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Hesketh Rectory
Hesketh Bank
November 1944

My Dear Friends,
We are determined to be early this time, so I hope you get this NL before November 1st, as it will be posted well before the end of October. With the Harvest Season now drawn to a close let me give you a word out of the farmers' book, so to speak; but actually from God's book, "Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not".
Time and time again you have thanked us for what we are doing for you in Hesketh Bank. We think that the boot is on the other leg, and that we ought to be thanking you for all you are doing for us. Our little bit is nothing compared to yours. Let me then send to you as from all of us at Hesketh Bank the thanks which can never be fully paid of your parish and village.
Many of the parishioners here see a copy of this newsletter after it has been sent to you. I know how they will wish to join in the message. God bless you all.
Yours very affectionately
A P THORNE.

Points from letters
Robert Sharples writes (S E Asia Command. Sept 28th) that he is glad to hear of Tom Hurst's recovery. He says it will not be long before he and Tom can have a chat again over the garden gate.
Joan Binns has been moved to a place near Carlisle, and reports (Oct.14th) on the excellence of the food department. On her station they have formed a Choral Society and she and her pals are about to make their debut at a Concert. They also have a Cinema and weekly Dances, and have great fun in their quarters round a lovely big stove making coffee in the evenings.
Ernest Buck, (Sept. 27th) thanks us for 'the breath of fresh air' which the NL brings with it. He apologises (no need, Ernest!) for not having written lately owing to the Invasion and the Doodle bombs. He still cannot fathom who writes 'Country Lad' but says it is well written. He admires the people of London so much from the way they put up with the bombs. He sends his congratulations to Bob Iddon on his Commission, and best of luck to all abroad. He has just paid a visit to the 'Daily Express' Newspaper Office and was amazed at the amount of work put into one penny paper. (thank you, Ernest, for your good wishes to the Rectory. APT)
Thomas Rimmer's first letter to us (Sept.22) was very welcome. He thanks us particularly for the Marsh and Bowling News. He is very pleased to hear that Leslie Bramwell has been sight seeing round Rome. He returns him the compliment about a ride to Croston and says that 'out here' it is not as warm as the brick kilns, but more air and less dust. A Frenchman told him that his regiment was the first of the British Troops to reach their town after the Canadians had driven them out on Sept.1st. This Frenchman also said that the Germans were in such a hurry to leave that they departed 'with their slippers on'.
Sam Iddon (CMF Sept 23) 'cannot tell us in words how much he appreciated all Hesketh Bank is doing for us'. He arrived in Italy on Sept. 9th 1943 at the invasion of Salerno. His was the first transport off and they did the job. He says that the NL has been a comfort to him in the darkest hours, and he hopes we will continue to send it till Victory is won. He comments with pleasure on DT's report of the harvest. He trusts the weather is not like 1916 and calls upon David to remember this, and the many duels with the geese, widgeon and ducks etc. Thanks, Sam, for your very cheery letter.
Leslie Bramwell (Sept.20) has been in action again after rest and leave in Cairo, and the worst he has been in through all Italy. Leslie reports the sad circumstances of the loss of his August NL) We have sent you another, Leslie, hope you get it APT) Leslie is now with the 8th Army in the Adriatic section near R Whiteside, whom he has not yet seen.
William Ainscough (BLA) writes to thank us for his NL and to say that there are many Lancs. boys with him who enjoy it too. He was very sorry to hear about Mr Barton's departure.

