December 2018—Vol 33 No 12
FOCUS IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT www.focusonilfracombe.co.uk
Ilfracombe Living Letters PEACE photo taken on 10th November 2018, a re-enactment of the same photo taken on Capstone Hill on Peace Day in 1919 to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of WW1. Hosted by Events 4 Ilfracombe. Photo taken by Tim Lamerton Photography www.timlamerton-photography.co.uk available at Ilfracombe Tourist Information Centre 01271 863001.
This is Kingsley Printer’s last edition of Focus. The shop is closing down and no longer to be a printers. Partners Dave Lane and Peter Marnell are retiring! Kingsley Print started as Thrift Printing (Markwick family) in the Old Chapel Chambercombe (above the Thatch pub), then moved to the Bonas Tapes maintenance cabin at the rear of Bicclescombe Park. Dave and Pete took over in around 1976 with Duncan Laramy as the Manager. It wasn’t long before they outgrew the space so purchased the Old Blacksmiths in Friendship Lane and eventually purchased the basement and shop of 52 High Street. The shop has a lot of history but that’s another story. All the staff were apprenticed at North Devon Printing Works, 5 Oxford Grove and Cow Lane. There have been many other Printers in Ilfracombe over the years including Charlie Disney the Royal Press and the Chronicle Press in Northfield Road which closed in 1966 and published the Ilfracombe Chronicle and the Street directories. The largest printing works in Ilfracombe is AH Stockwell on the Torrs which is still trading but predominantly as a book publisher. Many thanks from Dave and Pete to our customers over the many years for your business and friendship and every best wish to Steve Nuth and Ruth Knowles who will have their first edition of Love Ilfracombe Focus available free to all readers in January 2019 www.loveilfracombe.co.uk
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year ILFRACOMBE AND ALL!
ILFRACOMBE MUSEUM
Open 10am-1pm Tuesday to Friday. Christmas closing Friday 21st December until 2nd January 2019 This month’s photo shows a part of Ilfracombe now lost- the Arcade - and in particular the shops of Twiss and Sons at numbers 12 and 13. The photo is in fact one half of a stereograph card from our collection. Some cards are marked ‘Twiss and Sons’, and a visiting collector asked me for more information about this business. Some digging into our archives produced some surprising facts about this family firm. The Twiss family arrived in Ilfracombe from their home city of Cambridge shortly after 1880, and the 1881 census finds the business established at 38 High St with Mrs Mary Twiss and her seven children. But Mr Twiss is absent. Mary is listed as a bookseller-stationer, assisted by her 3 older children. It’s natural to assume that a Victorian woman of this era was simply carrying on her husband’s trade. But what is intriguing is that Henry Twiss had died in 1880 and had been a well-to –do grocer in Cambridge. There’s no hint of anyone in the family either having Ilfracombe connections or working as stationers. The reason Mary Twiss moved her large family to a different part of the country and started a new venture in Ilfracombe remains a mystery, but you have to admire her courage! In the 1883 town directory we find Mrs Twiss having expanded her business to include a ‘fancy repository’ on the Promenade – a prime location for catching the thousands of holidaymakers arriving here by paddle steamer and train. Mary is also listed as a dealer in photographs, which explains the stereoscope cards. In the 1890s the business expanded, with a move to 9 High Street and premises in the Arcade Bazaar. The appetite at this time for printed postcards, photographic souvenir booklets and town guides must have seemed bottomless. In 1896 however, Twiss and Sons suffered the first of several setbacks. The ‘Great Fire’ of Ilfracombe, which started at the top of Fore St on the 29th July, spread to the Arcade and destroyed dozens of properties, including five owned by the Twiss family. However the business showed remarkable resilience, to the point that within days it had printed a souvenir guide to the fire from its High Street premises! A further setback affected the business a few years later. Like the Great Fire, it was a situation outside the control of the Twiss family, but had a severe effect on their fortunes. In 1915 we find that Twiss and Sons were being forced into bankruptcy by their creditors. This apparently sudden decline reveals the serious challenges even established firms faced during the First World War, for at the bankruptcy court it was agreed that the war was to blame for the failure of Twiss and Sons. Their business relied entirely on the tourist trade, and to make things worse they were struggling to make their recent purchase, the Atlantic Hotel, profitable. What had seemed such a reliable source of income – the holidaymaker, vanished virtually overnight by the end of 1914; in particular the requisitioning of the paddle-steamers for war work was like a hammer-blow to Ilfracombe’s economy. The Twiss family also had two men serving during the war, Mary’s son Walter, a reservist, and his nephew Frederick who fought on the Western Front. Fortunately the war didn’t take their lives. And the Twiss family business carried on in reduced form, probably by selling some of their property to pay off debts. In 1927 Twiss stationers were still listed amongst the Arcade shops, but by 1934 the Twiss stationers have disappeared entirely, and a new family firm, Vince’s stationers, appears on the High Street.
WITH SEASONS GREETINGS FROM ALL AT ILFRACOMBE MUSEUM Sara Hodson, Museum Manager Wilder Road, Runnymede Gardens, Ilfracombe EX34 8AF 01271 863541
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Focus is available from the beginning of the month and can be obtained FREE from Kingsley Printers and many shops and outlets in Ilfracombe, West Down, Woolacombe, Berrynarbor and Combe Martin.
