Edition 102 - June 2006

EDITORIAL
Flaming June - well it's not quite that yet! June is associated with hot weather, and hence the expression, and also the summer solstice which bring the longest day. Coleridge described it as the leafy month and Burns associated it with the red, red rose of love.
The Old Dutch name for June was Zomermaand, summer-month, the Old Saxon Seremonath, dry month, and in the French Revolutionary Calendar it was called Prairinal, meadow month.
It is, of course, the month of rich foliage, colourful flowers, the start of the strawberry season and Wimbledon!
The Newsletter is also rich - due to everyone's generosity the coffers are fuller than they've ever been, and articles have come in abundance! So I shall be brief and leave space and just say a sincere thank you to you all.
The August issue will be due out on the 3rd and articles will be welcome as soon as possible and at the latest by the middle of July, when we'll be in to our season of summer fetes - the Friends of the Primay School are holding theirs on the 18th July, St. Peter's will be on the 1st August and the Manor Hall revels on the 15th.
Judie - Ed
1

BERRYNARBOR W.I.
Members
were very interested to see the slides of Combe Martin "Then and Now"
shown by Les Tovey at the April meeting.
Some buildings have now disappeared or changed beyond recognition,
whilst others have remained more or less unchanged. The competition for a photograph of a dog
was won by Josie Bozier and the raffle by Margaret Andrews.
As
usual, the May meeting was devoted to discussing the two Resolutions on which
delegates will vote at the National Federation AGM in
The
first Resolution urges the Government to legislate for the use of renewable
energy technologies in all new buildings, re-building and renovation. The second Resolution urges the Government
to recognise
that
participation in sport is an essential factor in the creation of a healthy
population; to ensure that sport is
re-established on the curriculum in all schools and to reverse the decline in
the availability of sporting facilities for all citizens.
All
members present voted in favour of both Resolutions.
The
competition for six cookies was won by Beryl Brewer and the raffle by Janet
Gibbins. At the end of the meeting,
after the 'serious' part, there was a social time when tea and cookies were
consumed!
The
next meeting is on 6th June where there will be a demonstration of belly
dancing and the competition is for the prettiest scarf.
An
Exmoor Ranger will be talking to us on 4th July and the competition is for a
deer. There will be no meeting in
August.
All
meetings take place in the Manor Hall on the first Tuesday of the month at
Doreen Prater - President
2

ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Easter Services A quiet time on Good Friday afternoon when
a group of us spent an hour in prayer and contemplation interspersed with hymns
and readings. Our
thanks to Margaret Andrews for leading us at this service.
Easter
Day at last and the joyous celebration of the Resurrection. The Choir sang an unaccompanied anthem and
again it was lovely to see so many families in church with the children all
coming up to the altar for a blessing.
The newly lit Easter Candle and the flowers brought the church alive and
our grateful thanks go once again to the arrangers and to all those who made
such generous donations.
Two
special services will be held in June - Sunday, 4th June is Whitsunday
[Pentecost] when there will be a Family Communion at
The
Sunday School children will be in church on 2nd July -
their last Sunday before the summer holidays - and members of the PCC are
planning a Family Service with a difference, come and see!
In
spite of disappointing attendance at the Coffee Morning held on 4th May,
£115.45 was raised for church funds.
Thank you once again to everyone who gave support in any way.
Gift
Day will be on Wednesday, 28th June. Envelopes
and a letter from the Rector will be distributed round the village the week
before and members of the PCC will join Keith at the lych-gate on the day, from
Tuesday,
1st August, is the date of the Summer Fayre.
As always offers of help will be appreciated as will any new ideas and
gifts for the various stalls.
Friendship
Lunches at The Globe will be on Wednesdays 28th June and 26th July. Newcomers are most welcome to come and join
us - any time after
Mary Tucker
3

MANOR HALL NEWS
After careful consideration, the
Committee have decided that hiring charges for the Hall should be
increased and the following table shows the new prices from March 2006.
Room/Event |
Category |
Price per Session £ |
Main Hall |
A |
8.00 |
|
B |
12.00 |
Penn Curzon Room |
A |
7.00 |
|
B |
10.00 |
Fund Raising,
i.e. Coffee Morning |
|
20.00 |
Fete |
|
35.00 |
Children's Party |
|
25.00 |
Wedding |
|
140.00 |
Category
A: Is for Non Profit Organisations working
for the benefit of those living in the Parish
Category
B: Is for all other regular user groups
Sessions:
We
are always happy to discuss any other type of session not covered by the above.
The
AGM was held on the 3rd May and the following Officers were elected:
Chairman: Bob Hobson
Secretary: Margaret Weller
Treasurer: Nora Rowlands
Booking
Clerk: Alan Rowlands
The
Chairman would like to thank the outgoing officers for all their hard work over
the past years and was pleased that they agreed to remain on the Committee as
village representatives.
The
work over the past year has mainly been in looking after the fabric of the
buildings, including the work on the gents' toilets. Our main concern over the coming year is to
run the Hall and break even at the end of the year. Pressures for not achieving this include
escalating prices for services, such as gas, electricity and water. We also have to come to terms with the
latest legislation - Disability Discrimination Act. This will affect many parts of the building, one in particular will be the installation of a
hearing loop system which could cost over £2,000!
Finally,
many thanks for the tea cloths donated and could anyone please help with the
whereabouts of the small, folding table which has gone missing from the Hall?
Bob Hobson - Chairman
4
In
the April issue, we welcomed Gail and her
Jean Mill in the
< They
have always been bred to retain the look of their wild ancestors combined with
the temperament of loving family pets.
They need no extra care and
should be treated the same as any other domestic cat. Most pet Bengals
are around 10+ generations from the ALC and are being bred and shown
worldwide.
Characteristics:
5

