• Welcome to the Bideford & District Community Archive

    Welcome to the Bideford & District Community Archive

    ...The Gazette Newspaper 1856 onwards.

    Read More
  • Welcome to the Bideford & District Community Archive

    Welcome to the Bideford & District Community Archive

    ...The Gazette Newspaper 1856 onwards.

    Read More
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  • 1 Northam footballers of the future

  • 2 Larkworthy Family play in Shebbear's Football Team
  • 3 Riverside mystery

  • 4 Appledore's new lifeboat

  • 5

    Bidefordians
  • 6 Police station view of Bideford

  • 7 One thousand visit zoo at Whitsun

  • 8 Signed scroll momento of Queen Mother's visit

  • 9 Weare Giffard potato

  • 10 On her 'maiden' trip from Bideford

  • 11 Last train from Torrington

  • 12 Symbol of Lundy independence

  • 13 Yeo vale road ruin provides a mystery

  • 14 A roof-top view - where?

  • 15 Puppet characters introduced

  • 16 Appledore's largest

  • 17 Church renovation rejoicing at Northam

  • 18 A man and his wheel

  • 19 Westward Ho! sand yacht to challenge speed record

  • 20

    New gateway
  • 21 Torrington children build igloo
  • 22 Bideford stock car racing entry comes in second

  • 23

    First prize
  • 24

    Reds Womens Team Are First To Compete Throughout Season
  • 25 Bideford A.F.C annual dinner
  • 26 New Post Office

  • 27 Last of Bideford factory chimney

  • 28 Bideford loses training ship

  • 29 Farewell to passenger trains

  • 30 Lots drawn to prevent dog fight

  • 31

    Building works
  • 32 Olympic riders to compete at Bideford Horse Show

  • 33 Can spring be far away?

  • 34 North Devon Driving School

  • 35 Bank Holiday weather was beach weather

  • 36 When horses score over the tractor

  • 37

    Double Baptism on Torridge
  • 38 Open-air art exhibition by 'under 40' group

  • 39 Making way for the double-deckers

  • 40

    School of Dancing's Annual Display
  • 41 Practical sympathy at Northam

  • 42 Alverdiscott is proud of its new parish hall

  • 43 Circus comes to town

  • 44 End of the line

  • 45 Shoes certainly not made for walking

  • 46 New look for Torrington Lane

  • 47 Beach search for mines takes longer

  • 48 Quads at Thornhillhead

  • 49 Clovelly donkey film star

  • 50 A story to tell!

  • 51 Hartland's invitation

  • 52 New Lundy air-mail stamps

  • 53 Appledore boy is youngest recipient of RNLI vellun

  • 54 Colour TV salesman at eight

  • 55 Cruising down the river

  • 56 Torrington's enterprise's new extensions

  • 57 Appledore tugs fete London Tower

  • 58 Reed threshing 'putting the clock back' at Weare Giffard

  • 59 New art gallery opened

  • 60 Just over a year old

  • 61

    Close associations with North Devon
  • 62 Train returns to Westleigh straight

  • 63 Pannier Market's future?

  • 64 Bideford electricity window display qualifies for area competition

  • 65 Bideford has built over 500 post-war homes

  • 66 What the television camera saw at Abbotsham

  • 67 No laughing matter

  • 68 Broomhayes £1,000 Surprise
  • 69 Capers on the cobbles

  • 70 Thirty bridges cross Torridge

  • 71 Clovelly custom

  • 72

    Lenwood Squash Club
  • 73 Landmark at Bradworthy

  • 74 Do recall the old windmill at Northam?

  • 75 Emergency ferry services

  • 76 Ships at Bideford

  • 77 Four hundred residents leave Bideford!

  • 78 So this is the mainland!

  • 79

    Exhibition of school work
  • 80

    Was a missionary
  • 81 Variety in summer weather

  • 82 Can-carrying over cobbles has disappeared

  • 83 By pony and trap to market

  • 84

    Holidaying in north Devon
  • 85 Bideford's private wharves busier

  • 86 Bideford firm develops new non-spill paint

  • 87 Happy Days!

  • 88 In the tortoise nursery - eight hatched at Bideford

  • 89 Picture bought for shillings may be worth thousands

  • 90 Service with a smile

  • 91 New life for Hartland organ

  • 92 What's the time?

