In Memoriam
IN MEMORIAM
LORNA BOWDEN
10.4.1939 - 9.8.2021
The village was saddened to learn that after suffering
poor health for the last few years, Lorna had passed away peacefully on the 8th
August. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family
at this time of sorrow, with Bob and Jane, Chris and Helen, Richard and Delphine
and her six grandchildren.
A
service to celebrate her life taken by Rosie Austin, Rural Dean for North Devon
was held at St. Peter's on the 3rd September.
The church, full to the capacity allowed, was testament to the love and
respect in which Lorna was held. Lorna
was all things Berrynarbor!
Lorna was primarily a loyal wife, a loving mother to
her three boys, a devoted grandmother to her six grandchildren and a teacher to
many.
Her
father, Jack Richards, moved from No. 22 Hagginton Hill to South Wales to take
up work for the Penn Curzon family.
There he met and married Lorna's mother, Susan Rebecca Salter. Lorna was born on the 19th April, 1939,
growing up and attending school in Milford Haven. South Wales suffered badly during the War
and life there was very hard. Her
character was largely forged during her formative years in South Wales,
Berrynarbor and the East End of London.
As
things started to return to normal, Lorna regularly returned to Berrynarbor
with her parents by Campbell Steamer to visit her father's family and mix with
other children in the village. Her
mother died when she was 10 years old and she and her elder sister, Margaret,
were brought up by her father and grandmother and she was greatly influenced by
her Aunt Muriel, who lived at Wood Park.
As a
youngster, Lorna was a very good swimmer and a keen athlete. She followed her sister and aunt into
teaching and attended teacher training college in Bristol. Following graduation, her first job was at a
school in the East End of London, which she found both challenging and rewarding. Some of the families were so poor, she would
take them food and clothing.
During
one of her visits to Berrynarbor she met Michael and a few years later, in
1962, they married here in St. Peter's church.
Bob was the firstborn and to make ends meet, Lorna opened a small gift
shop in the front room of No. 46 the Village, and did some supply teaching,
mainly in Braunton. Three years later
Chris and Richard came along. However,
with three small boys to look after, she gave up the gift shop but continued
with the supply teaching. Once the boys
were older, she took up a full-time teaching position at Combe Martin, which
continued for 30 years.
Lorna
was a great supporter of the village.
She served on the Parish Council for over 30 years and was their
representative on the Manor Hall Management Committee. Together with Jim Brooks, she ran the Youth
Club during the 1970's, and for many years organised whist drives every
Thursday night in the Penn Curzon Room to raise money for the Manor Hall and
was a very keen bridge player. She was
also a great supporter to the Village Shop, always shopping there and
volunteering when it became a Community Shop.
Lorna's
knowledge of the history of the village was immense. She researched the archives at the local
library and church records, massing over more than 50 years a huge amount of
her own chronicled handwritten records.
She was a keen conservationist and to quote her family: 'Mother never wanted any trees to be cut
down, but when father needed a trailer load of logs for a customer, it would
get a bit heated at home!'
Family
life was very important and again to quote her family: 'If you couldn't make the Sunday roast there
would be a court of enquiry and wo betide you if you missed the next one!' With her six grandchildren - Samuel, Anna,
Jonathan, Tom, Tyler and Archie, their parents, Michael and Lorna, Sunday lunch
could be for as many as 14!
Sadly,
Loran's health deteriorated during the last few years and despite being
diagnosed with dementia, she never forgot the children she taught in the East
End of London, Braunton and Combe Martin, her family or the different types of
trees which wouldn't let Michael cut down!
Lorna
was a quiet, gentle, unassuming person who guided her family and the children
she taught by her own honest and high principles. She will be very sadly missed.
FOR LESLEY
A
Celebration of the Life of Lesley Symes, aged 63, was held on a beautiful sunny
day, attended by a full house of family and friends allowed at that time.
The
Service was simple, beautiful and very poignant, accompanied by Lesley's smile
- a lovely photograph taken by Dave shortly after they first met. Planned by herself, Lesley chose the music,
hymns and poem, and specifically asked for no eulogy.
Those
attending entered to Om Namah Shivaya by Sacred Earth; reflected to Elgar's Cello Concerto played by
Jacqueline du Pre and left as Diana Ross sang Touch Me in the Morning. They heard the hymns Morning has Broken and
All Things Bright and Beautiful and listened to the poem Prayer for Always
Peace.
In his
introduction, Celebrant Michael Pearson, said:
"We come together to celebrate Lesley's life, to remember all the good
things about her life, her dreams and aspirations, her kindness and helpfulness
to so many people. The music and words
have all been chosen by Lesley to reflect what was important to her. First and foremost, they are about hope,
which was so big a part of her approach to life. They also reflect her love of nature, which
was seen in her enjoyment of the outdoors, of her dogs, of walking and in her
devotion to gardens. Lesley was
passionate about social justice and she loved to travel. She was interested in people and believed in
kindness and nurturing. She found
fulfilment through her relationship with Dave and through her opportunities for
creativity through art.
"Lesley
was highly thought of and loved by so many people many of whom recall the
different ways they knew her and how she touched their lives and helped them."
Prayer for Always Peace
to howl this prayer for peace
I ask all the birds to life their songs to the winds
and sing this prayer for peace
I ask all the trees and flowers, all that is green growing
to open their hollow throats where the sap runs
to call this prayer for peace
I ask the rocks to ream this prayer for peace
I ask the sand to rearrange its grains
and write this prayer for peace
I ask the ocean wave to shout this prayer for peace
or whisper it on the lonely listening beaches
where the rivers will send it upstream
in the willing breath of fish
I ask the deep wells to give rise to this prayer for peace
I ask the holy hills to toll this prayer for peace
I ask the stars to shine the spelling
of this prayer for peace
and the moon and the sun pause in the sky
as night and day, as right and left, as east and west
as all this is opposite yet may still come into balance
in harmony with this world, and in time
I ask for every candleflame to ignite this prayer for peace
so that this prayer is in the world and of the world
and becomes the world and the world is peace.
Rose Flint
Dave
would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the very many
messages of sympathy and love for Lesley, and all those who were able to attend
with him, the Celebration of her Life.
4
REGINALD ALAN EALES
[known as ALAN]
8.4.1946-6.6.2021
The village was stunned at the
untimely passing of Alan, in his garden, on the 6th June, and our thoughts are
with Barbara, his family, Rosemary and Barry and his friends at this time of
shock and grief.
We
shall miss his cheerful presence - always happy to be doing something to help
others or for the benefit of the village, especially through Berry in
Bloom. A true community-spirited gentle
man.
Alan
was born in the South Devon village of Ipplepen, 75 years ago, on his father's
market garden, where I think he got his love of gardening. We lived in Buckinghamshire for 40 years but
he always wanted to return to Devon when he retired and have a larger
garden. We have spent nine happy years
in Berrynarbor and he wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. I had a job to get him out of the garden.
We
met Barry and Rosemary and their two sons some 43 years ago, and we became the
best of friends. Without their help and
other family members and friends, I would not have managed to get through these
last weeks, thank you so much.
Alan
could turn his hand to almost anything and in 50 years of marriage he very
rarely said, "We will have to get somebody in to do this." there were no problems only solutions
according to Alan. He was a very
positive person who looked forward to each day and loved talking to people.
He did an apprenticeship with the Electricity
Board and then worked for a boat hire company on the Thames at Maidenhead,
fitting out and repairing their boats; next working for an Agricultural
Merchants again in Maidenhead as an HGV fitter and
finally he had his own company as a Corgi registered plumber and
electrician, based in Burnham, Bucks.
We
had or own narrow boat built in Cannock and brought down by road to a farmer's
field near Slough, where Alan fitted the 60ft boat out, fitting a vintage
engine Kelvin K2 and we launched her in 2002.
We had many happy days on board Rooster, going up as far as the
Lancaster Canal or down the Kennet & Avon canal. The engine was a great talking point and
Alan was always happy to talk about it!
Alan
was also a motorcycle enthusiast and we took his AJS to New Zealand in the year
2000. He broke his ankle and Achilles tendon at different times on motor bikes.
In
the last years he took up woodturning and really enjoyed making the items in
his workshop.
Alan
really enjoyed the activities in the village, like Berry in Bloom, the
Horticultural & Craft Show, Manor Hall, the Community Shop, the Newsletter
and upholstery lessons. He was always
happy to help out in any way he could, using his various skills and tools.
As
you may know, we are collecting for a bench to be put in the village, hopefully
near the telephone box which Alan restored.
My brother commented, "A bench for Alan, a man that never sat down!"
The
kindness of the people of Berrynarbor has been overwhelming, thank you
everyone.
Barbara,
Barry and Rosemary
The celebration of Alan's life to be held at the
Manor Hall for afternoon tea and cakes, is pencilled in for the 25th September
2021 subject to covid restrictions. All
our village friends will be welcome.
PETER
PELL
Villagers will be saddened to hear of
the passing of Peter, just over a year since the death of his beloved wife
Jean. He was born on 11th November
1941 in Worcester Park, south-west London and had a varied working life, mostly
as a civil engineer, at Aubrey Watson Ltd in Henley on Thames,
Associated Asphalt, Hanson, and Martin Collins equine surfaces.
He and Jean met in the mid-1990s and, in 2000, moved from
Berkshire to Berrynarbor, taking up residence at The Cedars in the Sterridge
Valley. It didn't take long before
they, along with near neighbours Geoff and Christine Taylor, became the hub of
social activities in the upper valley, be it garden parties, summer BBQs,
Christmas get-togethers, games nights, or bonfire night extravaganzas (more
often than not in the rain!).
In 2010 Pete tied the knot with Jean
at Berrynarbor church. The many friends
and family members who attended the wedding reception, held in Bood, near
Braunton, will recall both a wonderfully happy day, but also the unseasonably
arctic conditions, particularly the biting wind that whistled through the gaps
in the barn's wooden structure. It certainly helped everyone to stay on their
feet dancing!
Like
Jean, Pete was a great 'doer', lending a hand wherever it was needed, including
in the Village Shop where he was a member of the team that sorted out the daily
newspapers. To
say that he was active is certainly an understatement. He was
a keen sportsman, enjoying rugby (with frequent trips to watch Exeter Chiefs at
Sandy Park), cricket (as a member of Somerset County Cricket Club), golf (as a
member of Willingcott Golf Club where he was variously Chairman, Club Captain
and Handicap Secretary), billiards/snooker (as a member of the Berrynarbor
Men's Institute) and, in his later years, table tennis.
Other passions while living in Newbury were sailing, which
he pursued for many years, winning a clutch of trophies, and eventing, at which
he was also keenly competitive, taking part in cross country, show jumping and
dressage. His interest in the latter
was sparked when his first wife, Jane, and eldest daughter, Sarah, got into
horses. He sold his boat and used the proceeds to buy
horses for them, and later ponies for his younger daughters, Becky and Emma -
and himself!
Another hobby during later years at The Cedars was model
aeroplanes, which he built himself and flew from Woolacombe Down. Whatever Pete
turned his hand to, he was good at, and this extended into all corners of life.
Sarah recalls her dad teaching himself
bricklaying, electrics, plumbing and so on when he built the family home in
Newbury whilst holding down a full-time job in Henley. The girls would stack bricks ready for him to
lay when he got home from work!
In their later years together, Peter and Jean bought a
campervan which they christened 'Nellie-bell'. This brought them immeasurable pleasure,
touring not only in the UK but also further afield in Europe, even letting the
house for a year to do so. It was
during these travels that they discovered Les Medes campsite
in L'Estartit on Spain's north-east coast. This
inspired them to sell the campervan, buy a caravan and drive it to Les Medes, where they
subsequently spent long periods enjoying the Mediterranean lifestyle, warmth
and sunshine in the company of many friends.
Pete
and Jean, you will long be remembered, cherished and much loved by the many
people whose lives you touched.
Tim Davis and Tim Jones
NORMAN
RICHARDS
24.5.1935
- 17.6.2021
How sad
it was to learn that Norman had passed away on the 17th June and our thoughts
are with David and Louise and all the family at this difficult time. One of the few remaining people true born
and bred in Berrynarbor, a loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother
and uncle, Norman will be sadly missed, not only by his family but his many
friends.
Tribute
to Norman by his Nephew, Philip Squire
There are many people in the world who take a long time to
figure out what they want out of life. They
don't quite know who they are and what their purpose is for. They struggle to know what A Levels to take, what
sports to play, what careers to pursue and they are unhappy in that respect. But Norman, father, brother, godfather,
uncle, was not one of them, he knew from a young age that he was going to be a
farmer.
But that said, he elected after school to do his National Service
and joined the Devonshire Regiment. I
struggle to picture Norman as an army man.
I mean I have always seen him as giving instruction and never saw him as
one receiving instructions! So, when
the sergeant major apparently in some drill exercise commented that Norman was
marching like a farmer. I was not surprised to learn that he retorted, "That's
because I am a farmer!" Which he, of course, thought amusing but the
SM otherwise!
So, I wonder why? Why
did Norman join the Army? He did not have to,
he could have taken the easy option and work on the farm. Was it out of duty? Was it out of conscience? Was
it to explore what life was like away from the hills of Berrynarbor? What
is for sure, is that in getting to Africa, he found he hated sea travel. He got extremely seasick, even on his return
through the Suez Canal which is normally as flat as a mill pond! Of
course, his mother Ivy was worried about the danger he might have been in and
whilst the army were in Kenya to deal with the Mau Mau rebellion, he played it
down, saying there was more chance of being harmed through accidents with fire
arms. It was not in his nature to brag or boast, but
perhaps above all his army experience reconfirmed here in Berrynarbo was where
his life was meant to be. This was where
he was happiest. This was what he stood
for - a life, as Yvonne his sister put it, "tied to a
cow's tail"! He had many opportunities
to travel, he was welcome to come and visit us in Trinidad, the Middle East,
Africa, but it was Angela who came, never Norman. As Norman once said to me as we drove up to
his fields overlooking the hills and Sterridge Valley and in the mid-distance
the Channel, "Why on earth would anyone want to be anywhere else."
I must admit as a youngster living on the farm, as I did
from time to time, I was frankly quite terrified of Norman. I had never quite met anyone like him, and
due to his broad Devon accent, I could not, on occasions, understand exactly
what he was saying, but too nervous to ask! You could not quite make out if he was
teasing you in a nice way or challenging you in direct way! If we mucked up his hay bales making camps
or jumping into the grain piles or doing something stupid, he would let you
know how he felt. But as I grew older, I saw a different side
to Norman. When I brought girlfriends
and now my wife, he just loved to tease them and they simply adored him.
When he was a member of Round Table and
Rotary, he seemed, with Angela, to go out more and his circle of friends grew
and we saw him become more sociable. Maybe
it was as a consequence of David playing a bigger role in the running of the
farm that allowed him to do so. He perhaps relaxed a bit more. It was devasting that he lost Angela so
prematurely and, of course, Sally his daughter. But so touching to see him move in with Ivy to enable her to stay
at home and not go into a nursing home.
He was quietly generous and altruistic. In more recent times it has been David
looking in on Norman, checking that he was alright, supported, of course, by
the lovely Louise. I feel for David who
has now lost his father, mother and sister.
We shall miss Norman and those memories: crook in hand herding the ewes, calling the
dogs to go up to the fields, milking the cows, twinkle in his eye, the warmth
of his welcome, but for me he will always be here, walking the fields of
Berrynarbor.
LESLEY
SYMES
We were all so sorry to learn that Lesley had passed away at
home on the 28th June after a long illness, which she treated with positivity
and cheerfulness. Our thoughts at this
time of sadness are with Dave and all her family.
Lesley always took part in village activities, singing in
the Church Choir, as a member of the Book Club and Combe Martin Writing Group,
and if there was a Quiz in the offing, she would be there with Dave.
Many of us have
benefitted from her relaxing hands as a member of the Association of
Reflexologists.
She will be missed by so many. Bless you, Lesley.
You must release the ones you love
And let go of their hand.
I try and cope the best I can
But I'm missing you so much
If I could only see you
And once more feel your touch.
Yes, you've just walked on ahead of me
Don't worry, I'll be fine,
But now and then I swear I feel
Your hand slip into mine.
Joyce Grenfell
5
BUD RICE
16.6.61 - 23.2.21
We were very sorry to learn that Bud had passed away peacefully, at home with his family beside him, on Tuesday, 23rd February. A much-loved husband to Lulu, loving father to Stephanie, Charlotte and his late daughter Becky, and much-loved grandad to Alice.
Our thoughts are with Lulu and all the family at this time of sadness. Donations in Bud's memory may be given to Over and Above - The Fern Centre.
CHRIS POCOCK
14.9.1946 - 23.2.2021
The village was saddened by Chris's passing, peacefully at home, on the 23rd February and our thoughts are with Phil, Owen, Trudi, Emma and all the family at this time of sorrow.
Chris was born Christine Bach to Vincent and Beryl Bach in Church Crookham, Hampshire; she was the first of their two children, arriving before her brother, David. She went to school in Fleet then Aldershot High School. Once she'd finished school, she used her Maths' ability and went to work for Lloyds Bank in Aldershot. We met soon after, and married in 1965.
We have been blessed with three wonderful children: Owen, Trudi and Emma. Owen and his wife Jacqui have given us two lovely granddaughters, Jemma and Lauren. Trudi's partner, Richard, and Emma's partner, Bruce, complete our family.
Chris worked as my partner in our electrical business, in addition, she took on employment, managing three art galleries and a florist's, separately, over a period of years.
She was a busy person: Mum, Partner and Manager, but she still found time to learn to pilot three aircraft, but not at the same time of course! She flew a glider, a microlight and a four-seater Cessna.
She organised all our wonderful holidays, here and abroad, not only for the family but neighbours, friends and customers. After I retired, we took a trip of a lifetime and visited Singapore and had five weeks touring New Zealand, she planned every detail!
Her Captaincy of the Global Warmers, a village skittles team, won praise from all her team; she was, they said, the best, and their lifetime Captain. The Global Warmers, a village skittles team, which became The Global Fractures, a name-change due to team players, including Chris, breaking bones, but away from the alley! She was also Treasurer-Member of Ilfracombe's Musical Memories group that, under normal circumstances, brings music and songs to dementia sufferers.
So busy . . . so many family and friends . . . we miss you dearly.
Love Phil
I should like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and the many messages of sympathy, cards and flowers. Donations in Chris's memory may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund and the North Devon Hospice, for their wonderful care and support.
This pandemic has affected everything and everybody with funeral numbers restricted to 30. It is regretted, deeply, that we cannot invite everybody who we would normally include. We are thinking about having a celebration of Chris's life when restrictions are lifted so that those of you, including skittles teams and Musical Memories, can join us with your tributes.
IN MEMORY
Doris Cooper
22.5.1921 - 11.1.2021
Doris was born in Cranleigh, Surrey, on the 22nd May 1921. At six months, with her parents and two older brothers, she moved to Smithwood Common.
Being a delicate child, Doris attended a special school leaving when she was 13 as she was struck down with rheumatic fever. As it took her over a year to recover, she never went back. Who
would have thought she would live to the ripe old age of 99 all those years ago?!
Doris worked at the Forrest Stores dealing with ration books during the War as she hadn't recovered from her illness and was tested unfit to be called up. When fit enough, she helped out in another shop.
After the war was over, the Curate formed and ran a club. It was a fun evening called Over Seventeens and it attracted many young people mostly in their early 20s. This was an important part of Doris's life and she made many friends there.
For many years, Doris returned to work at the Forrest Stores as a Cashier and Bookkeeper, before going to Guildford to work for Stephensons and Son, Wholesale Grocers, as Invoice Clerk where she met her husband, Bert Cooper. They married in 1955 and had two children, John and Valerie.
After caring for her parents in their later years, Doris went to work part-time at Cranleigh Bookshop for over 24 years, but left for a year to nurse her husband in his last illness. Her time at the Bookshop was a very happy one where she made many friends with colleagues and customers.
[Doris also joined the WI and Mothers' Union, having been a member of the Church since her early twenties and still kept in touch with many members with whom she had made friends.
In due course Doris and Bert moved to Summerlands, also in Cranleigh, where they spent many happy years and where Doris continued to live on her own after Bert had passed away. When her health deteriorated, she moved to Elmbridge Retirement Village, where she lived happily for 13 years, joining several activities and making many friends.
After Doris lost her husband, a good friend May invited her and two other friends to Sunday Lunch. This developed and the four of them ran a rota, meeting every Sunday after Church for lunch and tea at each other's houses returning home at 10.00 o'clock! Early on in their meet ups, May's son-in-law nicknamed them the Witches and they subsequently became known as the Coven. Sadly, the only surviving member of the Coven now is Jean, a very good friend of Doris's, and talking on the 'phone on a Sunday evening was an important part of the day for both of them, continuing until Doris died.
Doris was a regular visitor to the Isle of Wight where Val and Peter lived. She had an annexe on the side of their house as well as a holiday caravan where she enjoyed inviting friends to stay with her.
Following his retirement, Peter and Val decided they would like to move from the Isle of Wight to North Devon and they asked Doris if she would like to join them. By this time, Doris had had several admissions to hospital of a serious nature so she decided to as this would mean more care for her in her later years.
Doris was very proud of her son John's achievements with Walking Football and she kept photos and newspaper clippings, particularly when he represented his country.
Val and Doris liked nothing better than going out for afternoon tea, and their favourite memory was of going to the Cotswolds where, following a very early start, they managed to fit breakfast, morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea into the day.
Doris had four grandsons of whom she was very proud, Christopher, James, Andrew and Ben. She mastered the art of texting allowing her to keep in constant contact with them all.
Doris was very fond of and also close to all her family and extended families, often spending time with John and Ann Marie at their home in Wolverhampton, enabling Val and Peter to have a break knowing that she was well looked after.
Over the years, Doris also enjoyed the company of Val and Peter's four Cavalier King Charles spaniels and following the move to Devon never an evening went by without one of them being on her lap keeping her legs warm!
Doris was delighted when Val and Peter decided to marry, with Doris becoming close to Peter's family and in particular to his sister and brother-in-law, Steph and Matt.
Val and Peter enjoyed Doris being with them but they found it exhausting keeping up with her social life! She, in turn, enjoyed the peace of mind knowing that she was safe and never lonely.
Doris passed away peacefully at home with Val and her little dog Jack sitting beside her. The number of tributes that poured in have been wonderful for her family to read, with people saying what an inspiration she had been to them. always happy go lucky and ready with a word of advice if asked. She had her fair share of sadness but always had a smile on her face and even at 90 used to say she was going to visit the old people.
Doris had many happy memories of Cranleigh having lived there for almost 93 years, returning twice a year when she enjoyed meeting up with friends and family. It was her wish to return to her roots, her funeral taking place at St. Nicholas Church at Cranleigh on the 10th February. Now together again with Bert.
Doris will never be forgotten by her family or friends. A much-loved Mum, Nannie, Aunt, Mother-in-Law and Treasured Friend.
Val and Peter would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the many kind cards, flowers and messages of sympathy they have received. It is hoped that an event celebrating Doris's life can be held in the village on the 22nd May or when it is possible to do so.
CAROL LUCAS
My wife Carol passed away on 6th November last year. She was well known in the village as a teacher in the village school for many years.
She will be remembered for her efforts in the community - Senior Dudes' Christmas Dinner at the school, meals for parents, and shows she put on in the Manor Hall.
Carol died from motor neuron disease for which she was diagnosed just a few weeks after she retired from the school. She suffered with it for six years. Eventually she only breathed through a bi-pap machine, was fed through a peg tube and could not move or speak for the last months of her life.
Within a few days of being diagnosed we were visited by the MND specialist nurse for the whole of the Westcountry. Carol asked her how she got this disease. The nurse said that the medical profession will tell you that there is no known cause, but she said that everyone she ever met with the disease was a 'driven' person.
Well, you never met a workaholic like Carol! Apart from being an exceptional teacher, she took booster classes, gave private tuition. She ran five clubs in the school. Took children camping. Took them on residentials etc. I hardly saw her and she ignored my pleas to slow down.
The progress of the disease is simple to understand. God gave us adrenaline so that we had a boost of extra energy to respond in an emergency. However, if we push ourselves week in and week out over a long period of time we are running on adrenaline. This leads to a build-up of cortisol in our body, the well-known stress hormone. If we keep stressing ourselves our body goes on to accumulate glutamate in excess. It is excess glutamate that then floods the brain and kills motor neurons which take messages from our brain to our muscles. Eventually our muscles die and we die.
I mention this to demonstrate that we often need to look beneath the surface of a situation and not to accept it on its face value.
If we apply this principle to the current Covid situation we soon discover that what is going on is extremely sinister.
A buzzword of our time is sustainability. It has been decided that the current population of the world is unsustainable. Therefore it must be reduced. Measures are being undertaken to ensure this happens.
Denis Healey said, 'World events do not occur by accident. They are made to happen, whether it is to do with national issues or commerce, most of them are staged and managed by those who hold the purse string.'
The Bible says that the devil always appears as an angel of light. Something appears to be good but is not. There are sinister forces at work against us currently which appear to be beneficial but are certainly not.
The wonderful philanthropist, Bill Gates, is deeply into eugenics. Even Boris Johnson said recently that we should have realised earlier that there are too many people on the planet.
I believe that the novel Covid virus was unleashed on us deliberately to enable governments to take control of the entire world's population. Anyone who believes that, come the summer, the current situation will subside and life will turn to normal is seriously deceived. What will follow will get worse and worse as the plot against us unfolds.
The Bible says that the heart of man is wicked above all things. Neville Chamberlain visited Hitler and came back saying he was a nice guy. Soon Hitler was raining bombs on us and exterminating millions of people. Our normalcy bias prevents us from accepting levels of wickedness that are far beyond our comprehension.
I can't accept evolution as there is not one shred of evidence for it. Even Darwin himself said there is nothing in the fossil record to support it! God created the amazing world we live in. There is no other credible explanation!
Mankind screwed up by sinning against God and things have been screwed up ever since.
God sent his Son Jesus into the world to save us. To believe this and accept the only Saviour is our only get out of jail free option. Jesus said He will take out of this world those who have put their trust in him.
'God so loved the world that He gave His only son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life' John 3 16.
Anyone interested in exploring further what I am saying here is very welcome to contact me at graham.lucas3.gl@gmail.com
Graham
VERA GLADYS LEWIS [nee LEY]
3rd August 1915 - 15th February 2021
Vera was born in Berrynarbor in 1915 to Beatrice and Thomas Ley. She had an older sister Evelyn and two brothers. Sadly, both brothers died in childhood. Vera's father was a carpenter who built Orchard House in the Sterridge Valley where the family subsequently lived. Vera had an episode of septic arthritis in her knee when she was a teenager which necessitated her spending many weeks in hospital, however she recovered with no deficit in function which was remarkable given the infection occurred in the pre-antibiotic era.
Vera married William [Bill] Lewis at Orchard House and continued to live there until 1944, her daughter Wendy having been born there. The family then moved to Ilfracombe before Vera and Bill moved to Torquay in 1966 where Vera ran a guest house until Bill's death in 1976. She then moved to Epsom in Surrey to live with her daughter Wendy, son in law Richard and grandchildren Charlotte and Andrew.
Vera was close to her sister Evelyn and her nieces Daphne and Betty, and made regular trips back to North Devon staying with Evelyn and Daphne in Combe Martin and enjoyed catching up with family and friends. After Evelyn passed away, Vera continued to visit staying with Daphne.
After her move to Epsom, Vera regularly attended ballroom dances. She enjoyed many a coach holiday, her last one being in her 101st year. She also enjoyed spending time with her family including her great-grandchildren. When Vera was 102 years old she fractured her thigh bone above the knee which required surgery. This was successful and she was able to walk around with the help of a frame. She moved to live in a care home in Tadworth, Surrey, spending as much time as possible outside, weather permitting. Her last year was spent in lockdown but she continued to have contact with her family by telephone and pod visits, celebrating her 105th birthday with Wendy and Charlotte on a beautiful sunny day in August. Vera maintained her independence and mobility until a few weeks before she passed away peacefully. She will be missed by all. Her funeral is to take place on 23rd March in Surrey, information can be obtained from Stoneman Tadworth 01737 814406.
Vera has been a very supportive reader of the Newsletter from the early days and it was very sad to learn that she had passed away peacefully at the grand age of 105. Thoughts are with her daughter Wendy, Charlotte and Andrew and all the family at this time of sadness.
6
IN MEMORIAM
TERENCE [TERRY] GOODMAN
7.2.1949 - 17.11.2020
It was sad to learn from his daughter
Alice, that Terry, who was born in Berrynarbor and where he spent his young
days, had passed away suddenly at home on the 17th November.
Our thoughts are with his wife June,
son Christopher and daughters Rebecca and Alice and grandchildren Albert,
Violet, Ivy, Mabel and Margot, and all the family.
SHEILA CHATTERTON
1.5.52 - 24.11.2020
How sad the village was to learn that
Sheila had passed away, at home, on the 24th November, and our thoughts, at
this time of sorrow, are with Richard, who would like to thank everyone for
their kindness, help and support, and her sisters and all the family.
Her sunny, cheerful and friendly
personality will be missed by so many.
Bless you, Sheila.
DORIS COOPER
22.5.1921- 11.1.2021
It was
with sadness we learnt that Doris had passed away peacefully at home with her
family on the 11th January, just a few months short of her 100th birthday. A much-loved mother and grandmother and a
very special friend to many.
She will be much missed by her family
and her many village friends. Our
thoughts are with her daughter Val and her husband Peter, her son John and his
wife Ann Marie and her grandchildren.
As she wished, Doris has returned to
her birth place in Surrey where her funeral will take place.
I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is
done.
I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the
ways,
Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny
days.
I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before
the sun;
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.
Helen Lowrie Marshall
JOHN VINCE - 18.1.2021
I was sorry to learn that John had
passed away peacefully on the 18th January.
Thoughts are with his family at
this sad time.
Longer term residents of the village
may remember that John was our Parish Clerk in the 1990's, resigning when he
and his wife Ann moved to South Devon to be nearer their family. From that time, 1998, they were recipients
of the Newsletter, something John continued after Ann passed away in October
2015. He always kept an interest in
Berrynarbor. Ed.
IN MEMORY
June Marangone
4th June 1933 - 26th October 2020.
June, the eldest child of Hercules and
Winifred Parkin, was born in Skirhead Lane, Combe Martin, elder sister to
Pauline and brother Jimmy, who sadly died at a very young age. After
a short while they moved to 4 Star Cottage, Combe Martin where she spent her
younger years.
Her parents were so poor that she slept
in a drawer instead of a cot, and she, like many, didn't experience the benefits
of electricity until she was at least 12. June went to the local school but was never
a very high achiever, presumably because of her poor attendance record!
However, she passed her 11+ at the
second attempt and went to Ilfracombe Grammar School where she found her
strengths in mathematics and home economics. She
left school at 15 and immediately started a job in Boots the Chemist in
Ilfracombe, where
she remained for 10 years working her way up to become the manageress.
In 1958,
June left Boots when she was expecting her first child, and ran a B&B
business from her home in Victoria Street. Gerry was working as a mechanic at
Irwin's garage, and studying to be a sign writer at night school. During this time June made lifelong
friendships with many of the visitors who stayed with her.
They
were a very sociable couple, loved their dancing, and frequently travelled to a
dance school in Westward Ho! At that
time Gerry [Gino] was singing in many of the hotels in the local area; they also compered 'Mr and Mrs' together at
the Mount Hotel in Ilfracombe, which must have been a lot of fun!
In 1974,
June and the family moved to Berrynarbor, to a bungalow which had been bequeathed
to her. She loved living there and
never tired of the views across the valley.
After
her family had flown the nest, June started a new chapter in her life as a
doctor's receptionist in the Ilfracombe Health Centre until her retirement. From then on, her close family and friends
were never able to decipher her acquired 'doctor's handwriting'!
She had
three grandchildren and when the youngest, Molly, started at Berrynarbor School
she began to volunteer hearing children read and became affectionately known to
many of the local children as Nanny June.
In the
last few years up until her illness, June volunteered in Berrynarbor Post
Office and Shop and always enjoyed a good natter with visitors and locals
alike. She had an amazing ability to
retain facts about people and their families, and had a genuine interest in
everyone she met.
June will be sadly missed by us all.
Terry Goodman
7th February 1949 -
17th November 2020
Born in
Dormer House on 7th February 1949, Terry was the son of Violet and Dave
Goodman, brother to Gladys and Wilf Toms.
When he was young, Terry's family took in visitors and Dormer Cottage remained in the family until 2002, when
Vi passed away.
From
a young age, Terry may be remembered by locals for helping Claude on the milk
round. He attended Berrynarbor School
and later Combe Martin Secondary School, where he was Head Boy and House Captain
for Grenville House. After leaving
school at 15, he joined Ayres and Grimshaw as an apprentice.
Terry was proud of having grown up in
Berrynarbor. He rang the church bells and enjoyed taking
part in village activities including athletics, football and playing snooker in
the Manor Hall. He also became the youngest Parish Councillor at the time.
His trade as an engineer and toolmaker
took him and his wife June to Kuwait, where Terry worked for Kuwait Airways as
an aeronautical engineer. He made many
lifelong friends while in Kuwait. When
returning to Devon in 1981, he and June raised their three children in
Braunton.
More recently, Terry may be remembered
for running for many years, Colours curtain shop in Barnstaple. After Colours closed, he spent some years
before retiring working for Eaton Aerospace in South Molton.
Terry had been retired for 4 years and
he and June are now grandparents to 5 grandchildren. Two grandchildren, Albert and Violet, live
with them and Terry spent most of his retirement enjoying looking after his
granddaughter Violet.
Terry passed away suddenly in mid-November.
Due to Coronavirus restrictions, a
small family service was held, and a memorial will be planned to celebrate
Terry's life once these have been lifted.
He will be greatly missed by all those
who loved him.
3
JUNE
ELIZABETH MARANGONE
4th June 1943
- 26th October 2020
Gerry and his family would like to give
huge thanks to all friends and neighbours in the local community who have given
him and his dear late wife June, immeasurable and continuing support over the
last few months. Your love, generosity
and kindness has supported us all through this difficult time.
