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.

High Park Estate, Bideford opens

On Wednesday at High Park, Clovelly Road, Bideford, Mr Alec Goodman, a member of the Building Societies’ Association Council, opened the South Western Electricity Board’s showhouse.

Bideford High Park Estate opens

High Park development’s location was carefully selected to add character and charm to the estate. It stands against a background of woods and meadowland giving a delightful countryside setting, yet all the amenities of town life are just around the corner.

High Park consists of craftsman-built all-electric bungalow homes offering a choice of one or two bedrooms in a variation of terraced and semi-detached dwellings with garage.

Gazette article dated 25 July 1969

Delivered the mail for 50 years

Hartland postman retires after 50 years service

Hartland postman retires after 50 years

“I don’t know how many thousands of miles I have walked delivering letters in the past 50 years,” said Mr Alfonso Dayman at a ceremony in his Hartland home to mark his completion of nearly half a century’s service with the Post Office. He began work in September 1919 at Hartland Post Office as a telegram messenger boy. In those days this service was much more used as there were so few telephones and he often worked a 12-hour-day, his journeys taking him to all parts of the parish. Mr Dayman delivered letters on foot, by cycle and latterly in a mail van in this area. Unfortunately ill-health has terminated Mr Dayman’s service.

Gazette article dated 25 July 1969

From Chuffs to Cheques

Midland Bank opens at Bideford Railway Station

At 9.30 a.m. yesterday, the doors opened at the former parcels office at Bideford Railway Station and it began a new life as a sub-branch of the Midland Bank whose main branch in Bideford is in the High Street. The station was closed to passenger use in 1965 but the line is still used for goods traffic.

The parcels office has been converted at a cost of £5,000 into a sub-branch of the Midland Bank, which will be staffed during normal banking hours, and also has an interview room and other facilities. It will be under the managership of Mr George Olver, Bideford branch manager.

The sub-branch, believed to be the first time a bank has used British Rail property, will serve the east side of Bideford, which has considerably developed with housing and industry in recent years, and also be convenient for customers in Instow, Westleigh, Eastleigh and Huntshaw districts.

Gazette article dated 1 August 1969