Clovelly

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

New Service Demonstrated

Already a familiar sight along the North Devon coast, RAF Chivenor’s rescue helicopter was the subject of many inquiring glances as it sped across Bideford Bay but this time she was on no mercy mission.

In the Yellary at Clovelly, the site of the parish’s proposed new hall and playing fields, a landing strip had been marked out with long streamers of paper in the shape of a letter H ready for the helicopter to drop in and exchange greetings with members of Clovelly lifeboat crew with which the RAF rescue section may one day find itself working.

Right on time the helicopter came in from the sea, over the landing strip and then, circling out over the car park to lose height, came dropping in over the trees for all the world like some huge yellow duck, side-slipping in to land.

There to guide the helicopter in was Junior Technician Carey, who had travelled from RAF Chivenor by car, and under his guidance the pilot, Flight-Lieut. Carroll, brought his craft gently to earth. While the skipper stayed in his machine to keep the engine running, the navigator, Flight-Sergeant Naylor, hurried over to the waiting life-boatmen, including Coxswain W Braund, to whom he was introduced by the President and secretary of the local branch, Mr J C Hilton. With the aid of sketches, the Flight-Sergeant explained just how casualties were winched aboard and showed them the equipment used and how it was operated.

Primary role of RAF Chivenor’s helicopter – a second craft is expected in the next few weeks – is, of course, the rescue of aircrew who have ‘ditched’ in the sea or forced or crash landed in some remote spot on land. But, in addition, the aircraft are on call to give assistance to civilian authorities and to civilians in trouble.

Gazette article dated 5 July 1957

Head Quits to Take Village Post Office

Uncertainty about the future of the County Primary School in Clovelly,

a village that he does not wish to leave, is one reason that prompted headmaster, Mr John Lees, to resign to become sub-postmaster there. Another reason was that ‘I just had a fancy to try something else after having been a teacher for 20 years.’

Devon County Education Committee was told that following the resignation of the headmasters of Clovelly and Westleigh Schools the North Devon Divisional Executive had met the managers in each case to discuss the possibility of area reorganisation. It had now been recommended that no action should be taken at present and that the posts of head teacher be advertised.

At the moment there are 39 children on the roll at Clovelly. Mr Lees said it was his hope that the school would be there for a long time, but the pressure to close rural schools was always present. It was a matter of considerable doubt whether the County Council would save money by transferring Clovelly children, say, to Hartland. It might well cost money. Such a move would not only involved the cost of transport. It would probably push Hartland School into a non-teaching headship, involving the appointment of a deputy head and another master.

Gazette edition dated 27 June 1965

Clovelly Offer

New possibilities for Parish Hall Scheme

New possibilities are believed to opened up for Clovelly’s Parish Hall and playing fields (war memorial) scheme as a result of the meeting which took place on Wednesday between the Hon. Mrs B C Asquith, of Clovelly Court, and representatives of the Parish Council.

During the meeting the Hon. Mrs Asquith made an offer involving the Rectory site, which adjoins the main road and has essential services close at hand and which the Parish Council originally selected as the most desirable site for the new Parish Hall.

The Chairman, Mr J C Hilton, said that the offer ‘holds great possibilities’.

The full Gazette article is dated 2 May 1958