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 Kenneth W Beer, of 246 Kestern Road, Carinya Heights, Para Hills, South Australia, writes enclosing the above photograph of an interesting group of Gazette readers.

They are Mr and Mrs Alan Cobb, formerly of Lime Grove; Mr and Mrs Vic Bowyer, formerly of Bay View Road, Northam; and Mr Beer and his wife, formerly of Royston Road.

“Something we have in common” writes Mr Beer, “is that both Messrs Cobb and Bowyer were omnibus drivers with the Southern National, Bideford, where my father, of Montague Place, Bideford, is still employed. My former employers for 17 years were the North Devon Farmers Ltd. We all live within eight miles of each other.”

Mr Bowyer, of course, was a well-known Northam Councillor, and for a period a County Councillor for that locality, and played an initial part in the development of Kenwith Castle country club with Mr Leon Moore (a former members and ex-chairman of Northam Council). Mr Bowyer now manages a petrol station-cum-road house for Shell Ltd. Mr Cobb is a construction works foreman, and Mr Beer is assistant works accountant with Fairey Engineering Ltd.

Mr Beer sends best wishes to all at home.

Article dated 7 May 1965

Diamond Wedding at St Giles

Mr and Mrs Fred Patt, of 2 Buckgrove Cottages, St Giles-in-the-Wood

received congratulations from Mr E W Turner, also of St Giles, and chairman of Torrington Rural Council, on their diamond wedding anniversary last Friday.

When Mr Patt, who was born at Langridge Ford, left school at the age of 11, his first job was cracking stones, but most of his working life was spent as a farm labourer being employed by the late Mr Laurence Hookway, of Town Tenement, St Giles, and later by Mr Hookway’s son, Mr R L Hookway.

He is still very active and his main hobby is gardening.

Mrs Patt, a native of High Bickington, also worked on a farm before her marriage.

Both are 80. Of their five daughters and two sons, all survive except a daughter, Esther (21), who died in 1942 while serving in the ATS. There are nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Bouquets were presented to the couple by Mr Turner and by Mrs R L Hookway, of Town Tenement.

Gazette article dated 15 April 1965

Mr W Berry and Miss D Logg

The wedding took place at the beautifully decorated St Mary’s Church, Appledore, on March 28th, of Mr William Berry, son of Mr and Mrs J Berry, 12 Tower Street, Northam, to Miss Daphne Logg, daughter of Mr and Mrs E Logg, 8 Myrtle Street, Appledore.

The Vicar of Appledore, Rev H C A S Muller, officiated at the ceremony. Mrs Helen Muller presided at the organ. “The Lord is my Shepherd” was sung as a solo by Master Tony Redclift.
There were two bridesmaids – Miss M Hosegood and Miss B Logg. Duties of the best man were carried out by Mr Fred Berry.
A reception was held at the Appledore Hall. Mrs P Lamey made the wedding cake which was much admired.
Mr and Mrs Berry chose Wembley for their honeymoon.
The full Gazette article is dated 6 April 1951