Appledore

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.

There are eight darts players in this picture, but how many relationships?

According to one reckoning there are 25 – two sisters, three brothers, two husbands, two wives, three brothers-in-law, four sisters-in-law, one mother, one daughter, one niece, three aunts and three uncles.
On looking at it another way there could be 56. Doug and Jack Bale each have two brothers, two sisters, a wife, a sister-in-law and a niece; Ted Bale has two brothers, two sisters, two sisters-in-law and a niece; Mrs Winnie Bailey has three brothers, a sister, two sisters-in-law and a niece; Mrs Henrietta Brennan has three brothers, a sister, two sisters-in-law and a daughter; Mrs Gillian Bale and Mrs Jean Bale each have a husband, two brothers-in-law, three sisters-in-law and a niece; and Elizabeth Brennan has a mother, three uncles and three aunts.
Darts night at Appledore British Legion Club, for whom they all play, is certainly a family affair!
Jack, Doug and Ted all play for the Pensioners Appledore league side and the Wizards in the Bideford league. Ted is particularly well known for his single successes which have included winning the North Devon Blind championship 10 times in the past 11.
The women all play for the Blackbirds, currently heading Division 2 of the Bideford Ladies League.
Gazette article published 8 February 1974

Appledore Seamen’s Mission

‘Women’s Own’ Presentation – Sunday School Treat

The annual gathering of the Seamen’s Mission Women’s Own at Appledore took place at the Seamen’s Bethel on Wednesday evening. A daintily served and most appetising supper made an excellent first part of the proceedings. Pastor Rowland Russell presided, assist by Mrs Rowland Russell, leader of the Women’s Own. Afterwards presentations were made to each member of the tea committee in appreciation of their helpful services during the year.
Mrs A Bowden, on behalf of the members, presented useful gifts to Mr and Mrs Rowland Russell as a mark of gratitude for the happy meetings they had all enjoyed from week to week. The recipients suitably responded. Continued popularity of the Wednesday afternoon meetings for women might, they agreed, be judged by the fact that over eighty of their members had sat down to supper that evening. Reference was made to the tasteful decorations of the tables for which thanks were due to Mrs B Jewell, who acts as treasurer, and the following ladies from the Committee – Mesdames Moyse, Lang, Clear, A Bowden, Heard, R Hocking and Elston.
All present affected the happy sociable mood of the occasion, and in the words of Dickens, ‘Nobody thought it was by any means a small supper for such a large party’.
For the second part of the evening’s programme, the company retired to the Women’s Conservative Room, where pleasant hours were spent in games, solos, and community singing, etc. Mr Phillips also contributed pleasing violin solos. Mrs Rowland Russell and Mrs Uren were the accompanists. At the close all joined in ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and the Pastor offered special prayers for the safety of mariners during the present stormy weather.
Sunday scholars of the Seamen’s Mission were entertained to tea on Friday, and although colds have been prevalent, not one child on the register was missing from the gathering. The pulling of crackers and the donning of hats and caps opened the fun, but for twenty minutes comparative silence reigned while the children regaled themselves in real earnest with the tempting eatables provided for them. Then again, almost suddenly, the laughter and talk broke out afresh. For a further half an hour games were enjoyed in the Mission Room and then the children took places in the Bethel and eagerly awaited their names to be called for a present from the Christmas tree. Over seventy presents were given, each being handed to the child by Mrs Penny, assisted by Mr A Lamey, who cut each gift from the tree. As the children left each was handed a bag of sweets and an orange and thus loaded, tired but happy, all returned to their respective homes. Miss N Berry, Mrs Jewell, Mrs Moyse, Mrs Lang and Mrs Bowden were the helpers during the afternoon and evening. Gifts of cash and goods were received from Mrs Anderson, Capt and Mrs Wicksteed, Mrs Jaques, Mr Ford, Mrs Boyd, Mrs Penny, Miss Davison, Mrs Payne, and from the helpers themselves, this making the happy event possible.
Gazette article dated 14 January 1936

Appledore Church

Rededication of Appledore Church's re-cast bells will take place on November 18th.

Here the Vicar, Rev R C Dixon, points out the inscription on the Unity bell - "I ring that we all may be one' - to the Rev Donald Cox, of the Seamen's Mission, and to the churchwardens Mr Reg Harris and Mr Tom Parsons.
The Gazette article is dated 2 November 1962