Field Artillery, American Expeditionary Force, France. Died of wounds 31st December 1918.

• HERBERT E. RICHARDS - Searchlight Company, Royal Engineers. Bazra, Mesopatamia 1917. Died of wounds 10th January 1919.

4

WEATHER OR NOT

Two months soon go by and I am again reporting on ex-hurricane Helene, which was on the way when I wrote my last report. This was not a great event which started to have an effect on our weather on the 18th September with winds gusting at 40 mph, only a small amount of rain and temperatures not altering much. This was followed on the 19th by storm Ali, which tracked over Scotland producing winds up to 42mph here in the Valley, but only 2.6mm of rain. Then we had Bronagh on the 20th which tracked over central England. This produced winds up to 36mph and a massive 40.8mm of rain, the pressure fell to 996.7mbars. at 2200hrs. By the 24th, it was reading 1040.4mbrs. which was high for the time of year. Overall the rain fall was 84.6mm for September with a maximum high of 24.2℃ on the 2nd and the lowest on 25th at 3.3℃. Sunshine hours for the month were low at 102.54, the highest on my record for September is 170.29 in 2014.

October has seen a mixed bag of weather but overall, I should say, a reasonable month. The highest temperature of 23℃ on the 10th was above the normal and -1.3℃ was only surpassed by 1997 at -2.0℃. Rainfall for the month was 58.8mm [last year 58.4] which is low for October. The wettest day was the 12th at 13.6mm with a total for the year standing at 707.6mm. Highest wind speed was on the 13th from the SSW at 47mph. Sunshine hours were 83.45 which is towards the highest for October.

I have been asked how I collate my weather records and how I became involved in the first place. I started taking an interest when I lived in Leamington Spa during the hard winter of 1962/63. In late December '62, we had a large snow fall during the Christmas holiday and by the time we went into '63, the weather showed no sign of improvement. I was in my mid-teens and started making notes of the weather on a 1963 calendar - maximum and minimum temperatures, a brief summary of each day's weather and wind direction from the weather vane on our house. This carried on for many years with more information being added.

I recall one birthday being given an aneroid barometer. I also had a wet and dry bulb thermometer which I found in the garden shed. [If you would like to know about this, I suggest you look on the internet.] I also noted cloud cover each morning.

This continued until I moved into Berrynarbor, when for a time I did not keep records as I had no equipment down here. In September 1980, my parents moved into the village and I moved back from the caravan park to live with them. So, the barometer and thermometer were brought back into use.

 

Part of the garden in 1963

In 1988 I married Sue and we moved to the Sterridge Valley where the records continued. During the following years I purchased a barograph and later a thermograph. These improved my records and in 1994 I purchased an American Davis weather station, which gave me rainfall, wind speed, direction and chill factor, maximum and minimum temperatures, greatly enhancing my records for many years. In 2002, I began to be given the sunshine hours.

In mid-2016, the station started to give problems and I invested in a new Davis weather station which is linked to my computer. This saves a lot of writing up daily records.

I'll continue this story, giving you details of what information is held in the next Newsletter.

As the next issue will not be out until 2019, I should like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous and Healthy New Year.

Simon

5

IN MEMORIAM

JOHN GALE

John died on the 24th October, aged 93, in his beloved Watermouth home surrounded by the love of his family and carers.

John moved to Ilfracombe in 1964, a pioneer in education, he came to establish the first ever purpose-built comprehensive school in the country. Ilfracombe Community College was opened in 1973. John and his wife Pat, were passionate about the community and promoted and served its interest through their long lives.

It was with much sadness we learnt that John had passed away and our thoughts are with his daughters, Patricia and Elizabeth, and all his family.

REMMBERING KATH
 
A personal Tribute from the Family,
especially for her Grandchildren and Great-grandchildren
given at the Thanksgiving Service by John

Well, it falls to me to tell you a little about the life of Kath or Granny to a lot of you. Well, Granny Noodle to many of us, or Granny Bumble to some of you. Noodle was a nickname given her by her girls' father, Don.

Bumble was the name of a sheep which Jill brought home as a lamb the owners were going to put down because its front leg was a bit deformed and bent, so the lamb walked on three legs. Don said he could fix that and strapped its leg inside the hollowed-out stem of a sprout plant. The lamb lived and became known as Bumble, and was eventually given by Jill to her mother here in Berrynarbor. Carol's children then knew Kath as Granny Bumble because of this crazy Jacob sheep.

Margaret Kathleen Herbert was born on the 2nd January 1923, at Hedgeland Farm, Cadbury, near Exeter. It was a mixed farm, using shire horses and with no mains water, electricity or gas. Cider was made and apples, cream, butter and eggs were sold. Good times were had but hard work was the norm.

Kath and her brothers started school at Cadbury but were later transferred to Cheriton Fitzpayne which involved a bus ride. She was highly competitive and states that at school she was captain of hockey and netball. She also played cricket with the boys and was a better bowler than most in the area and held the records for running, high jump and long jump. She felt it was a tragedy that she couldn't take up the place offered to her at Crediton High School - there was no transport, she didn't have a bike and so she had to work on the farm.

She eventually got herself a bike after she joined Bickleigh YFC where she entered the young bull that she had reared from a calf for the competition. She came second and sold her prize-winning bull for £19, spending £6.10 shillings on buying the bike which gave her freedom. This freedom meant she could go to ballroom dancing classes with Don and they were very good dancers, embracing any new dance that came along.

In 1939 the Herbert family moved to East Ruckham Farm, Cruwys Morchard, near Tiverton. The distance between the two farms was about 8 miles and all animals were walked from Hedgeland to East Ruckham. Kathy looked after the pigs but also reared rabbits and used the funds for her bottom drawer. For you, younger ones, the bottom drawer has been replaced by The Wedding List!

Kath states that girls had to work outside on the farm all day but that the boys never helped with the housework! This meant she worked alongside her brothers in the field and then had to serve them their meals at lunch and dinner times. This certainly fuelled her feelings towards men in later life regarding equality.

Kath married Donald Arscott in April 1944, and they spent some years living at Cadbury before moving to Crandle Farm, Cruwys Morchard. At first they were tenant farmers, but later they were able to buy the farm. Kathy did all the milking to save money on employment. During this time they set up the Cruwys Morchard Young Farmers Club which certainly helped her three daughters' social life!

Kath's love of animals always persisted and this meant that you looked after them first, each day, before yourself.

My first memories of Kath were before we even met. My father and I had to raise a mortgage to buy Crandle Farm and did so by applying to the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation in Taunton. The valuer duly visited the farm and we then attended a meeting with him in Taunton to hear the result. He said there was no problem with borrowing the money and that he had valued the farm at what we were being asked to pay for it. But, in addition to that - he was a bit of a lad I think! - he told us he had valued the farmer's wife. He said that she was a cracker and she had a lovely daughter, which turned out to be true, and the lovely daughter was Jill who became my wife.

