CD4

(61 mins)
 

4/1

CONTRACTING / LYNMOUTH FLOOD / BILL LEWORTHY / BUYING HIGHLEY

Carried on contracting work 4 years after coming to Highley. Stopped when combines came in.

They moved to Highley 1956, a few years after the flood. Were at Brakebrook at the time of the flood. Lost his motorbike at the time of the Lynmouth flood. It wouldn't start and he put it in Bill Leworthy's [?sp] shed. He was there feeding his pigs. Railway bank burst just after DR left and Bill Leworthy and all the lot were drowned.

Move to Highley. Two old people (Harding) living there died. Farm belonged to sister at Kemps, Oare. Mr Harding had married sister of Jack Smith. His son, Henry, thought it would be left to him but he had to buy it. So he said, 'No, I'm clearing out.' They [DR] bought Highley privately. [Back to top]
 

4/2

EAST GRINSTEAD HOSPITAL CONNECTION / RUSSELL DAVIES / JOHN BENNETT / PARRACOMBE / PUB / WINSFORD VILLAGE HALL / SHOPPING / WARFARIN

Met John Bennett, plastic surgeon from East Grinstead, ?30 years ago, when he came to stay at Tinnerdy, which Russell Davies rented from them. RD was Sir Archie McIndoe's anaesthetist. Sir Archie was the boss of the Guineapigs [pioneering burns treatment]. DR keeps in touch with Kate, RD's wife. JB rings him every Sunday morning, has done for years. JB's wife [points to photo].

Moving to Parracombe. OK. Brother moved up to farm in 1947. Pub was good, but strict on closing time, 10 o'clock. Heart Foundation. Parracombe had a dance hall never went very well, they [DR] organised a few things there for the British Heart Foundation. Used to have some good dos at Winsford village hall, went to opening of new hall, 20-30 years ago.

He shops at Challacombe. Shop/PO run by Gladys [Gabriel], now by her daughter Clarissa. Buys nearly everything there, sometimes in Lynton.

Takes warfarin every morning for his heart. [Back to top]
 

4/3

ACCIDENT TO THUMB / WRIST PROBLEMS

He damaged his thumb in 1956, clearing sticks out of the yard after the flood. Tells story of going to Dr Nightingale in Lynmouth, and then to Barnstaple Hospital. He's got wrist problems. Needs an operation for trapped nerve. [Back to top]
 

4/4

NEW FOREST EYE / EAST GRINSTEAD OPERATION / HEART OPERATION / SHOOTING / HUNTING / FIRST HUNT / BEING BLOODED / DICK LLOYD / HUNT FIELDS

Got New Forest eye, scratched by beech trees out hunting. Barnstaple hospital couldn't deal with it so he went to East Grinstead. Operation done by Tom Casey [talks about heart operation]. Afterwards he started shooting again, clay and pheasant. He won the DSS cup in 1956 for clay shooting. Has a few trophies.

Was blooded in 1927, day after Exford show, aged 7. Met at Exford. Dick Lloyd 'He's forgotten more about Exmoor than I shall every know. Really. He knows every gateway'. Describes hunt. Blooded at Cloutsham. Fifty horses out. A lot then. Now there's 250. [Back to top]
 

 4/5

HUNTING / BUYING STAGHOUNDS' FIRST GUN / THE KILL / LETT WORKING ON FARM / BAILING / OVERDOING IT LOADING BALES / DINNER PARTIES

He tried to hunt a day a week. Wife hunted but not much after they went to Highley. Too much to do. Albert helped do the lawns and his garden is a credit to him.

Tells story about the gun. Staghounds carry a 12 bore now, but they started carrying a .410. It fired a single bullet. Capt Wilton was the first one to carry it, in 1934. Describes what happened before. Hounds never ripped them deer apart. But you had to catch them and cut its throat. Describes gun. Bought it at Ladd's (Laddie's) at Crediton, the gunsmith. Lett bought him a No B3 Browning [?check], very expensive.

Wife worked on farm. Top binder for a couple of years. Bailed 3,800 one day. She bailed, with the pick-up bailer. She wouldn't get off. Mr Latham/Eric Riddle.

He loaded 1830 bales himself from after lunch until they came out of the field that night. Never felt himself afterwards until he had his heart done.

They would have people to dinner [in the evenings], 4 or 5 times a year, then they'd go back, around Lynton, and play cards, to the Priscotts, Stanburys, Leworthys. Doesn't go now. Dick Priscott and his wife have died, and Ted Stanbury, but he goes occasionally to see Iris, take her to bingo. John Reed's (of Minehead now) comes to bingo. [Back to top]
 

4/6

LETT DID EVERYTHING FOR HIM / IDENTIFIES WITH NORTH DEVON / KNOWLEDGE OF EXMOOR / HUNTING / WILDLIFE / FOOT AND MOUTH / HIGHLEY NOW / TRACTORS / BINGO / DANCING / GIVING UP SAXOPHONE

His wife did everything for him, laying out his clothes. Identifies with North Devon, though he's told he's got a bit of Somerset lingo.

'I can walk to Minehead without going on the road.' 'I always think I'm the king of Exmoor, like'.

Hunting. Harbouring stag.

Wildlife. 'We've always looked after it. We don't go out and shoot everything we can see.'

Foot and Mouth. Difficulties with moving stock.

Farm now. Lets it to nephew and brother, who farm land now. Albert has 70 sheep and ground at Parracombe and 30 acres at Tinnerdy. DR turns hay and cuts weed now. Haw 4 or 5 tractors. Plays bingo once a week, once a fortnight. Goes dancing on Saturday nights at Barnstaple. Belongs to dance club at Bratton Fleming. Goes with neighbours. Doesn't play clarinet or saxophone now. Had to give it up when he damaged his thumb. [Back to top]
 

4/7

BLACKMOOR GATE MARKET / HOTEL BURNING DOWN / DRINKING / RESCUING CAR IN SNOW / STOCKING FREEZER

Blackmoor Gate market. Has known 6-7000 sheep there and 2-3000 bullocks. He used to drive them to Blackmoor Gate, along the road, riding a horse.

Hotel burning down. He heard the slates cracking from Highley. Jimmy Broom built it, round a bungalow. 'They used to have a rubber mat over the floor, like, you know, and beer would be running down the steps at Blackmoor Gate'. He was never a heavy drinker.

Memorable moment. Remembers going to play at a dance at Brayford with Ray Hobbs and on the way back towing a car stuck in the snow by tying his coat round their axle [tells story].

Buys 100 sausages at a time, £10's worth in South Molton and puts them in the deep freeze. Offers BJ some cherry plums.

[RECORDING ENDS] [Back to top]