Edition 115 - August 2008
Artwork by: Paul Swailes
EDITORIAL
The least said about the weather the better! However, in spite of it the village events have been able to go ahead.
Out with this issue are the Schedule and Entry Forms for the Horticultural and Craft Show to be held on Saturday, 30th August, in the Manor Hall. Open to residents and non-residents of the village, the organising group hope that everyone will try to put in at least one entry [and more preferably] as well as coming along to the Hall in the afternoon to view the exhibits. All details are given in the Schedule [extra copies will be available from the Shop, Sue's of Combe Martin, the Globe and Sawmill Inn] but if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact one of the organisers. LOTS and LOTS of entries please and lots of visitors for the Show, the Prize Giving and the Auction.
Thank you the BBC and Berry in Bloom for your kind donations and my thanks, also, to all contributors, but I should especially like to thank Paul Swailes and I am delighted that some of his work, including the cover appear in colour in this issue. Paul has been illustrating our Newsletter with pen and ink drawings almost from the beginning - and he isn't even a member of our village! He never knows what I am going to ask him to illustrate or how many illustrations and this information is not usually, for obvious reasons, given until after the deadline, so he does not get much time, but he has never failed to get his great drawings to me in good time.
It is amazing that with this issue we are in to the 20th year of the Newsletter and by the next issue autumn will be creeping up on us. Contributions for October can be handed in as soon as possible and by mid-September, Monday 15th, at the latest. Thank you.
Although it is really far too early to be thinking of the festive season, Christmas Messages will again be able to be sent in the December issue when the donations made in lieu of Christmas Cards will be shared between the Manor Hall Card Distribution and the Newsletter. So, before purchasing your cards, remember this way of sending greetings to your friends and neighbours.
August will continue to be busy - The Berry Revels and St. Peter's Summer Fayre, the first outing of our village Carnival Float and gardeners, crafters, cooks, photographers, artists, etc., preparing for the Show. Good luck to you all.
Judie - Ed
1
BERRYNARBOR LADIES' GROUP
Twenty
members attended the meeting on the 3rd June with Janet Gibbins presiding. The Coastguard Line Manager, Ian Lyndsay,
gave an
interesting talk. He is responsible for
the coastal area from Woolacombe to Bridgwater. There are six teams to look after, made up
of 60 volunteers. Eighteen rescue centres are manned
continuously, with the Maritime Rescue Service organising the rescues. If a
person is lost overboard, computers work out which direction he or she will be
drifting due to the tides.
Each
merchant ship has a beacon to show its location and so can be contacted to
assist in the rescue. Our
coastguard organisation is the best in the world, with 3,600 volunteers
nationwide but there are big challenges ahead, not least the fact that all
volunteers will require medicals. Coastguards are also responsible for the
recovery of pollution at sea.
The
Meeting ended with the usual tea or coffee and biscuits with Joan Wood winning
the raffle. On
the 9th June some members visited Chambercombe Manor in Ilfracombe. After an interesting tour of the house, they
enjoyed a delicious cream tea and a walk around the garden. Helen
Latham made a welcome return on the 1st of July. This time she spoke about Leonard Cheshire
and his involvement in the Cheshire Homes.
Leonard
Cheshire was born in August 1917 and during the Second World War was a pilot
with Guy Gibson. He met and married
Constance, who was the first American war bride. She
eventually returned to
Observing
how injured service men and women were treated, Leonard was concerned and so he
bought a manor house from an aunt and fitted it out with the help of the matron
from a local hospital. It was difficult
to run it properly, due to lack of finances, but this improved after obtaining
a £50,000 grant and the appointment of trustees.
Civilians
were also accepted in the home and one old lady always wore a hat with a red
feather, so a red feather was adopted as the emblem of the Cheshire Homes. Leonard
spent the next few years renovating old buildings in
About
this time Helen wrote to him suggesting he came to
He
later married Sue Ryder [Sue Ryder Care] but the two organisations operated
separately. Helen remembers him as a
very caring man. He made you feel wanted, treated the
handicapped well and had a dirty laugh!
He died in 1990 of motor neurone disease. There are now hundreds of Cheshire Homes.
After
Helen's interesting talk, there was the usual time for a chat and refreshments. Janet Steed won the raffle and Marion Carter
made a plea for cakes for the cake stall at the Berry Revels on the 19th
August.
There
is no Meeting in August so the next Meeting will be on 2nd September when Dave Webb will be telling
us about mining in Combe Martin and on the 7th October Mr. K. Pugsley will be
talking about hypnotherapy.
These
Meetings take place in the Manor Hall on the first Tuesday of each month at
Doreen
2
WEATHER OR NOT
The
last day of April was cold, wet and miserable - the temperature only reached
9.6 Deg C. - exactly one week later we were basking in
25.2 Deg C! The fine weather broke on the
15th, the first day of the Devon County Show.
On the Bank Holiday Monday, 26th, we recorded wind speeds up to 32
knots, these were higher in more exposed positions and there were quite a few
trees and branches down.
The
total rainfall for the month was 81mm [3 3/4"] of which 14mm [9/16"]
fell in about one hour on the 22nd. If
anything, this total is slightly below average for us, but April is another
very variable month - other parts of
June
was a dry month with a total rainfall of only 38mm [11/2"] and it was also
quite cool with a maximum temperature of only 23 Deg C on the 9th. This was the lowest June maximum that we
have ever recorded by over 2 Deg C. The
minimum temperature of 6.4 Deg C was nearer to the average. The most notable feature of June was the
wind, which was up to near gale or gale force on at least three days, and for the second half of the month was quite strong
on most days. The maximum gust was 30
knots on the 29th, which was not unusual but we were sheltered here from the
worst of the wind.
In
May 156.27 hours of sunshine were recorded and in June the total was 180.08
hours. Looking back these figures are
fairly average for these two months.
The
total rainfall that we have for the first six months of the year is 509mm [20
3/16"] and if July carries on the way it has started, that figure is going
to increase considerably - more about that in the next newsletter.
Simon and Sue
3
IN MEMORIAM
Crossing the Bar
Sunset
and evening star,
And one
clear call for me!
