Names

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.

Rev L Woolcott, who has been Vicar of Buckland Brewer since 1947, has been offered and has accepted the living of Abbotsham in succession to Rev W H Smith, who is retiring at the end of this year.

Mr Woolcott received early education at the Episcopal School, Exeter, and was ordained in 1914. He was Temporary Chaplain to the Forces from 1914-19 and then, for ten years, was curate of Alverstoke, Hants. From 1929, until accepting the living of Buckland Brewer, he was rector of Langton Malton, Yorks. Writing in the October issue of the Hartland Deanery Magazine, Rev L Woolcott states “As members of the Parochial Church Council know, a parochial reorganisation scheme is well advanced which will ultimately unite Buckland Brewer parish with that of Alwington and, although that union could have been indefinitely delayed as long as I remained at Buckland Brewer, I am certainly not desirous that my own personal predilections shall predominate where, in the view of the competent authority, the good of the whole parish is concerned. Furthermore, my recent illness has, in the opinion of my doctor, made it imperative for me to seek a more compact sphere of labour. My wife and I have tried to tackle the problems which have confronted us when we came here but we are fully conscious of the problems that still remain; and need I add how much we shall miss you and how much we should like to take so many of you with us.”

Rev W H Smith was a Master Mariner before taking Holy Orders and he has been Vicar of Abbotsham since 1946. He was ordained a deacon and became a priest in 1926 at Waiapu, New Zealand from 1926-31. For the next four years he was Vicar of Thorpe Catchville with Twyford, Leicestershire, and before coming to North Devon was Vicar of Castle Donington, Leicestershire.

Death of Mr F E Whiting 1968

Outstanding service to town and its bridge

Mr Frank E Whiting, who died on Monday at the Torridge Hospital, Bideford, aged 85, was Bideford’s oldest honorary Freeman. That is an honour never lightly bestowed, but few people can every have been more worthy of it. His active service to Bideford continued until October last year, when he retired from his position of warden of Bideford Long Bridge, which he had held for 42 years. But actually his association with that ancient monument and charity was ended only with his death, for the acceptance of his resignation was immediately followed by his appointment at a trustee. Mr Whiting, an architect by profession, began to practise in Bideford soon after World War 1 as a partner in the firm of Orphoot, Whiting and Lindsay of North Devon, London and Edinburgh. A Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he had worked on important buildings in various parts of the country. He was a man of wide interests. For a number of years he was a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and after some time with a big engineering firm he became an aircraft designer. In 1927 he began an association with Bideford Town Council that was to extend over 31 years. He was Mayor in 1930-31 and an alderman from 1943. Mr Whiting was a founder member, and three times president, of Bideford Rotary Club. From boyhood he was keen on painting, and he was a founder member, and president, of Westward Ho! (now Bideford and Westward Ho!) Art Society. Photography was another interest – he took his first colour picture around 60 years ago. He was the first president of Bideford Camera Club and held the post – but never as a figurehead – for 15 years. His services were recognised by his appointment as an honorary life member. From early days he was a radio enthusiast, and the first TV picture direct from America was a reminder that in 1923 he and his first wife, at their home, Littlecroft, overlooking the River Torridge upstream from the bridge, were apparently the only people in the country to hear the whole of the test radio transmission from the States and that included the British Broadcasting Company. There were few sections of public life to which Mr Whiting did not contribute something. He had been a member and produced of the former Bideford Operatic Society, chairman of the Governors of the Grammar School and a long standing member of the Special Constabulary from which he retired with the rank of sergeant. In World War 2 he found time to embark on a tremendous undertaking that produced the most fitting memorial that he could have. It is a 9ft 6in. scale model of Bideford bridge showing the five stages of its construction from circa 1280 when the Torridge was first spanned by timber. What was a labour of love occupied him for six and a half years and the model, together with an illustrated guide, the most compact and informative history of the bridge ever written, he presented to the trustees. As long as the bridge lasts – the model, now housed in the town library, will tell its story to succeeding generations. Mr Whiting, who was a widower, lived at Villa Bambino, Glen Gardens, Bideford. The funeral service takes place at Bideford Parish Church this Friday morning, followed by private cremation.

Mr Frank E Whiting - new trustee of Bideford Bridge 1967

An unusual but happy turn of events took place at last Friday’s meeting of the trustees of Bideford Bridge.

Mr Frank E Whiting has served in the town in many capacities, and in particular for the past 42 years as warden of Bideford bridge. He retired from this appointment that day and was immediately unanimously welcomed as a trustee of the Bridge. ‘Next time’ remarked Mr Whiting somewhat reflectively, ‘I suppose I shall be sitting at the bottom of the table as the youngest trustee, instead of sitting near the chairman and giving my usual report on the care and condition of the bridge and its associated properties’. Mr Arthur A Beer (chairman) stressed the trustees’ appreciated of the greatly valued advice and help Mr Whiting had been able to give them over so many years. Care of the Bridge had been very much part of his life, and they were all very glad he had accepted their unanimous invitation to continue the association as an elected trustee. They were also fortunate in having as his successor as warden Mr J H D Wickham, who had served an apprenticeship and partnership with Mr Whiting, and who had a close family interest in their town and bridge. Mr Whiting, briefly acknowledging, said he deeply appreciated the compliment of being able to keep in touch with the activities of the Trust as a trustee at their conference table. It was a dour thought, though sentimental reflection, that he had outserved all previous trustees and officials during his association as warden. When first appointed it cost 1s an hour for someone to repair the bridge as against 7s today, and items which cost perhaps £10 now worked out as £100. He was glad that Mr James Wickham, his associate and an Old Boy of the same school as the bridge steward, would carry on as their bridge warden. Mr Wickham, who was welcomed at the meeting, said he could only hope to serve them to the best of his ability in following someone who had given such long and devoted service in office. Now 84, Mr Whiting is the oldest hon. Freeman of Bideford. The scope of his public work for the town over so many years, in addition to his work as bridge warden, may perhaps be overlooked by the younger generation. As far back as 1930 he was Mayor, and he was a councillor and then alderman on the Town Council for many years. As an architect he was responsible for many public buildings seen around us. He was a founder member of Bideford Rotary Club, which he still attends, and also of Westward Ho! Arts Club, of which he was president until comparatively recently. He was a member and produced of the former Bideford Operatic Society and, not least, was a sergeant in and for many years a member of Devon Special Constabulary, to mention but a few of his activities.