email kingsleyprinters@xlninternet.co.uk Kingsley Printers, 52 High Street, Ilfracombe EX34 8LU 01271 863131 Editor: Dave Lane Proof Reader: Don Lawson Content and Distribution: Erica Castle 07984 282 442/ericacastle25@gmail.com
Light Up a Life this Christmas Light a candle in memory of your loved ones at our special services that take place across North Devon, including in your own community. These services are open to everyone and you will receive a warm welcome. Please be aware that you do not have to have been supported by either hospice to attend a service. Please visit our websites www.northdevonhospice.org.uk and https://www.chsw.org.uk for details of all services. Your local services are being held at St Philip and St James, Ilfracombe Sunday 2 nd December 6.30pm St Sabinus, Woolacombe Thursday 6th December 6.00pm Please note that there is no service this year at St Matthew’s, Lee. Light Up a Life offers us all the opportunity to honour the memory of loved ones, together with many others who are doing the same thing. It helps us realise we are not alone in missing someone special at this time of year. If you cannot attend a Light Up a Life service but would still like to be part of this season of remembrance, you can take part in the Light Up a Life appeal by giving us the name of your loved one when making a donation online at www.northdevonhospice.org.uk. or when phoning the Light Up A Life team on 01271 347232 with your donation. Your loved one’s name will be written on a star which will hang on our special Light Up A Life Christmas tree and also entered into our special Light Up a Life books of remembrance which will be displayed at our Light Up a Life services across North Devon. To donate to Children’s Hospice South West, please visit www.chsw.org.uk or call 01271 325270. Your loved one’s name will be written in our Light Up a Life Book of Remembrance, which can be viewed at our Little Bridge House Hospice and will be displayed at our Light Up a Life services across North Devon. By making a donation to North Devon Hospice or Children’s Hospice South West in memory of your loved ones, you will be helping to make a difference to those who need our care both today and into the future.
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE EVENTS 4 ILFRACOMBE Well it was a long time coming -100 years to be precise, but Ilfracombe’s 100 year anniversary event to mark the end of the First World War ‘World War One Celebrate & Commemorate’ was a huge success. The day started with a Living Letter photo on Capstone Hill. There is a whole archive of these photos at Ilfracombe Museum and they are pretty unique. We recreated the Peace Day photo to mark the 100 year anniversary. Photographer Tim Lamerton was at The Harcourt Hotel on Fore Street, the marshals were waiting and all we needed were people to make it happen. Rain all the previous night and that morning made conditions somewhat treacherous and out of towners on the run up were sceptical about the turnout but we knew you would come. At midday there was a trickle, at 12.15 a flood and you just kept coming, even the BBC were there. Then the sun came out! Hundreds of you turned out to make history once again and who knows how many people will be looking at your photo in 100 years time. Digital copies of the photo have been on Facebook already and printed copies will be put up around the town with prints available at the Tourist Information Centre. The original will become part of the archive. From there the action moved into the Landmark and despite having gallons of soup the soup kitchen ran out in less than 2 hours. Make the Move had to order in emergency craft supplies to cope with all of the children wanting to make lanterns and paint pebbles and it was standing room only for ‘Lest We Forget’, an afternoon of songs and words from The Great War presented by Small Pond Productions and La La Voices Community Choir. Finally to the evening and the much awaited technological marvel that was ‘Ilfracombe Remembers’. Chris Horrell and his crew of technicians created a sound and visual sensation that was both awe inspiring and thought provoking. A 40+ foot high projection onto the side of the Landmark Tower, never been seen before. Be glad if you were there because this was a one off phenomenal event and a fitting final tribute to the volunteers and people of Ilfracombe during the First World War. At the final count it took over 200 people and groups and several thousand pounds in grants to make this event happen. You know who you are and thank you. However a word has to be said about Sue Garwood. Sue was known to many of you in the town and was a force to be reckoned with when it came to her beloved Museum. She was the inventor of the incredibly well received event that was ‘Dead Famous in Ilfracombe’ and was also the instigator of this event with Ilfracombe Town Crier Roy Goodwin. Without Sue we would never have got started. Because of her we finished. Sadly Sue passed away very suddenly early this summer and has left a gap both professional and personal. She will be missed. Therefore our 100 year anniversary event whilst commemorating the volunteers and people of Ilfracombe was also put on in Sue’s honour. Combe Christmas was over the weekend of 23rd to 25th November. The team did a fabulous job with Lighting of the Lights on the High Street on Friday and a whole weekend of Combe Christmassyness following that. A huge marquee, arts and crafts, a Christmas market, stalls, food and all. So what else? A small elf has whispered that there will be a new ‘Dead Famous’ next year!! Watch this space… More information on Ilfracombe events will be announced on an ongoing basis on www.facebook.com/ events4ilfracombe and you can also find event information on www.visitilfracombe.co.uk (go to what’s on then events) or call in to the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in the Landmark. You can call the TIC on 01271 863001. You can contact Events 4 Ilfracombe on events4ilfracombe@gmail.com
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE
questionnaire for me before attending.
Do you want to move with less aches and pains or reduce the discomfort of a stiff back?
Here I am also going to attempt to remove the unknown. My classes last for a maximum of 1 hour although there is a gentler class for those who have spinal/neural conditions which is 45 minutes. You will find men, women, young and not so young, the inflexible, every shape and size in a class. Pilates certainly isn’t just for the super fit, although it will help them achieve their personal bests at their chosen activity.
We start with a standing warm-up, then we move down onto the mat, Have you heard of Pilates? You laying on our backs, sides and may have been told to try Pilates fronts. Pilates focuses on your before or told you need it. breath, just breathing in and out Is it something you have thought my students say that it takes just about but not yet investigated? enough concentration to stop them thinking about their daily tasks. We Sometimes the fear of the unknown move, lengthen and stretch through is what stops us helping ourselves. I the whole body, sometimes with a want to remove any excuses so that band or small ball to assist us. The you can try Pilates and see if its as key is that you work to your own good as everyone says. Therefore, pace, listening to your own I offer you a free taster class. All body. Slowly you will see that you you have to do is fill out a are more stable or stronger in an
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exercise as you start to progress. The results are more flexibility, better spinal alignment, better balance - to name a few. Students tell me that they have reduced or given up their regular visit to the chiropractor, physiotherapist and the Bowen therapist as Pilates provides the maintenance they need. Some students report better sleep, feeling lighter, more relaxed and free from a particular ache. Some report better scores at golf as they have more powerful swings now! One thing is for sure, you will become more aware of your body, how you stand, sit, walk. This will help you to reduce the chance of injury. Whatever your personal goal, let’s see how Pilates can get you there. Email bev@positivepilates.co.uk to find out more or pop in for a chat at 53 High Street - Positive Pilates. 07917 762227 www.positivepilates.co.uk
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ADVERTISERS News from the Exmoor Pony Centre, Ashwick, Dulverton TA22 9QE Tel 01398 323093
WHAT’S ON AT ILFRACOMBE LIBRARY?