June displayed great courage and
stoicism until the end, rarely complaining and so appreciative of people's
time, love and care, always more interested in others' well-being rather than
her own. She leaves a huge void in all
of our lives.
Due to the current Covid situation, the
family plan to have a memorial service in the spring for local friends unable
to attend the funeral to celebrate June's life.
With love and appreciation
Gerry and Family
[If anyone
should wish to donate in June's memory, Gerry would be grateful for them to go
to North Devon Hospice www.justgiving.com/junemarangone]
It was with much sadness
that the village learnt that after brave acceptance of her condition, June had
passed away peacefully at home, and our thoughts, prayers and love are with
Gerry and all the family at this very hard time.
MARY HUGHES
6.9.1935 - 29.10.20
How sad it was to learn that after a short stay at the North Devon
Hospice, where she received outstanding care and compassion, Mary passed away
peacefully on the 29th October.
She will be missed and fondly remembered by her family and many friends.
Our thoughts and prayers
are especially with her daughter Liane, and her family at this time of sorrow.
Donations in Mary's memory
may be made to the North Devon Hospice through Braddicks and Sherborne, St.
Brannocks Road, Ilfracombe.
CAROL PATRICIA LUCAS
03.01.1949 - 6.11.2020
We were all sad to learn that after a long illness
which she always bore with a smile, Carol had passed away on the 6th November.
Our thoughts and prayers at this time
of sorrow are with Graham and their five children, Elenor, Catherine, Oliver,
Ivan and Colette, all the family and Carol's many friends.
2
IN MEMORIAM
PETER HISCOX
31.1.1943 - 6.8.2020
It was with sadness the village learnt that Peter had passed away suddenly, but peacefully, at home on the 6th August. His funeral, at St. Peter's, took place on the 29th August.
Our thoughts and prayers at this sad time are with Margaret and all the family, who would like to thank everyone for their help and support, especially those at the Church.
PATRICIA MUSGROVE
30.7.28 - 11.8.20
Pat moved to Lee Lodge from Surrey nearly four years ago to be near her daughter Jane of Rose Cottage.
Pat was very happy at Lee Lodge and enjoyed attending church in Berrynarbor and often walked to the Sawmills for a glass of wine or a coffee. She made many friends in the village and attended coffee mornings and village events.
When Lee Lodge closed, she moved to The Warren at Knowle where she had a very happy life, enjoying outings for lunch with Jane and other friends, and enjoyed meeting more new friends and Musical Memories in Ilfracombe.
Pat's funeral took place on the 27th August when Father John Roles conducted a beautiful service.
Villagers missed seeing Pat when she moved to The Warren, and It was with sadness we learnt that she had passed away peacefully on the 11th August Our thoughts are with Jane and the family at this time of sorrow.
SHEILA TWOSE
20.4.1940 - 16.8.2020
It was sad to learn in a letter from Vernon Jeffery, a fellow member of Kingskerswell & District Garden Society, that Sheila had passed away peacefully in Torbay Hospital, at the age of 80, on the 16th August.
Vernon says that Sheila
' . . . has told us of her early years in the village of Berrynarbor and often passed your brilliant Newsletter on to myself and others. She so loved Berrynarbor and all the places nearby and told us such wonderful stories of the people, the school and happenings, 'such larks'! Sheila told me how she worked at a care home in North Devon and at a pet and garden store in Torquay, helped at a large kennels in Coffinswell and lately she has lived in a delightful road called Nut Bush Lane. This lane leads down to Cockington Village where she loved to walk and enjoyed the horses, carriages, spring flowers, the lovely church and the forge. She was most knowledgeable and enjoyed her Garden Club trips in the summer and our Show at the village hall in September.'
Sheila [nee Buchan] spent her formative years here living with her grandparents at Goosewell, her mother having died only months after she was born. Sheila's memories of her life here and attending the village school, have been recorded in the Newsletter, of which she was a long-term supporter, the latest appearing in the April 2019 issue.
Our thoughts are with her friends and all those who knew her at this sad time.
4
IN MEMORIAM
How sad it was to learn that three past villagers, Jean, Margaret and Mary, had passed away recently and our thoughts are with their families at this sad time.
JEAN PELL
29.4.1950 - 14.5.2020
Having suffered from cancer which she chose to treat in her own way, Jean passed away peacefully at home on the 14th May. A kind and generous lady with a ready smile and hearty laugh, Jean embraced life and even when she was unwell, she continued to embrace life to the full, counting each day as a blessing.
We are thinking of Peter and his family, and Jean's sons, Darren and Ben, and granddaughters Jazmin and Ellena.
Due to Corona virus restrictions, Jean's funeral was foreshortened and had a strictly limited attendance. When circumstances permit, it is proposed to hold a Service of Celebration of Jean's life in St. Peter's Church.
_______
Jean was born in Epsom, Surrey on April 29th 1950 to parents Walter and Winifred Rowland, growing up with her younger brother Tom. Walter met Peter Ede whilst working at the Post Office and straightaway thought he would be a good match for his daughter. Jean and Peter hit it off from the moment they met and married on August 1st 1970, settling in Woodley near Reading as Peter worked for British Airways at Heathrow. They soon welcomed the births of their two sons, Darren and Ben.
On leaving college Jean worked at The Bank of England but found the train up to London every day was not to her liking and a number of jobs followed, including market research but, although lucrative, her heart wasn't really in it. One of her dreams was to open a tea shop. At the time her father said, "How many cups of tea do you think you'll have to sell, to make any money?" But Jean followed her heart and opened The Tea Cosy in the Thames-side village of Sonning in the 1980s. It was hard work but she loved it. Although a great success, Jean closed the business and decided on another career change, going back to college where she trained and qualified as a nurse. It was a role she enjoyed, working in the NHS and also for the Marie Curie organisation.
As a family they shared long and happy holidays but in May 1996, the unthinkable happened - Peter had a heart attack and died and those who knew him had their lives turned upside down but through these difficult times Jean found help and strength through God and was reconfirmed into the Christian Church.
A year or so after Peter's death Jean was introduced to a new man, Peter Pell. From their first meeting, they found in each other, great love and companionship living together in North Hampshire.
Looking to make a fresh start, Peter and Jean moved to Berrynarbor in 2000, where they spent 18 happy years together, making many lifelong friends. They took up many pursuits with Jean loving walking and cycling, her favourite place to walk was Watersmeet.Her love of cycling led her to cycle, on her own, from Land's End to John O' Groats, on her old push bike, complete with shopping basket on the front! Her decision to undertake this challenge in her 60's was for no other reason than wanting to do it. It came as a bit of a shock for everyone but at the same time, knowing Jean it came as no surprise! Peter had shown her how to mend a puncture, of which she had quite a few, eventually running out of patches and spare inner tubes on her last day. Undaunted, she rode on the flat tyre until it shredded, then removed it, running on the wheel rim for the last four miles! Such courage.
It was a joyous occasion when Jean and Peter married in St. Peter's Church on May 8th 2010 with Jean gaining three step daughters, Sarah, Emma and Rebecca, as well as eight grandchildren; Lottie, Jack, Maddie, Denis, Oscar, Lilly, Alice and Martha, to add to her own two granddaughters, Jazmin and Ellena.
Another of Jean's passions was to go travelling in a campervan. After discussion a suitable 'van was found and great times were had, including one year when the house was let out, and she and Peter toured a great deal of the United Kingdom and Europe. Having stayed at a lovely site in Spain, Jean proposed the idea of buying a caravan and taking it to Spain, where they spent longer periods of time enjoying the relaxed Spanish pace of life, good weather and a great many new friends.
Jean lived life to its fullest. She had a bubbly spirit that always found the positives in everything. To her, life was a fluid plan; which occasionally challenged Peter's ordered way of doing things to its limit! Never the less, their love and support for each other always won through.
When Jean was diagnosed with cancer, her willingness to live her life fuller than ever was driven from a great determination and a positive mind. Jean approached her death with a humility, grace, peace and acceptance that is an example to us all. She was many things to many different people; a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a friend but above all else, the way she approached and lived her life was an inspiration to all she met.
Jean was a wonderful organiser who enjoyed rallying her friends into many and varied activities, including cycling, walking, camping, yoga, table tennis and boules to mention a few.
She enjoyed her tea from a china tea set and always had a nice piece of cake as a treat after a walk, cycle ride or when entertaining friends.
When she and Peter moved to the Sterridge Valley in 2000 they took up golf. Her father had been a scratch player and would have been proud of his daughter's achievements aspiring to be Ilfracombe Golf Club's Ladies' Captain in 2005 and representing her Club and County on many occasions. At the Golf Club, we were all proud of her for cycling from Lands End to John O' Groats.
In 2010 she married Peter at Berrynarbor church, a joining of two lovely families - it was a joyous occasion. She had been a member of the church choir and a church warden, and both she and Peter were volunteers in the Village Shop.
Jean was diagnosed with breast cancer and despite her best efforts to improve her lifestyle with diet, exercise and healthy living, she passed away on the 14th May. It is a tribute to her determination that just a few weeks before she died, she cycled to one of her favourite villages in Spain and back, a distance of some 20 miles. Steph L.
MARGARET LUDLOW
Following a fall and a short stay in a care home, Margaret passed away peacefully on the 1st June. As she wished, her ashes, like those of her late husband Ray, will be scattered off the North Devon coast.
Our thoughts at this sad time are with her nephew Ken and his wife Wendy, and her great-niece and nephews.
_______
Margaret and Ray moved from Maidenhead to Glenbridge in the Valley in 1989. They soon became involved in village life, helping in the organisation of the Horticultural and Craft Show and the neighbourhood Watch Scheme, and Ray was also a member of the Parish Council.
The village was shocked when on the 18th July 2000, Ray suddenly collapsed and died whilst gardening. In his memory, the Ray Ludlow Award, a beautiful lead crystal bowl, is awarded for the Best Non-Horticultural entry in the Horticultural and Craft Show.
After several lonely, but happy years in the Valley with her dog Toby, Margaret decided to return to her roots and to be nearer her family, moving to Bishopsdown near Salisbury in 2004.
A very loyal supporter of the Newsletter, which she enjoyed reading until losing her sight just a year ago, Margaret kept in touch with many friends in the village. She will be sadly missed.
MARY TUCKER, B.E.M.
8.6.1939 - 9.6.2020
Having been diagnosed with throat cancer in January of this year, and electing to not receive invasive treatment, Mary's death on the 9th June was very peaceful. Her funeral took place on the 19th June and our thoughts are with her brother Peter and sister-in-law Margaret.
Mary and her husband Tom moved to Berrynarbor in 1986 and Mary's wish to serve the community soon saw her as a leading light at St. Peter's Church, serving on the Parochial Church Council as a Church Warden and Treasurer. Involving herself in church activities saw her flower arranging, cleaning, acting as a Deacon in administering the chalice and welcoming visitors and holiday makers into the church and until she moved north, acting as the Newsletter scribe, reporting on the many church activities. She also started and organised the monthly Friendship Lunches at The Globe for the elderly and lonely.
But, apart from her involvement with the church, Mary would regularly visit villagers who were lonely and sick, sitting and talking with them, shopping for them and even helping in the home. Always actively involved in village events, particularly fund-raising, Mary helped raise money to set up the Village Shop and Post Office.
For her services to the community, Mary was awarded the British Empire Medal in June 2012, the year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and was later presented with her award by Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Devon on the 8th October. In May the following year, Mary was a guest at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
Sadly, in early January 2010, and after a brief illness, Tom died but Mary, in her inimatable way, carried on looking after others before herself.
In the autumn of 2014, Mary decided to return to the north to West Bradford, to be nearer to her family. Their gain was the village's loss - God bless you Mary!
If you would like to make a donation in Mary's memory, they are being given to Cancer Research and the Church and Christian Centre where she lived and may be sent to 18 Mather Avenue, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 5AU. Cheques should be made payable to her sister-in-law, Margaret Capstick.
6
IN MEMORIAM
JAMES [JIM] CONSTANTINE
6.12.1942 - 4.4.2020
Having suffered from prostate cancer
but able to lead a normal life until just recently, it was sad to learn that
Jim had died on the 4th April. His
funeral took place at the North Devon Crematorium on the 20th April.
Our thoughts are with Jean, Nick and
Sue, and all the family at this
time of sadness.
Together
with Alex Parke and Keith Walls, Jim was instrumental in the setting up of our
Village Shop and had been a stalwart on the Manor Hall Committee and a member
of our Parish Council. His quiet
presence is missed.
4
IN MEMORIAM
BRIAN HENRY FRYER
06.1939 - 02.03.2020
Brian passed away peacefully at home,
with his family around him. Much loved
husband to Vivian and devoted dad to Charlotte and Mickey, he will be greatly
missed by all who knew and loved him.
The funeral has taken place.
A special thank you to neighbours and
friends who have sent cards and messages of sympathy. A very special thanks goes to Dr. James of
Combe Coastal Practice and all the carers, support workers, Hospice to Home, district
nurses, Rapid Response and palliative care teams. Also Steve at the
North Devon Hospice.
It was with sadness we learnt that
Brian had passed away and our thoughts are with Vivian, Charlotte and Mickey at
this time of grief.
A
Tribute to Allan Maynard
7.3.1934
- 10.2.2020
Although they left Glaziers [now Ragstone Cottage],
Hagginton Hill in 1987, many of you will remember Allan and Heather Maynard. Allan was Manager of NatWest in Ilfracombe,
and shortly before we moved from Middle Lee Farm to Hagginton Hill, Allan was
promoted to Manager of the Sidmouth bank. It must have been something we said! We've remained friends ever since.
Allan was born in Weston-super-Mare, but his banking career
took him to many towns in the South West and Wales. Having settled in Sidmouth,
he stayed as Manager for over 6 years and after retiring, led an active social
life. He had for many years been a strong supporter
of Rotary, which continued, and he very much enjoyed a round of golf. He and Heather enjoyed travelling, often
across the pond to see their daughter and family in Texas, and Allan's cousin
in Florida and Martha's Vineyard. But they very much enjoyed their time in
Berrynarbor and until two years ago were members of our Wine Circle. [Heather is hoping to rejoin, soon.] All that, together with Heather's
entertaining skills, kept him occupied.
About six years ago, Allan developed neuropathy in his left
leg which restricted his movements over the years and then he succumbed to
cancer of the liver.
Sadly, he died at home on February 10th and his funeral
[family only] was held on February 28th.
Fortunately, his daughter Ruth, had journeyed from Texas two weeks
earlier to be with him and although due to fly home on the day he died, stayed
until after the funeral which was a great support to Heather. Ruth's family, husband David and children
Jason and Chloe, flew over for the funeral and Ian, their son, and his wife Ann,
who live in Weston-super-Mare are
regular visitors.
Allan will be very much missed by his
family and many friends, and we send love and sympathy to Heather and her
family through our Newsletter.
Pam
and Alex
And others in the village who knew
Allan and Heather when they were at Glaziers, are thinking of Heather and the
family at this time of sadness and send their best wishes.
3
IN MEMORIAM
EUNICE ALLEN
We are sad to announce that Eunice passed away on the 7th September. She died peacefully aged 90 after suffering with dementia for many years. Eunice and her husband Bernard, lived in the village at Bali Hai and both were active in village life.
She will be so sadly missed by her children, Val and Jeff and their spouses, her grandchildren, great grandchildren and wider family.
GORDON STANBURY
It was with sadness we learnt that Gordon, of Stapleton Farm, had passed away on the 21st September, aged 76 years.
Our thoughts are with all his family at this difficult time; with Richard and Ali, Julia and Neil, Adam and Natalie and his grandchildren, Hannah, Alison, Courtney, Katrina, Lucy, Emily and Daisy, and all his friends.
REMBERING JOAN
Joan Wood, born 5th January 1925, died 15th July 2019 - aged 94 for those like me who have difficulty with such things.
Where to start, what to leave out and how to finish looking through someone else's life of 94 years? This can only be considered as an attempt. If you take away any impressions from this retelling, they should be that Joan loved life, loved people and loved talking - her love of all three only to be surpassed by her love of laughter. Here we go!
Joan was born in Hadleigh, Essex [yes, a born and bred Essex girl] to Tom and Sarah Reynolds; the second youngest of six, following on from her twin sister Doris. The timing of the twins' birth was a little difficult, her father Tom being in hospital having lost his right leg above the knee.
Education was not Joan's cup of tea, particularly after a teacher stated that you could not see the moon in the day time. All hands in the class shot up to inform the teacher that they had observed such an object on the way to school that morning! The consequence to the unfortunate pupil who had contradicted the teacher was sufficient. Joan would never raise her hand again to ask a question at school.
But it was not all bad. Hadleigh was at that time quite a rural backwater; where cricket was played on the main London road and Joan was recognised as the best whip-and-top operator in the parish. The delights of employment were not introduced gradually, Tom - Joan's father - never allowed grass to grow under you, so organised a plum job of collar turning in a shirt factory; difficult enough even without the pressure of piece work and, of course, rejects came off the machinist's tally - not conducive to making you popular! Then came cleaning houses with no training, so laying a fire was achieved as per best boy scout practice and did not meet with universal acceptance. Glamour finally came with working at the cinema, spot lit in uniform [complete with button hat] while serving ice creams, tearing tickets in half and seeing people to their seats. Then came the Second World War.
The war effort required many to change occupation and so Joan went to working machine tools - pull this, turn this, measure here, take out, put in this bin. Working through the long nights and air raids, falling asleep at the machine was a particular hazard.
Hadleigh had the privilege of being the location of the first Salvation Army farm colonies where people had a chance to recover their lives from whatever their challenge was. They started supporting the war effort by manning canteens to provide sustenance to the many thousands of service men arriving in the area and this was Joan's next challenge. At sixteen [they never asked] they gave her a 3.5 tonne left hand drive V8 Chevrolet canteen, showed her how to change gear [double de-clutch, no synchro], where the brakes were and how they worked. Once around the square in Hadleigh, totalling just a half mile, she was signed off for driving duty, given a list of locations, an amount of food, tea, soap and other supplies, and sent on her way. Get up at 4.00 a.m., finish at 6.00 p.m. and, as can be imagined, she never stopped laughing for 4 years!
Driving became something Joan enjoyed; the war gave her a freedom that few could enjoy or experience, her ability was fostered by having to overtake long convoys of Army vehicles in the dark, fog, snow, black ice - no gritting and virtually no lights - in a left-hand drive.
After the war, at the ripe old age of 20, Joan became Manageress for Howards Dairies, running a tea room; butter cream and cake counter with three staff reporting to her, whilst enjoyable it did not provide the stimulus of war [what would!] and the loss of comradery in particular stayed with Joan all her days.
However, this pesky airman kept turning up on his motorbike and, in 1947, they were married - Joan Reynolds became Joan Wood. Upon hearing of Toby's proposal, the dairy put in their own counter proposals to Joan including a pay rise to keep her, but cupid's arrow had struck deep and she set sail for the deepest and most inland of black fens in Huntingdonshire - specifically to Roughs Farm.
As can be imagined, there was little opportunity after the war so it was not uncommon for the clans to gather. Joan arrived as others of the family de-mobbed from all over the world and so the farmhouse was populated with 14 others. Father-in-Law, George Wood, had purchased the farm in 1947 [he knew he was getting a lot of free labour, so . . .] whichhad been uninhabited; in the house, the floors had stinging nettles growing through them, there was no running water in the house, no electricity [oil lamps made a poor substitute] but it was perfectly equipped for the 19th century - including a copper and a three-seat bench toilet. The cooking facilities would not be out of place for a spit and dog. Joan's introduction to farming, along with her mother-in-law was to cook, scrub and clothes wash for 14.
Toby, Don and Joan knew all about hard work and pushed on. Now it was time to tackle living in the 20th century. The farm house was refurbished, a bungalow was built and more land purchased. The refurbishment and building achieved entirely by the brothers and Joan; once again, she taught herself a whole new set of skills, which were perfected building a grain store and dryer, along with a potato store. The final push took the farm to over 1,000 acres. During this time, as well as raising a family and working alongside, Joan was doing the book keeping -a legacy of selling cinema tickets, keeping record and billing all those contracted acres. Through hard-work, tenacity and that tiger spirit, Joan helped to achieve not just survival, but also stability and prosperity all within 15 years.
Toby had lived with his Grandmother, who farmed into her 90's, in Devon. Toby wanted to come home, his lungs gave him trouble when pollution levels were high and he discovered that North Devon had the cleanest air in England. Orchard House and another renovation beckoned. After more hard work and help from her sons, the renovation was completed, including Joan's dream garden. Large, with many different sections and opportunities for planting as many shrubs, flowers, vegetables and trees as possible - which, over the years and oddly managing to coincide with any family visiting Orchard house, had to then be cut down to let the light back in!
Alongside her joy of gardening, Joan became an accomplished artist, tried her hand at calligraphy and took up as many hobbies as she could, at last the hard work was over and they could begin to enjoy themselves in the haven they had created. They joined the University of the Third Age [founder members of North Devon Coast branch], Square dancing at Woolacombe, the Wine Circle, the WI and the Craft Group as well as being an avid competitor in the Village Show. She and Toby never lost their interest in farming and made close connections in the local farming community. Great fun was had with the Bowdens [Len and Michael], Dr. Black [the bailer twine was always appreciated], the Gubbs uncle and the Richards [Ivy]. Just a few of the people lost to us such as Tom and Vera Greenaway, Vi Kingdom, Vi Songhurst, who welcomed Joan and Toby to Berrynarbor. Joan and Toby made many friends in the area.
Toby passed away on the 3rd of April 2010. Joan had lived in Berrynarbor for 44 years.
Paul Wood
BARBARA WOOD
It was sad to learn that Barbara, who with her husband John lived on the Park, moving to Stourport on Severn some years ago, had passed away on the 13th November. Our thoughts are with John at this time of sorrow.
3
IN MEMORIAM
10th August 1946 -
4th August 2019
Into the freedom of
the winds and sunshine, we let you go.
Into the dance of
the stars and planets we let you go.
Into the wind's
breath, we let you go.
We love you, we miss
you, we want you to be happy.
Go safely, go
dancing, go running home, we let you go.
As Editor, and
friend, I was particularly saddened to learn that Peter had died peacefully on
Sunday, 4th August.
Peter's delightful pictures and illustrations have enhanced our
Newsletter almost from its beginnings, for which I am most grateful.
A beloved
and loving husband, father, stepfather and grandfather, our thoughts at this
very sad time are with Sally and all his family.A beautiful and moving service remembering
his life and attended by his family and many friends, was held in Barnstaple on
the 23rd August, and to celebrate his lifelong love of Lundy, a walk in his
memory took place there on the 14th September, a beautiful early autumn day,
with clear blue skies and sunshine - go dancing, Peter.
Peter, a
naturalised North Devonian, was born in Manchester.His parents moved to Ilfracombe when he was
twelve, but he is proud of the fact that he spent every birthday up to that
point in Ilfracombe.He attended Barnstaple
Grammar School, leaving in 1965, to begin his art and design training at Dartington College of Arts, completing it at the West of
England College of Arts, Bristol, in 1969 with a degree in Fine Art.
He
worked as a freelance artist and designer for several years before being
employed by Grand Metropolitan Hotels as an interior designer.It was the arrival of the first two of his
four children, Marc, Trudi, Robin and Anna, that persuaded him to consider a
career in teaching and he subsequently taught art and design at every level,
from primary to post-graduate, ending his teaching as Co-ordinator for A Level
Art & Design at the North Devon College, now Petroc, and later acting as an
A Level Moderator.
Peter
undertook commissions in painting, sculpture and illustration.His work features in private collections all
over the world and he has illustrated a number of
publications, both fiction and non-fiction and is responsible for 'Lundy - An
Island Sketchbook'. He has also
published 'The Lundy Granite Company - an industrial adventure', a fascinating
account of the wheelings and dealings surrounding the
attempts by a group of Victorian entrepreneurs to capitalise on the demand for
granite, and 'Ancient Sunlight' a novel set in North Devon in the years
following the First World War, a sequel to Henry Williamson's 'Flax of Dream'.Peter's books are available on Amazon, and
his work can still be found and purchased in the Gallery Jessica Dove in
Ilfracombe.
As well
as the many covers and illustrations he did for the Newsletter, including the cover of this issue, Peter designed the
Millennium Fountain with its apt words by Lorna Bowden, 'Drink in this
beautiful place and leave refreshed'.
He designed the cover for Gary Songhurst's 'Potted History of
Berrynarbor' and the scenery for Gary's many BBC Shows.
Sadly,
Peter was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease more than a decade ago, but
despite this he maintained his independence and continued working until shortly
before his death, working as a Librarian for the Landmark Trust and travelling
around the South West.
The only
child of elderly parents, Peter rejoiced in the love he gave and received from
his family and his step-family, especially his grandchildren Caitlin,
Millie, Dillon, Jack Evie, Missie and Heloise, and his step-sons, James, David
and Robert and his step-grandchildren Ollie and Amelie.
A very
gentle person, Peter embraced life to the full.
Pete
Our
friendship began in the mid '80s when Peter was asked to help design and
construct the village carnival float. We worked on these projects together and he
taught me a lot about visual effects and construction - especially how to make
a 15 foot peacock head out of withies and disused fertiliser bags! We
found that we worked together well. So,
when Gary Songhurst asked Pete to design and paint the backdrops
we decided to work on them together. Pete
was a hard worker and we often did 'through's' - working throughout the night,
Beethoven playing in the background, to get things finished by the morning. He'd then take himself off to work at Petroc
teaching A level Art and Design.
Peter started to follow The Parcel Of Rogues - a Berrynarbor band - and came on tour with us to
Ireland in the early 90s.
Together
we renovated Wescotts Gallery and coffee shop in
Appledore during which Pete made and designed the 'Appledore Chair'. A chair made out of
three planks of wood with no screws, nails or dowels to hold it together. He wove a whole story about the chair,
claiming it was made out of old ships' timbers
salvaged from wrecks! We had joint
exhibitions of our work at the gallery when it first opened.
A much loved friend and "partner in crime", you will be sorely missed Pete.
Nigel Mason BRIAN SHILLAKER Many readers will have happy memories
of Mary and Brian Shillaker who lived at Rockton,
moving to Shurton, Stogursey
near Bridgwater some ten years ago.So it was sad to learn that Brian, after a long time of ill
health, had passed away on the 15th August. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mary,
Helen, Richard and Nick at this sad time. INGE RICHARDSON 28th March 1935 - 17th August 2019 It was
with sadness that the village learnt that having lived at Park Lane Care Home
for several years, Inge, whose home with her late husband Alan had been in
Barton Lane, had passed away on the 17th
August.Our thoughts are with Zoe and
her family in England, and all her family in Hamburg. Inge, or Ingeburg
to give her her full name, was born in Hamburg in
1935.Her mother died soon after her
birth and as she grew up, she always had a close relationship with her brother,
Harald. Inge worked as a technical artist and
it was whilst she was on a holiday in Jersey, that she met Alan
Richardson.They fell in love, married
and Inge moved to England, initially to Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire. Inge and Alan's first home in
Berrynarbor, a holiday home, was Forge Cottage, but when they left Hemel
Hempstead to come to Devon to live, they bought and moved into Sherrards in Barton Lane. Her brother also married
and he and Gisela had three daughters, Maike, Imke and Antje, who still live in Hamburg.Inge was Antje's Godmother and Alan was
Godfather to Imke.
Sadly, Harald passed away in 1990 and Alan in 1993.The girls spent family visits to England
when they enjoyed the country life and beautiful landscape, and in their words,
"Inge
was a careful host and she liked to cook delicious meals.At our birthdays and Christmas, we always
received parcels with generous gifts." Inge and Alan were active members of
the community.Alan founded the still
flourishing and successful Wine Circle, was Chairman of the Manor Hall
Committee, always with Inge at his side, and together they were early and
stalwart members of the local U3A group.
They both liked to travel.Inge
was an active member of St. Peter's Church until she was no longer able to
attend. Inge loved her garden and her two dogs,
Rusty and Robbie; she
was always interested in fashion and liked beautiful clothes and make-up. She loved Sherrards.In later years when she was unwell and in
care, on return visits there she became 'herself' again, making tea and
chatting with those she was with. One of her friends described her as
being 'loud and fun'!She was certainly
a big character with a big heart and who it would be difficult to forget once
you had met her. Inge and Alan gave so much to so many
people through their lives and activities - she has been missed over the past
few years. She has run her race and is at peace
and will surely have heard the words, "Well done, you good and faithful
servant." [From the Eulogy given by Zoe Curran at the Service to Celebrate Inge's Life at St. Peter's on the
16th September.]
In
the late 90s Pete, together with Ann Westcott, ran Lundy sketching breaks on
the island. Peter asked me to tutor the
drawing and painting sections of the course. The time we spent on the island hold my
fondest and most poignant memories of him. We did a lot of drawing, painting, drinking,
talking and walking, sometimes late into the night. I got to know the real Pete
- highly intelligent, well read, cultured and generous. When we returned to the mainland we carried
on the drinking and talking at the George and Dragon on Friday nights!
It
was my pleasure to play for Pete and Sally at their wedding.
5
IN MEMORIAM
JOAN WOOD
5th January 1925 - 15th July 2019
It was so sad to learn that after a
long illness, Joan had passed away at home on the 15th July. A loving and much-loved mother, grandmother
and great-grandmother, she will be so missed by all her family and her many
friends.
Our thoughts and prayers are with
David, Jane and Paul and all the family at this time of sadness.
GERALD BRAY [NIPPER]
It was with sadness that longer term villagers learnt
that Gerald, known locally as Nipper, had passed away and our thoughts are with
all his family, especially those at Swimbridge, and his many friends.
Gerald was born in Berrynarbor on the 2nd of September 1934,
the son of Fred and Rosina Bray. Fred sadly
died in 1936 leaving Rosie, as she was known, to bring up Gerald and his sister
Ivy, who was 9 years older. Gerald said
Rosie was a very firm mother, and one day when he missed the bus to school, she
made him walk, only for him to get the cane when he got there for being late!
When he left school he went to work as a farm labourer,
first up at Smythen, after which there followed many years of farm laboring,
going from farm to farm as was needed - harvesting, lambing and shearing. He
also did trapping, at times working with Gordon Newton. Farmers would call them in when rabbits,
foxes or even moles were getting out of hand. The resulting pelts would
be dried and then sent off to end up in fashion houses.
Gerald was never short of work. He worked for Woolaway at Watermouth, tending
the huge gardens which were at Sawmills, and a good few years were spent as a
builders' labourer for various firms.
Gerald and Rosie reared poultry, especially turkeys for
Christmas. His spare time was spent on
gardening, playing skittles, darts and snooker, and pigeon racing - all very
successfully. He enjoyed dancing,
whether at the local dances which used to be held every week in the summer at
the Manor Hall or at The Runnacleave in Ilfracombe. He would dress in his drainpipes, string tie,
long jacket and thick soled shoes and off he would go with his mates to do his
favourite rock 'n' roll - he never had a shortage of girlfriends!
In 1979, Rosie had a stroke and so he was left to look after
himself, his sister Ivy helped out. Then
he met Grace and romance blossomed. She
moved in and together they made a success of the garden and poultry. They
rebuilt Beech Hill, he still did farm work, private gardening and the local
foot paths and life was good. Around
1997, they decided they needed more space for breeding poultry, so they moved
to Withycombe, Combe Martin. Very
sadly, in 2002, Grace died suddenly, which was a great shock to Gerald.
A few years later, he met Pauline and he introduced her to
horse racing and she got him to go on holidays. So the first stop on any holiday was to find
the local bookies.
By 2007 he had moved in with Ivy at Wood Park and Pauline
had moved to Cornwall with her family, but they still went on holidays or he
would go and visit her.
When in 2008 Ivy died, and not wanting to go back to Combe
Martin, Gerald came to Wales with me where he enjoyed being with the family. I used
to take him out and about and he spoke to Pauline every night, comparing
winnings or lack of.
When the time came for us to move to Swimbridge, Gerald was
quite sad as he had loved his time in Wales, but he soon settled and when
Pauline died in the spring, he had a lot of support from us. He helped me form a vegetable garden and Tracey
with her hens - a source of a few arguments as Tracey's hens were pets not
money makers!
The last 4 years he was content with being an arm chair
sports critic, an expert on politics and a judge on Strictly, all via the TV. He had a great interest in nature and loved
to share it with Heidi [his great-great niece]. Alex, Devon and the postman were sounding
boards for his football opinions - it was best not to get him going on politics! He got
great enjoyment from feeding and watching the birds.
Once a month Bernard Newton would pick him up and take him
to Berrynarbor calling on Chris and Barbara Gubb, and he was always pleased if
he saw Elaine and Geoff and especially their children. Later, meeting up with Derek, they would go
for lunch before Bernard returned him back to Swimbridge.
He was very content with his life; his visitors were few and far between but he
could have as much or as little company as he wanted from my family. I just had to make sure I was on time when
it came to giving him his meals every day and his trip to the bookies and Lidl's each week.
Gerald was a very colourful character and he will be greatly
missed by all of the family at Swimbridge.
But we won' t miss his corny jokes!
A thank you to Bernard, Derek, Chris, Barbara, Elaine and
Geoff - he really valued your friendship.
Marlene
We've known Nipper for more than 30
years. Over that time, he's been a thoughtful and
generous friend, and always there when we needed a hand. He helped us with the garden and fields at
Middle Lee and continued when we moved to Hagginton Hill.
I used to have a Labrador called
Seamus. Many of you older folk may
remember him. After he died, Nipper
remarked to Grace, his long-time partner, "To see Pam walking around the
village without a dog is like seeing a house without a chimney!"
A little later, we went away for a few
days. On our return, I climbed to the
top of the garden and there stood a small tree.
When I looked closer there was a
note attached. I don't remember the
exact words but it was
in Grace's neat handwriting and to the effect that it would be there longer
than I should and it was in memory of Seamus. It's still there and yearly gives us Bramley
apples. On Nipper's instruction, Grace
had bought it in Barnstaple for him to plant whilst we were away, he knew how
much I missed the beautiful old Bramley tree left behind at Middle Lee.
