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.

River Torridge freezes

Parts of the river Torridge down to the estuary froze in the bitter wind of last weekend and these sheets of ice coming up-stream on the tide and meeting ice that had been brought down-stream on the ebb, presented a remarkable sight around the arches of Bideford’s 600-year-old Long Bridge. Nothing on this scale has been seen this century.

A leading fisherman said he had never before seen so much ice there or down river frozen to such an extent. Large sections of ice, some several feet thick, piled up against the arches of the bridge and up-stream the frozen river at one time presented an almost continuous stretch of ice. Below the bridge huge chunks of ice were scattered on the sands at low tide.

Gazette article 25 January 1963

TV contest means big job for Bideford Guides

Jobs for the girls

are being found in Bideford by local artist John Mills. Mr Mills from Hunter’s Lodge, Monkleigh is responsible for the painting club spot in Associated Rediffusion television children’s programme ‘Tuesday Rendezvous’ and each month he sets a nation-wide competition. Entries can sometimes be more than 10,000. In order to cope with the flood of entries a special post office box number was registered at Barnstaple. From there the entries are brought to Bideford and the Guides set about the task of opening them and sorting them into the four age groups. Last month 32 Guides were occupied for six or seven hours unwrapping 9,000 entries. This month they have to tackle more than 15,000.

Entries are received not only from all parts of this country and Eire, but even from France, but Mr Mills cannot recollect having seen a painting from Bideford, although there have been some from Hartland. Mr Mills has always felt it was a pity they could not be seen in their true colours so when it was suggested that a travelling exhibition should be arranged, he grabbed the opportunity. It is now in London and will eventually be sent round the world.

Gazette article 18 January 1963

Liked holidays here – so starts business

For years a London suburban businessman

brought his family to this district regularly for their holidays and each visit strengthened the ties of affection and widened the circle of friends. Gradually he came to look upon Bideford district as a place in which to live and work throughout the year. At last came the chance to purchase a home and there followed the opportunity of starting a business as well. Last week Mr Leslie Bosher opened the doors of No. 18 Bridgeland Street, Bideford, as an estate agents’ office. Mr H.G. Shute, a well-known Bidefordian has joined his staff.

Gazette article 14 December 1962