I remember when we moved in Kath was highly amused when she learned that we kept our dog in the house. "Very Townie," she said. She had never allowed a dog in the house, they were supposed to stay outside. She certainly changed a lot over the years with Barney sharing every meal with her and sleeping in her bedroom!

Kathy and Don then moved to West Ruckham, where they built a new homestead and buildings. On the sale of this farm in 1980, they moved to Berrynarbor, where they kept sheep and had some holiday bungalows at Woolacombe.

Carol says that the joyous and abiding memory she is left with, is a love of wildlife and flowers. This, no doubt, accounts for Carol never feeling happier than when she is in the garden.

Kathy loved colour. She could never understand the saying, 'blue and green should never be seen'. "What about bluebells?" she would say. The colours adorning her coffin are what she wanted. We have all been most impressed by her use of colour in her weaving and when we opened her wardrobes, the vibrant colours were amazing, hence the thought that all could wear some colour today.

Kath could see a picture and was a very good photographer and gave many slide shows of her varied and extensive travels. She was a beautiful sewer, a skill learnt from her mother, a seamstress. Her girls always had a dress in the latest fashion even if she cut up one of her own dresses to make it.

She started spinning and weaving with Don when they came to Berrynarbor 38 years ago. They were founder members of the North Devon Spinners, and I'm delighted that the group still thrives. Kath was the President to the end and loved going to the meetings. She told us recently when she was really ill, how much she missed it. The drape on her coffin is the very first piece of weaving she did and it was Kathy's request that it be used today.

Kath loved cooking and a pavlova was her signature dish. Don made a special wooden platter for it. She was still making her own bread up to a few months ago and always made me cake whenever I visited, insisting I took most of it home as she scolded Jill for not making cakes!

Her verve for life gave her the need to travel, inherited from her homesteader father. First with Don, overland to Australia and there are really not many countries Kath has not visited including some of the most dangerous and some you can't visit now. She was truly a courageous traveler, quite often as a single woman. When asked about her latest holiday she would reply it wasn't a holiday it was an expedition.

One of Donna's cherished memories is accompanying her mother in 2005 to Saskatchewan, Canada, to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Homesteaders, Kath's father being one of them. They were invited to stay with friends in the town of Windhorst, which hosted the three-day event, with time to visit the site of the homestead. In her diary, Kath said she felt the journey was very rewarding and well worth the effort and that she still wondered about the journey her mother and father made, how many days they must have been in the horse drawn wagon, and her mother, Rainy, would have had her wedding presents with her and many memories of the country and family she had left.

After Don's death, Kath met Trevor, who also liked to travel. They belonged to the Rioja Club, which involved some interesting weekends!

When she was over 80, I managed to fulfil another of Kathy's ambitions. to ride pillion on a large motorbike around the streets of Brussels dressed in full leather gear- which for some reason she called rubber!

More recently, in August of last year, Donna and Kath drove around Exmoor and managed to tick all the boxes. The heather was gloriously in bloom, the weather was fine, they enjoyed a picnic lunch at one of Kath's favourite places, namely Horners Wood, followed by spotting deer resting up on the hill. And the icing on the cake was that Kath was able to hold a conversation with one of her favourite animals - a Highland cow!

I should like to thank those of you in the village who continued to visit Kath until she died. We all appreciate that, and thank you Judie for taking Barney for so many walks and for giving Kath her daily medication - Baileys in her morning coffee!

We asked her grandchildren for any special memories, these are a few of them:

Holly remembers them playing in the woods and granny clanging saucepan lids together to call them in. Coralie feels she gave her the thought that girls can do anything - Girl Power long before the Spice Girls.

Yan remembers granny getting him to help in the garden when he used to stay at weekends. He very soon got blisters on his hands and went to show her, I suspect expecting to get out of the work. But Kath just said, "Oh, that's nothing, just spit on them and get on with it."

Ian says: Gran was such a strong, witty and inspiring person and he likes to think that his love of great food, wine and travel comes from her! He says, "Our visits to Berrynarbor will never seem the same again."

I don't know whether you have heard the Simon Mayo drivetime confessions on BBC radio, but this is Ian's confession!

"Many years ago, on a fine summer's day when grandad was still alive, Barn Cottage lost its electricity supply, as did the rest of the Sterridge Valley, the entire village and large parts of Combe Martin!  I suppose that it is safe to admit to this now. It was Yan and I who were the cause. Whilst playing with an air-gun in the apple orchard, we shot at one of the insulators which exploded causing a dead short on the 11,000 volt overhead supply line with the consequent loss of power in the region. I am sure in the circumstances, you will now forgive us Gran!"

I will leave you with a final thought from Carol. "Mother, together with her love of dogs, was still a farmer at heart. Please note - a farmer. It would have been a very brave person indeed to have called her a farmer's wife. I believe a few foolish people did!"

. . . and lastly, the other day we found hand written on the outside of an envelope which contained a lot of her papers, "Make sure you give me a jolly good send off!"

God bless you Kath, go well.

6

NEWS FROM BERRYNARBOR PRE-SCHOOL

We have been very busy settling in all our new children and forming new friendships with the children and their families.

The children have enjoyed this autumn term, learning about the changes in the season, seen how busy the farmers have been and also watched the School celebrate their Harvest Festival in the church.

To introduce our new topic, the children have been using their senses to explore taste, sight, smell, hearing and touch. We have been active in making pumpkin soup, bread and festive biscuits and have read many books and brought stories to life in role play, puppets and in our creative displays.

 

 

Due to the good autumn weather, we were able to take the children out and around the village, exploring the environment as well as see where we live, work and play. Outside, the children have swept up autumn leaves, collected seeds from our wild flower garden and helped plant bulbs in the planters in front of the Manor Hall with the Berry in Bloom team.

Finally, we are planning to celebrate Christmas with a Coffee, Cake and Carols morning. The children will be singing a few festive songs for their families and friends and we welcome members of the community to join us in our little celebration. This will take place in the Manor Hall on Friday, 14th December at 10.00 a.m. with the Toddler Group. There will be various activities, such as a raffle, getting creative and decorating a spiced biscuits, as well as having fun in a few party games. There are also rumours that Father Christmas might visit as well!

Our New Committee

We held our AGM on 1st October. Ben and Natalie Heath and Dian Norman have now stepped down from their positions, and we wish to thank them for all their voluntary work and contributions in supporting and running the Pre-School.

