Commemorative

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.

Coronation - Abbotsham - 11th May 1937

Abbotsham

Coronation Day will commence early at Abbotsham where a service will be heldt in the Church at 8am. School children will be presented with mugs in the morning, and at 2pm sports for adults and children will be held. At 4pm a football match will be played. A free tea is to be provided for all parishioners at 5pm, and half-an-hour later a skittles competition will take place. A social in the Parish Hall commences at 7pm and at 10pm the huge bonfire will be lite and a display of fireworks given. Funds were raised by public subscription and amounted to £15. Mr D Grahame is chairman and hon. treasurer of the Celebrations Committee. The ladies' committe for the tea and social comprises Mesdames de Las Casas, Grahame, Bale, Stapledon, Facey, Jewell, Manning, Glover, and J Hockin.

Coronation - Alwington - 1937

Coronation - Alwington - 11th May 1937

Alwington

Arrangements have been made at Alwington for all to listen-in to the broadcast of the Coronation Ceremony in the Day School. Over £20 were raised by subscriptions and the committee, of which the Rector (Rev. R W Groom) is chairman, Mr J Wickett, hon. secretary, and Mr Stanley Beale, hon. treasurer, have been able to draw up a fine programme of events, which will make Coronation Day, 1937, a memorable one for parishioners of Alwington. At 2.15pm there will be a service in the Church, followed at 3pm by children's sports in a field near the Village Hall, by kind permission of Mr Stoneman. At 4.15pm there will be a free high tea for all parishioners, and teas will be sent to those who are unable to attend. Tea over, sports for adults will be held and at 8.30pm, a short entertainment will be given in the hall. The grand finale comes with a bonfire to be lit at night by Mrs Stanley Beale, in Coronation Field, by kind permission of Mr J Ford.

Coronation - Appledore - 1937

Coronation - Appledore - 11th May 1937

Appledore - Gala Day for the Children

At Appledore, Coronation Day will be gala day indeed for the children, who are especially being catered for. The Committee responsible have seen to it that there shall be a full day's programme, in which the children are prominently featured. Proceedings commence early at 7.45am, with peals on the Church bells; and at 8.30am maroons will be fired. At 9am the children will march in procession
from the Marine Parade to a united children's service in the Congregational Church.
At 9.45am, Officials, Councillors, British Legion, Lifeboatmen, Guides and Brigade will march from the Marine Parade to the main united service in the Parish Church. All ministers in Appledore will take part in the service.
The Coronation Ceremony will be broadcast at 11am in the Church Field.
The children, at 2pm, march from Western Hill to the Sports Field in Dark Lane where children's sports are to be held. Tea for children and old people follows. Dancing in the Park comes at 5.45pm, while at 6.30pm rowing races have been arranged to take place, and an hour later sailing races. The King's speech will be broadcast at 8pm. From then until 1am on Thursday, a dance will be held in the Schoolroom with a break for the lighting of the bonfire at Staddon field at 10pm. From 9pm until 1am there will an old-fashioned dance. At the tea there there will be presentations of Coronation cups and saucers and plates to the children.
At the united service in the Parish Church, there will be a united choir who will sing a special anthem.
Prizes are being presented for decorations of streets, shops, and dweilling houses.
Funds have been raised from a share of the penny rate by the Northam Urban District Council, and from donations from various organisations, including the Royal North Devon Golf Club.