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Topic 3

General Comments and requests.

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Responses

Re: Found you at last, From: Pauline Hamblin

message - 14/08/2002 Dear All, I have just returned from another lovely visit to High Bickington.
As usual I enjoyed every minute. I met some old friends, made some new ones. Went to Church and enjoyed singing all the well loved hyms chosen by some of the parish members. Wandered through the churchyard, and visited old friends there. It was lovely to see the beautiful wall hanging the parish had made in memory of Norah Cole. I had only a short time to know her, yet she made an impact on me and was very helpful on her accounts of life in High Bickington. The meals in the Old George were excellent, and no wory about transport or getting lost. I am now wondering when I will be able to visit again, and I hope it will not be too long. Best Wishes Pauline Hamblin.

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Re: weather enthusiasts needed, From: Terry Mayes

message - 13/08/2002. Is there anyone in your village/town enthusiastically interested in the weather or recording weather data?
I am Editor of WEATHER OBSERVERS NETWORK, a monthly weather bulletin, which began nearly three years ago. We currently publish data and text from around 150 sites in UK and Abroad, and we would welcome more sites. We are a friendly, non-profit making organisation.
For further details contact myself Terry Mayes, 9 Grayling Drive, Colchester, Essex CO4 3EN, phone/fax no 01206 868982 anytime, or email terry.mayes@btopenworld.com.

Re: Our move to Bickington, From: Tara

message - 03/09/2002 Hi my name is Tara Jepson, myself and my familly will be moving to High Bickington soon and we are having problems finding info on the area such as good schools and the sort of work that is available in the area. I myself am going to be starting up a rescue center for ex race horses my husband has just left the army and will be looking for work in the area, he is willing to do anything at all and any help anyone can offer us would be very much appreciated; Our home address at present is 26a Central Precinct, Winchester Road, Chandlersford, Hampshire SO53 2GD or please ring on 023 80 271324. Our family are very excited about the move back to the countryside we hope to hear from you all soon many thanks Tara

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From: Webmaster
Dear Tara,
Very nice to hear from you, High Bickington itself has only one School, our local Primary School and a very good School it is too. Another local primary school used by a few High Bickington residents is the one at Umberleigh, about three miles from the village. In the main, most Secondary School children from the village attend Chulmleigh Community College, but some also travel to Barnstaple to attend the Park School. Local further education is normally at the North Devon College or you may wish to travel further afield to Crediton or to Bicton Agricultural College in South Devon. The nearest University is at Exeter.
Most of these Schools can be found on the Internet and provide contact details for anyone wishing to obtain a prospectus. Some links you may wish to try are as follows:

• High Bickington School contact details available on this site.
• High Bickington School own Website
• Chulmleigh Community College Website
• Umberleigh School contact details and other useful information for people moving to the area.

Probably one of the best sites for local news, information, property and EMPLOYMENT is the This is Devon website run by the local newspapers. The North Devon Journal section will likely be of most use to you.
To keep up to date with what's happening in High Bickington I suggest you subscribe to the local 'Rambling' magazine - CLICK HERE for more details.
Hope this information is of some use to you?
Best wishes, webmaster.

From: Sarah Escott
Hi Tara
Just surfing and found your message. Have you moved to High Bick yet, if so are you close to the village?
I live in HB and would be keen to learn more about your rescue centre for ex-race horses. I used to have my own horses and wouldn’t mind a bit of mucking out @ the weekends! Mad!
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best wishes
Sarah

From: Dan McDonald
Hi my name is Dan I own the local security company as well as soon the local shop, if your husband is still looking for work please e.mail back
Dan McDonald

Re: Elvis spotted in Burrington! From: Dave Tylcoat

message - 04/10/2002 Elvis spotted in Burrington - caught on camera - see: http://www.btinternet.com/~tylcoat/livecam.htm

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From: Webmaster
An unorthodox headline to bring attention to Dave's Burrington Webcam site, (just up the road from High Bickington), but check it out anyway! I'm assuming this is the same Dave who won the BBC's 'weakest link' competiton a couple of weeks ago? It would be nice to think we have celebrities visitng the site!