The Pony Centre is closed for the winter but the work of the Charity goes on; albeit with a different focus. Attention now is concentrated on essential maintenance work and preparing for the new foals from the autumn gatherings that have already started arriving with us. The riding ponies will be going on their winter holidays for a welldeserved break which means we can rest the fields and make repairs to fencing, shelters etc. A major project for this winter will be to complete the improvements to the interactive pony area (commonly known as the petting pens) which the Tesco grant is enabling us to carry out. Another item on our list of priorities is to find additional trustees to join our current board of five, and help steer our charity through what promises to be an exciting and challenging period of development over the next few years. We are looking for people who have an interest in animals and the welfare of our native Exmoor ponies and are able to attend meetings held at The Exmoor Pony Centre, near Dulverton, on a regular basis. Ideally it will be someone with experience in one or more of the following areas: charity procedures, legal issues, business, accounting, and human resources. For more information or to register an interest, please email our chair of trustees, Barry Hitchcox on hitchcox.MMT@gmx.com Finally, it’s that time of year again. Yes, Christmas looms on the horizon. There are some lovely ideas for gifts in our online shop on the website. How about an adopt-a-pony pack for only £24? Our 2019 pony calendar is only £6 and we have some lovely Christmas cards of ponies in the snow.
Website: www.exmoorponycentre.org.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheExmoorPonyCentre Email: info@exmoorponycentre.org.uk Tel: 01398 323093
HOLY CROSS RC Parish Christmas Bazaar Saturday 8th December The Lantern, High Street, Ilfracombe Doors open at 10am 6
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ADVERTISERS
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE
EVANS BODYSHOP Car Body Repairs est.1949 6a Northfield Road 01271 862889 Insurance repairs MOT and rust repairs Low bake oven facilities—No VAT
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PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ADVERTISERS ILFRACOMBE YACHT CLUB FUNDRAISING EVENT Saturday 1st December 2000hrs Mike Elmer will be putting on an audio-visual presentation video and slides of the construction and launching of the replica Swedish sailing ship the Gotheborg. The Götheborg is a sailing replica of the Swedish East Indiaman Götheborg I, launched in 1738 (not to be confused with the larger Götheborg II built some decades later). All sailors survived when the original ship sank off Gothenburg, Sweden, on 12th September 1745 while approaching the harbour on her return from a third voyage to China. Construction of the replica started in 1995, with the hull launched in 2003 and the rig fully tested for the first time in 2005. Much of the time was spent researching how to rebuild the replica. In 2008, Götheborg completed the first Baltic Sea Tour.
Our new Chef and in-house DJ will be delighted to cater for your office / Club / family event, be it mid-week – quiet or at the weekend and lively.
Also available for Christmas Day Lunch
A taster of meatballs and sundries will be served A collection will be made for donation to Y- Sail
Please call for further details and prices
13 The Quay, Ilfracombe EX34 9EQ 01271 863969
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Community Reports ILFRACOMBE & DISTRICT COMMUNITY MINIBUSES wish all passengers and supporters a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We appreciate your financial and other support especially with regard to the Town Bus services. It is vital that these are kept going. All our services will run as usual except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Shirley Jones
TORRS LADIES
Our guest speaker for November was Ilfracombe Compass Club Rotarian Paul Carpenter. Paul came to tell us about the Ilfracombe Christmas Lunch Scheme which operates thanks to the generosity of various groups of people in the town. Paul and wife Maureen along with Ivan Francis prepare lunches on Christmas Day for those who are housebound or on their own or might not otherwise have a hot meal. The meals are delivered by Rotarians and can be ordered from Paul at Hairport, 114 High Street until the 10th December. Tickets were on sale for our Christmas Lunch which as usual is at the Golf Club. Please note this year it is not on our usual meeting day but one week later ie Monday 17th December. Don’t forget to book your transport if needed. Tickets are Members £11, non-members £16. I would like to remind members that your annual subscription, only £6, is due in January. As usual on behalf of the Chairman and Committee I wish all members and friends a very Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year Jenny Hodson CAPSTONE LADIES Our October meeting was held on Monday the 22nd. Di thanked Cecily for chairing the September meeting in her absence and also the members for their good wishes. A wreath has been purchased on behalf of the Club to be laid at the War Memorial on Remembrance Day. Our speaker for the afternoon was Mr Paul Swailes, a retired Assistant Head from the now Academy. Since his retirement Paul has been able to pursue his interests, he is an accomplished painter, a stamp collector and he and his wife have a love of travelling. “Life is like a coin, you can spend it any way you want but you can only spend it once.” Paul gave an illustrated talk about two of their recent journeys, the first to Northern Spain with camper van and bicycles. After the crossing they came across the small fishing town of Orio which is on the 500 mile pilgrimage route The Way of St James which follows the coastal path. The roads in that area of Spain are very quiet and the verges are covered with wild flowers. The villages are stone built and are not whitewash repainted as in the south but are known as red villages made from sandstone or black villages of limestone. The second journey was to Swaziland and Lesotho and the National Park. They saw a quantity of hippos and it is surprising how quickly they can move on land! A male lion guarding a millennium had been caught by the females; no two zebras have the same pattern of stripes; giraffes are at their most vulnerable. Near Johannesburg there were pensions. Di gave the vote of thanks. Competition winners - 1st Jan, 2nd Di, 3rd Margaret B. Flower of Month 1st Margaret B, 2nd Jan, 3rd Rose. Raffle was won by Pauline F and Jan. The December meeting will be our Christmas Meal. Di Wood ILFRACOMBE FLOWER CLUB 12 members attended the first workshop of the new season ‘Halloween’ an arrangement in a pumpkin. There were some interesting designs embellished with witches hats, spiders, bats and all things spooky!
