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.

Alwington Women’s Institute at their January meeting adopted a resolution

that each year the Institute should seek to aid two charities and it was agreed that during 1955 the National Institute for the Blind and the British Empire Cancer Campaign should be helped.

Final arrangements were made for the Institute’s 24th birthday party to be held this month.

A very interesting film show was given by Mr M Woolf and Mr L Hoare, of the South Western Gas Board, showing the development of cooking by gas. A vote of thanks was proposed by Mrs Glover.

The President, Mrs N T Westaway, presided over the meeting and tea hostesses were Mrs Hillman and Miss F Hillman.

Alwington children had a very happy time at the party which the Institute arranged for them recently.

The party was followed by a whist drive, the proceeds of which helped to defray the cost of the former event. Mr Elston carried out the duties of MC and prize winners were: Miss E Colwill; Mrs Hutchings; Mrs Adams; Mrs Elston; Mrs F Daniel, Mr Willis, Mr Mitchell, Miss M Hillman.

A competition for a tin of biscuits was won by Mr Willis. Prizes were distributed by the vice-president (Mrs Poole) in the absence of the President.

Gazette article dated 4 February 1955

Westward Ho! Follies’ Summer Sunshine Mood

The thorough enjoyment of a packed audience of 270 reflected great credit on Westward Ho! Follies, who so successfully put on their ‘Grand Summer Festival Show’ at the Kingsley Hall on Friday.

The Kingsley Hall was the venue for many of the Westward Ho! Carnival Week events, of which this was one, but the audience on Friday must have been one of the happiest of the week.

Written and produced by Mrs K P Clarkson, who also accompanied at the piano throughout, the whole show went without a hitch and each item was presented with zeal.

A striking feature of the show was its dressing. The dresses were designed and made by Rae Desmond and Leah Pavey.

Sketches proved popular and songs, largely taken from hit shows, were those that everyone knew. Bert Meeks, fictitious stage hand, brought in to ‘kill time’ was in a lively mood and it was he who came out with the news that oil workers at Abadan had been told to return home immediately – there had been a large oil deposit found at Westward Ho!

Full feeling of the thoughts of a soldier fighting on foreign soil was brought to the stage by Nobby Clark and a glimpse of ‘Latin Quarter’ was well portrayed by Ada Powell and Arthur Kelly.

Ada and Bill Powell, and Arthur Kelly put in sterling work.

Mr Charles Edmonds was stage manager, assisted by Mr Bob Branch. Lighting was in the charge of Mr Raymond Ball.

The programme included: Arthur Kelly, Mary Symons and the girls. Kenneth Powell and male chorus, Ann Hoskin, Hazel Hill and Bill Powell, Esther Hilder, Ada Powell, Nesta and Bill Hilder.

The full Gazette article is dated 3 August 1951

Local Scouts Are Taking Part In World Gathering

Jamboree Bound!

The Bideford contingent of Boy Scouts, who left on Monday for the World Jamboree at Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham.

Left to right are: Michael Hoare, Bill Denne, Brian Bale, Michael Balls, Norman Hopkins, Mr L Pegram (Assistant Scoutmaster), Scoutmaster Jack Sinclair (who is in charge of the North Devon Groups at the Jamboree), Christopher Gibbs, Cubleader M Ellis, who is in charge of a first aid post. GSM Hopkins, who is in charge of a transport park at the Jamboree, and his son, Brian, an official messenger, left North Devon last Friday.

Gazette article dated 2 August 1957