Entrenching Operations Begun

Black Shirts Lend A Hand

The tithe ‘war’ in North Devon was taken a further stage at Buckland Brewer where a County Court Bailiff is in possession of three ricks at Holwill Farm, occupied by Mr Brown. Willing hands assisted in the digging of a trench across a private road and a barricade has also been erected. It is evident that a determined resistance will meet any attempt to remove the ricks, one consisting of hay and two of oats. Tenders for the ricks were recently invited ‘under distress of tithe, by order of the County Court.’ Half a dozen black shirted British Fascists are assisting in the farmer’s cause, which has the sympathy of neighbouring farms.

It is understood that a well-known North Devon auctioneer was approached regarding the selling of the ricks by public auction and that he declined the sale. Mr R A Plathen, the leader of the Fascists, stated that there was a rumour that two of the ricks had been sold, but this was unconfirmed.

North Devon Tithe ‘War’ - All Quiet on Buckland Front

Sunday ‘Black Shirt’ Rally

Affairs on Holwill farm, Buckland Brewer, where three of Mr L W Brown’s ricks have been distrained upon for unpaid tithe, have remained during the week in status quo. The bailiff is still there, and so are about half a dozen of the British Union of Fascists, in their black shirt uniforms, but no attempt has been made to remove the ricks.

Mr Richard Acland and Case for Reduction

At a Barnstaple Liberal Divisional Organisation Committee meeting at Barnstaple, Mr Richard Dyke Acland was asked his views with regard to the payment of tithes. He expressed the opinion that an overwhelming case had been made out for a very substantial reduction, so as to bring tithes in relation to agricultural prices, as they were when first fixed.

In the course of a speech at a supper arranged by Barnstaple Branch of the National League of Young Liberals, Mr Acland said at the time when tithes were fixed nobody contemplated for a moment the stupendous fall in prices which we had witnessed in recent years. If anyone had thought such a thing possible, the tithe would have been fixed much lower. Therefore, the case for a substantial reduction of tithe today was irresistible. If after they had made a reduction they desired to make some arrangement to take advantage of present low rates of interest to buy out tithes that was a matter that could and ought to be arranged.

Articles dated 10 and 17 July 1933