A minibus was organised for an outing to RHS Rosemoor to watch National Demonstrator Michael Bowyer from Salisbury (no Russians in the audience!!). He had the audience captivated with his excellent teaching, beautiful flowers, interesting facts and stories. Elaine Reynolds from Port Isaac will be our first demonstrator of the new programme but will have been and gone by the time this goes to print. On Saturday December 1st, Barbara Clatworthy and myself will be giving a joint demonstration at Berrynarbor Manor Hall entitled ‘Christmas Sparkle’ commencing at 2.30pm. Tickets £6 to include tea/coffee, mince pies and cakes. There will be a raffle and Christmas craft stall. All are welcome but please give me a ring to allow some idea of numbers for catering. November 27th Workshop is a Festive Fireplace arrangement. December 11th Demonstration by Sue Neale Ding Dong Merrily on High. All meetings are held at Brookdale Avenue Church Hall at 7.30pm. Advance notice of our January 8th social evening, a bring and share Supper and Quiz, competition Happy New Year - an arrangement in a wine class. For any further information of above details please ring Sue Neale on 01271 883893. Wishing all our members and flower friends a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Peaceful new Year. Sue Neale
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Dates for your Diary WELCOME TO THE ARTS SOCIETY NORTH DEVON www.theartssocietysw.org.uk The Arts Society is an international charity whose main objective is education and conservation in the arts. The January 2019 lecture will start at 2pm on Tuesday 8th at The Durrant House Hotel, Bideford. The lecturer, Catherine Wallace, studied Fine Art at Leeds and Canterbury, followed by a Masters. She moved to Cornwall in 1993 where she managed the Falmouth Art Gallery for eight years before becoming a free-lance art writer, curator and lecturer. Entitled Love, Art & Tragedy - Close Encounters in a Cornish Art Colony - the lecture is set in a remote Cornish village called Lamorna - early 1900s. The artists all become vey close and in the melting pot of creativity a tragedy occurs. Visitors are always welcome - a small donation of £5 will be requested. For more information about joining, or our programme, please contact: Pamela Selman 01271 866661 or Lornie Yewdall 01271 858206. Judy Keyworth MONDAY Befriender Coffee Mornings 10.30am-12noon for over 65s at Encounter Church. Drop in for tea, coffee and homemade cake.
WEDNESDAY Ilfracombe U3A Bridge Group meet at Brookdale Church Hall on alternate Wednesday’s 6.30pm-8.30pm. Call 01271 889393 for actual dates. Cost £2 per session including tea, coffee and biscuits. Watercolour Workshop every 2nd Wednesday of the month at Lee Memorial Hall, Lee EX34 8LN. Refreshments provided. Bring your own lunch. Contact Brenda Keeble 01271 267583 for details.
Ilfracombe Bridge Club meets at West Down Parish Hall every Monday 2pm-5pm. Cost £2 per session including tea, coffee and biscuits. Contact 01271 889393.
Ilfracombe Church Bellringers Holy Trinity Church ringing practice 7-8.15pm Wednesdays. Contact Tony Watts Tower Captain 01271 867350. New members welcome. THURSDAY Befrienders Activity Afternoon for the over 65s meet Thursdays at Encounter Church 2.30-4pm.Teacakes and tea to finish. Contact Rachel for a programme 0788650 566.
St John Ambulance Badgers aged 7-10 years meet Mondays in the Trinity Rooms 6pm -7.30pm. Contact Chrissie Morrison 07932 441 602 for details. Ilfracombe Chess Club meets at the Wellington Arms in Ilfracombe High Street from 7pm. All welcome. Contact Bob Lock 01271 862662 for details.
Table Tennis Friendly Group for the slightly more mature meet Thursdays 2pm-4pm at Ilfracombe Table Tennis Club, Fore Street. Bats etc provided.
Second Monday of every month Sunflowers Book Reading Group meet at Grass Roots Café, Ilfracombe High Street from 10.30-11.30am. Collect your book then talk about it the following month and pick up a new title.
Ladies who enjoy singing meet Thursdays in the Guild Room beneath Emmanuel Church 2-3pm. Contact Beryl for details 01271 866582.
TUESDAY 361 Energy CIC Clinic 10am-1pm Transform4Work, Unit 1 The Candar, Ilfracombe 01271 599361. Games Galore Is a social group for people who enjoy playing board games. Meet Tuesdays in the Lantern Centre Club Room 1.30pm until 3.30pm. Cost £2 per session. Call Irene 07588 359 834 for more details or just pop in. Musical Memories is a social singing group for people with Alzheimer's, dementia and memory difficulties plus their carer/companion. We meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday in the month at the Vision Centre, Slade from 2-4pm. Come and join us for a singsong and some fun. Ample parking. Contact Hazel 01271 863944 or Margaret 882927.
Games Galore the expansion! Table top games, Thursdays 5.30-9.30pm at the Naked Cake Café, The Promenade, Ilfracombe. £1 per head. Contact Irene 07588 359 834. FRIDAY Ilfracombe Model Railway Club meet every Friday 8-10pm above Pearce’s Undertakers, Wilder Road. £2.50 pw. New members welcome. Various gauges. Contact David Watts 01271 864677.