And may
there be no moaning of the bar,
When
I put out to sea.
But with
such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full
for sound and foam,
When
that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns
again home.
Twilight
and evening bell,
And
after that the dark!
And may
there be no sadness of farewell,
When I
embark;
For though
from out our bourne of Time and Place
The
flood may bear me far,
I hope
to see my Pilot face to face
When
I have crossed the bar.
Alfred Lord Tennyson [1809-92]
LEN COLEMAN
It
was with deep sadness the village learnt that after his long and patient
struggle, Len had died peacefully on the 27th June, at home with June at his
side. He will be sadly missed.
Len
loved the village and took an active interest in its many events and
activities, serving on our Parish Council for many years. St. Peter's Church was filled with family,
friends and neighbours for his final farewell on the 9th July.
Len's
last couple of years had not been easy for him but they were made more bearable
due to the incredible care and love given him by June, and we send her our love
and prayers at this time of sorrow.
________ Len
was born in After
Peggy's death in 1989, Len devoted his life to serving as a Councillor with the
Parish Council for more than twenty years.
He also became Chairman of the Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station - a position
he held for
Len
loved this village and enjoyed the friendship and kindness of its inhabitants.
He
and I met and married in June 1998 and have spent ten happy years
together. The last year of Len's life
was difficult, but the kindness, help and support of so many friends and
neighbours made his last few months more bearable. He passed away peacefully in my arms on the
27th June.
I
should like to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who sent such kind
messages of sympathy and who attended Len's funeral service at the
This
village and its residents are truly wonderful - long may it stay so.
June
4
ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Christians
Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor held their United Service at St.
Peter's on Sunday, 29th June. We had a
good congregation and the service was led by Rector Keith with the Baptist
Minister, Philip Young, giving the address.
Christian Aid collections, made during May, were offered up from both
villages at the end of the service, resulting in a final total of £664.98.
Church
members were out again at the end of June delivering Gift Day envelopes around
the village. It is surprising how
quickly the time goes at the lych gate on a fine day! To date donations for the upkeep and running
of the church have reached a generous £840.
Thank you all once again for your continuing,
unstinting support.
DON'T
FORGET the Summer Fayre to be held
in the Manor Hall on Tuesday, 5th August,
Harvest celebrations will be on Sunday,
5th October with the Supper and Auction of produce on Wednesday, 8th October. Full details will appear in the next
Newsletter.
Friendship Lunches at The Globe will be
on Wednesdays 27th August and 24th September.
Mary Tucker
5
Since
the new Shop opened in the spring,
Thank
you to Tony Summers for his magnificent job of repairing the very tatty finger
post at the bottom of Barton Lane/Castle Hill.
We
have continued with the litter picks and planting of tubs around the
village. This includes planting up and
looking after the tubs in the centre of the village outside empty houses,
either up for sale or holiday homes.
This adds to the commitment of watering, so many thanks to those that do
this very necessary task.
Late
May saw the arrival of the hanging baskets.
The van arrived in the village centre to unload and the heavens
opened! But once again they look lovely
and defy the elements.
The
first of the
The
second event in July followed horrendous weather that week and could easily
have been a washout. However, we must
have done something right as although cold, windy and threatening, the rain
held off until
Friday,
11th July and the
Thank
you to everyone in the village who supports us, especially Mike Hart and family
for their very generous donation.
P.S. Look out for our posters as to when the next
litter pick takes place.
6
There
are lots of recipes for carrot cake, but this one from
9oz
[250g] Wholemeal Flour
6oz
[175g] Soft Brown Sugar
3 Large
Free Range Eggs
2 tsp
pure Vanilla Essence
2 level
tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp
Salt
3oz
[75g] Desiccated Coconut
6oz
[175g] Raw Brown Sugar
6 fl. oz
[175ml] Sunflower Oil
2 fl. oz
Soured Cream
Approx.
1 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1 tsp
Bicarbonate of Soda
11oz
Grated Carrots
For the Topping
4oz
[110g] Full Fat Soft Cream Cheese
Juice of
half a Lemon
Pre-heat
the oven to Gas Mark 2, 300 Deg F, 150 Deg C.
You will need one 8" [20cm] round cake tin [lined with greaseproof
paper] and 2 mixing bowls.
In
the first mixing bowl you place the eggs, oil, vanilla essence and soured
cream, then sieve the sugars in to it as well [to avoid any lumps]. In the other bow, sieve the flour, nutmeg,
cinnamon, soda and salt.
Now
beat the wet ingredients and the sugars together, then
fold in the dry ingredients followed by the carrots and coconut. Mix well to distribute everything evenly, then spoon in to the cake tin and bake on the centre shelf
for 11/2 hours. When the cake is cool,
mix the topping ingredients and spread thickly over the top.
Enjoy
a thick slice with a cuppa and kid yourself it is healthy because of the
carrots!
Wendy
7
TWO AUBADES
Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has
flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The
Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.
Edward Fitzgerald - from the Rubaiyat of
Omar Kayyam
Hark! hark! the lark at heaven's gate sings,
And
Phoebus 'gins arise,
His
steeds to water at those springs
On
chaliced flowers that lies;
And
winking Mary-buds begin
To ope
their golden eyes:
With
every thing that pretty is,
My lad
sweet, arise!
Arise,
arise!
William Shakespeare [from Cymbeline]
Illustrations by: Paul Swailes
Trev I
have to confess that I did not know the meaning of aubades. According to my Persian
astronomer, mathematician and poet, Omar Khayyam [1050-1123] was born in
Nishapur, where he founded a school of astronomical research and assisted in
reforming the calendar. It is thought
that as a result of his observations, the jalali
calendar era was begun in 1079. He
wrote a study of algebra, which was known in Here in the west he
is chiefly known as a poet through Edward Fitzgerald's version of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam 1859. Edward
Fitzgerald [1809-1883] was born in A
younger, intimate friend of his, Edward Cowell, sparked Fitzgerald's interest
in collating and translating the Persian Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. He adapted the source material so freely
that it could almost be regarded as his own work and there is some doubt as to
whether the entire original can be attributed to Khayyam. Ed. 8
NEWS
FROM OUR COMMUMITY SHOP
Maybe
the recession is biting! Our shop hasn't
received any advanced orders from visitors this year, in spite of self-catering
owners hopefully sending out the annual order forms with confirmation of
bookings. Still, the information is
getting through as many visitors arrive even on Saturday afternoons knowing
about us. So thank you all
self-catering owners who are doing a good job.
