Chris Walpole - Film Fanatic and History Lover

Chris Walpole comes from just about as far from Belstone as it’s possible to get - even though he’s lived nearly all his life in this tiny Dartmoor village.

He was born in Tasmania - his father, a conscientious objector, died within a month of his birth and his mum later re-married. His stepfather was a scientist with ICI in China and former Far East prisoner of war.

Chris left Tasmania aged eight and in 1963 settled with his mother, grandmother and stepfather in the house he still lives in today. His father’s family held a strong faith and he was sent to a Quaker boarding school in Somerset between the ages of eleven and 18 - an experience that obviously took some getting used to.

‘It was a shock,’ remembered Chris. ‘I was a bit of a mummy’s boy and an only child - I used to get incredibly upset when we’d drive up at the start of each term, I remember having to stop in lay-bys because I had right boohooing fits, but I was pretty much OK once they’d left me!’

Chris studied geography and surveying at Newcastle University before he started working life with the Hydrographic Office in Taunton. He spent 20 years there as a civil servant, turning seabed and coastal data and port information into nautical charts used by shipping worldwide. It was while working in Taunton that he met Marion and they married in 1992, the year after his mum died.

Chris was lucky enough to retire at the very young age of just 42: ‘It was the week Tony Blair came to power - I remember the bunting everywhere and the air of euphoria - it was quite something.’

He might have retired early but he’s never been one to ‘doss around’. From a young age he has been fascinated by films and a room in his house is devoted to a lifetime of amateur film-making, on subjects as diverse as local history and nature, to Westerns and horror movies. He’s recorded the Belstone ‘Beating of the Bounds’ (a once in seven years occurrence) five times, preserving a unique perspective of a Dartmoor community - and spent a good part of the coronavirus lockdowns uploading his work onto YouTube.

‘I did try to make a few feature films - there was a Vietnamese war movie, a concert film starring me and Bob Dylan, an anti-nuclear epic - they were all going to be serious films but ended up comedies,’ said Chris somewhat wryly, admitting his efforts to commit one Dartmoor legend to celluloid involved gluing carpet to the back of his mum’s hands.

‘As you can imagine, The Hairy Hands wasn’t terribly convincing - that one didn’t get finished either,’ he said.

Chris is also very interested in local history - so much so, the imminent new millennium in 2000 sparked a project to write a book about Belstone.

‘The idea was that each chapter would be written by a different expert - I ended up writing it all, but I did enjoy it once I got into it, and Marion edited it. Many of the people we interviewed have died now, but we got in just in time with the locals that had spent their whole lives here - they had some wonderful stories.’

Chris is now planning a second edition of the book - he also pens a monthly history piece for the ‘Beacon’ parish magazine and occasional articles for the Dartmoor Magazine, while helping with the production of the local Dartmoor News.

Not surprisingly for a man with a strong sense of community, Chris has been involved with a variety of village organisations for many years, including fundraising for the village hall with walks and talks, and Belstone Cricket Club.

‘I used to play a bit - these days I say “I’m available if you are short” and hope to goodness they aren’t!’ said Chris, who is also a keen hill walker. He’s enjoyed many mountain holidays in Scotland and has even trekked to Everest Base Camp - twice!

‘That was absolutely fantastic, quite incredible - I made a film of that called The Sherpa’s Song, one of my better efforts,’ said Chris.

I’m not sure if this particular film has made it to YouTube yet - but Chris is proud his recording of Belstone Players cutting the pantomime baddie in half in the village hall has now notched up 1,000 views in a month.

‘I think it might be something to do with the title, Magic Box - I think some people thought they were going to see dodgy material!’ laughed Chris.

By Jane Honey