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 - April 1921

A very large gathering assembled on Bideford riverbank, near the Kingsley Statue, at high tide on Wednesday evening to witness the interesting ceremony of christening and launching the new racing gig, purchased with the proceeds of a Carnival collection and presented to the Bideford Amateur Rowing Club. The photograph shows the gig resting on trestles with the magnificent silver Bideford Challenge Bowl which the clubs senior crew won in 1920 standing in the bow. The handsome new 36 feet four oared centre seated gig has brass fittings and was built by G Sims and Sons of Putney. Dipping a shell full of Torridge water from the silver challenge bowl Mrs Butler gracefully performed the christening ceremony amid hearty cheers. “I have great pleasure in christening this boat with the name Carnival wishing her every success and good luck”. The boat and carriage cost £110 7s 10d. The new boat was then launched and crewed by last year’s winning crew, Messrs. W.Mitchell at stroke, J. Bale, W Johns, H Johns and P. Oke (cox). Both Bideford Amateur Athletic Rowing Club and Hansen Recreation Rowing Club put boats in the water in honour of the occasion.

Public Notices. Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway Company (despite being closed for several years and no trains running).
Notice is hereby given that an Ordinary General Meeting will be held at the offices of the Electrical Federation Office at 88 Kingsway London W.C.2 to receive the report and Statement of Accounts.

Regular readers will recall that in last month’s edition 100 Years Ago - March 1921 a sale is being held this month of the railway carriages. Further information and detail can be found at this link - Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway

Property for Sale

Messrs. A W Cock offer for Auction No 3 Fosketh Terrace, Westward Ho! and No.21 Victoria Grove, Bideford.

For auction during next month are six lots as follows:
• Lot 1- All that Corner Dwelling house and premises known as 14 The Quay, Bideford, as now in the tenancy of Dr Marshall which expires on 17th May 1921.
• Lot 2 - All that 3-storied Dwelling House and gardens known as 8 Lower Meddon Street
• Lots 3, 4,5,and 6 - Four Cottages being Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 on The Strand, Bideford.

R Blackmore & Sons have received instructions to sell Ways Motor Garage & Stable at Westward Ho! comprising of a substantial stone built and slate covered building and yard with gardens extending to half an acre, large garage 37ft x 19ft, another garage 30ft x 17ft, office workshop, loose box and lofty rooms over, a four horse stable and loose box, an Oil store with large ashphalt yard with gardens. Vacant Possession upon completion.

At Gammaton Cross, 2¾ miles from Bideford, adjoining the highway is a Freehold Small Holding consisting of a commodious dwelling house, smithy and stable, coach house and cottage being used as a store, Poultry House , Piggery, Meadow and grass land 12 acres in total also an orchard and two kitchen gardens. All facing south and having commanding views.

Freehold dwelling known as 12 Sunnyside, East the Water, Bideford is offered for sale by public auction.

Coal seems to be at the core of several disputes and industrial unrest. The Gazette reports that the outlook is grave as railwaymen pledge support to the coal miners, and London transport workers have reached a similar decision:

Under the Emergency Powers Act, the Government has taken steps to ration coal and economise on gas and electricity. One hundredweight a week is the home limit. Train services will be reduced this month, some from Bideford onwards to Barnstaple and beyond have been cut altogether.

However, on Friday 15th April 1921, the transport and rail unions vote not to support the Miners and the strike was called off. In British labour history, it has been known as Black Friday henceforth. Here is a link to the history of Black Friday (1921)

Further signs of the depression in shipping have been seen in Falmouth. The ex-German liner Bremen, brought from Southampton which had been working under the flag of the P&O Company; the Roda; Pancras; and Meckenburg, are berthed in the Fal. In Bideford, three cargo vessels belonging to Messrs Cory Bros of Cardiff were piloted up the river and laid up just below Cross Park on the east bank of the river. The steamers were the Hillhouse, 6000 tons, the Rhio and the Relillio, both of about 4000 tons. At present there are two other vessels of about 6000 tons at the Bideford and Appledore wharves for repair. Messrs Cory Bros have intentions to lay up three other boats on the next spring tide.

