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.

Although Hartland suffered some damage in the weekend gales – a pig sty became airborne and a large greenhouse was demolished – the town counted itself fortunate to have escaped so lightly.

The pig sty belonged to Mr J Jeffery and the greenhouse – in the Vicarage garden – disintegrated. All that was left were racks nailed on the rear wall but parts were found 30 to 40 yards away.
A bungalow being erected by Mr W Gifford at Lutsford was damaged, many houses lost slates and a number of TV aerials became casualties.
In the early hours of the morning the sky was lit up by flashes resembling a firework display. The branch of a tree had fallen across the power lines near Pattard, bringing them close together and causing an arc. The supply was not cut off, however, and the flashing and showers of sparks continued until Electricity Board linesmen removed the obstruction later in the day.

Gazette article dated 5 October 1962

Hartland’s ‘Bring Back Resident PC’ Call in 1972

Hartland Parish Council is supporting a move to get a resident policeman stationed in the township, as was the case until comparatively recently.

They were asked to do so by Mrs Muriel Henwood who told them she had been ‘nearly killed’ in an incident just after 5pm a few days previously, and she was campaigning to have a policeman stationed in Hartland.
The chairman, Mr Arthur George, said he understood there had been complaints about the riding of motorcycles, adding ‘I have to stand back in the hedge when I’m walking up the road and they come along’.
Later the Parish Council were told that child cyclists were causing danger in the town by riding on the high pavement in Fore Street and around old people’s bungalows. ‘It only needs a word in the right place to stop this’ they were told.

Hartland Over 60s Club Romance

At a Christmas party organised by the Hartland Over-60s Club Langtree widow, Mrs Mary Ellen Harris, met Hartland widower, Mr Edwin John Colley.

Now they have married at Langtree Methodist Church, the Rev L G Lewis, superintendent minister of the Shebbear circuit, officiating. The church was decorated by a niece of the bride. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr George Beal and a nephew of the bridegroom, Mr Charles Westlake, of Hartland, was best man. Members of the Hartland Over-60s Club formed a guard of honour outside the church. A reception, a gift from the bride’s son and daughter-in-law, Mr and Mrs L J Harris of Paddon Farm, Shebbear, was held at their home.
The full Gazette article is dated 27 October 1972.