If you need more forms for autumn bookings, please ask at the shop or
'phone Pam Parke on 883758.
Our
weekly sales are considerably higher than this time last year - which is a
relief! This is due to the increase in
stock items, the larger space with easier parking, our support from customers -
and of course our teams of managers and volunteers. Obviously our visitors appreciate it
too. Many of the staff report glowing
comments about our shop. Firstly they
admire the 'bucking of the trend' of closures; secondly they like not only the
building with its beautiful flowers, but also the wide variety of stock inside;
and last but not least, they say how pleasant it is to shop where the staff are
so happy and helpful. Well done
everyone who works there.
Plans
for our official opening are underway - and the event will hopefully have
happened before the next newsletter, so please look out for notices - and come if
you can.
Don't
forget to bring along your summer visitors to the shop - even if only for a
coffee!
PP
of DC
9
THE MANOR HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The
Committee would like to thank members of the BBC for their gift of £700 to help
with the expenses of the Hall. This was
very much appreciated and will be spent wisely. Thanks, also, to the Parish Council and the
men involved in cutting back the overhanging branches of trees in the car parking
area, and well done the committee for painting the toilets in the Bassett Room.
Bob Hobson - Chairman
10
LETTER FROM THE RECTOR
The Rectory,
Combe Martin.
Dear Friends,
I've just got back from a short trip
to the
We had a good journey both up and down
from the isle. It was great to get in
the car and drive off at
It suddenly struck me. I was no longer in control. In the car I could steer the vehicle any way
I wanted. I could travel at any speed I
wanted. I could stop at a service station if I wished
or even turn off the motorway. But now, my path across the water was determined
by the Captain who could go as fast or as slow as the ferry would allow [and
most comfortably and safely for his passengers], and I couldn't do a thing
about it! In one sense it was a great
relief. I had been driving for miles,
and now someone else had the responsibility.
If I trusted the Captain to do his job I could relax and enjoy the trip
until we arrived safely at our destination.
It was a bit like life really. Once we realize that we are in God's hands,
and let go, and allow him to take over we can enjoy the trip. Oh yes, we need to have faith or trust in our
Captain - that he knows the route and the destination and that he will bring us
safely to our eternal home. But that reassurance comes from the life,
teaching, death and resurrection of Our Lord.
Enjoy the trip.
With all good wishes,
Your Friend and Rector,
Keith Wyer
11
THE EVACUEES - DAVE & TOM
Part IV - Boats & Semaphore
It
was one late summer week-end in 1943 that our evacuee friends were chatting at
the cottage at Goosewell.
"Got
any ideas about what we should do over the week-end?" said Tom to Dave.
Dave's
eyes lit up, "Yes," he said, "Come down the road to where `there
is a field gate on your left, I want to show you something. It's before you get to East Hagginton
Farm." So, they got up and off
they went.
Once
down the road, they opened the gate and Dave said, "Look to your
left."
"I
can't see what you mean," replied Tom, looking puzzled.
"Well,
if you look carefully, it looks as though there has been an old, shallow quarry
there at one time. Although there is short grass
on it, because the sheep have munched it that way, it would scrape clear and
when it rains we could have quite a nice, safe, shallow pond."
Tom
still looked puzzled. "Yes, but
why do we need a pond?" he muttered a little impatiently.
"For our boat competition." Dave smiled and went on to explain the
idea. "Each of us should make a
little wooden boat, say six inches long, and the one which sailed the best
would be the winner!" Dave was
definitely the best at wood carving and felt confident that he would win.
"I
can probably cadge a spade, fork and rake from our next door neighbour. That should be all we need, and I don't suppose
the farmer will mind what we do, as his sheep will be able to drink from the
pond."
They
borrowed the tools and went back to start clearing the grass away to make ready
for the expected rain to fill it. They
broke a prong off the rake - about which the owner was not very happy!
The
following week-end Dave found some bits of wood and started carving perfect
little hulls for his boats.
The sails were just one piece of
stout paper, pierced with a mast made from a butcher's skewer. All he needed for the
rudder was a thin shaped piece of aluminium, cut with his mother's scissors,
and fastened to the bottom of the
boat with a long pin.
Tom,
on the other hand, searched and searched to find some suitable wood to make his
couple of boats. Eventually he hit on
the idea of using some wooden plant tags which he found in the garden
shed. Hardly cutting the plant tags to
any real boat shape, he finished the rest in much the same way as Dave.
As
predicted, a couple of weeks later it rained and the area they had cleared
flooded to a nice depth of about six to eight inches. Dave had a look and being satisfied, called
round to tell Tom.
"Got
your boats made?" he enquired. Tom
said he had and off they set to try them.
They
both launched their boats at the same time, and what happened?
Well,
Dave's, though perfect in appearance went anywhere but straight across. Tom's, on the other hand, rickety and badly
made, sailed right to the other side without a problem.
"You've
won," conceded Dave.
"Well,
where's the prize?!" joked Tom, pleased with his own efforts.
Thinking
for a moment, Dave generously declared, "I'll give you one of my
slowworms."
So
off went Tom proudly with his prize in a jam jar.
"You
can get rid of that straight away!" exclaimed his mother.
Our
two evacuee friends had now become good wartime friends but communication
between their two homes was difficult, with one of them in the cottage at
Goosewell and the other in
One
day they were talking about things in general when Dave suddenly announced,
"I think I've got a good idea.
Have you ever heard of semaphore?"
"What
the heck's that?" came the reply.
Dave
explained. "People wave two flags
at each other in such a way that they can communicate. It's a bit like Morse code and I think
there's a book at home which explains it."
"Well " said Dave, "If you find out about it and we
learn it, you could signal me across the valley from the stone stile up Hagginton,
and I could reply from our terrace. If
we made quite large flags, we ought to be able to see each other more
easily." The book was found and
both boys duly learned their semaphore code.
