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The Rectory
Hesketh Bank
November 1943

My Dear Friends,
You will I am sure enjoy the message below from our old friend and Rector Mr Bowker. He has retired from parochial work and is living as you will see, near Ingleton, having still plenty of work to do helping the clergy of his district and in many other ways.
Next month I hope to insert a message from Mr Holmes the Commander of our Hesketh Bank Home Guard. There are still many of you from whom I should be so pleased to have a line. I look forward to your letters very eagerly and pass on the news to as many as possible. Good luck and God's blessing for you this month.
Yours very sincerely
A P THORNE

LETTER FROM REV B T BOWKER
Dear Old Friends, Seven years absence has not weakened my affection for my old Parish of Hesketh nor dimmed my memories of my friends and parishioners so I gladly write in your most interesting News Letter to send you all, and especially you in the Forces my best wishes for your welfare and my prayers for your safety. In the last war we fortunately lost few of the many Hesketh men who fought and won. May God in His mercy grant it to be so again and to send you back safe and above all strengthened in character, faith, and gratitude to Him. Believe in God and not merely in His willingness to keep you safe. If you do this, no matter whether you live or die all will be well with you. May He supply your every need. I can recall to mind nearly all of you whose names I read and therefore I can write with real individual interest to wish you well and to add my wishes in the same way for your relatives and friends. If any of you should care to write to me I will reply to your letter. My address is "Ellerbeck", High Westhouse (Yorks), via Carnforth. I have prayed each day for the Parish of Hesketh ever since I left. God bless and keep you all.
B T BOWKER

POINTS FROM LETTERS.
Gunner L Sharples writes that he has travelled a few thousand miles but has not seen any places to beat Hesketh Bank. He sends greetings to Bert Price and Jimmy Baxter and says he hopes it will not be long before Jimmy is making chips again for us.
John Jackson thanks Harry Hoyle for his best wishes and sends greetings also to Arthur Taylor, Raymond Bailey, Bill Ball (Newarth) and Harold Cookson. He has received the local paper with a photo of Mrs Pill (Betty Ball) receiving a present from Mrs Bramwell. He adds that he has recently visited a beautiful Cathedral in a nearby city.
Leslie Bramwell says that the August NL arrived when he was in action again and cheered him up no end. He continues "Tell R Melling and Tom Brewer that I am looking forward to celebrating with them. Also remember me to Bert Miller, Edward Baybutt and Nicholas Taylor. I wish I could have spent a few days with Horace Hornby when on leave".
Fred Carr's address, Leslie, is 932149, 215 Batt. HQ. Med Reg't RAMEF.
W Melling who has written twice lately sends greetings to his cousin J R Melling and hopes to hear more news from us soon, also to his cousin Stacey Gautrey.
Harley McKeen and his brother Richard (RAF) are still together.
W Rae writes to say how things like the NL help to keep up the morale and spirit of the troops. He reports that he is 100% fit. The sports owing to the North African heat have to be held in the cool of the evening. Their games consist of draughts and football. As there are a number of Scotsmen in his Battery they arrange international matches, very exciting and interesting, especially the yells from the Italian prisoners nearby,
Joe Eastham (India) says that the summer is marvellous, with continually shining sun. There are plenty of snakes and wild animals out there, and when they were under canvas in the jungle they made a pet of a small monkey for quite a time, but unfortunately had to say farewell to him when they moved. He wants to thank the Hesketh Bank people for all their kindness to him.
Arthur Taylor (Newarth) wishes to be remembered to William (Chapel Rd) John Jackson and Leslie Tiffin.
Harry Buck sends greetings to Leslie Bramwell. Acknowledgements also to Thomas Bond for his letter.