  • 93 Cement-clad boats being built at Northam

  • 94 Tramps camp by riverside throughout arctic weather

  • 95 Battle of the gap at Westward Ho!

  • 96 Getting up steam for tomorrow

  • 97

    Gus Honeybun meets local children
  • 98 Space dominates Hartland carnival

  • 99 First steel ship built at Bideford

  • 100 Warmington's garage ad

  • 101 Teenager Peter Jackson Makes Horror Film
  • 102 Bideford schoolboy's courage recognised

  • 103 Torrington to have first woman mayor

  • 104 No sale of Springfield House

  • 105 Speeding communications: Bideford firm's new installation

  • 106 Revived market off to splendid start

  • 107 Bideford's first triplets for 12 years

  • 108 Bideford country dancers on TV

  • 109 Bideford Liberal club new lounge bar opened

  • 110 Off on a great adventure

  • 111 To build racing cars in former blacksmith's shop

  • 112 Boys win hockey on the sands challenge

  • 113 Designed all furnishing of new chapel

  • 114 Northam wants to continue pumping from river

  • 115 Record pebble-throwing day

  • 116 Four sisters' nostalgic reunion

  • 117 X-ray shoe fitting

  • 118 He beat the floods

  • 119 Torrington acclaims 400th anniversary of granting of charter

  • 120 New look in the hayfields

  • 121 Artisans' Club

  • 122 New addition to Quay front

  • 123

    Wynne Olley's styles impress International Hair Fashion Designer
  • 124 Charter granted by Philip and Mary

  • 125 Council agree to demolition of Chanter's Folly

  • 126 Bideford computer stars

  • 127 Thrush builds nest in cauliflower

  • 128 Doing time - over 300 years of it - at Hartland

  • 129 Thorn-apple found in Littleham conservatory

  • 130

    Hamburger is part of modern life
  • 131 Centuries old but today busier than ever

  • 132 Bravery against bull at Shebbear rewarded

  • 133 Old Girls revisit Edgehill

  • 134 Pet squirrels at Monkleigh

  • 135 Water Board mains spread through villages

  • 136 Weare Giffard Hall sold for £11,300

  • 137

    First Girls at Bideford Grammar School take part in Play
  • 138 New fire and ambulance stations

  • 139 New Lundy stamps

  • 140 All for the love of a lady!

  • 141 'Out of Appledore' sailing memories

  • 142 Down at the 'Donkey House'

  • 143 Bideford blacksmith wins English championship

  • 144 Shipbuilding hobby at Hartland

  • 145 Bicycle now does donkey work

  • 146 Big develolpment at Calveford

  • 147 Largest salmon caught in Torridge

  • 148 Death - and birth - of a telephone exchange

  • 149 Torrington's shelter for the aged

  • 150 Children's procession with foxgloves

  • 151 Champagne send-off for Torrington new factory

  • 152 Little 'Big Ben'

  • 153 Bideford triplets' first birthday party

  • 154 Meredith's ironmongers

  • 155 Liked holidays here - so starts business

  • 156 Bideford shipyard workers cheer new minesweeper

  • 157 Ancestral home nestling in lovely combe

  • 158 What is future of railway goods yard?

  • 159 Puzzle corner at Bideford!

  • 160 Fishermen of Greencliff

  • 161 Watch the dicky bird!

  • 162 A craftsman's 'potted' history

  • 163 Torrington school's sundial - fashioned by Headmaster

  • 164 Up-to-date Bideford!

  • 165 Devil sent packing

  • 166 TV features Bideford's New Year bread ceremony

  • 167 Passing of a Torrington landmark

  • 168 Gift plaque on Clovelly council houses

  • 169 Two kinds of hovercraft at Bideford

  • 170 Launching the 'Golden Hinde'

  • 171 New civic medallions

  • 172 Pretty pennies at Beaford

  • 173 Celebrations for 103rd birthday

  • 174 Bideford's new market opens next week

  • 175 Smiling welcome to Hartland visitors

  • 176 Donkey and horses enjoy carnival drink

  • 177 Bringing shopping home by goat

  • 178 Hartland postman retires

  • 179

    Mums protest in Coronation Road
  • 180 Twenty-one yachts

  • 181 East-the-Water sets town an example

  • 182 Simple Item 138
  • 183 Harvest service in Bideford 'pub' bar

  • 184 Torridge wins on time schedule

  • 185 It really was the 'last time'

  • 186 Steep street of old Bideford

  • 187 Littleham family's five generations

  • 188 Unique holiday adventure!