St John Ambulance Cadets aged 10-18 years meet Tuesdays in the Parish Church Trinity Rooms, 7-8.30pm. Contact Sue Ayre 07980 182 317. Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir for gentlemen who enjoy singing, meet every Tuesday at 7.15pm in the Guild Room Emmanuel Church on the seafront. Contact Jan Cross 01271 866215. Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes Capstone Lodge 4027 (Buffs) meet in the Lodge Room at 7.45pm. Lapsed members especially welcomed back. Contact Brian (Secretary) 01271 373137.
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Dates for your Diary lfracombe Food Network Weekly Pop-up Store intervening goods and products which would otherwise be disposed of every Saturday 9-10am at Belle’s Place, Lee Place, Ilfracombe. Bring a carrier bag and pay as you choose. Volunteer your time, skills or pop a monetary donation in the bucket to Belle’s Place. All welcome. Waste Not Café every 2nd Saturday of the month at Belle’s Place 11.30-1.30pm. Pay as you can. Food is donated from local supermarkets and shops which would otherwise go to waste. Saturday 1st December Ilfracombe Farmers Market at the Lantern Centre, High Street. 10am - 12.30 Christmas treats, fresh, local and organic produce and craft. Refreshments. 01271 864621 for information. Saturday 1st December Ilfracombe Community Minibus 'Out and About' group will be joining in South Molton's Christmas Event with their Christmas Tree Festival followed by lunch at The Coaching Inn. Minibus cost is £8. Phone Shirley on 01271 863630 if you would like to come along. Monday 3rd December Ilfracombe Baptist Church Women’s Fellowship 2.30pm. Crafts. Contact 01271 864052.
ILFRACOMBE CHARITY BOOK SHOP
Friday 7th December Royal British Legion (Ilfracombe Branch) monthly meeting 7.30-8pm at the Sandpiper Inn, The Quay. All old and new members welcome. Ex service and non-service personnel very welcome.
It is now once again nearing the end of our financial year and a reminder that requests from local voluntary organisations for help with funding need to be with us by December 31st at the very latest.
Saturday 8th December Holy Cross RC Parish Christmas Bazaar, The Lantern, High Street, Ilfracombe. Doors open at 10am.
Please address your letters to us at The Ilfracombe Charity Book Shop 6 Church Street, Ilfracombe EX34 8HA 07855 625 682 or 01271 862020
Saturday 8th December Ilfracombe Table Tennis Club Christmas Community Lunch, Fore Street. 3 course hot lunch served from 11.30am-1.30pm using donated food otherwise destined for the bin. Everyone welcome. th
Wednesday 12 December Ilfracombe Pensioners' Social Club are entertained by the Torrs Ladies Choir. We meet in the Lantern Club Room from 2-4pm, entrance is £2 to include raffle and refreshments. Community minibus is available door to door for £2.50 return. Monday 17th December Ilfracombe Baptist Church Women’s Fellowship 2.30pm. Christmas Celebrations. All welcome. Contact 01271 864052.
Our very grateful thanks to everyone who has taken the time and effort to sort out their much loved books for the benefit of our town’s organisations. Also to all of our customers for without your continuing support, the yearly donations that we have been able to make to groups within our community, would not have been made possible. We have a very wide selection of good quality clean books at very reasonable prices including a good selection of general interest, hopefully something to suit everyone. So if you haven’t found the time to visit us yet, call in and help us continue raising funds for our local organisations.
Wednesday 19th December Ilfracombe Pensioners' Club have their Christmas Party at the Osborne Hotel, 2 4pm, last meeting of the year. The Club starts back at the Lantern on Wednesday 13th February 2019 with a Social Get-together. Our usual Fun Auction in support of Ilfracombe Victorian Celebration will be on Wednesday 27th February.
As usual there is a strong demand for local books on Ilfracombe and the surrounding area, also thrillers, mystery and historical novels. If you have any in good condition that you can spare, they would be greatly appreciated.
Saturday 22 nd December Shammick Acoustic Winter Warmer with Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer. Pack ‘o Cards, High Street, Combe Martin 8pm onwards.
We are very pleased that our children’s section is proving very popular with the books going out as fast as they come in. Our special thanks to the Mums and Dads for bringing books in for other children to enjoy.
Sunday 23rd December Beer & Carols. George & Dragon, Fore Street, Ilfracombe 8pm.
Your book donations are still very much needed. Open Monday to Saturday 10am-12noon Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 2-4pm.
Sunday 23rd December Shammick Acoustic Midwinter Carols Night, Castle Inn, Castle Street, Combe Martin 7.30pm onwards.
