Hartland

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.

Hartonians are interested to learn that a native of the parish has just celebrated his 90th birthday.

He is Mr John T Littlejohns, 8 Erme Road, Ivybridge, who was born at ‘Sunnyside’, Edistone, on January 1st 1867.
Mr Littlejohns, who learned his trade as a carpenter, and after his marriage lived at The Cottage, Fore Street, Hartland, for some time was an auxiliary postman at Hartland before being appointed full time postman at Ivybridge in 1901.
The full Gazette article is dated 10 January 1958

Craftsman and Musician

Hartland mourns Mr W H Walter

A founder of Hartland Town Band and choir master at Edistone Methodist Church for 64 years, Mr William Henry Walter, has died aged 80 at 11 Flexbury Park Road, Bude.
Formerly of Parkham Mr Walter built a house at Tosbury Grove, Hartland, where he lived until recently. During the first world war Mr Walter, a wheelwright by trade, kept about 60 farmers in four parishes going with repairs to carts, wagons and other mechanisms.
Last April Mr and Mrs Walter celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary.
The funeral service took place at Hartland Methodist Church, the Rev F C Diffey officiating. Mr W Heard was at the organ.
Immediate mourners were: the widow; Thomas, Elsie, Stanley, William, John and Hilda; John and Dorothy, Wilfred and Pat, John and Joan, Ern and Flo, Shirley and Gillian; Mr E Becklake, Mr H Kinsman; Mesdames T S W and J Walter; Mr and Mrs T Walter, Mr and Mrs Wilton, Mr and Mrs Wonnacott, Mr and Mrs E Walter, Mr and Mrs A Hockridge, Mr and Mrs G Stevens, Mr and Mrs E Oke, Messrs W T and S Walter, W Bragg, J and A Newton, Mesdames W Becklake, N Beer, Pickard, Prance, L Jeffery and A Newton.
Mrs G Bragg was unable to attend.
Two grandsons, Messrs J and W Walter, and four nephews, Messrs E Walter, W Bragg, T Walter and A Newton, were bearers.
Others attending included: Mr and Mrs Oke, Mr and Mrs Hockridge, Mr and Mrs C Peard (also representing Miss V Cook), Mr and Mrs W F Kinsman, Mr and Mrs A Cottle, Mr and Mrs J Cory, Mr and Mrs J Slee, Mr and Mrs Hobbs (Homerfield), Mr and Mrs A Colwill, Mr and Mrs Pillman (Tosbury), Mr and Mrs W Heard, Mr and Mrs W Upton, Mr and Mrs J A Pickard, Mr and Mrs J Stevens (Wargery), Mr and Mrs W Hancock; Messrs A Newton, G Cleave, D Walter, A Thorne, Walter, A Cory, Branton senr. J Stevens, Bragg (Tosbury), Newton senr. Heard (Barnstaple), Walter (Philham), E Short, Heard (Greenlake), J Grills, E Becklake, H Jeffery, B Wonnacott, O Sandercock; Mesdames T Squire, G Cottle, H O Walter, H Kinsman, J Short (representing Hills), Dennis, Daniel, Dennis (Milford), A Jeffery, A J Walter, Walter, Pengilly; Misses B Cory and B Pillman.
Floral tributes were: in loving memory of a dear husband and father from his sorrowing wife, sons and daughters; sister Mar and family; family of brother Sydney; Elam and family; granddaughters Beryl, Mary and Iris; grandchildren John, Dorothy, Wilfred, Pat, Joan, John, Flo and Ern; Shirley, John, Gillian and Nigel; Kelvin, Marilyn, Mark, Denise, Christopher and Teresa; Tom, Win and family; Ambrose and Dora; May, Eric and Walter; Bill, Flo and family (Bideford); Ada and family; William and Tom (100 West Street); Maggie (Volehouse); all at Pattard; Dr and Mrs Somerton; Mervyn, Arthur and Dora; Mr and Mrs Bragg and family (Tosbury); Lutsfort, Laburnum House and Homerfield; Stan and Annie (Stoke); Albert, Ida and family (Firebeacon); Florrie, Joan and Ken (Longfurlong); A Cory and Bessie; Jack and Bertha (Welsford); Mrs Colwill and family (Welsford); Mr and Mrs Hicks (Bude); Mrs Beer, Ida and John (Bude); Edith Serjeant and Ruth Dawe (Bude); Flo, Fred and Alan (Bude); Mrs Pennington and brother; all at Trellick; T and F Prouse and Ida; M Cloke, Jack and Gladys; Mary and Edward Heard; all at Greenlake; May, Alan and family; S and M Boundy; T and E Westlake and family (Northgate).

The Gazette article is dated 11 January 1963