Kirsty Kritikos has taken on the role of Chairperson, Tina Barbeary as Treasurer and Laura Maughan as Secretary. We welcome them and look forward to working with them and the rest of the Committee to ensure that our unique and much-loved Pre-School continue to run and provide the happy child-care that the children enjoy so much.

Fundraising

Used ink cartridges We sent off all the use ink cartridges that have been brought to us and received a cheque for £19. Please continue to drop off your used ink cartridges and help us recycle and raise funds at the same time.

Bags2School In October we had our Bags2School collection and are very grateful to all who supported this clothes recycling fundraising event. We are pleased to announce that we raised £96 which will go towards new resources for the children

Quiz Our next fundraising event is our Pub Quiz which is very popular and great fun.

Thank you for all your support and we should like to wish you all a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From the Pre-School Committee, Children and Staff

7

Berrynarbor Manor Hall
Wednesdays, 9.00 a.m.
PILATES

The perfect all-round body exercise class, for all ages and abilities. Specialising in spine, shoulder, neck and knee concerns. We deal with all balance issues and work very much on the abdominal core area. Most of our work takes place on the floor or a chair. All equipment supplied. Wear loose fitting clothing for this fun class. Just bring a bottle of water if you wish.

Other classes at Combe Martin Community Centre on Tuesdays at 9.30 a.m., Bratton Fleming Village Hall on Mondays at 7.00 p.m. or at my studio near Barnstaple for remedial or 'one-to-one or small group sessions.

Any queries telephone: [01271] 343944
mobile: 07934624994

8

CHRISTMAS AT OUR VILLAGE SHOP

There is so much going on at our Village Shop as we enter the final run up to Christmas. We have three wonderful prizes to win in our festive raffle draw, Berrynarbor themed cards, local produce gift sets [which we can post for you] and a host of special seasonal offers.

This year, three wonderful raffle prizes - a Christmas Cheese and Wine Hamper; a Curry Kit Hamper, perfect for those left-overs; and a Boxed Fizz and Chocolates Treat. Tickets are only a £1 so make sure you get yours soon. The draw will take place on Friday, 21st December.

Our ever-popular order forms are now available for all your Christmas meat, vegetable and dairy orders. Orders will be ready for collection from Saturday, 22nd December. Because the Bank Holiday falls on the Tuesday and Wednesday, the Shop will close at mid-day on Monday 24th December and re-open on Friday 28th.

The Shop Management, Volunteers and Committee thank all our customers for your loyalty in 2018 and look forward to seeing you again soon.

Could you give just half a day a week or a fortnight of your time to the Village Shop? The shop is looking to recruit a number of new volunteers. It's a great way to support this most important community-owned village service; to meet new people; welcome visitors and work with our dedicated team. Just call in and ask. We will be delighted to see 'U'!

9

CROSSWORD CORNER
Dave Beagley

 

Solution in Article 27.

10

BERRYNARNOR WINE CIRCLE

My nose itched, and I knew I should drink wine or kiss a fool.
Jonathan Swift

Our timetable for 2018-2019 was signed and sealed in August, and, therefore, to re-plan our first event in October wasn't expected, but Tony Summer's early October e-mail telling of a disaster, was a bolt from the blue, particularly as he was enjoying Spanish sunshine! Our Roscoff-based presenter, Chris Bullimore, had to extricate himself, yet again, this time due to a forthcoming house move.

Geoff and I took pity on Tony, put brains into gear, collected some wines and presented A Lot to Yapp About. As family members live in Sussex, we use the A303 on a regular basis. Some years ago, heading homewards, we spotted an elderly blue Citroen van promoting Yapp Bros Wines at Mere. We assumed that this was a new business, but didn't forget the van with its innovative and memorable advertising.

Helpful staff at Yapp's told us that this isn't a new business, far from it; they've been going for 49 years. Sadly, that lovely old van was severely vandalized. The family removed it from the roadside, had it repaired and sold it, for £10,000. Thanks to a lorry driver's dash cam, the culprits were traced and charged: a positive result thanks to modern technology!

Yapp Bros was started by Robin Yapp, dentist, now retired, who encountered the good stuff' when working as a Scarborough waiter. Having moved from Yorkshire to Wiltshire, he set up the Mere business in 1969. This award-winning wine merchant specialises in French wines. Indeed, the London Evening Standard described them as 'probably the UK's leading specialist in French regional wines, especially from the Rhone and the Loire valleys', but their stock now includes Spanish and German; however, we chose six French examples.

Some thought that all wines were good, even excellent; however, it was surprising to see that some caused considerable controversy. One white and one red, particularly, caused pleasure and smiles for some members, but others tipped them away, gave them to their neighbours or were drunk with grimaces as if they were prescribed unpleasant medicine!

Our first wine was described by Yapps as a bone-dry white wine. It was a Muscadet, and, like all wines, is personal preference; it was dry and pale. Yapp's Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Sûr Lie: Domaine de la Mortaine 2017 was controversial. Those that liked it thought it would make a great aperitif or an accompaniment with oysters, mussels or fruits de mer. Unfortunately, our budget doesn't extend to fancy fish; I'm sure it would have made a difference, but so be it. It was 12% and £10.95.

St Pourçain, Cuvée Printaniere Blanc 2017, Union des Vignerons is a 12.5% wine, and was also £10.95. The ABC brigade, Anything but Chardonnay, were reminded that these weren't all the same. Many don't like anything to do with Chardonnay, but this was 80% Chardonnay with 20% of Tresallier. This addition is a Loire curio, but it made a great deal of difference and was enjoyed by many.

The final white, also 12.5%, was a Chenin Blanc, from Chinon, a town in Touraine. Only 2% of Chinon wines are white; this rarity was from the vineyard of Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault. Unsurprisingly perhaps, this was our dearest wine of the night at £14.75. Interestingly, even though the previous white was a Chardonnay, many thought that this was better than the Chinon, suggesting that price does not mean that it's a foregone conclusion that everybody will like it!

A Gamay from the Ardeche, in the south of France, was our first red. It was a Vin de Pays, Vignerons Ardèchois, another 12.5%, but only £9.95. It was produced between Valence and Vienne, in the heart of the southern Rhone. Yapps stated that it would drink well lightly-chilled in the summer. Well, it was October, it wasn't chilled, but its pale red hue suggested that it couldn't possibly be a full-bodied red. It wasn't. It was pleasant drinking and I could believe that it would have been good in the summer, as a chilled aperitif.

Both of the red wines that followed were £11.95, but the first was 14%, and, perhaps, should have been drunk as our finalé. It was our oldest wine, 2013, Saint Chinian from the Château Milhau-Lacugue Cuvée Magali. It was a blend of equal volumes of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. The château was a medieval resting place for pilgrims en route to St Jacques de Compostela and if you know Puisserguier, near Beziers, you may have seen this large south-facing vineyard. The Chinian would be good with Toulouse sausages or a course pâté de compagne. Jean Lacugue's wines also make their way to the tables at Michel Roux Jr's Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Gavroche, so perhaps it wasn't surprising that many members thought this wine should be sampled again and again!

