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Nearly 36 years ago a Clovelly man sailed the day after his marriage for a new life with his bride in New Zealand.

Clovelly exile 22.6.1973

Now, back again in North Devon for the first time since, 68 year old Mr Jack Slee said he was ‘absolutely stunned’ at the present day prices of land and houses.
It was in October 1937, that Mr Slee sailed from this country with his wife, formerly Miss Winifred Hawkins, who came from Newton Poppleford and who had been governess at East Dyke, Clovelly, to the late Mr James Hilton’s children.
Mr Slee had been farming at Highford, Hartland, with his father. All the time he has been in New Zealand he has been dairy farming near Waverley in the North Island.
When he first arrived back in this country he and Mrs Slee stayed with their daughter, who is teaching in Sussex, before travelling to North Devon where they are staying with various members of his family.
His elder brother, Mr Edward Slee, lives at 17 Clovelly Road, Bideford, and another brother, Mr Norman Slee, lives at Gallantry Bower, Highford. He also has two sisters: Mrs Grace Heard, of West Titchberry, Hartland, and Mrs Bertha Burrow, of Springfield, Woolsery.
Mr Slee has already renewed acquaintance with scores of old friends in the area, among them Mr J J Headon, of Ocean View, Clovelly, with whom he played soccer in the Clovelly team which won the Kingsley League championship three years running in the middle of 1920s.
Mr and Mrs Slee, who have a son who works as an oil company executive in Australia, plan to return to New Zealand in August.
Full Gazette article dated 22 June 1973

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