WEATHER OR NOT
March
and April
The
dry, cold start that we have had to this year continued in March and April. For the first four months of the year we have
had a total of only 218mm (8 5/8") of rain compared with 533mm (21")
in 2001, 525mm
(20 5/8") in
2002, 310mm (12 1/4") in 2003, 465mm (18 5/16") in 2004 and 288mm (11
5/16") last year.
March
produced 85mm (3 5/16") of rain of which 58mm (2 1/4") fell in the last
eight days. The wind speeds were about
average but as in January and February they were often from the North or North
East and, as a result, the maximum temperature of 15.3 Deg C was at least 3 Deg C down
on the previous four years for the same period and the wind chill of -12 Deg C was
greater than any March in the previous five years.
April,
with only 22mm (7/8") of rain was the driest month we have recorded since
January 1997. The maximum temperature
of 17.3 Deg C was at least 3.5 Deg C lower than the last four Aprils. The wind speeds were again about average with
a maximum wind chill of -4 Deg C which was not as low as we have recorded in
previous years.
March's sunshine hours were incomplete
but 139.96 hours were recorded for April which is the highest since keeping
records in 2003, the next highest being April 2003 when 121.38 was recorded.
Looking
at the barograph papers for March and April there were no outstanding changes
in the barometer pressures with a maximum of 1036mb on the 12th March and a
minimum of 988mb on the 24th March with a fairly steady line in April.
While
writing this the weather has changed from early morning sunshine to being quite
foggy. Is this a sign of warm weather
on the way? More about that in the
August issue of the newsletter.
Simon and Sue
6
A REAL BARN BARN DANCE!
Another fantastic
village event - we certainly know how to party in Berrynarbor! Thank you, Fenella and John [and all your
helpers], for hosting another great Barn Dance - the best yet, many say.
We
raised over £800 and have donated £600 to the Devon Air Ambulance, £120 to the
Manor Hall and the balance to Berry in Bloom, the Carnival Float and a smaller
amount as sponsorship for the Hospice 'Walk for Life'.
Judging
from the number of empties, about 200 turned up and Greensweep were outside our
place for about twenty minutes - our reputation is now completely shot to
pieces!
The
band - Folk in Motion - was terrific and thanks go to Kevin for organising them
for us. There are so many people to
thank:
- Bett, Vi and Ursula for running the raffle and raising £130
- Phil and Lynne for all the electrics, disco, p.a., and musical entertainment, and Phil's brother for once again cooking all the sausages
- The pig came at a very generous price thanks to Ivan and June, and all the family helped with the carving. Roger's lighting of the BBQ and tending of the pig roast ensured it was cooked to perfection
- Edith and Don for kindly providing the baked potatoes and lots of ladies who produced wonderful food
- Keith Jones who kindly carted all the chairs to and from the barn, and Richard Gingell for allowing his field to be used as a car park, and EVERYONE who helped set up and more importantly clear up afterwards.
- And anyone else I may have forgotten!
The
barn has never looked cleaner, neater or tidier! So everyone's a winner!
Cheers - Fen
7