  • 189 Eight to strike and a race to win

  • 190 Head Barman appointed Torrington Town Crier
  • 191 Parkham plan realised

  • 192 Allhalland Street - then and now

  • 193 A sense of humour in advertising

  • 194 New Estate's view of estuary activities

  • 195 First tankers arrive at new depot

  • 196 Birds' convalescent home at Instow

  • 197 Move for oldest boatyard on Torridge

  • 198 Not Bideford's answer to the moon rocket!

  • 199 The creative urge on Saturday morning

  • 200

    Jinxed School Trip
  • 201 Childrens' model of Torrington

  • 202 The Geneva marionettes

  • 203 Barley from Bideford to Bonnie Scotland

  • 204 Littleham cow tops 70 tons mark in milk production

  • 205 Broomhayes children will keep their winter pet

  • 206 Appledore schooner broadcast

  • 207 Torrington in 1967

  • 208 Bideford - as Rowlandson saw it about 1810-15

  • 209 Fishing light goes out at close of poor season

  • 210 Vessel built 300 feet above sea level

  • 211 A lost Bideford 'island'

  • 212 Picking the pops

  • 213 Burnard family reunion

  • 214 Daisy's pride and joy

  • 215 Eleven million pound scheme's official opening

  • 216 Light reading for the lighthouse

  • 217

    FA Cup Match for the Robins
  • 218 Some 240 exhibits

  • 219 Bideford-Torrington road gets 'carpet coat'

  • 220 New gateway to King George's Fields

  • 221 Sooty is quick on the draw

  • 222 Rowing triumphs at Bideford

  • 223 They set out for Bideford and became lost

  • 224 Mural in the whimsical fashion

  • 225 Yeoi Vale House finally demolished

  • 226 All aboard the ark

  • 227 Holiday traffic in Bideford High Street

  • 228 Bideford skifflers, they're no squares

  • 229 Gloves fit for a king!

  • 230

    Womens Skittles Competition in Buckland Brewer
  • 231 Bideford Liberals' fashion show

  • 232 New choral society's growing response

  • 233 Bideford childrens' cinema opens

  • 234 Bideford's gift to Sir Francis

  • 235 Eight and a half million pound Taw development scheme

  • 236 Polish custom on Pancake Day

  • 237 A bird of their own!

  • 238 Television comes to Torridge District

  • 239 John Andrew Bread Charity
  • 240 Works at craft he learned over 65 years ago

  • 241 Jalopy joy for children of Shamwickshire

  • 242 Clovelly's 91 year old horseman

  • 243 Sight of a lifetime

  • 244 Salmon netting at Bideford

  • 245 Wilfred and Mabel visit schools and hospital

  • 246 Still hunting aged 80 and a Field Master

  • 247 Second Monte Carlo Rally

  • 248 Photo mural in Bideford bank

  • 249 Record player of 80 years ago

  • 250 Fleet of foot and fair of face

  • 251 Bideford School Junior Choir Sing in France at Twinning Ceremony in Landivisiau
  • 252 Torridge graveyard of wooden hulks

  • 253 Future of Torrington almshouses

  • 254 Some mushroom!

  • 255 Modern living at Bideford

  • 256 Waldon Triplets
  • 257 For crying out loud!

  • 258 Cavaliers join the Hunt
  • 259

    Youth Clubs Join Together For Entertainment
  • 260 Tide sweeps under and over the old bridge

  • 261 Holiday scene near Sandymere

  • 262 Thunderstorm destruction of 25 years ago

  • 263 Wishing well is pixielated

  • 264 Westward Ho! combined op

  • 265 Westward Ho! public conveniences get go ahead
  • 266 Diamond Jubilee of St Peter's Church, East-the-Water

  • 267

    10-year-old scrambler practices
  • 268 Students help model St Sidwell

  • 269 Alderman Anstey's dream comes tru

  • 270 Centenary of Landcross Methodist Chapel

  • 271

    Appledore boys beat mums at football
  • 272 In their new robes and hats

  • 273

    Cadets are given certificates
  • 274

    Inter-school Road Safety Quiz Cup Winners
  • 275 Tibbles home again - and fish supper

