Lundy

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.

The Church of Scientology Worldwide is interested in Lundy

which might have ‘certain peculiar advantages. But at this stage it would not be true to say we are going to buy it” said Mr David Gaiman, chief spokesman. He was speaking from the headquarters of the Church in this country, Hubbard College, East Grinstead.

Meanwhile a ‘Lundy for the nation’ campaign is gathering momentum. Three Devon M.P.s who believe the National Trust would be ‘the best and most experienced body to own and administer the island’ are issuing a nationwide appeal. Mr Peter Mills was due to meet the Director-General of the Trust, Sir John Winnifrith, on behalf of the group which includes Mr Jeremy Thorpe and Dr David Owen.

Mr Mills was asking Sir John to seek a three months’ option to purchase from the present owners, which would allow time for the launching of a national appeal for funds to buy and maintain the island. Mr Mills revealed that since Lundy was placed on the market he had received ‘a mass’ of anxious letters together with many offers of money. It was reported that regional representatives of the National Trust are visiting Lundy to prepare a preliminary report.

Torridge Chat writes

Islands always have an air of romance about them, and Lundy has this in abundance, based on a history that stretches back over centuries. The island has gone through many vicissitudes and had many different owners. It has been the haunt of pirates, and in the 17th century Algerian, French, Spanish and even Turkish freebooters made it a rendezvous from which to ravage our western coasts and approaches. Now it is for sale after having been in the devoted ownership of the Harman family for nearly 45 years. Among North Devon people there is, not unnaturally, some anxiety as to what may become of the island under new ownership. When Lundy was for sale in 1925, Mr Basil Peto, then MP for the old North-West Devon division, asked the Home Secretary in the House of Commons if he would take steps to ensure that it did not fall into the hands of any alien.

The value of the island has fluctuated considerably but, of course, as ever one must take into account the change in value of the £, not just over present years, but over centuries. In 1391 Lundy was valued at £10. In 1754 it was sold for £510 but by 1781 it has soared to £12,000. But when it changed hands in 1803 fear of French invasion brought about a drop to £700. It was once lost in a game of cards, the stake being £4,500, but the winners sold it four years later (1834) for £9,870. When it last changed hands in 1925 the price was £16,000. Now the talk is of £100,000.

The National Trust launched an appeal to raise the necessary £150,000 after the conservation charity, The Landmark Trust, offered to underwrite it. No sooner had the appeal been launched when the philanthropic businessman Jack Hayward stepped in with a gift of the purchase price. The Landmark Trust, under the guidance of its then chairman, John Smith, agreed to lease Lundy for 60 years and to restore, maintain and run the Island and to keep it as a tranquil and unaffected place for the Islanders and visitors to share and enjoy.

Credits - Gazette articles dated 3 April 1969; The Landmark Trust website

On Her ‘Maiden Trip’ From Bideford

Former trawler is new link with Lundy

This photograph looks down on the deck of the Lundy Gannet alongside Bideford Quay preparing to make her ‘maiden trip’ to Lundy as the new link between the mainland and the Island. Before she left on Wednesday’s morning tide, the Rev R C Dixon (Vicar of Appledore and Priest-in-charge at Lundy) blessed the vessel on its new mission.

Those in the picture, gathered round the hold are: Mr Dan Crawford; Mr W Pickett, Customs and Excise Officer at Appledore; Mr Peter M Lecky; Mr Trevor Davey, of Bucks, coxswain of the Clovelly lifeboat, who is the new skipper; Mr Stanley Smith, who manages the Marisco Tavern on Lundy, and the Rev R C Dixon.

The Lundy Gannet, a former trawler 52 feet long, had been converted to carry 12 passengers, with cabin, and hold to carry close on 20 tons of cargo, and a new Kelvin 88hp motor fitted, which gave her a speed of eight knots, about the same speed as the Lerina, which formerly did the trip. Mr Davey is a kinsman of the late Capts Wm and Fred Dark, father and son, who commanded respectively the old sailing vessel Gannet and the mv Lerina, former sea-going links with Lundy.

For a time mail from the Island has come by air service but since June 1st, the postal address has been amended back to ‘Lundy Island, Bristol Channel, c/o GPO Bideford.’

Mr Dan Crawford said the Lundy Gannet had a good trip round from Scarborough, and called at Lundy before arriving at Bideford late Monday night.

Two children were among those making the trip. Each nine years old, they were grandchildren of the late owner of the island, Mr Martin Coles Harman. They were Peter, son of the new owner of Lundy, Mr Albion Harman and his wife, and Mary, daughter of Mr and Mrs Peter Harman Jones, son-in-law and daughter of the late Mr M C Harman. In addition to this family group there were Mr A F R Hatfield and Mr H P Worrow, personal friends, and two old friends of Lundy locally, Mr A E Blackwell, of Instow, and Mr A J Dennis, of Barnstaple, and the Rev R C Dixon.

Mr Albion Harman who, with his sister, Ruth, attended the VC commemoration service in London on Monday, representing their late brother, Lance-Corporal John Pennington Harman, VC, to whom there is a memorial on the island, told the Bideford Gazette it was planned that the Lundy Gannet, as far as practicable, should go to the island nearly every fine day in the summer.

Mr Harman said now they had the new link he planned to visit the island regularly.

A small party was held on the island on Wednesday night to celebrate the inauguration of the new service.

Article dated 22 June 1956

Another Patient Flown From Lundy

Wife of Island owner injures leg

The condition of Mrs Kathleen Harman, wife of Mr Albion Harman, owner of Lundy, who injured her leg in a fall on the island and on Monday evening was flown from there by a rescue helicopter of RAF Chivenor to the King George V football field and taken by ambulance to Bideford Hospital, was yesterday stated to be progressing satisfactorily.

The rescue helicopter, piloted by Flight Lieutenant A G Carroll, was called in response to a message from Lundy received by Hartland coastguards over the radio transmitter from the island. It touched down at Bideford to pick up Dr William Ruddock, of Bideford, and landed on a strip behind Lundy Church to which Mrs Harman was brought by trailer towed by a tractor.

This was the second time within a week the rescue helicopter service from RAF Chivenor had gone to Lundy in response to a call for medical assistance. Last week it took Dr W T S McKean, Dr Ruddock’s partner.

Full Gazette article is dated 25 April 1958