As Yapps are a Rhône specialist, we were treated to their flagship Côtes du Rhône. Trescartes 2015, St Gayan is a mix of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre. Jean-Pierre Meffre is based in Gigondas and the Meffre family have been wine-making since the 17th C. His father was instrumental in winning the Appellation Contrôllée status for Gigondas in 1971 and changing the law regarding the percentage of Grenache, which was raised from 65% to 85% in 1985. Jean-Pierre has an impeccable track record and, is regarded as being one of the commune's finest estates.

It is always good to have the opportunity to taste, to have the opportunity to sample food and drink from around the world, particularly if you can do this in the comfort of your own village. It is always interesting to see that taste and approval, is, most definitely, personal choice.

Judith Adam - Promotional Co-ordinator & Secretary

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First of all, we must apologise to all our user groups who have unfortunately been experiencing teething problems with our new heating system. At the time of writing we have had frustrating meter installation delays resulting in us not being able to use all the heaters. This should now be resolved and we shall have set the daily time and temperature needs appropriate for the group using the hall. There will also be instructions by the thermostat.

You may also notice that there is now heating in the Bassett Room and toilets which hopefully will help with damp and cold issue that this area has suffered with for many years. Please note that chairs must not be stored directly in front of the wall heater in this room as it will get hot, we are awaiting a cage to go over it.

A big thank you to Martin who has spent many an hour at the hall dealing with all of this.

New security lights have now been installed outside the porch and on the corner of the Penn Curzon room making it safer for evening time users.

Our Auction of Promises Evening on Saturday the 10th November was a great success and an excellent £1500 was raised. We should like to say a very big thank you to all the individuals and businesses who gave so generously and, of course, to all the magnanimous bidders and winners. Thank you, too, to Tony who did a great job as our Auctioneer and Phil who kindly provided us with music.

On Saturday the 15th December, between 10.00 a.m. 12.00 mid-day, we'll be holding another Christmas Coffee Morning at the Hall and once again we'll be welcoming Joseph, the donkey, for a pat. Please come along and enjoy a hot drink [or something stronger!] with a slice of cake or mince pie.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Julia Fairchild - Chairman

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BERRY IN BLOOM & BEST KEPT VILLAGE

GOLD for Berry in Bloom

Wednesday 11th July was judging day for Berrynarbor in Bloom and we got the results on October 4th at the presentation in Yeovil. We were thrilled to get a GOLD once again.

The judges arrived in lovely weather and we had just two hours to show them our beautiful village. We started in the car park and met the volunteers in the shop and talked about the 10th Anniversary of our Community Shop. They liked the transformation of the old red telephone box in to an information centre. From there we travelled by car up Barton lane stopping to admire and talk about the new village signs and the lovely wall that Chris has made that the In Bloom team have planted. Then down to the Sawmills to see their lovely flower display and on to Storm in a Teacup boat café and our pretty harbour. No time for a cup of tea sadly but they did say what a magnificent addition it is for locals and holiday makers alike. Then a quick trip up the Sterridge Valley and back to the car park where they continued the visit on foot around the middle of the village with a visit to the Pre-school where the children were very keen to tell them about their garden, They finished their tour at The Globe where Ann and her team from Jigsaw had helped to tidy and plant up the garden, a big job on a very hot day. Finally, they stopped for a cuppa and slice of lemon drizzle and a chat with some of the Berry in Bloom team and some of the clients from Jigsaw. All in all, they were pleased enough to give us the highest award, a GOLD! Thank you everyone.

On Friday 2nd November, in conjunction with Beaford Arts, we held a light-hearted talk and supper evening.  Mic Riggulsford talked about the Charter of the Forest [ancient laws and commoner rights] this proved to be a bit wacky, very informative and good fun. A jacket potato and pudding supper followed and we raised £430.00.  Thanks to Beaford Arts and all the cooks in the kitchen. 

A date for your diaries - Saturday, 26th January

This will be the annual Berry in Bloom Quiz with cottage pie supper and Phil as Quiz Master again. Hope to see you all there.

Wendy Applegate

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Lemon Meringue Showstopper

For Christmas I want something zesty and fresh but easy that I can make ahead. This cake would be great as a Christmas dessert showstopper. Make the sponge 1 month ahead and freeze, make the meringue 2 weeks ahead and freeze, make the curd 2 weeks ahead.

You will need a pint of cream on the day you assemble the cake

Make the sponge 1 month ahead

Grease and line 2 x 8 inch sandwich tins. Set the oven to 180/gas 4. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time with a spoonful of flour in between eggs to stop curdling. Add the zest of the lemons and then gently fold in the remaining flour. Divide between the 2 tins, level the tops and bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and coming away from the sides. Mix the juice of the lemon with

the sugar and pour over the 2 sponges while in the tins. When cold wrap in cling film and freeze.

Make the meringue 2 weeks ahead

Set the oven at 125/gas1. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment and draw a circle the same size as the cake tins. Whisk the egg whites in a very clean, grease free bowl. When they are stiff enough to hold a firm peak, gradually whisk in the sugar, spoon by spoon. Using roughly 1/4 of the meringue, pipe or spoon 8 small individual meringues on the parchment but not too near to the circles. Using the remaining meringue,
form 2 circles on the baking parchment trying to keep within the circles. Bake for 1 hour then turn the oven down to its lowest setting and bake for a further 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the oven with the door ajar. When cool wrap everything in cling film and freeze.

Make the lemon curd 2 weeks ahead

Gently heat together the butter, sugar and lemon juice and zest in a bowl over a saucepan set over simmering water. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted but do not allow the bowl to touch the water. Remove from the heat. Beat together the eggs and yolk in a separate bowl.

Slowly whisk the melted butter mixture in to the eggs. Set the bowl back over the simmering water and whisk constantly for 2-4 minutes until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Sieve the mixture in to a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave to cool. Store in the fridge for 2 weeks. You will probably have some curd left over but it's lovely on toast.

The day or morning before the party, defrost the cakes and meringues.

Assemble your showstopper

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Make sure the cakes are level - trim if necessary. Place 1 cake on a pretty plate and top with lemon curd and cream. Place 1 circle of meringue on top. Add more cream and big blobs of lemon curd. Repeat with the 2nd cake and the 2nd meringue.

Decorate the last meringue with swirls of cream and lemon curd and finally place the mini meringues around the top. I like to drizzle melted chocolate over the top in a random design. This will keep for a day but any longer and the meringue will lose its crunch.