I said earlier that I had a
Labrador. It's well-known that Alex
doesn't like dogs. So, for one of my
birthdays, Nipper arranged for a record to be played on Devon Radio
acknowledging the fact. Its name? Love me, love my dog! He could reveal a wicked sense of humour!
These are just three of the pleasurable
memories of our dear friend. For years we have exchanged Christmas gifts, but
this year we shall just have to raise our glasses and remember this kind and
gentle man. Farewell, Nipper, and thank you.
Pam
Parke
3
IN MEMORIAM
MATTHEW PHILIP BROWN
15.8.1981 - 9.4.2019
It was with profound shock and sadness that the
village learnt that Matthew, Chris and Phil Brown's eldest son, had died
suddenly whilst on business in Qatar on the 9th April, 2019. Our thoughts are with Chris and Phil and all
the family at this time of unbelievable sadness.
Although
living in Denmark, Matthew's funeral took place here in North Devon on 13th May
and Chris and Phil would like to thank everyone for joining them to say
farewell, for the many messages of sympathy, cards, flowers and for the
generous donations for Young Epilepsy.
If there
is anyone who would like to support this very worthwhile charity, donations in
Matthew's memory may be sent to A.D. Williams, 31 Portland Street, Ilfracombe,
EX34 9NL.
RAYMOND THORNE
15.10.47 - 17.4.19
A friend to many in the village and a supporter of our
Newsletter, it was sad to learn that Ray had passed away peacefully, at home,
with his family on the 17th April.
Our
thoughts are with Lynn, Martin and Roy and all the family at this time of
sadness.
Remembering Ray
Although Ray was proud to be a Berrynarbor
boy, having many relatives in the village, he first lived temporarily in
Ilfracombe - where he was also proud to be a 'Quayite' - for the first months
of his life, while his parents were living with his grandparents in Rupert's
Wood Terrace, his grandfather having a gentlemen's hair dressing shop in Broad
Street. When he was a few months old, the
family moved out to Berrynarbor, where they lived in the village, next to the
primary school.
Ray was also quite proud of the fact
that before he was three years old, he walked alone from the village, without
being spotted, up to the Sandy Cove Hotel, to see his grandparents, who were
caretakers there, and had to be brought home by car.
Later the family moved up to Croft Lee,
where his sisters Lin, and eventually Debbie joined them.
A happy, carefree childhood, playing
with his sisters and friends, getting into mischief, and wandering in the
countryside observing nature followed, which led to his great knowledge of the
countryside. He also spent many happy hours and days
fishing off the rocks at Broadsands with family and friends.
Ray left Combe Martin Secondary School,
aged fifteen, just as the savage winter of 1962-63 was beginning. This delayed him starting work for a while, so
more exploring and adventuring took place.
One of his enduring memories was
walking on snow drifts as high as the hedges.
He finally started work for Harris, the
builder, as a carpenter's apprentice in the workshop in Combe Martin, making
coffins. During his building career he
worked on housing estates around Ilfracombe and all around North Devon; working on Ilfracombe Comprehensive School,
as it was called then, helping convert the Grammar School into the Junior
School and spent a long time helping to build the North Devon District
Hospital. He was proud of the work that
he did there, and just a few weeks ago was able to point out features that he
had built. Although the work was hard,
he made many friends and enjoyed the camaraderie.
It was during these years Ray and Lynn
met, famously, at Combe Martin Seaside, and were married soon after. Ray moved into Ilfracombe, where he and Lynn
were later joined by their much-loved boys, Martin and Roy. A long and happy family life followed.
In his spare time in the 80's he built
his beautiful big boat, Thor, in Chris and Barbara Gubb's farm yard in
Berrynarbor. She was sold soon after she
was finished, and eventually found her way to Padstow where she appeared
several times in TV programmes, with the likes of Rick Stein. She had been renamed Blue Fox, and was still
going strong in January this year, when she was up for sale, in Rock.
The mid-80's brought Morris dancing
into his life when son Roy started playing for the Cloggies. When the family saw what fun there was to be
had, Ray and Roy joined the Muddiford and Milltown Morris Men and Lynn joined the
Ilfracombe Red Petticoats. This made
such a change to their lives, making dozens, if not hundreds, of friends and
taking them to many places they would never have visited otherwise. Later, with friends, they started a Playford
side, Playford being old English country dancing, and yet more happy times
followed. Ray was also a founder member
of the Oggle band - more fun and laughs!
Later, Cotswold and North West Morris evolved into Border, with ragged
jackets and blackened faces. Happy Days!
Retirement from Morris ended after
twenty-six happy years, but not giving up on all things folksy, Ray continued
with the Wassailing tradition that he had revived in North Devon, and where the
apple crops had flourished. Always
being an 'apple man', Ray planted a little orchard in his back garden. The blossom is just starting to bloom.
The family had moved to Bicclescombe
Park Road in 1987 and Ray took a great interest in the park itself, eventually
partly helping him to be awarded a Pride in Ilfracombe award.
He was the main instigator for getting
the mill wheel restored, spending many hours in research and choosing the wood
for the buckets. He was very happy to see it completed last year. He also supported the community tea rooms
and for several Christmases played Father Christmas where at least one family
thought he was the real Santa!
Family was always paramount to
Ray, always being there when needed. In
his and Lynn's long and happy marriage, he was always there for her and their
boys. Always there for his father in his final
illness, and patiently looking after his mother-in- law in her last days. Looking out for his sisters, he was always
ready with care and advice. The love
and respect that all the family, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great
nephews have poured out for him in these last days have been such a wonderful
comfort and he would be, and indeed was, very proud of them.
He would be so very proud of all the
wonderful words, messages and comments Lynn and the family have received since
his passing. So, thank you everyone and
thanks to all who came to the funeral and gave him the send-off he deserved.
3
July 1925 - October 2018
John Gale was the first Headmaster of
The Ilfracombe Academy or Ilfracombe School and Community College as it was
then. A pioneer in community education,
the founder of so many local institutions, a devoted husband, father and
grandfather, he leaves behind a great legacy.
John was born in the seaside town of Littlehampton on the Sussex coast. Whilst his origins were humble, his father a
railway worker and his mother a lady's maid, it was soon clear that he was an
extraordinary child. With an ambition and a drive that came to define who he
was as a man, he first gained entry to the local grammar school and then, at
the age of just 17, gained a place in Oxford University. He talked of arriving at Oxford in clothes
handed down by the aristocratic family his mother worked for and, not able to
afford college membership, was part of the Delegacy for Non-Collegiate Students
which later became St Catherine's College. These experiences had a profound effect, firing
his life-long commitment to creating equal opportunities in education. However, with the country at war, it was not
long before he abandoned his studies and joined the Royal Air Force where he
trained as a pilot, reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Known for his amazing eyesight and powers of
observation, he was given the task of mapping and identifying enemy aircraft,
often flying in dangerous territories. It
was in 1942, stationed in Manchester and on his way to Canada for flight
training, that John met Pat, and so began their 70 years together. Pat's family owned a butcher's shop in
Manchester and she played her part in the war effort working in a munitions factory. They
wrote to one another for the best part of three years, letters John would keep
with him and treasure.
When the war ended, he went back to
Oxford to complete his studies, and he and Pat were married in May 1947. He tried out various jobs and went on to take
a 5-year commission in the Air Force as an education officer.
Now parents to twin girls, Elizabeth
and Patricia, they moved to Leicestershire where John worked in adult education
and they bought their first home using his end-of-service gratuity. His next move was a spectacular one when, at
the age of 31, he was appointed as Headmaster of Swavesey
Community College in Cambridgeshire, making him one
of the youngest headmasters in the country. Community education was an exciting new
initiative which combined comprehensive education with adult education, pre-school
and community work. Houses were built
around the college for staff, which was a centre for the community who were
encouraged to get involved. This suited
John perfectly.
Their third child John was born and the
three children enjoyed happy childhoods together playing around the campus. John had found a career he
truly loved, and he would look back on those seven years in Cambridgeshire
as very happy and fulfilling.
Then, in 1965, John was given his most
ambitious task to date. He was to move
to Ilfracombe to establish and ultimately open Ilfracombe Community College. This would see him first take on the role of Headmaster
of three other schools, before bringing them together to create a centre for a
community that stretched from Woolacombe to Lynton and Countisbury,
reaching out to all the villages, hamlets and towns in the area.
John's love of Exmoor began on these visits
and, spurred on by his enthusiasm for sharing Exmoor with the students of the College,
the school was bequeathed land on the edge of the moor. The Exmoor Centre was created. Built in the old grammar school hall, the Centre
was the creation of staff, parents and young people, and was carried out to
Exmoor on a fleet of tractors. To this
day it is a wonderful place and is remembered by so many who had the experience
of spending the first week of their time at the College at the Centre.
Ilfracombe Community College was
officially opened in 1972, the first purpose-built comprehensive in the
country. It was innovative and
ambitious, and John was hugely energetic, inspiring those who worked with him
to share his vision of community, of local people pulling together and to make
things happen.
John wanted to offer opportunities to
his students and one of them was travel. In 1972, Sixth Formers from the College
became the first British entrants to China after the end of the cultural
revolution, and a trip to India followed.
Despite the demands of running the College,
John managed to support the community through the Rotary Club. At this time, Pat began Country Cousins, a
business where students from overseas would come to stay in the town to learn
English.
With the children now out in the world,
John and Pat moved to Moorings, a beautiful home overlooking Watermouth castle
and the sea, buying up adjacent land to give Pat the garden she had always
dreamt of, but to visitors, more of a small forest or woodland. Whatever project John took on, he did to an
incredibly high standard, and the garden was no exception. Gardening, always an interest of John's,
became a passion.
Perhaps lured by the success the family
was having with Country Cousins, John retired from the College in 1982. A new era had begun. The business was
expanded, a building at Bicclescombe Park was bought, and later Patricia and
her husband John Swan took over the day-to-day running of the business,
focusing on achieving a standard of excellence in language teaching and the
hosting of students from overseas. This
focus eventually led to the prestigious award of British Council recognition,
and Pat and John travelled across Europe promoting Country Cousins.
A few years later they gave up work and
began to celebrate their retirement together, travelling the world, visiting
South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, Canada and the United states; times together they loved. Retirement was a time when John and Pat threw
their energy into numerous community groups and projects. Pat became a Samaritan and she and John
undertook the daunting task of raising £30,000 to provide a building for the
North Devon Samaritans. With friends
they established a branch of the University of the Third Age, U3A, a group for
retired people who strive to continue learning and sharing skills well into
their later years. John even led an annual residential trip to places of
historical interest. He was involved in
the Civic Society, becoming Chairman in 1988, an organisation
of over 100 local activists determined to encourage the development of the
town. His involvement in the Exmoor Centre
continued and he raised the funds for a full renovation. The Centre
later became a charity independent of Ilfracombe College and opened its doors
to children, families, young people and groups, who come from far and wide to
have the experience of living simply in the midst of Exmoor.
A Rotarian for 50 years, John served
the community tirelessly and was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship for his
many years of dedicated service.
Another retirement project for John and
Pat was supporting their son who had gone to live in Tuscany. Together they bought and renovated a small
settlement of cottages in the hamlet of Castello. High up on the hillside,
surrounded by olive groves and with a simple farming population, this was a
place John and Pat truly loved. It was then that they experienced a tragedy of
the kind that no parent should ever have to experience. In
August 1990, their son John died suddenly.
His wife, Jenny, left heavily pregnant, gave birth to their first
grandson six weeks later. With amazing
courage and strength, Jenny was determined to bring their child up in Castello
and to finish the project and John and Pat spent countless weeks in Tuscany,
supporting her and doing all they could to help finish what their son had
started. The olive groves of Tuscany,
and the ancient twisted wood they had used to burn on the fires, inspired John
to start woodcarving. Many hours were
spent in rapt attention carving, sanding and chiseling, his work following the
patterns he found in the wood.
To their three grandsons, John and Pat
were known as Nonno and Nonna,
English pronunciations of the Italian words for Grandad and Grandma, and many
happy summers were spent at Watermouth with them, enjoying John's swimming pool
and charging around the garden, following all the winding paths John had
created.
When Pat was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2002, John took on the advice of her
psychiatrist who suggested that activity, stimulation and travel would be
helpful. His unwavering devotion to her
in her final years was befitting of their 70 years together and, when Pat's
condition deteriorated,
John took on the role of full time carer. She died peacefully at home with John, in May
2012. Their separation after a lifetime
together was something from which John did not recover well. However, life at Moorings was far from empty
for John. Always interested in his
grandsons and their activities, he was a great source of encouragement and
inspiration for them, passionately concerned in everything they were doing.
His final years in Moorings were helped
by a team of loyal and lovely people. Maxine
Putman, his gardener for 16 years and a talented horticulturist, worked with
John and ensured that his garden flourished long after he was no longer able to
tend to it himself. Sue Potter, his and
Pat's carer for 12 years, supported by Alison, was a
great friend, allowing him to maintain dignity during this time. It meant so much to him to be able to live out
his final years there, and this would not have been possible without their help
and without the ongoing loving support of his family.
Words cannot describe the deep respect
and admiration so many have, and will always have, for John - the grandfather,
the father, the husband, the headmaster and the friend - truly one of
Ilfracombe's greats.
From the Editor:
I was
fortunate to work with John as his personal assistant for seven years at
Ilfracombe College - seven very happy but busy and eventful years. After his retirement we kept in touch and I
was glad to be able to enjoy with him, his 93rd birthday in July. I shall miss him but thanks to the family, I
am lucky enough to have one of his olive wood carvings in memory of a very
special boss. Judie
5
IN MEMORIAM
JOHN GALE
John died on the 24th October, aged 93,
in his beloved Watermouth home surrounded by the love of his family and carers.
John moved to Ilfracombe in 1964, a
pioneer in education, he came to establish the first ever purpose-built
comprehensive school in the country.
Ilfracombe Community College was opened in 1973. John and his wife Pat, were passionate
about the community and promoted and served its interest through their long
lives.
It was with much sadness we learnt that
John had passed away and our thoughts are with his daughters, Patricia and
Elizabeth, and all his family.
REMMBERING KATH
A personal Tribute from the Family,
especially for her Grandchildren and
Great-grandchildren
given at the Thanksgiving Service by John
Well, it falls to me to tell you a
little about the life of Kath or Granny to a lot of you. Well, Granny Noodle to
many of us, or Granny Bumble to some of you.
Noodle was a nickname given her
by her girls' father, Don.
Bumble
was the name of a sheep which Jill brought home as a lamb the owners were going
to put down because its front leg was a bit deformed and bent, so the lamb
walked on three legs. Don said he could fix that and strapped its
leg inside the hollowed-out stem of a sprout plant. The lamb lived and became known as Bumble, and
was eventually given by Jill to her mother here in Berrynarbor. Carol's
children then knew Kath as Granny Bumble because of this crazy Jacob sheep.
Margaret Kathleen Herbert was born on the 2nd January 1923,
at Hedgeland Farm, Cadbury, near Exeter. It was a mixed farm, using shire horses and
with no mains water, electricity or gas. Cider was made and apples, cream, butter and
eggs were sold. Good times were had but hard work was the
norm.
Kath and her brothers started school at Cadbury but were
later transferred to Cheriton Fitzpayne which involved a bus ride. She was highly competitive and states that
at school she was captain of hockey and netball. She also played cricket with the boys and
was a better bowler than most in the area and held the records for running,
high jump and long jump. She felt it
was a tragedy that she couldn't take up the place offered to her at Crediton
High School - there was no transport, she didn't have a bike and so she had to
work on the farm.
She eventually got herself a bike after
she joined Bickleigh YFC where she entered the young bull that she had reared
from a calf for the competition. She came second and sold her prize-winning
bull for £19, spending £6.10 shillings on buying the bike which gave her
freedom. This freedom meant she could
go to ballroom dancing classes with Don and they were very good dancers, embracing
any new dance that came along.
In 1939 the Herbert family moved to East
Ruckham Farm, Cruwys Morchard, near Tiverton.
The distance between the two farms was about 8 miles and all animals
were walked from Hedgeland to East Ruckham. Kathy looked after the pigs but also reared
rabbits and used the funds for her bottom drawer. For you, younger ones, the bottom drawer has
been replaced by The Wedding List!
Kath states that girls had to work
outside on the farm all day but that the boys never helped with the housework! This meant she worked alongside her brothers
in the field and then had to serve them their meals at lunch and dinner times. This certainly fuelled her feelings towards
men in later life regarding equality.
Kath married Donald Arscott in April
1944, and they spent some years living at Cadbury before moving to Crandle
Farm, Cruwys Morchard. At first they
were tenant farmers, but later they were able to buy the farm. Kathy did all
the milking to save money on employment.
During this time they set up the
Cruwys Morchard Young Farmers Club which certainly helped her three daughters' social
life!
Kath's love of animals always persisted
and this meant that you looked after them first, each day, before yourself.
My first memories of Kath were before we even met. My
father and I had to raise a mortgage to buy Crandle Farm and did so by applying
to the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation in Taunton. The valuer duly visited the farm and we then
attended a meeting with him in Taunton to hear the result. He
said there was no problem with borrowing the money and that he had valued the
farm at what we were being asked to pay for it. But, in addition to that - he was a bit of a
lad I think! - he told us he had valued the farmer's wife. He said that she was a cracker and she had a
lovely daughter, which turned out to be true, and the lovely daughter was Jill
who became my wife.
I remember when we moved in Kath was highly amused when she
learned that we kept our dog in the house. "Very Townie," she said. She had never allowed a dog in the house,
they were supposed to stay outside. She certainly changed a lot over the years
with Barney sharing every meal with her and sleeping in her bedroom!
Kathy
and Don then moved to West Ruckham, where they built a new homestead and
buildings. On the sale of this farm in
1980, they moved to Berrynarbor, where they kept sheep and had some holiday
bungalows at Woolacombe.
Carol says that the joyous and abiding memory she is left
with, is a love of wildlife and flowers. This, no doubt, accounts for Carol never
feeling happier than when she is in the garden.
Kathy loved colour. She could never understand the saying, 'blue
and green should never be seen'. "What
about bluebells?" she would say. The
colours adorning her coffin are what she wanted. We have all been most impressed by her use
of colour in her weaving and when we opened her wardrobes, the vibrant colours
were amazing, hence the thought that all could wear some colour today.
Kath could see a picture and was a very
good photographer and gave many slide
shows of her varied and extensive travels.
She was a beautiful sewer, a skill learnt from her mother, a seamstress.
Her girls always had a dress in the
latest fashion even if she cut up one of her own dresses to make it.
She started spinning and weaving with
Don when they came to Berrynarbor 38 years ago. They were founder members of the North Devon
Spinners, and I'm delighted that the group still thrives. Kath was the President to the end and loved
going to the meetings. She told us recently
when she was really ill, how much she missed it. The drape on her coffin is the very first
piece of weaving she did and it was Kathy's request that it be used today.
Kath loved cooking and a pavlova was her
signature dish. Don made a special
wooden platter for it. She was still making her own bread up to a few
months ago and always made me cake whenever I visited, insisting I took most of
it home as she scolded Jill for not making cakes!
Her verve for life gave her the need to
travel, inherited from her homesteader father.
First with Don, overland to Australia and there are really not many
countries Kath has not visited including some of the most dangerous and some
you can't visit now. She was truly a
courageous traveler, quite often as a single woman. When asked about her latest holiday she would
reply it wasn't a holiday it was an expedition.
One of Donna's cherished memories is accompanying her mother
in 2005 to Saskatchewan, Canada, to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the
Homesteaders, Kath's father being one of them. They were invited to stay with friends in the
town of Windhorst, which hosted the three-day event, with time to visit the
site of the homestead. In her diary,
Kath said she felt the journey was very rewarding and well worth the effort and
that she still wondered about the journey her mother and father made, how many
days they must have been in the horse drawn wagon, and her mother, Rainy, would
have had her wedding presents with her and many memories of the country and
family she had left.
After Don's death, Kath met Trevor, who
also liked to travel. They belonged to the Rioja Club, which involved some
interesting weekends!
When she was over 80, I managed to
fulfil another of Kathy's ambitions. to ride pillion on a large motorbike
around the streets of Brussels dressed in full leather gear- which for some
reason she called rubber!
More recently, in August of last year, Donna and Kath drove
around Exmoor and managed to tick all the boxes. The heather was gloriously in bloom, the
weather was fine, they enjoyed a picnic lunch at one of Kath's favourite
places, namely Horners Wood, followed by spotting deer resting up on the hill. And the icing on the cake was that Kath was
able to hold a conversation with one of her favourite animals - a Highland cow!
I should like to thank those of you in
the village who continued to visit Kath until she died. We all appreciate that, and thank you Judie
for taking Barney for so many walks and for giving Kath her daily medication - Baileys
in her morning coffee!
We asked her grandchildren for any
special memories, these are a few of them:
Holly remembers them playing in the woods and granny
clanging saucepan lids together to call them in. Coralie feels she gave her the thought that
girls can do anything - Girl Power long before the Spice Girls.
Yan remembers granny getting him to help
in the garden when he used to stay at weekends. He very soon got blisters on his hands and
went to show her, I suspect expecting to get out of the work. But Kath just said, "Oh, that's nothing, just
spit on them and get on with it."
Ian
says: Gran was such a strong, witty and
inspiring person and he likes to think that his love of great food, wine and
travel comes from her! He says, "Our visits to Berrynarbor will never seem the
same again."
I don't know whether you have heard
the Simon Mayo drivetime confessions on BBC radio, but this is Ian's confession!
"Many years ago, on a fine summer's day when grandad was still alive, Barn
Cottage lost its electricity supply, as did the rest of the Sterridge Valley,
the entire village and large parts of Combe Martin! I suppose that it is
safe to admit to this now. It was Yan
and I who were the cause. Whilst
playing with an air-gun in the apple orchard, we shot at one of the insulators
which exploded causing a dead short on the 11,000 volt overhead supply line
with the consequent loss of power in the region. I am
sure in the circumstances, you will now forgive us Gran!"
I will leave you with a final thought
from Carol. "Mother, together with her
love of dogs, was still a farmer at heart. Please note - a farmer. It would have been a very brave person indeed
to have called her a farmer's wife. I
believe a few foolish people did!"
6
IN MEMORIAM
DAVID MARTIN
It was with sadness we learnt that
David had passed away peacefully at home on the 18th July after a long illness
bravely borne.
A loving husband and father he will be
sadly missed by all his family and friends.
Our thoughts are with Pat and James at
this time of sorrow.
[MARGARET] KATHLEEN
ARSCOTT
[Kathy or Kath]
2.1.1923 - 22.8.2018
The Spinners' Prayer
Thanks to the tree for my spinning wheel
Thanks to the sheep for its fleece
Thanks to the Lord for giving me
Hands that work in harmony
Bless all for whom I spin
And fill their hearts with peace.
How sad it was to learn that Kath had
passed away at home on the 22nd August.
A loving and much-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she
will be so missed by her family and many friends.
Our thoughts are with Carol, Jill and
Donna and their families at this very sad time.
The well-attended thanksgiving service
for her life, held at St. Peter's on the 19th September, was a beautiful
tribute to an interesting and remarkable lady who lived life to the full.
Carol, Jill and Donna would like to
thank everyone who attended the service and for the many cards and messages of
sympathy they have received.
4
IN MEMORIAM
ROSEMARY [Anne
Priscilla] GAYDON
30.5.1930 - 4.6.2018
How sad it was to learn that Rosemary
Gaydon had passed away at her home in Combe Martin on the 4th June 2018, at the
age of 88. Her funeral, a Russian
Orthodox service, took place at St. Peter's on the 3rd July
when she was buried beside her husband, Bernard.
Rosemary and Bernard moved to North
Devon in 1980 - a home-coming for Bernard who had been baptised at St.
Brannocks Church in Braunton, where his mother was born.
Sadly, Bernard died on the 16th May
1997 following a car accident and Rosemary later moved from their home in
Barton Lane to Combe Martin. In her
tribute to Bernard, Rosemary told us that the family were well-known in
Barnstaple, even having a street named after them in the town.
A delightful lady, Rosemary was always
cheerful and welcoming. She had been a
member of the local U3A and Berrynarbor W.I., attended the Friendship Lunches
and was a subscriber and supporter of the Newsletter. She will be sadly missed by her many
friends.
4
IN MEMORIAM
PEGGY IRENE HARVEY
We were sorry to learn that Peggy, late
of Middle Cockhill, had passed away peacefully at home at Norah Bellot Court,
Barnstaple, on the 19th April A good
friend and fantastic listener to both her family and friends and loving wife of
the late Laurie, mother of Clarissa, Martin and Elisabeth, grandmother and
great-grandmother, she will be sadly missed.
Our thoughts are with all her family at this time of sadness.
MUM
A Tribute from her Daughter Elisabeth
Mum was born Peggy Irene Brinkman on
7th May 1931, in Tottenham, London. Her
father was a cabinet maker, her mother a shoe maker for a theatre. Her father's family came from Germany, her
mother's from Ireland. Sadly, her
father suffered from severe epilepsy and had to go to live in a sanatorium when
she was only 2. Her upbringing was
tough in effectively a single parent family.
During the
war years, like many children, mum moved around a lot, living with relatives
and strangers as an evacuee. She was
living in London in 1944 when buzz bombs were being dropped and spent many
nights in air raid shelters with her mother, which must have been terrifying.
Peggy
left school at 14 with no qualifications - she had one pair of shoes and a second-hand
coat. As it was the end of the war,
there were many jobs to choose from and Peggy and her friend frequently changed
jobs as the fancy took them!
Mum met
my dad, Laurie, at a tea dance, and before they married they worked together at
a dentist's. She was a dental nurse - a
friend having explained to her how to mix amalgam for a filling before she went
for the interview! Dad made false
teeth and mum would polish them on the bus as she delivered them.
She gave
up city life when she agreed to marry Laurie whose ambition was to be a
farmer. The wedding took place in
London in 1951, in a hired dress, which was too big! The reception consisted of sherry and a cake
and lasted an hour. Things were much
simpler then!
They moved
from London to a field in South Devon where they lived in a converted single
decker bus. Dad was a farm labourer
and mum kept 'house'! Dad shot rabbits
which she cooked for tea; they grew
their own vegetables. This was quite a
change for her - she was supporting dad in the career he loved.
They
moved to Ilfracombe in 1959 and dad had various jobs before they started the
carpet business in 1963 in a shop in the High Street. By this time they had 3 children. Mum helped in the business, brought us up,
kept house and also took guests in the summer months - she was never idle!
I vividly
remember mum learning to drive - dad taught her! We 3 children sat in the back with dad -
calmly, of course - telling her what to do. As the car kangaroo'd up the road,
the 3 of us would chorus, "Mum, can't dad drive!"
In 1970
they moved to Berrynarbor to start a new adventure and yet again mum rose to
the challenge of this upheaval. The
business grew, dad was the ideas man, mum was natural at making money, dad was
better at spending it! Together they
made a success of the business.
Mum was always involved in the business, even when dad
retired she continued to support Martin, although she did in later years turn
up for work at 10.00 a.m! Lunch hours
- a thing of the past now - were spent either eating out, or playing squash
with Rosie their secretary, or playing cards with all the staff! Card playing continued to be a family
tradition and mum was hard to beat!
Family was very important to mum and dad. As we grew up mum supported us in every way,
with our school work, our friendships - she was always welcoming our friends
for meals and to stay. She was an
excellent cook, we always said 'Peg's perfect pastry' when eating one of her
apple pies, and as children would count out the spoonfuls of custard for each
of us to make sure it was fair.
Christmas was a definite family affair - mum could not only cook enough
delicious food for all of us, she managed to still look good as she did so and
no matter how many of us there were, she could always squeeze us round the
table. She was very involved with the
grandchildren - having them to stay, taking them on holiday.
Mum
loved clothes and consequently shopping.
We spent many happy hours in the shops, she even inadvertently tried her
hand at shoplifting, walking out of a store in Exeter and up the street with a
new coat over her arm. Luckily, we
noticed it and I was sent back with the article to confess and pay!
Life with
our parents was never dull. Mum liked
to be early for everything and dad was always late! Mum enjoyed driving at a steady pace in her
Mercedes sports car that dad had given her, dad drove his car down the lane to
the main road as though in a Grand Prix - look out the postman! They both had strong opinions and were not
afraid to share them!
They had
a busy retirement. They had many
friends, enjoyed gardening, caring for their 9 grandchildren, were involved
with their great grandchildren, continued to be involved in church, the Gideons
and Rotary. Mum certainly had the gift
of hospitality, always feeding her family and having visiting Gideon speakers
and their wives to stay, and through Rotary having foreign students to stay.
They
loved to travel. Initially taking us
camping, then away in a converted transit van, then a caravan, and took us to
Morocco! On their own they travelled
far and wide in their motor home, driving up through Scandinavia and also
through Europe as far as Romania! They
discovered the delights of cruising and saw much of the world this way in their
later years.
Mum
struggled for many years with her health but was very persistent in not giving
up. She was a good listener and whoever
was caring for her or helping her, she would quickly find out about their
lives, she was always interested in others.
The last
two and a half years of mum's life were spent without dad and she was very
strong when she had to leave her home.
She was
so well supported at Norah Bellot Court and got to know all the staff, and they
her with her direct manner. You always
knew where you were with mum, she could be very direct! She had a keen sense of humour and even in
the difficult times we found something to laugh about.
Mum was
not a preacher like dad, however, she had her own faith, it was here, at Pip
and Jim's in 1960 that she gave her life to Christ. She taught in Sunday School, supported the
work of the Gideons as dad did. In her
later years, when her health deteriorated, she struggled with her faith. A few months ago, I had the privilege of
attending a service with her at NBC where the message was taken from my dad's
favourite Psalm which reminded us both that God knows us altogether. Mum kept a card on her window sill with the
verse 'Jesus said I will never leave you or forsake you', and in her prayer
book she had a card that said 'The Lord is risen, awake thou that sleepest and
Christ shall give thee new life'.
4
IN MEMORIAM
GORDON HUGHES
It was with sadness we learnt that Gordon Hughes had passed away peacefully at Pinehurst Care Home, Ilfracombe, on the 3rd February aged 90 years. A much-loved husband, father and brother, he will be greatly missed by Mary and their daughter, Liane, all his family and many friends, and our thoughts are with them all at this sad time.
Gordon and Mary have been an active part of our village for many years, living at Fair Rising before moving to Combe Martin just a few years ago.
Gordon came to live in Berrynarbor with his wife, Mary, and his daughter, Liane, following his retirement from the Royal Marines. During his 22 years, Gordon had seen active service both in Palestine and the Near East. The family lived in the village from 1967 and Gordon worked in Ilfracombe at Bonus Tapes and later at Pall UK.
Many people will have known Gordon as an avid fisherman as he loved to spend time fishing out at sea or from the rocks at Watermouth and Combe Martin. As a keen snooker player, he was for many years the Chairman of the Berrynarbor Men's Institute and helped to run the bar.
Following many happy years in the village, Gordon and Mary moved to Combe Martin in 2012 in order to be able to walk on the level to the shops and tend to a smaller garden. Despite failing health, he enjoyed the company of his many friends and retained his happy disposition and wicked sense of humour for which he is remembered fondly by the staff at Pinehurst Care Home, where he was looked after with much kindness, care and compassion and for which the family are very grateful.
Gordon's funeral was held at Barnstaple Crematorium on the 21st February where a fitting tribute was paid to him by the Royal Marines Association, who attended the funeral with a bugler to play the Last Post and provide a Guard of Honour.
The family would like to thank the many friends who have been so supportive at this sad time and all those who have sent kind messages of sympathy.
HEDY BELKA
How sad it was to learn that after a couple of years spent at Park Lane Care Home in Barnstaple, Hedy had passed away peacefully on the 14th February.
Hedy and her husband, Josef, who sadly passed away in January 2002, were always active participants in village life, particularly with the Horticultural and Craft Show and Berry in Bloom, and Josef was an original member of the group that first produced the Newsletter in 1989. It was always a welcome sight to see Hedy walking her little dog around the village.
Our thoughts are with all her family at this time of sadness.
Hedwig, or Hedy as she is known, was born on 4th August 1930 in Vienna. Growing up during the war years clearly left a mark, although through her life she chose to keep events she witnessed private, and only during the latter years when memories began to trouble her were those memories shared.
It is thought that she moved to England during the winter of 1950 / 1951, and whilst working in a hotel in Lyme Regis she met Josef and so began a relationship that lasted over 50 years.
Josef was always very much the life and soul of the party. They were an ideal match with Hedy being happy to take a back seat most of the time, although "No Josef" was often heard when she felt his antics had exceeded her acceptable level!
They were married in London on 4th December 1951 and established homes with their family at a number of addresses, including two, now prestigious and sought-after properties in Central London, Bletchley and Northolt before moving and retiring to Blue Mist, their cottage in Berrynarbor in 1987.
Hedy and Josef had four children and as they grew, Hedy obviously decided to stretch herself. Certificates for an A grade pass in English GCE and also for typing at 35 words per minute were found with her possessions.
They loved the village life, especially Berry in Bloom and Best Kept Village and the Horticultural and Craft Show, opening their beautiful garden on Open Garden days. After Josef died in 2002, Hedy maintained the garden so it could continue to be opened. She was clearly an able gardener.
Josef took delight in surprising Hedy with 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, culminating with a meal for over 50 people in the Globe.
Hedy also enjoyed going out walking on various parts of Exmoor. Something she did with Josef but continued with a local walking group and with her family when they visited. She especially enjoyed walking from Hunters Inn to Heddons Mouth, which she did for many years, with all the dogs, Scooby, Brandy, Ringo and Jacko all being introduced to this walk. After the walk, when back at Hunters Inn, she would always enjoy a drink, "But only a half, thank you".
Hedy and Josef were proud of their children and were delighted when the first of 3 grandchildren was born in 1979. More recently Hedy was delighted to meet the first of her great-grandchildren.
Always one to do things properly, Hedy became a regular attender at St Peters in Berrynarbor, and even with many years' experience of life, she felt it appropriate to complete the Alpha Course. That was just the way she was.
