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Women's
Institute: The Village 1939-1959
Week St. Mary
is a parish situated at the Northern extremity of the delectable Duchy of
Cornwall, surrounded by the parishes of Jacobstow, North Petherwin,
Marhamchurch, Poundstock and Whitstone on the border line of Devon and Cornwall,
and almost equi-distant from Launceston, Bude and Holsworthy. It has a
population of 402, according to the figures of the 1951 census, a drop of 58 in
twenty years. No figures are available since 1951, but there has been a steady
decline in the past hundred years.
It has also changed in composition, there being fewer children and more retired
couples, the former due no doubt, to modern family planning, and the latter to
the War, when it was a reception area and those seeking shelter stayed on.
There is no railway or daily bus service. Its isolation and extreme northern
position in the County affect it adversely in some ways. It
is an entirely agricultural area, producing high-grade cattle and sheep. Ever
since the fifteenth century, when Thomasine Bonaventure, the Shepherdess of
Greena Moor, met and married John Bunsby, the Wool Merchant of London, who was
later to be its Lord Mayor, and Thomasine an enlightened benefactor of her
native village and County. It has reared the gentle sheep who feed and clothe us
and fertilise the land.
In this village too, at Swannacott Manor, dwelt Sir Richard Grenville and the
tenants still have the ancient right and honour of paying dues to the Sovereign
of a goatskin. Goscott’s offering is a Rose, sword and pewter and are in
Swannacott to this day. Another historical survival is the “Poor Man’s
Piece” existing before the enclosures. That charity is still administered
yearly by the Parish Council and the rent paid to the poor recipient: an
illustration of the Welfare State in olden days.
Being a highly agricultural area there have been no outstanding changes in
scenery, but if scenery has not changed, manners, morals and customs have
greatly altered, due to the War in the first half of the period under review,
and to economic, educational and cultural changes in the latter period. From a
native insular community it now comprises varied British, German, Austrian and
Polish inhabitants. Most of these changes have been for the better. Twenty years
ago illegitimacy was frequent, now it is very rare.
Conscripts have married wives from other parts of England thus bringing fresh
blood and differing temperaments to mingle with the conservative West Country
nature. But the later changes have been equally spectacular.
Agriculture, an industry vital to the nation, and to Week St. Mary, is now
scientifically operated and mechanised by the use of the Combine Harvester,
Baler, Hedge Trimmer, Manure spreader and many other labour saving devices. Some
of these implements were in short supply in 1939, but now they are in use in
season every day. The land has also improved by the use of modern fertilisers
and the draining of marsh land, thus bringing a greater acreage under
cultivation, producing more crops and improving the landscape. Agricultural
wages have risen from thirty-shillings to £7/14/- with a recent award of a
further four shillings.
New Council houses with all
modern conveniences and the reconditioning of old cottages have greatly improved
the structural appearance of the village, and the boon to the housewife of main
drainage and water supply (electricity was already installed) are other recent
and very necessary improvements. The water supply from two bore-holes was
sufficient to meet all needs of the past very dry summer.
The weekly market has increased in the past few years by one hundred per cent,
both in numbers of cattle and dealers attending, cattle lorries and cars
extending the whole length of the village on market days. The standard of cattle
sold is much higher due to improved methods of feeding, introduction of TT
certificates and better farm buildings.
Eggs are now collected by lorries from Egg Packing Stations and graded and paid
by weight. Many of the farms have their own electricity plant installed. A Honey
Factory for processing Nature’s sweetmeat, the work of the busy bee, has been
a recent hive of industry, many tons of honey being sent all over the country
from the Sunny West.
No new roads have been made but the existing ones have been resurfaced after the
laying of underground telephones, sewers, and water pipes. There have been
changes in education: the school is old but has been modernised and is capable
of accommodating fifty pupils, but now has only twenty, the eleven plus having
graduated to Bude Grammar or Stratton Secondary schools, being conveyed by
school bus. School dinners for the twenty remaining are provided at the
Temperance Hotel. The small numbers at present at the school are considered
uneconomic by the Ministry and we risk the closure of the school and the loss of
two teachers.
The comparatively recent introduction of the Health Service has been a blessing.
There is no resident Doctor, the nearest living eight miles away, but surgeries
are held three times a week and there are two highly efficient Queen’s
District Nurses living in the village, their services being much appreciated.
The nearest hospital, the Stratton Cottage Hospital, is seven miles distant.
Emergency cases are taken to Plymouth (45 miles) by ambulance or hospital car.
The Twilight Home at Bude receives aged infirm patients no longer able to care
for themselves and without relatives able to help. We are glad to report we have
a Blood Donor Service available.
Especially noteworthy has been the introduction of Television as an amenity in
rural life. There are approximately forty sets in the village, creating
amusements, increasing knowledge and providing wider horizons for the mind by a
worldwide appreciation of life and people and nature in other lands. It is safe
to say no single factor has been greater than the “Telly” for opening up the
world to a rural community.
Church and Chapel have held their own, though attendances are not large, but
co-operation between the two, both in attendances on special functions and in
monetary aid is welcomed and generously given.
We are glad that Dances, Whist Drives, Socials, Skittle Clubs and Women’s
Institute all thrive in competition with Television for they create the communal
spirit in the village and aid various charities.
This Autumn the young leaders of the Methodist Church have acquired a film
projector and during the winter films are shown. A Musical Festival is held each
Spring, including classes in singing, elocution and woodwork. A Travelling
Library has been a great improvement on the old method of distribution and is
much appreciated. It gives one the opportunity of borrowing any book, no matter
how expensive either fiction or non-fiction, and a greatly increased choice.
An all-night light in the Public Telephone Box has been another amenity added,
due to the initial efforts of the Women’s Institute. Cherry trees were planted
during the Coronation Year and public seats provided. The R.S.P.C.A. van pays a
weekly visit to care for sick animals and household pets. A Public Convenience
is in course of erection. The building of new Post Office and the provision of
& letter-box at Week Green have been welcome facilities.
We were proud, too,
when this year a working member of the community was invested by the Queen with
the MBE for services to agriculture. He already held the honours of a Justice of
the Peace and Alderman. This emphasises the fact that the small community has
its public spirited residents.
Living standards are
high. The introduction of deep freeze refrigerators in shops and private houses
makes possible a wider choice of food, in season and out, and allied to the farm
produce provides abundant diet much appreciated by the numbers of summer
visitors drawn to the area by its proximity to the sea and moor. There are no
poor, sub-standard houses; old cottages have been reconditioned and new
dwellings built, including an ultra modern, centrally heated and insulated
bungalow. No great advantage is taken of hire purchase. There is a high
percentage of motor vehicles owned per resident, due to isolation and the
problem of transport.
In concluding, one must stress the need of better transport facilities for
non-car owners and recognition by the Government of that need. Hospital
extension is also a matter of priority as the long journey to Plymouth for
specialised treatment involves a journey of 80 miles. There is also the problem
of the young people having to go further afield to earn their living and being
compelled to provide their transport to get there. A Village Hall is badly
needed, the present Church Hall often being inadequate and is not equipped with
sanitation. Street lighting is a hope of the future.
We are proud of the achievements of the past twenty years, but continue to
strive for further improvements. Long may we guard and cherish the heritage of
the English Countryside and that of our own ancient village of Week St. Mary.
Compiled by: Mrs O Goodman,
Mrs L Hutchings, Mrs W Ridgman, Mrs D Treleven, Miss N Orchard & Miss E
Teague.
An
excellent article reflecting the times exactly as we remember them - thank you
again Week St. Mary Women's Institute.
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