Westward Ho!

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.

Bid to re-open Westward Ho! restaurant in a month

Work was due to begin yesterday afternoon on re-building the kitchen at the Elizabethan Restaurant at Westward Ho! The kitchen was gutted by fire on Tuesday evening and valuable equipment destroyed.
It is hoped that the restaurant will be operational again in a month. In the club bar, however, it is ‘business as usual’.
Cause of the outbreak, which did damage estimated at several thousands of pounds, is not known at the time of writing.
The premises are owned by Braddicks, Ltd, and are associated with their big holiday camp enterprise at Westward Ho!
The fire was discovered by catering staff member Mrs Ethel Schiller, when she entered the kitchen to begin evening duty.
She ran to the home of Mr Ian Braddick, a director of the company, who lives near by at ‘Bella Vista’.
While Mrs Braddick telephoned the fire brigade, Mr Braddick and a friend, Mr Charles Austin, of Fremington, rushed across to tackle the outbreak with extinguishers.
By that time, however, the fire had a firm hold and the roof had become involved.
Firemen from Appledore and Bideford were quickly in action, and a second appliance was also called from Bideford. They prevented the flames from spreading to the restaurant – although it suffered smoke and water damage – and to the adjoining three-storey block of holiday flatlets and offices.
Due to short circuiting, the sparks were flying as the outbreak was fought and the blaze was the hotter until it was possible to cut off the gas supply. The overhead electricity line was severed by Mr Alan Hoare of the local staff of the Electricity Board working with wire cutters on the roof.
‘We had good cooperation from all the public services’ Assistant Divisional Officer Mugford, of Barnstaple, who was in charge of the firemen, told the Gazette. The Water Board, he said, had responded to a request for increased pressure.
There was no shortage of water, he added. The three appliances carried a total of 900 gallons and hoses were connected to hydrants below the club premises and, to give better pressure, near the Golden Bay Hotel – about 500 yards away.
The firemen were engaged for about four hours and the following day a small army of Braddick’s staff were clearing out debris.
Accountant Mr M Goss said that everything in the kitchen including deep freezers, refrigerators and gas and electric cookers had been destroyed.
Only last week the kitchen was retiled.
Gazette article dated 8 January 1965

“Don’t Laugh Too Loudly”

Westward Ho! Shopkeeper’s notice

A Westward Ho! shopkeeper, Mr Alfred Beecroft, 5 Westbourne Terrace, recently had 1,308 postcards seized by the police and later Bideford magistrates ruled they should be destroyed as being obscene.
On Friday a notice was displayed which exhorted potential customers “If you feel you are likely to be corrupted or depraved by these cards please don’t look at them. If you want to take the risk…. don’t laugh too loudly or you will have the local Mrs Grundy on my track again! She doesn’t like to hear people enjoying themselves on holiday.”
The full Gazette article is dated 8 August 1958

Carnival Week At Westward Ho!

Fun for young and old

This is Westward Ho! Carnival Week. Organised under the auspices of Northam and Westward Ho! Chamber of Commerce, it presents a series of colourful, interesting and amusing events to swell the funds for the Kingsley (War Memorial) Hall.
The ball was set rolling on Sunday afternoon, on the beach with a sand castle competition for children under 12. Entries were judged by the Westward Ho! Carnival Queen and her two attendants. Winners were Lesley Jay and Richard Dunn; Julian Ball and Roger Slocombe; Ann Pooley and Michael Davies.
In the evening, in the Kingsley Hall, Mr Clifford Grout conducted the Northam Choral Society in a programme of sacred music. Accompanists were Rita Milner and Grace Trapnell. The ‘mystery man’ came on the scene on Monday and was challenged by 10 years old Anthony Norris.
There were 18 tables for the grand whist drive and prize winners were: Mrs Mounce; Mrs Moore; Mr Hayes; Mr F A Norris; Mr M Donaldl; Mr R W Branch. Booby prizes were won by Mrs Portman and Mrs Jewell. The winner of the lucky draw ticket was Mr Tom Blackmore.
Fifty entries were received for a carnival baby competition. Judges were Miss O R Guscott (Matron, Fairlea Nursery) and Miss H M Cook (Matron, Westmead Nursery). There were assisted by Misses B Hurford and J Parkhouse of the Fairlea Nursery. Prize winners were Margaret Bowden, Stephen Hobbs, Susan Albon, Margaret Mortimer, John Wilson, Jennifer Lean, Janet Wilson, Gillain Withecombe, Susan Pickett, Susan Crawford, Lyn Steadman, Elizabeth Wilson.
Organiser of the event was Miss B Backhouse.
Miss Joyce Lancaster of Overborough, Westward Ho! was crowned Carnival Queen that evening by last year’s queen, Miss Mary Crawford. Her senior attendants were Miss Nesta Hilder, Point Garry, Westward Ho!, and the queen’s sister, Miss Lyn Lancaster. The queen’s train was carried by Jennifer Cooper and Sandra Jones. Pamela Wyatt was crown-bearer.
Gifts to mark the occasion were presented by Mr W Powell, the chairman of the Westward Ho! Carnival Committee. Dancing was to Alex Blackmore and his band.
The mystery man for the day was challenged by David Norris.
On the green all day Wednesday a putting competition was held. The winner was Mr A Cook.
A Carnival ball and cabaret was held with dancing to the music of the Silver Chords and entertainment by Edwin the Magician and the Mary Symons School of Dancing.
The Carnival week was arranged by a Committee consisting of: Mr W Powell, Miss S Hoskin, Mrs Ridley, Mesdames Hoslin, Powell, Sparkes, Dickens, Miss A Hoskin, Messrs Hutchings, Twose, Ball, Keen, Hambly, Davidson, Wilkinson, Bridger, Yatman, Crawford, Hoskin.

The full Gazette article is dated 27 July 1951