A
day and time was arranged for them to take up their respective positions. It worked!
On the first 'chat', it was arranged that Tom should call at Dave's
cottage that afternoon to go scrumping.
A bit naughty true, but then what's what young lads did in those days.
By
half-two, Tom was at Dave's.
"What
are you two up to today?" enquired Dave's mum.
"Oh,
we'll just wander around and muck about" they told her.
"Well,
off you go then" she said in a doubtful tone, knowing that there was
probably mischief in the air.
They
made their way down to a nearby farm where Dave knew there was an orchard with
some choice fruit. "Look at
this", he called to Tom.
"They've got a fig tree."
The figs were plump and tasty and both boys ate far too many, as well as
a quantity of juicy apples.
Being
rather greedy, they wanted more. So,
tucking their trousers into their socks, they filled their trousers with
apples.
"Listen,
I think someone's coming", whispered Tom.
"We'd better get out of here." By pulling their trousers out of their socks
they released the apples, and ran.
That
evening, surprise, surprise, both boys complained of tummy ache. Mum's are not that
daft and the lads didn't get much sympathy!
Illustrations
by: Paul
Swailes
Tony Beauclerk -
12
"TIM
IN THE SWIM"
Sometimes
a resident of Berrynarbor, Tim has taken on a daunting twin challenge this
summer. The first, his brand new bride Jackie might
maintain, is less of a challenge and more an unmitigated pleasure, as she and
Tim took their marriage vows in St. Peter's church on a rare sunny Saturday in
July. Bride and Groom looked resplendent
as friends and relations enjoyed a reception in the Manor Hall and typical
Berrynarbor hospitality.
The
second challenge may be more problematic as Tim attempts a solo swim of the
Tim
is hoping that the challenge will raise £5000 for charity. All
money will be donated to Cancer Research.
If you would like to provide a donation, no matter how small, then
sponsor forms will be in the Globe and the Village Community Shop. Or visit www.justgiving.com/timjenner. Tim is also looking for corporate sponsors to
help pay for the costs of the challenge and can be contacted at Little Gables [01271
882688] or tjjenner@hotmail.com
Fewer
than 800 people have swum the
Fact File:
Matthew
Webb was the first man to swim the Channel from
Comedian
David Walliams completed the swim in 2006 in 10 hours 29 minutes.
Fewer
than 800 people are officially recognised by the Channel Swimming Association
as having completed the swim from
13
I'M
STILL STANDING
The
North Devon Group of Epilepsy Action is putting on a charity concert, called
"I'm Still Standing", at the Ilfracombe Pavilion Theatre on Friday,
24th October, doors open
At
the event, Guy Stoker, a successful songwriter who has epilepsy and attends the
Guy
has previously recorded a charity CD with renowned opera singer, Suzannah
Clarke and has organised concerts in the past but this one is very relevant to
him because of the charity for which it is raising money. The name of the concert sums up his story
perfectly. Although having suffered
setbacks in the past, he is still standing and able to do something as big as
putting on a concert. Guy is keen to
show to others who suffer from epilepsy that despite having the condition you
can still shine.
Guy
has had epilepsy since he was twelve years old. He wasn't aware of Epilepsy Action or its
services until he attended a conference in
The
group provides support through monthly meetings in Barnstaple Library, where
people with epilepsy and their carers can come together to discuss and share
their experiences. Our members also
attend excursions and meals, in turn providing a social outlet for those who,
due to the severity of their condition, might not otherwise participate in such
activities. Both the outings and the
hire of the room for group meetings are paid for out of branch funds.
The
funds are also used to assist members in attending seminars and conferences on
epilepsy. Our own regional seminar is
taking place on Saturday, 1st November and hopes to increase awareness of
epilepsy in the
Guy's
aim is to raise in excess of £1,000, monies which will go towards the cost of
our seminar, the North Devon Epilepsy Action branch funds and the Southwest
Epilepsy Action Regional Forum, a recently formed group of which we have become
an active member. Bringing together all
the Epilepsy Action branches in the Southwest, it is hoped that as a larger
body we can improve services for people with epilepsy in our region.
Some
of the money raised will also help fund the vital advice and information
services provided by Epilepsy Action.
Last year the charity directly helped over 660,000 people through a
range of services including its
Helpline, Advice and Information Centre, Branch Network and Accredited
Volunteering Scheme.
Tickets
for the 'I'm Still Standing' concert cost £10 and can be obtained by
telephoning the Landmark Box Office on 01271 324242.
For
more information about the concert or the North Devon Group of Epilepsy Action,
please contact me, the secretary, on [01271] 863087.
Steve McCarthy
14
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH
Friends
are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly.
Unlucky
Thirteen -
The
Turks so dislike the number 13 that the word is almost expunged from their
vocabulary. The Italians never use it
in making up the numbers of their lotteries.
And, in
Horse-Sense
-
Something
a horse has that prevents him from betting on people.
Horse
Radish -
Equus
Radix?
Queen
Elizabeth the First Slept Here -
That
notice, according to the British Tourist Board, can be seen in approximately
2500 residences in the
She got
around a bit, didn't she?
Walter
P.S. Debbie did get it right - I do hold
my single malt in my right hand!!
15
LOCAL WALKS -109
"Swallows and Amazons"
A
lot has happened at Wistlandpound Reservoir in recent months. A bird hide, boardwalk and viewing platforms
have been constructed. There is a new
shelter; a
choice of two way-marked trails and a lively programme of events and activities
has been planned throughout the summer.
An enthusiastic new site manager was
appointed last august. Employed jointly
by the Calvert Trust, the Forestry Commission and
We
set off on the 'Discovery Trail', appreciating the improved surface and routing
of the path around the circumference of the lake. There used to be several points at which you
could get quite 'bogged down', following spells of wet weather.
It
might have been this improved access which had brought so many more people to
Wistlandpound than we had seen there before.
A
string of ducklings ventured out from the shore. A cormorant had perched on a boat, spreading
its wings to dry, and a small flotilla of Canada Geese were tolerating a
Greylag in their midst. It appeared to
be behaving rather aggressively towards them.