As life became more difficult Hedy moved to Park Lane Care home in Barnstaple. A popular resident with the staff, she continued living in her own private way to the end.
JENNIFER COX
21.1.1946 - 28.2.2018
It was with sadness we learnt that Jenny had passed away at the North Devon Hospice on the 28th February - the sad loss of a kind and wonderful mum, nan, sister and wife. Our thoughts are with Martin and all the family at this sad time.
Although living in Combe Martin, Jenny involved herself here in Berrynarbor, participating in classes and kindly volunteering at our Village Shop.
Partners for 23 wonderful years, at Christmas when they were in the hospital, Jenny and Martin sealed their love for one another by exchanging vows and rings.
Martin would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of sympathy and for joining him in saying good-bye to Jenny at the service on the 14th March.
REMEMBERING RON
"Those we love don't go away.
They walk beside us every day."
Well, there's not a lot I can say about my dad that hasn't been said before, his life story has been well documented. I think my cousin Peter's Eulogy sums it up well.
"As Ron's nephew, Peter, and on behalf of Sheila, Tony and all the family, I've been asked to welcome you all today to celebrate Ron's life. A long life, a contented life, living here in Berry with Gladys, Sheila and Raymond.
"Ron always said he had never needed to travel because he had everything he needed right here in Berrynarbor. Berry was Ron and Ron was Berry. Testament to that was the turnout to celebrate his 100th birthday. It seems it was only yesterday that the whole of Berry turned out to celebrate this milestone with Ron. The Manor Hall was packed with villagers and friends enjoying a proper Devon tea and a lot of reminiscing. His arrival in a carriage pulled by two shire horses to the sound of the church bells, was something that all of us, I am sure, will never forget.
"Ron's life here in Berrynarbor has been well documented. There was the Long Service Award for Agriculture from the Devon Show. An article in Village Life and more recently, The Book of Berrynarbor, the real life story spanning 100 years.
"For a quiet, contented, unassuming man who loved his family, his work on the same farm and most of all his village life, Ron really made an impact on us all and will be sadly missed by all."
As was dad's wish, he died only yards from where he was born over 101 years ago, in the village he so loved.
Tony, myself and our family, wish to thank all the people who sent us cards with such kind words and lovely tributes to dad, such a great comfort to us at this sad time. Thanks also to those who attended the funeral service and the cremation, and, of course, to the staff at Lee Lodge who looked after him so well for nearly ten years.
To date, the donations have exceeded £500 and we intend to purchase a bench to be situated in the village, dedicated to his memory. Any monies left over will be donated to the Newsletter.
We shall certainly miss dad, but as Judie so aptly said in the previous Newsletter, "We couldn't keep him for ever!"
Sheila
Life, believe, is not a dream
Life, believe, is not a dream, So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain, Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom, But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom, O why lament its fall?
Rapidly, merrily, Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily, Enjoy them as they fly!
What though Death at times steps in, And calls our Best away?
What though sorrow seems to win, O'er hope, a heavy sway?
Yet Hope again elastic springs, Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings, Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly, The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously, Can courage quell despair!
Charlotte Bronte
REMEMBERING SHEILA HUXTABLE [1930-2018]
Sheila, nee Bowden, and sister to the late Michael, passed away in January, as reported in the February Newsletter.
Sheila and I met when we were 17, and so we have been married a very long time, in fact since my 21st birthday.
Sheila was brought up on the family farm on the edge of the beautiful village of Berrynarbor. For family reasons, at the age of 13 she went to live with an aunt and uncle in industrial Yorkshire. She always had great
affection for the farm though, loved the animals, especially Dolly, the horse she claimed as her own almost as soon as she could walk. In recent years her mind often lived in those times.
For reasons beyond her control, she was not able to go on to higher education, in spite of her qualifications, but concentrated on caring for our young son and supported me in what I wanted to do, including going to university at the ripe old age of 27, and living with our 3-year-old son in a basement flat in Bristol. The bath was in the kitchen, Doug slept in what amounted to a walk-in cupboard and we had an outside loo kept from freezing in the winter with a hurricane lamp. Sheila got a reduced rent from your landlady in return for doing the garden.
My career in Probation took us to Manchester where we bought our first house and where we stayed for 7 years. We moved back to Devon after my father died to be nearer my mother and we lived in Brixham, where Sheila established and ran their first Citizen's Advice Bureau. She also worked for Torbay Social Services and for Social Services in Southampton, which was our next move. We finally took root in Chichester in 1974 and until her retirement, Sheila worked in Family Planning.
Sheila had many interests; she loved dogs and horses and took evening classes in sociology, English literature, languages and upholstery, not forgetting gardening. She knew the regular and Latin names of pretty well every plant and could turn an empty garden into a jungle almost overnight!
But our life has not been all work and we have enjoyed many holidays both in the British Isles and Europe.
We've had a good life together and it's so sad to be saying goodbye, but in spite of the excellent care she received at Kings Lodge Nursing Home, Sheila's life had really become no life at all. She is now at rest. Her ashes will be scattered on land in North Devon which she cherished.
David
4
IN MEMORIAM
ALICE EMILY KELLY
ANNEAR
[June]
It was with sadness we learnt that June had died
suddenly at her home, Watermouth House, on the 1st November and our thoughts
are with all her family at this time of sorrow.
Alice Emily Kelly Annear, June to her
friends, grew up in Ilfracombe, the daughter of Frank, Solicitor, and Alice
Annear and sister of John, who died in 2015.
The family moved to Watermouth House when the Watermouth estate was sold
in 1946.
June's higher education was in catering
and she initially took a position as Domestic Bursar at Somerville College,
Oxford.Together with the Treasurer,
Miss Jane Hands, who in later years was a regular visitor to Berrynarbor, she
kept a firm hand on the tiller, but they also both enjoyed spending time on fly
fishing expeditions in Ireland.After
her mother died in 1962, June returned to Watermouth, to support her father, and
took over as Catering Manager at the North Devon College, as it was called in
those days, where she stayed until her retirement in 1990.
On her retirement, and with her friend
Miss Dina Sifton, who lived at Ding Dong, also at Watermouth, she went on a
round the world trip, visiting a great many places and friends, often with an
equestrian connection.June kept horses
at Watermouth for many years along with Hannah the goat, and various other
livestock, always including a succession of Belgian Griffon dogs.She enjoyed riding with friends and was able
to continue this for a number of years, until she suffered an accident that
left her needing the use of a wheelchair.
This in no way affected her individual sense of humour, her
determination or her style and thanks to the District Nurse team, Homelife Carers and other
positive, supportive professionals, she was able to enjoy the company of her
good friends at home and remain living at Watermouth, which was one of her most
determined wishes.
BETTY RICHARDS
How sad it was to know that following a tragic
accident at home nearly 4 years ago, and after dedicated nursing care at
Tyspane, Bet had passed away on the 26th November.A much-loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother,
she will be sadly missed by all her family and her many friends and our
thoughts are with them at this time.
The Tribute
Betty, who was always known as Bet, grew up in Combe Martin; her dad,
Alf. was a market-gardener and her mum, Nan, proudly ran a summer B&B at
Homedale, close to the seaside.
Her courtship with her husband to be, Bob, was one in which Bob pursued
her with much love, which was evident from the letters that they exchanged at
the time.
After they married, Bet slid easily into the role of a farmer's wife;she looked after the house, her family, the
chickens and in the summer ran the B&B.
Lodgers, many of whom became lifelong friends, were always exceptionally
well looked after.The farmhouse was a
place alive with tempting, appetising aromas because, Bet was a wholesome
cook, who always provided delicious food for the family and farm workers, using
everything proudly grown or reared from the farm, as was the way in those
times.There always seemed to be a big
pan of full-cream milk from their cows simmering for hours on the Aga, skimming
the top for clotted cream etc., and what always seemed like
hundredweights of runner beans each summer, frozen to eat year round with the
mandatory tag of roast beef every Sunday.
When her sons, Mike and Clive, were young, wider family always gathered
regularly at the farm at Christmas time, New Year, or other occasions to eat,
drink and play cards and games.
Socially, Bet played bowls with Bob and skittles in the local pub
ladies' team with a few local friends.
She also enjoyed some great holidays with Bob and friends, or relations
in Portugal, a place they both loved.
Latterly, especially after a knee operation, Bet became a keen TV fan.
She liked to watch the shopping channels, snooker and soaps, munching on her
favourite chocolate brazils, or dunking a digestive biscuit into a cup of
tea.Whenever anyone visited, the
sweets were always out - Bet always said she preferred giving to receiving, and
that was very true.
Bet had a lovely lifetime friend/companion in Rose, a childhood evacuee
to Combe Martin, who regularly enjoyed long visits with Bet once or twice a
year at the farm, and later at Seascape, the bungalow she and Bob had built for
their retirement.Bet and Rose maintained
close contact right up until Bet's accident;
sadly after that Rose, through illness, could not continue the visits,
but they remained loyal friends until the end of Rose's life, often speaking
together on the phone from Bet's bed. Unfortunately, Rose passed away just a
few months ago.
Bet maintained almost total independence prior to her accident;still driving and enjoying trips out to
Barnstaple and exeter.Losing her
mobility was a very difficult time for Bet - she spent nearly four years in Tyspane,
with memory failure associated with worsening degree of dementia, which in some
ways was a blessing, and suffering several bouts of infection.All the staff at Tyspane looked after her so
well that she always seemed to rally round, but sadly her condition gradually
deteriorated and this last time she couldn't pull through, passing away on the
26th of November, after 84 full and eventful years.
Personal Reflections
from her
sister-in-law Noel:
I suppose I've known Bet longer than anyone here today, we used to share
the same school bus to Ilfracombe - Bet to the Convent School, me to the
Grammar School.
In our late teens, Bet became friendly with
my brother, Claude. I went away to college at 18 and left Devon.
Things changed, apparently, because two or three years later I received the
invitation to the wedding of Bet and my other brother, Bob. Somehow, she was destined to be my
sister-in-law.
Bob and Bet moved into Home Barton where I
was brought up, so it always felt like going home to me, and Bet was always
welcoming. She was a somewhat feisty character at times, but always
interesting.
Her Sunday lunches were legendary;always a huge joint of beef, and anyone was
welcome to share. She was a great
wine-maker too; although she, herself, was almost tea-total. The big
demijohns of wine stood high like sentinels along the big kitchen mantelpiece -
wheat, barley, damson, ginger etc., until one summer evening when a crowd of us
went back to Barton after some 'do' in the village, the men, including my
husband, decided it was time to sample the contents of the wine jars. The
alcoholic content must have been vast.
I've never seen the like of, men staggering down the lane hitting the
hedges from side to side with, no doubt, a few headaches next morning - what a
laugh that was!
I must just mention Ron, who spent all his
working life at Barton.He often said to
me, "You never knew quite which mood Bet would be in, but she was always
kindness itself ", and he has "Very fond memories of life at Barton".
My father, Fred Richards, too, had a very soft spot for Bet. She was very kind to him during his four
years of incapacitation following a stroke.
Now she is at peace, after a gruelling four
years, which she endured with huge fortitude.
We shall remember the happy times with love, Bet. Noel
And from
Clive:
The night before mother passed away, she
asked to look at photos which she always liked to do. They always
made her chuckle and would bring a smile to her face.Later in the evening, a nurse walked over to
mother looking confused and forgetting why she had come!Mother piped up and said jokingly to the
nurse, "You'd forget your head if it wasn't screwed on!"
That night she asked to go home with
us on leaving.She said "I'll come
home with you".The last thing mother
said as I left her room was, "See you later alligator!"
Throughout mother's life she had a
strong will that she kept right to the end.
RON
TOMS
The village was very sad to learn that
Ron had passed away peacefully on the 6th January at Lee Lodge in his 102nd
year.A very much loved and loving
father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he will be missed not only by his
family but by his very many friends.
Our thoughts are with Sheila and Tony
and all the family at this sad time.
Ron was a true inspiration to all who
had the pleasure of knowing him, but we couldn't keep him forever.
SHEILA
HUXTABLE [nee Bowden]
How sad it was to learn that so shortly
after Michael's death, his older sister, Sheila, had passed away on the 11th
January.Her funeral is to take place
in Chichester on the 7th February.Our
thoughts are with her husband David and all the family at this very sad time.
3
MICHAEL NOEL BOWDEN
24.12.1936-19.10.2017
With
much sadness, the Village learnt that Michael had passed away on the 19th
October following a short spell in hospital.
St. Peter's Church was filled to
capacity with family and friends from the village, locally and further afield
for the Thanksgiving Service for his life on the 3rd November, an indication of
the love and respect in which he was held.
What a fitting floral tribute from the family! 'Michael's Tractor' was known to everyone,
but especially to the many children and visiting grandchildren. He will be sadly missed by so many.
Our thoughts are with Lorna, Bobby,
Christopher, Richard and all the family at this time of sorrow.
A Family Tribute
Dad was born on the 24th December 1935
at Ruggaton Farm, son to Leonard and Maud Bowden. At the age of 5, his mother left home and he
was brought up by his father and step-mother, Valerie.
Dad went to Berrynarbor Primary School
and then Combe Martin Secondary Modern, finishing at the age of 14 when he went
straight into full time work on the farm, which he loved - ploughing, tilling,
combining and thrashing. He used to milk
20 cows by hand in the '40's, '50's and '60's, then the milking machine came in
which made life a little easier. He had
a large milk round in the village, which doubled when the campsites
opened. He would deliver milk in the
morning, then go back to the farm to dig potatoes, bag them and then deliver
them to the campsites and shops. There
would be a few choice words when he got to the last customer and he was a pint
short, meaning another trip back to Ruggaton.
A
customer stopped him one day and said, "Mr. Bowden, there are bits in my
milk!" Dad took the pint, drank it down in
one, beat his chest and said, "If I'm not here tomorrow, I won't charge you."
Dad and Mum met at the local dance and
were married in November 1962 in Berrynarbor Church. Children soon followed - Bobby, Christopher
and Richard.
As Leonard and Valerie's family grew,
circumstances changed and he decided to leave the farm to work on his own -
logging, contracting, stone walling.
There aren't many places in the village where dad hasn't left his mark!
Bell ringing was a big part of his
life, starting when he was about 20 and hardly ever missing a Sunday morning,
Christmas Eve or Thursday practice night for 60 years. He never liked change and when somebody asked
him if he could cancel Thursday's practice because there was a function in the
Manor Hall, he looked him straight in the eye and said, "Ringing night is
ringing night!" And they were rung.
Dad and Mum were big supporters of the
village shops and in the '60's, '70's and 80's, the village had two shops and a
butcher's, and they did all their shopping within the village. Dad said, "No need to go over the border to
Combe Martin, everything you need is here" and that is what they have done up
to a few weeks ago.
Gary Songhurst and friends decided to
put on a village show every year to raise money for the Manor Hall and Dad
enjoyed taking part. One year, he,
Danny Lloyd, Derek Phillips and Johnny Clarke were the group The Village People
- Dad was the cowboy and they sang YMCA.
He was out of tune and all the actions were wrong, but it was priceless!
Gary also decided to raise money for a
big Millennium party for the villagers and a fountain to be built next to the
bus shelter. Dad and Danny decided to
do a sponsored walk from Berrynarbor to Simonsbath which they achieved in under
8 hours. It would probably have taken
longer if there had been a few pubs on the way! They raised £2,000.
Dad took great pride in his family,
especially when his grandchildren came along - Samuel, Anna, Jonathon, Tom, Tyler
and Archie. He would help with the
school run, baby sit and take them for rides on his tractor. He was always checking to make sure we were
all alright. Even when he was so very
poorly in hospital.
Dad wasn't a great traveller. When he went to Cornwall for a few days he
would phone home after about 2 hours and ask if everything was alright. When it was the last day, he would be back
in the village by 9.00
a.m. and Mum said he broke all speed limits getting home. After much persuasion, Dad's sister Sheila
managed to take him to France for a holiday - we were amazed!When he got back he said he had enjoyed it
and it was like going back to the 1960's there were a lot of vintage tractors
still being used.
At Christmas he would order the biggest
turkey he could. If it didn't fit in
the oven, he was pleased, he knew he had got enough for everyone until
February. The trouble was, his birthday
was on Christmas Eve. So, after he had
rung the bells for midnight mass and then been to celebrate his birthday in The
Globe, it's a miracle we had Christmas dinner at all.
But we
did and it was always ready by one o'clock, with a lot of help from Mum, of
course.
Everybody was welcome in Dad's home and
if we were having dinner and somebody knocked on the door, he would day, "Come
in, sit down and have something to eat."
If they didn't, he'd be offended.
Roast dinner on a Sunday was very important to him and if you couldn't make
it there'd be a court enquiry and woe betide you if you missed the next one!
Dad didn't like fancy food, he was a
meat and two veg man. He tried Chinese
and Indian once, and once was enough.
Bob and he called into a service
station on the way back from a sale and the waitress said to him, "What would
you like sir, cappuccino, latte, Americano?"
Dad paused for a second or two, and said, "No thanks, I'll have a
coffee."
Dad was a generous man and if anybody
had any problems and needed somewhere to stay, he and Mum would take them in
until things got sorted. A roast dinner
was a good start.
Sadly, he suffered from emphysema for
15 years and then in 2014 underwent an operation for oesophagus cancer, which
knocked him for six. He made the best
of it and when he was strong enough, he even went back to hedge trimming.
Straight talking and not very politically
correct, Dad's heart was in the right place.
He lived life to the full.
We shall all miss him greatly.
The family have been overwhelmed by the
number of messages and cards received, even from as far away as Australia.
Michael would be very humbled.
6
IN
MEMORIAM
JOAN BERRY 21.6.1924-29.7.2017
It was
with sadness we learnt that Joan had passed away at Lee Lodge on the 29th July,
just a month after her 93rd birthday, and our thoughts are with all her family
at this sad time.
Joan will be fondly remembered as a
kind, warm and caring person and will be much missed.
Joan was born in Bedlington in
Northumberland on the 21st June 1924.
Her father, Thomas, was a coal miner who sadly suffered from being
gassed in the First World War, although he somehow managed to carry on working
in the mines. It is believed that her
mother, Florence, was in service for the local doctor. The family later moved to Washington in
County Durham.
Joan had an older brother, George, and
a younger brother, Jack, followed by a sister, Marjorie. Marjorie was able to attend the funeral
service on the 8th August, along with Joan's daughter Patricia and grandson
Ewen, who both flew over from Australia.
During the Second World War, Joan was
called up to serve in the Army, serving at Chilwell
Army Camp near Nottingham. Whilst
there, she made friends with a girl from London who invited her to stay with
her at her parents' home when they had leave.
Unbeknown to Joan, a blind date was arranged and this turned out to be
William Berry, Bill, who became her husband, marrying in Holy Trinity Church
Washington on the 19th
June 1948.
After serving with the Signals Branch
of the Army during the War, Bill joined the newly-formed communications branch
of the Foreign Office and he and Joan were soon on their way to his first
posting in Trieste. During this
posting, in 1949, Patricia [Trish] was born, and in 1955 during a posting in
Jordan, a second daughter, Susan, was born.
Over the years they travelled to many different parts of the world but
when Bill retired, they moved to enjoy a quiet life in the peace of North
Devon, here in Berrynarbor. Sadly,
after a long illness, Bill passed away in September 1999.
Looked after by Sue and Simon, Joan
continued to live in her home on Mill Lane until earlier this year when, due to
ill health, she moved in to Lee Lodge.
Joan was, until it ceased in the
village, a member of the W.I. and also the Pensioners' Club in Ilfracombe. With her daughter Sue, who sadly died
suddenly in May this year, Joan was a regular member of the congregation at St.
Peter's Church and was often to be seen making her way up
the hill towards the church, whatever the weather, until ill health prevented
her.
An independent person who never wanted
to put anyone to any inconvenience, Joan was much loved by all who knew her and
was the best Mum-in-law that Simon could have wished.
The family would like to say thank you
to everyone for all the messages received and for attending Joan's funeral and
a special thank you to all the staff at Lee Lodge for the great care and
attention they gave Joan during her time there. Simon would like to add his own thanks for
their compassion and support during this very difficult time for him.
PETER R. WEST 22.2.1931-6.1.2017
A sincere thank you to the many kind
people of the Berrynarbor area.
Peter would not have wished to be
outside of this beautiful area he loved so much.
After time spent in hospital, he was
placed in a Wellington [Somerset] Nursing Home. Unfortunately all efforts for Peter to be
cared for nearer to home did not come to fruition and he was there for a period
of two years.
His character, energy and love of
walking was Peter! Also his interest
for others, now so sadly missed.
All donations were credited to Barnardos and gratefully received.
I thank all those who attended Peter's
funeral service at Barnstaple Crematorium and our village church in
Berrynarbor, where Peter's ashes are now buried.
R.I.P.
Helen West
4
IN MEMORY
SUSAN CARINA KEMP
29.7.1955 - 08.05.2017
Sue's parents, Bill and Joan, were
married in 1948. Bill worked for the
Foreign Office D.W.S. [Diplomatic Wireless Service]. Their first posting abroad was to Trieste where
Sue's sister, Patricia, was born in 1949.
In 1955, while working in Jordan, Sue arrived. Patricia went to boarding school but Sue
wanted to stay with her parents and travel with them to the various postings
which included Vietnam [during the conflict], India, Singapore, Germany,
Swaziland and Poland.
The last few years of Bill's working
life with the Foreign Office were spent in Bletchley before he retired. At that time Sue had a job with Social
Services, and her sister had married and was living in Australia. So, in 1980 Bill, Joan and Sue moved to
Berrynarbor and Sue managed to move to the DSS Office in Barnstaple.
We were married in St. Peter's on the
5th May 1988, and one of Sue's delights was arriving at the church by fire
engine! I had an interest in old fire
engines and this was one I owned.
We soon settled down to a very happy
married life in the Sterridge Valley and Sue continued her work for the
DHS. Later she left to join Ian, Kate
and myself in running the Caravan Park in the Valley.
In 1998, we sold the Caravan Park and
in 2000 Sue and I purchased a boat called Sorry Shark. She was kept at Watermouth Harbour where we
also joined the Yacht Club, supporting it and helping out with events.
We spent
many happy hours going to various places in the Bristol Channel but our
favourite was Lundy Island.
We managed to have some fantastic
holidays and were frequent visitors
to the Isles of Scilly. Our first big
holiday was to New Zealand via Singapore where Sue showed me the places she
knew so well whilst she was there with her parents. Then it was a cruise around South America
rounding Cape Horn and visiting the Falkland Isles. Our next holiday was to Cape Town to join
the RMS Saint Helena, setting sail for the Isle of
St.
Helena before going on to Ascension Isle.
We really fell in love with the island and Sue said it was like nothing
she had experienced before.
Shortly
after, a rare opportunity came up to visit Tristan da Cunha, the most remote
inhabited island in the world. Again,
this was on board the RMS Saint Helena, so we returned to Cape Town to board
her for Tristan da Cunha and a second visit to St. Helena.
[Sue and Simon told us all about their trip to the
most remote inhabited island in the world in the February 2014 issue of the
Newsletter. This very interesting
article can still be seen on the website www.berrynarbor-news.co.uk.]
More
recently we have enjoyed two boating holidays on the Caledonian Canal and
several trips to the Yorkshire Dales.
One new experience for us was to hire a narrow boat to travel the
Llangollen Canal.
Sue was a
regular attendant at St. Peter's Church.
She was a sidesperson, on the church cleaning rota and helped out at
activities such as church fetes and so on.
Her faith was important to her and she served the Lord in many ways, not
just in the church but outside in the community. She will be sadly missed by us all.
Sue loved
her garden but also her birds. She
would feed and care for the many wild birds that visited our garden, always
cleaning the feeders and washing out the water bowls to prevent
infections. So, it was very fitting
that her garden was the last place she would know.
Sue was
the very best wife I could imagine, and her absence will leave a large hole in
my life. I shall miss her tremendously.
A 'selfie' taken in the Yorkshire Dales, September
2016
Dear Friends,
I should
just like to say a very big thank you to everyone for your support and sympathy
following the sudden loss of my dear Sue.
It has been a very difficult time but with your help I have been able to
cope much better with my loss.
I feel the
future is going to be hard, but with your backing life will be that much easier
to manage.
Simon
6
'Wild Violet'
11.3.17
Mother
was born on the 2nd March 1923 - I'll leave you to work out her age! During the War she worked at Harris Lebus in
Totteham, her birth place, making Mosquito aircraft parts. It was here that she met Ernie Songhurst, who was working as a carpenter and
joined making mock-up tanks.
Mother's
maiden name was Hurst, so when she married Ernie he added a song to her
name! Before they could marry, Ernie
was conscripted into the Army. Not to
be put off by a little thing like a war, mother decided she wanted to marry
before father went off. So she took
herself up to Bullford Camp and requested to see the C.O. Amazingly, he agreed and they were married
in Tottenham, spent one night together and the next day Earn was on his way to
Italy.
Father was captured and mother spent her
nights listening to Lord Haw Haw and eventually she heard, to her relief, that
he was a prisoner of war.
They had
married in 1942 and the next time mother saw him it was 1945. For this reason they were after that pretty
much inseparable.
In 1957
father decided the family needed a change and we wound up in Berrynarbor. Mother used to take in guests and working in
the garden was one of her abiding passions, and in 1957 it needed abiding
passion to get it back into a garden.
She would walk to the shop every day, but for the last 17 years these
trips got less until she found it hard to walk at all.
Father
died in 1982 and mother found herself alone again. Sadly, about 17 years ago she began to
suffer with vascular dementia and died this year leaving 1 child [me], 2
grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Her ashes
were scattered with those of my father, her father and mother, and her sister,
in the garden of Wild Violets.Fair to
say, it was the end of an era but Wild Vi lives on.
Joyce and
I should like to thank all the people that came to Vi's funeral service. £100 was raised for the Dementia Society.
Gary
JUNE COLEMAN
17.6.1947 - 18.3.2017
It was with shock and sadness that we learnt June had died
suddenly at home on the 18th March. and our thoughts are with her daughters
Katharine and Charlotte and their families at this time of sorrow. A loved and loving mother and grandmother
she will be sadly missed.
Many from the village attended her funeral on the 29th March
at which the following poignant poem was read and Katharine and Charlotte have
asked that it is shared in the Newsletter.
who leave us this great heritage of remembering joy.
They still live in our hearts,
in the happiness we knew
They still breathe,
in the lingering fragrance windblown, from their favourite flowers.
They still smile in the moonlight's silver
and laugh in the sunlight's sparkling gold.
They still speak in the echoes of words we've heard them say
again and again.
They still move,
in the rhythm of waving grasses, in the dance of the tossing branches.
They are not dead;
their memory is warm in our hearts, comfort in our sorrow.
They are not apart from us, but a part of us
for love is eternal,
and those we love shall be with us throughout all eternity.
TRIBUTE TO JOAN
McCALLAM
28th November 1923 - 26th March 2017
Joan sadly passed away at the end of March at
the age of 93. Our thoughts at this
time of sadness are with all her family, but especially Linda and Stuart [Long
Acre], and Andy and Andrea [Cherry Ridge].
Joan's links to Berrynarbor go back to
her schooldays when she attended Adelaide Ladies College.She spent most of her working life as a
school secretary, firstly at Ilfracombe Grammar School, then as Bursar at
Ilfracombe Community College until she retired in the 1980's.
Her father, Captain Percival Adams,
retired to Berrynarbor after his service as Chief Armourer in the army
inspecting artillery, guns, and weapons and all armaments in the Near
East. The Adams family had strong links
to both Berrynarbor and Combe Martin.
Joan's eldest brother was Eddie Adams, an electrical engineer who ran
the only electric shop in Combe Martin, and brought the original TV signal to
the area by installing a mast where it currently stands on Park Hills. Her sister, Irene lived in Barton Lane since
1945, and Captain Adams ran the original On-a-Hill petrol station.He was a regular at The Globe, where a lot
of the family artefacts from their time in the Sudan and Egypt remain
today.Captain Adams was also a long
serving member of the Parish Council.
Each successive generation of the family were married and christened in St.
Peter's church.
During the war years, Joan became engaged to Sergeant Albert
West from Wandsworth, and during a happy but short marriage to Bert, they lived
with his parents and their two young children, Andy and Linda, in a 2 up 2 down
terrace around the corner from Wandsworth railway station.Sadly, Joan was widowed at 36, when Andy was
15 and Linda 12. The three of them
moved to Combe Martin to be closer to Joan's family where she was supported by
brother, Eddie Adams, and of course Irene and with Eddie's advice Joan bought Scaena
in1961. A few years later she met
Donald McCallam. They married in1963
and spent over 40 happy, busy years together, making friends all across the world
from New Zealand to Norway and all points in between. Five grandchildren came along followed by
ten great-grandchildren, the youngest one born in Canada just last September.
Joan loved the simple things in life and often picked
dandelion flowers and put them in water to save them from the mower before
Donald cut the grass because they were so beautiful. Her wealth was measured in friends and
friendships which she valued above all else.
She was a talented artist, poet and singer and got so much joy from
these and many other interests. She and
Donald had a thirst for travel and there are few places in the world where they
could not call upon friends for a bed for the night.Above all she was a people person and
nothing was too much trouble for her to help anyone out.Any hour of the day or night she and Donald
could be called upon.They spent many
years working as Samaritans on the night shift.Frequently, Andy and Linda would get up in
the morning for work and school to find a stranger either asleep on the couch
or tucking into a hearty breakfast, rescued from the previous night shift. Then off she and Donald would go to work!
Joan's house is a testament to every country ever
visited. She and Donald have summited
Everest flying over in a small plane, snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef,
visited the Forbidden City in China, and walked part of the Great Wall.They travelled to Russia and St. Petersburg,
adopted Titus a taxi driver and his family in Sri Lanka with whom she still corresponded
and regularly received gifts of spices and tea.
She has a French son Harry, and a Norwegian daughter Christine, who were
billeted for a year in Scaena whilst working as language students at Ilfracombe
College. Joan's cup was always half
full, never half empty. She led her
life with a positive approach to everything and everyone. She was always in charge of every situation
and had her way of getting things done.
She would share whatever she had no matter how little and was completely
resourceful. A founder member of the
North Devon Coast U3A, she also started the Combe Martin Gardening Club, which
is still going strong. Donald was a superb actor and they spent a good deal of
their time supporting, and giving their energies to the Studio Theatre in
Ilfracombe.
A wife, mother, grandma
and great-grandma who made the most of every minute of every day with kind
words and deeds, friendship and unconditional love to the family, friends and
the wider community.
I have so many things to see and do.
You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears.
Be happy that we had so many beautiful years.
You can only guess how much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each have shown,
But now it's time I travelled on alone.
So grieve a while for me, if grieve you must.
Then let your grief be comforted by trust.
It's only for a while that we must part,
So bless the memories within your heart.
I won't be far away, for life goes on.
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near.
And if you listen with your heart,
You'll hear all my love around you soft and clear.
And then, when you must come this way alone,
I'll greet you with a smile and say 'Welcome Home'.
KEITH POWELL
June 1926 - April 2017
Many readers will remember Keith,
Ilfracombe's Photographer who, for many years, judged the photographic section
of our Horticultural and Craft Show. So
it was sad to learn that he had passed away peacefully on the 10th April, now
united with his beloved wife Ro who died just a year ago.
His funeral on the 4th May, attended by
so many local people, was testament to the respect and love in which he was
held. A much loved father, grandfather
and great-grandfather, he will be sadly missed by all his family, by his fellow
Rotarians, having been a member for more than 60 years, and his very many
friends.
Our thoughts at this time of sorrow are
with Andrea, Jonathan, James and Amy.
EVELYN [EVE] WALKER
22.4.1947 - 25.4.2017
How sad it was to learn that Eve had
passed away peacefully at the North Devon District Hospital on the 25th April.
The beloved wife of Dave and sister to
John, a wonderful mum to Suzanne and Jamie, mum-in-law to Ali and Nicole, and
devoted granny to Rosalind, Frances, Anna, Thomas, Alex and Charlotte, Eve will
be sorely missed by them all and indeed by her many friends. Our thoughts are with them at this time of
sadness.
Dave and the family would like to thank everyone for the
many cards and messages of sympathy they have received and for attending Eve's
funeral on the 9th May.
4
IN MEMORIAM
VIOLET ELIZABETH SONGHURST
2.3.1923 - 11.3.2017
It was so sad to learn that Vi had passed away peacefully at home just following her 94th birthday.
A loving and much loved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother she will be so missed by Gary and Joyce and all her family, and our thoughts are with them all at this time of sadness.
JANET GAMMON
Rob, Shirley and Family would like to thank all friends and neighbours for their kind messages of support and all the lovely cards.
Thank you to all who attended the Celebration of Janet's Life. Your kind donations raised £324 which has been split between Diabetes UK and the Special Care Baby Unit, Barnstaple.
MAUREEN UNDERDOWN [nee Peachey]
3.6.1927 - 23.3.2016
It was sad to hear recently from Simon Underdown that his mother Maureen had died last spring. Maureen subscribed to the Newsletter and contributed a most interesting article in December 2013 describing the dance classes, concerts and ladies keep fit in which she took part during her family's stay in Berrynarbor during the War.
In his Eulogy, Simon spoke of that time:
"In 1939, some relatives were already staying in Devon in a pretty village called Berrynarbor and so the whole family went down there and found somewhere to stay. Maureen's father, Bill, approached his bank for work and luckily there was a vacancy in the Ilfracombe branch, so the family were able to stay together in Berrynarbor for the duration of the war. Despite the difficulty of transferring to a new school inundated with evacuees, Maureen had a very happy time in Devon, various other relatives went to live in the same village at different times and she made many friends locally.
"Despite being shy in everyday life, she revelled in performing and was able to express herself on the stage; she attended drama classes at the Manor Hall and took part in several shows there, wearing in one a dress that had belonged to Isadora Duncan. Her father became Captain of the Berrynarbor Home Guard and much of their life there had a distinct Dad's Army flavour.
"After the war the family moved back to Essex . . .
"Maureen was a vibrant soul who lit up the room and was always welcoming and happy to see you. She had a good and full life."
