100 Years Ago

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.

100 Years Ago - March 1919

Property for sale:

At an auction held at the New Inn Messrs Dymond & Son, sold Swiss Cottage, Northam, which was knocked down to Mr A Chamberlain for £925; 3 pasture fields [2 adjacent Bloody Corner and 1 at White Horse Lane, Northam] to Mr E Withecombe for £730; 2 fields adjacent Diddywell Rd. to John Steer £500; 3 fields of 9 acres opposite Richmond House, Appledore, to Mr H M Bazeley at an undisclosed price; 2 acre field near Lookout Appledore to George Cork £300. A 6 acre field adjacent to Swiss Cottage was withdrawn at £800 by Messrs Hole Seldon & Ward Solicitors. Messrs R Blackmore have the Castle Inn No. 20 Allhalland Street, Bideford for sale. It is suggested that it can be used as a boarding house. Forrest Hill, the residence plus 10¾ acres is also offered for sale. Offered for sale from Messrs A W Cock is Higher Shute at Littleham in one lot and a field of land which is part of Stanbury Estate, Raleigh, Northam.

Upwards of 40 hands are now employed in the preparation of the new shipyard at Higher Cleave Houses, Bideford.

R Blackmore & Son has received instructions to sell by auction a Ford Touring Car. It has one spare and interchangeable wheel, new cylinders and practically a new hood. The Sale will follow on after the sale of 50 Army horses.

This month sees the Gazette filled with transport related adverts.

Dymond

Raleigh

George Boyle

Lorries, cars and motorcycles are becoming available to purchase and businesses that were curtailed through staff being conscripted are trying to re-establish themselves.

Elliott

Pridham

100 Years Ago - February 1919

While people are trying to return to some kind of normality after the War, echoes remain.

Soldiers are still being repatriated from Germany, while Territorials now serving in Mesopotamia will be sent home within two months if sufficient transport can be arranged. The Commons and the Torrington Auxiliary Hospitals hope to close in the middle of this month. All people who kindly lent furniture are asked to make contact. Mr A Tottle, hairdresser, of 53 Mill Street has been discharged from His Majesty’s service and has reopened his salon. A lady teacher has received notice to leave her post at Old Town Boys School, Bideford, to make way for the return of a male teacher recently demobilised.

On the front page of the Gazette for Tuesday 4th February, there is a large Government sponsored paragraph:

“Although the issue of War Bonds came to an end last Saturday (31st January) the Government intends to continue the sale of War Savings Certificates to provide a secure and profitable investment for your savings. These can be bought from Money Order Post Offices. Each certificate costs 15/6d (about 78p in today’s currency) and at the end of five years will be worth £1 free of income tax.”

In other news:

Changes in the Education Act came into force on 1st February. A child under 12 years old can no longer be employed. A child of 12 years and upwards cannot be employed on any Sunday for more than 2 hours, or before 6am or after 8pm on any school day. Any child reaching the age of 14 cannot leave school to take up employment until the end of the term when their birthday occurs.

Meetings are being held to consider reviving the Bideford Horse Show and Regatta. Engines on trains passing through Bideford on 1st February were decorated with flags to celebrate the introduction of the new 8 hour working days for railwaymen.

James Shute, Bargeman, was fined 1 guinea for his terrier being at large in Mill Street without a muzzle.

100 Years Ago - January 1919

At the beginning of January it was announced by the Food Controller, Mr Clynes, that no more ration books will be printed. The current issue will expire on April 19th. Margarine will be the first rationed food to be “de-rationed” and butter probably the last to regain its freedom. The meat situation is already improving thanks to deliveries from Argentina and it is hoped that the sugar supply will improve next month. Later in January it was stated that there might still be some food rationing after April but that it would be much less restrictive.

Heavy rains have reduced farm land to a sodden condition and almost all work has been at a standstill. The autumn sown wheat, oats and beans look promising, but straw is very scarce at present. Two lambs were born at Norton Farm on January 8th, believed to be the first of the year.

Bideford Chamber of Trade has received a letter from the Paper Controller expressing thanks for the large quantity of waste paper collected by the local community.

Mr T Williams, carrier, of Hartland advertises that he now runs a service to Bideford on Thursdays as well as on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Bideford Rural Council hopes to obtain a portion of the Government Road Improvement Grant to convert the track of the Bideford to Appledore Railway to a metalled road. With its straight course and easy gradients it is believed that this would be a great service to the public.

W Huxtable of Heale Farm, Littleham appeals for help in finding a lost two year old dark Devon heifer. A black Pekinese bitch has strayed from Firsball, Woodtown and two homing pigeons belonging to Mr Lewis have failed to return to their loft in Bridgeland Street.

Messrs R Blackmore & Sons have sold by auction fifty Army horses. All were sold within one and a half hours, prices ranging from £30 to £73.

A public meeting was held at Northam National School to discuss erecting a public memorial to parishioners who had fallen in the War. The War Office has promised a captured machine gun for the village. Proposals included a new village hall, a cross in the Square and a shelter for the aged on Bone Hill. A small committee has been formed to consider these ideas and consult with the families concerned.