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.

Grand tour left money to spare!

A Bideford girl and her friend who left this country two months ago taking little more than a small tent and two sleeping bags have just returned after having seen quite a bit of the world.
And each brought back a few pounds of her travel allowance.
Miss Pat Ward, daughter of Mr and Mrs T G Ward of Clovelly Road, Bideford, and an Old Girl of Edgehill College, and Miss Veronica Smith of London, having passed their final examinations as medical laboratory technicians, decided they had earned an extended holiday. They set out at the end of June travelling by sea to Lisbon. By hitch hiking and public transport they visited Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar, then crossed to North Africa to Rabat and Casablanca. Back they came to Spain, and the South of France, and took boat to Corsica, Sardinia, South Italy, Corfu, Greece and Thassos. The homeward journey was via Yugoslavia, North Italy, Switzerland and France.

Bideford’s Health Centre to open next month - 1972

Bideford’s £127,000 health centre in Abbotsham Road, which will accommodate all the existing general practitioners in the town, is to open on October 2nd.

It has nine consulting and examination suites and it will also accommodate the local health authority services, which will be transferred from the sub-standard clinic accommodation now in use in Coronation Road. In addition to accommodation for chiropodists, health visitors and the local authority doctor, there will be a health education room and facilities for ante-natal and child health sessions, cervical cytology, ophthalmic and speech therapy, and family planning advice.
The centre will also have a dental suite and rooms for an educational psychologist and an education welfare officer, as well as interview facilities for other departments.
The £127,000 cost includes furniture and equipment.
On the same day another centre is to be opened at Kingskerswell. Both have been designed by the County Architect, Mr Ben Thompson, and his staff and they bring to 32 the total provided by Devon County Council. This is more than any other local authority in the country.

Bideford's Regatta Queen in 1967

This year's (1967) Bideford Regatta Queen is 16 year old Ruth Portus, a laboratory technician at Bideford Dairies.

Ruth, daughter of Mr and Mrs W Portus, 36 Clovelly Road, Bideford, was chosen last week at the Royal Hotel, Bideford. Judges were guests at the hotel - Mr and Mrs J Houghton of Billericay and Mr and Mrs Webster of Sheffield. She was invested with her sash of office at the London-Bidefordian Reunion dinner at the New Inn last Friday.