Bideford

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.

Tomorrow, is the golden wedding of Mr and Mrs John Robert Seed, of Beryl Garth, 8 Rectory Park, Bideford.

For 22 years, until her retirement in 1958, Mrs Seed was headmistress of Bideford Church Infants’ School.
Mr and Mrs Seed were married at St George’s Church, Barrow-in-Furness. Both were born in that district. Before her marriage Mrs Seed was Miss Myra Walker. At one time the two families lived in the same street – Storey Square. Both were Sunday School teachers at St George’s.
Mr Seed is now 82 and his wife, 75. They are in good general health except for Mr Seed’s deafness.
Fond of singing, Mrs Seed was a member of the Bideford Operatic Society before the Second World War. In 1958 she received a National Savings Award for 40 years’ service to that cause.
There will be a quiet celebration of the anniversary. Among those present will be Mrs Seed’s sister, Mrs Ella Macgregor, who was one of her bridesmaids. Mrs Macgregor now lives at 73 Atlantic Way, Westward Ho!
Mr and Mrs Seed have a son John, an Old Boy of Bideford Grammar School and of Bideford School of Art, who lives in Stockport and is head of the art department at Cheadlehulme, Cheshire. There are two grand children, Paul, aged 25, who took an honours course in drama at Manchester University, is making promising progress in a stage career, and is at present touring with Alfred Marks in a new play entitled ‘Norman, is that you?’ Granddaughter Petra is at school, taking O-levels GCE, and shows signs of having inherited the artistic gifts of her parents, who first met when they were fellow pupils at Bideford School of Art. Before her marriage Mrs John Seed junr. was Miss Joan Jackson.
The full Gazette article is dated 8 December 1972.

Raising funds for Bideford Hospital

Darts player, Mr Keith Eldridge, dressed as a woman, helps the fund being raised by the Appledore Inn, Bideford, for a new kidney unit for Bideford Hospital.

In his eye-catching outfit Keith set out from the Appledore Inn on a fund-raising tour of Bideford public houses, and on his return took part in a ladies' darts match.

Local Band to Make its First Record

Well known local jazz band Soloheim Mungaash are travelling to London next month to make their first record at SRT studios.

Afterwards they will play at the 100 Club in Oxford Street, regarded as the ‘Mecca of British jazz’.

The band, who have been together for only 15 months, hope that their record will be released some time in the New Year.
Five of the six members – Gordon Hunt, Malcolm Hurrell, Pete Finn, Derek Redmore and Eric Moss come from Bideford. Odd man out is John Shillito, formerly a top professional trumpeter who was with the Johnny Bastable Chosen Six. He comes from Cheltenham. The band have played all over Devon and are the resident band of the North Devon Jazz Club.