Many thanks, Shirley, Peter and all our Volunteers
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ILFRACOMBE CASTLE by Neil Holloway The names inscribed on Ilfracombe’s War Memorial so gratefully remembered at the recent Armistice service are not the only Ilfracombe residents to fall in a war. Whereas wars against foreign adversaries bind communities together in a common cause. Ilfracombe lost eleven individuals, ten men and one woman, in a war that often tore communities apart, the Civil War. Like most towns in North Devon, Ilfracombe supported the Parliamentarians. In August 1644 a Cavalier raid led by Sir Francis Doddington, burnt 27 houses in the town but failed in their objective to take control of Ilfracombe Castle, a small fort structure thought to have been built in Tudor times to offer protection to the harbour from north European and Mediterranean pirates who, often from a Lundy base, attacked shipping and property along the approaches of the Bristol Channel. Doddington’s men were fought off by a combination of sailors and townsfolk in hand to hand combat. Traditionally the heaviest casualties were not in the castle vicinity but on the Wilder flood plain where the east and west Wilder join, now built over but for many generations the area around the Church Road and Brookdale Avenue junction to Lidl’s car park was known as ‘Bloody Meadow’. Another battle site was close to the castle. Where exactly the castle was sited is lost over time. We have some clues, Castle Hill runs up to the junction of Worth Road and until Portland Street was widened in the 1960’s on the south side were shops, a church and the Castle Hotel. The castle was, according to reports, based overlooking the harbour. The photograph is of an 1805 painting and shows a structure on the hill above a ship probably undergoing construction or repair in the South Beach boatyard, opposite Quay Head. The final clue that the location is either at the top of Castle Hill or on the east side of the lower end of Worth Road is the name of the row of houses near the Worth Road and Highfield Road junction Warfield Villas. This would fit with the report that Doddington’s men entered the town under the walls of the castle from the Combe Martin road after marching from Lynton. In medieval times the road from Hele led up Gypsy Lane then onto Sandy Lane, now Highfield Road and down into Church Street and the heart of the town. Within three weeks of the failed attack, the castle fell to Cavalier forces. Apparently when the Cavalier supporting castle commander surrendered the castle, his name is not recorded but obviously a strong point of principle was in play. The castle was eventually stormed by the Parliamentarian Colonel Sheffield in 1856 and reports state the control ‘prevents any landing and supply from Ilfracombe harbour’. The Parish of Holy Trinity and St Peter’s Church, Ilfracombe December Events and Services
St Philip and St James Church, Ilfracombe
Sat 1
10am-3pm Christmas Craft Fair, Trinity Rooms
Sunday 23rd Dec
Fri 7
7.30pm Military Wives Concert see p3
Monday 24th Dec 4pm Christingle Service for all ages
Fri 14
11.30am for 12noon Community Lunch Trinity Rooms
6.30pm Candlelit Carol Service
Tuesday 25th Dec 10.30am Family Festival Communion for Christmas Day
7pm 9 Lessons & arols, Holy Trinity Church Sun 16 3pm Christingle, Holy Trinity Church
Encounter Church, 74 High Street Ilfracombe
7pm Cloth for the Cradle, St Peter’s Church Wed 19 9am-12noon Christmas Coffee Morning, Trinity Rooms
Sunday 16th Dec 6.30pm Carol Service
2.30pm Ilfracombe Junior Lower School Carol Service, St Peter’s Church
Christmas Day Morning Service 10.30am
Thur 20 2.30pm Ilfracombe Junior Upper School Carol Service, St Peter’s Church Fri 21
6.30pm Carol Service, St Peter’s Church, Bittadon
Sun 23 8pm Beer & Carols, George & Dragon Ilfracombe Mon 24 4pm Crib Service, St Peter’s Church 11.30pm Midnight Mass, Holy Trinity Church Tues 25 8.45pm Holy Communion with Carols, St Peter’s Church, Bittadon 9am Said Eucharist, Holy Trinity Church 10.30am Whole Parish Sung Eucharist, St Peter’s Church, Highfield Road.
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE
Free CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH 2018 Thanks to the generosity of people and groups in Ilfracombe, we are able once again to provide lunch on Christmas Day for people in our community who are on their own or housebound and may not otherwise have a hot meal on Christmas Day. It is a ‘meals on wheels’ service for anyone who would appreciate it. Please complete this form and take it to Paul Carpenter at Hairport,114 High Street, Ilfracombe EX34 9ET by MONDAY, 10TH DECEMBER 2018 ILFRACOMBE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH 2018 Name
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Address
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………... No of persons requiring a meal ……………………………… Any special dietary requirements (ie diabetes) ………………………………………………………. Meals are prepared and delivered to individual homes by friends and members of Ilfracombe Compass and Ilfracombe Rotary Club between 12noon and 1pm. Signed …….………………………………………….
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE Diary by Mayoress of Ilfracombe Amanda Gartshore
Donald Trump and thermal underwear
Keen readers may have noticed that the weather has changed. In one month the Mayoresses wardrobe has gone from ‘light layers for a potentially warm day’ to ‘thermal underwear and woolly socks are essential’. At the start of the month I had to drink the Mayor’s lager at the opening of Blacksands’ Oktoberfest because I was overheating. By the end of the month, I was wearing thermals and sitting in a cold puddle the rain outside the Landmark Theatre. Potential Mayoresses should take note of the need for a large wardrobe to accommodate our seasons and the wide range of events to which the Mayoress is invited. In the warmth of late October, the Mayor and Mayoress attended two civic services, Lynton/Lynmouth and Barnstaple. These events follow a similar formula – a church service followed by lunch with the great and good from around North Devon and the rest of the County. The format is similar but each event feels very different. In Lynton for example, the Mayor was kidnapped and tied up in a boat by the local Scouts, who demanded chocolate coins to release him. You don’t see that every day. So we’re now in November and have just experienced commemorations of the centenary since the armistice of 1918. I don’t know of another town that could have put on an event like the one we just experienced. Big events in Ilfracombe always seem to draw out more volunteers and spectators that you think could live here, and this was no exception. Years from now people will ask where you stood in the living letters photo. Did you see photos of the Ilfracombe soldiers who went to war and didn’t return? Did
you sing popular First World War songs with the La La Voices in the Landmark? And did you experience the sheer visual and emotional impact of the sound and light show? The events of the weekend were envisioned by the indomitable and much missed Sue Garwood, who planned the commemorative events on a scale that Ilfracombe hadn’t seen previously. What an amazing privilege it has been to be Mayoress during this year’s events. Everyone who took part will have unique memories of the weekend. Here are two of ours. Firstly, you may have noticed that the Mayor and Mayoress were featured at the beginning and end of the commemorative film. Our thirty second appearances took about two and a half hours to film as we were seemingly unable to walk or stand around the war memorial without looking completely selfconscious. It’s fair to say that Hollywood won’t be calling any time soon. The second memory took place on Armistice Sunday, just before the parade. A young Scout asked the Mayor about the town badge on the Mayor’s chains. She explained: Mayor: It’s the town badge and here are the names of all the people who have been Mayor. Scout: Is Donald Trump on there? Mayor: No he isn’t. Donald Trump has never been the Mayor of Ilfracombe. Scout: Why not? Mayor: He’s not good enough.
