Featured Articles

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.

Demolition of thatched cottage

A pile of rubble, about nine van loads of straw and some scrap iron are now all that remain of what was Northam Square’s only thatched cottage.

Its exact age was uncertain – some thought between 200 and 300 years. Miss Muriel Moulton, the owner explained that her grandfather and uncle bought it from the son of Elizabeth Partridge who bequeathed it in 1837. It was then left to Miss Elizabeth Moulton, an aunt, who died three years ago. The cottage was the home of Miss Moulton, her sister and aunt until three years ago when the aunt died. However the thatch is wearing thin and the walls were damp, so the cottage had to go. A new cottage will be erected on the site. ‘It will still be called No.10 The Square,’ added Miss Moulton.

Gazette article 24 October 1958

New choral society’s growing response

Preparing for Christmas concert

Members of the recently-formed Bideford Choral Society under their conductor Mr T. Arundel-Timms (music master at Bideford Secondary Modern School), are busy practising for their singing of Handel’s Messiah which they plan to give in Bideford Parish Church shortly before Christmas.

At present the choir numbers about 30, but it increases every week. ‘I am very well satisfied with the response,’ said Mr Arundel-Timms, who also praised the enthusiastic work of the choir.

Gazette article 17 October 1958

Tibbles home again – and fish for supper

Carried to London on spare wheel of lorry

Safe at home on Monday afternoon after a 250-mile mistake journey, was Tibbles, the five year old ginger and white cat who was carried all the way from Appledore to London on the spare wheel of a lorry. For three days 18 year old Miss Mary Williams of Market Street, Appledore, searched for her lost pet.

In London Tibbles was found by driver Harry Wilson who was taking a load of flowerpots to Hillingdon, Middlesex. After making the Appledore-London journey, he found the cat, splashed with mud and grit, curled up on top of the spare wheel, and took it to the London headquarters of the RSPCA. When a national newspaper carried the story of a cat’s arrival in London, complete with picture, the cat was recognised by its owners. Tibbles was returned via the Atlantic Coast Express in a basket to Bideford Station where Mary was waiting, then it was home to Appledore for a special feed of fish.

Gazette article 29 August 1958