Brewers of Great Britain have petitioned the Chancellor of the Exchequer to effect a substantial reduction in the beer duty in the Budget next Monday.

A new bus service between Bideford and Exeter is advertised by Messrs Walter J Pitt. Scheduled to take 3 hours and 30 minutes, this is only an hour longer than today's scheduled bus service. If one takes into account the advances 100 years have made in vehicle technology this was a very quick journey time and the internet tells us that the fare would now equate to over £10.00.

Broncho Bill's Great Wild West Exhibition and Mammoth Circus is coming to town!

The Editorial comment mirrors the anticipated excitement - 'Life on the prairies is represented with striking realism, cowboys, cowgirls, Indians and fiery prairie mustangs taking part. The scenes will leave vivid impressions in the mind of the visitor.' The Editor goes on to write 'But, the greatest spectacle of all is the attack on the Deadwood Coach. It is well conceived and as sensational as it is real....To the individual who wants to see the 'real thing' a visit to this performance will be enlightening.' Check out the following link about Buffalo Bill

100 Years Ago - March 1921

Railway Coaches For Sale - R Blackmore & Sons is advertising a clearance sale of the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway on the 20th April by auction. Four Coaches built by the Bristol Carriage Company, each 48ft long and 8ft wide on modern bogie wheels: two coaches 66ft long and 8ft wide also with wheels, and all are in excellent condition. Want to know a bit more about the Railway? Here is a link

Steam Roller runs amok - A serious accident was averted at Ilfracombe this week by the presence of mind and courage of the driver of the Urban District Council’s steam roller, Mr J Wilson. The steam roller was being used to repair Fore Street, the top portion of which is very steep, and when near the top of the road the gearing pin flew out. This caused the roller to run backwards and the friction brake had little effect in checking the momentum. Many children from Fore Street School were coming up the road at the time and with great presence of mind the driver succeeded in steering the roller clear of them. About 50 yards further down the road the roller struck the front of Mr Usher’s grocers shop, carrying away the whole front. The engine then ran up against the Crescent Hotel where it was brought to a standstill. Several children had a miraculous escape.

Property for Sale
Valuable corner shop and stores known as 83 High Street, Bideford, currently in the occupation of The Star Tea Company. Comprising, on the ground floor the shop, a store and a small yard. 1st Floor, a front room with balcony, storeroom, 2 wide landings and a w.c. 2nd Floor – 3 bedrooms and a box room, now used as a storeroom. In the basement there is a kitchen, scullery and Bakehouse, also used as a storeroom. These premises occupy a very prominent corner position having a frontage onto the High Street of about 18ft and a return frontage to Mill Street of about 37ft. It is interesting to note that part of the premises is held for the residue of a term of one thousand years and another part for the residue of a term of two thousand years, subject to an annuity or rent charge of 20/-. More information on The Star Tea Company can be found here

Nuttaberry Wharf, East-the-Water comprising stables, stores and sheds now in the occupation of Devon Motor Transport. The area is about 70ft x 23ft and is offered with vacant possession.
A dwelling house, 23 Milton Place, containing 2 sitting rooms, large kitchen and 3 bedrooms on 1st floor with a large attic over. Glass covered yard, Garden and Workshop. Vacant Possession

Littleham - Double fronted house known as Calver House, 2 sittings rooms, 4 bedrooms and box room, kitchen, back kitchen, yard, garden, pig and poultry houses. Vacant Possession. Also adjoining this is Calver Cottage a house with garden , at present in occupation but offered with Vacant Possession upon completion.

Instow - To be Let by Tender a desirable and compact Farm, Middle and Lower Huish. 110 acres farm dwelling and outbuildings. Also a smallholding consisting of a cottage with kitchen, back kitchen, parlour, 3 bedrooms and 7 acres of pasture land.