WELCOME
Briarwood [Sloley
Farm] is now home to Debbie and Gavin Denyer and their family, having moved
here recently from Braunton.
Gavin,
who comes originally from Brickett Wood, St. Albans in Hertfordshire, is an IT
Technician at
Both Gavin and
Debbie enjoy walking, with Gavin enjoying music and art and Debbie knitting and
needlework, in particular patchwork and quilting.
The
family are Ellie, 22, a Receptionist at the Saunton Sands Hotel; Mike, 20, who is working in Barnstaple and is
a skim boarding [surfing] enthusiast; he
is followed by John, 17, a keen guitarist and a student at the North Devon
College; then Kathryn, 15, and Ross,
11. Kathryn is a horse lover and Ross
an animal lover, having sponsored wolves at the
Completing
the family are their three dogs - Sam and Skye, two collies, and Archie, an
English springer spaniel.
The
family have already become part of the village, having been roped into a litter
pick on their first week-end, and thoroughly enjoying
the barn dance at Sloley.
It is so nice to see Kathleen's
home, Maryvale, lived in and loved once more.
Tony and Maggie Kitchin are the new residents and they've moved only a
short way, from Prixford, although coming some years ago from the South East.
Maggie
is an accountant and if you are thinking of buying a property in France, then
Tony is the man to consult! Jack and
Tom, their two black
Maggie
and Tony have four children and five grandchildren. Their son Adam, wife Donna and little girl
Caitlin, are in
Both
keen golfers, Maggie says they are currently attacking work that needs doing
around the house and she is looking forward to seeing the end of the chaos!
Having spent many
years holidaying here with their caravan at Napps, Trevor and Val Walton have
moved into the recently converted barn, Millwood, on Hagginton Hill, next to
East Hagginton Farm.
The
barn conversion and their moving here from Hatfield Heath in Hertfordshire,
came about when Trevor's early retirement left him needing a project! Now they have the conversion of the second
barn to complete.
Val
and Trevor have three children, two married daughters Kate and Victoria and a
son, Stuart. An architect, Kate from
Kingston Upon Thames, helped with the plans;
Val,
who enjoys floristry, is a pre-school teacher at Lynton and they both enjoy
walking and travel, Trevor is a crossword addict and they have enjoyed
participating in the Globe quizzes. Ruling the roost is Tinker, their
tortoiseshell cat.
Juliet
and Pyers Cameron have exchanged the 'smoke' of North London for fresh
Juliet,
a physiotherapist at the
To all our newcomers, some newer than others, a warm welcome and
every happiness in your new homes.
8
9
THE WORRIES
All
night time as I lie in bed the worries swirl around my head
What if
I melted in my bed
What if
a giant roasts me dead
What if
the monster bit my head
What if
a building fell on my shed
What if
the sky rained pencils and pens
What if
the school overflows with hens
What if
people watch me drool
What if
I drown in the pool
What if
I'm in the house when the door locks
What if
my dad wears forty pairs of socks
What if
my Mum loses her tickets
What if
my fish gets attacked by crickets
What if
people use rules as rakes
What if
my fingers turn into snakes
All
night long as I lie in bed the worries swirl around my head
David Jones
[David,
who is 7, is a pupil at
10

HATCHED
Zoe and Peter Bowden are delighted to announce the safe
arrival of their first grandchild.
Jamie, who was born in
A warm welcome to the little one and best wishes to you all.
11

NEWS
FROM OUR COMMUNITY
SHOP AND POST OFFICE
Our
Annual General Meeting was held in the Manor Hall on 22nd April when about 27
members attended and the main points of interest were:
*
The Chairman, Sandy Anderson, welcomed the
members who attended, also Jackie Borley the new
manager who is settling in well.
*
In the first 12 months of trading, the Shop
turned over a very creditable £100,000 compared with the previous year's
turnover of about £65,000.
- In
the first financial year [in this case 15 months] there was a net profit
of just over £7,000 but through accounting convention, this included some
£11,000 of grants. In fact, after
deducting non-recurring start up expenses, the Shop broke even, which,
given the low start, was satisfactory.
- The
Committee are optimistic about this year; with Jackie at the helm and the
continuing support of the volunteers, it is hoped that the turnover will
reach £110,000.
- There
were no new nominations for Committee Members and the present Committee
was re-elected en bloc, with Jackie replacing Ross.
- The
site of the new shop has been moved to the south eastern edge of the car
park [below the existing toilets] and the design modified and planning approval
is confidently awaited.
A reminder that shares in
the
Calling
all enthusiastic gardeners! Some of you
already support good causes by selling 'garden goodies' but if any of you could
support our Shop and help with some fund raising, Jackie would love to hear
from you. You may have flower or vegetable plants, an overflow of garden
produce or - particularly at weekends - bunches of cut flowers. Obviously it would be great if you felt you
could donate these, but otherwise the shop would buy them at a modest price on
a sale or return basis and re-sell them.
For everyone else, do call in and
see what's on offer . . .and please BUY!
Finally,
don't forget Victorian Week in Ilfracombe, 10th - 18th June. Souvenir
programmes are on sale in the shop for £1.00.
Let's
hope we all have a bumper summer season all round.
PP
of DC
*GOOD NEWS! Since writing this report the good news has
been received that Planning Approval has been given for the new shop. Now starts the serious process of gathering
in the necessary funds to start building.
Our
congratulations and thanks to the Committee for all the hard work they have put
in to ensuring that approval was obtained and the shop move forward.
12

