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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.

For the Villagers of Shebbear it is a Moving Time

November 5 means more than bonfires and fireworks for the people of Shebbear. Every year " since the mind of man runneth not to the contrary" the village bellringers have ensured the Devil is driven from the district. They ring discordant peals on the bells and then move outside the Church to turn the "Devil's Stone." This is a massive boulder weighing more than a ton, which, with the aid of crowbars, they turn over, a task that must be symbolic of wrestling with the prince of darkness and it ensures that he is kept away for another year.
Geologists are interested in the origin of the stone. Some Shebbear people have no doubt. They swear that it was dropped by the Devil when he was descending from heaven to hell.
And even during the war years the villagers took no chances. They managed to keep the stone on the turn

FOOD FACTS for expectant mothers

FOOD FACTS for Expectant Mothers

These are your priority foods

As an expectant mother you are entitled to certain priority foods, essential for your own and your child's health. As soon as you have a certificate from your doctor, health visitor or certified midwife, take it or send it with your own ration book to your Food Office. You will then be given a green ration book (R.B.2) modified to meet your special needs. You can start to use this, in addition to your own, directly you have registered with yours shops.

The extras to which the green ration book entitles you are:
MILK: 7 pints a week - at reduced price of 2d. a pint under the National Milk Scheme, or free, according to income. This is in addition to the ordinary allowance of milk on your own ration book.
EGGS: Two shell eggs at each allocation; one on the green book and one on your own.
DRIED EGGS: Six packets every four weeks; four on the green book and two on your own.
MEAT: A half ration of meat on the green book in addition to the full ration on your own.
CONCENTRATED ORANGE JUICE: You can get this at welfare centres, clinics and food offices. A six-ounce bottle costs 5d. You should take a tablespoonful in water every day.
COD LIVER OIL OR VITAMINS A & D TABLETS: You get these also at welfare centres, etc. A bottle of cod liver oil costs 10d, and last six weeks. Tablets are 10d for 45. Take a teaspoonful of cod liver oil or one tablet every day.
If you are entitled to free milk you will also get cod liver oil (or tablets) and orange juice free.

After your baby is born

When your baby is born and the birth has been regisered, take or send both your own ration book and the green ration book to the Food Office. They will be altered to allow the following extras: MILK: The mother of a child under 12 months is allowed 7 pints a week (at full retail price) on her own ration book. The child gets 7 pints a week on his green ration book, at the reduced price of 2d a pint, or free, according to income.
EGGS: Until your child is 6 months you continue to get one egg per allocation on your own ration book and one on the child's green ration book.
All babies from six months to eighteen months can have eggs at the rate of three a week. Take your baby's ration book to the Food Office and you will be given authority to get them. You are of course allowed two packets of dried eggs every four weeks, and children are allowed four packets of dried eggs every four weeks as long as they hold the green book.
MEAT: The child gets a half ration of meat in the green book.
COD LIVER OIL AND ORANGE JUICE: Your baby should have these every day.

Seafield House (2)

Seafield House - the "Spooky House" of Westward Ho!

The house on the cliff edge known locally as ‘Spooky House’ or even ‘Haunted House’ was built about 1885. The road was especially built to enable access to the house and was initially known as Seafield Road; later it became Merley Road.

The house was built as a summer residence by Brinsley de Courcey Nixon (5 May 1825-18 April 1903) whose occupation on the 1881 Census was a ‘banker’ from London. Of Irish and Scottish descent he was born in Edinburgh and died in 1903 whilst on holiday at Seafield. There were 4 children from his marriage to Frances Evelyn Hampton – Charlotte; Gladys; Fergus and Brinsley (1884-1971). He entered the house of Messrs W R Robinson and Co. Russian Merchants, London but because his interest was in studying other habits, customs and resources of European nations, as well as the American continent, considerable time was spent abroad. He was one of the founders of the London and Provincial Bank and for several years, an officer in the West Somerset Yeomanry. He stood as a Liberal politician, first at West Bristol, but on the introduction of the Home Rule Bill, he seceded from the Liberal Party and contested Dundee as a Unionist. He was unsuccessful in both campaigns. The Spectator described Mr Nixon as an ‘upright and straightforward politician, if ever there was one’.

In 1906, the youngest son, Brinsley, married Elizabeth Hughes who was born in the Ukraine, and spent much of her younger life in Russia. On marrying, she lived at Seafield with her maid and he visited her once a week preferring to live with his sister in Bay View Road.

During the war years the house was accommodation for British officers and the field became a prison for Italians, though Elizabeth was horrified at Seafield being requisitioned and painted grey. She would walk from Diddywell each day to see the house. Elizabeth died on 13 March 1950 with the service being held at Holy Trinity Church, Westard Ho! and conducted by the Vicar of Northam, Rev. E B Bridger. A private cremation was held at Plymouth.

Seafield House was put up for auction at the Tantons Hotel on Wednesday 31 May but was sold by Private Treaty. In the early 50s, it became a bed and breakfast establishment.