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE REGEN LINK SERVICES FOR PEOPLE 65+
Regen Link has been running for five years now. Everything we do is about trying to reduce isolation, linking folk together and supporting older people so they know that they don’t have to cope alone. There is a Coffee Morning group every Monday from 10.30am-2pm for people to pop in have a natter, make friends and enjoy home-made cakes and a cuppa. Every Thursday afternoon from 2.30pm-4pm we hold an Activity Afternoon where we have a constantly changing programme of meaningful, educational, interesting ideas for people to take part in and enjoy something new.
everyone special time and attention. However, due to a few folk needing to move into long-term care, unusually we have a few vacant slots for our Wednesday group – so if you are managing at home caring for someone with a diagnosed dementia, in or around the Ilfracombe area…… we understand how tough this is so please allow us to help, by giving you some time to yourself for a few hours each week. We also have a member of the Social Services team and an Alzheimer’s Society worker who come in once a month to offer any professional support and advice to carers, which they have found really helpful. We are a charity and a voluntary organisation working as part of Encounter Church [opposite the co-op] and all these activities are held there, supported by other local churches who also want to give this practical help in the town. As such all our services are free, so we rely on individual donations and larger donations from groups such as the Charity Bookshop, The Lions Club and Ilfracombe Arts group, among others we have gratefully received help from.
We continue to give our one to one ‘Befriending at home’ visits for those people who are housebound as well as providing a weekly Carers Break Day every Wednesday 10am–3pm for those people who look after a loved one living with a dementia full time and the NHS locally and the Alzheimer’s Society support us in this. For more information about our Wednesday group of any other The Wednesday group is provided by volunteers who as support we offer please ring well as being police checked, either have experience of Rachel Holmes on working with these kind of needs or have received specialised training. So we are able to engage people in different ways to provide stimulation and moments of fun! We limit the numbers in this group so we can give
07818 650 566
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FOCUS YOUR TRULY LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE PRODUCED IN ILFRACOMBE SHAMMIC ACOUSTIC
A happy Christmas to one and all! On Saturday 8th December, our Open Night gives an opportunity for people to give new material an airing or visit older items from their repertoire in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. And if you’ve never ‘had a go’ before, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Everyone is encouraged, but never pushed into doing so. Any genre of performance is welcome, as long as it doesn’t require a P.A. Anyone is welcome to come along, whether or not they 'sing, say or play', and if you're a musician and don't want to play solo, there may be a chance during the break for a bit of a jam session. It’s held in the 'museum' of the pub, so there's no need to compete with bar noise. The evening starts at about 8pm. There's no admission fee, although the pot is passed around for contributions to Shammick Acoustic's expenses
Rather than their usual traditional and original folk music, this time they come ready to charge everyone up for Christmas with their wonderful Winter Warmer show, a funfilled festive evening of well-known singalong carols interspersed with famous Music Hall numbers and other seasonal favourites. Performed in Victorian costume, this will appeal to everyone, young and old, as they present their light-hearted, humorous and fun show. Come along and get in the mood! A number of local performers will, as usual, be there as support artists, as well as enjoying being part of the audience. Shammick Acoustic takes place at The Pack o’ Cards, High Street, Combe Martin from 8 p.m. Tickets for the concert are £7 in advance from Shammick Acoustic, from the Pack o’ Cards, or Pets’ Pantry, High Street, Combe Martin or online via www.wegottickets.com/ShammickAcoustic, or £8 at the door. On Sunday 23rd, Shammick Acoustic will again be hosting the Midwinter Carols Night in the back bar of The Castle Inn, Combe Martin. Voices and instruments are welcome, and there are books of carols, with and without musical notation. If you fancy a good sing, this is the place to be. A collection is taken to raise funds for the Friends of St. Peter’s, a charity which helps with the upkeep of the fabric of the parish church.
And on Saturday 22nd, we’ll be welcoming back Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer, who were last guests at Shammick Acoustic way back in 2011. This couple have impressive musical backgrounds. Vicki having studied at the Royal College of Music, plays a huge variety of instruments, from various types of bagpipe to the nyckelharpa, a Swedish keyed fiddle, and is almost single-handedly responsible for the huge upsurge in the popularity of that instrument. Jonny too shows outstanding technical ability on guitar and other stringed instruments, and on piano accordion. His wideranging musical taste has made him a tireless and forceful musical innovator.
Shammick Acoustic is a not-for-profit organisation. More information can be found on the website at www.shammickacoustic.org.uk, or contact Tom or Barbara Brown on 882366, or by e-mail at contact@shammickacoustic.org.uk.