SEEING IS BELIEVING
Edward
Reardon was a likeable lad who lived in a house on the right-hand side of Hele
Hill as you approach Ilfracombe. He was
a fine looking chap, tall with dark curly hair and brown eyes. He attended the best school of its time up
on the hill in Ilfracombe and was very scholarly. He passed his matriculation and his aim was
to become a doctor like his father, who had died when he was quite small.
Sadly,
just before his 18th birthday, he awoke to a world of darkness. His sight had just gone. Dr. Ganik, to whom he was taken, told him
that at present nothing could be done.
His
girlfriend, Joan Kelly, who lived nearby, stood by him and after a while she
qualified as a midwife and they were married.
As his mother had also died, Edward and Joan continued to live in the
home on Hele Hill.
As
a midwife, Joan was ideal for the job.
Kind hearted, tolerant and pretty, she was liked by everyone and was the
breadwinner, and as they had moderate tastes, they made the best of life and
loved one another.
When
Joan was out attending to the new arrivals, Edward would mostly while away the
time 'tapping' his way around the area with his white stick. Sometimes he would stumble over a child's
bicycle left outside a shop or a pedal car left out in the street. At other times he would go to
At
other times he would go to the Tunnels Beaches to hear the lap of the sea,
children's laughter and the enjoyment of families on holiday. Edward made the best of life, despite his
inability to see things like others.
One
day he received a letter and Joan opened it and read it to him.
"It's from Dr. Ganik, listen to
this.
Dear Mr.
Reardon, It is some time since you were struck blind and medical science has
advanced quite considerably. In
conversation recently, I understand from the Consultant, Mr. Forbes, that there
is an operation which might possibly restore your sight. If you will make an appointment with me, and
if you are agreeable, then I shall arrange for you to see Mr.
Forbes."
They
immediately arranged to see Dr. Ganik and the appointment was made with Mr.
Forbes, who, after a very thorough examination, told Edward, "There is a
very good chance that we can restore your sight and if you wish, I'll arrange a
date for your operation."
Edward
and Joan were bewildered! What if the
operation was not a success? But then
again, there was nothing to lose. "We'll
go for it," said Joan, almost in disbelief.
The
weeks passed and along came the appointment card. Edward went into hospital, underwent the
operation and lay there until the day arrived for the bandages to be
removed. Joan waited patiently for
news.
With
two nurses in attendance, Mr. Forbes gradually began to remove the bandages and
quietly whispered, "Now, Mr. Reardon, I want you
to slowly open your eyes." "My
tears are blinding me," choked Edward. The consultant gently asked the nurse to dry
Edward's eyes and slowly he opened them.
At
first everything was blurred but the operation had been a success and gradually
his focus returned. After just a few
days he was out of hospital.
Life
was very different now for Edward. He
could see Joan and she was more beautiful than ever. He could still shed tears and often did when
he saw so many of the things which he had only been able to hear
before. For a while he re-traced his old walks - now
he was able to see the people at the Tunnels Beaches; he was seeing the musicians and the
bandstand; on visiting
Illustrations by:
Paul Swailes
One
day he was walking towards the pier when he again heard the old familiar sound
of the church clock striking. He looked
up and there was the writing
- 'Time to seek the Lord'.
What could he do? "I have
to say a prayer," he said quietly to himself. As he entered the church, the organist was playing
Bach and with emotion he said his prayer of gratitude before making his way
back to Hele.
Edward
and Joan lived on for many loving years and feeling that he would like to repay
those who had helped him, Edward trained and became a nurse at the
If
you have been touched by this story , the next time
you see a collecting box for the blind, please remember Edward and put something
in. Thanks.
Tony
Beauclerk -
13

At
the April meeting, our own member Ruth Diggle gave a wonderful presentation on
the Rothschild World of Wine and showed how the Rothschilds were producing
wines from all over the world. All six
wines sampled were well received by members and her knowledge of the subject
made for an extremely enjoyable evening.
Following
the AGM, when the Committee were re-elected en block, the May meeting, in the hands
of Brian Wright, was also excellent.
Brian presented some superb wines, both red and white, from
This
was the last meeting for the 2005-6 season, meetings
will recommence in October and details of the 2006-7 season will appear in the
August and October Newsletters.
Tom
14
ON A VISIT TO A RECONSTRUCTED AIR RAID
SHELTER
AT FLAMBARDS
Old
memories, on demand, are painted fables,
Not
history at all, but pictures in the mind
Of
happenings not weeks but years apart.
For then
is never now and time disables sequence.
Days
silted over by long sleepless
Fearful
nights are colourless as dull defiant winter
And as
by winter streams are washed away
To
merge with watchful endless summer.
In
memory it seemed that
Had
always sheltered in a fortress walled
By wire
cats cradles hanging from a studded
Sky, and
this must be, like other sieges, overcome.
A vision
too of nights when swords of light
Swaying,
swinging, dancing, flooding the low
Fat
clouds with lakes of swirling pearly
Beauty trapped
high sparkling gnats in bright display.
Caught,
and passed on for mile on thundering flaring
Mile
while distant bombs cried long in their descent
Cascading
screams each shorter than the one before
Until,
at last, unwarned the old familiar walls reduced to quaking silhouette.
But
catch a breath of unlit gas or hear the frantic clink
Of
bricks and now becomes as then and, with
Eyes
closed and watering we hear the hymn our dying neighbour
Sang
beneath the rubble of her home and smell the burning city.
Peter Hinchliffe
At
the age of 12, I was sent to stay in
Peter's
poem won a First Prize in an International Poetry Competition at The Plough in
15