Simon finished his eulogy by reading a poem that Maureen had written for a W.I. competition which she won; the judge described it as a thoroughly pleasing, unusual poem . . . a literary delight. Simon hopes that readers of the Newsletter will think so too.
Our thoughts are with Simon and his brothers on the loss of a much loved and loving mother.
Scarecrow in the yellow frock
Leaning at an awkward angle
By the rusty wash-house mangle
Like a broken hollyhock.
Do you feel the wind and sun
See the change when light is dawning
Know your work starts in the morning
Take your rest when day is done?
Do those arms so stiff and straight
Yearn to curve around a waist
And to be turn embraced?
Are you happy with your fate?
Does that brain of string and straw
Know that there is life and death?
Do you almost draw a breath
At the thought of nuclear war?
Sunshine Lady stand at ease!
Other women can protest,
To each the job that suits him best,
Reign as guardian of the peas!
Debbie Rigler Cook
4
IN MEMORIAM
JANET GAMMON
26th October 1934 - 5th January 2017
It was so very sad to learn that after a trying period of stays in Belmont Grange and the North Devon Hospital, Jan had passed away on the morning of the 5th January.
A loving and much loved mother and grandmother, she will be very much missed not only by her family and extended family, but by her very many friends here in the village, locally and further afield.
Our thoughts are particularly with Rob and Shirley, Charlotte and Sophie, Jane and Martin and all the family at this sad time and in the difficult time ahead.
and the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room,
why cry for a soul set free!
Miss me a little, but not too long,
and not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
miss me but let me go.
For this journey we all must take,
and each must go alone.
It's all part of the master plan,
a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart,
go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,
miss me but let me go.
Anon.
PR
PETER RONALD WEST
22nd February 1931 - 6th January 2017
A keen walker and rambler, many readers will remember Peter striding out around the village, so it was very sad to learn that after a lengthy and debilitating illness, Peter had passed away on the 6th January.
A much loved family man, Peter will be sorely missed by his wife Helen and his extended family - his twin brother John, his son Mark and his grandchildren, as well as Helen's daughter Nicola and son Sean and her grandchildren.
Our thoughts are with you all at this time of sorrow.
3
IN MEMORIAM
MAVIS PESIC
How sorry we were to learn that after a few weeks in
hospital, Mavis had passed away peacefully on the 23rd May. Her well-attended funeral on the 6th June
was a celebration of her happy and eventful life. Our thoughts are with her son Clive and
Bernard at this time of sadness. They,
like many of us in the village, especially members of the craft group, will
miss her cheerful and happy personality.
Clive and Bernard would like to take
this opportunity to thank everyone for their messages of sympathy and for
attending Mavis's funeral. Clive writes
. . .
My mum loved living in
Berrynarbor. She and her husband Mish
had first come to Devon in 1976, redesigning a lovely big house in West View
Avenue, Bideford, which overlooked the town and river from high above the Old
Barnstaple Road, and they were determined to enjoy the county Mish called
'Paradise' by visiting National Trust venues and discovering walks in beautiful
villages. So they had been regular
visitors to Berrynarbor prior to discovering Number 3 Wood Park for sale in
1993, and a wildly excited Mavis couldn't resist making it the last of her many
amazing property conversions! Creating
stunning homes and gardens was the passion of my mum's life.
Mavis Jones was born on 3rd June 1929
in Gravesend, Kent, to Albert and Doris, and had two younger siblings Barbara
and Tom. The family relocated to Grappenhall, near Warrington in Cheshire where, despite
Depression and War, my mum enjoyed a stable and loving home life. As a young post-war woman she adored
Hollywood fashions and Clark Gable, became a prolific shorthand typist and in
1948 eloped with my dad [Grayham Weaver] to Gretna
Green because her parents thought her too young to wed! And in typical soap-opera fashion, my
paternal grandmother Linda was in on the secret, offering valuable assistance
to the young couple! Cue family feud!
I came along in 1950, my parents having
moved to Shropshire where my father founded the very successful
design-engineering company Salop Designs.
My mum flourished in the 50's and 60's, putting her expert touch to
several houses including an ultra-modern purpose-built designer property and an
old 18-room village rectory in the Church Stretton hills [Hope Bowdler House], and my parents were extrovert social
animals, both solo and as a couple, who enjoyed life to the full, hosting
fabulous Christmas parties and the annual village fete. They were both involved in so many things,
my mum in particular having boundless energy.
Mum always made me feel loved, and this in turn gave me the confidence
to sail through Grammar School and University.
Tragedy struck twice, however, as mum
lost two young husbands in the space of five years. My dad died of a heart attack in 1967 [he
was just 39], and after mum remarried Bob Mason in 1968, he too was a
heart-attack victim in 1971, aged 47.
Mum always said that the happiest time of her life was when she was Mrs.
Mason. Bob was an Art Lecturer [Stoke
on Trent College], painter and sculptor, a sophisticated man of the world, and
they were very much in love. With mum
as his muse, Bob made a life-size nude sculpture of her and painted a beautiful
portrait in oils of her; many of his other works decorated her house and garden
in Berrynarbor.
Moving back to her beloved Shropshire,
mum sought therapy another wonderful cottage conversion and found love again
with Mish Pesic, from
Yugoslavia, whom she met in 1974.
Although their plans to run a B & B never came to fruition, both
found work in the West Country [mum at Barnetts in
Bideford] and settled very quickly.
From 1993 to Mish's death in 2006, they could often be seen strolling
hand-in-hand through the village lanes, revelling in the rural scenery and
country air . . . maybe on warm balmy evenings they can still be glimpsed, who
knows?
Over the last decade mum greatly
enjoyed her Friday trips to Tesco, her Monday craft group sessions and the
occasions of opening her house and garden to the public. She often told me of the many nice people in
the area that she regularly chatted to and got to know - from Olive Kent, Linda
Brown, Alec Wigmore, Tony and Norma Holland and Ken
and Marion Woodward [regular visitors from Ilfracombe] to Anne, Bett, Joan and others from the bus, the lovely friends from
the craft group whom I met at her funeral, the ladies in the village shop,
lovely postman Neil . . . and, of course, Jenny and Lee Beer and their family
who so enhanced the quality of mum's later life. And then there were Judie Weedon and Anne
Bailey, angels of mercy whose input during mum's short period of decline cannot
be overestimated [a huge 'thank you' from me].
And, of course, there were many others - mum liked people, she was good
to be around and had a great sense of humour and fun, and I know that many of
you reading this will, like me, miss her, never forget her, and wish her well
wherever she may be.
IN MEMORY OF VERA
GREENAWAY
8th
June 1929 - 5th May 2016
Vera Mary Emily Greenaway was born at 38 The Village,
Berrynarbor in 1929 while her mother, Hilda Melhuish
was visiting parents George [Harry] Henry and Mary Jane Camp. Harry
Camp was a blacksmith and his 'smithy' was originally in Silver Street, a few doors
up from the village school.
Vera was brought up and went to school in Tedburn St Mary, a village near Crediton,
and it was there she met her future husband.
Apparently she did not take to Thomas [Tom] straight away as he used to
pull her hair when they were in class!
During school holidays a lot of time was
spent in Berrynarbor visiting grand-parents learning about cooking on a Bodley and watching Harry in his smithy workshop.It was
during these visits she was taught sewing and tailoring by her Aunt, Vera
Camp.Aunt Vera was a very accomplished
seamstress whose talents were employed by the landed gentry in the area, when
they required new outfits or garment fittings and alterations she was called upon
to visit them at home.
Tom, when not at school, was an extra
hand to local Tedburn St Mary farmers tilling crops,
harvesting, working with the horses and driving the very first tractor that
arrived in the area.The older farm
hands were very suspicious of this new technology!He kept
ferrets and used them with his dog to flush out and net rabbits for the
table.The skins were cleaned,
stretched, dried and sold on for extra income.
Vera left school at 14 years of age and
sometime after moved in with her grandparents and secured a job in Luxmoore's Department Store, High Street, Ilfracombe [now
Drapers Discount Store].Government Rationing was in place and coupons
were required when purchasing clothing, material, ribbons and lace.Items were wrapped in brown paper and string
in such a way that the string could be untied and brown paper unfolded for
reuse.Vera was very artistic and adept
at making all manner of items for customers and was especially renowned for
making wedding fascinators and hats out of 'end of reel' ribbons and
feathers.This 'make do and mend' ethos
remained with her all her life.
Meanwhile, Tom left school and became an
apprentice butcher in Tedburn St Mary.After two years he was called to National
Service and joined as a Royal Marine based at Lympstone
and Bickleigh Barracks, Plymouth.Tom and Vera began corresponding during this
time with Tom visiting Vera whenever he had a few days' leave.They became engaged, married on 6th November
1948 at Berrynarbor Church and took the train from Ilfracombe railway station
to Bournemouth for their honeymoon.
Tom had completed his National Service
and they returned to Tedburn St Mary to stay with
Vera's parents while he searched for a job.
He had been an apprentice
butcher in the village before being called up, but this job was no longer
available. He found work as a bus
conductor in Exeter and they moved to lodgings in the city where Vera became
extremely good at cooking meals on a single gas ring.
In 1950 Vera's grandparents offered them
the opportunity to move next door to them in Berrynarbor.Tom took an apprenticeship with a carpenter
and builder in Combe Martin on half pay and studied his books in the evenings.
Two children later and with another on
the way they made plans to move somewhere larger and Tom built a house at Pitt
Hill, Berrynarbor.By this time, they
had their own carpentry and building business and were employing workmen.They
took over the old Rawle Gammon & Baker building
in Combe Martin and ran it as a builders' merchants for several years before
developing the site and building houses and bungalows.Another move to Newberry Farm saw Tom return
to his farming roots and a camping and caravan site evolved in its beautiful
valley and seaside location within Berrynarbor Parish, but adjacent to Combe
Martin village.
Thirty years later and with thoughts of
slowing down, they helped their son set up his skip hire and recycling business
and moved to another countryside location to the south of Ilfracombe at Hore Down Gate.Vera
and Tom continued to take an active interest in their son's business until Tom
passed away in 2013 with Vera following three years later.
They had known each other practically
all their lives.Had lived and worked
together in near perfect harmony and created a warm and homely base for their
family and friends.A truly great
achievement.
4
IN MEMORIAM
Life is a book in volumes three -
The past, the present, and the yet-to-be.
The past is written and laid away,
The present we're writing every day,
And the last and best of volumes three
Is locked from sight - God keeps the key.
Author Unknown
ETHEL TIDBURY
25.7.1913 - 6.4.2016
How sad we all were to learn that
Ethel, our oldest resident, had passed away peacefully on the 6th April, just a
few months short of her 103rd birthday.
Her funeral, taken by Keith Wyer in the
new crematorium and well attended by her family and many friends and
neighbours, was a celebration of her long and happy life.
Our thoughts are with Linda and all her
family at this time of sadness.
Ethel was born in Walthamstow, London,
the third of seven children. She went
to the local junior school and her mum met one of the teachers who told her she
had a terrible girl in her class. On
asking the name of the girl, the teacher said 'Ethel Cuthbert', and her mum had
to admit she was her daughter. Ethel
didn't like school and was always up to mischief, but she certainly made up for
it as she grew up.
She lived through two world wars and
saw much in her life time. One of the
most memorable being able to press a switch and the light coming on.As she grew up she met her husband Stan, who
had a motorbike. They joined the
Walthamstow & District Suicide Club and would go on the surprise runs,
meeting at a given point and ending up in all different places, sometimes in
Devon.At a fair they wanted someone to
go on the wall of death - and yes she went and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Through the War her husband, brothers
and all the brothers-in-law served in the forces and luckily all returned, the
only one hurt was her father who broke his leg whilst in the Home Guard.
Ethel worked winding raw asbestos for a
while but her main job was Hoffman pressing, which she did for most of her
working life, along with several other members of her family.
Ethel and Stan had one child, Linda, to
whom they gave a wonderful life full of love, warmth, kindness and
contentment.
When Linda met and married George and
moved to Devon, Ethel and Stan followed them two years later.Stan worked for Loverings and Ethel had
several jobs as well as looking after the grandchildren when Linda and George
were at work.
Ethel had green fingers and loved the
garden and greenhouse, often giving plants away.She also enjoyed making costumes for all the
family and anyone else who needed them.
She knitted for Cecil Gee and made Mary Maxim cardigans and jumpers
which were large chunky fairisles depicting pictures.Many people in the village probably have
something
knitted by
Ethel. In later years she enjoyed
crosswords and puzzles as well, of course, her plants and knitting.
She had a really good sense of humour
and took everything in good part when people joked with her.Darren remembers that when he met her she
could still do cartwheels, she was 78!
Ethel flew for the first time when she
was 75, going with the family to Spetse in Greece.From then on she went to Turkey, Cyprus,
Egypt, America, Yugoslavia, Thailand, Mexico, Gambia and most of them more than
once. The man at Heathrow looking at
her passport, couldn't believe she was 90 when she flew to Washington.
Ethel loved her family and friends and
would do anything for them. A very
special lady and an inspiration to most.
She will be missed and spoken about for a very long time with love,
affection and a big smile.
*
The family would like to thank everyone
for their kindness at this very difficult time and for all the cards and
flowers. The collection in Ethel's
memory raised £600, £350 of which was sent to North Devon Talking Newspapers
and £250 to Crisis. Thank you all once
again and God bless you Mum.
Linda, Allan, Tracy, Darren,
Caitlin, Jasmin and Connor
VERA GREENAWAY
Our thoughts are with June, Betty and Tony following the death of
their mother, Vera, who passed away on the 5th May.A much loved mother, she will be sorely
missed by her family and her many friends.
Although living at Hore Down, Vera and
her late husband, Tom, who passed away in August 2013, lived here and were very
much a part of the village community for many years.Vera was a keen member of the North Devon
Spinners and supporter of the Newsletter.
Her funeral is due to take place on the
20th May at the North Devon Crematorium and donations, if you wish, to the
North Devon Hospice.
3
IN
MEMORIAM
Miss
Me
When I come to the end of
the road and the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a
gloom-filled room, why cry for a soul set free!
Miss me a little, but not
too long, and not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we
once shared, miss me but let me go.
For this journey we all
must take, and each must go alone.
It's all part of the
Master plan, a step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and
sick of heart, go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in
doing good deeds,
Miss me but let me go.
It was good to see so many from the
village at Edna Barber's funeral on a very wet and unpleasant afternoon. A simple and happy service was taken by
Mavis and Chris Eastlaugh. Flowers were
sent by the Parish Council, Goodenough and Berry in Bloom to which the
collection was donated. A big thank you
to Wendy who invited everyone back for tea at Bessemer Thatch.
***
How
interesting but sad to receive the following e-mail:
I have just seen an obituary for my
Auntie Edna on the Berrynarbor Newsletter website which made me cry as I know
Auntie Edna would have been so proud. I
am her next of kin and the last member of my family to have seen her in about
1970. I moved to London from Chelmsford
with my husband to run a public house and then Auntie Edna sold the family home
and, I thought, moved to Norfolk. In fact,
I have been researching and trying to find her since 1993. One of my sisters told me that Fraser and Fraser
were trying to find our family and they have put in a claim under my name for
her estate. I knew she used to keep in
touch with her Uncle Cecil who lived on the border of Norfolk and that he died
in the 1960's which is why I thought she moved to Norfolk. My family moved from London to Norfolk in
1976. The Barbers originally came from
Norfolk.
Sandra
Barber
PHYLLIS
JESSICA WALDEN
28th
February 1917 - 7th February 2016
How sad it was to learn that Phyl had
passed away peacefully, as she wished, at home at Cherry Tree Cottage on
Sunday, 7th February, just three weeks short of her 99th birthday.
A much loved and loving wife of the
late Len, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she will be sorely missed
by all her family, relations, friends and neighbours.
The happy and moving celebration of her
life conducted by George Billington to a full and colourful [another wish]
gathering at the Crematorium was testament to the depth of love, respect and
affection in which she was held by so many.
Our thoughts are especially with Chris,
David and Ivy, James, Bev, Gracie and Ruby at this time of sadness.
Phyllis Jessica Helmore was born in
Forest Gate, London. She grew up with
her three older brothers in a happy fun-filled Victorian terraced house. She attended East Ham Grammar School where
she amassed a good knowledge including music, composers and poetry. She was also good at sports, excelling at
hockey and tennis.
When she was 19 she featured in a
series of Esso Motoring advertisements which her cousin, a commercial artist,
had been commissioned to produce.
In June 1939 she married Len Walden and
the family home was set up in Chigwell, later moving to mid-Essex to a house
set in one and a half acres of glorious orchard - it was fantastic!
At 60 and after a successful career,
Len retired and in 1971 they moved to Lynton, where they bought The Highway, a
delightful house built at the end of the old station platform. The garden included the first mile and a
half of railway track and the views were magnificent.
Len had a 17-inch Suffolk Punch motor
mower and he would light up a Woodbine to keep the flies at bay, fire up the
engine and disappear down the track, a cloud of flies circling at a safe
distance waiting to pounce when the first cigarette burned out. Two hours later, he would return having cut
a 34-inch strip, turn round and repeat several times over. What dedication!
Len and Phyl took up golf and after 8
years they moved to Ilfracombe to be nearer the course they so loved. Over the years they both represented the Club
and played all over Devon, both together and individually. Phyl served as Lady Captain in the late
1970''s.
Several years later they moved again, to
June Cottage in Berrynarbor.
In 1985 after selling up in Essex, I
moved down to Devon and was staying with Phyl and Len while I looked for a
house. Sadly, one month after arriving,
Len died suddenly. Phyllis didn't want
to stay at June Cottage and incredibly, as luck would have it, Cherry Tree
Cottage came back on the market. We
went to look at it, loved the house, the garden and the setting and bought it
between us. That was 30 years ago.
Phyllis gave up playing golf at the age
of 81, shortly after scoring that elusive hole-in-one, arguing that she could
improve on that feat only with assistance from above.
In all Phyl enjoyed 45 years of
wonderful retirement, 25 years of active golf and a garden packed with flowers
and wildlife, in particular the huge variety of birds visiting the feeders
every day.
The squadron of hen pheasants that
flies in several times a day was a constant source of delight. She asked me recently to name 'that'
pheasant Phyllis. I asked which one. "That one" was the reply - I couldn't tell
the difference! "We'll call all 17
Phyllis as well as the two young cocks - until they gain their spurs!"
Chris
I should like to take this opportunity
to thank everyone who looked after, visited and sent messages to Phyl in the
last few weeks, and to everyone for their kindness, messages of sympathy and
for attending the light-hearted, at Phyl's request, service celebrating her
life.
5
IN
MEMORIAM
EDNA BARBER
Those
who remember Edna will be sad to learn that she passed away on Boxing Day at
the age of 91. Her funeral is due to
take place at the North Devon Crematorium on the 26th January.
Often
outspoken, Edna was a very intelligent lady, fiercely independent and
private. Younger than she appeared,
many will remember her walking to shop in both Combe Martin and Ilfracombe -
something she continued to do well in to her 80's.
Knowledgeable
about flowers, she used to help Berry in Bloom by looking after the baskets and
containers both around the bottom of Pitt Hill and the seated area below
Claude's Garden.
Before
going into care over the last few years, North Lee had been Edna's home, for
many years.
May the roads rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your
face
And the rains fall soft upon your
fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of
his hand.
4
IN
MEMORIAM
A
TRIBUTE TO PERCY THOMAS
A
Berrynarbor Boy, 1923 - 2015
Percy, the son of Bert and Edith Thomas
was born at Wards, Victoria Street. Combe Martin, on the 6th
February 1923. He spent a lot of time with his grandparents, Granny
and Granfer Jones who lived at Wild Violets in Berrynarbor, where the toilet
was in a shed built over the stream! He attended Berrynarbor School, moving on to
the Grammar School in Ilfracombe where he excelled, amongst other things, at cricket
which became a life-long interest.
After leaving school, Percy worked briefly
at his father's market gardening business.
He was then articled to an
accountancy firm in Ilfracombe, became a member of the Parish Council, Snooker Club
and a regular at The Globe! He and his wife Meg, had two children, Stuart
and Loraine, and when they were grown he decided a move to Canada would further
his career. In 1966 he became an auditor with the Canadian
Federal Government specialising in Inuit and Native Indian affairs,
distributing government aid to native tribes and groups in many areas of
northern Canada. His work was based in
Toronto but took him away from home for weeks at a time. He travelled in small planes often landing
on frozen lakes or desolate areas in far flung places like Attawapaskat and
Moosonee. He told stories of different
people with whom he met; amongst the tribal chiefs and leaders were George,
Half Shot in the Leg, and another called John Weaselfat! The
names say it all.
He retired to sunny Florida and spent
many happy days on the golf course or in the club house telling his favourite
jokes, making new friends and enjoying the climate.
Percy was well known by all for his 'Percyisms'! He
loved language and played with words and phrases constantly; had a dictionary
in his brain and loved using words like promulgate!*
Apparently, when playing his favourite
card game Nap [which by the way was also the name of the family cat!], he would
lay a king with a flourish announcing 'Zog!'
Many may have been confused, but those who knew the code knew it to mean
'King'. However, it was much later that
the family found out that in fact Zog, was indeed a king, the King and ruler of Albania from 1925 to
1939 - not many people know that!
Percy
had a joke for every occasion and his quick wit could manipulate and steer a
conversation so that he could introduce one of his favourites. If anyone did something well or achieved a
difficult task he would declare that he would make them King of all
Baghdad!
If, in conversation, anyone should
mention a visit to the doctor, he would recount one of his old favourites about
a visit to the doctor. When asked to
put out his tongue to be checked, the doctor would ask him to do it again standing
facing out of the window. "Why?" he would ask the doctor. The reply, "Because I can't stand that woman
in the house over the road!" This was predictably followed by at least an
entire 60 seconds of his own laughter, accompanied by raised eyebrows and
groans from the assembled group!
Percy was unique, no one quite like
him. His wit, humour and generosity will be missed
by all the family, and his many friends.
He is simply irreplaceable.
Linda
and Stuart Thomas
Our thoughts on the loss of a much loved
father are with Stuart and Linda and all the family at this time of sadness
*
Promulgate: Make known to the public,
disseminate, proclaim!
6
IN MEMORIAM
It
is sad to report that two strong contributors to our community have recently
passed away.
LAWRENCE [LAURIE] HARVEY
1927 - 2015
I have
fought the good fight,
I have
finished the race,
I have
kept the faith.
Sadly
we learnt that Laurie, following a long illness borne cheerfully and bravely,
had passed away peacefully at home on the 10th June at the age of 88 years.
A
much loved and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he
will be sadly missed by all his family and all those who knew him.
The
Service of Celebration for his life held at the Parish Church of St. Philip and St. James,
Ilfracombe, was just that. A full
church in full voice and many happy memories - a fitting tribute.
Our
thoughts are with Peggy, Clarissa, Martin and Elisabeth and all the family at
this time of heartache.
Laurie
was born in North London to working class parents, the middle child with two
sisters. Even as a child he had a
steady disregard for anyone in authority and got the cane most mornings for
being late to school. He felt the pain was worth the price just to
mess around in the stream a bit longer!
He
joined the Navy in 1944 and served for two years. He longed to see action but was posted to an
aircraft carrier that never left port!
Laurie's
working life was varied and colourful.
As well as taking a course in farming at Bicton College, he made false
teeth, drove lorries and a mobile grocery van before setting up in a tiny shop
in Ilfracombe that expanded to today's highly successful King's Carpets. In the early years he sold carpets by day
and fitted them by night.
In
his tribute, Martin compared Laurie's life to a fifty pence piece with its
seven sides - there was more to his life than met the eye.
- A dedicated father and grandfather who drove his car at speed whilst lighting his pipe
- An entrepreneur and businessman
- A good farmer who cared for his animals and stacked his bales higher than anyone else only to see them fall over
- A general builder and handyman
- A world traveller
- A valuable charity worker especially for the Rotary Club
- A man with a real appreciation of classical music, opera and the Dutch School of Painting
But
at Laurie's heart was his unshakable Christian faith. A founding member of the Gideon's in North
Devon, he preached in many chapels, was Vicar's Warden at St. Philip and St.
James for 11 years and was also a bell ringer.
His
final message to those present at his funeral followed words taken from the
Bible:
For the wages of sin is death
but the gift of God is eternal life through
Christ Jesus.
Will
you accept the gift or do you want to receive the wages?
RICHARD LEWIN HAINES
"Imagineer"
19th May 1940 - 11th June 2015
It was with sadness we
learnt that Richard, owner of Watermouth Castle, had passed away quietly on the
11th June. Following his cremation at
Barnstaple, St. Peter's Church was filled with family and many friends for the
Service of Celebration conducted by our Rev. Keith Wyer. Like the
service for Laurie, it was a joyful occasion with many happy memories and
favourite hymns.
A much loved husband,
father and grandfather, Richard will be greatly missed and our thoughts are
with Christine, Jonathan, Antonie and Rachel and all the family, including his
eight grandsons, at this time of sadness.
Those who knew or came into
contact with Richard over the many years he lived at the Castle will know he
was not easily forgotten, with his booming voice and crazy stories of his many
businesses in catering and vending - he was remembered with affection by
everyone who met him.
Richard came to Watermouth
Castle from Lincolnshire with his first wife Ann and their children in 1977 buying
the almost derelict Castle for just £50,000.00! His original plan was to open a boutique-style
hotel but the local Tourist Association advised him that North Devon was, at
that time, very short of places for tourists to visit. So Richard set about turning Watermouth
Castle into one of North Devon's premier tourist attractions. He was an avid and compulsive collector! Over the years he accumulated a great
variety of antiques, slot machines and Victoriana. He also recycled everything
long before it was fashionable to do so.
The gardens are now a
delight, filled with rides, suitable for all ages, and with play areas and
mini-golf, it is very easy to spend many hours at Watermouth Castle and not see
everything. All of this achieved by a lot
of foresight, unbelievable hard work and unfaltering dedication by Richard and
his sons.
Richard, a well-known face
of Ilfracombe Rotary Club, could often be seen with his miniature fairground
organ at local fetes and carnivals raising money for local organisations.
Locals and visitors alike,
grandparents, parents and children of all ages, some parents now themselves,
have much to thank Richard for - endless hours of fun at Watermouth Castle -
It's Cool in the Castle!
2
IN
MEMORIAM
GEORGE CAMPLIN
30th March1945 - 10th March 2015
The
village was saddened to learn that after a long battle, fought bravely and with
his inevitable smile, George had passed away peacefully at home on the 10th
March. A much loved and loving husband,
father, grandad and brother, he will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved
him. Our thoughts are with Linda,
Tracy, Allan and all the family at this time of sorrow.
George
and his sister Sylvia were brought up in Upton Park, London, until moving to
Devon. He trained as a ring maker and
worked in Hatton Garden where he met Linda.
Shortly after their marriage, he was taken ill and had to change his job
and so they moved to Berrynarbor in 1971, where they have lived happily ever
since.
Villagers
will remember George working both as a milkman and then a postman and for a
short time he was Caretaker at the Primary School.
George
and Linda have two children. Allan and Tracy, both of whom live in the village,
and later came son-in-law Darren and their two grand-daughters, Jasmin and
Caitlin.
Well-known
here in the village, George was for many years Chairman, and player, of the
Badminton Club, helping with many activities.
He was also a keen bowler and table tennis player in Combe Martin. He loved any sport but especially his
beloved West Ham whom he supported through thick and thin, often disappointed
but always positive. He also loved card
games, crib being his favourite and enjoyed holidays and meeting people. He was always happy and full of life.
Afterglow by Helen Lowrie Marshall
I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I'd like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing time and bright and sunny days.
I'd like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun;
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.
The
family and I, should like to thank everyone who sent cards and asked after
George, especially those who visited him during his illness which really gave
him a boost and he would have been overwhelmed by the kindness and lovely
things said about him. £1200 was raised
in his memory for the North Devon Hospice who had been so kind to him. Our thanks to Angie, Janet, Jenny, Sarah,
Sharon and Steve and also the District Nurses and South Molton and Exeter Hospitals.
Linda
JOYCE
CLAY
8th
November 1911 - 28th April 2015
It was with sadness we learnt that Joyce
had passed away on the 28th April aged 103.
She had been at Lee Lodge for 7 years.
Wife of the late Dr. Alan Clay of the Warwick Practice, who died in
2003, she is survived by her daughter Vanessa in South Africa, and her two
sons, Robert and Nicholas.
A loving and much loved wife, mother,
grandmother and great-grandmother, she will be greatly missed by all who knew
and cared for her. Our thoughts are
with all the family at this sad time.
With an interesting background of
German, Jewish and Irish ancestry, Joyce herself was an Essex girl, born in
Ilford, later moving to Clacton-on-Sea where she met and married Alan in 1937. During the War, Alan served in India with
the Royal Army Medical Corps, leaving Joyce to bring up the family - Robert,
Nicholas and Vanessa.
In the late '40's, they moved to Newport
Pagnell where Alan was in practice.
When the first motorway, the M1, was built, together with one of the first
service areas at Newport Pagnell in the late 50's early 60's, Alan campaigned against the serving of
alcohol, drinking and driving was something about which he felt very
strongly. In 1975 he retired and they
moved to North Devon, to Woolacombe, where for some time Alan assisted with the
Warwick practice.
In her younger days, Joyce enjoyed
amateur dramatics and was a keen member of the Congregational Church, later the
United Reform Church, singing in the choir.
She was a member of the W.I., enjoyed gardening and loved cats! Her passion was playing bridge, a very
proficient player, she enjoyed the challenge until only a few years ago.
From her room at Lee Lodge she loved
watching the birds on the feeders outside her window and, although not a great
book reader, every day she read the Daily Mail from cover to cover right up to
the end!
Joyce and her sister, Kathleen, both
celebrated their 100th birthdays and received telegrams from the Queen, and
both passed away at the age of 103, Kathleen in August 2012.
A resting place along the road to sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys, different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things, but never meant to stay.
Our destination is a place far greater than we know,
For some, the journey's quicker, for some the journey's slow.
And when the journey finally ends, we'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace, together with the Lord.
2
IN MEMORIAM
ALVINA IRWIN [nee Richards]
It was sad to learn that Alvina, a long time reader of the Newsletter, who spent the last couple of years at Lee Lodge, had passed away on the 17th February.
Alvina was born just before the end of WW1 in October 1918 in Combe Martin, but spent the first 11 years of her life with her grandparents at Hammonds Farm. She always looked upon Berrynarbor as her home village and spent her school days here being taught by Miss Veale, Miss Balkwill, Miss Lily Richards, Miss Jones and later by Miss Muriel Richards.
After the death of her grandfather, she went home to live with her parents, four sisters and brother at Kentisbury.
In November 1949 she married Maurice Irwin, who was born in Appledore in 1911, and they lived all their married life in Combe Martin. Maurice was a keen bridge player and introduced Alvina to the game. Although they both enjoyed playing bridge, they did not partner one another! After retiring as a haulage contractor, Maurice spent time boating and fishing. Sadly, he died in May 2009.
Alvina's funeral took place at the North Devon Crematorium on the 5th March.
Although she and Maurice had no family of their own, our thoughts are with their many relatives at this sad time.
For those of you who keep past copies of the Newsletter, Alvina wrote of her memories of the village in August and October 2003, unfortunately just before the Newsletter went on line! Ed.
2
IN MEMORIAM
TREVOR WHITELEY
February 1913 - December 2014
It was with much sadness we learnt that after breaking his
arm and spending time at the North Devon Hospital and Bideford Hospital, Trevor
passed away peacefully with Kath beside him on Friday, 5th December, just two
months short of his 102nd birthday.
Our thoughts, at this time of sadness, are with his daughter
Anthea, son Victor and his wife Caroline, his grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. They are also with
his adopted family; Kath, whom Trevor called his 'guardian angel', Carol and
John, Donna and James, Jill and John and all their families.
At his wish, Trevor's funeral on the 11th December, with his
family and all his adopted family, took place at Great Bradley Cottage Burial
Ground, Templeton near Tiverton. This
secret garden, high in the hills, is unlike any churchyard or cemetery where
the graves are amongst the flowering trees and in the spring surrounded by
snowdrops, primroses and daffodils.
Poems, taken from his recent 'Twitters' in the Newsletter were read,
together with the following poem by Pam Ayres.
Woodland Burial
Don't
lay me in some gloomy churchyard shaded by a wall
Where the dust of ancient bones has spread a dryness over all,
Lay me in some leafy loam where, sheltered from the cold
Little seeds investigate and tender leaves unfold.
There kindly and affectionately, plant a native tree
To grow resplendent before God and hold some part of
me.
The roots will not disturb me as they wend their peaceful way
To build the fine and bountiful, from closure and decay.
To seek their small requirements so that when their work is done
I'll be tall and standing strongly in the beauty of the sun.
Kath
would like to take this opportunity to thank all the kind people who took her
to visit Trevor, first in Barnstaple and then in
Bideford, and everyone for their many cards and messages of sympathy.
DR.
RICHARD POOL
1931-2014
Higher
Trayne Farm
Long term residents of Berrynarbor
and members of the Bridge Clubs were sorry to learn that Richard had died,
peacefully at home, on the 8th December.
His funeral took place on the 9th January at Barnstaple Crematorium and
our thoughts are with his daughters Kate and Jan and all his family at this time of sadness.
Latterly better known as Dick and a resident
of Berrynarbor since the 1970's, Dick Pool will be known to only a few here, as
Higher Trayne lies almost in Hele. However, he was influential in so
many diverse fields, that a few words of remembrance are well deserved.
His parents were both part of Sir Frank Whittle's team in
inventing the jet engine, so with this background he too became a scientist. A Doctorate in Physics and Chemistry at
Oxford led to a place on the team developing the first British fast-breeder
nuclear reactor at Dounrea, Scotland.
Later, he became a barrister-at-law and
gentleman farmer at both Trayne and Sloley Farms, and was active working for
the independent milk producers battling against the Milk Marketing Board, and
also within the European Common Market.
