One of the most successful Pilton Green Man Days of all times took place on Saturday 18th July 2015 as a result of fantastic weather, great stalls and activities, all sorts of lovely food, brilliant music and singing, a big Parade with hundreds of followers, an emotional Pageant, interesting exhibitions and displays, refreshing drinks and ice creams, beautiful flowers, great street entertainers, loads of young people and familes with small children and grandparents, and even a visit from the Search & Rescue helicopter, sadly for the very last time. It was a real family day out with Rotary Gardens like a giant picnic and Pilton Street buzzing with stalls and music. Brilliant.

The Green Man Parade in Pilton Street (photo: Richard Howe)

And on the way up the Street, the Parade stopped to salute Albert Linacre, a man who has contributed so much over the decades to making Pilton Green Man Day what it is today.  He has not been at all well lately.

Edward III, who bestowed the right to an annual market on Pilton back in the 14th Century, would have been proud.

Pilton has just lost a leading light.  Hamish Patrick, a founding member of the Pilton Green Man Festival and a staunch supporter of local charities, died suddenly on 7th December.  With a background in the theatre, he moved to North Devon 30 years ago and was a huge influence in the Pilton community.  His dream was to turn the tide of communities becoming fractured when children grew up and went away to find work.  He believed that if we created a strong bond within a community, the children would come back at least to visit and to keep those ties.  25 years later our children have grown up but few can stay away on Green Man Day in July; some are even on the committee and making it happen today.

Hamish worked tirelessly to get over 20 pantomimes onto the stage, and on creating and developing the Festival – in particular directing the Green Man Pageant.  In recent years he laboured long and hard with his team of supporters to organize the lovely family friendly haven that just seemed to magically spring up in Rotary Gardens on Green Man Day.  The photograph below shows him as the Prior in the Pageant.

Hamish Patrick was the Prior in the 2010 Pilton Green Man Pageant as well as Director

On 22nd December, a crowd of over 500 people lined Pilton Street to say ‘Goodbye’ to Hamish in a spontaneous gesture, demonstrating the warm regard in which he was held.  He will be sorely missed.

Thanks to Bev Neighbour for her contribution to this memory.