THE ISLE OF LUNDY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3899, 10 May 1937, Page 14 (Supplement)

THE ISLE OF LUNDY

A VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS. ORIGINAL CHARM RETAINED. • An enchanting description of life on the little island of Lundy was given by Mrs H. B. Heaven, to a Melbourne Age reporter recently, on her return from a long residence there. Those who might have assumed that such a life would be monotonous could not possibly have continued thinking so after chatting with Mrs Heaven. Lundy, situated 16 miles from the mainland of Devon in the Bristol Channel, is a peaceful haven where life flows quietly on as it has done for centuries past. Mrs Heaven went as a bride to the isle of Lundy, which had belonged to her husband’s people for three generations, and was then self governed. Here she lived for more than twelve years a life that was not without its exciting incidents. In those days the crossing to the island took anything from four to six hours, but to-day the journey can be made by plane in ten minutes. In those days, too, food and stores were brought to the island by sailing ship, and trawlers used to make it a port of call when the weather was exceptionally rough. But now this is changed, too, for there is a regular boat service which serves the little community there and only the severe storms cut off Lundy from civilisation. Despite this, Lundy has not lost its original charm. Mrs Heaven left there in 1920 when her husband came to Australia, but upon his death she returned to Lundy where her husband was buried.

Mrs Heaven was rather dubious about going back this time for she feared that since tourists had commenced to go there the place would have altered. Instead she found still only the two lighthouses and the one farm that housed the island’s total population of twelve, and although the people were quite up-to-date in the majority of things, there was no sign of the struggle of competition, and a desire to keep up with modern life. The island now, however, boasts an aerodrome used for the planes which come from the mainland bringing tourists—the island’s main source of income.