  • 276 Instow local art show was 'tremendous success'

  • 277 River scenes that enchant the visitors

  • 278 Championship Trophy for Hartland
  • 279

    Andre Veillett and Quentin Reed in Judo Demonstration
  • 280 Traditions and skills still there

  • 281 Tomorrow' night's skittles broadcast from Bideford

  • 282 Torrington Youth Club rewarded by party
  • 283 Sunshine and shade at Appledore

  • 284 Northam's almshouse

  • 285 Northam loses thatched cottage landmark

  • 286 Five generations link Woolsery, Clovelly and Bideford

  • 287 Faints as she wins national competition

  • 288 Baby Kate goes home to Lundy

  • 289 Buckland farm workers to receive long-service awards

  • 290 Joe the ginger tabby is 21

  • 291 Panto time at Westward Ho!

  • 292

    Relatives all over the world
  • 293 Quads join a Langtree happy family

  • 294 Loads of black and white

  • 295 Repair work on Long Bridge
  • 296 Mobile missionary

  • 297 School crossing patrol begins

  • 298 Lady Churchill congratulates Bideford artists at nursing exhibition

  • 299 Bideford 'What's my line?' challenger

  • 300 Fish nearly pulled him in

  • 301

    Mrs Whapham finds ferret in Bridgeland Street while shopping
  • 302 School's link with cargo ship

  • 303 Decontrol of meat

  • 304 Escaped crane moves into Kenwith Valley

  • 305 Jumble sale fever

  • 306 Sweet success at Langtree School

  • 307 Malibou boys are all-the-year-round surfers

  • 308 Buckland goes to County Show

  • 309 113 years at Instow

  • 310 Alwington School closing after 120 years

  • 311 Safe door weighing two tons

  • 312 East-the-Water's call for new school

  • 313 Lady Godiva comes to Torrington

  • 314 Westward Ho! Tennis Club Winners
  • 315 Life begins at 80

  • 316 Private home for public pump

  • 317 The art of the thatcher

  • 318 Spray dodging - the new pastime

  • 319 Chess - their bridge over the years

  • 320 'Les Girls' of Hartland

  • 321 One of the luckier farmers in getting in the problem harvest

  • 322 Homage to a well-loved sovereign

  • 323 Success to Festival of the Arts

  • 324 Bideford regatta

  • 325

    Gift from Bideford Town Council
  • 326 Panel sprint for Bideford broadcast

  • 327

    Birgitta Whittaker
  • 328 Royal prince visits Torridge-side

  • 329 Bideford Zoo's first baby is big draw

  • 330 Hartland Dancers
  • 331 Six footed lamb

  • 332

    Successful motor cycling team
  • 333 First ship in 8 years

  • 334 They are parted pro-tem

  • 335 Ship-in-bottle world record

  • 336 Revenge in style

  • 337 Royal prince visits Torridge-side

  • 338 New shipyard on schedule

  • 339 Boys from Bideford school complete Ten Tors

  • 340 No ancient Grecian temple this

  • 341 Bideford inquest on French trawlermen opens

  • 342 Yelland potter's exhibition at Bideford

  • 343 America's tribute to 'J.H.'

  • 344 An early 'special' to Bideford

  • 345 Finished in 1876

  • 346 Dismantling of wireless mast

  • 347 Wine and beer merchants for 150 years

  • 348 Centenary of Gazette

  • 349 Town's second woman mayor in 392 years

  • 350 Ten year old scrambler

  • 351 Sixty-two year old Picarooner makes ready for season

  • 352 Inscribed Bibles and silver spoons for babies

  • 353

    Toasted with musical honours
  • 354 Designed and made in Bideford

  • 355 Out of puff!

  • 356 Fundraising trip for RNLI

  • 357 Photo of town's first car wins prize

  • 358 Clovelly nightmare

  • 359 Donkey work made easier at Clovelly

  • 360 Hartland Abbey outdoor staff 60 years ago

  • 361 Saving money, wear and tear

  • 362 Picking the pops

  • 363 Eleventh hour bid to save last sailing barge

  • 364 Penny for the guy

  • 365 They never miss a game at Torrington

  • 366 Preparations for new Clovelly Court

  • 367 Bridging the stream

  • 368 Peter poses for TV film

  • 369 Brothers reunion 1947
  • 370 Born 1883 - still going strong

  • 371 Calligrapher extraordinary

  • 372 Grenville House for Bideford R.D.C.