The
Summer Term is proving to be another busy term for the school.
SATs
are over, reports out and now the children and teachers can relax a little with
summer activities including trips, Ilfracombe Victorian Week celebrations,
sports days, etc.
We
are in the process of having an outside classroom built which we hope to have
finished by Half Term. We are also
making good use of our greenhouse area - children growing fruit and vegetables
that will hopefully be edible before the end of term.
Thank
you again for the continued support of the Berrynarbor community - collecting
Sainsbury and Tesco vouchers - giving book tokens for our library - coming in
to school to hear readers - sharing expertise to enhance the curriculum. All help is welcome and gratefully received.
Thank
you one and all.
Mary-Jane Newell - Acting Headteacher
Class 3 having been writing a type
of poetry called 'Kennings'. Can you
guess what the poems are about?
1 Grass
eater fast
runner hard
breather nose flairer angry
kicker greedy
muncher silky
tail flowing
mane soft
toucher smooth
fur foot
stamper Olivia Needham (11) 4 great
glider mouse
muncher golden
feathers super
swooper great
hunter Danny Ellis-Fuller (10) |
2 Round
ear listener. Pint
nose sniffler. Tickly
feet scurryer Round
pipe hider. Water
bottle licker. Sawdust
nicker. In
hutch sleep time. Out in
day time. Dandelion
eater Couldn't
be sweeter. |
3 Sometimes
annoying mostly
enjoying often
crashes game
player information
bringer sometimes
singer Kyle Chivers (11) 5 Slow
mover, Race
winner, House
carrier, Lettuce
eater, Shy
creature Lonely
preacher Winter
sleeper Garden
stroller William Cornish (10) |
|
You
guessed!
1.
Horse 2.
16
FROM
Monika Butler of Skipton,
[as sent to Tom Bartlett - March 2006]
Rumours
about an uprising by Indian soldiers had been circulating for months around
Delhi, but when, late on 10th May 1857, John Ross Hutchinson, the Joint
Magistrate and Collector of the town, received confirmation that the mutineers
were on their way from Meerut, he bundled his wife Harriet and their two youngest
children, Katie and Lily, into a native carriage and sent them into the
provinces, carrying few possessions and just the clothes they were
wearing. His foresight was
providential, for the very next day the mutineers reached
You
may well ask, what has all this to do with Berrynarbor? Well, in 1880, John and Harriet's eldest
daughter Caroline was to marry
Reginald Churchill
who, in 1884, became the rector of Berrynarbor and was very much part of the
community for more than 54 years. Although Caroline had never enjoyed very
robust health, she lived to be 84 years old and died at the Rectory in 1932,
her husband following her in 1941.
Their daughter, Elsie Kathleen Gordon Churchill, who had been born in Blandford in 1882, did not marry but was much involved in
the life of Berrynarbor, including teaching in Sunday school. She eventually moved to Braunton where she
died in 1976, aged 94. In her will she
requested to be buried at her beloved parents' side in Berrynarbor, where they
still rest.
If
you are wondering what happened to the remaining offspring of John and Harriet
Hutchinson, George became a painter and art master at
17

LETTER FROM THE RECTOR
Friedrich Wilhelm, who ruled
Not surprisingly, when people saw him at a distance they would quietly "disappear". Once Friedrich came pounding down a street when a Berliner caught sight of him - but too late! His attempt to hide in a doorway was foiled.
"You there!" said Friedrich. "Where are you going?"
The man began to shake. "Into this
house, Your Majesty."
"Is it your house?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"A friend's house?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"Then why are you entering it?"
The man now began to fear that he
would be taken for a burglar. So he
blurted out the truth.
"To avoid Your Majesty."
"Why would you wish to avoid me?"
"Because I am afraid of Your Majesty."
At
this Friedrich Wilhelm became livid with rage. Seizing the poor man by the shoulders, he
shook him violently, crying, "How dare you fear me! I am your ruler. You are supposed to love me! Love
me, wretch! Love me!"
I am reminded that
at marriages services, can be found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13.)
With all
good wishes,
Your Friend and Rector,
Keith Wyer
18
MOVER AND SHAKERS NO.5
WILLIAM
MORRIS RUSSELL
Designer of the
Russell Hobbs electric kettle
Today's kitchen can boast all sorts of
small electrical gadgets: a pop-up
toaster, food processor, kettle, espresso coffee maker, sandwich maker, slow
roaster, deep fat fryer, can opener, knife sharpener - the list goes on and on. But it is easy to forget that just 50 years
ago most of these weren't even twinkles in their designers' eyes!
After the deprivations of war,
housewives were hungry for labour saving appliances. There were toasters, but not those that
'popped up'. There were electric kettles, but these were largely of near
Victorian design, hazardous to use, with unreliable means of switching off
automatically. Users ran the risk of getting burned or scalded, and at the
least boiling the kettles dry.
Onto this stage stepped William Russell,
in his mid 30's. His brilliantly
designed K1 kettle, launched in 1956, was streamlined, lightweight and what is
more, would switch itself off. Now when the water boiled, steam was pushed
through a hole in the kettle on to a bimetal strip sited in the handle, which
became hot and cut off the switch. The
In the 50's, 60's and 70's, no wedding
present list was complete without a Russell Hobbs electric kettle - and
possibly a ceramic coffee percolator [well, they were both on mine!]. Yet it was not until I read William Russell's
obituary earlier this year that I thought about the man behind half of the
name!
Encouraged into electrical engineering
by his father, a printer, and inheriting his aptitude for design from his
mother's side, William Russell won a scholarship at the age of 13 to High
Wycombe Technical Institute. He then became an apprentice to a
Joining Morphy Richards, he helped
design the two-slice pop up toaster, a range of steel and enamel electric
safety irons and the first effective hairdryer.
Meanwhile Peter Hobbs, who was
running the company's South African division, returned to
Problem solved, they decided to market
the percolator themselves, forming a partnership in 1952. Russell took over the product development
whilst
The two men found a run down factory in
Croydon for their embryo business. Later
it would be revealed that in the early days, packaging prototypes were
assembled by hand on Russell's sitting room floor and tools were devised with
the help of Meccano, but the business was a success right from the beginning. By 1963, to help further expansion, Russell
and
Russell Hobbs? The company has changed hands several times
and is now owned by an American company.
I've not been able to discover what happened to
Peter Hobbs. If anyone knows I'd love to hear. What I can say is that because of the partnership
of these two men, their names will continue to be associated. Their work also
brings to mind the words of David Everett, a late 18th century
"Large
streams from little fountains flow
Tall
oaks from little acorns grow"
A worthy epitaph!
PP of DC
19

