Edition 19 - August 1992

 
Artwork by: David Duncan

THANKS

My continued thanks to all contributors, but especially David Duncan for the Capel Cottage front cover, our anonymous Local Walker, Debbie and Paul for their illustrations and the backroom boys - the collators, folders, staplers and deliverers!

The many financial contributions and donations are also most welcome.

Apologies - who spotted the deliberate mistake? Cllr. Bowden's missing word [last issue] was "preserve"!

Editor

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IN MEMORIAM

PREB. ARTHUR CHANDLER...

It is sad to report the recent death of the Preb. Arthur Chandler. He will be missed in Berrynarbor, as he will be all over North Devon and further afield. Arthur was not only a great churchman, he was a true gentleman and a very good friend to so many. Our sympathies go to Jeannette and his family.

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FAREWELLS

By the time you receive this Newsletter, Pam Cruse who has been Headteacher at our Primary School for the past nine years, will have left to take up her new post at South Molton. We thank her for her enthusiasm, involvement with the village and the wonderful work she has done at the school and wish her all the very best in her new appointment. We hope she will keep in touch. At the same time, we look forward to meeting David Chaplin and beginning a new school year in September under his guidance.

John Williams, who has served as our Rector for nearly twelve years, will be leaving the Parish to retire on the 31st October. We are grateful to him and his wife, Dorothy, for all their help and support over the years and wish them well when they move to Exmouth.

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MEN'S INSTITUTE

A very enjoyable evening was spent in the Men's Institute on Friday, 22nd May, for the Club's Annual Snooker Awards.

The presentations were made by the Chairman, Mr. Brian Boyd and refreshments were provided by Phil and Lyn Bridle from The Globe.

The Winners were:

John Huxtable

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SHARE-A-POEM

From The Deserted Village

Oliver Goldsmith [1728-1774)

Illustrated by: Debbie Cook

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BERRYNARBOR W.I.

June's meeting was certainly for the garden-minded, and a receptive audience welcomed Linda Dark from St. John's Nursery, who gave a talk and demonstration on hanging baskets, small containers and herb gardens. Time went all too quickly, but members were able to ask questions as they purchased plants, thinking ahead to Britain in Bloom. We had another first-time competition winner, Margaret Parkin, with a perfect yellow iris.

Later in the month, the Ilfracombe Museum had 16 very grand lady visitors, who found it most interesting. The visit was followed by a cream tea and a 'promenade' , much enjoyed by visitors who were busy camera-wise with such fantastic weather and a perfect setting.

On the 7th July, Mr. J. W. Cooper gave a most interesting talk about Aromatherapy and Reflexology, followed by questions and answers. Maggie Bland, who had herself experienced such treatment, gave a worthy vote of thanks.

Members were pleased to learn that Peggy Gingell had made a 100% recovery from a hip operation and that Winnie Goldsworthy was making steady progress after suffering a stroke.

Final arrangements were made for various summer activities including our own Summer Special on the 18th August . The next meeting will be on the 1^st September, when the speaker - Nicola Oliver - will take us on the Tarka Trail project.

Vi Kingdon

President

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GET WELL

We are pleased to learn that Lorna Price is recovering well from her recent hip replacement operation [at the grand age of 88!]. She is presently recuperating with her daughter in Cornwall and we wish her a speedy return both to full health and to home again.

We are very lucky in Berrynarbor - we are blessed with a wonderful 'gang' of sprightly octogenarians [and nonagenarians]! We wish you all continued good health, and welcome the up-and-coming newcomers to this exclusive club!

[It would be most interesting to know the actual roll-call of this 80+ years young club?]

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CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations and very best wishes to Samantha Bailey on achieving a First Class Honours Degree in Mathematics [B.Sc.] at the University of Portsmouth. Sam is presently helping at Sawmills, saving for a trip to America and Canada before joining the Avon and Somerset Police Force in January.

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CHURCH WALK

Once again our intrepid Ron Toms will be setting off in September for his annual sponsored walk for sore feet and funds for the United Reform Church. He would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone for their support in the past and hopes that you will continue to support him when he calls round over the next few weeks seeking sponsorship.

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A BARN DANCE in aid of Forget-Me-Not funds is being held in the Village on Saturday, 22nd August from 8.00 until 11.45 p.m. Dancing will be to Fred Ward and his group and tickets are £2.00 for adults and £1.00 for children. Refreshments will be on sale during the interval. The dance is open to anyone and tickets will be available from Mrs. Ball [llfracombe 864343] or at the door. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS EVENT

To give a little information about our project, we are a local registered charity, set up 9 years ago to raise funds to provide long and short term respite residential care for adults who have learning disabilities who live in North Devon. Our house, Berry House, has been open for 2 1/2 years and gives respite care to 5 adults at any one time, being looked after night and day by fully qualified staff. Our fund raising is on-going to give top-up financial support to the House.