Re: Memories From: Bernard Plummer

message - 08/11/2002 - I am fascinated to read the information on High Bickington you may or may not know my family name my father was rector of High Bickington from 1945 until 1974 so seeing these pictures and reading the information brings back memories what tremendous change there has been in the last fifty years - I can remember in 1953 for the coronation when there were probably only two or three television sets in the village - we watched on the t.v. in the baker which was owned by one Eddie Owen (I think that was his name) those were the days of the penny bun !!!
regards - Bernard Plummer

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From: Webmaster
Bernard,
We try our best to bring back memories to our visitors and am glad you find the site of interest. We're always glad to hear of your memories of the village. By the way, you are right, Eddie Owen was the local baker back then.

From: Sheila Thomas
message 11/11/2002 - Hello Bernard,
My brother Bill & I just visited H.B 2-3 weeks ago--& consequently he found the Website.---
I am Sheila Thomas --nee Owen !!!!Yes I remember watching the Coronation in the bakery too. Mum & Dad --ie Eddie & Lillian , followed my husband & I to Australia & are burried in Cairns Queenland --back to the tropics for Mum anyway. Brother Bill is in Cairns too --we both call it home , While eldest brother George lives in Fowey Cornwall. You baptised us all, & Bill was about 2yrs old if I remember & played with the candles throughout. I recall Clare clearly & that you had twin sons , but can't recall their names. Please, contact me if you remember me at all--this is such a thrill!!
Yours in anticipation , Sheila Thomas

From: Webmaster
I may be guessing here, but I think it might have been Bernards father, Rev. Arthur Jasper Plummer MA who did the Baptism's?

From: Bill Owen
message 11/11/2002 - Dear Bernard Plummer,
I have recently discovered this web site after having visited High Bickington about 3 weeks ago with my sister Sheila in search of our maternal grandmother's grave. You probably don't remember me as I was born May 1955 at Torrington Cottage Hospital (Having been conceived in the Bakery, I think!!). Eddie Owen was my father and also father to my brother George and sister Sheila. Sheila and I both live in Cairns Australia. George still lives in England, Fowey, Cornwall.
Eddie and Lillian emigrated to Australia in 1983 and are both now deceased and buried in Cairns cemetery.
I have a photograph of my parents outside the bakery on coronation day which I will dig out and forward to the webmaster.
Kind regards, Bill Owen

From: Webmaster
Bill, look forward to receiving your photo, it's just the sort of thing we'd like to include in our site, especially as there are many others in the village who also remember your parents. Sticky bun's probably 'stick' in the mind?

From: Linda Aitken (Blackmore)
Message 13/11/2002 - Reply to Shelia Thomas/Bill Owen
I too watched the Coronation in your father's bakery along with all the other village children. I remember you well, especially George who is nearer my age. As children we all played together in the village, a very safe place with very few cars or strangers around. I was interested to hear that your parents ended up in Australia. Your father used to have a firework display for the village on Nov. 5th in the school playground which we all looked forward to each year. Like you I am an exile (although not so far) having lived in Scotland for 25 years, but was a frequent visitor to the village until my father's death 2 years ago at the age of 90. It is great to be able to keep in touch with HB via the Website.

From: Webmaster
Have been speaking with mum, (Susan Parker), who also watched the Coronation with you. She say's do you remember the large sled the Owens had, which all the village children used to want to ride whenever there was a fall of snow?
Is this perhaps the same sled I remember being used by father Christmas for a school party back in the sixties? I'm not sure who played Santa that year but I remember him arriving on a large sled, with metal rails, pulled by a pony which left marks on the tarmac that disappeared part way up the High Street, leading some to believe we had been visited by the REAL Santa!

From: Sheila Thomas
Hello Sheila Thomas again--Re Eddie Owen's sledge!
Yes it Was a beauty!!we had so much fun on it in a good snow year.--But I doubt if it was the one in question-- I was only a child of course at the time but I remeber it being made purely of wood bound together with some kind of twine--even the runners were wood. I'm sure it was ex-army --father was always one for a bargain!

I hope the village has a fine snow season this year!!Writing this on a balmy day in Sri Lanka --on Christmas eve --most unChristmassy!!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all at High Bickington from Sheila Thomas (nee Owen)

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