Bradworthy - Farm Lands sold. South Warden - 48 acres purchased by Mr Cann at £800. North Meadow 2½ acres, also to Mr Cann at £180. Six acres grass land sold for an undisclosed sum to Mr T Blight. West Fields - seven acres to Mr L Blight at £230. South West Fields - 10 acres to Mr Bray at £230 and Kinworthy Fields - 14 acres to Mr Cann £200.

The following article relates to Mr J L Richards, of Appledore:

Torrington in Darkness - Owing to the Torrington Gas Company demanding an increased charge for public lights, the Town Council, after an exchange of numerous letters has taken a firm step and declined the Company’s charge. Consequently whole streets were on Friday evening in darkness, and candle lamps and electric flash lamps were prominent during the night. A requisition by 21 ratepayers was forwarded to the Council demanding to be acquainted with the full facts and a meeting, chaired by the Mayor, Mr Luxton, and various councillors, was held. It heard that the Council had considered that they should enter into a new agreement with the Gas Company as to a fair price for street lighting. The company was asked to state terms and they did as follows. Providing all 66 lamps are lighted the charge would be £2: 18s: 6d per lamp per quarter (£11: 14s: 0d Per Annum). A clause to this added that if only part of the lamps were lit the charge would be extra. The Council declined and offered £4: 1s :9d per year.The Company had refused the councils offer and consequently the lights went out. Had the Council accepted the Gas Company’s terms it would have necessitated a 1s 1½d rate.

Bideford in the Light. On March 8th, the Gazette reports that Bideford Council will have received a report from the Electric Light Committee that, as they were empowered to deal with this matter, they have an agreement with Messrs Crompton & Co of Chelmsford for the undertaking of an Electric Light Company of Bideford on an appropriate site and that the council will not object to the overhead wiring of certain streets to be hereinafter agreed upon. The agreement also provides what maximum prices may be charged for supplying power, heat, lights and lighting, both to public and private customers. The proposal of the promoters is to generate the current on a site at East–the–Water by means of producer gas plant, wood waste and sawdust being used as a fuel being supplied at 6d per ton from Messrs Bayley and Bartlett. Two schemes envisaged 4000 lamps at a cost of £10,000 and another costing £20,000 would be large enough to provide private and public lighting and power for any industry requiring it across the entire town.

Lundy Emergency - The Lerina, the Lundy mail boat, owned by Mr A.L. Christie of Tapeley Park had to make a special trip early this month. A Mr Jilks, who lives in Bristol but was working on the island, was taken seriously ill and a doctor was sent for. Jilks, who served in France during the war and in total had five gunshot wounds and the pain had become unbearable. Dr Littlewood from Bideford arrived on the Lerina and proceeded to the top of the island where the men are in the cottages. Jilks needed medical attention and was conveyed to Bideford hospital. Most of the men on the island have seen active service during the war.

Lundy also fielded its football team, the 'Pirates of Lundy':

Summer Time - The Government announce that Summer Time will commence from midnight on Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd April until midnight on Sunday October 2nd. The Summer Time Act 1916 had specified the exact dates and the need for some variation had been noticed. Why was British Summer Time implemented? More information here

The number of visitors and home-comings to Bideford this Easter has been about normal and there has been considerable amount of railway travelling. Yesterday saw the first railway excursion from Bideford since the early days of the war and upwards of 100 availed themselves of it to go to Exeter. Bookings to Barnstaple numbered about 70 and to Ilfracombe 40, while 300 journey by train to Torrington where the special Easter attraction was a football match in which the Hansen Recreation Club was engaged with Barnstaple Town. A similar attraction to Bideford brought 400 visitors by train from Barnstaple and a goodly number from Torrington.

Modest Lifeboatmen - The Clovelly crew have refused rewards to which they were entitled saying that they did not wish to be paid for going to the help of a brother fisherman in distress. The Clovelly herring fleet had been caught in a gale and the lifeboat put to sea in search of a boat that had not returned. The crew were some hours searching before they were recalled, the missing boat having reached harbour with only a few inches of freeboard.

