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 mother wins 10,000 Green Shield Stamps

A bright idea that came to her as she was having a bath resulted in Mrs Barbara Purnell of Tonara, Rectory Park, Bideford, winning 10,000 Green Shield Stamps in the competition in the Gazette a fortnight ago.

She had answered the questions correctly but was then stuck for a slogan. But in the bath several hours later it came to her – “I can save for luxuries whilst buying necessities.” With the stamps, Mrs Purnell plans to buy a tri-pendant ceiling light, a wind-break for the beach and something for her two children Paul (3) and Claire (18 months). Her husband Tony is a chemist at Yelland Power Station where they met when she was employed there as a receptionist.

In the photograph Mrs Purnell is seen settling down to the mammoth task of sticking the stamps into books.

Gazette article dated 13 June 1969

Church renovation rejoicing at Northam

Re-opening of Northam Methodist Church

So large was the attendance that forms had to be placed in the aisles to accommodate the congregation at the re-opening of Northam Methodist Church following extensive renovation. Eighty-six year old Mrs Ethel Griffey, one of the church’s oldest members, performed the opening ceremony. Mrs Griffey, who has been a member of the church ever since attending the Sunday School there as a young girl, recalled how in 1878, when the building was first opened, her mother and the mother of Miss J. Shutt, had scrubbed out the building.

The re-dedication was conducted by the Minister, the Rev. Dr W.H. Mildon and the Scriptures were read by the Rev. E.C. Elliott, a former minister of the church. The Rev. T.J. Smith, Superintendent Minister of Bideford Methodist Church congratulated the church on the completion of the renovation scheme.

L to R in photograph above: the Revs. E.C. Elliott and T.J. Smith, Mrs Ethel Griffey, Mrs L. Ford (daughter of Mrs Griffey) and the Rev. W.H. Mildon.

Gazette article dated 13 June 1969

Students help model St Sidwell

Students help model 14 ft. figure of St Sidwell at Bideford School of Art

Sculptor Fred Irving and Joyce Gilbert and Peter Harvey, students of Bideford School of Art are seen here working on a nearly thrice-life-size figure of St Sidwell, a Westcountry Celtic saint of the seventh century. The figure, commissioned by an Exeter firm of architects, is part of a panel that will measure 20 ft by 15 ft and will enrich with mediaeval colour a large new multiple store building with exterior surfaces of black brick, grey tiles, glass and silvered metal. The panel is designed by Mr Irving and modelled first in local clay, about one ton. The 14 ft-high figure will then be cast in coloured resin-bonded glass-fibre.

This is the largest project to be undertaken by the sculpture department of the School of Art, whose recent projects include the figure of St Anne for a Barnstaple building society; the new “Welcome to Torrington” signs and the lettering and sign for the newly-opened Bideford centre.

Gazette article dated 20 June 1969