September 1998

SINCERE CONDOLENCES: To the family of Mrs Vera Seatherton who died suddenly on 16th August. Mrs Seatherton attended the Parish Church of St Mary’s and was a well-known figure in the Parish and joined in all the local activities. She will be sadly missed.

CONGRATULATIONS: To Sarah Jane and Andy Payne on the birth of their baby daughter Francessca.

CONGRATULATIONS: To Kathy Jay and Mark on the birth of their daughter, Polly Anne.

THANKS: Mrs Una Williamson would like to thank everyone for their good wishes during her recent stay in hospital. She very much hopes to be out and about soon.

ATHERINGTON FETE - PRIZE WINNERS: 1. A Large 2. Emma Domleo 3. Tony Squire 4. Joan Fuller 5. J Birkill 6. Glen Harper 7. M Squire 8. R Brown 9. J Beer 10. L Tucker 11. J Domleo 12. Di Drummond 13. J Beer 14. Bill Blower 15. M Beel 16. M Squire 17. Glen Harper 18. M Jay 19. A large 20. R Domleo 21. Mary Lee 22. M Milton 23. D Norman 24. H Pollock 25. M Moore 26. A Large 27. S Alford 28. E Chambers 29. Y Templeton 30. J Beer 31. Jo Facey 32. Y Templeton 33. J Domleo 34. Y Templeton 35. Colin 36. Bob Otto 37. Sarah Crabb 38. Hilary Domleo 39. K Large 40. Denis Blower 41. Hall 42. J Birkill 43. Peter 44. M Moore 45. A Large 46. E Chambers 47. M Chambers

Christians together in High Bickington

The next meeting is on Monday, September 14th at 7.30pm at Welcombe Farm, the home of Ken and Stella Burrows.

Despite the fact that it is the holiday season, the August meeting was well attended. We continue to welcome “first timers”, so if you have been hesitating about coming, why not take the opportunity of joining us?

Do let Stella know if there is anything or anyone you would like the group to pray for.

Parish Church HB

Third Sunday Service. We hope to form a small group of interested folk to plan for the 6pm third Sunday informal service. Can you spare an hour on Tuesday 8th, at the Rectory, meeting at 7pm. It would be good to arrange a theme each month and an interesting way of presenting it using drama, quiz, musical items and so on.

Harvest on 27th September. This will be a non-communion service, the first in our new pattern for the fourth Sunday of the month. In past days children bought gifts of fruit and vegetables to the altar at this service and it would be good to revive the custom. What do you think?

Good result. The Coffee Morning held at Wards Cottage on Wednesday 29th raised over Ł340. Not without lots of hard work for Hazel and her helpers and supporters. Hazel would like to thank everyone who helped to make it a success - in spite of the weather.

PCC. Next meeting, Tuesday September 15th, 7.30pm at the Rectory.

The old know what it is like to be young and silly - but the young don’t know what it is like to be old and wise.

High Bickington Methodist News - Hazel Pearce

Many thanks to Carole and Graham Saunders who provided B.B.Q.s and cooked food for the family picnic at Landacre. A group of thirty enjoyed a rare dry and sunny afternoon beside the river. Some of the children braved the cool river water to catch some fish (unfortunately not big enough for the B.B.Q!).

We were not so lucky with the weather for the Sunday School outing to Woolacombe, which had to be cancelled.

The Parish Church was full to enjoy the excellent standard of the British Youth Choir. The 18 members of the Methodist Choir, aged between 17-25, came from all over the country, and gave 100%, as did their enthusiastic conductor. The proceeds from the evening were shared between the church and our group of chapels. At the guild plan-making evening it was decided to give Ł50 to a charity for Robbie Bowen’s work in the Gambia, and the remaining Ł60 to be shared between our four chapels.

Sunday School restarts after the Summer break on Sunday, September 13th, 10.40am - 12 noon, all children welcome - just turn up on the day.

Youth Club restarts on Tuesday, September 15th, 5-7 years 5.15 - 6.15pm, 8-11 years 6.30 - 7.30pm. All are welcome.

ST. MARY’S GUILD - Rosemary Munson

Our stall at the North Devon Show was very successful. A big thank you to our ladies who manned it all day.

Our next meeting will be on Monday, September 14th, the venue to be announced later.

From the archives - Researched by Richard Lethbridge

October 1st 1857 ATHERINGTON

COUNTY MAGISTRATES’ PETTY SESSIONS, SATURDAY, Sept, 28
[Present:- J.C.M. Stevens, Esq., in the chair, W.A. Deane, Esq.. and Hon. Charles Trefusis, M.P.]

HOW HOST SYMONS FELL UPWARD -- Thomas Howden, yeoman, of Atherington, was charged by Mr. John Symons, of the ‘Old Bun Inn’, Langridge-ford, Yarnscombe, with assaulting him on Monday, the 21st ult. - Farmer Bowden, it appeared, had sold a pony, and host Symons, who seemed to know a bit of its history, told the purchaser that it was a “jinber”, who, in consequence of that information, refused to complete the bargain. As Bowden was passing the ‘Old Bun Inn’, he called in to talk the matter over, when he told mine host that he had “rinn’d out agin his pony”. This opened the fray, and Farmer Bowden became very wrathful, so much so that host Symons, now upon his oath, said - “I swear I was in bodily fear. I was in the brew-house on a bag of malt I was going to mash, when he (defendant) came up with a long stick; he jumped at my wife and pulled her by the throat. I jumped in, and he threw me down, and I valled upward instead of down, or I should have been drowned and dead in a minute. Sir (continued host Symons), I’ve got a witness who seed’n pull her by the nose.” - Defendant stated that Mrs. Symons came out with a sweeping brush, and said she would “dash out his brains”. What he did, he did in self-defence. - Fined Ł1.3s., including costs.

April 20th 1933 Another one of Norah Maynard’s sisters gets married, with Norah at the organ.

ATHERINGTON

A pretty wedding was solemnised in the Church of St.Mary, Atherington, on Wednesday, 5th April. The contracting parties were Mr. Harry Blackmore and Miss Constance E Hellyer, The Rev. H.P.F. Scott officiated. The service was choral, Miss N. Hellyer (sister of the bride) being at the organ. The bride was given away by Mr C. Down (brother-in-law), and the bridegroom’s brother acted as “best man”. The bride was attired in a floral silk dress in blue, with a pale primrose colour design, and carried a bouquet of pale yellow carnations. The honeymoon is being spent at Plymouth. Bells pealed merrily throughout the day. Numerous and useful presents were received, among them being a dinner service from the managers of Burrington School, where the bride has for several years been a teacher, and an Aladdin Lamp from the teachers and scholars of Burrington School. From the Rector and choir of Atherington Church, a silver hot water jug was received, the bride being a member of the Church choir. Many friends joined the family for the function at the church, both families being well known to Roborough, Burrington, High Bickington and Atherington residents.

Go to October 1998 issue