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.

Sold by public auction

The 15th-century Manor House of Weare Giffard Hall with 3½ acres of land and half a mile of fishing in the River Torridge was sold by public auction on Friday for £11,400.

3 March 1967 Weare Giffard Hall sold

Joint purchasers were Miss E. Mullins of London and Mr and Mrs Maurice Dickinson of the Post Office, High Street, Clovelly., Miss Mullins is Mrs Dickinson’s aunt. They had no plans to make the Hall into anything but a family home.

Gazette article 3 March 1967

What is the future of the railway goods yard?

Car park or motel?

Car park, trading estate or site for holiday accommodation? What is to be the future of former railway goods yard at Bideford, pictured here?

24 February 1967 What is future of railway goods yard

Some time ago the Town Council agreed as a matter of policy that they should consider acquiring land by the river as it became available should this be practicable. In the meantime planning permission for change of use to a car park was sought. British Rail then applied for a certificate of alternative development, enhancing the value of the site, which they suggest is suitable for a motel, holiday chalets and a petrol filling station.

The latest move has come from the Town Council, who are seeking planning permission for parts of the goods yard to be used for industrial and commercial purposes.

Gazette article 24 February 1967

Panel sprint to be on time for Bideford broadcast

Any Questions broadcast from Bideford

Three members of the BBC ‘Any Questions’ panel sprinted through the corridors of Bideford County Secondary School on Friday in an effort to maintain the programme’s 18 year old record of never being late for a broadcast. A mix-up had occurred in arrangements for a taxi to the school from the hotel where the panel had dined, there being only one vehicle for the panel of four plus the producer and compere.

17 February 1967 Panel sprint to be on time for Bideford broadcast

Two of the members of the panel, Dr David Owen MP for the Sutton Division of Plymouth (far right) and Mr Dominic Le Foe, editor of the ‘Contemporary Review’ are well-known locally. The other two members were, on the left, Mr David Price, Conservative MP for Eastleigh and Miss Dee Wells, a well-known journalist sitting next to Dr Owen. Regular question-master Mr Freddy Grisewood (centre) introduced the panel and the procedure Mr Michael Burn (who sat at his left).

Gazette article 17 February 1967