(Transcription) Western Morning News • 28 Aug 1924, page 3

GARDEN FETE.
SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION IN PORT ELIOT GROUNDS.
In aid of St. Germans Parish Church funds a successful garden fete was held in the grounds of Port Eliot yesterday, being opened by the Hon. Mrs. M.C. Eliot, who said its success would be a tribute to the vicar, whose impending departure they viewed with regret.

She was presented with a bouquet by Miss Jean Hitt, and thanked, on the proposition of Col. J.W. Gill, who said whenever the Eliot family were in residence they were never happy unless they were doing something for the benefit of the neighbourhood. He recalled the first fete held in those grounds 37 years ago, and was opened by the Dowager Countess of St. Germans, whom they were very pleased to see there again.

MOURNFUL SIGHT.
Lieut.-Col. W.P. Drury, seconding, complained that the visits of Mr. and Mrs. Eliot to Port Eliot were much too short, and the intervals between them far too long. He spent much of his time writing in those beautiful grounds, and he thought there were few things more mournful to look upon than a great old house like Port Eliot standing empty, shuttered and silent. But when the smoke once more came from its chimneys, and the blinds were up and the doors and windows open, it reacted on the life of the community and woke them all up again. And what they especially liked, he thought, was to hear about the place the voices of children. Even the old house itself, which since the days of Queen Elizabeth had seen so many children of the same race come and go, seemed to take a new lease of life each time the children returned to it. What lay on the knees of the gods no men could tell, but they mihgt at least hope that as happier days came the Eliot family might be able to spend more time than was possible at present at their historic home.

The Hon. Montague Eliot replied on behalf of Mrs. Eliot.

MANY ATTRACTIONS.
The fete, which was organized by the Church Council, with Messrs. W.G. Broad and W.H. Sprague as hon. secretaries and treasurers, and Mrs. Sprague and Mrs. G. Carpenter as hon. secretaries of the Ladies' Committee, was amply provided with attractions, not the least of which was the opportunity of inspecting the beautiful grounds. A number of stalls were house within a marquee on the bowling green, various competitions were held, and other diversions included conjuring displays by Major Bransom (Indian Army, retired). Earlier in the week, too, a tennis tournament and a treasure hunt had been organized in connection with the fete, the former being won by Miss Madge Saunders and Mr. Rudd, an Oxford athlete, while the treasure hunt was won by Mr. H. Brenton. A line of "clues," commencing at Port Eliot and terminating at the Battery, was laid over a route of about 13-1/2 miles, and Mr. Brenton succeeded in solving the problem of each successive clue in turn, and covering the distance in about 45 minutes.

At the opening ceremony the Vicar (Rev. C.S. Fleet), who presided, announced that over £6 had been cleared by the treasure hunt, and £8 6s. by the tennis tournament.

IN CHARGE OF STALLS.
Stallholders:— General, Hon. Mrs. Eliot and Mrs. Harman; household, Countess of St. Germans, Mrs. Fleet, and members of the Bible-class; flowers and fruit, Mrs. Gill, Miss Gill; basket and fancy, Mrs. Drury, Miss E. Pender-Cudlipp; ice cream, Miss Harman; provisions, Mrs. F. Vansom, Mrs. Hitt; sweets, Miss Willen, Mrs. T. Botterill, Miss E. Colwill; jumble, Mrs. W.G. Broad, Mrs. J. E. Goard; aprons Mrs. Sprague, Miss R. Lobb; bran tub, Master Nicholas Eliot and Miss Elizabeth Eliot.

Tea was provided in the orangery, the ladies in charge being Mesdames W.H. Botterill, G. Carpenter, J. H. Goard, E. Tucker, W. Neville, Macey, A. Tucker, J. Colwill, G. May, Miss R. Richards, and Miss Cardew.

Competitions were conducted by the following:— Bowling for pig, Messrs. A. Sprague, H. Cardew, F. Keat, W. Bersey; quoits for fowls, Messrs. G. Hitt and W. J. Creber; buried treasure, Mr. R. Palmby; weighing machine, Mr. J. Williams; ladder golf, Adml. Sharp; rifle range, Messrs. H. and G. Brenton.

The tennis tournament was organized by Mrs. Gill, the treasure hunt being arranged by Mr. Eliot, Col. Drury, and the Rev. C.S. Fleet.