Sadly after his wife Pam and two of his
daughters died, he withdrew somewhat, but eventually took to competitive bridge
with Roger Luckham, and worked to the end refurbishing his Grade 1 listed home.
Dick died at home as he wished, fiercely independent, aware of
his illness, yet in good spirits and humour. Many people have said to his daughters
Katherine and Jan, "A nice man, I liked him!" Who could ask for a better epitaph?
VICTOR
CORNISH - 'VIC'
June 1931-December 2014
After suffering from a
debilitating illness for several years, how sad it was to learn that Vic had
passed away peacefully on Christmas Day.
St. Peter's church, on a blustery day
with sunny spells, was full for his funeral on the 10th January. Family, friends and villagers gathered to
say goodbye as he was laid to rest in the churchyard.
A loving husband, father and
grandfather, Vic will be sorely missed and our thoughts are with Anita, Mel,
Bill and Samantha and all his family at this time of sorrow.
Vic was an Ilfracombe lad, a 'Quayite' as
people who lived down at the Quay were known and where he spent his early
life. When the Americans were based
near St. James's church, Vic would run errands for them. His reward? A doughnut!
Living on the Quay gave Vic his lifelong love of the sea and boats. He was a keen member of the Yacht Club sailing
up and down and across and back the Bristol Channel. Unable to swim and never using a life
jacket, he always said there would be a plank of wood floating by of which to
catch hold!
When he was 14, his mother told him to
go to the shoe repair shop and ask for a job.
He did so and other than when he did his National Service, he remained
there repairing shoes until he retired in 1990 when he was 58. By this time it had become the age of 'throw
away shoes' and although the stiletto heel era had provided some good business
- young ladies were always getting their heels caught and breaking them, and
always needed them straight away to go to the dance that night! - business had declined.
Vic and Anita, an Ilfracombe lass, were
married in 1961, their daughter Melanie was born in 1964. After living in Ilfracombe for a while, they
moved to Berrynarbor, the birthplace of Anita's grandmother, in the early
1970's.
When he was not dicing with the Bristol
Channel, Vic enjoyed snooker, a game he took up when he was 14, playing in
Ilfracombe and acting as Treasurer of the Ilfracombe Snooker League for many
years.
He was, of course, a member of
our own Snooker Club at the Men's Institute where he was also the Caretaker.
Anita would like to thank everyone for
their cards and kind messages of sympathy, especially the staff of the Park
Lane Care Home whose care and kindness for Vic had been wonderful. Also to Keith Wyer and Stuart Neale for the
beautiful service in Vic's memory, and the wonderful spread put on by Karen and
all the staff at The Globe. Finally,
she would like to thank everyone for attending the funeral and for the generous
donations to Dementia UK.
3
IN MEMORIAM
When I am
dead
Cry for me a little
Think of me sometimes
But not too much.
Think of me now and again
As I was in life
At some moments it's pleasant to recall
But not for long.
Leave me in peace
And I shall leave you in peace
And while you live
Let your thoughts be with the living.
Traditional Indian Prayer
The Native American Ishi People of the Pacific
Northwest
DON THIRKELL
It was sad to learn from Don's daughter, Jenny, that
following a short illness Don had passed away peacefully with his family beside
him on Friday, 10th October. His last
days were spent at St. Austell Community Hospital where the family say his care
was wonderful and they could not have wished for better.
A much loved and loving husband, father and grandfather, Don
will be sadly missed by his wife June, daughters Jenny and Amanda and son
Patrick, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Jenny tells me that her uncle, Patrick Thirkell, Don's
brother, is listed on our War Memorial.
Patrick Thirkell, DFM [Distinguished Flying Medal] was killed when his
Lancaster bomber was lost without trace while on an operation over Germany on
Friday, 8th May, 1942 at the age of 24.
The Thirkell family lived here in the village and readers
will remember that the cover of this year's April issue of the Newsletter depicted
Lower Rowes Farm, a watercolour by Lilian Thirkell, Don's mother, painted about
the time of the end of WWII and given to Farmer Lerwill. Like Lilian's, Don's ashes will be scattered
here in the churchyard of St. Peter's in the village that he loved and which
held many happy memories for him.
Our
thoughts and good wishes are with June, Jenny and all the family at this very
sad time.
2
IN MEMORIAM
After I Have Gone
I loved the quiet things, the flowers and the dew,
Field mice; birds homing; and the frost that shone
On nursery windows when my years were few;
And autumn mists subduing hill and plain
and blurring outlines of those older moods
that follow, after loss and grief and pain -
And last and best, a gentle laugh with friends,
All bitterness foregone, and evening near.
If we be kind and faithful when day ends,
We shall not meet that ragged starveling 'fear'
As one by one we take the unknown way -
Speak my name softly - there's no more to say -
Vera I. Arlett [1896-1948]
INA HODKINSON
Although she had been unwell for some time, it was with much sadness we learnt that Ina had passed away on the 3rd July.
Ina and her husband Cecil, who sadly passed away last November at the age of 102, moved to Devon from Coventry in 1952 and for 44 years ran a small pottery business in Braunton.
Married for 71 years, Philton House with Pip and Tony, was latterly home to them both - for Ina for 11 years before increasing dementia meant that she could no longer be looked after at home and she moved to a residential home. As her condition became worse, she moved to Edenmore Nursing Home in Ilfracombe, where she was wonderfully looked after. Gradually weakening over the last months, particularly since Cecil's death, she died peacefully in her sleep at the beginning of July.
Our thoughts are with Pip and Tony and all her family at this time of sorrow.
2
IN MEMORIAM
WENDY AMOS-YEO
1956-2014
It was with
profound shock, disbelief and sadness the village learnt that following a fall,
Wendy had died suddenly on the 21st
March. A loving and much loved wife, daughter, mother, grandmother
and friend, she will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.
A sunny day and St. Peter's was filled with family and
friends for a service that was both poignant and happy, a fitting tribute to a
caring lady who was always full of fun.
Our thoughts are with Mike and all her family at this time
of sorrow.
A firm and comfortable hug
Warmth love concern loyalty and fun radiating from an ENORMOUS heart
That was Wendy
God bless her forever"
Lesley
Holder
Mike and family would
like to thank all villagers for their kind messages of sympathy and for
attending Wendy's funeral.
Donations, for the Children's
Hospice South West, are still on-going and have so far reached nearly £2,000.
URSULA
ROUSE
Visitors to Lee Lodge will be so sorry
to learn that they will no longer be greeted by the cheerful smile and 'Hello
darling' from Ursula, who passed away peacefully at the Lodge on the 27th
April.
Our thoughts are with Fenella and John,
Fenella's sister Susan and cousin Nigel, and all the
family at this time of sadness.
I should like to thank, on behalf of
myself, John, my sister Sue in Australia and cousin
Nigel, all those who have been in touch about Ursula:
letters, cards, calls and flowers, it has been quite overwhelming. To us she
was our wonderful mother, aunt and "wife's relation", someone who had always
just been there with her wicked sense of humour and very practical approach. But she obviously made a bit of an impact in
her new home in Berry - be it as Mrs Reading Lady, in the shop, at the
Berrynarbor Ladies Group, Friendship Lunches, as a neighbour or latterly as an
enthusiastic singer at Musical Memories. We are hearing lovely stories of her
daily which makes her passing that bit easier.
We should
love you to come and share yet more memories of her with us on Saturday 7th
June at 3 o'clock at Sloley Farm, Castle Hill for afternoon tea. She could always whip up a mean cucumber
sandwich [and whisky and water] so we shall continue the tradition. If you could just let me know numbers it
would be a help on the cake front! We
shall hopefully rise to the occasion as it was always a running family joke
that Ursula had a well-stocked larder and could easily have fed the Russian
Army should they have been passing! She
would always welcome everyone into her home be it in Reigate or
Berrynarbor. Even at Lee Lodge she would politely ensure that the staff
would rustle up a cup of tea for every visitor.
This particularly delighted Shane who owns the place!
Talking of Lee Lodge we must say an
enormous thank you to Carol, Debbie, Tina, Aran, Beverley, Liz, Jan, John and
the entire team of staff, who have cared so beautifully and lovingly for Ursula
over the last five years. Lee Lodge was a true home for Ursula;
they treated her like their own mother and have over time become family to us
all. We cannot praise or thank them highly enough. She will be
sadly missed but never forgotten.
2
IN
MEMORIAM
MALCOLM GARBETT
We were all very sad to learn that Malcom had passed away on
the 3rd February at the age of 80.
Malcolm and Joan came from the Midlands
to live in Berrynarbor, at the Park, in the early '90's. they very quickly became involved in many of
the village activities, always ready with a smile to help where help was needed. In 2000 they moved
to Lichfield to be near Joan's mother and after she sadly died, we were able to
welcome them back in 2004, first to Corfe Cottage and
later to Staddlestones on the Park. Once again they became an active part of our
village and could often be seen striding out with their walking poles. It was a sad day for us when they decided,
once again, to move nearer the family to Stourport-on-Severn where they have
been happily settled since 2011.
Our thoughts are with Joan at this time of sorrow and she
would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their cards and
messages of love and condolence.
2
IN MEMORIAM
Be not like others, sore undone, who keep
Long vigils by silent dust and weep.
For my sake, turn again to life and smile,
Nerving thy heart and trembling hand to do
Something to comfort weaker hearts than thine.
Complete the dear unfinished tasks of mine
And I perchance may therein comfort you!
Mary Lee Hall
CECIL HODKINSON
3.4.1911 - 29.11.2013
Villagers were sorry to learn
that Pip's father, Cecil Hodkinson, had died on the 29th November and our
thoughts are with Pip, Tony and all his family at this time of sorrow.
It is sad to report the death of Berynarbor's oldest
resident, Cecil of Philton House, Barton Lane.
Cecil lived in the village for 13 years and despite some
lack of mobility after a stroke, was very independent and still looking after
himself virtually unaided long after reaching the 100 year milestone. He moved to Edenmore Nursing Home in
Ilfracombe in late October following hospitalisation after some falls, which
unfortunately seemed to have knocked the stuffing out of him and his health
declined rapidly and he sadly died in Edenmore at the end of November at the
grand old age of 102. Thankfully he did
not suffer any pain or prolonged illness and died peacefully in sleep after a long,
constructive life.
Pip,
Tony and family would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and
condolences at this time of sadness.
FRED BROWN
It was with sadness we learnt that Fred, formerly of Devon
Cottage, Hagginton Hill, had sadly passed away after a prolonged illness on the
22nd November. Fred and Linda had many
happy years in Berrynarbor, all the memories of which are cherished. Our thoughts are with Linda, their three
children and five grandchildren at this time of sorrow.
3
IN MEMORIAM
Love is immortal, and death is only a
horizon,
and a horizon is nothing save the limit of
our sight.
Rossiter
W. Raymond [1840-1918]
DAVID HANN
Having suffered ill heath for a number of years, David died
on August Bank Holiday. He and his wife
Val lived for many years in homes in the village and the surrounding area. They were both keen supporters of our
Primary School and involved in the many events of its newly formed Parents'
Association in the 1970's. A
silversmith by trade, David worked as a manager at Luscombe House in Barnstaple
and as a Social Worker at the North Devon District Hospital. He and Val retired to West Sussex in 2003.
Our thoughts are with Val and their sons Jeremy, Simon and
Ben and their families.
MARIE BOLTON
Marie and her husband Ray from Erdington, Birmingham, have
been regular visitors to our village for many years, staying at Whitely Cottage
until 1998 and then other places in the village and Combe Martin. They were supporters not only of our new Community
Shop, being shareholders, but also the Newsletter - two of its greatest
champions!
It was so sad, therefore, to
learn that Marie had passed away aged only 70 at the end of May, having
suffered for several years with dementia-Alzheimer's. Ray continues to come down to the village
and we send him our sympathy and best wishes.
TOM GREENAWAY
One of the village's kindest and most
generous men, Tom passed away at the end of August. Although living at the time at Hore Down, he
and his wife Vera had lived in our village for many years. Tom was a first class builder constructing
homes at The Lees, Hagginton Hill and other places in the village as well as
their own home for a while, the Haven.
Tom was a great supporter of our Church,
acting as a Warden for very many years and, in fact, constructing the
impressive gates for the lychgate.
He will be sadly missed by many but none more than his
family and our thoughts are with Vera, June, Betty and Tony at this sad time.
Vera and the family would like to take
this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and messages of
sympathy at this time of sadness, and for attending Tom's funeral. A sum of £420 in his memory has been sent to
the Chemotherapy Unit Appeal at the North Devon Hospital.
ROWENA MASON [MITCHAM]
One of the most cheerful past residents of the Sterridge
Valley, it was with sadness that village friends learnt that Rowena [or Mitch
as she was known] had died on the 7th October, just 3 days short of her 90th
birthday.
Our thoughts are with Don, her three boys, Michael, Dennis
and Paul and all their families.
Friends from the village were present at her well-attended and warm
funeral, leaving the chapel to the sound of Gracie Fields singing 'Wish Me
Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye'!
Many of the older residents of Berrynarbor will remember
Rowena as a proud member of the village community. It must be some sixty years ago that the
Mitcham family arrived in Berrynarbor, first living in the cottage next to what
was previously the butcher's, and then moving to the Sterridge Valley.
Rowena's husband Tom was a footballer, lured to North Devon
from Boston United to play for Ilfracombe Town, and Rowena and her sons duly
followed. Soon afterwards Tom was asked
to move again to Southampton but Rowena put her foot down and said she was not
going to uproot the family again!
Tom sadly passed away suddenly in 1966 leaving her to raise
three boys on her own.
For many years she worked for the Richards family at Moules
Farm before going to Coutant Electronics [now Lambda TDK] in Ilfracombe where
she stayed until her retirement.
In 1975 Rowena married widower Don Mason and they lived in
the Valley for many years before moving to a bungalow in Ilfracombe where they
spent over 20 years. Both keen
gardeners, their front garden was their pride and joy.
Eventually they both moved into Pinehurst Residential Home
where they were well looked after for 4 happy years until Rowena was taken ill,
passing away from pneumonia in the hospital in Barnstaple.
3
IN MEMORIAM
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rains fall softly upon your field until we meet again.
May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
Unfortunately, since the last Newsletter the village has
learnt of the deaths of Kathleen Bond, Val Bowden, Bill Jones and just before
going to print, Michael Patterson and our thoughts are with all their families.
KATHLEEN BOND
Kathleen passed away
peacefully at Park View Residential Home in Ilfracombe on Monday, 25th March,
where she had spent just a short time having some respite care, at the age of
99. She would have celebrated her
centenary in August.
Ludleigh House on Hagginton Hill had been home to Kathleen
for nearly 40 years and until fairly recently she had been able to enjoy
village life. Many people will remember
the sales she held in the Manor Hall, the proceeds going to animal charities -
she loved all animals and birds, but especially cats. Gardening too was one of her pleasures, as
was choral singing, and she had enjoyed the fellowship and activities of the
U3A.
Mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she will be sadly
missed by all her family and friends.
VAL BOWDEN
Val, beloved wife of Leonard
Bowden who passed away at home in March 1991, died peacefully, also at home,
Ruggaton Farm, on the 30th April at the age of 93. A much loved mother, grandmother,
great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, she will be sorely missed and
our thoughts are with all her family.
WILLIAM [Bill] JONES
7th
September 1934 - 18th April 2013
How sad it was to learn that
Bill, a much loved and loving husband, father and grandfather, had passed away
peacefully with Jill and his family beside him, on the 18th April.
Although he had not been in the best of health for some
time, his sudden and unexpected death came as a shock. Only a couple of days earlier he had spent a
happy day out with family, enjoying his 'go faster' mobility scooter and plans
were being formulated for future trips and possibly some fishing.
The Thanksgiving Service for his life was celebrated at
Basingstoke Crematorium in its delightful setting on a beautiful sunny day,
Friday,
3rd May. Conducted by our Revd. George and with the
village well represented, the Service was a lovely and heart-warming tribute to
Bill.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jill and all the family at
this time of sorrow.
* * *
Born in Sheffield , a life-long supporter of Sheffield
Wednesday, Bill was a true Yorkshireman.
Active sports, particularly cricket and football, played a
major role in his younger days but his enjoyment of sports of all kinds was
also life-long. even if latterly
participation was from his armchair!
After a short spell in the RAF, he made a career in
electronics. On retirement, he and Jill
came to North Devon from Cheshire, moving into Berrynarbor and Riversdale in
1999. They soon became involved with
many village activities, and Berry in Bloom very much appreciated Bill's input.
Do-it-Yourself formed a compelling pastime, the garden his
pride and joy. He loved showing
visitors around especially on many village Open Garden days.
A determined man, following his untimely stroke and the
medical prognosis, Bill was single-minded in believing that he would walk
again, and he did! Although activities
in the garden were curtailed, he enjoyed pottering, enjoyed a spot of fishing,
continued to play skittles for The Globe and took pleasure in the boys' outings
to Taunton to watch the cricket.
Although sad to leave the village last year, he and Jill
settled in well to their new home where Bill was able to enjoy, for a brief
time at least, the nearby company of family and grandchildren.
* * *
Jill
and family would like to thank everyone for all their kind messages and cards;
it was such a great comfort to know everyone was thinking of us at this
difficult time. Bill loved his years spent amongst you all in Berrynarbor and
we all have wonderful memories of times spent in Devon.
MICHAEL PATTERSON
Although he had not been well
for some time, Michael bore his illness bravely and he never lost the smile that would light up his face.
It had been so lovely to see
him at the Manor Hall recently for a coffee morning - he never could resist
cakes! It was, therefore, with much sadness
we learnt that he had passed away peacefully on the 7th May.
Michael came to live at Stable Cottage
in April 2005 to be near his son and soon became a familiar figure around the
village, enjoying the Friendship Lunches, the Quiz at The Globe and attending
many of the activities in the village.
This true 'gentle'man will be missed by
all his friends in the village but even more so by his family and our thoughts
are with them all at this time of sadness.
5
IN MEMORIAM
IVY RICHARDS
1912-2013
Following the joyous occasion of reaching her 100th
birthday, it was sad to learn that Ivy had passed away peacefully on the 22nd
January. A loving and much loved
mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother, she will be
sorely missed not only by her family but also all those who had the pleasure of
knowing her as was testament to a full St. Peter's church on a beautiful day
with sunshine to see her leave the village she loved so much - a fitting
service for a lovely lady.
In this great world and known its many joys:
The songs of birds, the strongest sweet scent of hay,
And cooling breezes in the secret dusk;
The flaming sunsets at the close of day;
Hills and the lovely heather-covered moors;
Music at night, and the moonlight on the sea,
The beat of waves upon the rocky shore
And wild white spray, flung high in ecstasy;
The faithful eyes of dogs, and treasured books,
The love of Kin and fellowship of friends
And all that makes life dear and beautiful.
Elizabeth Craven [1750-1828]
Ivy's family would like to thank everyone who sent messages
of support and sympathy following her death on the 22nd January. They were much appreciated. Her 100 years had been happily lived in
Berrynarbor and her funeral service was a celebration of her long life - thank
you to those who celebrated with us.
KEVIN McLINTOCK
1951-2013
Kevin was, in fact, the first illustrator
of our Newsletters in 1989 when it was produced on an inky duplicator and
stencils and so it was with sadness I learnt that following a long illness
bravely born, he had lost his battle and died peacefully on the 20th January.
Pupils, parents and many others involved with Ilfracombe
College will remember him fondly and our thoughts are with Suzanne and all his
family at this time of sorrow.
Judie
Illustration
by Kevin for article by the late Preb. Eppingstone on the Bells of St. Peter's
4
IN MEMORIAM
EILEEN JUDE [JEFFERY] HISCOX
1963-2012
On Sunday, 16th September our
dear daughter Eileen passed away at her home in Ilfracombe at the very tender
age of 49. She has left three children
to face life without the love and care of a mother. Although she spent most of her life outside
the village, she is none-the-less very sadly missed by all of us and those she
cared for.
Do please remember her in your prayers, especially during
this the month of the Holy Souls.
Requiescat in pace.
Peter and Margaret and Peter John Hiscox
at Little Woolhanger.
Such
very sad news and our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time of
sorrow.
MARION HOOD
1938-2012
It was a sad day when we learnt that Marion, after several
years of coping with poor health, had passed away peacefully at home on the
17th October. Our thoughts have been
with her and John during the last few difficult years and continue with John
who always gave her the most wonderful loving and tender care but especially of
late.
Our thoughts also go to their three children, six
grandchildren and all the family at this time of grief.
Marion and John, who were married for 53 years, came to live
in Berrynarbor 18 years ago from Birmingham where they were both born. Following the birth of their children,
Christopher, Melanie and Richard, Marion worked at the University of
Birmingham, firstly in research [of solarnum, or to us potatoes] and then in
library work particularly with overseas students. Marion was a keen reader. She loved Cicely Mary Barker's Flower
Fairies as a child and enjoyed reading them and looking at the delightful
illustrations with her children and their children.
After John's retirement as a Police
Officer and moving to Berrynarbor, they spent a lot of happy times walking
locally and on Exmoor, and enjoyed travelling abroad on holiday, as well as
helping and supporting many of our village groups and activities.
John would like to thank everyone for their cards, messages
of sympathy and words of comfort, the Revd. John Thompson for a beautiful
service at the Crematorium and the many family members, friends and neighbours
from the village who attended Marion's funeral.
He would especially like to pay tribute to their
granddaughter Katie who came to stay and kept Marion's spirits up during his
treatment in Exeter, and to congratulate her on taking and passing her
practical driving test whilst here. It
was, he says, so fortunate and comforting that she was here at this sad time.
4
IN
MEMORIAM
JOHN HUXTABLE
'The
peace is yours
The
memory ours.'
John's sudden death on the 11th August came as a great shock
to us all, but especially to Bett, Kevin and all his family, Nita, Vic and
Melanie. Our thoughts are with them all
at this time of sorrow.
The love and esteem with which John was held in the village
was evident from the very full church of those who attended his funeral. He will be sadly missed by everyone.
John was born at North Hill Farm, Shirwell, where with his
two sisters he had a happy childhood, working on the farm, riding his pony and
rabbiting with his pet ferret. His love
of ponies, the Exmoor in particular, remained with him all his life. The donations for the Exmoor Pony Society
made at his funeral amounted to a fantastic £850.
John went to school first at Shirwell, then Barnstaple and
later at Combe Martin. In 1949, when
his father died, John and his mother moved to Berrynarbor to live with his
grandmother, where he lived for the
rest of his life.
After leaving school, he went in to farming, always his
first love. When that came to an end,
he spent his time gardening for and helping people in the village and taking
care of his few sheep. A familiar sight
in his blue van with a silver roof.
John really enjoyed his snooker at the Men's Institute and
had been a member for sixty years. Not
only an excellent player, he served for many years as Secretary and latterly
President of the Club.
John will be remembered for his kindness, his friendly,
outgoing manner and his ever cheerful smile.
This 'gentle'man was happy with his lot!
With thanks to George Billington for sharing his Eulogy for
John with us.
Bett and family, Anita, Vic and family would like to say
thank you for all the messages of sympathy, cards, flowers and offers of help,
and everyone who came to the funeral, it was such a comfort to us to see a full
church. He will be missed so much by
all who loved him.
2
IN MEMORIAM
PATRICIA GALE
It was sad to learn that after some years of poor health, Pat had passed away peacefully at home at Watermouth on the 31st May at the age of 91.
Many in the village will remember Pat particularly through the U3A which she and John were instrumental in setting up some 25 years ago.
Pat and John, together with their three children, came to Ilfracombe from Cambridgeshire in 1965 when John was appointed Headmaster of the Grammar School and Headmaster Elect of the future comprehensive school and community college. Here she was introduced to the idea of home-stay students from abroad from which grew the very successful Country Cousins Language School, with Pat as Managing Director and centres at Barnstaple, Bideford, Exeter and Plymouth. In 1972 she and John attended a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.
Pat's energy and business drive saw her setting up letting apartments and houses in Tuscany and having become a Counsellor for the Samaritans, she and John took on the daunting task of raising money to provide a centre in North Devon.
After John's retirement they spent many happy times travelling all over the world and in May celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.
In 1942 Pat was a sales correspondent with Metropolitan Vickers and her interest in the English Language and Literature remained with her throughout her life, reading The Times daily until a short while ago.
Our thoughts are with John and all the family at this time of sorrow.
4
IN
MEMORIAM
Praise Life
Men
and boughs break;
Praise
life while you walk and wake,
It is
only lent.
David Campbell [1915-1979]
MADELAINE HARRIS
It was sad to learn that following a short stay at
Fremington and just a few days at the North Devon Hospice, Madelaine had
slipped away peacefully on the 27th March.
Her funeral took place at St. Peter's a week later when she was laid to
rest with her late husband Brian, who died seven years ago.
Madelaine and Brian purchased Orchard Park a few years
before they retired here in 1983.
Together they transformed it with great care, craftsmanship and taste, a
pleasurable task that kept them both very busy. Sadly, work was not finished when Brian
died, but Madelaine carried on and completed their dream home.
No longer acting as Brian's 'go for' and with workmen
helping to complete the house, Madelaine
had more time to spend on village activities, joining the Ladies Group -
unfortunately now defunct - and becoming a keen member of the 'Alley Cats', one
of the Globe's skittle teams. She was a
staunch supporter of our community shop, both old and new, having an order
delivered each week. She will be much
missed by her many village friends and acquaintances.
She will also be sadly missed by her family - her son Steven
and his wife Karen, daughter Laura and partner Dave, her grandsons Richard and
Michael and her great-grandchildren.
Our thoughts are with them all at this time of sorrow.
WALTER CANHAM
1917-2012
I was very sad, as I am sure readers will be too, to learn
that after a few days in hospital feeling unwell, Walter had passed away
suddenly but peacefully on the 28th April.
When I first met Walter at Lee Lodge he told me his family
boasted longevity, his mother and father both living to the age of 96, and he
was going to break that record! Sadly,
he fell just short of doing so.
An only child, he was born in London and attended Dulwich
College where he excelled at Maths and Latin, making his choice of career as a
Chartered Accountant an obvious one. He
was also an obvious choice to be Treasurer of the British
Automobile Racing Club for 12 years, was also a Rotarian, being President of
the Portslade Club in West Sussex in 1973, and a founder member of the Sussex
Film Society.
From the age of 7, Walter was a very keen stamp and coin
collector, was always interested in aircraft of all types and enjoyed gardening.
In 2003 he came to live with Sue and his son Malcolm at
Goosewell, before taking up residence at the newly established Lee Lodge. It was whilst he was there he began to
contribute items for the Newsletter and he continued to do so when he moved to
Burrow House in Ilfracombe a couple of years ago.
We'll miss his interesting and informative 'Whispers' but
how much more will he be missed by all his family. Our thoughts are with his sons Graham,
Malcolm and James, and daughter Mary, his four grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren.
2
IN MEMORIAM
The still pools at Asuka.
Memory does not
Pass away so easily.
Akahito
TOM TUCKER
It was with shock and incredulity that we learnt Tom had
passed away unexpectedly on the 11th January after a brief illness. A loving and much loved husband, Tom will be
sorely missed and our thoughts are with Mary
and all the family at this very sad time.
A true gentleman, Tom will be missed in so many ways by his
friends, neighbours and everyone who knew him.
The overflowing chapel at the
crematorium at his funeral was a tribute to the respect and love in which he
was held.
One of his last wishes was to thank everyone for their get
well cards, messages and visits during his only spell in hospital, he found
them 'very cheering'. Bless you Tom.
Mary would like to thank everyone for the many cards, messages,
and for attending Tom's funeral and the help
and support she has received over the last few weeks.
2
IN MEMORIAM
JOAN FRY
It was with sadness we learnt, although she had been
suffering from Parkinson's for some years and it was perhaps a happy release,
that Joan had passed away peacefully on the 2nd October, only just over a year
since her husband, Maurice, had died.
Her funeral took place on her 90th birthday.
Joan was born in Milltown, Muddiford - a true Devon born
lass. She married Maurice in 1946 at
Marwood Church and they moved to Brendon where they farmed until 1958 before
moving to Berrynarbor and Sloley Farm.
Joan was a true farmer's wife, keeping the farm running! She enjoyed riding right up until she was 70
and painting, particularly scenes of Exmoor, was a favourite hobby.
When Maurice and Joan retired from farming, they moved into
Little Oaklands, which Maurice had built and where they continued to enjoy life
in the village.
A mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and
great-great-grandmother, Joan will be sadly missed by her daughters Margaret
and Angela and all her family and friends and our thoughts are with them at
this time of sorrow.
DAPHNE CHALLACOMBE
Always interested and supportive of our Newsletter, it was
sad to learn that Daphne had passed away suddenly but peacefully on the 7th
October and our thoughts are with her family at this time. As Rev. Chris Steed said at her funeral, we
are all unique, and Daphne was no exception!
A Combe Martin lass through and through, Berrynarbor came a
close second for Daphne as her mother, Evelyn [nee Ley] was born here at
Goosewell, later moving to Orchard House and attending our school. Evelyn's marriage to Bill Challacombe took
place at St. Peter's in 1935.
After leaving school, Daphne's secretarial and
administrative skills were much appreciated first at Combe Martin Secondary
School and then when the local schools amalgamated, at Ilfracombe School and
Community College [now Ilfracombe Arts College] where she stayed until her retirement.
Passionate about all things Combe Martin, she was a founder
member and helped in the setting up of the Combe Martin Museum and for many
years was on the Committee of the Combe Martin Historical Society.
Her dogs were the love of her life, closely followed by her
interest in and support of Manchester United and the adventures of Rupert and
his Nutwood friends.
Daphne will be sadly missed by her family and many friends
and neighbours.
LAUREL DRAPER
'A
tired heart is now at peace'
We were all shocked to learn that Laurel had passed
away suddenly on the 4th November, shortly after visiting the village and
having suffered from ill health for some time.
His funeral took place at St. Peter's on the 11th November, attended by
many of his friends from the village.
A loving and much loved husband, father and grandfather,
Laurel will be sadly missed and our thoughts are with Celia and all the family
at this time of sorrow.
BETTY WEEKES
Betty and her husband Bernard, who died in September
2000, moved to Goosewell in 1986, having spent many years at Lee where Bernard
managed the Lee Bay Hotel. They both
had a long and very happy association with Arlington Court, working and
volunteering there for well over twenty years.
When Bernard died, Betty moved to North Yorkshire to be
nearer her son Bernie, but has kept in touch as a reader of our Newsletter.
It was, therefore, with sadness that we heard she had passed
away and our thoughts are with Bernie and his family and her friends at Robin
Hood's Bay and her family and many friends here in Ilfracombe and North Devon.
Betty's funeral will take place on the 2nd December, but
there will be a short service in the Chapel at Ilfracombe Cemetery on the 19th
December at 11 o'clock
3
IN MEMORIAM
PETER WISH HINCHLIFFE
30.5.28 - 9.8.11
We were sorry when Ann and Peter left the village to live in
Combe Martin and saddened to learn that after a long struggle, borne with
bravery and a smile, Peter had lost his battle, passing away peacefully on the 9th August.
Our thoughts are with Ann and all the family at this time of
sadness.
Peter was a man of many talents with a rich variety of
interests. As a young man he walked
through Lapland before it opened up to tourism, seeing people living as they
had for generations. He was a climber,
climbing throughout Scotland and Wales and exploring many of the wilder parts
of Europe, as well as being a member and walking with the Mid-Surrey Ramblers.
Singing was another passion and his lovely bass voice was
heard with the North Devon Choral Society, the Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir and
for many years in the Gilbert and Sullivan productions staged by staff, pupils
and friends of Ilfracombe College.
A gentle giant and a true gentleman, he will be remembered
by those seeking help from the C.A.B. for which he was a volunteer for many
years.
A keen member of the U3A, Peter participated in many of the
groups, particularly Play Reading, World Religions and his great love, Poetry
Reading and Writing.
Peter himself asked that his thanks be expressed to the
staff at the North Devon Hospice, where he was loved and well cared for, as he
was by everyone involved in his medical treatment.
He will be sorely missed by many.
Ann and her family would like
to thank everyone for their kindness at this time; for the cards and letters showing in so many
ways how close they were to Peter and their fond memories of him.
Never one to blow his own trumpet, they were justly proud
when Peter was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in his 70's. They also say that throughout his 83 years,
he always looked forward and enjoyed life to the full.
So friends, don't grieve, he would like you to enjoy the
memories you have of him.
SYLVIA LILY YATES
4.7.1928
- 20.8.2011
Our thoughts are with Viv, Brian,
Charlotte and Mickey following the death of Viv's
mother, Sylvia, on the 20th August.
Mum passed away peacefully with her family around her on the 20th August. She was a very loving and caring Wife, Mum
and Nan. She was also a very private
person.
Born in Portsmouth, she spent her working life in various
pharmacies in and around the Portsmouth area.
After the death of her husband Harry in 1987, she came to live with us
in West Sussex before we all moved to Berrynarbor in 1988. She loved living in the village and made
many friends at W.I. Following her
first heart attack in 2004, she spent most of her time at home or on regular
family outings. One of her pleasures
was watching the wildlife that frequented the garden.
Donations of £350 were given at her funeral and this will be
passed on to the Waterside Practice.
Mum will be sadly missed by us all.
Viv, Brian, Charlotte and Mickey
5
IN MEMORIAM
Alice Dummett
Formerly of The Retreat in the Sterridge Valley, Alice
passed away at Catherine's Court, Yelland, on the 7th June at the age of 89.
Alice and her late husband, Len, were married at Combe
Martin in 1948.and moved to Elizabeth House in Berrynarbor, which they ran as
a guest house. On Len's retirement in 1969 they moved to The
Retreat.
Here they spent a happy retirement together, gardening,
walking the dog and enjoying time spent with friends and neighbours until Len
sadly died in 1998. Although well cared
for in the following years, Alice was lonely and bereft without Len.