Bideford Maintenance Case. Appearing before Bideford magistrates was a local seaman who had been arrested on a warrant for £43 due on a maintenance order in favour of his wife. The defendant complained that as soon as he landed from the ship the police were waiting for him with a warrant, and he was locked up until he could get the money from his employers to pay, and this was hampering him getting work. It transpired that a fortnight before his arrest the wife had received £14 arrears from the defendant by warrant at Grimsby and that she issued a further warrant for further arrears. The defendant was sentenced to imprisonment for one day.

Russian Jewels - This story appeared in the National and World news page of the Gazette. Mr Francis Meynell, a former director of “The Daily Herald”, was abroad paper buying when a large quantity of pearls and diamonds came into his possession for conveyance to England as part of a subsidy by the Soviet Government to the newspaper. “I received a warning” he said “that I was to be searched on my return to England “I went out to a local sweet shop and bought a box of chocolate creams and took it back to my room and pressed a jewel into every chocolate in the lower layers. I took the box to the Post Office and sent it to England. The box, worth perhaps some £10,000 (approx. £300,000 in today’s values), arrived in London and my wife and I had to suck large quantities of chocolates to free the jewels.

The Gazette had several adverts for Motor cars during this month. After the War there was a pent up demand for vehicles and the town garages are trying to encourage locals to spend some cash! With the benefit of hindsight we know that this boom will not last.

100 Years Ago - February 1921

Adopting the old Cornish motto,”One and All”, Bideford and District is going to attempt to raise £10,000 to re-construct the present insanitary and, according to all modern and scientific ideas, now quite unsatisfactory and progress–hampering Hospital, and re-construct it into a modern up-to-date and health promoting Institution. Such a conclusion was unmistakeably evident from the proceedings at the public meeting called by the Mayor. At the meeting the details about 8 serious casualties that were recorded in the first quarter in 1920 were used as an indication that our hospital was well used and supported.

Property Sales: 5 Queen Annes, High Street, Bideford, for Sale on Thursday 3rd February at 7o’clock in the evening at the Friendship Hall in the Market Place. This Freehold Residence with garden behind comprising Entrance hall, drawing room, dining room(with lift from Kitchen), breakfast room, china pantry, kitchen with range and dresser, scullery, large larder, six bedrooms, a fitted bathroom and lavatories.

At Kingsley Street, Bideford, Lot 1 – All that dwelling house known as No 6 Kingsley Street comprising of a sitting room, 3 bedrooms, kitchen, scullery, W.C., Garden and Town Water and Drainage. Lot 2 No 7 Kingsley Street similar in all respects to Lot 1 but having a much larger garden. Both properties are leasehold for the residue of a term of 99 years from 25th December 1901 at a Ground Rent of £1 1s 0d Both properties are in good structural repair and will be let to Monthly tenants.

Westleigh - Little Southcott Tenement including a dwelling house, farm buildings and 37 acres. Four more Lots totalling 27 acres, some arable fields and a small holding suitable for poultry or a market garden.

Northam - The dwelling house known as Hazeldene comprising large sitting room, 3 bedrooms, kitchen, scullery, w.c., conservatory and a large garden. Six further Lots - All those Messuages or Dwelling houses known as 1 to 6 Hazel Terrace Northam all currently let to weekly tenants.

Tithes Ford, Fairy Cross, Alwington. This tenement contains 12 acres and is to be let by tender from Ladyday 1921 It is currently in the occupation of Mr Richard Slee.

At Weare Gifford the newly formed “Annery Rovers” played their first match on Mr Bond’s field at Monkleigh against Buckland Brewer, suffering a defeat by 6 goals to one. However it should be remembered that Buckland Brewer have had a team playing together for two years past. The Rovers are looking forward to the day when they will have a stronger team and a bigger club. In the village Lovering’s Charity Trustees made their annual distribution on the 19th January last. There being a favourable balance in hand and a slightly decreased population, the Trustees were able to add 3d to each recipient, 2/- each being the amount given. In todays values this would equal £3.

