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 1918

It is reported in the 5th March edition that the HMHS Glenart Castle, a hospital ship, was torpedoed some miles between Hartland Point and Lundy on 26th February. The ship sank in several minutes and only a few of the 182 on board were saved. This action took place in an area speciality designated as a free zone and not liable to attack. (A memorial stone is on the cliff path at Hartland)

Property for Sale: Hole, Seldon & Ward offer Nos. 11, 12, & 13 Milton Place Bideford, and 1 & 2 Torridge Street, Bideford East. Also stables premises at Westward Ho! totalling ½ acre which later became Twose Garage (now also demolished and rebuilt as Nelson Court).

Bideford Food Control. Mr R S Chope reported that requisitioned stocks are now in hand of margarine and will be available on 25rd March for general distribution. All retailers have been trained to administer the coupon rationing system except one retailer who was selling his stock without a certificate of approval. Application from dairymen to sell margarine from their carts to meet the demands of ration cards were approved. In last month’s article we reported that meat was becoming very scarce. Early this month a considerable quantity of venison was made available by Mrs Clemison and distributed at markets across our region priced at 8d per pound. It is also reported that store cattle, sheep, store hogs, bullocks, cows and calves were all in good supply and fetching reasonable prices.

Bideford Council have applied for another field in the Hartland Road area, currently owned by Sir George Kekewith, to be purchased and converted to allotments. The owner is prepared to sell but the tenant objects but War Agricultural powers will be invoked to compulsorily purchase the land. Since the outbreak of war the council have provided 150 allotments totalling 20 acres around the town.

R Blackmore is selling 2 luxury motor cars by auction on 19th March 1918:

(1) Silent Knight – Minerva 6 person tourer. 4 speeds and reverse. Cape cart extension hood with side curtains. Beatsonon double folding windscreen. Upholstered in brown leather and well stuffed.

Motor Car 2

(2) An Adler 12hp touring car seats 5 people. Body by Morgan of London painted dark blue. Owned by a doctor.

100 Years Ago - May 1918

The Ministry of Food announces that it can release considerable additional supplies of frozen meat. Therefore from Sunday last until further notice 8 pence worth of uncooked meat may be purchased in respect of each 2 coupons in the ration book per week. It has also been announced that meatless days in restaurants will no longer be compulsory. The Local Food Committee has met and announced to Farmers, Dairymen and the public that The Cream Order 1917 will still remain in force until further notice despite relaxation in other supplies. No cream may be used or sold except as directed under the Cream Order. Farleigh’s Stores, High Street, Bideford, advertise ½lb bacon for each coupon, 5lb picnic ham for 2 coupons and a 3lb hock without coupon.

Northam Choral Society has been reformed by Mr Clifford Grout and has given a concert in the Northam School Room. A varied programme of choral, instrumental and solo performances were enthusiastically received and all proceeds are in aid of War Funds.

Olive Wise, daughter of Mrs Wise, lodging house keeper of Kingsley Terrace Westward Ho! was summoned for not obscuring a light visible from the sea on 2nd May at 9:50pm. PC Ley gave evidence. Magistrates said that the maximum fine could be £100 but ordered the accused to pay one guinea.

Men aged 43 &44 are to be called up to maintain an adequate flow of recruits. The right of appeal to the local Tribunal remains unaffected but 3 members will sit to hear appeals from local men instead of the usual 5 and, in another change to procedure, lawyers will no longer be allowed to appear in future. It is hoped that these changes will speed up the backlog of cases to be heard.

An extraordinary amount of property has been advertised for sale during the month. On May 21st at the New Inn Bideford on the instructions of G H Fairbrother. Lots include “Riverview” Yeo Vale near Whitehall 3 beds; “Little Whitehall” also 3 beds and attic box rooms; 2 dwelling houses 1 & 2 Bellevue each with 3 beds and “West View” All the foregoing have river views and large gardens.

On the last day of this month at the Friendship Hotel, Market Place, Bideford, an interesting and varied estate that was the property of Mr James Prouse (dec’d) is offered at auction. Lots 1 & 2 are blocks of shares in Bideford Gas & Coke Co. and Torrington Gas Co Ltd. Lot 3 is a freehold detached house “Rocklea”. Lot 4 is a factory and store, Tan & Lime pits known as Westcombe Tannery Bideford together with 2 dwelling houses and gardens. Lot 5 is a block of freehold property at 3 High Street, Torrington, comprising a shop, dwelling house and a newly erected building at the rear and fronting onto Church Lane and being used as a cinema and extensive yard. Lot 6 is two leasehold cottages with gardens at Caddywell Torrington

100 Years Ago - June 1918

There is a surplus of British made butter available. The weekly ration has been increased from 4 to 5 oz. per person.

Northam Urban District Council seek tenders for the clearing of rabbits on lands at Melbury Reservoir, Parkham. One extra provision has been stipulated, “That no rabbits be paunched on the Council’s lands”. At the same meeting the council report that 95 allotments are now occupied in the area compared to 29 before the war.

A handsome chair made from Bideford Long Bridge oak, was presented to the Bridge Trust and accepted and acknowledged by George Willy Vincent and Alexander Greig Duncan. Restoration of the Bridge commenced in 1915 and from time to time old oak beams come to light. It is very uncomfortable, still in use today and keeps meetings short!!

A little lad aged 11 years was run over and lost 2 toes by one of the Canadian Motor Transport cars. The previous day one of the same cars drove into a bullock.

Property and Land for Sale: Tomouth Estates, East Appledore, 12½acres and 3 cottages.
To Let: Small Farm- Kas Venton Westward Ho! 23 acres & dwelling house and farm buildings. Also 6 acre field known as Football Field adjoining the main road from Westward Ho! to Bideford.

“It was stated in the Devon County Council meeting on June 20th that the Hartland to Bideford road had absorbed £28,263 so that the steam roller must have rolled in over 28,000 golden sovereigns on that precious piece of highway.” (The current comparison in £1.1 million)