4
ALASTAIR JOLYON CRIGHTON 1939-2011
It
was with sadness that those in the village who knew Alastair from the many
facets of his life - at
Alastair
moved to Berrynarbor from the
Heartfelt
thanks to everyone who attended Alastair's wonderful Thanksgiving Service and
for the cards, flowers, donations and messages of sympathy. Seeing
Alan Bacon, former Head of Ilfracombe
College, gave an inspired and uplifting eulogy which was a fitting tribute to a
gifted and vibrant man, who touched so many lives before his illness, whether
through teaching, music or sport. He
will be sorely missed by many.
Elaine
and Family
It
is with sadness we received details of the deaths of Jack Rollings and Margaret
Draper and our thoughts are with Phil and both their families.
JACK ROLLINGS [14.4.1929-28.12.2010]
Jack was the youngest of four boys and a girl
born to William and Maud Rollings who lived on Bedminster Down in
Jack
enjoyed his time at
His
wife Margaret and his sons, John and Andy, will continue their visits to the
area Jack enjoyed so much.
MARGARET
Margaret
was one of five children born to William and Nellie Draper at Number 94
Berrynarbor [Jacobs Well] - Winnie,
Phyllis and Sheila being the other girls and the one boy, Denzil. She was the middle child and the last of
the family to survive. She went to
school at Berrynarbor and later at Combe Martin
The
family moved to Ilfracombe in 1946 and resided at
She
was a bright and intelligent person with a sense of humour and fun, who would
often have a joke to tell. Quizzes,
crosswords and puzzles also provided much enjoyment. She was also quite an accomplished poet and
had at least two poems published, particularly acrostic poems, and included
them in any birthday cards she sent.
She was a keen darts and skittles player and for many years was among
the organisers of the local leagues, serving on many committees and also
winning many trophies, individually and as a team member. Despite never marrying or having children of
her own, she adored them. Whether it
was her nephews and nieces, great nieces and nephews or the children of
friends.
She
was diagnosed with cancer three years ago and fought valiantly. However, the
struggle became too much and she died peacefully early on the morning of the
24th January. Her funeral was at
Emmanuel Church Ilfracombe on the 4th February. She is sadly missed by her nephews and
nieces who live in
Phil
Rollings
2
JOSEF BELKA 1962-2010
Many
of us in Berrynarbor will remember Hedy's son, Josef.
Christmas, a year ago, he was in the village, staying with his
mother, when Hedy slipped on a walk at Hunters Inn and broke her leg. Josef stayed on for many weeks to help her,
and was a familiar face around the village and visitor to the Shop.
On
previous visits, he also joined in the walks on
This
Christmas he had arranged to come and stay with his mother, but 'phoned a few
days before to say he was ill with 'flu and so unable to travel. On the 23rd December, Hedy was unable to
contact him on the 'phone and became concerned. Josef was found later that day, having
passed away in his home.
His
funeral took place on the 26th January and Josef's ashes will be brought to
Berrynarbor where they will be buried with his father's ashes, in the village
church cemetery.
Our
thoughts and love are with Hedy and her family at this very sad time.
YD
3
IN MEMORIAM
DOREEN ROSE SIVITER
It was with much sadness that the village learnt that Doreen had sadly passed away on the 26th September and our thoughts are with her niece Pam and her many friends and neighbours.
As some of you may know, my aunt sadly passed away at the end of September, age 91 years. She was born in Birmingham and after leaving school worked in the offices at Cadbury's for 25 years. In her youth she was a keen swimmer and an enthusiastic member of the Girl Guide movement. She was also an accomplished needlewoman. During the war years, as she was rejected for the armed services because of a suspected heart condition, she volunteered for the St. John Ambulance service.
Doreen married Charles in 1960 and soon after they moved from Birmingham to Berrynarbor. It was then they developed a keen interest in growing fruit and vegetables.
Sadly, Charles passed away in 1979 but Doreen continued to live in the village and developed many friendships. These friendships became even more important to her and indeed to me, when, as her health began to fail she moved to Belmont Grange Care Home in 2004.
She was always good company, with a wonderful sense of humour. She liked to collect verses or quotations that appealed to her, some of which she sent for inclusion in the Newsletter, one of which was printed on the service sheet at her funeral. Many times I suggested that she should come and live near me in Worcestershire but she was reluctant to leave Berrynarbor and her friends, and it is to these friends of hers and now mine, that I should like to say a grateful 'thank you'.
Pam Danks
My faltering step and shaking hand
Blessed are they who know my ears today
Must strain to catch the things they say
Blessed are they who seem to know
My eyes are dim, my mind is slow
Blessed are they with cheery smile
Who stop to chat for a little while
Blessed are they who make it known
I'm loved, respected and not alone.
REMEMBERING WIN COLLINS
Win was born in 1919 and at the age of two travelled with her parents to Lahore, then in India, at a time when the 'Raj' was in full flow. She experienced an extraordinary childhood but at seven left her parents and young brother, John, to attend school in England, staying with her grandparents in Bristol.
She later trained as a Domestic Science teacher in Bath and during the War taught in Birmingham, where she met and married her first husband, Reg Burrows.
Married life with their boys was spent in the Midlands but sadly Reg, who had suffered from rheumatic fever as a child which affected his heart, passed away in 1957.
A fellow member of the church they attended, Dennis Collins, had lost his wife Ann, but he and Win found happiness again together and married the following year. Win happily took on Dennis's two children and both families 'gelled' as a unit, all sharing wonderful family holidays.
When Win and Dennis retired, they fulfilled a dream and moved to Devon, to Berrynarbor. Gardening was a great passion, as was the church and village life, a source of much happiness to them both.
After twenty-four years and with good timing and some regrets, they left Devon in 2006 for a comfortable retreat at St. Monica's in Westbury-on-Trym, nearer the family. In 2008 they celebrated their Golden Wedding, quite an achievement as both their first marriages had lasted for twelve years.
Following a short remembrance at St. Peter's Church on the 31st October, and with family and friends in attendance, Win's ashes were laid to rest with her husband Dennis.
Win's family thank everyone for their kindness and sympathy cards and wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
THE LAKE OF INNISFREE
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavement grey,
W.B. Yeats 1865 -1939
Illustration by Nigel Mason
4
IN MEMORIAM
Never more shall we find you bright in the snow and wind.
The snow is melted, the snow is gone, and you are flown.
Like a bird out of our hand, like a light out of our heart,
You are gone.
Hilda Doolittle 1886-1961
PHYLLIS ROLLINGS
Phyllis was one of five
children, Winnie, Denzil, Margaret and Sheila being the others, born to William
and Nellie Draper at number "Ninety Four", Berrynarbor, now known as
Jacobs Well. In1946 the family moved to
Ilfracombe and Phyl subsequently joined the Army as a driver, based at
After Army life, she joined
the NAAFI at St Merryn in
During the war, twins Jack
and Jean Rollings were evacuated to
Sadly, last autumn Phyl broke
her hip, her recovery was forestalled by deep vein thrombosis, which resulted
in the amputation of her left leg. She
battled on valiantly but finally died peacefully on the morning of August 1st
at the age of 81.
She leaves husband Dennis
and two sons Philip and Martin and a grand daughter Lorna and is survived by
her sister Margaret Draper who lives in Ilfracombe.
Many villagers will
remember Phyl, and I am grateful to Philip Rollings for letting us know the sad
news and we send him and all the family our thoughts at this time of sorrow.
It was
very sad to learn that, when looking forward to her holiday in a week or two,
Win passed away peacefully in her sleep on the 16th September. A lovely way for her to be reunited with Dennis,
her husband of fifty years, but a shock for her family. We send them our condolences and prayers at
this time of sorrow.
Win and Dennis moved to
_____
A REMEMBRANCE
JANE MALCOLM
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
From
'For the Fallen' [1914]
by
Laurence Binyon [1869-1943]
Standing on the cobbled path that leads up to our Church
entrance, I have sheltered under an umbrella on several Remembrance
Sundays. This has been an occasion to
read the names of the Berrynarbor residents who died in
the two World Wars.
One name, the first name on the list of Second World War
dead, is a woman - the only female in this sad list. How did she, Jane Malcolm, come to be on the
list, and how did she die?
Mary Tucker and Bett directed me to a file at the back of the
Church containing details of all those named on the Memorial, and this proved
very useful.
Jane Malcolm was a Nursing Sister with the Queen Alexandra's
Imperial Nursing Service. She was the
daughter of Napier and Urania Malcolm, whose graves lie at the back of the
Church, near the water tank. Her
brother is also buried there. I
understand they lived, at one time, at The Old Court.
Jane died on
Unfortunately, I was unable to find out exactly how Jane
died. As this family lived in the
village, I am hoping that someone reading this remembrance story might be a
relative, or know of how this brave lady died.
Women are still serving all over the world in conflicts, and
in more diverse roles. On Remembrance
Sunday, 14th November, it may be opportune to remember them, through Jane
Malcolm of Berrynarbor.
Yvonne Davey
One such person, and perhaps there are more, is Kirsti
Richards, daughter of Julie and David, who having served as a Medic with the
Army in Iraq is currently completing her first tour of duty in
Afghanistan. We send her our good wishes.
3
IN MEMORIAM
The village was saddened in late May and early June following
the deaths of Edna Barnes, Dan Weller, Maurice Fry and Michael Bain.
EDNA BARNES
We were all sorry to learn that Edna had passed away at the
end of May. A cheerful lady who
supported many village events and a stalwart member of the Ladies' Group, she
will be sadly missed by us all and our thoughts and sympathy go out to her son
David.
In Memory of Edna
Edna of
Edna continued to join in the various village activities and
made many friends. She loved going on
outings, to meetings and indulging in pub lunches and cream teas, and was very
appreciative of all the car lifts that made life easier for her.
I should like to express my deep and sincere thanks to
everyone who gave my mother care and kindness over the years - carers, doctors,
nurses, neighbours and friends. I
should also like to thank all those who sent letters, cards of condolence and
made donations to Arthritis Research.
Thank you all.
David Barnes
DAN WELLER
We were shocked and saddened to learn that Dan had passed
away on the 3rd June, and our thoughts have been with Margaret at this time of
sorrow.
Dan Weller
Died
'Always Look on the Bright
Side of Life'
Thanks to Judie's hard work producing our delightful
Newsletter, I have this opportunity to say thank you for all the wonderful
warmth and support which surrounded me and helped me cope at such a sad and
stressful time - Never to be forgotten.
Margaret
MAURICE FRY
Maurice's sudden death on the 3rd June, just short of
celebrating his 90th birthday saddened us all.
Our thoughts are with his wife Joan and daughters Margaret
and Angel, his five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and his one
great-great-granddaughter.
Maurice and Joan, with their daughters, moved to Sloley Farm,
which Maurice farmed for many years, from Brendon in 1958. When he had to give up farming, in the early
1980's, due to ill health, he and Joan moved into Little Oakland, the bungalow
they had built next to Sloley.
In his leisure time and retirement, Maurice turned his hand
to wood-working, making tables, chairs, stools and other pieces of
furniture. He also enjoyed riding and
until comparatively recently, he could be seen, accompanied by his niece
Elizabeth, riding up the
His funeral at St. Peter's was attended by his family and
many friends and neighbours.
Joan and the family would like to thank everyone for their
kind messages and cards and for attending Maurice's funeral. Especial thanks to the Rev. Keith Wyer for a
beautiful service and Brian Baker for the funeral arrangements.
MICHAEL BAIN
It was sad to learn that Michael, of Longsawte, Newberry
Close, had passed away in the
BETTY DUDLEY-WARD
Following the service taken by the Archdeacon of Barnstaple,
David Gunn-Johnson, at St. Peter's on the 18th July, the Rev. Margaret Howard
conducted a lovely service in memory of the late Betty Dudley-Ward, followed by
the interment of her ashes.
Betty, fondly known in the village as 'Matron', having been
Matron of the Susan Day Home in Ilfracombe, lived here for 40 years before
moving to a residential home in Longhope, Gloucestershire, near to her niece
Lucille.
Members of her family were joined by friends and neighbours
to say their final farewells. A
wonderful 'carer' of both the young and elderly, it is fitting that Betty rests
beside the children's
Betty and her good friend Robbie playground, with a view over the
celebrate her brother's 80th
Birthday Chapel to her home beyond.
4
IN
MEMORIAM
TOBY WOOD 1920-2010
Toby died peacefully at home on the 2nd April.
We, and the family, should like to thank the village for the
words of comfort and sympathy, and the cards and flowers we received.
Toby moved to Orchard House 35 years ago on retiring from farming. He enjoyed the village life, attending most
local events. He loved his painting
hobby, local history, wine making and gardening. He enjoyed the snooker club, meeting up with
Len Bowden, Don Arscott and many others, ending the night with a pint or
two. He was a founder member of the U3A
and the
It helps us to know that he was so well thought of by the
village.
Joan and David
We have been thinking of Joan and David during the long time
they have looked after Toby - he could not have received more loving and supportive
care - and our thoughts continue to be with them and all the family at this sad
time following Toby's death on Good Friday.
Bless you all.
3
IN
MEMORIAM
I loved the quiet things, the flowers and the dew,
Field mice, birds homing; and the frost that shone
On nursery windows when my years were few;
And autumn mists subduing hill and plain
and blurring outlines of those older moods
that follow, after loss and grief and pain -
And last and best, a gentle laugh with friends,
All bitterness forgone, and evening near.
If we be kind and faithful when day ends,
We shall not meet that ragged starveling 'fear'
As one by one we take the unknown way -
Speak my name softly - there's no more to say.
Vera
Arlett [1896-1948]
SALLY ANNE RICHARDS
1958-2010
Too young! The
village was stunned to learn that having treated her illness with cheerfulness
and disdain, Sally passed away peacefully at home on the 17th February. Our thoughts are with Martyn, her father
Norman and her grandmother Ivy and all her family at this time of such sadness.
On the day of her funeral, the sun shone and there was
'standing room only' in the Chapel. So
many members of her family, friends and colleagues from work were there to wish
her well and send this much loved free spirit on her way 'home'. Bless you Sally from us all.
*
* *
Norman, Dave and Martyn would like to thank everyone for the
cards and kind words of sympathy following the sad loss of Sally.
Thanks also go to the Rev. Keith Wyer for being fantastic at
such a difficult time and all the care and support of the community, Macmillan
and Hospice nurses. Money raised, £367
so far, will be split between Macmillan Cancer Support and the North Devon
Hospice.
Sally was born in Ilfracombe and grew up in Berrynarbor. She moved away to take on many new ventures,
returning home some years ago.
Such a lovely, free-spirited friend, daughter,
grand-daughter, soul mate, sister and aunty, she will be greatly missed.
Those
we love don't walk away
They
walk beside us every day.
Unseen,
unheard, but always near,
Still
loved, still missed and very dear.
3
IN MEMORIAM
I was saddened to learn from Patsy that her husband, Alan,
had died, following a long time of illness, on the 2nd October. I am sure that everyone will join me in
sending Patsy, her daughter Lisa and the family, our prayers and thoughts at
this time of sorrow and bereavement.
Ed.
Not many readers will have had a chance to meet my husband,
Alan, even though we moved to the village nine years ago. This was because, following a stroke, he was
unable to walk very far - and not keen on using a wheelchair - we were not,
therefore, able to join in with all the lovely village activities.
I am sad to say that Alan, after a long series of illnesses
stretching back twelve years, lost his fight for life in the
It is now my strong faith in our Lord, which he shared, which
I must rely upon knowing that the Lord has called him home.
Patsy
MARGARET ANDREWS
It was with sadness we learned that Margaret had passed away
suddenly at home on the 9th October.
Margaret and her late husband Graham were actively involved in the life
of our village and our thoughts are with all their family and friends.
Margaret came to Berrynarbor when she married Graham and they
lived for many years at Tree Tops on the
She played a full part in the life of St. Peter's Church,
acting as Secretary to the Parochial Church Council. On her retirement, and ten years ago,
Margaret qualified as a Reader, mainly taking services at St. Peter's and in
Combe Martin.
A keen member of the W.I., Margaret served on the Committee
as well as acting as Vice-President.
She and Graham were dog lovers, enjoying the company of their
King Charles spaniel and Bichon Frise.
In 2002, when Graham's health began to fail, they moved to
Combe Martin to be nearer amenities.
Sadly he died just over three years later.
Bereft, Margaret
suffered a fall from which she never really recovered,
becoming housebound and
devoting her time to her beloved poodle, Tammy, who was with her when she died.
ARLINE LEWIS
Many of you will remember Bernard and Arline Lewis who spent
28 very happy years here in the village at
Earlier this year, Arline moved to a home to be cared for and
nearer her family in
Our thoughts are with their daughters Merilyn and Susan and
grandchildren Daniel, Katie and Charles at this time of sadness.
3
IN MEMORIAM
It
is with regret that we report the passing of Vera on the 22nd July. Our thoughts are with Jill, John and their
families at this time of sadness.
Vera
died at home on July 22nd aged 94 years.
The eldest of the seven children of Fred and Emma Richards, she was
brought up at Barton Farm and attended Berrynarbor Primary School before going
on to the then new Grammar School in Ilfracombe.
On
leaving school, Vera ran the farm milk round for her father in Berrynarbor and
Combe Martin, often assisted by younger brothers Brian, Bob and Claude.
In
1940 she married Jack and moved to Wheel Farm - a true farmer's wife until
Jack's death in 1973. On moving to
Combe Martin, Vera still maintained her strong links with the village,
supporting many events, often with sisters Brenda and Freda, until ill health
and age prevented her.
Vera
is now back in Berrynarbor, reunited with Jack.
John
and I and our families wish to thank everyone for all the cards, messages and
telephone calls we received, we were touched that so many people remembered
her.
Jill
DAISY CARTER
It was with much
sadness we learnt that Daisy had passed away peacefully on the 15th August,
just short of her 96th birthday.
Daisy
came to Berrynarbor with her daughter, Marion, in the summer of 2000 and
attended many of the activities and events held in the village. A football fanatic, she maintained her
interest in the game right to the end.
Our
thoughts are with Marion and all her family at this time of sorrow.
* * *
We
should like to thank everyone who sent cards and letters to us after my mother
Daisy died.
We
are very appreciative of all your kind words and sympathies and should also
like to thank everyone who attended mum's funeral and made such a wonderful
congregation. Marion and Family
REMEMBERING SALLY BARTEN
Mum was born in
April 1940 in Romford in
The
family loved
Mum
was a very competent horse woman and would ride for hours on her horse Heidi,
riding right out to Hunters Inn and exploring the countryside. Her independent streak showing itself early
perhaps?
She
began her nurse training at
In
March 1959 she married Dad at St. Peter's in Berrynarbor. She had three bridesmaids, her cousins Pat
and Janet and her new sister-in-law, Val.
These friendships were some of the most important in her life and they
remain true to this day. She was loyal
and her lifelong friendships are a testament to the wonderful friend she was.
She
postponed her training and settled in
The
family settled in to being shop owners and quickly became part of the
village. In June 1965 Jan was born
upstairs and had the decency to arrive outside opening hours! Mum was to be found two days later back
serving customers. Jan was the last
baby to be born in the village until Mum delivered a little girl, Skye, on the
bathroom floor of Hammonds Farm, in late 1996.
Our
mother had a beautiful voice and in the late '60's she started the Choir at St.
Peter's. On Christmas Eve at the
Midnight Service, she would stand on the top step of the font and sing the solo
first verse of 'Once in Royal David's City' as the choir walked in - beautiful
and moving, a treasured memory.
In
1973 she found herself single handedly raising three
girls and running a business. She
taught us to be independent, self-sufficient and resilient. She ran the shop through the day and worked
behind the bar at The Globe in the evening to make ends meet. They were tough times but she displayed strength
and courage and guided us through the storm.
In
1977 Mum sold the Manor Stores and moved to Berryhome. She rekindled her dream of becoming a nurse
and in 1980 completed her
She
had a wonderful sense of humour and loved to tell amusing stories about her
day. Her observations on life were very
dry and she enjoyed a sense of the ridiculous. One story she told was of a young nurse
just starting out. Mum asked this girl
to collect all the patients' false teeth so that they could be sterilised. She eagerly set about her task and when Mum
asked if she had completed it, she proudly showed her all the false teeth in
one big bowl - it took ages to reunite the right teeth with the right owner!
In
1982 she was diagnosed with non lymphatic Hodgkin's disease, receiving
treatment at
Recovered,
she went back to nursing and her personal experience with illness only enhanced
her skills and she was a calm, empathetic, supportive friend to those who trod
the same path. She enjoyed many more
years doing the work she loved and retired in 1998.
Her
retirement was spent pottering around her lovely garden, making baskets of
colour to hang around the village. She
did tapestry and loved a good book and taught the village Sunday School,
keeping her close connection with the church.
She enjoyed long chats with Philip, her companion of many years. Her extended family grew and she revelled in
the role of Grannie to Molly, Rory, Jane and Fergus
and Godmother to her nine Godchildren.
She loved and cared for her parents and nursed them through their old
age.
She
adored living in Berrynarbor, and in her final days when she was told she was
going back to
Our
mother passed away on the 7th June, surrounded by people she loved and on the
15th June, the village came together to celebrate her life. On the 17th June, a rainy afternoon, the
Fanner girls and her brother laid her to rest, within the length of the church tower,
under a tree, beside the park that she helped to raise funds for when we were
children.
Our
Mum was a kind, gentle woman with a good heart. She was honest, loyal and worked hard her
whole life. She fought many battles and
taught us how to be brave. Her advice
was invaluable and we miss her. We are
so proud that she is our Mum and through our memories we continue to cherish
her presence in our lives.
We
should like to thank you all for all the kindness you have shown us over this
sad time.
Wendy, Rachel and Jan
3
IN MEMORIAM
Look
upward for the sky is not all cloud
Look
forward, think not of the dismal shroud;
No lane
has not a turning, and no road
That
leads not somewhere to a warm abode.
Take
courage, if the day seems rather long
The
cooling dew will fall at evensong.
[From
the Chapel at
SALLY BARTEN
"Nothing is so strong as gentleness
Nothing is so gentle as real strength"
Although
she had not been well for some time, it was still a shock to us all to hear
that Sally had died peacefully on Sunday, 7th June. Everyone was saddened by the passing of a
lovely lady who had given so much to our village, the village she loved.
Her
funeral on the 15th June was a joyous celebration of her life, with the bells
of St. Peter's ringing out a happy peal, the full church decorated with country
flowers and cheerful music and hymns, but there was not a dry eye when at Sally's request,
'Danny Boy', was sung so beautifully by Bobby - a very poignant moment.
One
person to whom Sally meant a lot was Shaun Cooper, and unable to attend her
funeral he wrote:
'Dear Wendy, Rachel, Janet and
Sally's friends,
I
am so sorry not to be with you today to remember and celebrate Sally's
life. You are all in my thoughts and as
Sally often said to me - they can only be positive thoughts!
Whenever
I think of Sally, I see someone who was a genuine 'giver', someone who was
always interested in you, wanted you to enjoy life and was always there when
needed.
I
am sure wherever her spirit is now, it will continue to inspire us to live life
to the full and face challenges head on.
In
1985, Sally mobilised Berrynarbor and its unique community spirit to rally
round to help me to fight, win and recover from a cancer scare.
Before
each chemo treatment, I would always receive a little card from Sally at the
hospital, either in Barnstaple, Exeter or Birmingham - she seemed to know
exactly where I would be - with an inspiring message and most important of all,
a piece of Devon heather. That piece of
heather from her garden, wrapped in aluminium foil, would follow me around the
hospital reassuring me that I had a little luck on my side.
Then
when I returned home to recover from each session, I would pop down to see her
and we would talk, just talk about stuff that I couldn't say to anyone else in
case I should worry them. Sally would
simply listen and offer a perspective that helped me face the next treatment,
operation or problem with a little more courage.
Courage
is a word that isn't used very much today and without unique people like Sally,
there would be even less of it.
Thank
you Sally for your luck and I hope that one day I can pass it on to someone . .
.
Shaun
Like
Shaun, our thoughts are with Sally's family, but especially her three daughters
Wendy, Rachel and Janet and the grandchildren.
3
IN MEMORIAM
WALTER JAMES WHITE
1922-2009
It was with
sadness we learnt that after losing Ivy last November, Walter himself had
passed away peacefully on the 21st April.
The muffled bells of St. Peter's - an honour accorded to royalty, the
clergy and bell ringers - preceded his funeral at St. Peter's on the 30th
April. A much-loved 'Dada' to his
grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he will be sorely missed by them and our
thoughts are with Marlene and all the family at this time of sadness.
Born in
West Down, Walter was the eldest of five children. At an early
age he followed the family tradition and learnt to bell-ring. Ringing alongside his father and other
family members, they were the formidable West Down team which won a great many
competitions. The greatest accolade came
when West Down team was chosen to be part of the
He was
also a keen sportsman and in his younger days enjoyed playing football and
cricket and he had been known to enter the boxing ring at
He learnt
his trade as a bricklayer, and after the war returned to bricklaying, working
on many of the local civic projects such as the
In 1955, he and Ivy were married and he
moved in to Beech Hill, but two years later, the family moved to
He always
enjoyed driving and when he bought a
When Ivy's
health became so poor that she was no longer able to look after him, he moved
reluctantly into Burrow House, but with their kindness and TLC he soon came to
like it there, His brother Fred, and
sister-in-law Margaret, would pick him up and take him out to Wood Park once a
week to have a fish and chips lunch with Ivy, which was lovely for them both.
After
Ivy died, Fred and Margaret would take him to their house at Braunton for fish
and chips, but Walter thought he was doing them a favour by going! He was usually pleased to have visitors, but
would soon let them know if he thought they had stayed too long.
______
To
all friends and family who came to Walter's funeral and donated to the bell
fund, Rector Keith for the service, Mr. Baker for his undertaking services, the
bell-ringers for the muffled peal [he would certainly have appreciated that],
The Globe for the buffet and Burrow House for the care and affection given him,
many thanks to you all.
Marlene
BRIAN HILLIER
For some
time we watched with admiration the cheerful and determined way that Brian, and
Di, coped with his illness and his death has left a gap in our village
community. The sum of money, raised so
far, and given to the North Devon Hospice in Brian's memory has amounted to well
over £650.
We are
still thinking of you Di and all the family.
Brian's
glass was always half full, he always saw the best in everything. Even when diagnosed with terminal illness,
he was determined that it would not beat him down. To the last he managed to drag up some
humour, and there wasn't a lot to smile about at times. He remained patient, good humoured and
independent as long as possible.
He loved
Berrynarbor and as a 'newcomer' liked to be involved in village life. He was very enthusiastic about the shop,
becoming the treasurer, was very keen to see it succeed, and I suppose only the
long suffering me knew just what he put into it! He was like a dog with a bone when it came
to solving problems and if he came over as stubborn it was only because he had
the best interests of everyone at heart.
He always had a strong sense of justice and fair play.
Another of
his projects was the 'Berrynarbor Bikers'.
When he came up with this idea, I thought it hadn't a chance in a place
like this. I was wrong. A group was formed and various rides enjoyed
as well as a couple of Christmas meals.
Few were as enthusiastic as he was, especially when it came to
'breakfast runs'. As far as he was
concerned, it was great to be out on the bike, come rain or shine, or time of
day.
I know
that of all the places anywhere, there is nowhere else he would have chosen to
spend his last years than in this village.
Thank you
so much to all who have been so kind with offers of help, for coming to the
funeral and for all the lovely cards and messages of sympathy - he would have
been overwhelmed. A
special thank you to all our friends and neighbours on
Brian was
a big personality and will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him, even
his 'song of the day'! God bless you
Brian, enjoy riding those heavenly roads.
Di
4
IN MEMORIAM
Lead Thou me on! The night is dark
And I am far from home; lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on; I loved to choose
And see my path; but now lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and , spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!
So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on. O'er moor and fen,
O'er crag and torrent, till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
While I have loved long since and lost awhile!
John Henry Newman [1801-1890]
BRIAN WRIGHT [1925-2009]
As
reported in the February issue, we were all saddened at the sudden death of
Brian. St. Peter's Church was
overflowing with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues, all anxious to say
farewell to a 'true gentleman' [and our Crossword Puzzler]. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with
Sue and the family.
* * *
Born
in Basingstoke, Brian spent his early years in the
Before
starting at teacher training college, Brian had a brief period at the
Prudential Insurance. Most of his
teaching career was spent in
Brian
started playing golf at
The
family and I should like to thank everyone for the numerous cards, 'phone calls
and support during this sad time. The
collection following the funeral was overwhelming and we were able to donate
£500 to St. Peter's Bell Fund and £500 to the Salvation Army.
Sue
JACK ELLIOTT
Jack,
of Goosewell, sadly passed away on Tuesday, 25th January.
A much loved and loving husband,
brother, father and grandfather he will be sorely missed by his wife Joyce, his
sister June and brother-in-law Bill and his children Karen and Steve and the
grandchildren.
Jack
was a keen walker, a member of the Globe skittles team, the 'Seasiders' and a supporter of the Berry Broadcasting
Company, taking part in the early shows at The Globe.
Our
thoughts are with all the family at this time of sorrow.
DAVID BOWES [April 1939 - February 2009]
David
was born and brought up in the
With
the general slowdown within the industry in the 1970's, David changed jobs and
worked for the next 17 years as a computer consultant and lecturer in London,
after which he worked as a freelance computer consultant, travelling all over
the world to such places as Finland and Saudi Arabia.
He
and Carol met by chance through friends and their relationship developed. They married in 1992 and for many years
lived in Highworth, near
After
moving and living in
David
soon became involved within the local community, videoing events such as the
annual BBC Show. He also joined and
became Chairman of the Tarka Radio at the
On the Friday before he died, David
attended the hospital radio where he did his show.
Lisa
loved David dearly as a father, he was always kind and
gentle. He was the love of Carol's life
for thirty years and both Carol and Lisa feel privileged to have known him.
We,
too, in the village feel privileged to have known him and our thoughts are with
Carol and Lisa at this time of sadness.
DERRICK COOK [1933-2009]
Readers
will be very sorry to learn that Derrick, Debbie's father, died suddenly in
February. We send her, and her brother
Steve and his family, our heartfelt sympathy at this time of sorrow and thank
her for, even under such sad circumstances, once again delighting us with a
cover and illustration for our Newsletter.
Derrick
was born and brought up in
In
1989, he and his late wife Margaret, moved with Debbie
and assorted family pets, to Ellis Cottage, Pitt Hill, and it was during their
three years here in the village that both her parents encouraged and supported
Debbie with her involvement with the Newsletter. In 1992, they moved to Heddon
Mill, near Braunton.
Derrick's
pride and joy was his 1/3rd scale Showman's Steam Traction engine that he built
and which he took, with the family, to many shows, including the Devon County
Show and the North Devon Show.
A
modest man of many skills, the reading at his funeral of writing by Charles
Darwin was so fitting:
Whenever
I have found that I have blundered or that my work has been imperfect, and when
I have been contemptuously criticised and even when I have been over praised,
so that I have felt mortified, it has been my greatest comfort to say hundreds
of times to myself that 'I have worked as hard and as well as I could, and no
many can do more than this.'
BETTY DUDLEY -WARD
It
was with sadness that we learnt that Betty passed away peacefully on the 24th
February at The Old Rectory Residential Home in Longhope,
Gloucestershire, and our condolences are sent to her niece Lucille.
Known
affectionately in the village as 'Matron', due to the fact that for many years
she had been in charge of South Lodge, now the Susan Day residential home in
Ilfracombe, Betty was in her late 90's.
She left the village in the summer of 2005 to move nearer her niece and
family.
On leaving, Betty wrote: . . . "I was
in charge of the Susan Day Home in Ilfracombe - a resident post - so on my
retirement I had to make a home somewhere.
As I had friends in the village and there was a bungalow [Halldene, now Croeso] available,
I decided to come to Berrynarbor.
I
have spent many happy years here and I have made many friends. As I have become old - 92 now - I have
appreciated these friends very much.
Everyone has been so kind and helpful to me and I am very sorry to be
leaving the village but feel it is right to go near my family at this time.
Berrynarbor is a lovely village to
live in and look at - Goodbye to you all."
And
we sadly say 'goodbye' to you, Betty.
BRIAN HILLIER
The whole village
learnt with great sadness that after his long, courageous and always cheerful
battle, Brian succumbed and passed away at the North Devon Hospice on the 14th
March.
A
loving and loved husband, father and grandfather, he will be missed so much not
only by his family, but by all villagers who had the privilege to know him.
Our
thoughts have been with him and Di, and continue to be with Di, Geoff and
Sharon and all the family.
3
IN MEMORIAM
LOUISA SAWYER
14.9.1909 - 29.12.2008
I should like to thank everyone who sent me
sympathy cards after the loss of my dear mother in Burrow House, aged 99 years.
Many
in Berrynarbor will remember her as she lived with us in the
She
will be greatly missed by myself and all the family.
Doreen [Harding]
PAMELA ATKINS 1927-2008
Lee Lodge
Pamela was a friend
to everyone. Although she was not able
to get about very well she always had an open door, and friends and neighbours
frequently dropped in for a chat.
She
was poorly over Christmas, and suffered a fall just after, from which she
unfortunately did not recover. The
angels took her on the 30th December.
Her cremation took place at
Pamela
was a lovely lady. She had a wicked
sense of humour and was loved by all.
God bless, Pam.
Walter
Our
thoughts are with Doreen and all her family and everyone at Lee Lodge at this
time of sadness. Those of us who pass
by Lee Lodge, either on foot or in cars, will miss Pam's cheerful wave, from
her chair, well wrapped up, in the garden on sunny days, or her room during the
winter.
5
IN
MEMORIAM
IVY WHITE
19.11.1925 - 30.9.2008
It
was with real sadness that the village learnt that Ivy, one of its longest-term
residents, had died peacefully during the afternoon of the 30th September,
after suffering stoically, but with her usual humour, ill health for many
years.
Ivy,
a loving and much loved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and
great-grandmother, and friend, was a real character - always ready with a
smile, a joke and wonderful tales of village life past. 'Wild and wicked' was how Keith Wyer
described her at her funeral on the 8th October, when the sun shone as she
left, for the last time, the village she so loved.
Our
thoughts are with Walter, Marlene and Gerald [Nipper] and all the family at
this time of sadness.