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EULOGY BY JOHNNY NICHOLSON AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE OF HIS GRANDFATHER JOHN FREDERICK GALE July 12th 1925 – October 24th 2018 We come here today to celebrate and to say farewell to John Gale. The first headmaster of Ilfracombe Community College, the pioneer in community education, the founder of so many local institutions, the devoted husband of 65 years, the father and, to me, the grandfather. In death he leaves behind a great legacy. And, to use the words of one of the many letters our family has received over the last few weeks, we will not see his like again. John was born in July 1925 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 John 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. John 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 (or Scholares Non Ascripti) which later became St Catherine’s College. These experiences had a profound effect on John and fired his life-long commitment to creating equal opportunities in education. However, with the country at war, it was not long before John abandoned his studies and joined the Royal Air Force where he trained as a pilot and reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant. John was known for his amazing eyesight and powers of observation, and so 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, John 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 twins Liz, my Mother, and Trish, my Aunty, 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 to 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, preschool, 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. He had found a career he truly loved, and he would later look back on these seven years in Cambridgeshire as very happy and fulfilling for the Gale family. 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 as headmaster of three other schools, before bringing them together to create a centre for a community that stretched from Woolacombe to Lynton and Countisbury. Needless to say, the family fell instantly in love with the town. Margaret Hunter, who had worked with John in Swavesey, took on the role of adult education officer and together they reached out to all the villages, hamlets and towns in the area. John’s love of Exmoor began on these trips and, spurred on by John’s 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. I myself remember being taken to the Exmoor centre when I came to attend the school decades later. Ilfracombe Community College was officially opened in 1972, the first purpose-built comprehensive in the country. The college was innovative and ambitious, and John was hugely energetic. He inspired those who worked with him to share his vision of community; of local people pulling together to make things happen. Many can remember his keen eyesight, which served him so well in the Royal Air Force, was now put to full use when he would stand by the gates of the school at the end of each day and spot students who hadn’t done their ties up properly. John wanted to offer opportunities to his students, and one of them was travel. In 1972, sixth formers from Ilfracombe College became the first British entrants to China after the end of the cultural revolution, and John Junior was also part of a trip to India. Despite the demands of running the college, John managed to support the community through the Rotary Club, becoming president in 1971. Around 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. In fact, they did have one issue with Moorings: that there was no garden! John soon bought land adjacent to the house to expand the garden and to give Pat, who had grown up in grimy war-time Manchester, the garden she has always dreamed of. Of course, those who ever visited the house would not think of it as a garden, but rather as a small forest or woodland. This is what John was like. Anyone who knew him would attest that every project that he took on was done to an incredibly high standard, and the garden was no exception. Gardening, always an interest of John’s, became a passion. In buying the land, they had purchased the old coach house next door which they converted into holiday cottages. 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 Trish and her husband John Swan took over the day-to-day running of the business and focused 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. They travelled 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
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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 3rd age, or the 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 of an organisation of over 100 local activists determined to encourage the development of the town. John’s involvement in the Exmoor centre continued and he raised the funds for a full renovation; he and Keith Rickwood spent weeks overseeing the renovation work. The centre 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 John and Pat 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 Gregory 6 weeks later. John’s first grandson. With amazing courage and strength, Jenny was determined to bring their child up in Castello and to finish the project. John and Pat spent countless weeks in Tuscany, supporting Jenny and Gregory, 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 chiselling, his work following the patterns he found in the wood. We have collected some of his pieces to display at the golf club this afternoon. Of course, all these things happened long before I was born. Me and my brother Matt were born some years later to Liz and my father Sean Nicholson, and we moved down to Ilfracombe from London in 1996. We would always know John as Nonno, and Pat as Nonna; English pronunciations of the Italian words for Grandad and Grandma. As Gregory grew older, he developed a very close and special bond with his grandfather. They loved each other dearly and he would spend every summer in Watermouth. These were golden years for me, Matt and Gregory; enjoying John’s swimming pool and charging around in the garden following all the winding paths that John had created. My earliest childhood memory is when, at the age of 3, John taught me to swim in his pool. I remember so clearly how happy we were playing in the pool together and can remember jumping in without any armbands, safe in the knowledge that Nonno would be there to catch me. 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 John did not recover well from. However life at Moorings, his Watermouth home, was far from empty for John. He was always a great source of encouragement for me, Matt and Gregory, and was always passionately interested in everything we were doing. He was a great inspiration for me as I decided to follow in his footsteps and gained a place at Cambridge University. He set his sights on one final goal when he told me he would live to see me graduate and, despite his failing health, made the long trip up to Cambridge in June 2017. Whilst in Cambridgeshire, he called in to see his dear friend Margaret Hunter and visited Swavesey Community College. At the age of 92, this would be John’s last trip away from North Devon. There were also still a few things that John would not give up quite so easily. Helped by my father Sean, he continued to prepare and organise the annual carol service for the U3A, and still with the meticulous attention to detail that had served him so well throughout his professional career. John conducted his last official engagement in December 2015. 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 to John and allowed him to maintain dignity during this time at Moorings. 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 support of his daughters Liz and Trish, and sons-in-law Sean and John. In saying goodbye to John we are celebrating one of Ilfracombe’s greats. The messages of sympathy we have received have all come with wonderful stories of how many John inspired and how well liked and respected he was. John was a man who envisioned a world where communities empowered people to feel they belonged and could make a difference. His love of the natural world and of the beautiful North Devon sustained and invigorated him and was the source he drew inspiration and comfort from. Community, closeness to nature, family. On the night of October 23rd, and as John grew weaker, me, Matt and Gregory rushed down to Ilfracombe to join the rest of the family at his bedside. As a family we sat with him and said our goodbyes to the father, grandfather and father -in-law we loved so dearly. As the sky grew dark, me and my mother Liz decided to go out into the garden to gather a bouquet of flowers to put by his bedside. As we climbed higher and higher into the garden, we became captivated by a bright shade of red which shone through the line of trees. We left the garden by the back gate and continued to climb over fences and through fields until we stood together at the top of Watermouth in the billowing wind; faced with a burning red sunset as fierce as we had ever seen. We took a photograph of that sight which we share with all of you today on the front of the order of service. Some of you may even remember the spectacular sunset of that night which, to us, was nature’s final farewell to the man we had so come to admire. John died on the morning of October 24th, surrounded by his family, by the flowers from his garden and by a photograph of Pat he had kept since their meeting in 1942. Words cannot describe the deep respect and admiration so many of us have, and will always have, for John. The grandfather. The father. The husband. The headmaster. And the friend. Who made such a difference to our lives, and who brought so much beauty into this world. Together we say farewell.