NEWS FROM THE VILLAGE
The Church and Chapel Collections in the recent house-to-house collection obtained the record sum of £42 for the Southport Infirmary. This sum, with a cheque for £5 sent direct, eventually came to £47 which was £9 more than last year.
The Church Harvest Sunday was on October 10th. The special preachers were Revs J B Goodall and L N Forse and the Rector. The collections amounted to the record sum of £34.
The school at Shoreside is very sorry indeed to have to say farewell to Miss Edith Whittaker who was married to Mr Stanley Derricowet at Grimsargh, her old home on October 16th. She will be very much missed by the Staff and children of the School and many other friends in the parish. She has served both school and parish well, and our best wishes go with her to her new home. Before school closed for the Autumn Holiday there was a pleasing little ceremony when Miss Whittaker was presented with a cheque from the Teachers and scholars on the occasion of her marriage.
In the recent Book Recovery Drive the school children collected five thousand books. A small group of people meets in church each Wednesday at 6 pm to pray for members of HM Forces and for Victory. Add your prayers to theirs. Mrs Edward Sharples (Shoreside) is much better and has returned home from the Infirmary.
Mrs McFord (The Brow) has been seriously ill in a Liverpool Hospital but is progressing favourably.
After Dunkirk Leslie Goring was placed in the Army Reserve to continue his studies. Having passed his final examinations he has now rejoined his unit.
Fred Tiffin has recently joined the RAF.
Pearl Whitehead has joined up as a Volunteer Ambulance Driver (British Volunteer Ambulance Corps.) Both her brothers Ralph and Henry have gone overseas and are still together.
Austin Barton is now home from North Africa, having been injured in a motor-cycle accident. He is at present recuperating in hospital.
Nicholas Taylor, of The Brow, has a brother-in-law amongst the prisoners of war recently repatriated.
Wilfred Davies of Newarth Lane is in hospital with Scarlet Fever.

Captain James Cook in the course of his world travels has been in South Africa and has met Mrs Rivers-Moore, nee Joyce Bowker the daughter of our former Rector Rev. B.T. Bowker, (who has written the letter in this issue).
Frank Cookson (Moss Lane) was married to Barbara Western, of the WRENS, at Sheffield on September 4th.

The following are now on our list: Reginald Cookson, brother of Will Cookson who is the clerk at Alty's and John Harwood, whose home is Chapel Cottages, Chapel Road. Maurice Sutton has joined the Navy. John Coulton, Chapel Road, joined the Navy on October 27th. John Hamilton, Shoreside, is to marry Sarah Eccles (late of Hesketh Bank) on November 11th. Second Lieut. T Houghton, of the Home Guard, has been promoted to the rank of First-Lieut.

On Leave
Tom Iddon, Walter Bassett, William Ball (Shore Road) and his wife, who is in the ATS, and Jack Baxter, Richard Baxter, Albert Blackburn, William Iddon (Station Road) and his brother Joseph Iddon, and John Coulton, who is home after being in hospital. Also Edward Baybutt and Raymond Bailey.

A dance which was given by Matthew Slinger raised the grand total of £52 for your Christmas Gifts Fund. It was held in the Tarleton Council School and was attended by over 300 people. A crooning competition which added pleasure to the gathering was won by Freddie and Elsie Iddon. Bill Gregson's band provided the music. Dick Baxter who has been home on leave brought home a number of lemons and bananas (bananas! Just think of them here!) Several of them were auctioned at a dance and they made £1.70. Mrs William Hull was the buyer.
The Chapel Harvest Festival was held on the 1st Sunday in October and the preacher was the Rev. W Barton. A Service of Song was given in the afternoon. The Chairman was Mr J Worthington, High Superintendent Rechabites and the Reader was Miss Mgt Cookson. There were good congregations throughout the day and the collections amounted to over £90.
The Chapel Choir held a Social Evening on the 13th October and raised £12 towards the Organ Fund.

Important Distinction.
Heard behind the counter: "She ain't a reg'lar customer. She's only a reg'lar asker."

Deeds not Words.
God created us not to contemplate but to act. He created us in His own image, and He is Thought and Action, or rather in Him there is no Thought without Action.

Friendship - The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel,
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade.

A Prayer for Anytime.
Defend us, O Lord, by night and by day, from all perils that may hurt us, and grant us great success in the face of our enemies, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Sailors - They that go down to the sea in ships,
And occupy their business in great waters;
These men see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.

A Source of Power
Christ is a path - if any be misled;
He is a robe - if any naked be;
If any chance to hunger - strong is He!

PS. We also acknowledge letters received recently from T M Wright. He says "I know you are keeping the home fires burning", also from S Iddon who reminds us that he helped to erect the new Church in Hesketh Bank. John Jackson has written again. He sends his best wishes to Hesketh A team. He is very sorry to hear of Mrs Buck's death.

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