The Three Wise Clerks

This photograph of the three generations of Town Clerks was taken in 2005 by Ann Scanes (Hannah by Design) for the forthcoming book on the history of Chudleigh by the Historical Society.

Eddie Lee (1948-1993) recipient of the Year of the Volunteer 2005 for 75 of community service: www.csv.org.uk/campaigns/year+of+the+volunteer+2005/yv05+awards.htm  

Carole Smith (1993-2003)

Philip Vogel (2003 - )

Pat Wills

In the February edition of the Chudleigh News it was announced that Par Wills had retired from the Town council. We cannot let Pat’s immense contribution to the Chudleigh community pass into history without recognition.

Pat was born in Chudleigh in 1918. Her father was serving with the Royal Flying Corp during World War 1 and her mother moved temporarily to Devon with Pat’s elder brother William to escape some of the dangers of living in London at that time. Pat’s grandparents ran a tailor’s shop in Fore Street and lived above the shop. It was quite a high class business serving the gentry and staff of estates such as Ugbrooke and Whiteway and the larger private dwellings.

When her mother moved back to London after the first war taking William with her, Pat and her twin brother Harold stayed in Chudleigh and were brought up by their Grandparents. She attended the local school (now the library and youth club) and left aged fifteen to take up a local position as trainee dressmaker with a Miss Nosworthy. She met Vic Wills, became engaged and intended marrying in 1940, but with Vic serving in the Royal Air Force and the onset of World War 11, they brought the ceremony forward and married in 1939.

Trevor Wills was born in 1941 and Christopher in 1947. Vic left the Royal Air Force in 1950 and found employment with the Post Office.

As the two boys grew up Pat’s interest in local community affairs became stronger and she became one of the Committee for Town Hall Improvements. During the Second World War the Town Hall was requisitioned by the military authorities and although it was agreed they would leave the premise in the condition they found it, their maintenance was only superficial and within a few years much needed repair work had to be undertaken. The funds to meet these costs had to be raised locally — hence the formation of the afore-mentioned committee.

During the 1950s she was one of the driving forces which saw the formation of the Chudleigh Scout Group. A scouting movement had existed in Chudleigh many years before but had folded prior to the war. Trevor’s desire to become a scout inspired Pat to become involved and within a few years our local troop had become well-respected and financially very sound.

In 1964 she became a Parish Councillor, a position she held until her resignation a few weeks ago. During those forty one years she served as Chairman six times. In 1972 she became a District Councillor on the Newton Abbot Rural District Council. This became Teignbridge District Council in 1974. She continued to serve as our District Representative for over twenty years.

Space does not allow for a detailed account of all the committees and organisations of which Pat has been a member, but to summarise, these include the Carnival, the Chudleigh Royal British Legion, from whom she has a certificate acknowledging sixty years as a poppy seller, the Amenity Society, the History Group, the Charity Governors Committee, Pynsent Foundation, Chudleigh United Charities, the WI, which she joined in 1947, and the Finance and General Purposes Committee of Teignbridge District Council which she also chaired for a while.

She was a School Governor of Teign School, organised the refreshments for many of the ‘Beating the Bounds’ and is a life member of the Twinning Association. Her involvement with the latter dates back to 1981/82 when the idea of linking with a twin town was first suggested. Pat and Peter Thompson had both visited Troarn and put the town forward as a likely candidate for ‘twinning’. After a certain amount of to-ing and fro-ing across the channel, Twinning Charters were signed in Troarn and our Parish Church. In 2002 the Twinning Association celebrated its twentieth anniversary.

Pat now lives in Orchard House, having spent most of her married life in Colway Lane. She and Vic moved in during 1997 but sadly Vic passed away in 2003. The building of Orchard House with its twenty-six warden assisted flats and an independent day centre also reflects Pat’s drive and determination to see such a facility provided for Chudleigh. Whilst serving as a Parish Councillor and District Councillor she observed other such projects being built within Teignbridge, including the purchase of the plot of land on which the Tower House Surgery and Orchard House now stand, and after much negotiation, the purchase was duly completed. Part of the land was subsequently sold for the building of the surgery and the Devon Community Housing Society took responsibility for the building of Orchard House. In recognition of Pat’s involvement with the project and her contribution to the local community, the day lounge within the centre was named ‘The Pat Wills Lounge’ and a plaque suitably inscribed was unveiled on 8th July 1997.

Pat has not enjoyed the best of health just recently but is progressing well and is once again remarkably mobile. She still attends weekly service to worship in the Ugbrooke Chapel. Her retirement from public service on the Town Council has been duly noted but I doubt she will ever get the full recognition she deserves for all she has done and continues to do for our community. Well done, Pat. Contributed by Alan Brunton

This article is reproduced by kind permission of ‘Chudleigh News’ the Parish magazine of Chudleigh, Chudleigh Knighton and Trusham, and the author Alan Brunton.

The ladies sevens team from the Globe in Chudleigh beat the Keyberry team in the 2006 final at Forde Hall on Thursday 15^th June.