P.S. I have made this with M&S lemon curd or National Trust passion fruit curd but don't tell anyone! Happy Christmas baking.

Wendy Applegate

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NEWS FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL

It has been a very busy term so far with lots to look forward to. The Schools have been thinking about our new adopted values and how we can relate these to Bible stories in Art and RE Week. The finished stories will be on display in the School along with a display of our values and new logo.

Some of the art work also ended up in the Pannier Market in Barnstaple as part of a wreath making competition, with our new strap line Streams today, Oceans tomorrow. Look out for it on the roof of the Pannier Market. The wreaths are 2m by 2m and will be suspended above the ceiling using chains. The fish were made by Pine Class and Oak Class, and over 100 baubles were used to decorate it.

We have launched a new programme to help the children to learn how to maintain good mental health. We are running a training session for parents and any interested adults on 22nd January, 6.30pm in The Globe. You do not have to have a child in school to join us.

Christmas preparations are underway and we are looking forward to our annual Walking Nativity on December 14th from 6.00 p.m. Come and join us as we tell the story of Christmas whilst walking through the village, returning to The Globe for the musical finale.

Please help our School whilst shopping at Tesco in Ilfracombe, we are entered for the Bags of Help competition, which is running through November and December. We desperately need funds to help with our playground renovations. As a school, Berrynarbor could win up to £4000 which could transform the outdoor space for all our children. Make sure you pop the token in the section for Berrynarbor School.

Please join us for our annual Christmas Fair at the Manor Hall on Tuesday 4th December. Pop along for a raffle ticket, Christmas cupcakes and lots more!

Don't forget to sign your name up for the Senior Dudes meal on the sheet in the Village Shop. The 6th December, for a four-course meal, prepared, cooked and served by the children in Alder Class in the Manor Hall. A treat not to be missed!

From all at West Berry Federation, we wish you a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Berrynarbor's Dylan Bacon who has been selected to play for the Devon Under 16 Football Squad 2018-19. Dylan regularly plays for the Braunton U16 football team where he is Captain.

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CHECK THAT FIRE!

For those who burn garden rubbish, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society ask you to:

Check bonfire carefully for sleeping hedgehogs before lighting.

If possible, the entire pile should be re-sited before being lit. Use broom handles to lift from the base of the pile and shine torches, looking and listening carefully for any signs of life.

Thank you.

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BTO TAWNY OWL SURVEY

Are you interested in tawny owls? Does standing outside, after dark, for 20 minutes once a week until the end of March, looking up at the sky and listening for owls appeal to you?

The British Trust for Ornithology is currently running a tawny owl survey; a follow up to one they conducted in 2005/6.

To participate you record the date and time; the amount of cloud cover and whether you hear male owls hooting and/or female owls kee-wicking.

For more information: www.bto.org/owl

Susie

 

Tawny Owl
©caroline legg, CC BY 2.0
via Wikimedia Commons

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CROSSWORD ANSWERS

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FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL

The Parish Council has recently received a presentation from the company Airband, which is providing Government sponsored broadband and connecting rural communities.   The service requires line of sight and up to 130 houses can be serviced by one pole. Phase one has been completed with phase two due for completion by the end of January 2019, which includes 18 postcodes in the area.

At the recent Parish Council meeting, concerns about the consultation process and timeframe for responding to planning applications were raised.  The Parish Council is a statutory consultee and as such is given 21 days from notification to respond to a planning application.  If the Council meeting falls outside this time, then an extension to the consultation period is always requested from the Planning Officer.  Where possible the Planning Officer will agree to an extension; however, sometimes it is not possible to grant an extension due to the determination period of a planning application.

The festive season is fast approaching and the Parish Council will be erecting the Christmas lights in the centre of the village shortly, along with additional lighting for the bus shelter, as we look forward to the festive celebrations.

Vicki Woodhouse - Parish Clerk

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LOCAL WALK - 171

'Ireland's first woman politician': The Ilfracombe Connection

Our walk takes us to the churchyard of Holy Trinity in Ilfracombe and an unusual event that took place there in September.

 

Anna Parnell c1878
Henry O'Shea of Limerick
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In his speech that day, the Irish Ambassador to London, Adrian O'Neill said that although Anna Parnell had been a major figure in Irish history, campaigning for land reform at a time of great poverty and injustice, like other women her contribution had until recently been overlooked.

He said, "It's wonderful to see here in Ilfracombe that she is still being remembered and honoured 107 years after her death."

In the 1880's in Ireland, she had organised the Ladies' Land League to assist the tenants in rural areas who were being turned off the land and left homeless and destitute.

So successful were the women in the practical help they gave, that her more famous brother, Charles Stewart Parnell wanted the league to be disbanded and for the men to take over.

This led to a disagreement between brother and sister; Anna moved to England and eventually settled at Avenue Road in Ilfracombe, using the name Cerisa Palmer.

Anna was a keen swimmer, and on the 20th September,1911 she went to bathe at the Tunnels Beaches. She had been warned that conditions that day were not ideal and unfortunately. she drowned. There was a rescue and attempts to save her life but these failed and she was buried at Holy Trinity.

Mary McAleese, a former President of Ireland, has called Anna Parnell 'Ireland's first woman politician and in 1881 Anna herself said, 'Perhaps when we are dead and gone and another generation grown up ... they will point to us as having set a noble example to all the women of Ireland.'

As you walk about the churchyard, and make your way to Anna's grave in a far corner, you may notice the variety of herbs and wild flowers growing informally. A group of dedicated volunteers takes care of the churchyard and their work was commended by the visitors from Ireland.

A visit would not be complete without entering the church to admire what is considered one of the finest wagon roofs in the west country, dating from the 15th century. Take time to sit in a pew and gaze up at the richly carved bosses, corbels, gargoyles and figures of angels. There's a lot to see. But the last word goes to Anna Parnell who said, 'The best part of independence - the independence of the mind.'

Ilustrations by: Paul Swailes

Sue H

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS - NO. 78

SIR HENRY COLE
[15th July 1808 - 18th April 1882]

Inventor, first Director of the V & A Museum and father of the Christmas Card

 

Sir Henry ColeSir Henry Cole
by Lock & Whitfield
published by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington
woodburytype, published 1877
NPG Ax17532

© National Portrait Gallery, London
Licenced under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Just to read of the accomplishments of this man's long career is tiring! Sir Henry Cole was born in Bath, the son of an army officer, Captain Henry Robert Cole, and his wife, Laetitia. Henry junior was educated in London and started work at the age of fifteen in the public records office where he wrote pamphlets that led to establishing the General Records Office. From then on, he emerged as a man of many talents. By 1837, as assistant to Rowland Hill, he played a key role in developing the Penny Post and is sometimes credited with designing the Penny Black, the first self-adhesive postage stamp. Always interested in art and industrial design, he was involved amongst other things in developing the railway system and the building of the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall. Under the presidency of Prince Albert, the success of the 1851 Great Exhibition was partially due to his astute management. Thus, he gained the confidence of the Prince, who when he wanted a backing for one of his pet projects was heard to say, "We must have steam - get Cole!"