At
the new bird hide an ingenious display board charts the long journeys which
would have been travelled by some of the wildfowl that can arrive at
Wistlandpound in the winter months.
In
one of the 'arms' of the reservoir, we found Amphibious Bistort; a mass of floating
leaves with compact spikes of pink flowers.
Growing
in several damp areas was Brooklime with its small, deep blue flowers and
sprawling fleshy leaves. Another member
of the Veronica family was pale flowered Thyme-leaved Speedwell, a low plant
with tiny oval leaves. Cut-leaved
Cranesbill, one of our native Geraniums, with its pretty leaves and purple-red
flowers, was also present.
Richard
Mabey in his book 'The Flowering of Britain' wrote,
"Many of the most persistent and decorative garden escapes are also from
Naturalised
at one corner of the reservoir were tall plants which on a previous visit I had
mistaken for a while flowered form of Honesty. However, this year not only had it spread,
making a fine display, but because it was at a more advanced stage [although it
had similar leaves to Honesty and its flowers also had four petals], I could
see that its long cylindrical seed pods were more typical of a crucifer. The flowers are fragrant.
I
was told it was Dame's Violet.
Apparently the name derives not from dames but from
We
left the 'Discovery Trail' for the 'Challenge Trail' higher above the reservoir
and through the trees. Here we came
across a few tall spikes of Purple Toadflax, another garden escape. The flowers are snapdragon shaped.
There
were patches of Yellow Pimpernel, a neat flowered member of the Primrose family
which likes damp, shady woods.
There
had been several cream and brown Speckled Wood butterflies but as we reached a
clearing, a yellow Brimstone fluttered past. The Brimstone has a shape unlike any other
butterfly and when it perches with wings closed it resembles a leaf.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across the
track and attached itself to a nearby tree trunk. It was a female, lacking the red nape of the
male. We were pleased to see a young
Green Woodpecker in the garden recently - a less common sight these
days, although we occasionally hear their distinctive "yaffle".
Illustrations by: Paul Swailes
Sue H
16
HATCHED
A further addition for the Bailey family. Anne and Brian are delighted to announce the
safe arrival of Darcy Anne Ayres - their 4th grandchild, but first
granddaughter. Darcy, daughter for Sam
and Matt, was born after a very speedy delivery at
Jim
and Jean Constantine have another grandchild.
Toby George was born on the 22nd June weighing 8lbs 13oz. A third son for Sue and
Andy and brother for Charlie and James.
Elaine and John are delighted to
announce the safe arrival of their fourth grandchild, a daughter for Ben and Sara, and
sister for James. Harriet Holly Fanner
was born on 27th June weighing 6lbs 11oz.
Amazingly, Harriet was born on the same
day as her cousin Sunny, Elise and Paul's daughter [3 years apart], and
two-year old James was born on the same day as his cousin Stanley, Elise and
Paul's son [2 years apart].
We send our congratulations and best wishes to all the proud parents and
grandparents, and a warm welcome to the three new little ones.
17
LOOKING FOR LEWORTHY'S
Helen
Lawrence e-mailed recently from Neath in South Wales to say that she was
currently working on her family tree and had found that three branches of the
tree are in
Helen
wonders if any readers can give her any more information on the Leworthy
Family.
Certainly
in White's 1850 Directory, Thomas Leworthy is recorded as one of four
blacksmiths in the village and a Thomas Leworthy is also recorded as being a
shopkeeper. Are they one and the same?
Hopefully
Lorna may be able to help Helen, but if anyone else has information, please get
in touch with Judie on [01271] 883544. Let's
see if we can help.
18
A Childhood Memory
Not
the one in South Devon but the big, brash one on the
I,
at least, had no idea where we were bound when we left home that sunny
September Sunday morning, all dressed in our best. To the best of my knowledge, travel agents
did not then exist and advance booking was for the well-to-do only.
Why
was it Sunday? Because, like everyone
else, father had to work Saturday mornings and this was no exception. You may remember that it was Attlee's
post-war government that abolished regular Saturday working. Why September? Because father, as a skilled electrician,
had to take his single week's unpaid holiday during what was known as Engineers
Week, and this was always in September.
Anyway,
there we were having arrived by tram at the station from which the excursion
trains departed for various seaside resorts.
We joined one of several queues which snaked their way across the
station yard and it turned out to be the one for
I
have little or no recollection of the journey, but once arrived we had to find
digs. This involved tramping up and
down
Now
in those days there was no B and B, you provided your own food and the landlady
cooked it and put it on the table.
Mother would not have been allowed in the kitchen. There was a small charge for the use of the
cruet [salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar] and crockery and cutlery were provided. So every day had to be partly spent shopping
for the day's lunch, tea, supper and tomorrow's breakfast. As there was no Sunday shopping, we must
have taken some food with us.
As
luck would have it, we left the sun back home and the week turned out damp and
drizzly. If we saw the sea at all, it
made little impression on me. It was
certainly no weather for the beach.
My
chief remembrance is of trailing around window-shopping,
with father's nose seeming endlessly glued to the windows of hardware shops,
especially those selling hand tools, and impatiently dragging mother away from
dress shops. As a silver lining to a
dark cloud, she did persuade him to buy my brother and me a badly needed new
raincoat each.
We
visited the famous Tower and I badly wanted to go into the zoo, then located in the base, but for some reason father vetoed
this. We did, however, go into the
Winter Gardens which was quite interesting.
In
what must have been an evening visit, we watched a variety show. The only item I recall was a tenor in
evening dress serenading a lady in tights seated on the tip of a cardboard
moon. What we did on the other evenings
I have no idea as there were no 'lights' in those days. As we would not have been encouraged to sit
around at the digs, we probably went to bed early!
During
a rare, fine interval, we watched the making of Blackpool Rock on stalls along
the seafront. It was fascinating to see
how the letters were formed out of yard-long strips of red caramel shaped,
where required, round equally long strips of white before being correctly
positioned inside a huge slab of rock.
