Budleigh Past and Present

Looking forward to seeing the Budleigh Venture Art Group’s version of Millais’ work ‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’ which I wrote about recently here I’m reminded that the painting features as the logo adopted by Budleigh Salterton’s Male Voice Choir.     So while we at Fairlynch are deep into preparing the new Sir Walter Ralegh Room we should mention that the Choir is giving a concert on Saturday 14 March in the Temple Methodist Church.  After all, the Budleigh Salterton Male Voice Choir’s 2010 concert raised £1,350 for the Museum.    In addition to all those male voices the concert on 14 March will feature the talented Devon-born soprano Héloïse West. She has performed in numerous large scale choral pieces including work by Bach, Mozart, Brahms , Verdi and Poulenc.   The concert is in aid of Budleigh’s Temple Methodist Church Beit Sahour Partnership. As a result of a Holy Land pilgrimage in 1999, and a desire to support a dwindling Palestinian presence, in

  Matching museums : The Elijah Cobb House in Brewster MA (top photo) will be the Brewster Historical Society’s new home. Image credit Rich Eldred Just over a year ago I wrote here about the ambitions of the Brewster Historical Society to have its own museum.   For those readers in Budleigh Salterton and elsewhere who don’t know about the slightly strange connection with Brewster, it can be summarised as the twinning that never was.  Back in 2001 there were people from both towns who were keen on the idea of a link, but for various reasons nothing was actually signed and sealed. I suppose the obvious reason was the traumatic event of 9/11, which understandably put Americans off the idea of flying. When I moved to Budleigh I was struck not only by the fact that Wikipedia listed Brewster as its twin town but by the numerous similarities between their areas: coastal situation, salt marshes, working flour mills, lots of what seem to be retired people,

Are you...  Bored with begonias... Crowded out with cotoneasters… Dividing dahlias... Sowing seeds... Splitting salvias... Overflowing with fuchsias…? Have you thought of offering them to Fairlynch for our Grand Easter Fair on Saturday 4 April? Do you have any gardening books we could sell?  Any vases or planters?  Or any other garden/gardening related items?  Are you over-run with bamboo that could be cut and sold as plant support?  Do you need to re-home crocus or snowdrop bulbs?   Would you plant a tray of seeds (flowers or veg), prepare a tray of cuttings, split plants etc to be ready for sale on the great day?   If you can help, please phone Chris on   01395 488297 to arrange collection Or email: chris.h.bailey@me.com Also welcome are any unwanted items to stock our Tombola table

Are you a teacher? Would you like to plan your lessons using real objects from a museum in a way that will stimulate, support and enrich your pupils’ learning? Fairlynch Museum, in common with many similar institutions, has a number of Schools Loan Boxes containing objects ranging from ancient to modern which can be used by teachers. Each box is themed according to the contents, and covers subject areas such as Victorian Life, Toys of the Past, Archaeology, and Textiles.   The latest addition to the Fairlynch’s Loan Box collection is this pretty cut glass inkwell, kindly donated to the Museum by a local resident.   Calligraphy expert and Friend of Fairlynch Irene Whalley thinks that it would have been one of a pair. “With its Gothic top and faceted shape it’s really quite elegant. A delightful piece,” she says. To borrow one of Fairlynch Museum’s Loan Boxes you can contact the Museum on 01395 442666; email: admin@fairlynchmuseum.co.uk

The common pond skater (Gerris lacustris) Image credit: David Spears David Spears It was a privilege on Saturday 7 February to hear two distinguished experts who are noted for their stunning images of wildlife. David Spears’ talk was entitled ‘Tiny Lives in Rivers and Estuaries.’   A Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society, the Royal Photographic Society and the London Zoological Society, he studied Zoology at the University of East London and Neurobiology at the Open University before pursuing a career in wildlife photography.   He filmed with David Bellamy and David Attenborough before later setting up his own production company, Science Pictures.     A century and a half ago the Budleigh-born scientist and microscopist Henry John Carter FRS, pictured above, settled in retirement at what is now Umbrella Cottage on Fore Street Hill. Part of his retirement was spent identifying creepy crawlies that he found in local drains and bogs