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.

Triplets born to Bideford wife

Triplets – all girls- were born to a 20 year old Bideford wife at the North Devon Infirmary, Barnstaple, last Friday.

Since former glove factory worker Mrs Gillian Waldon was admitted to hospital six weeks ago, she and her 26 year old husband Brian have been preparing for the arrival of twins. By 10.30 on Friday night Mr Waldon found himself the father of three.

Born prematurely, the girls – the first triplets to be born to a Bideford couple for 12 years - are all progressing well. They have been named Tracie Ann, Jackie Elizabeth and Donna Sue respectively.

Gazette article 29 November 1963

East-the-Water’s call for a new school

Parents and children march in protest again

To draw attention to their fight to get a new primary school built to serve East-the-Water, nearly 100 parents and children from that part of town yesterday morning staged a protest march carrying placards.

When news of the extra £20,000 allocated to the area was reported to their meeting last week, Bideford Town Council decided to ask that the money should be used for a start of a new school at East-the-Water. Mrs Rose Lamey and her sister Mrs Vera Wood, led the protest march. ‘We have been told that a site for the new school for East-the-Water has been chosen and parents here think this money should be used to make a start on it,’ she said.

However the Town Council has been told that the new school planned for East-the Water is nowhere near the top of the priority list and that everything depends on the amount of money available in the next five years.

Parents contend that East-the-Water is a growing area and that the present school is old and too small and that there is danger to young children in the increasing traffic along Torrington Street where the school is situated, and from a sewer nearby.

Gazette article 1 November 1963

Jackie is a Tomouth character

Avian visitor at Appledore

If Mr Harty Harding of 6 Tomouth Crescent, Appledore, ever needed an alarm clock, he certainly needs one no longer - Jackie the jackdaw sees to that. At crack of dawn he awakens Mr Harding by tapping on the window. Jackie arrived in the area about six weeks ago, from where no one knows. He is a welcome daily visitor and is a firm favourite with all the children on the estate.

But it is of Mr Harding, perhaps because he continually feeds him, that he makes most fuss. ‘He flies to me when I call and he follows me indoors to perch on the furniture or climb upstairs after me.’ How long Jackie will be content with his new-found existence no one knows but Mr Harding hopes that it will be for a long time.

Gazette article 30 August 1963