This was then rolled into a cylinder and finally coated with more of the
red stuff. Then the whole mass was
rolled and rolled, becoming longer and thinner until the correct size was
reached. It was then chopped into short
sticks and wrapped ready for sale.
Father
bought lavishly and we arrived home with half a suitcase full of rock in
various shapes, sizes and flavours, which lasted us almost until Christmas.
Trev
19
On behalf of the Pre-School I
should like to say a huge thank you to all the companies who made it possible
for us to complete our garden project.
We now have a lovely area with wetpour
surfacing and the children have been enjoying growing their own vegetables,
fruit, herbs and also learning about composting.
This
was all thanks to the following companies who donated raffle prizes or helped
financially: Napps Touring Holidays,
Advanced Scaffolding, Pall Ilfracombe, Surestart, Tesco, John Fowlers, Black
& White Chip Shop, Lambda, Combe Martin Wildlife Park, Berrynarbor Farmers'
Market, Ilfracombe Tandoori Restaurant, Ilfracombe Aquarium, Watermouth Castle,
Merlin Cinemas, St. John's Garden Centre, Keypitts, Homebase and B & Q.
I
should also like to say a big thank you to Louise Richards whose outstanding
efforts in her fundraising role makes all events huge successes. And not forgetting Emma our Pre-School
Leader, who has completed her first successful year - her organisation and
enthusiasm are second to none.
If
anyone would like to know more about the Pre-School and availability of places,
please contact Emma Lerwill on 07807 093644.
As
the summer holidays have now begun we shall be holding activity fundraising
days at the Manor Hall. Dates are yet
to be confirmed but keep an eye open for the posters for more information.
Many
thanks. Jenny Beer - Chairperson
20
BERRYNARBOR PARISH
COUNCIL REPORT
The
July meeting began with a minute's silence by all present to pray and reflect
on the life of Len Coleman - he was a valued member of this Parish Council for
approximately thirty years and we thank June for her support which enabled him
to continue almost to the end. He will
be greatly missed.
The
Manager and Operations Manager of First Bus gave a presentation concerning
company policy and the reasons for not operating a service through
Berrynarbor. Councillors were clearly
angered by their responses and so they have agreed to yet again review the
situation and report back to us.
The
Public Rights of Way Committee met on 10th June and recommended that the
claimed public rights of way at Watermouth Cove were valid. As a result of this decision, the County
Council will be making an Order within the next few months to record public
rights of way on the claimed routes. Notice of the Order will be advertised and
served on the landowner affected, whilst giving anyone the opportunity to
object or make representation. If
objections are made to the Order and not withdrawn, the County Council will be
required to submit it for determination by an inspector appointed by the
Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which could
result in a local public enquiry.
Thank
you to County Councillor Andrea Davis for representing the Parish Council at
the Committee Meeting, and to everyone who provided the evidence in support of
the claimed routes.
Lastly,
thank you to Tony Summers for the lovely new Castle Hill sign he made for the
village.
Sue Sussex - Chairman [882916]
21
OUR RON
It
is lovely to have Ron back in the village after his recent spell in hospital
and to see him looking so well and his chirpy self again. It is also lovely to know that he is
settling happily into his new home at Lee Lodge, where he is just a stone's
throw from his birthplace at Middle Lee.
Ron
recently celebrated his 92nd birthday and with Sheila and Tony, his daughter
and son-in-law, friends and neighbours, enjoyed a special Sunday tea at Lee
Lodge on a beautiful, warm sunny afternoon.
However,
his actual birthday was the following Tuesday and a large birthday greeting
card welcomed him to the Primary School's Annual Fete at the Manor Hall. But that was not the only surprise - the
School had baked him a cake! Before the
evening's activities came to an end, everyone gathered in the Hall, the
children sang 'Happy Birthday' to him and the candles were blown out - and then
everyone enjoyed a slice of his cake!
Friend
of everyone and a very special village gentleman, we all wish you, Ron, every
future happiness in your new home, and don't forget, if something goes wrong,
it's all Walter's fault!
Ron
would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind cards,
messages, flowers and gifts, not only when he was in hospital but also for his
birthday, and if you have time, do pop in to see him.
He
would like to thank Shane, Anne Marie and all the girls at Lee Lodge for their
warm welcome, help and care and for the wonderful birthday spread they put on
for him, the new boy on the block. He
says he is very happy to be there with you and the grub is great!
22
CRAFT GROUP
The Craft Group will recommence on MONDAY, 1st SEPTEMBER
Why not come and join us? Indulge yourself working on your favourite
pastime in company of others. £1.50
a session including Tea, Coffee and Biscuits. Everyone welcome.
23
OLD BERRYNARBOR - VIEW 114
F. Frith & Co. Ltd. of Reigate produced this Multi-View postcard. This particular postcard has a postmark of 5th August 1960 and was sent to an address in Aberdeen, Scotland. The message on the reverse side reads: "Dear Both, This is where we are, a couple of miles from Ilfracombe. Weather improving steadily". A message that could well be written this year!
I particularly like this card as it gives five dated views of the Berrynarbor Trailer Park and shows how much it has changed. For those fortunate enough to attend and visit the Open Gardens in the Sterridge Valley in June, they were able to see that the Trailer Park has now become a thriving and almost separate community within our village. Indeed, one can only have admiration for the way the properties and gardens are maintained and not a caravan in site! I actually have a total of twelve separate postcards of the Trailer Park, all published by Friths from around the same period of time, 1957.
Mrs. Smith and her son, Paul, purchased the land some time prior to 1952 and developed the site from around that time, Coronation Year. They steadily built it up and sold it to Ian and Simon Kemp on the 1st May 1980 as a site with a mixture of caravans and static caravans, and a Licence for up to 15 tents.
The Kemp's worked hard and built the site up further and around 1983 Simon bought a Fire Engine which attracted a great deal of attention being kept on the site. By the time they sold the business to Paul and Teresa Crockett, they had obtained permission for about 40 Residential Homes. Sadly, on selling the site, Simon had to dispose of his Fire Engine which went all the way "across the water" to Swansea in Wales.
