Playing field need

Writing to Hartland Parish Council meeting, the CO of the RAF station at Hartland stated that it had always been the policy of the Air Ministry to encourage sport of all kinds among members of the RAF but, unfortunately, the sporting activities of the unit had been handicapped by the absence locally of a sports field. It meant, the letter added, that all home matches had to be played in Bideford. He asked if the Parish Council were able to suggest a suitable field which could be rented as a sports field. ‘We have been looking out for a field for years without being able to get one’ commented Mr R H Westlake. 

The chairman, Sir Dennis Stucley, pointed out they had formed a Playing Fields Association in Hartland representative of public interests, and he suggested the letter should be sent to this association. The subject had been thrashed out over a number of years, said Mr E J Fulford. A site had been earmarked, he added, but the owner was not willing to sell and ‘it was hopeless at the moment’. ‘Until you have powers to take it you are not going to get anywhere in Hartland’ he said. It was decided to send copies of the RAF letter to the local Playing Fields Association and Football Club. 

Gazette article dated 3 April 1959