In 1857 Henry founded the South Kensington Museum and became its Director. By 1899 it was renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum. In his spare time, and fancying himself as a writer, he edited and published various newspapers on art and design.

 

Henry Cole Tea Service, designed 1846
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

As if that wasn't enough, on a personal note, and under the pseudonym of Felix Summerly, he wrote children's books, handbooks for the National Gallery, Hampton Court and other art exhibitions and articles on a wide range of subjects. He even found time to design the Felix Summerly Tea Service which was produced by Henry Minton Potteries and sold through his Felix Summerly Art Shop in Bond Street.

In 1833 Henry had found time to marry Marian Fairman Bond, and together they produced 9 children: 4 girls and 5 boys. He was a very busy man!

Suffice to say, he found that he didn't have time to write Christmas letters to his friends, so in 1843 asked his friend, John Callcott Horsley, an artist, to design a card for him instead. At this time of year, it is this part of his life I'm concentrating on.

Together he and John produced a card with three panels. The outer two show people feeding the poor and clothing the homeless. The main centre panel shows a family celebrating Christmas with wine glasses in their hands and the message:

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.

The world's first Christmas card
Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Sir Henry Cole ('Men of the Day, No. 29.')
by James Jacques Joseph Tissot
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 19 August 1871 NPG D43497

© National Portrait Gallery, London
Licenced under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Some people criticised the design because it showed a child being given a glass of wine. John Horsley made 1,000 lithographic copies measuring 5⅛ inches by 31/4 inches, and hand-coloured each one himself. Those cards that Henry didn't need were sold in his Bond Street shop for a shilling [12d or 5p], which at that time, wasn't cheap. But these were the very first commercial cards. Maybe he was far thinker and encouraging people to buy and send cards would help his Penny Black post!

In the following years, cards usually had pictures of the Nativity scene. In late Victorian times, robins and snow scenes became popular. Even the postmen had the nickname, Robin Postmen, because they wore red uniforms and snow scenes were a reflection of the very hard winter of 1836. By the late 1840's, Christmas cards appeared in the USA but were very expensive and it wasn't until 1875 that a German, Louis Prang, who had worked on cards in the UK, produced more reasonably priced cards. By 1915, John C. Hall and two of his brothers, created Hallmark Cards, still in production today.

By the early 1860's, printing methods had improved and Christmas Cards in the UK were becoming popular and produced in large numbers. Annie Oakley, the famous sharpshooter and star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, was working in Glasgow in 1891 and sent the first ever personalised card back to the USA. It had a photo of her on the front, dressed in tartan to emphasise where she was! She designed the card herself and the cards were printed locally.

By the 1910's and 20's, homemade cards became popular, often so delicate that they had to be delivered by hand. We all know the range of cards today, many of which are sold by charities as a way of increasing their funds.

Little did Sir Henry know what he was starting, and how much money would be generated for the postal service. There are very few of his original card still around and if you want to buy one, it will cost a lot of money. In 2001, Sir Henry's original card sent to his grandmother in 1843 sold at auction for £22,500! I think I'll continue to make my own!

As a footnote, Sir Henry never slowed down even with old age. After retirement in 1873, he channeled his experience in education to establish the National Training School for Music and the National Training School for Cookery. He developed heart problems, but at the end of 1881 and with the help of his daughter, he started writing his memoirs. On April 17th 1882, he sat for a portrait by Whistler, the well-known painter but died the following day. His wife died the same year.

He was caricatured in Vanity Fair dated 19th August 1871 as King Cole, a fitting title for a man who contributed so much to the arts and industry of his age. But one of his lasting achievements was to encourage all of us to spend much time and energy sending Christmas cards to friends and family [but cutting down a bit by using our Newsletter. Thanks, Judie!].

PP of DC

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CHILDHOOD LITERATURE

"Sir J.M. Barrie's delightful creation, Peter Pan, has by this time taken a secure place in the hearts of children of all ages and there are few nurseries in the land in which Peter, Wendy, Tinker Ball, Captain Hook and his Pirates, "the Mermaids and Redskins, and the exciting world in which they live, are not as familiar as the most time-honoured lore of fairyland." Daniel O'Connor, 1916.

 

J. M. Barrie in 1902
George Charles Beresford, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Peter Pan was written as a play and in creating Peter, Barrie also created Wendy. The Christian name had not existed before. He also created the 'Wendy House', today's word for a child's play house. The play was first performed in 1904 with Nina Boucicault as the first Peter and Hilda Trevelyan as the first Wendy, continued annually except in 1939 and 1940 when it was suspended during the early years of World War II.

In the London play, the part of Peter has traditionally been played by a woman, including major stars of their era - Dame Anna Neagle, Phyllis Calvert, Margaret and Julia Lockwood, Sylvia Sim, Millicent Martin, Wendy Craigh, Hayley Mills, Lulu, Maggie Smith, Anita Harris and others. Captain Hook has had his share of celebrities including Gerald Du Maurier, Charles Laughton, Alastair Sim, John Gregson, Donald Sinden, Ron Moody, Bill Travers, Erick Porter and Dave Allen.

The play has more recently appeared as Pantomime, with spectacular effects and today's top entertainers queuing up to appear as the boy who wouldn't grow up and the dastardly Captain Hook - he's behind you! - has been played by Russ Abbot, Patrick

Mower, Paul Nicholas, Henry Winkler, Nigel Havers, Alvin Stardust and Leslie Grantham, alongside Bonnie Langford, Michaela Strachan and with Joe Pasquale as the pirate Smee. Breaking with tradition, some Peter's are now male.

 

Monument to Peter Pan, Kensington Gardens, London
Peter Clarke, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sir J[ames] M[atthew] Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM, was born in Kirriemuir, Angus, on the 9th May 1860, the 9th of ten children [two of whom died before he was born] to David Barrie, a modestly successful weaver, and his wife Margaret Ogilvy.

When Barrie was 6, David, his next older brother and his mother's favourite, died in an ice skating accident, devastating his mother. Barrie tried to fill David's place in his mother' affections, emulating him, but her only comfort was that her son would remain a boy for ever, never to grow up and leave her.

From the age of 8, Barrie was educated at the academies of Glasgow, Forfar and Dumfries. He was an avid reader, fond of Penny Dreadfuls, spending time with his friends playing amongst other things, pirates!