Paul and Teresa took over from Ian and Simon back in October 1998 - how time flies! At that time there were just six Residential Homes. This has now increased to thirty-three and five Holiday Lodges, all with full services provision, other than gas, which has never reached the Valley. Paul and Teresa are particularly proud that The Park now participates in the David Bellamy Conservation Award Scheme.
24
IN THE PAPERS 150 YEARS AGO
RARE
VISITOR IN THE CHANNEL- On Saturday some attention was excited by the
appearance in the offing of a ship of unusual stateliness and size, accompanied
by a smaller craft as odd as the other was majestic. The Coast Guard were able
to give the information that the large ship was the Russel, one of Her
Majesty's steam frigates, carrying 60 guns. The accompanying vessel with leg-of-mutton
sail fore and aft, and funnel between, was a gun-boat. The frigate was a gallant object with all her
canvas spread, going up with a fair wind, the sun shining upon her and
everything looking so beautiful. The spy glass revealed her two tiers of guns -
she did not appear to have her steam up.
It was said she was cruising
round this part of the island for the purpose of inspecting and promoting the
means of defence along the coast. It is
an extremely rare thing to see a ship of war in the Bristol Channel; men accustomed to traverse it do not recollect
seeing one for years, hence the anxious inquiry, to what cause is it we owe the
unexpected visit?
PAINFUL
ACCIDENT - Yesterday [Wednesday], as the Rev. Thomas Hulme, Wesleyan minister,
of this place, and the Rev. Joseph Chapman, with some friends were making an
exploratory visit to the rocks and caves at Watermouth, the first named
gentleman had the misfortune to slip his foot on the smooth surface of rock,
when he fell and broke his right arm between the elbow and the shoulder. To make the matter worse, the bone is
fractured in an oblique direction, rendering it more difficult to set and
particularly difficult to keep in its place. The case is in the skilful hands of Mr.
Foquet.
Tom
Bartlett,
Tower Cottage July
2008
e-mail: tombartlett40@hotmail.com
25
NEWS FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Hello All
I
am writing this at the end of a very, very busy term.
The
children finished school last Friday and are hopefully now enjoying the
wonderful sunshine that is streaming in through the office window as I write
this. During the term we have had no
less than three inspections! Ofsted, SIAS
[church school inspection] and a full audit. All these inspections happen at short
notice, but they don't usually happen all at the same time! The Ofsted
inspection report is available on the Ofsted website
and the SIAS one is available on the National Society website.
There
is so much news to fill you in with, so I shall try not to ramble!
We
launched into the Summer Term with a 'Body Week'. The children learnt about how to keep their
bodies fit and well, what a balanced diet looks like, and with much giggling, about
what that balanced diet should look like when it comes out at the 'other end'!
Year
6 were working hard in preparation for their SATs
exams when we received a call from Ofsted saying that
they would be visiting us the following week.
After a slight panic about how we could accommodate our inspectors -
with all available space already being used for exams - and working out how I
could be released from my teaching commitment to enable me to be interviewed by
the inspectors - without the use of supply teachers - and with all our staff
already at full stretch supporting the children with the SATs,
we were able to show them just how good our school is. The inspectors were 'housed' in the church
vestry, and we are very grateful to the church members for opening up and
allowing us to use the church.
Two
days later, two auditors arrived to go through all our systems, policies and
paperwork - another arduous few days.
And then came the SIAS inspector, looking at
our 'Christian Distinctiveness'!
Of
course school life doesn't stop because of these gruelling inspections and we
all worked hard to make sure that children's learning wasn't affected by the
additional pressure we were under.
Having had a chance to
evaluate the end of term assessments, I am pleased to report that children
across the school are doing brilliantly, with most pupils meeting challenging
academic targets and many exceeding them.
Our Year 6 SATs results arrived back in school
a little later than expected, but we are delighted with the results - all of
our children achieved the levels of attainment expected nationally and many
exceeded them. Two of our Year 6 pupils
astounded us with writing which received full marks - a result never heard of
before but very well deserved.
Alongside this academic progress and success, we have continued with our
programme of extra-curricular and enrichment activities.
Year
1 and Reception children have been enjoying a 10-week course of swimming
lessons. Year 6 pupils travelled to the
Fremington Army Camp to take part in a packed afternoon of safety training,
delivered by emergency and
health care services. Class 4 took part
in a giant Ukulele orchestra at
The next
week Class 4 were off to the
Our Sports Day was blessed with
perfect weather and we had a lovely afternoon of races which was well supported
by families and friends. The PTA was
great as usual - organising equipment and shelter from the sun and then selling
cream teas to the spectators.
Class
3 spent a night under canvas at Daisy's Farm and enjoyed exploring the farm and
woods during the day and night! Year 6
took part in a sports festival in Ilfracombe and then joined Years 1 to 5 at
The Landmark Theatre for the fabulous performance by the Essex Dancers.
The
following day, Class 4 performed their show 'Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat'. Year 6
were then off for another day out - this time to the Eden Project with a stop
at Pizza Hut on the way home - a treat for all their hard work.
The
last week of term saw KS1 visiting the Tunnels Beaches, play space and the
Once
again the PTA performed the minor miracle which is needed to organise such a
wonderful event which raised a huge £2,068 with the fantastic support of the
Berrynarbor community.
On
the last Wednesday of term, the children enjoyed a performance and hands-on
workshops by a group of Ugandan musicians.
Then, at the very end of term we said our tearful
goodbyes to Joe, Charlotte, Skye, Kayleigh, Sally,
Daisy, Tia, Henry, Gareth, Jack and Lewis, who we send on to secondary
education with good wishes and fond memories.
The outgoing Year 6 had the traditional BBQ and water fight where they
soaked each other and any adults crazy enough to go anywhere near the
playground. Even Mr. Newell's carefully
researched purchase of a super-size water-gun,
automated water pistol and water bomb launcher was no match for the energy and
enthusiasm of children allowed to 'get their own back'!
