FESTIVAL PEOPLE
REMEMBERING NOEL HARLEY
In April 2009, we lost a dear friend in Dr Noel Harley. Along with his wife Pet (right), Noel was a stalwart of community 
life here in Pilton and was a founder member of the re-incarnation of Pilton Festival. Noel was the inspiration behind many of us who are involved in a broad spectrum of activities today, all of us fueled by his enormous sense 
of fun and touched by his generosity of spirit. Speaking of spirit, if you keep your eyes peeled, you might just spot Noel’s uproarious Festival tights, dancing in the breeze from a favoured tree! Here he is (far left) appearing in the brilliant Canterbury Tales in the garden of The Chichester Arms in 2004. With him are (left to right) Bev Neighbour, Vinney and Richard Stevens.
ALBERT LINACRE at 80
Albert Linacre, the doyen of Pilton Green Man Festival, reached an undimmed 80 years on 27th June 2010. He has work hard for the annual event since it started, preparing the brilliant costumes, banners and displays which characterise the festival. Here he celebrates in The Reform Inn with friends on 23rd June along with a five-tiered array of green and pink cup cakes with a leaf theme from Barnstaple Pannier Market.
A long term resident of Pilton, Albert ran the Festival Office in the Pilton Pottery in Pilton Street until it moved to Pilton Stores in 2012. He was a driving force behind the Festival for many decades. He organised the Festival Parade until 2011 and is still the man who makes many of the costumes with the help of a group of local men and women. And if you want a Green Man to put on your wall, his pottery offers lots of options.
In the photograph above you can see him making several hundred metres of red and yellow bunting to decorate Pilton Street in 2009.
In January 2012, Albert was made Life President of Pilton Festival, recognising his outstanding contribution to the success of the 30 year old tradition which is Green Man Day. As he began to ease up on his amazing involvement in the organisation, the Committee decided this was an appropriate gesture to thank him for all he has done over three decades.
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