Associations

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.

Arrangement were made for a coach trip to Exeter and Exmouth in June at the May meeting of Woolsery Women’s Institute at which the President, Mrs C B Griffiths, presided.

Members who attended the group meeting at Hartland gave reports of the proceedings and the President congratulated two members, Miss Hooper and Mrs Cardew, who secured prizes there.

An interesting talk on rug-making was given by Miss Mattinson and she was thanked by Mrs N Allin. The speaker was entertained by Mesdames K and N Allin, who also served tea to the gathering.

The penny bag competition, run by Miss M Wade, was won by Miss E Braund.

Entries in the competition for machine-made and hand-sewn cotton skirts were judged by Miss Mattinson. First prize for the machine-made garment went to Mrs K Allin and second to Miss C Lott. For the hand-made skirts Mrs Cardew’s entry was placed first and Miss Hooper’s second. All the entries were highly commended.

Mrs and Miss Braund organised the social half-hour in which members had to guess song titles from gramophone records. Prize winners were Mrs H J Gilbert, Mrs R Finlayson and Mrs J Raffle.

Gazette article dated 23 May 1958.

Girl Guides for Hartland?

Girls at Hartland are being invited to a meeting at Hartland School Hall on Tuesday evening to consider forming local units of the Girl Guides and Brownies.

If such a group is started it is believed it will be the first Guides’ pack ever formed at Hartland.

It will be a new experience, too, for Mrs. M. Holmes, of Shamrock Cottage, Hartland, and Mrs. M. Heywood, of 10, Fore Street, who have offered to take over the leadership of the group. Neither of them has ever been either a Girl Guide or a Brownie.

“Invitations to all the girls at Hartland School have been sent in the hope that we will have a large number at Tuesday’s meeting,” Mrs. Heywood said on Wednesday.

“I do hope enough will turn up. It will certainly be a new experience for us if the group is started but it is expected someone from the Bideford Guides and Brownies will come over to hep us at first.”

Gazette article dated 7 November 1958

Samaritan Talks To Abbotsham WI

At the April meeting of Abbotsham WI, the president, Mrs K Vanstone, and members congratulated

Mrs Courtney on her election to the Devon County Executive Committee.

Mrs Courtney, a VCO, is secretary of the Bideford Group of WIs, and a past president of the Abbotsham Institute.

A sobering talk on the work of the Samaritans was given by one of them. Mrs Trapnell gave an entertaining report on her course at Denman College.

A competition was won by Mrs K Vanstone, Mrs Worthington, Mrs Beer. The flower of the month competition winners were Mrs Beckley, Mrs K Vanstone, Mrs Arthur.

Mrs Jewell, Miss Phillips and Mrs Worthington were tea hostesses and a bring and buy stall was organised by Mrs Beckley. The draw was won by Mrs Land.

Full Gazette article dated 7 May 1971