He knew that he wanted to follow a career in writing but his family tried to persuade him to choose a profession and go to university. However, he compromised and obtained an MA at the University of Edinburgh in Literature in 1882 and for a short while worked as a journalist.

He returned to Kirriemuir to spend time writing stories and novels, many in the Kailyard or cabbage patch tradition, portraying a romantic image of village life in Scotland. But increasingly, he became more interested in works for the theatre. In 1882, he was introduced to a young actress, Mary Ansell, whom he married in July 1894.

In 1901 and 1902 he had back-to-back success with Quality Street, a sentimental comedy, and The Admiral Crichton, a comedy about a manservant cast away on a desert island with his employers. However, Barrie is obviously best remembered for his celebrated play Peter Pan [1904] about a boy who never grew up.

Barrie moved in literary circles with many famous friends such as Robert Louis Stevenson, H.G. Wells and Thomas Hardy. George Bernard Shaw was his neighbour and he was godfather to Robert Falcon Scott's son Peter. Scott wrote to him in the final hours of his life on his expedition to the South Pole, asking Barrie to take care of his wife Kathleen and son Peter. Barrie was so proud of this request, that he carried the letter around for the rest of his life.

 

Barrie's Birthplace, Kirriemuir
©Richard Slessor, Public Common via Wikimedia Commons

Barrie's marriage was not a happy one and they had not children. It is said that it was never consummated. In 1895 they bought a house in South Kensington, followed in 1900 by one overlooking Kensington Gardens where Barrie would walk his St. Bernard, Porthos. [Maybe portrayed as Nana the nursemaid dog for the Darling family.] It was during these walks that he became acquainted with the Llewelyn-Davies family, Arthur and Sylvia, nee Du Maurier, and their five sons, George, John, Peter, Michael and Nicholas.

A firm friendship was established and following the deaths of Arthur and Sylvia, within 3 years of each other, 'Uncle Jim' became guardian and provided financial support for the family and his relationship with the boys continued well beyond their childhood and adolescence. Sadly, Barrie lost the two boys to whom he was closest. George was killed in action in 1915 in the First World War, and Michael drowned in 1921 with a friend at Sandford Lock, near Oxford.

Barrie and Mary divorced in 1909 following Mary's infidelity with Gilbert Cannan, but he continued to support her financially, even after she remarried, by giving her an annual allowance.

Barrie died of pneumonia in London on the 19th June 1938. He was buried at Kirriemuir, next to his parents and two of his siblings, and his birth home is maintained as a museum by the National Trust for Scotland.

Barrie gave the copyright of the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in 1929. Today, the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988 in the UK means that the hospital will continue enjoying the benefits of Peter Pan and Barrie's gift for perpetuity.

Judie Weedon

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RURAL REFLECTIONS - 85

In his book The Old Country, Jack Hargreaves OBE [1911-1994] makes reference to the gifted craftsmanship of his Great Uncle Harry. Using wood from branches of tall box trees, he created polished spill-jars, one of which he especially made for his grandfather who then expected it to be refilled by his young grandson whenever he was around. He would watch his grandfather fold one of the long spills, wooden firelighters, before poking it into the fire to light his pipe from the pages of Farm, Field and Fireside. His Great Uncle Harry also used boxwood to make block-planes to sharpen his self-made rulers, squares and chisel handles, all previously designed for both himself and others. Having no children, he promised Hargreaves that all of his tools kept safely in a chest, would one day come to him. Unfortunately, they were instead taken by his Uncle Willie when he emigrated to America, never to be seen again; unlike his Uncle Holmes who, Hargreaves is keen to emphasise, immediately returned to England from Canada on the outbreak of World War One to sign up. He was to die just after dawn on the first day of the Battle of the Somme - his first day in action. His fate, like those of millions of others, will be especially poignant this year when on the 11th November we commemorate the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day.

Hargreaves's grandfather was never a man intent on doing battle with his surrounding countryside; moreover, he felt himself to be in a mutual, respectful partnership with nature. For example, if a tree stood in the way of barbed wire fencing being erected to keep cattle out of a hedge, then two extra posts had to be knocked into place to go around it. No nails in trees! On one occasion, a foxglove seeded itself in a bank between a hedge. When a drought season persisted, his grandfather carried a bucket of water from the yard to soak it every day for a fortnight.

 

Illustration by: Paul Swailes

Hargreaves recollects his grandfather's love of foxgloves, whose true home he felt was in the woodland; for it seems that if ever there was a true man of the woods, then his grandfather was undoubtedly so. Whether it be the woods or the copses upon his beloved farmland, each was tended with his loving care. A close eye was kept over the woodlands, his grandfather noting where tall trees dropped their acorns or seeds. Once safe in the knowledge that an heir apparent had successfully germinated, each tall tree still in its prime, would be felled - an act which Hargreaves argues, 'nowadays a forester would be roundly abused for . . . especially by those who feel trees exist simply for the pleasure of the uncultivated eye'. For in his grandfather's era, these native woodlands were the raw material upon which industry depended. The largest branches went to the boat builders and wagon wrights whilst the lesser limbs went to coach builders, the makers of gun-carriages, river barges, locks, barns and hatches and the bridge builders. Any unwanted

significant branches were used by his grandfather to make decent fencing posts whilst smaller ones became his raw material for charcoal burners.

Copse wood too served a multitude of uses. Every copse would be closely monitored, the designated species of each plantation allowed to grow for anything between eight to ten years before being harvested. In autumn, an array of craftsmen and women would come to survey the trees that were to be felled that winter, his grandfather making bargains with each one as to how much they could clear. The broom-maker would fell the young feathery birches whilst down by the river the basket-maker would annually take as much willow as was available. Another autumnal visitor would be the man who produced chestnut pale fencing and occasionally a clog-maker would come if the alder had grown to a significant height. One must not forget the box trees for Great Uncle Harry, planted at the corner of each copse to get the best of the light available.

But the best annual deal was done with Mr. Bowman [still a common name in parts of the country where families had trade in wood] who came with his family to source the hazel. They were experts in all things for which hazel could be used and, more than any other tradesman, knew the woods meticulously - even their youngest could recognise with ease the calls of the woodland birds. Huntsman consulted Mr. Bowman on the foxes' movements whilst the keeper would source his knowledge on the pheasants' nests. His grandfather's great-great-grandfather had known Mr. Bowman's great-great grandfather. It was no wonder then that his grandfather assumed the annual visits would continue and that a descendant of Hargreaves would be walking the woods with a descendant of Mr. Bowman.

It was not to be. The first blow came - literally - when Portuguese men arrived to begin chopping down his grandfather's beloved trees; for Portugal was the only country to declare on the Allied side at the start of World War One. Suddenly, with our country needing wood like it had never needed it before, the Portuguese woodmen were brought over. Hargreaves recalls them turning up in his district a year after the declaration of World War One - specialist men who were needed, of course, because so many of our own young men had gone into battle. Hargreaves chillingly recalls how he knew of a little rural village close by with a war memorial that records the death of all its young men in one day.

