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 1914

Not much seems to have changed with the weather over the past 100 years. On Sunday 15th March 1914 a heavy gale passed over the region. Vessels in both Appledore and Bideford, although double moored, were swamped and one barge had a mast carried away. The Burrows were under water and the river Torridge was a mass of waves and seething foam. The slipway at the Royal George in Appledore was washed away as well as a large portion of the roadway.

The Blacksmith's Arms at East-the-Water was sold for E800 at an auction to Messrs S W Arnold & Sons. Ivydean in Abbotsham Road was for sale and also Roborough House (formerly 1 Westcroft Terrace) — both from Bazeley Barnes and Bazeley.

On the front page of the Gazette were adverts for J Sanguine & Sons in Grenville Street who were holding their annual sale of boots and shoes — strictly cash only. William C Talbot in the High Street recommended Oatmeal stout for invalids and persons of a weak digestion - price 2/6d for twelve one pint bottles. Walter H Chope proudly advertised Warner's Rust proof corsets!

Nothing much seems to have changed in other areas as well — the reservoirs were overflowing due to increased rainfall and Bideford Council had received several complaints about the state of Alverdiscott Road due to lorries hauling timber away from Webbery. A manhole collapsed outside Queens Anne's Buildings in the High Street precipitating a young lady into the coal cellar below. Fortunately she was unhurt.

Bideford Hospital (privately run — no NHS) held its Annual General Meeting where it was reported that 639 cases were treated during the year, of these 269 were operations requiring overnight admission. The daily cost of food to these patients was 6.44d per head — about 2%p in today's values.

100 Years Ago - July 1914

This was one of the first photographs to be published in the Bideford Gazette. It was captioned "Elderly Bideford Resident died at 95 years of age". Mrs Elizabeth Colwill, for many years resident in East-the —Water and daughter of William Lake retained all her faculties after a strenuous life. Last yea@she accomplished unaccompanied the railway journey from Bideford to Plymouth to visit her daughter.

Bideford is a healthy place to live. Miss Wakeley of 4 Clarence Terrace Meddon Street offers a furnished apartment in a "high healthy situation" and Mrs J C Clarke of Fernwood Clovelly Road has for rent a private apartment with H&C baths, a bracing air and magnificent views.

At a recent schools inspection absenteeism features in the report. Bideford East-the Water school had 104 present out of 114, Geneva Girls 256 present out of 290 on the register Old Town school 301 from 340 and Gunstone 80 from 95.

100 Years Ago - May 1914

This month we are looking at the changes that are coming to transportation.
An April edition of the newspaper contained a report from the Magistrates Court of a man who was charged with "using a broken down horse" and subjecting it to cruelty. In his defence the man said that the owner of the horse was at home ill and in need of an income. To help out, the defendant had taken the horse and wagon out to do some work not realising how out of condition the animal had become. The magistrate fined him a modest amount and was assured the horse had been restored to better health again.

In the classifieds section a local farmer advertised his pony and trap for sale as he had recently acquired a new motor car as his personal transport.

There are a number of advertisements for various forms of personal transport. Ford is advertising a 'universal car' from E125. Triumph Motors are not only manufacturing motor cycles but also bicycles under the slogan 'a quiet spin'. Raleigh bicycles can be purchased from E5 19s 6d from G Boyle, High Street, Bideford.