The s.s. “Monkstone”, the second steel vessel constructed at The Hansen Ship-building and Ship-repairing Co’s Yard in Bideford was most successfully launched on a Saturday morning this month in the presence of the yard owner and a large company of shipping men and local residents. If you recall the first launch from this yard caught the spectators out by its early start and most missed the event. This time a large number of the general public lined the banks and had fine views of the launch. The vessel is in every respect a replica of the s.s Hubbastone at 1,150 tons dead weight and this is now on its first voyage to South Wales.

Bideford Strike Settled. By the good offices of the Mayor (Mr J. Fulford) the strike in the building trade at Bideford was settled. The mechanics in the building and allied trades came out on strike five weeks ago for an increase of 1½d per hour to make their wages 1s 10½d per hour, the same as Barnstaple. The men are to receive an immediate rise of one penny per hour, with a further rise of a half penny on 1st March. The men have made what their employers concede as a valuable concession with regard to walking time. There was a general feeling of thankfulness that the dispute was over and the men returned immediately to work.

Bideford Musical Festival Society - “The recently-formed Society is to be warmly congratulated upon the success of its production at the Music Hall on Wednesday last of Handel’s great oratorio, “The Messiah”, always a favourite with choral societies, and irresistible in its appeal to the music loving public. There was a large attendance at the afternoon performance and at the evening performance quite a large number of the audience had to be content with standing room only. The society was able to attract an excellent chorus of about 150 voices and a moderately good orchestra led by Mr Wilfred Pickard with Miss Culliford on the piano and all were conducted by the Wesleyan Church organist Mr E. G. Laycock.”

Bideford’s Oldest Picture House was showing a 19 minute 2 reel film made in America in 1919 called Frisky Lions and Wicked Husbands. It starred Dot Farley, Charles Dorety and The Century Lions.

Northam Burrows Pebble Ridge Damage. A meeting of the parishioners of Northam held in the School room hear that financially there is a good balance in hand but damage to the ridge caused by the Royal Air Force has already been made good. However a discussion took place as to the best means of keeping the water from the Burrows. Hundreds of loads of pebbles were stated to be thrown from the ridge every year by visitors and the Notices that are posted have little effect. It was decided to have the burns cleaned out and the bridges seen to.

Gazette printing problems - Some remarkable evidence was given and a crowded court listened all day to the hearing of a fowl stealing and receiving prosecution at Bideford. We were unable to report this in our edition last week because we were greatly hampered in the producing a paper at all by one more of the repeated failures and inadequacy of the gas supply. Finally the pages were got to press by candle-light and a special visit had to be made to the Gas Works approaching midnight to beseech sufficient pressure to set the gas engine in motion to work the printing machine. We can now report in full.

Bideford Fowl Stealing Case - Traced by Blue Legs

A labourer of Silver Street was summoned for stealing three fowls, valued at £1 16s, the property of a dairy farmer who resided at Kingsley Street, Bideford. He said he kept 75 fowls at Broadfield. Abbotsham Road and all were present when he locked them in the fowl house on the evening of 22nd January. Next morning the lock on the door had been broken and 10 of the fowls were missing. He informed the police the same evening. PC Broad, who was called to investigate the case, found footmarks from the fowl house over some fields to Pynes Lane. The next day he saw two rough picked White Leghorn fowls hung up in a Butchers shop in the Market Place. He was told who they had been purchased from and armed with a warrant he went to the Silver Street address of the accused. The Court wanted to know how a positive identification could be made. The Farmer stated that he had no difficulty in identifying them for one was a freak bird. It was a white leghorn with blue legs and had nothing but maize in its crop. He fed nothing but maize to his hens The Bench found the defendant guilty and sent him to prison for one month with hard labour.