  • 373 Spring-cleaning the Ridge

  • 374 Appledore Juniors Football
  • 375 A Weare Giffard speciality - delicious strawberries

  • 376 Calf thinks of mare as mum

  • 377 Huntshaw TV mast

  • 378

    Married in 1908
  • 379 Bideford Bridge re-opens

  • 380 Torrington's new amenity

  • 381 TV contest means big job for Bideford Guides

  • 382 Recognise this resort?

  • 383 No ancient Grecian temple this

  • 384 Entente cordiale in Bideford

  • 385 North Devon author featured in TV documentary

3.5.1957 Robins win Hansen Cup

Robins Win The Hansen Cup

May 3rd, 1957

Bideford AFC pictured with the Hansen Cup after they had defeated Bude 2-1 in the final

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and suddenly it's spring

Cadds Down Farm

1 March 1974

Joined by Trixie, the pony

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  • Torrington May Fair Queen and Her Attendants

    Names from left to right:Joan Ricketts; Joan Newcombe; Jean Wernhem; Margaret Sweet; Enid Ovenden; Rona Elsworthy; Doris Short; (back row);
    Eileen Short; Miss Margery Bennett (Queen); Joyce Downman; David Fiddian (Page); Peggie Sussex;

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  • Seafield House - the "Spooky House" of Westward Ho!

    The house on the cliff edge known locally as ‘Spooky House’ or even ‘Haunted House’ , was built about 1885.

    The road was especially built to enable access to the house and was initially known as Seafield Road; later it became Merley Road.

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  • Christmas Eve at the Front

    An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

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1911 Coronation Medal

Coronation Medal Presented on June 22nd 1911   Learn More

The Hoops Inn

The Hoops Inn close to Peppercombe Beach

The Quay at Appledore

Appledore Quay where Taw and Torridge Rivers meet 

 
Wynne Olley

Crowning Glory

12 October 1962

Their finest achievement to date...

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Shipyard goes into liquidation 1963

Liquidator appointed

4 January 1963

Difficulty in retaining labour...

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N Devon’s Peak Holiday Week

Last weekend brought the peak of the year’s holiday traffic to North Devon.

8.8.1958 peak holiday week1

By rail and road, thousands of visitors arrived to take up their booking at hotels, guest houses and holiday centres, and large numbers were passing through in the course of tours of the SW.
Traffic reached record proportions on all main roads, with inevitable delays
Inquiries among Bideford hoteliers indicated that they were ‘fully booked’. At the New Inn Hotel, Mr Tom Pennington said “The town is certainly full of visitors, many of them inquiring for accommodation but we’ve nothing to offer except for the odd room between reservations”.
Mrs Middleton of the Royal Hotel also anticipated ‘capacity business from now on’. Generally it was the same story from other districts. At Hartland Quay Hotel it was stated that business had been building up over the past weeks, with people seeking accommodation having to be refused.
At the West Country Inn, on the trunk road, a spokesman said that one night last week at many as 50 people had to be turned away as all accommodation there was taken.
In Torrington, Mrs Harman of the Globe Hotel also confirmed that business was increasing rapidly, with demand for rooms exceeding supply.
The manager of the Torville Camp, Westward Ho! while also reporting that he was fully booked, thought that the influx was not quite so great as last year, estimating he was having to refuse about 70 a week as against 150 twelve months ago.
At the Seagate Hotel, Appledore, the arrival on Saturday morning of a telegram cancelling reservations for five people did not present the proprietor with any difficulty in filling the vacancies.

8.8.1958 peak holiday week

The full Gazette article is dated 8 August 1958

Visit from the Cardiff Queen

Saturday afternoon brought the first of the summer season visits to Bideford of Messrs P and A Campbell’s pleasure steamers.

8.7.1955 Cardiff Queen

It was the Cardiff Queen, and the warm welcome accorded was reminiscent of the occasion last year when she came to reintroduce pleasure trips by the firm from Bideford after a lapse of some thirty years.
Bideford Town Band played on the Quayside and many of the crowd went aboard for a trip down the Torridge around Bideford Bay and back. Later she again left Bideford for Ilfracombe and her cross-Channel schedule. A series of similar trips is arranged for the summer season.
Gazette article dated 8 July 1955

Coming soon!

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