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.

Bideford school 'adopts' ship

A cargo ship steaming across the Pacific Ocean is in contact with a Bideford school. The ship is the 10,000-ton Amalric which plies between New Zealand and the West Indies. Her master, Capt. Richmond, keeps the children of Westcroft Primary School who have ‘adopted’ the ship, well informed about her voyages.

4 June 1965 Schools link with cargo ship

Capt. Richmond corresponds with the school, sending details of cargoes, routes, photographs, colour slides and other items of interest, as well as answering written questions from the children. Our picture shows four children looking at some of the things sent by Capt. Richmond.

Gazette article 4 June 1965

150 years link - Church Closure Proposal

Bridge Street Church to close

Bridge Street Church, which it is proposed to close under a re-organisation of Methodist activities in Bideford around one Church (High Street), adjoins a site where there has been a Methodist place of worship for over 150 years. A petition against the closure was presented at a trustees’ meeting on Monday, at which the trustees agreed by a margin of two votes to endorse the commission’s recommendation.

28 May 1965 150 years link

In 1813 a Methodist chapel was erected on the site now occupied by Bridge Street Methodists’ assembly hall and it was enlarged 18 years later. In 1881 consideration began of a proposal to erect a new church facing on to Bridge Street. This came to fulfilment in November 1892 and the assembly hall was erected in the following June.

One of the largest Methodist churches in the Westcountry, it seats 1,000 people.

Gazette article 28 May 1965

Buckland goes to County Show

Young farmers get ready for show

Buckland Y.F.C. are among those contributing to the ‘farming down the ages’ cavalcade at Devon County Show this week. They were requested by the County Show Committee to provide something in the form of a horse and cart. The club decided that they would have a horse drawing a cart containing calves, to be under the supervision of four members wearing Victorian costume.

A horse and cart have been made available by Mr J.T. Stoneman, of Thornhillhead and Y.F.C. members have been busy giving its woodwork extra painting and attaching brass fittings and preparing the various trappings to be worn by the horse.

Gazette article 21 May 1965