NEWS FROM THE VILLAGE
The Council of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society held an essay competition this summer for school children over eleven. Of the entries sent up from the Tarleton Council School all the winners were Hesketh Bank children. Walter Chadwick, Brenda Cookson, and Iris Redman.
We are sorry to have to record two deaths recently, Henry Hornby of Overdale, Fermor Road, and Emily Cowburn, of Newarth Lane, who died in London and was cremated there. Her ashes were brought here and buried in the old Churchyard on October 14th. Mr Hornby's funeral was on October 13th.
Mr John Cookson of Smithy House, Shoreside, was married on October 14th, at Banks, to Miss Howard, of Banks.
Roger Ward, of Fermor Road, has been wounded in Italy shell-burst he sustained burns on hands and face, but is apparently going on alright.
William Iddon, of Chapel Road has been in hospital in Belgium. Joe Iddon, Colin Wignall, and Nick Taylor (of the Brow) have been on leave.
Recently a threshing machine belonging to Johnson's of Banks on its way to the marsh could not get down the road one night. So they drew in to the Dib road to stay the night. N Lee, the driver, was ready to leave the thresher, when a horse and cart driven by Thomas Rimmer approached from the marsh. The horse shied at the engine and knocked Thomas down, the cart running over his legs. Very luckily he was not injured and was none the worse for his experience. The horse bolted but was soon stopped by Edwin Taylor.
Rose Twist, Fermor Road, has rejoined the WRNS.
Muriel Kelsall and Ruth Edwards have raised £18.12.00 for the Comforts Fund by means of a Miscellaneous Stall in Broadway.
The baby of Mr Mrs Wilfred Parkinson, (nee Beatrice Dawson) was christened Norma in Hesketh Church on Sunday October 15th.
We have much pleasure in sending Twenty-first birthday greetings to George Taylor (Shoreside) now with BLA for Wednesday, October 18th. A whist Drive given by Douglas Iddon was held in the CE School on Saturday October 7th, and was well attended. The prizes were presented by Mrs Eric Ashcroft and the winners were Ladies, 1st Mrs G Carter, 2nd Mrs A Banister, 3rd Mrs H Gautrey, 4th Mrs S Wright. Gentlemen, 1st Mr J W Hornby, 2nd Mr J R Ball, 3rd Mr R Burns, 4th Mr J Taylor. The MCs were D Iddon, W Cookson and R Tindsley. During the drive, a vote of thanks was given by Mr W Cookson (Alty's) and seconded by Mr George Moss, who said that very great and good work had been done by Mr Douglas Iddon, and that nearly all his leisure time had been devoted to the welfare of our lads and lassies of this village who are in the services. The amount made was eight guineas.

THOUGHTS OF A COUNTRY LAD
My Dear Friends, let me first thank those of you who in your letters have expressed your appreciation of these articles, I can only add that I also derive very great pleasure in writing them for you.
Well once again I want to try and bring a little more of home to you, yes home, this little village is resting in one corner of old England, with its smiling green fields, its laughing hedgerows, its babbling little streams and ditches, the beautiful rare wild bird life in the marshes, and our ancient little brick church nestling in the hollow near the banks of the faithful old River Douglas. All these must surely come into your minds when you think of home.
My friends, here at home Autumn has once more paid us another visit, the harvest has been gathered in, the old stack yards at the backs of our grand old farms proudly show their neat rows of corn stacks, made by the labourers of this little village, whose skill at that job cannot be equalled in the length and breadth of this island. The trees along our quaint and peaceful lanes are beginning to shed their leaves making a carpet of lovely tinted colours.
The other day I took a stroll to see the transformation that had been made on the marshes during the last few weeks. The fields of lovely, waving, golden corn had been shorn, the sweet smelling clover also had been cut and stacked, the potatoes growing in their fine long straight rows, no longer were green, but had turned into a beautiful rust colour, a sign that meant they were ready for lifting. Mingling with the dull yellow of the corn stubble, the lovely rust colour of the potato tops, the brussel sprouts with their dark green foliage assisted in making a picture only Autumn can produce. The hedgerows too with their leaves tinted crimson, purple and bronze added their own beauty to the scene. Even the weeds growing from the ditch sides with their shades of old gold and dull silver, helped in completing this picture. A tractor like some uncanny monster crawled slowly across a field leaving in its wake long furrows of shining black earth, the sea gulls weaving and turning in the Autumn sunshine their shrill cries pitched with the noise of the tractor blended also in this lovely scene. Whilst in the distance rising majestically in the blue were the mountains of the Pennines. Truly adding a real finishing touch to this marsh land of your grand old village.
Country Lad.

