[5] The couple were described by Newlyn School artist Laura Knight: They were both long and thin, and Ber always wore dandy silk socks – he was not in the least like a parson to look at.
[6]Walke was described as "a monastic looking man" and his dress was unusual; it included a long black cloak and a hat somewhat resembling a sombrero.
Many came in the early days to marvel at the curious goings on in a communion service unlike the morning prayer to which they were accustomed.
The idea came from Filson Young who was the producer of the broadcast play The Western Land which Walke also wrote.
Annie, Dod and Ernest Procter, Gladys Hynes, Alethea and Norman Garstin and Harold Knight all made paintings for the sides of the stalls in the church.
"[9] Anglican priest and author H. Miles Brown wrote of the transformation: His church had been gradually enriched with painted choir stalls, pictures, statues and several altars of stone.
[19]The transformation of the church and the publicity which came from the broadcasting of the plays was not the liking of a group of parishioners including Anna Maria King (their leader) and Poynter Adams.
Reacting to this a large group of extreme Protestant agitators broke into the church on 8 August 1932, and removed or destroyed many of the fittings and furnishings.
[6] In the years immediately after the end of the First World War Walke became concerned about the large numbers of unemployed Cornish miners who were unable to find work.
From these meetings a plan to rebuild the industry on a Christian basis was put forward by Walke, Collier and a number of others who saw an opportunity to strengthen the place of religion in society.
The support of the various Christian denominations in Cornwall was obtained and a disused mine at Scorrier which had closed fifty years earlier was acquired.
Sufficient capital was accumulated to finance exploratory work at the mine which would enable a decision on its viability to be made and fifty miners joined the Communion of the Ring in Cornwall at a service of dedication conducted by the Bishop of Truro and ministers of other denominations.
Three months later the engineer reported favourably on the exploratory work and it was hoped to raise enough capital to continue from a group in London who had made their decision to invest conditional on the support of the project by the Bishop of Truro and two others in Cornwall.
[22] The St Hilary Children's Home for boys and girls was established in the Jolly Tinners building (at that time a disused public house).
[26][27] Boys and girls were transferred in 1939 to Walsingham in Norfolk after St Hilary's Church had been targeted by anti-Catholic protesters.
Different chapters cover his various interest as well as the story of his ministry at St Hilary; e.g. "Donkeys", "Brethren of the Common Table".