People

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.

Mr and Mrs Leslie Homewood have just achieved an ambition.

Ever since they left Stoke, Hartland, in 1963 when Mr Homewood was transferred by the Coastguard Service to the Lizard as Station Officer, they have longed to return to North Devon. Now they are back with Mr Homewood’s appointment to Hartland and District Officer.

It was at Hartland that Mr Homewood joined the service in 1957. In June 1968 he was transferred from the Lizard to the Orkney Islands as district officer and after four years he was transferred to divisional headquarters at Wick in Scotland.

His new area stretches from Port Isaac in Cornwall to Watchet in Somerset but he is accustomed to long distances.

The full Gazette article is dated 7 January 1970

Births and Marriages

6 January 1942

Barr – January 5th at Upper Lodge, Westward Ho! to Lilias (nee Robertson) and Lieut William Martin Barr, RA, a son, James Spruan Martin.
Blackmore – December 30th 1941 at New Barn Farm, Woodcote, near Reading, to Marion (nee Becklake), wife of Arthur Bennett Blackmore, a son, Roger Brian.
Chamings – January 1st at the Nursing Home, Torrington, to Mr and Mrs T A Chamings, Higher House, St Giles, the gift of a daughter.
Guard – January 4th at Glenwood, Clovelly Road, Bideford, to Margaret Joyce (nee Ferrett) wife of F S Guard, Chivenor, Braunton, the gift of a daughter, Margaret Jennifer.

Harle-Jones – December 20th at St John’s Church, Cheltenham, Dennis, son of Mr and Mrs W Sharpe Harle, to Evelyn Margaret, daughter of Mrs Ewart Jones and the late Mr H Ewart Jones, of Wrexham, N Wales.
Hill-Woolf – December 27th at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, Peter George Hill, younger son of Mrs D Hill and the late Mr G Hill, of 3 Grosvenor Terrace, Barnstaple, and Dorothy Woolf, only child of Mr and Mrs J Woolf, of Kildare, Kingsley Road, Bideford.
Reveley-Ford – December 27th 1941 at St Mary’s Church, William Charles Reveley, of Appledore, to Muriel Ford, of 76 Sentry Corner, Bideford.
Rendle-Lewis – January 3rd 1942 at St Mary’s Church, Raymond Charles Rendle, of 5 Elmsleigh Terrace, to Marjorie Lewis, of 9 Newport Terrace.
Turner- Fulford – January 1st at St Mary’s Church, Frederick William Turner MA M.SC, eldest son of the late Mr W E Turner and of Mrs L M Turner, of St Dennys, Purley, and Eileen, daughter of Alderman and Mrs H W Fulford, of Glenburnie.

Births, Engagements and Marriages

5 January 1968

Bosher – January 1st at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Milly and Christopher, a daughter, Nicola Jane, sister for Richard.
Ebsworthy – December 29th 1967 at the North Devon Infirmary, to Muriel and Sonny a son, Paul.
Hudson – Saturday December 30th 1967 to Alice and Michael, a daughter Charlotte Ann, a sister for Nicola and Suzanne.
Prust – December 19th 1967, to Alice and Ken, a son, Stephen William Sinclair, a brother for Kevin.
Wadey – December 28th to David and Pam (nee Warren), a son, Mark Warren.

Beal-Green – The engagement is announced between Pauline, daughter of Mrs B E Green, 32 Elm Grove and the late Mr J T Green, of Chelsea, London, and Mervyn, son of Mr and Mrs R Beal, 34 Town Park, Torrington, Devon.
Clayton-Brown – Mr and Mrs J W Brown of 8 Glendale Terrace, Bideford, have pleasure in announcing the engagement of their younger daughter, Patricia Ann, to Glen, only son of Mr and Mrs C Clayton, Rivora Hotel, Bideford.
Ford-Boswell – The engagement is announced between Colin, son of Mr and Mrs M Ford, of Cloister Hall Farm, Frithelstock, Torrington, and Sally, twin daughter of Mr and Mrs L S Boswell, Woodnorton Farm, Evesham.
Fuller-Bennett – Mr and Mrs W Bennett, 59 Victoria Gardens, Bideford, have pleasure in announcing the engagement of their younger daughter Lisbeth to David, son of Mr and Mrs F Fuller, of ‘Roselyn’, Braunton Road, Barnstaple.
Mitchell-Polley – Mr and Mrs George Polley, 19 Shiremoor Hill, Merriott, Somerset, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Janet Mary Burton to Spencer James, son of Mrs J Mitchell, 23 Stucley Road, Bideford.
Patrick-Whitefield – the engagement is announced of Louise Whitefield, daughter of Mr and Mrs J F Westwood, ‘Domlis’, Nilgala Close, to Ian Patrick, son of Mr and Mrs C Metherell, of Combe Lea, Cottingham Crescent.
West-Andronik – Mr and Mrs G Andronik, of Little Torrington, announce the engagement of their daughter, Linda, to Geoffrey, son of Mrs J West, 31 Grenville Estate.

Bright-Lovell – On December 26th 1967, at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, Frederick Horace, son of the late Alderman J Bright and Mrs Bright, to Doreen, daughter of the late Mr M Andrew and Mrs I Andrew.
Parsons-Drew – On January 4th at Ashwater, Christopher, son of Mr and Mrs R Parsons, Westward Ho! to Muriel, daughter of Mr and Mrs S Drew, Ashwater.

Robinson-Philippe – On December 31st 1917, by the Rev Martin S Ware, CF, at the Church of the 58th CCS in Lillers P.de.C, France, Arnold Percival to Celine Louise. Now residing at Steep Close, Bideford East, North Devon.