MARGARET STEWART
16.6.1924 - 5.10.2008
Margaret's stay at
Lee Lodge was brief and it was with sadness that we learnt that she had passed
away peacefully on the 5th October.
Margaret, daughter or the late and much-loved Lorna Grove-Price, was the
beloved wife of the late John Stewart.
Our sympathy and thoughts are with the family, but especially with Lorna
and Michael at this time of sorrow.
Remembering
Dennis Collins
Born
in 1918 in Sutton Coldfield, Dennis was the youngest of six children,
and after leaving school began training as an apprentice with Lucas, preparing
him for the family business of industrial jewellery.
The
war interrupted his training and he joined up at the age of 21 in 1939,
spending the war in various postings both home and abroad - he was involved in
the evacuation of
On
a short leave home, he met his first wife Anne and they were married on a snowy
day in January 1941. After the war he
returned to the family business and he and Anne settled to family life in
Hockley,
On
his retirement, in 1982, Win and Dennis moved to Berrynarbor and both quickly
became a part of the village community - Dennis acting as a church Warden, both
were members of the U3A and the local Gardening Club, and they enjoyed and
supported the many activities and fund-raising events held in the village.
After
living here for 24 years, they moved to Westbury-on-Trym
to be nearer the family.
Always
cheerful and willing to help everyone, Dennis was a family man, never happier
than when he and all the family were together.
Margaret Stewart, nee Grove-Price
My
cousin Margaret died peacefully at Lee Lodge after a long illness. It was fitting that she spent her last days
in her home village.
Michael
and I should like to take this opportunity to thank Ann-Marie and Jan for their
dedicated care during the time she was with them. Our gratitude also goes to the District and
Hospice nurses who attended her.
They're great.
Margaret
and John were very interested in the natural world, spending hours walking and
bird-watching throughout
Margaret's
love of nature was influenced by her early school years at BerryNarbor by Miss
Veale and our Aunt Muriel.
In
1943, at the age of 19, she joined the ATS, finding her shorthand and typing
skills useful for clerical work. In
1945 she was posted to
She
had already met John when he was posted to Woolacombe. They met again in
They
retired to
Copied
from Margaret's autograph book 1934:
There was a Knight of
His trumpeters were sparrows.
His castle was a wooden cross
Where on he hung so high
His helmet was a crown of thorns
Whose crest did touch the sky.
With
best wishes from L.C. Veale
Think of me on the ocean
Think of me on the lake
Think of me on your wedding day
And send me a slice of cake.
G.M.
Keen
Little
Thatch Berrynarbor [now Little Gables]
Christmas Menu 1945
Breakfast: Porridge, Fried Egg and Bacon, Tea, Bread
& Butter, Marmalade
Dinner: Roast
High Tea: Cold Ham, Pickles and Sauce, Russian Salad,
Tea, Bread 7 Butter, Jellies, Christmas Cake, Pastries
'Monty' - 1945
Margaret and John in their
garden at St. Austell in the 1960's
Lorna
Lorna
found the following letter
addressed to me from Margaret in
"Does anyone remember in the
1930's going to school on Ash Wednesday with a piece of ash twig with at least
one black bud? I was one of the
children arriving at school with my piece of ash to avoid being pinched. But after
I wonder if children going to
Phyllis Ivy White
Ivy,
born at Castle Hill, was the second daughter of Fred and Rosie Bray, who worked
a smallholding. In 1927, when she was
only just over a year old, Ivy and her sister Audrey were very ill with
pneumonia; sadly
Audrey died but although she was not expected to live, Ivy made a full
recovery. Some years later, in 1934,
the family was joined by her brother Gerald.
Ivy
always remembered how she nearly burnt the house down! Climbing on a chair to get something off the
mantelpiece, she knocked down the shirt collars airing in front of the
fire. Being cellulose, they quickly
ignited and the fire spread rapidly to the clothes airing on the rack
above. Quick action by Rosie and the
farm boys saved the day!
The
family moved to Beech Hill in 1935, due mainly to Fred's poor health - he
suffered having been gassed in the First World War. He died shortly after in early 1936 at the
age of 41, leaving Rosie to care for Ivy and the young Gerald, as well as her
own elderly mother.
Being
older, Ivy was expected to keep an eye on Gerald but she had other ideas,
particularly when friends called to play, and on one occasion she locked Gerald
in the porch whilst she went out, getting back just in time before her mother
returned from work. She was suitably
chastised and threatened with being shut in the attic if she did it again!
She
was in trouble once more when the latest 'must have' fashion accessory was hair
curling tongs. With no money, Ivy
improvised by heating two knitting needles in the fire, but to say her 'model'
friend ended up with a frizz is an understatement and the singed hair had to be
cut off!
After
leaving school, Ivy worked at
In
1955 she married Walter White and with Marlene and Larry they moved into 2 Wood
Park in 1957. In 1963, Tracey, the
first of her grandchildren was born, followed by Paula, Tina, Kerry and Alex -
she doted on them all.
During
her working life Ivy had a variety of jobs, mainly in catering. Latterly at Coutant Electronics [now Lambda] where she made many
friends with whom she spent happy holidays abroad, and then The Sandy Cove
Hotel. She was reluctant to
retire but a fall resulting in a broken foot when she was over 70 forced her to
admit defeat.
Her
life then revolved around her great-grandchildren and she was sure to tell
anyone who would listen how wonderful they were, especially clever little Vashti and her temper to match her great-grandmother's!
Over
the last ten years, Ivy endured a great deal of pain and several operations,
spending long periods in hospital. Her
final stay was at the
Being
diabetic, Ivy's diet was strictly controlled but a lasting memory will be of her drinking Baileys
through a straw during her last few weeks in hospital!
* * * *
We
should like to thank everyone who gave their help, support and time to Ivy
during her ill health, whether on a friendly or professional level, all who
sent messages of condolence, attended her funeral or donated money in her
memory, Rev. Keith for the service in which he summed her up to a T, Mr. Baker,
the undertaker who conducted the funeral arrangements, and The Globe Inn where
we held the wake.
Thank you all. Marlene
and Family
4
IN MEMORIAM
After I Have Gone
Speak my name softly,
after I have gone.
I loved the quiet things,
the flowers and the dew,
Field mice; birds homing and the frost that shone
On nursery windows when
my years were few:
And autumn mists subduing
hill and plain
and blurring outlines of
those older moods
that follow, after loss
and grief and pain -
And last and best, a
gentle laugh with friends,
All bitterness foregone,
and evening near.
If we be kind and
faithful when day ends,
We shall not meet that
ragged starveling 'fear'
As one by one we take the
unknown way -
And speak my name softly
- there's no more to say -
DENNIS COLLINS
It was
with much sadness that we learnt that Dennis, having suffered a stroke earlier
in the year, had passed away peacefully on the 9th September.
Win and
Dennis left the village two years ago - having lived here in
Our
thoughts are with Win and the family and we send her our love at this very sad
time.
4
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
JOHN PETER JAMES VALLANCE
For those of you in the village who knew
or remember John, it was sad to learn that he had died at the age of 71 on
John lived in Berrynarbor from an early
age with his mother Maude Perrin. He
had lived in Ilfracombe most of his life and spent many happy times there. He was known mainly for his work as a
plumber and builder by trade. John was
a keen football player most of his life, and a follower to the end.
His funeral took place at the North
Devon Crematorium on the 2nd May and the
chapel was filled with his family, many friends and neighbours
from Berrynarbor, Combe Martin and Ilfracombe.
The family would like to thank everyone
for their cards and kind contributions.
Money received in his memory amounted to £530, which was donated between
the Rainbow Family Trust and the Greater World
Church,
Ilfracombe. I should be interested to
hear from anyone with photographs of John and any stories about him that you
may have. I am woking
on the Vallance family history and will be taking it
to
Patricia
It was with
sadness that I learnt from Patricia about John's death - for some time he had
been a contributor to and recipient of
the Newsletter. If anyone can help her in
her quest, please contact me on 883544.
Ed.
4
IN
MEMORIAM
PEGGY GINGELL
Margart Elsie
[Peggy] Gingell [1915-2007] passed away peacefully on the 28th June, shortly
after a stroke at her flat in
ANDREW CARRINGTON
How sad it was to
hear that having just moved in to the bungalow he had built, Andrew passed away
on the 17th May, peacefully and happy in the knowledge that their home was
finished.
His
funeral and burial took place at St. Peter's on the 15th June.
Our
thoughts and condolences are with Iris, his sister Sue and all the family.
REG GOSLING
It
was with sadness the village learnt that Reg had passed away, having been
unwell for some time, on the 10th July.
Many friends and villagers joined the family to say their farewells at
his funeral at St. Peter's on the 16th July - a wonderful service taken by
Keith Wyer. Reg was, of course, our
Organist and Choir Master for many years.
Reg and music are synonymous. His love of music began as a young chorister
at the Chapel Royal,
He
was a composer, not only of church music - he set the Communion Service for St.
Peter's to music - but also orchestral scores.
On one occasion, learning from his publisher Weinberger that he was due
royalties, he was heard to remark that he would then be able to buy Anne a new
hat!
Reg
possibly reached more homes musically than most people, having written the
theme tune for the BBC's Nine O'Clock News which was used for many years. A long term employee of the BBC, when Reg
and Anne moved to Berrynarbor he would commute to
Perhaps
not generally known, Reg was colour blind. This was a useful asset during the war when
he was able to 'look past' camouflage when identifying objects, but it became a
problem when colour television was introduced.
However, with care Reg was able to pull the wool over the BBC's eyes and
they remained unaware of the fact.
A
very generous man, Reg gave so much to so many: his music at weddings, for worship and even
at funerals, made them something special to remember.
He
will be sadly missed by so many and our thoughts are with Anne, their son, and
all the family at this time of sadness.
___
I
should like to thank you all for your kindness and support at this sad time
following Reg's death, but especially Keith for the beautiful service and my
sister who has always been here for me. Anne
3
IN
MEMORIAM
It
is with sadness that we report the deaths of Alec Davies, Win Sanders and
Brenda Walton.
Prayer
in the Gethsemane Chapel,
Keep joy
within, keep bitterness out; WINIFRED MARY SANDERS Win,
late of the Lee House and latterly the Susan Day Home in Ilfracombe, passed
away peacefully on the 22nd April at the age of 87. She will be missed by her family and our
thoughts are with Graham, Sarah and Ben at this time of sorrow. ALEC DAVIES How
sad we were to learn that Alec had passed away on the 6th April and our
thoughts continue to be with Vi, Brian, Ann and all
the family in their loss. REGINALD 'ALEC' DAVIES Leeside Vi and family would like to say thank you to everyone for
their kind messages of sympathy and support following the death of Alec. Alec
was a quiet man who enjoyed nothing more than walking his dogs Charlie, Badger
and Nutty and 'pottering about' at home. Following
a private funeral, £400 was collected at Leeside and this has been donated to
the North Devon Hospice who cared for Alec with compassion and dignity during
his final days. He
will be greatly missed and not forgotten.
A specimen oak tree is being planted at Leeside to celebrate and
remember the life of this quiet and much-loved man. BRENDA K. WALTON 1926-2007 Although
Brenda lived in Combe Martin, her heart was in Berrynarbor where she had spent
happy years at various points of her life.
So it seemed fitting to say our last 'goodbyes' to her here in Berrynarbor
under the kind guidance of Keith. Thank
you to so many who were there. Brenda
never married but she had a very varied and interesting career. After graduating in Zoology at Brenda
took early retirement in order to look after our mother, which she did with
great love and devotion. Once more she
was living in Berrynarbor but then had to battle over nearly 20 years with
cancer and depression. God
bless my dear Sister, who was also a much loved aunt. Jill McCrae Jill,
our thoughts are with you not only in your loss but also for your stay in
hospital - get well soon. Eunice
would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their generous
donations. A cheque for £741 has been
sent to Cancer Research
Keep generosity within, keep greed out;
Keep love within, keep self-seeking out;
Keep light within, keep darkness out.
3
IN MEMORIAM
It
is with sadness we report the death of Bernard Allen and three past residents
of the village, Joan Smelt, George Ferguson and Bernard Lewis.
JOAN SMELT
Joan,
and her husband George, lived at June Cottage,
Sadly,
following a stroke last summer, from which she never fully recovered, Joan died
peacefully just before Christmas at the age of 86.
We
extend sympathy to Jean and all the family in their loss.
GEORGE
Having
visited the village last November, attending the Armistice Service at St.
Peter's and writing in the December Newsletter, it was a shock and with much
sadness that we heard George had died on the
7th February. His funeral at the Parish Church of St.
Thomas at Lymington, was attended by his good friends
Keith and Margaret Walls.
We
send our sincere sympathy to Jean, Sally, Ian and all the family.
___
George
was born in
After
the War, he decided to remain in the armed services until 1970, when he retired
as a Major. During these years he met
and married Jean, and they had two children, Sally and Ian.
In
1971, George and Jean came to Berrynarbor and purchased Middle Lee Farm and
within twelve months, had turned certain of the outbuildings into self-catering
holiday accommodation. He also ran the
small farm keeping sheep, chickens, pigs and two donkeys.
They
very quickly fitted into village life and George became a member of the Men's
Institute, he served as a Parish Councillor and was an enthusiastic member of the local
Conservative Party. He was also a
member of the Ilfracombe Freemasons' Lodge.
In
1982, George decided to retire so Middle Lee Farm was sold and he and Jean
bought a house at Pennington, Hampshire.
Now, with more time, George started to play golf more often, and he also
became a computer fanatic. Between his
hobbies, he and Jean had numerous holidays, often travelling to
George
was last in Berrynarbor in November 2006 when he attended the Armistice Day
Service at St. Peter's.
Keith
Life Unbroken
Death is
nothing at all.
I have
only slipped away into the next
room.
I am I
and you are you.
Whatever
we were to each other,
that we
are still . . .
Why
should I be out of mind
because
I am out of sight?
I am
waiting for you for an interval.
Somewhere
very near, just
around
the corner.
All is
well.
Henry
Scott Holland [18347-1918]
Canon of
BERNARD ALLEN
The
village was deeply saddened to learn that Bernard had lost the battle he had so
bravely and cheerfully fought and passed away on the 12th February aged 81
years.
St.
Peter's, beautifully decorated with yellow and white flowers, was full for his
funeral on the 21st, and the sun shone as he finally left the village, his home
for some thirty years.
A
beloved husband, dad and granddad he will be sorely missed and our thoughts are
with Eunice, Val and Jeff and his five grandchildren at this difficult time.
___
I
should like to thank all my friends and neighbours for the wonderful support
and sympathy they showed me during the time both before and after Bernard's
death in February. The tributes to him
and the large number of cards and flowers which were sent, were a great comfort
to me and my two children, Val and Jeff, and my five wonderful grandchildren.
Eunice -
Bernard
Allen
[with
thanks to John Gale and John Saffin]
Bernard
and Eunice have known one another from the time she was in her pushchair! Their parents were friends and they grew up
together through the school years. They
lived in Maidenhead and were married in 1951 where they brought up their two
children, Val and Jeff.
During
the War, Bernard became a Bevan Boy, later completing his engineering
apprenticeship, gaining qualifications, and over the years his engineering
skills secured him various posts until in 1978 he joined Selkirk in
An
articulate, positive man with very high standards, Bernard was a perfectionist
in all he undertook - from mending things in and around the house to his
wonderful hillside garden. Over the last
years, he was a stalwart of the North Coast U3A, giving generously of his time
to various groups, especially history and local history, and acting as an
outstanding Membership Secretary.
In
his eulogy at Bernard's funeral and we couldn't agree more with him. John
said: 'For the last five years I'm sure
we have all been impressed by Bernard's bravery and strength of will to
overcome the effects of his cancer. He
could so easily have given up and turned inwards. Speaking was difficult but he continued to
speak publicly and to ignore his difficulties;
asked for and expected no special consideration, he just wanted to be
treated normally. Only Eunice will
know how much it cost him to persevere.
I have always admired Bernard, never more so than in these last years,
moths, weeks and final days!
BERNARD LEWIS
It
is with sadness that I am writing to tell you that my beloved husband Bernard
passed quietly away in his sleep on Tuesday, 6th March, in his 96th year. A few days before that, he had a fall
resulting in a fractured hip and although he survived the operation, other
medical problems arose which he was unable to fight, due no doubt to his
advanced age.
However,
he had a very good life, especially the 28 years at Berrynarbor.
We
shall be having a private family humanist funeral at Yeovil Crematorium on
Friday, 16th March.
Arline
Arline, we are deeply sorry to hear your news and send you
our love and thoughts at this time of sadness.
REMEMBERING GORDON
One
of ten children, Gordon was born at Berrydown in June 1920 and spent all his working life in
Berrynarbor. He married Vera Dummett, one of eleven children, in 1940 at Berrynarbor
church and lived at 6 Croft Lea with Vera's sister Doreen, her husband Fred
Spear and mother-in-law Louisa Dummett. Gordon was then working as a farm labourer
at Sloley Farm for Lester Bowden and the next five years saw the arrival of
Gordon and Vera's first three children - Derek, Joan and Bernard - all born at
No. 6. As the house became more and
more crowded with only three bedrooms, and no bathroom, Gordon decided it was
time to move! So he bought the cottage
at 18 Hagginton Hill for the sum of £500.
There was no inside toilet until the mid to late 1960's when the main
sewers came down the hill. The family
lived there happily for another five years and then another three children were
born - Christine, Pamela and Patsy. The baby, Patsy, was just eleven months old
when Vera tragically died of cancer, aged 39, in 1957, leaving Gordon alone
with the six children. His
sisters-in-law helped and Joan was given special dispensation to leave school
at the tender age of 14 to bring up the three young children.
During the time the family lived at
Hagginton Hill, Gordon did many different jobs to earn a living: working on several farms, and before the
arrival of myxomatosis, he caught rabbits using gin
traps [later banned]. He caught
hundreds of rabbits a week, supplying local butchers and sending many to
When
he finally retired and all the children had left home, the house and garden
became too much for him and so No. 18 was sold. He was sad to leave the village and all its
fond memories, where he had spent his life and had so many friends. He moved to a small bungalow in Ilfracombe where
he met Grace, who became his partner for the next 17 years until his death.
Gordon
sadly died in November 2006 and leaves his partner Grace and his 6 children and
their families, which include 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. He was much loved, much admired and will be
greatly missed by all his family and friends.
Derek and Cyndy
It
was not without sadness and nostalgia that I read in the February Newsletter
that Gordon Newton had died.
As
a family, we lived next door to Gordon and his family - Mrs. D. Miller, my
grandmother, lived in Sunrise Cottage and my mother, Mrs. Heather Zapletal, my brother Rod and myself lived in the bungalow
up the garden.
Most
fine days we would see Gordon working his garden and very often veg. or fruit would be handed over the hedge for us. I remember my grandmother saying that Gordon
had helped her with the odd jobs she was unable to do.
I
remember the excitement at lambing time and occasionally Gordon would take me
up to the field behind us to see his lambs and bottle feed some of them. My
first introduction to clotted cream on jam and bread came from sometimes having
tea in his house.
Those
wonderful childhood memories have always stayed with me. My
sympathy and best wishes go to all his family at this sad time.
Litzi
3
IN
MEMORIAM
Music,
when soft voices die,
Vibrates
in the memory;
Odours,
when sweet violets sicken,
Live
within the sense they quicken.
Rose
leaves, when the rose is dead,
Are
heap'd for the beloved's bed;
And so
thy thoughts, when thou are gone,
Love
itself shall slumber on.
Percy Bysshe Shelley
William GORDON
For
those of us in the village who knew or remember Gordon, it was sad to learn
that he had died at the age of 86, on the 19th November. A much
loved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he will be sadly missed by all
his family.
Our
thoughts are with his partner Grace, his two sons Derek and Bernard and their
families, and his four daughters Joan, Christine, Pam and Patsy and their
families.
His
funeral took place at St. Peter's on the 27th November and the church was
filled with his family and many friends and neighbours from Berrynarbor, Combe
Martin and Ilfracombe.
* * *
The
family would like to thank everyone for their cards and kind messages of
sympathy, and all those who came to say 'goodbye'. Donations in his memory amounted to over
£500, to be shared between the North Devon Hospice Care Trust and Cancer
Research
ALF BULLED
We
learnt with sadness that Alf had passed away on the 12th December and our
thoughts are with his sons Charlie and Martin.
It
is with regret that we have to report the death of Alfred Bulled, aged 69, on
the 12th December. Alf had lived in
Money
received in his memory amounted to nearly £500, which was donated to the North
Devon Hospice.
5
IN
MEMORIAM
or you can smile because he has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back,
or open your eyes and see all he's left.
Your heart is empty because you can't see him,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him and only that he's gone,
or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back,
or you can do what he'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Anon.
MISHEL MILADIN PESIC
My
darling Mish passed away after a short illness,
peacefully at home during the evening of the 26th October. His funeral, a beautiful, private family
humanist service, followed by a celebratory lunch in his honour, took place on
Thursday, 2nd November.
I
should like to thank all friends and neighbours for their messages of sympathy
and kindness at this sad time of bereavement.
Mavis
It
was with much sadness we learnt of Mish's death and
we send our condolences to Mavis, to his daughters and son, Daniela, Joan and
John, and Mavis's son Clive.
Mish was born in Yugoslavia in 1921 and as a young man in
the 1930's played international football as a member of his country's Under 23
squad. Mish
came to this country in 1948, after the War in which he found himself a
prisoner of war, and it was 45 years before he was reunited with his mother.
Mish, an engineer by trade, and Mavis moved to Berrynarbor
from Bideford over thirteen years ago, having come to the South West from
Shropshire in 1976.
Apart
from his family, the loves of his life were bridge and sport. He had played or taken part in virtually
every sport and even had a go at banger racing! Latterly he had enjoyed all sport on
television, especially horse racing.
But bridge was perhaps his favourite pastime and in the 1980's he was a Local Master, Club
Master and County Master of the English Bridge Union. He loved gardens but was quite happy to
leave the gardening to Mavis, and enjoyed sitting in the sun in the garden
watching her work!
Our
thoughts are with Mavis and all his family at this time of sadness.
JOHN JAMES STEWART 26.6.1918 TO 9.11.2006
John
had a long association with Berrynarbor, being the husband of our cousin
Margaret, daughter of the late Lorna Grove-Price. We shall remember him as a modest, quiet,
upstanding gentleman with wide interests and a nice sense of humour.
As
it is the time of year for remembering our Service Personnel, past and present,
we've written this little tribute to John, although he rarely spoke of his
military career.
John
was born in Northern Ireland where, aged 16, he joined the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles as
a boy soldier in the Military Band.
Here he learned to play the clarinet.
He served in Egypt, Hong Kong and Shanghai, protecting British interests
during Japan's incursion into China. He
went on to India and served on the North West Frontier. As a full rank NCO, he landed by glider in
Normandy on D-Day with the Sixth Airborne Division. He was a keen sportsman and a fine shot,
winning many trophies in this sport.
After
the War he joined the Civil Service and was on the administrative staff of the
Victoria and Albert Museum in London, continuing his career in Barnstaple and
St. Austell until retiring back to Barnstaple six years ago.
Lorna Bowden - for Margaret Stewart
We
are thinking of Margaret and all the family and thank Lorna for her tribute.
PHYLLIS [PHYL] DUMMETT
For
those of us who were privileged to know her, it was with real sadness we learnt
that Phyl had died suddenly but peacefully on the 7th
November. Her funeral took place at St.
Peter's on the 16th November.
Although
for some time she had lived in Ilfracombe, Berrynarbor was always a second
'home' to Phyl.
She was born in Wales but in her early years spent long spells here, at
Cockhill, the family home of her grandparents, attending the primary school, a
classmate of Ron Toms. The family later
moved to Chambercombe and Phyl worked at the
Chambercombe Laundry.
She
met her husband, Lionel Dummett - one of the Dummett brothers - whilst visiting her sister Ivy
[Richards] and her husband Ivor and they were married
in 1942. Their first move to
Berrynarbor was to Rockville [now Budicombe House]
and later, in the early 50's, to Tower Cottage.
Unfortunately,
Phyl suffered very badly from arthritis from an early
age and this was one reason for moving to Ilfracombe. However, she did not let it stop her making
the most of life. A gentle but very
determined lady, with a ready smile for everybody, she never ever complained.
She
will be missed by her many relatives and friends and our thoughts are
particularly with her daughter Maureen and her husband Eddie, her three
grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren and her sister Ivy.
OLIVE KENT
It
was sad to learn that Olive had passed away at Park View on the 13th November,
at the grand age of 94, and our thoughts are with all her family and friends at
this time of sorrow.
Although
born in Devon, Olive [nee Pugsley] grew up in Croydon in Surrey where she met and married James Kent in
1944. Before his retirement in 1960,
they undertook an epic cycle ride to Devon to seek a quiet place to live. Proud of her Devonshire ancestry, Olive fell
in love
with the little cottage up on the
hill - Woodlands Cottage - that became her home for over 40 years.
To
many, it seems that Olive has always been a part of Berrynarbor and we remember
her with great affection and visualise her walking to the village, stick in
hand, in welly boots, accompanied by her dogs, either
Panda or Pickles.
I
was saddened to hear of the death of Olive Kent but reminded myself I was to be
considered fortunate that she came into my life or, to be more precise, I was
thrust into hers.
Some
time in 2001, as a care worker, I was asked to make a home visit to a client in
Berry who was in need of some help.
Eventually, I found myself walking up a primrose clad lane to be met by
a beaming lady with cats at her ankles.
This was to be the first of many looked-forward to visits to the
delightful Olive, who was always full of greetings, happiness and extraordinary
generosity, whether offering a cup of tea or her last piece of cake. Her beloved cats, both house and semi-feral,
were similarly spoiled - how she loved them!
Our
conversations were always lively and stimulating. As her carer, Olive paid me one of my most
cherished compliments, calling me "one of the jewels in her
crown." I thought that was just so
lovely. May she rest in peace.
Judith M
3
IN MEMORIAM
Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone.
Nor when I'm gone speak in a Sunday voice,
But be the usual selves that I have known.
Weep if you must, parting is hell,
But life goes on, so sing as well.
Joyce Grenfell [1910-1979]
DAVE YEO
Longer term residents of the village learnt
with much sadness of the sudden death of Dave Yeo on the 20th May 2006.
Dave
will be remembered by people both here in Berrynarbor and Ilfracombe and Combe
Martin as their cheerful coach driver, and Ilfracombe Parish Church was filled
by so many people wishing to bid him farewell.
Dave,
a Combe Martin lad, came to Berrynarbor when he married his first wife,
Marlene, living here for several years with their two daughters, Tracey and
Paula at Riversdale Cottage. A
mechanic by trade, he started coach driving first with Blue Coaches, continuing
when they were taken over by Loverings and latterly with Filers. 'Tacker' as he was
nick-named, was a bell ringer, here at St.
Peter's and also in Ilfracombe and Combe Martin; he loved playing skittles, was a proficient bowler and enjoyed
driving the bowling clubs to their matches and the gardening clubs on their
outings. Renowned for losing his way,
he was even known to drive three times round Mullacott roundabout!
Our
thoughts and sympathy are with all his family, especially Marlene, Tracey and
Jason, Paula and Stuart and 'Mother' Ivy and Walter. Dave will be sadly missed
by them all, and he will be missed by his grandchildren Dylan, Vashti, Devon
and Scarlett and Tilly and Finn.
KEN RICHARDS
The
Village, as one, was shocked and saddened by Ken's sudden and untimely death on
the 2nd June. He will be sorely missed
by his family and many friends and our thoughts are with Sandra, Neil and Jayne
at this time of sorrow.
* * *
Sandra,
Neil and Jayne would like to thank everyone for their cards, letters, flowers,
visits and telephone calls following Ken's sudden and unexpected death. Also, thanks to everyone who came to his
funeral, it was a great comfort to us to see the church so full.
We
received donations in his memory amounting to £835.00, which we have taken to
The Children's Hospice. Ken was a
wonderful husband, dad and granddad, who had so much pleasure from his
grandchildren.
He
lived and worked all his life on the farm and lived life to the full. We all miss him so much.
* * *
Kenny
has left a big hole to fill. Not only
in the hearts of all who loved him, but in the lives of most of the
villagers. The Carnival Gang will miss
his jokes, his enthusiasm and his absolute dedication to the idea of carnival -
not only having fun but raising money for charity at the same time.
The
Carnival will go on - as it has for the past sixteen years - but he [and Jimmy]
will be very much in all our thoughts as we 'sail' through the carnivals this
year.
Phil and Lynne
ALF TURNER
It
is with regret that we have to report the death, suddenly but peacefully, of
Alf Turner of Watermouth on the 23rd June and our thoughts are with Betty at
this time of sadness.
Alf
and Betty first visited the area when friends moved here in 1974, and they
themselves moved here from London ten years later, in 1984.
Although Betty took holidays away, Alf
didn't. He said that living here was
one long holiday. His world, with
which he was very contented, was Watermouth and Sandy Cove. Always a 'hit' with the holidaymakers, he
was like the Pied Piper, collecting children who enjoyed being with him.
Animal
lovers both, Bet and Alf became foster parents to a female jackdaw. Readers as far back as April 1999 may
remember the story about Tootsie. Her
arrival is reproduced here so that newer readers [and those who have forgotten
it!] can enjoy the antics of this amusing bird:
TOOTSIE
Our friends, Inge and Tom, brought Tootsie to us late one night in early
June 1990. She had been trapped down
a chimney for nearly a week and was full of soot. We quickly found our bird cage and Alf set to work on cleaning
her up. Poor little thing was so full
of soot she couldn't keep food or drink down and we were afraid she wouldn't
last the night.
However, next morning found her quite perky. She stayed in her cage for a few weeks, then took to wandering
around, indeed taking over the whole household. The dogs weren't too keen on
her at first, but soon accepted her as one of the family. We always have the kitchen window open, so
she started flying around in the garden and meeting the ducks and other wild birds. We put a green ring on her so we could pick
her out amongst the other jackdaws.
She always appeared at mealtimes and various intervals, and slept in the
cage at night, with the door open of course.
The first night she stayed out all night, we were worried sick - it was
a dreadful night, raining hard and very windy. She turned up the next morning, wet and bedraggled, but she must
have enjoyed it because she's stayed out every night since, although she's at
home all day to torment and amuse us!
She was a great hit last summer with the holidaymakers at the Castle -
they couldn't believe how friendly she was.
She loved sharing their lunches and picnics. A couple of loud claps and she'd appear from nowhere on to Alf's
shoulder. She's always around when I'm
cooking and gets to taste and pinch anything that's going. She loves onions - raw or cooked - and
eats anything from mustard to ice creams.
She sits on the tap and makes noises until we turn the tap on for her to
have a drink. She enjoyed Christmas,
with her own Christmas pudding and presents, along with our other pets. The cold weather doesn't seem to worry her
much as she can fly in and have a good feed, then settle on Alf for a
sleep. She doesn't bring her friends
in, but I've a suspicion she takes food out for them though!!
Bet and Alf
Tootsie sadly died
in 2000, having lived to the ripe old age of 111/2 years.
4
LEWIS SMITH
[1916-1989]
Lewis Smith was born on the 9th October, 1916 at Berry Mills [now known as Mill Park Camping Site - see picture], where his parents, Ernest and Edith Smith moved in 1904 when they were married. His father came from Braunton, but his mother was a Berrynarbor lass, and from the day they moved in, they used the large water mill to grind corn for local farmers and also sold corn and meal. The mill wheel was fed with water brought via a mill leat taken off the stream some distance beyond North Lee Farm, where his grandfather lived.
Lewis had an older brother, Park and a sister, Evelyn, and in October 1919 they all moved to the larger West Hagginton Farm. Lewis began to attend the village school when he was only six, but the long walk was too great for his then frail frame, so he left, restarting two years later.
At the age of twelve, he left the village school and spent the next four years at Braunton's Chaloner's School, boarding there from Sunday evening until Friday, when after school he would travel to West Hagginton Farm for the weekend at home. Leaving Chaloner's school in 1932, he worked with his father and brother at West Hagginton Farm until they sold up and moved back into the village in 1938.
On his 21st birthday, Lewis went up to Glasgow to visit Miss Ansley Sinden, his first sweetheart whom he had met several years earlier when she moved with her family to the new coastguard houses between Ilfracombe and Berrynarbor. He helped his father and the Combe Martin builder, Squires, knock down the old cottage they had bought and then to build their new house. He must have shown good promise as a builder, as he remained working for Squires of Combe Martin for the next twenty plus years, including the war years.
He met his wife, Vida, shortly after moving back into the village, when she was living in Berry Mills with her mother and step-father and their wedding took place at the Christian Brethren Assembly Hall, the High Street, Ilfracombe. Sadly, the marriage was not blessed with children. They lived together in Lee View right up until Vida's death in 1982. A few years later, finding Lee View too large, he sold up and after a brief stay at The Lodge, moved into Forge Cottage, just three doors up the road.
Lewis had taken an ever-increasing interest in St. Peter's Church and joined Len Bowden as a Church Warden around 1965, a position he retained until his death on Friday, 2nd June, 1989. He had been an active participant in the recent changes of the South Transept and its conversion into a Lady Chapel.
A note of particular sadness for him was that sometime after becoming a widower, he had found out that Ansley's husband had recently died and he wrote to her at Christmas inviting her down to visit him. Such is fate that just after Christmas he received a note from Ansley's sister-in-law to say that Ansley had had a stroke just before Christmas which had resulted in her death.
At mid-day on the bright and sunny Saturday, 10th June, the Church was almost filled to overflowing in honour of and respect for Lewis Smith.
Berrynarbor School c. 1924
|
1. Jack Hockridge 2. Gladys Seldon 3. Alfie Nicholls 4. Annie Coates 5. Lilly Huxtable 6. Phyllis Burgess 7.Les Irwin 8. Ivy Dinnecombe |
9. Vera Dummett 10. Honor Irwin 11. Frank Huxtable 12. George Irwin 13. Lewis Smith 14. Edie Adams 15. Mrs. Earl
|
Note: For any inaccuracies in this Obituary, I offer my sincere apologies and would welcome any further information.
Tom Bartlett, Tower Cottage. July 1989
21