HESKETH BANK CLAIM (quoted from the 'Post') Recalling past history, a Hesketh Bank Air Raid Warden claims his village as the most blitzed village in Preston district and probably the whole of Lancashire. We certainly remember those nights in 1941. Fourteen (some say fifteen!) bombs dropped on the Brow and around, damaging Mr McFord's farm buildings, and making nice little holes all over the place but injuring no one. Then three weeks afterwards four more dropped near the old church, killing, alas! some cattle and damaging the old church and several gravestones, but again injuring no one. It is worth while recalling the bomb splinter which tore through the door of Mr Stephen Wareing's house, passed through a wooden partition and a budgie cage, finishing up in the mantelpiece, again harming nobody, not even the little bird. But all this and other episodes we must leave to the future Hesketh- with- Becconsall historian

MARSH NEWS Oct. 14th
By the nip in the air first thing in the morning - Winter is drawing nigh!
The gathering in of the corn proved to be a longer job than was expected, as weather wasn't too good. In fact, Slingers only carted their last load last week. Some of the corn has been thrashed, and has thrashed out very well.
The potato-picking however, has gone on pretty well, as some of the farmers have completed the job and according to the old saying that this must be finished by the 5th November they are really in good time.
The damp weather during harvest-time kept the sprouts growing well, and there'll be plenty of picking to be done for some time. There is every appearance of a good crop this year.
The winter's ploughing has been commenced by one or two, but all are not ready to start in earnest yet.
The shooting season is now in full swing. With a few thousand widgeon having returned, there should be some good sport in the offing! Most shooters have already had some decent 'bags', including the 17 I got on the 27th of last month. Last week D Wignall got 5 geese, although as yet, there are no signs of them feeding on the Marsh. They are again going to the Mere to feed. DT

BRING AND BUY
The Hesketh Bank WVS made a noble effort on Thursday, October 19th, in the School, Shoreside, on behalf of the War Comforts Fund, reaching the amazing sum of one hundred and twenty four pounds and sixpence. The Sale was opened by Mrs Watson and the Chair was taken by Mr W A Cook. A feature of the opening ceremony was the presentation of bouquets to them both by little Valerie Smith and little John Mee. It was all very suitable and touching, as Valerie is the daughter of Henry Smith, prisoner of War in the Far East, and John is the son of Thomas Mee who died in Burma.
Potato harvest time is now on us, and one farm in our village employs fifty soldiers to assist in gathering the potatoes.
We are very sorry to say that Mrs Edward Sharples is again in the Infirmary and we all hope and pray that she will soon be out and well again.
At a recent Bring and Buy Sale which was held at her house, Mrs W Ball of Boundary Lane, raised the wonderful sum of £32. Half of it she very kindly gave to the Red Cross and the other half to the funds of this News Letter. We thank her very much indeed.
Jack Edmondson recently gave a box of chocolates to Tarleton News Letter fund which he sent from Canada, and a draw which was held for them made £5. His wife's brother, Ronnie Cookson, won the chocolates and he very kindly gave them to our fund and the proceeds from the draw made £6.12.2d. Thanks Ronnie!

Ambiguous
A card in a shop window stated: We dispense with accuracy.

Conversation at Dinner:
Guest: "I maintain that all water used for drinking and cooking should be boiled at least an hour.
Host: "Ah, you're a doctor, I suppose?"
Guest: "Not at all. I'm a coal merchant."

What is of Importance: It is not of importance whether life be long or short, but it is of importance how a man lives. That death is not to be accounted a calamity which was preceded by a good life.

Growth
With aching hands and bleeding feet
We dig and heap, lay stone on stone;
We bear the burden and the heat
Of the long day, and wish twere done.
Not till the hours of light return
All we have built do we discern.

Security
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His tabernacle;
Yea, in the secret place of His dwelling shall He hide me,
And set me upon a rock of stone.
And now shall He lift up mine head
Above mine enemies round about me.

POSTCRIPT
On going to press we have received letters from Thomas Bond and Joe Power (Oct.23rd) We send our sympathy to Thomas on his hospital wanderings first in Baeux, Normandy, where he had an operation and stayed five weeks, and then in Southern England for a couple of days, then Sunderland, where he has been since the beginning of October. He is now at the Emergency Hospital, Whittingham. Good luck, Thomas, and best wishes for your recovery and safe return.
Joe Power writes from somewhere in Holland, (Oct.14th). He had five weeks in Belgium, which he was very sorry to leave, as he found the Belgians particularly kind. He has visited Brussels several times. He found grapes about one shilling a pound, and large peaches about sixpence each. He has been running up ammo convoys to the front line; has a few hours break, then at it again, 12 midnight. Good luck, Joe! Glad to hear you were able to get to Communion on Oct.15th.

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