Torrington

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.

Christmas dinner at Torridge View Welfare Home, Torrington, will have even more of a family flavour than usual. The turkey will be carves by Dr Harry Cramp and dinner will be served by six of his seven children – the seventh is still ‘in arms’.

But long before then the district will have been scoured and old people living alone and who would otherwise spend a solitary Christmas will have been brought in to join the residents and the tenants of the old people’s bungalows in the grounds of Torridge View who are also to be entertained.
Santa Claus will tour the home at about 10.30am with gifts for everyone. The three course dinner will be accompanied by wine, beer, sherry or minerals, and there will be more drinks in the afternoon when carols will be sung by members of the Order of the Moose at Bideford. There will be more carols following a traditional tea for those who do not choose to watch television.
Visitors will include the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr and Mrs W D Cockram, who will also bring gifts.
As reported elsewhere, the Cavaliers have delivered gifts and there have been visits by many carol parties. The local band, Devonaires, spent an evening playing for dancing and entertaining, and there has been a sherry party.

Gazette article dated 24 December 1970

Tenants Warned About Parking

Following a report calling attention to the difficulties caused by parking on roads on the Dartington Fields estate, Torrington Town Council are to send a circular letter to tenants asking them to comply with their tenancy agreements, and pointing out that if this is not done, the matter will be brought to the attention of the police for further action.

Cllr J W Martin said that eight o’clock the previous evening he had counted 23 cars, one van, two motor cycles, and a bicycle all within 100 yards, and in an emergency it would have been quite impossible for a fire engine to have got through.

Gazette article dated 12 December 1969

New English teacher appointed

Mr R Hunkin, BA (Oxon), of Torrington, has recently been appointed to the staff of the Torrington Secondary Modern School where he will be responsible for work in English.

While a pupil at Bideford Grammar School from 1929-36, Mr Hunkin won a Choral Exhibition at Exeter College, Oxford, where he subsequently took an Honours Degree in English. Mr Hunkin is now an assistant master at Redruth Grammar School, Cornwall, and will take up his new appointment in January 1951.