Mrs. Enid Ball

Hon. Secretary, Fund Raising Committee

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COUNTRY WAYS - POT-POURRI

Dried rose leaves - the old fashioned, sweet-scented dark red rose leaves are best - form the basis of all pot-pourri, but as perfume and colour can be added, any dried rose petals can be used.

There are two ways to make pot-pourri - moist and dry.

The moist method is the older and not much used today. It consists of preserving the petals in a mixture of bay salt and common salt, pressing down hard to form a compacted mass which is then broken up and mixed with essential oils and spices.

The dry method used most frequently today. The petals should be collected during fine weather, late enough in the day for the dew to have dried and flowers should be picked before they are fully open. When gathered, dry the petals on shallow trays, out of direct sunlight, until they are brittle [rather like crisps]. Provided you turn them once or twice a day, they may be dried in the airing cupboard. Once really dry they should be stored in airtight containers until you have sufficient to make your pot-pourri. At the same time and in the same way, dry other scented flowers or leaves - lavender, rosemary, bay, lemon balm, thyme - and keep these separately in plastic bags.

When you have sufficient petals prepare the mixture in a plastic receptacle - 6 parts rose petals to I part petal mixture. To this a fixative needs to be added, a flat tablespoon to a pint of petals. The best fixatives are powdered orris root or gum benzoin. Mix it well into the petal mixture and at this point you can add, in the same quantity as the fixative, a few ground spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. Other sweet-scented ingredients may then be added, e.g. sandalwood, dried orange and lemon peel. Finally, add a few drops of essential flower oil. Stir the mixture well and then store in airtight containers until required.

Small bowls filled with pot-pourri and decorated with ribbons, silk flowers and other trimmings, make attractive and inexpensive gifts.

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AT-A-GLANCE DIARY

Please make a note of these dates in your diary. Support is especially requested for:

The Horticultural Show Items for the Bring and Buy Stall please. Last year's winners are asked to return the Cups to Roy Perry, Miss Muffet's by 24th August.

Tom Bartlett's Slide Show Helpers are needed. If you can assist, please contact Vi Davies [882696].

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ALL proceeds in aid of village hall funds

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ST. PETER'S CHURCH

Sunday Services:

• The Eucharist every Sunday 10.30 a.m.
• Sunday School every Sunday [term time] 10.30 a.m. Parish Hall
• Evensong, Combe Martin Parish Church,6.30 p.m.
• 2nd Sunday only, Holy Communion 8.00 a.m.
• Every Thursday: Holy communion 10.00 a.m.

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LOCAL WALKS - 13

"I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows ...
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-rose, and with eglantine. "

A Midsummer Night's Dream

It was a very fragrant midsummer walk through Woolacombe Warren to Putsborough Sands. There were a lot of big scented cushions of purple thyme; blossoms of elder, wild roses and honeysuckle. A heady mixture.

Along the way we encountered yellow hammers, perched on bushes at regular intervals, alerted by their distinctive song, "A little bit of bread and no cheese" When I first heard it so described I was sceptical, until I was surprised one day to hear this unlikely sentence issuing forth from this attractive bird. It was quite unmistakable.

There was considerable variation in the plumage of the yellowhammers we observed - the older males having the brightest yellow with least brown striations, whereas the females and young males were browner and more streaked.

The meadow brown was the most plentiful butterfly that day - a butterfly which is on the wing even in dull weather conditions - and there were a few large skippers, orange and brown. Both butterflies live in colonies in wild grassland and as our path crossed a little field of long grass, a large flock of meadow browns rose up around us on all sides.

Lady's bedstraw, prevalent on the Warren, was once used to stuff mattresses, to curdle milk to make cheese and to extract a red dye from its stems It was also said that Jesus was born on hay to which this plant had been added, whereupon it burst into yellow blossoms. Hence, Our Lady's Bedstraw. Another yellow flowering plant with biblical connections growing in the area was St. John's Wort, a wild hypericum named after John the Baptist.

At the end of June, there was such an abundance and variety of flowers to look at along the route - bright blue viper's bugloss and tufted vetch, purple knapweed, restharrow, mallow and pyrimidal orchids and meanwhile, a wide sea view to enjoy, stretching all the way from Morte Point to Baggy Point.

Sue H

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FRUIT RING

The following low-fat recipe using red fruit is ideal for the figure-conscious.

Any selection of red fruit can be used in this sweet and frozen fruit is also suitable. If redcurrants are not available, make up the fruit requirement with extra raspberries and/or blackberries.