BERRYNARBOR PARISH COUNCIL
I
was honoured at being elected as Chairman of Berrynarbor Parish Council for the
next year, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge, to working
closely with my fellow councillors and to continue working for the best
interests of the parish.
We
were all extremely disappointed and concerned about the vandalism in the
village, especially after all the effort and hard work put in by the
Councillor
Coleman has now stepped down as Footpath Warden to deputy warden, after holding
the post for in excess of 20 years. Our
thanks go to him for all his years of service and hard work in this role, his
knowledge, experience and help will be of the utmost importance to the new
footpath warden, Councillor Clive Richards.
The
information shelter on the
Sue
Sussex - Chairman
Your Parish Councillors
Chairman: Sue Sussex
Vice Chairman: Richard Gingell Easter Barton [01271] 882885
Mark Adams Capel Cottage [01271] 882191
Len Coleman Swan Cottage [01271]
883763
Paul Crockett Berrynarbor Park [01271] 882631
Ann Hinchliffe Castle Hill [01271] 883708
Clive Richards Home Barton Farm [01271] 883406
Keith Walls Higher Rows
[01271] 883762
Madeline Worth Thistledew [01271] 883485]
Parish
Council Meetings are held in the Penn Curzon Room of the Manor Hall at
The
next two meetings will be held on: Tuesday, 13th June and Tuesday, 11th July.
20
THINK OF OTHERS
There
is no question that we all live in a beautiful village with a warm, welcoming
and friendly community spirit, but there are two things that seem to upset
people and which continually crop up in the 'mail
to the Editor' bag that spoil this -
yes, you guessed, dog pooh and bonfires!
Do
you think of others? Dog owners can you
imagine how unpleasant it is for the people who, in order to keep our village
clean and tidy [resulting in the awards received for
Please,
please,
pick up the pooh and drop it in YOUR dustbin. Left in bags in the bushes is even more
offensive, since it will not decompose.
And
those of you who love to have bonfires, please give some thought to your
neighbours when on a dry, sunny day [especially in the mornings on that first
dry one in a few days] they have put out or want to put out their washing, or
are enjoying a coffee or lunch in the garden and YOU put a match to that pile
of garden/household rubbish! Please, please wait a
little longer and light it in the evening.
Please, please relieve
the mail bag of these heartfelt and legitimate pleas. Thank you.
THINK OF OTHERS.
21
THANK YOU
Once
again I should like to thank everyone [both local residents and our visitors]
who have supported our local Children's Hospice by buying plants from me.
I
was able to give the Hospice £400 last year and I am well on my way to the
first £100 for this year.
Please
continue to support the wonderful work that is being carried out at Little
Bridge House for these children by such a dedicated team of people.
Thank
you again. Margaret W.
P.S. If
anyone has any spare 5-6" dia. plant pots lying around in sheds, etc., I
should be very pleased to have them at Higher Rows.
22

COMBE MARTIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Following
the AGM held on the 18th May, there was a presentation by Moose Boyer.
This
meeting was the last before the summer break and the Society will recommence in
September. Details of the new calendar
will appear in the August Newsletter.
23

HABEAS CORPUS
fast-paced comedy and farce touring in July
While
the original Latin phrase concerns the rights of a person against unfair
imprisonment,
Alan Bennett's play of the same name
is a far more entertaining affair.
Experience this for yourself when Studio Theatre's fast-paced production
tours Berrynarbor [Ilfracombe and Woolacombe] with its sparkling writing,
comedy and farce.
Far
from being dry and academic, the play is set at the time of what used to be
called the 'permissive society' and handles a range of issues from sexual
frustration to the problems of growing older with hilarity.
Anne
Bacon directs the cast to bring out every comic twist and turn and she and the
cast are looking forward to touring in July.
You can catch Habeas Corpus at Berrynarbor
on Thursday, 20th July, at the Manor Hall.
To find out more
about the production and our entire 2006 programme, please call Secretary Anne
Bacon on [01271] 882193 or Robert Zarywacz on [01271] 879376 or visit www.studiotheatreonline.org.uk
for all the dates, details and booking information you require.
24
ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL
Isambard
Kingdom Brunel, one of the most famous and exciting of the Victorian engineers
was born on
During
his time in
Brunel
also designed other railways, including the
He
was not always entirely successful. The
use of his controversial 'Atmospheric' system in the construction of the South
Devon Railway was a conspicuous failure - the system never really worked and the
shareholders of the railway were left with a substantial loss. His use of the timber viaducts he designed,
many of which were used in the West Country, proved cheap to build but with a
short life span had to be replaced by the GWR at considerable cost.An accomplished marine engineer, Brunel designed three
steamships. The Great Western, launched
in 1838, was a conventional wooden hulled paddle steamer, but its revolutionary
successor, the
Illustrated by: Paul Swailes
many years transported
passengers to and from
However,
many of Brunel's successes, particularly his railway accomplishments still
survive - Paddington Station,
There
are many events taking place in the South West over the next few months
celebrating the birth of Brunel 200 years ago.
From Swindon to
For more information go to the website www.brunel200.com.
25