"Trees, and trees, and trees were felled," Hargreaves laments. His grandfather looked on, knowing that his old system could never be restored. Mr. Bowman and all the other craftsmen and women would not be back next autumn. Indeed, they would never return. Hargreaves considers whether this was the reason his grandfather drank. It is an interesting concept, the notion of somebody turning to alcohol not as a direct result of military combat but instead through an indirect consequence that war can impose on someone. No longer would new life come about through the drops of acorns and seeds on his grandfather's land.

Hargreaves's grandfather did, however, console himself on one matter. In his era, every farm had on its land between two and three walnut trees. Each one in turn provided a crop which, especially when at full maturity, provided a significant income from gunsmiths and furniture makers. However, his grandfather's philosophy was that a man should in his own lifetime plant one walnut tree, not for his own selfish tax benefits, but for the pleasure of his grandchildren. So, having surveyed the demise of his woods and his copses but seeking pleasure from the arrival of a young Hargreaves on the scene, he planted his final walnut tree.

Stephen McCarthy

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NEWS FROM YE OLDE GLOBE

WOW! We have been overwhelmed by the support from the village since we took over the lease of Ye Olde Globe in September, following the sale of the property by Enterprise Inns.

To put the record straight, although Nic wanted to buy the pub outright, he was continually outbid at the auction by David McCabe of Plymouth, who owns a chain of 22 pubs. While he owns the property here in Berrynarbor, we own the Ye Olde Globe business, and are the tenanted Licensees.

A special big THANK YOU to all those who have taken part in the painting parties over successive weekends, transforming and brightening up both the interior and exterior of the pub. Gone are the dark nicotine-orange coloured walls and off-white ceilings, while outside it has been brought into line with the black-and-white theme of the central village. This is the first stage in our refurbishment programme that will eventually also include new soft furnishings

Now a Free House, we are able to offer a selection of regular and guest beers, as well as good quality wines and other liquid refreshments. On the food side, we have two new resident chefs - Stuart [formerly of the Sawmill] and Peter - who have introduced a new menu and offer a range of imaginative specials, including the Christmas menu. They are also planning future themed menu evenings; the first, a Curry Night, precedes the distribution of this Newsletter. While on the subject of food, the pub will be open on Christmas Day, but we are sorry that all Christmas lunch tables have been reserved already.

Weekly Sunday Night Quizzes have returned, as will the Boxing Day Quiz - don't forget to reserve your table. There will be a New Year's Eve Party with free buffet for those in fancy dress. Your favourite fancy dress is the theme, so come along wearing whatever you feel comfortable in.

For the future, we shall be arranging live music evenings and other events going forward into the New Year.

Whether a regular, past customer or a newcomer to the village, we, along with all our team, Becky [Bex], Emma, Mia and Poppy behind the bar, Stuart and Peter in the kitchen and those behind the scenes, look forward to welcoming you to the 'NEW' Ye Olde Globe!

Barry and Nic

Photograph: The Painting Party

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CHRISTMAS TIME

Mr. and Mrs. Fellows lived in a little cottage on the edge of Exmoor with their two children, Jane and Fred.

Bill Fellows had been out of work for some time due to a bad back, and Jill, his wife, had a part-time job as a dinner lady at the local school.

It was Christmas Eve and they could not afford any presents, although they were a united family and happy. It would soon be Christmas Day and would things be any better?

It had started to snow and the next morning, lo and behold, there were lots of presents by the fire.

How did this happen?

Well, when they looked out there were footprints from the road to their cottage. A ladder was leaning against the chimney and there were also sledge marks and reindeer footprints in the snow.

The footprints stopped some way up the road as though who else but Father Christmas had taken to the skies.

Happy Christmas everyone!

 

Illustrated by: Paul Swailes

Tony Beauclerk - Stowmarket

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OLD BERRYNARBOR - VIEW NO. 176

For Christmas and New Year, I have chosen two local views with over-printed greetings.

The first shows Watermouth Beach [Smallmouth Cove] with Holdstone and Hangman Hills in the background. The rowing boats shown here were used to ferry visitors over to Broadsands Beach, eliminating a long trek and over 200 steep steps down to and more importantly, up from the Cove. They would also take visitors to Combe Martin and around the Bay. This particular card was published c1910 by The Knight Collection, printed in Belgium.

 

The second, Wishing you a Bright and Happy New Year, has been taken from Watermouth and shows Sandy Bay and Hangman's Hill. A two-funnel steamer can just be seen steaming out of Combe Martin Bay. The card was published by The Pictorial Stationery Company Limited of London, and printed in Saxony [Germany] around 1904. This particular card has been sent on December 31st 1905 and has a Barnstaple postmark. It would have been delivered first post on New Year's Day 1906.

 

These are two further Christmas postcards from my collection, dating from about 1901-1902. Both are postmarked Ilfracombe 04 and addressed to Miss Lucy Creek at the Montebello Hotel, Ilfracombe.

 

 

I should like to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year 2019.

Tom Bartlett
Tower Cottage, November 2018
e-mail.tomandinge40@gmail.com

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REV. BILL WRITES . . .

How many of you would like to cancel Christmas? Be honest, because it's just too expensive. But that isn't what Christmas is really about: Jesus was born to free us and not cost us.

For many parents, Christmas 2018, rather than being a time of goodwill and peace, will become a financial nightmare: the expensive gifts of recent past Christmas's are just a dream, foodbanks are the reality for some! But if we cancel Christmas altogether, we should miss the point. No, don't cancel Christmas, instead celebrate a true Christmas!

Expensive gifts are fine for a little while, but eventually they become outdated, break down, or we simply tire of them. In reality nothing apart from God, lasts forever.

My parents told me stories of their Christmas's when they were young. They each had a stocking with an orange and a bag of nuts. Not much to us, but to them, that orange and those nuts represented something special, something they only tasted once a year at Christmas. So, try to imagine the excitement for a child then. It seems today we want our children to be constantly excited and so we spend more and more money.

Over 2000 years ago, a few people were excitedly waiting for a very special gift: the child Jesus to be born. His birth was very ordinary really, but imagine being there, metaphorically with your nose pressed against the window, and able to see the new-born baby Jesus. Do you still get excited about his birth?

I expect people of all ages enjoy the story, why not relive it this year? It's free, be free, be different and come and see for yourself. It may be life changing!

A very happy Christmas to everyone.

Illustration by: Paul Swailes

Bill

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AT-A-GLANCE DIARY

School, Pre-School and Toddler Group - Term Time only

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