Place the red/ blackcurrants in a pan with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and 5 fluid oz. of water and cook gently for 5 to 6 minutes until the fruit is tender but not 'mushy'.

Mix 24 level teaspoons of gelatine in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of water and leave to soften. Add to the fruit and stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly and then stir in the raspberries. When the mixture begins to set, pour into a ring mould and refrigerate until set. It is important that this layer must be set before the next is added.

Grate the zest and squeeze the juice from the orange and lemon and place them both, together with the cottage cheese and yogurt in a processor or liquidiser. Soften the remaining gelatine in the usual way and add it to the cheese mixture. Puree until smooth and then add the remaining sugar. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and when it begins to set, whisk the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. [If you prefer to avoid using uncooked egg whites, omit them and reduce the gelatine content in the cheese mixture to 4 teaspoons. The sweet should then be eaten the day it is made.]

Using a metal spoon carefully fold the whisked egg whites into the cheese mixture, pour into the ring mould and refrigerate until set.

When serving, lightly moisten the plate so that when the mould is turned out, you can slide the ring into position. Refrigerate until needed.

* To ruin the diet, serve with cream or ice-cream!

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SUMMER BALLET

Christina Rainsford

It is hoped that over the last three years, readers have enjoyed Christina Rainsford's delightful and most apt poems. To quote: "Christina Rainsford is highly skilled with rhyme and meter, sharp and fresh in her observations and clever in her choice of subject and imagery."

This remarkable 94 year old poet lives in Katonah, New York, in the house she and her late husband built 58 years ago. After the death of Kerr Rainsford in 1947, she began writing in earnest, studying poetry under Leonora Speyer at Columbia University. Since that time she has published four books and various single poems, and has been a member of the Poetry Society of America, the Pen and Brush Club and the New York Women Poets. She has 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

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OLD BERRYNARBOR NO. 18
"In Berrynarbor", Garratt No. 6

This is one of Garratt's first photographs of our village and shows part of Silver Street, or 'Lower Town' as it was then known around 1904. On the right we have Sam Harding's blacksmith shop and it is quite likely that the person shown carrying a sack is Sam Harding himself. Just beyond is Berrynarbor National School built in 1847 to accommodate up to 15 children!! Perhaps when Mr. James Gear and Mr. George Hicks were the school masters, it was standing room only! The population of Berrynarbor has never been higher than the 1850 census giving 899 inhabitants. Particularly note the fuchsia hedge and railings outside the school and, of course, the fine school bronze bell in its distinctive housing on the roof.

Beyond the school can be seen 60 and 61 Silver Street, the latter with the two dormer windows now being the home of Jim and Betty Brooks. The lady in the long, white dress, typical of Victorian times, is not known.

In the next newsletter I am hoping to give more information on the school, and if anyone can help with pictures of any of the classes from 1900 up to the present time, I should be grateful if they would contact me direct.

I am closing this newsletter's article with a copy of one from the Ilfracombe chronicle, published on the 11th July, 1896, which you may find interesting.

Tom Bartlett
Tower Cottage - July 1992
Tel: 883408

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BERRYNARBOR PRIMARY SCHOOL
BRITAIN IN BLOOM

Beautiful
Blooming
Berrynarbor
Sleeping lazily
Surrounded by meadows full of daisies.
Flowers swaying in the breeze
Pansies smile at me
As if they are happy.
Scented roses
Standing in back gardens
Leaping Lords and Ladies
Bounding in the hedgerows
Colour spreading over cottages
And dripping from hanging baskets.
Gently and scently
The petals are showing off
And flowers bounce in window boxes.
Bright colourful flowers
Play around the bus stop.
Plants bowing to their human audience
Who wander through the cosy streets
Then drive home with peaceful memories.

Illustrated by: Paul Swailes

The older children at the Primary School have been writing Britain in Bloom and Best Kept Village Poems. Ideas were first discussed in groups of 3 or so, then each child went off to use the ideas in their own way. This poem, using ideas from several children in discussing how a poem can develop, was written by:

In the school window we shall be displaying the children's own poems. We hope you can spare time to stop and read a few to see the children's thoughts about their beautiful village.

Pam Cruse

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OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

Please hand items for the October Newsletter in at the Post Office or Chicane before or by Wednesday, 16th September.

Items for this issue were down on previous occasions - please help with a contribution, however small, to keep the newsletter going!

Don't forget the Sales and Wants, Diary Dates, Congratulations, Get Well wishes and other gossip, and please think about that special item YOU could contribute - that favourite recipe, that favourite poem and that hobby you enjoy. Come on, let's be having you!

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