BERRYNARBOR HORTICULTURAL & CRAFT SHOW
The
funds for running this year's event were boosted on the 21st May thanks to
everyone who supported the Coffee Morning, and we shall again be awarding prizes for all the different
Sections of the Show.
We look forward to lots of entries
again, particularly from youngsters in the Junior Sections, who must be under 14 on the 1st
January this year.
The
provisional schedule, as promised, is given below and one or two items
have been included to reflect the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the
birth of Brunel. Paul, who gives so
generously of his time to regularly illustrate
many articles in the newsletters, has done us [and Brunel] proud with his cover
for this, the June issue. The final Schedule and entry forms will be
included ed with the August Newsletter, but will also
be available at the Shop, at Sue's in Combe Martin and from members of the
organising group.
May
we remind the holders of Cups and Trophies that these should be returned to one
of the organisers by the 1st August please.
So,
make a note of the date: SATURDAY, 2ND
SEPTEMBER; look
at the list of classes and give thought to what YOU will be able to enter; and get to work sowing, sewing, knitting,
painting, etc., and encourage all friends and relations and everyone you know
[don't forget, the Show is open to non-residents as well as residents of the
village] to have a go. Let's make it
another show to remember. But remember
too, that no one expects perfection, just the best that we can all muster.
Floral Art: The Brilliance of Brunel, Kitchen
Garden, Special
Occasion [a corsage], Summer
Sparkle [arrangement in a wine glass]
Home Cooking: A different, but similar range of
jams, cakes, etc, home-made wines and other alcoholic drinks
Handicrafts: The usual selection giving a
wide choice of knitting, sewing, embroidery, wood and metalwork
The
Art: A Self-portrait
[in any medium], 'Steam',
a collage using only natural materials, A Sea or
Landscape [any medium], A watercolour Still Life [max. A4] to include flowers and a
personal precious object, A
Celebratory Card [A5] on card, A
Favourite Animal, pen and ink, pencil or charcoal sketch
Photography: Brunel 200 - from the steam age to
the space age, Sport
for All - from the World Cup to the London 2012 Olympics, Helping
Hands, Shades
of Green, Attention
to Detail
Fruit &
Vegetables, Cut Flowers and Potted Plants:
These
follow last year's pattern and a reminder that potted plants that have been purchased, must have been bought before the end of December
2005.
In the Potted Plant
class only, items that were entered last year, having been nurtured for a
further year, may be re-entered.
Good
Luck!
Vi, Yvonne, Pip, Tony, Janet and Judie
26
QUIZ
With
talk of the World Cup, partying at
Can
you find the location of the following towns and cities who all boast a
football club? Have a go and if you
would like to let the Editor have your answers before the August issue is out
[when the answers will be given] you never know, there
might be a prize!
1 |
What a sauce! [9] |
2 |
Build up the fire
[5] |
3 |
Direction to
finish [8] |
4 |
Hawaiian greeting
[5] |
5 |
Staffordshire pig
[8] |
6 |
Abscond with foot
ailment [7] |
7 |
Boy surrounded by
water [8] |
8 |
Shipshape fashion
[7] |
9 |
Male city [10] |
10 |
Send the enemy
here [8] |
11 |
Nothing consumed
[8] |
12 |
Bird with added
consonant [5] |
13 |
Part of a ship
[4] |
14 |
Scottish cake [6] |
15 |
Body organ fund
[9] |
16 |
People's building
material [10] |
17 |
Bigger than a
duck pond! [7] |
18 |
Smashes the joint
[7] |
19 |
Place of many
tales [10] |
20 |
Detectives need
them [5] |
21 |
A Welsh warmer
[8] |
22 |
Ancient cut of
pork [6] |
23 |
Gracie's home
town [8] |
24 |
Robin's shade of
green [7] |
25 |
Hill jetty [7] |
26 |
Soak in this [4] |
27 |
Wartime flyer [9] |
28 |
Bonnie's partner
[5] |
29 |
A recent dock [7] |
30 |
Plunder is
underway [5] |
31 |
City of steel [9] |
32 |
Simmer on alert
[9] |
33 |
Sleep on it with
Henry [7] |
34 |
Tailor on river
[6.2.5] |
35 |
River opening [9] |
36 |
Buildings on
sheltered side [8] |
37 |
Dirty pond [9] |
38 |
Home of Boots'
first shop [10] |
39 |
Ship's complement
[5] |
40 |
Currency [8] |
41 |
University
lecturer of sugar [9] |
42 |
Resting place
complete [9] |
43 |
Ma is fine [10] |
44 |
Sweetheart's
hundred [10] |
27
WALK -
96
"When the budding scarf of April
Ravelled on the
Devon Hill."
from 'Keats
at Teignmouth' by Charles Causley
When
Cornish poet Charles Causley was a little boy, his mother took him on a trip to
Teignmouth. As she told him how John
Keats had once lived there, she cannot have imagined that her own son would
grow up to become a famous poet too.
Those lines, ". . . the budding
scarf of April ravelled on the Devon hill", always conjure up an image for
me of the drifts of snowy blackthorn blossom lightening the
On a breezy, sunny morning in
late April, we were on Little Haldon, high ground a couple of miles to the
north of Teignmouth with viewpoints over the Teign
estuary; the
peak of Haytor on Dartmoor on the horizon and the string of pits along the
river valley and the old Stover canal where a special sort of ball clay, a
derivative of granite, has been extracted.
This
heather clad plateau, dotted with a few Scots Pines, appears quite barren but
is an example of the rather scarce type
of habitat called lowland heath,
characteristic of parts of Dorset and
We
trudged along the network of overgrown and prickly tracks, reaching a wide ride
where a lizard wove in and out of the dried grass.
We
met a man who recalled his experience of Little Haldon Hill during the War
when, as a teenager in the Home Guard, he had taken part in training manoeuvres
there.
Scanning
the surrounding farmland where there were a few red Devon cattle [always a
pleasure to see], we noticed in a little field flanked by woods on two sides, a
small herd of fallow deer, some grazing, others lying down, still
in their dull brown winter coats.
Great
Haldon loomed nearby. Also known as
Illustrated by: Paul
Swailes
Sue H
28
THE SAD PASSING OF COMMON SENSE
as reported by Songbird
Today
we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with
us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth
records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will
be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to
come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always
fair and maybe it was my fault.
Common
Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you
earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well
intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using
mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked
teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their
unruly children
It declined even further when schools were required to
get parental consent to administer Panadol, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a
student; but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and
wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten
Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals
received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend
yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for
assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a
woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She
spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents,
Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his
son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,
Someone Else is to Blame and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he
was gone.
If you still remember him pass this on. If not
join the majority and do nothing.
29