As
you can imagine, we are all exhausted and definitely need some summer sun to
recharge our batteries. The staff enjoyed an afternoon relaxing together and are
[hopefully] now beginning to unwind and start thinking about how we can make
2008-9 even better than this year. We
are already planning more development to further improve our English
curriculum, an e-safety week, some more camping trips
for the autumn term and an international theme week - any ideas, resources or
photos about
The
events I have summarised are just a brief snippet of some of the things we've
been up to during the last couple of months.
All this happens because of the dedication of the wonderful staff team
and the support from parents, grandparents and members of the community who
give up their time to make our little school such a special place to be. Thank you to everyone who has supported us
over the last year.
Susan Carey - Headteacher
26
BATS
[Not in the Belfry, but in the Garden]
The
sixteen species of bats in the
We
grow flowers in our gardens for our own enjoyment, but colour and perfume are really
the plants' way of advertising themselves to insects. Sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen are
bait to encourage insects to visit. In
return, pollen is carried from one flower to another on their bodies, thereby
fertilising the flowers.
Flying
uses lots of energy and so bats have enormous appetites. Their favourite foods are moths, flies and
midges, but especially important are crane flies. The most likely bats to visit our garden are
Pipistrelles, which depend on catching very large numbers of tiny insects, some
of which are pests to the gardeners.
Flowers
with long narrow petal tubes, such as evening primrose and honeysuckle, are
visited by moths and butterflies. Only
their long tongues can reach deep down to the hidden nectar, whilst
short-tongued insects like flies,
can only reach the nectar in flowers with short florets. By planting a mixture of flowering plants
and shrubs, a diversity of insects can be encouraged to drop in and refuel.
So,
when choosing plants for your garden think how they might help. Choose flowers varying in colour and fragrance
and shape - pale flowers are seen more easily in poor light, single flowers
have more nectar than the double varieties and native wild flowers are very
useful.
Plant
trees and shrubs - they provide food for adult and insect larvae, and roosting
opportunities for bats. Hawthorn and
elder are useful. Create a wet
area. A pond, a marshy area or even a
half-tub made into a mini-pond can attract insects and many of the tiny flies
favoured by bats start life in water as aquatic larvae.
Always
say NO to insecticides - chemical pesticides kill natural predators and may do
more harm than good.
Encourage
the natural predators - hoverflies, wasps, ladybirds, lacewings, ground beetles
and centipedes - they are the gardener's friends and help keep the balance, eating
many pests. So allow some weeds to grow
to provide ground cover for natural predators; leave hollow-stemmed plants to
overwinter as shelter for ladybirds, leave heaps of dead leaves and brushwood
undisturbed for hedgehogs and most garden birds are natural predators, so
provide them with regular food and water.
Finally,
many bats and other small mammals fall prey to our most dangerous four-legged
predator, the domestic cat. Cats do not
really need to stay out all night, so think about bringing your cat in an hour
or so before sunset to allow bats to emerge undisturbed.
The
Bat Conservation Trust
27
MOVERS
AND SHAKERS - No. 16
GEORGE
WALLACE
Founder of Quince
Honey Farm,
Idly browsing through this weekend's
Daily Telegraph, I spotted an article on honey. It gave sound advice on being suspicious of
exotic sounding honeys [the honey could come from anywhere in the world], and
made a point of shopping for local ones.
The reasons? It is important for the ecosystem, the
pollination by bees of clover keeps the pasture and livestock healthy, and shopping locally helps as a defence against
pollen allergies. It then gave details
of 3 producers, one of which was our own Quince Honey Farm. "Quince Honey Farm" wrote Rose
Prince, "is a family-run venture, which was established by George Wallace
in 1949 ..." That really
interested me. I picked up the 'phone
and dialled Quince Honey Farm, where I was lucky to speak to Patrick [Paddy]
Wallace, who kindly told me about his father.
During the war, George read a romantic
book about commercial beekeeping called Golden Throng. When he was demobbed in 1947, having served
in
This was the start of Quince Honey
Farm. The name came, not from quince
nectar that the bees collected, but from his father's home - Little Quince
Cottage in Bishop's Nympton.
To make ends meet, he worked as a farm
labourer, part time postman and in a block- making shed, all the time building
up his bees in the garden. In Patrick's
words, he "had such determination to succeed, that he was blind to the red
light", and by 1949 he was selling honey.
In 1951 George married Kate, a
schoolteacher, and most of their money continued to flow into the honey farm. There were other calls on their earnings too:
Patrick was born in 1953, his sister in 1954 and twins, a boy and girl, in 1956
giving Kate quite a young handful. At
the time they were all living in a tied farm cottage with outside loo and a
copper for heating water!
1959 was a very good season for honey
and in 1960 the family moved to an old converted chapel. They moved to their present site in 1978 and
opened as a tourist centre five years later. Their exhibition centre is one of
George taking a rare holiday in
It is a truly family-run business. Patrick joined from school in 1970, helping
his father in summer and doing odd jobs in winter for the first five years. His brother Jonathan also worked in the business from 1973 until 2001. Now Patrick's son, Ian, is interested in bees
and will hopefully take over in due course.
Over the last 30 years, the farm [and
range of products] has grown immensely. You can buy in our village shop their Exmoor
Heather and Devon Flower honey, [in ceramic pots, too, for neighbours who feed
the cat!], honey marmalade, chutney and mustard, and fudge. At Quince Honey Farm you can feast off 3
varieties of honey ice cream, or get a taste for honey toffee. There is a range of honey and beeswax skin
care, ceramic pots filled with honey 'goodies', beeswax candles - and so much
more. Their products are not confined
to
Quince Honey Farm, started nearly 60
years ago by George Wallace, has developed into
PP OF DC
[I am indebted to
Paddy Wallace for supplying me readily with so much information.]
28
'MATCHED'
How
nice to be able to report a wedding!
With an appalling week of weather, and a Wednesday that was wet, wet,
wet, fingers were firmly crossed for the Saturday. The 12th July was the wedding day of Tim,
son of Wendy and Chris Jenner of Little Gables. and it
turned out fine and sunny! Tim and his
wife Jackie,who are
currently living in
Our congratulations to the
happy couple and we send our very best wishes for their future happiness
together.
We also send our best wishes and
good luck to
Tim and hope to be able to report on his success in the next Newsletter. Read on ...
29