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.

8 May 1945

Folland – May 5th 1945 at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Eleanor, wife of L J Folland, Annery Barton, Monkleigh, a son.
Hookway – April 29th 1945 at Kursal, Cleave Houses, Northam, to Mr and Mrs Horace Hookway, a daughter.
Hutchings – May 4th 1945 at 17 Barnstaple Street, to Annie (nee Bushen), wife of Henry Hutchings, a son, Ronald James.
Locker (Lockyer) – April 26th 1945 at the Barnstaple Infirmary, to Sign, G Locker (Lockyer), RN, and Mrs Locker (Lockyer) (nee Phyllis Bedlar), a son, Kenneth John.

Hill-Backway – April 28th 1945 at Mount Pleasant Methodist Church, Exeter, by Rev McAulay Powell, Alfred George, son of Mr and Mrs A E Hill, Raleigh View, Bideford, to Mary Elizabeth (Molly), daughter of Mr Thomas Backway, and late Mrs Backway, Brynmor, Bideford.
Reece-Arlett – April 28th 1945 by the Rev H J Hancox, at the Holy Trinity Church, Westward Ho! Lance-Corporal A V Reece, son of Mr and Mrs A Reece, Hanley, Staffs, and Miss Beryl Edith Arlett, daughter of Mr and Mrs W H Arlett, Eastbourne Terrace, Westward Ho!

Moyse-Stacey – May 10 1920 at the Baptist Church, Appledore, by the Rev J Nelson, George Blackmore Moyse to Isabel Stacey. Present address: Globe Hotel, Appledore.

Lane-Paddison – engagement announced between Cfn. Jack Lane REME (CMF), son of ex-Police Sergt and Mrs Lane, 24 Westcombe, Bideford, to Freda Eileen, daughter of Mr and Mrs A Paddison, Leeds.
Willmot-Gaud – engagement announced between David Francis Noel, Lieut, RA, son of Mr and Mrs H F Willmot, Thatched Cottage, Lower Woodend, Marlow, Bucks, and Heather Rosaleen, daughter of Mr and Mrs E H Gaud, Rose Cottage, Westward Ho!

Three Year Old Went Adventuring Alone

Rohan took bus after long walk and reached Barnstaple

It’s a long uphill drag from Bideford Quay to Stucley Road, particularly for a 3 year old in whom the spirit of adventure is fast being killed by the pangs of hunger.
When Rohan Easton’s tummy told him it must be nearly dinner-time he decided he had had enough adventuring for one day. The initiative that had taken him more than a mile from his home, 4 Stucley Road, to the Quay, did not desert him and he was certainly not going to walk back!
He remembered that after he had been shopping with his mother, wife of PC Tony Easton, they have three older children – they always caught a big green double-decker bus home.
It was the obvious answer and, seeing one parked nearby, he clambered aboard.
So it was that half-way to Barnstaple a startled conductor discovered a, by now, somewhat frightened 3 year old. At Barnstaple he handed him into the care of the police.
Meanwhile Mrs Easton, who had left Rohan safely playing with some friends across the street, had arrived home. No one had seen the child for some time and soon neighbours were searching all around the estate.
It was a distraught mother who contacted her husband but fears were quickly allayed. Barnstaple police rang to say that a small boy had arrived on the Bideford bus.
Mr and Mrs Easton drove to Barnstaple to collect their son. They found him wholly unconcerned and tucking into a large ice-cream provided by an officer.
Parents and child were all too relieved to see each other for anyone to be angry. ‘But he won’t get off so lightly next time’ said Mr Easton with a smile.

Gazette article dated 26 May 1961

Births, Engagements and Marriages

1 May 1945

Dennis - April 25, ot Mr and Mrs G S Dennis, Markadon, Hartland, a son, Adrian George
Laws - April 24 1945, at the Grenville Nursing Home, to Margaret (nee Moore), wife of A D Laws, a son, a brother for Margot and David
Spry - April 20 1945, at 12 Iveagh Avenue, London, to Doris (nee Yeo), wife of Walter H Spry, a son, Nigel Adrian, a brother for Michael and Carole

Steer-Hill - engagement is announced between Kenneth John Steer, son of Mr and Mrs E Steer, Guelph, Ontario, formerly of Torrington, and Kathleen Helena Hill, daughter of Mr L Hill, Sask. Canada, and Mrs Hill, Monkleigh

Fraser-Webster - April 16 1945 at St Michael's Church, Carlisle, PO Stephen James Fraser, RN, son of Mr and Mrs G R Fraser, Grenville House, Bideford, to Wren Doris Kathleen, only child of Mr and Mrs W A Webster, Fairlie, Dalston
Massie-Thisby - April 24 945 at St Mary's Church, Bideford, Ian McKay Massie, Royal Navy, son of Mr and Mrs G Massie, Aberdeen, and Morwenna, daughter of Mrs R Thisby and the late Mr George Thisby, 4 New Street, Bideford
Mills-Law - April 24 1945 at St Clements Church, Ilford, Petty Officer Ronald George Mills, son of Mr and Mrs George Mills, 10 Lisgar Terrace, W14, formerly of Appledore, to Jean Letitia Law, daughter of the late Mr and Mrs A Law, Pretoria, South Africa
O'Toole-Wrey - April 23 1945 at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Bideford, John Patrick O'Toole, son of Mr and Mrs Leo O'Toole, West Wheeling, Lancashire, Ohio, USA, to Doris Wrey, daughter of Mr and Mrs Wrey, Sentry Corner, Bideford

Cleverdon-Hicks - April 20 1920 at the Wesleyan Church, Chelsworthy, by the Rev Franklin J Blake, John Pawly Cleverdon, to Nellie Hicks. Present address: 4 Bay View, Northam
Jewell-Edwards - May 1 1920 at St Mary's Church, Appledore, by Rev G Scholey, Sidney Benjamin Jewell to Louisa Jane Edwards. Present address: 5 Newport Terrace, Bideford E