Spring
is a very busy time for all gardeners but despite the cold weather, the
The
hanging baskets arrived on the 21st May in time for the Spring Bank Holiday
[Whitsun]. Unfortunately, this was a
cold, windy and rain-swept day but we hope they will thrive and be enjoyed by
the village and holidaymakers and, of course, help us to win again!
We
have removed dead conifer and tree stumps from outside the Manor Hall and plan
to plant a tree and some perennial planting there. Although we may have to wait until we get
the bindweed under control! The next
urgent project will be to replant the large bed by the bus stop opposite the
Sawmill Inn.
Times:
Shop and
at the Gardens on the Day
Adults: £3.50
Under 8's: £2.50
Proceeds
to Berry in Bloom and other Local Charities
Please
come along and support us and have a good time
For any other dates, please look our
for our 'Blooming' posters. Thank you
to the Combe Martin Carnival Committee for their kind donation, and also the
folks at the Village Barn Dance, for their donation.
Wendy
30

OLD BERRYNARBOR - VIEW NO. 101
If
the Berrynarbor Congregational Chapel were still open for services,
This leads me to an article that
appeared on page 5 of the Ilfracombe Chronicle, one hundred years ago, dated
BERRYNARBOR
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
On Friday last, in the course of a
On Sunday last the anniversary of the
church was held, Mr. J.P. Verney, J.P., preached two
excellent sermons, the services were much enjoyed. On Whit Monday, tea was provided,
successfully arranged by Messrs. W. Ley, J. Bowden, Jos.
Bowden. The following ladies presided
at the tables: Mesdames Huxtable, Bowden, jun., Slee,
Harding, Jones and Richards. A public
meeting followed, presided over by Mr. Foyster, of Ilfracombe, practical and
earnest addresses were delivered by the Rev. T. Dixon, Dr. Stevens, and Rev. F.G. Walker.
The pastor at the close apologised for Mr.
H.J. Bobbett who was unable to be present, and thanked all the friends who had
so kindly assisted them on Sunday, and at the meeting. Miss Barnett presided at the organ.
For
further information on the Chapel, please refer to my article, View No. 26 in
the December 1993 issue of Newsletter No. 27, pages 21-23.
Also in the Ilfracombe Chronicle,
there is a record of the Wreck of H.M.S.
Montagu which, in thick fog on
Tom Bartlett, Tower Cottage, May
2006
e-mail: tombartlett40@hotmail.com
31

SUNDAY SCHOOL
On this occasion
there is little to report from the Sunday School. Members attended the Family/Village Service
on the 7th May and will again attend on the 2nd July. This will be the last meeting for the summer
term.
Following
the success of last year's outing to
Children's Thoughts of Heaven:
- How high up is it because sometimes my nose bleeds. Tim
- Heaven is all the love in the world collected in one place. Sue
Bye for Now. Sally
32