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.

Diamond wedding of Mr and Mrs A Shute

Quietly celebrating sixty years of happy married life on Sunday of last week were Mr and Mrs Alfred Shute, 9 Wimbourne Terrace, Bideford, who were married on March 9th 1887, at Alwington Parish Church.
A small party was held at their home in honour of the anniversary and the family of three sons and one daughter were present. Mr Shute’s sister, Mrs Westaway, who was the bridesmaid at the wedding, also attended and some other guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Bideford, Mr and Mrs J Lang, the Town Clerk, Mr F C Backway, and Dr M W Littlewood, the family doctor.
Of the family of four, only two live in the district. Miss Lillian Shute, lives with her parents and Mr W H Shute, who lives at 5 Victoria Grove, Bideford, is in business as a joiner and undertaker. Mr A A Shute lives at Chepstow and Mr Wilfred Shute at Bournemouth.
Mr and Mrs Shute snr. Came to Bideford shortly after their marriage and have remained here ever since. For over forty years Mr Shute was associated with the Wesleyan Methodist Church as a lay preacher until overtaken by deafness.
Mrs Shute, who before her marriage was Miss Wilmot Pennington, and lived at Alwington, is 88 years of age. Her husband is 85.
Memories of old Bideford recalled by Mr Shute include coming to Bideford as a boy – he then lived at Littleham – and seeing the Old Grammar School on the site of the present Bridge Hall, and of the British Boys ‘Bell’ School which then stood where the Fire Station now is.
The full Gazette article is dated 18 March 1947

Births and Marriages

9 March 1951

Gayton – March 5th 1951, to Irene (nee Pope) and George, a sister for David and Brian.
Jeffery – March 3rd to Mary (nee Hillman), wife of Francis, a son (Ian), a brother for Jeanette
Lee – March 1st at Moorpark, Fairy Cross, to May (nee Poole), wife of Robert George Lee, a son, Norman George.
Sherbourne – February 26th at Rose Cottage, Bideford, to Elsie, wife of Roy Sherborne, a son (Roy Frederick Arthur)
Shutt – March 4th to Margaret (nee Nye), wife of Gerald T Shutt, 52 Barton Tors, a daughter (Margaret Nadine).
Smallridge – March 1st at 14 Torridge Road, Appledore, to Ken and Emily (nee Farthing), a daughter (Patricia May).

Blackmore-Morris – March 3rd, at Bulawayo, S Rhodesia, Ronald, son of Mr and Mrs R Blackmore, 5 Clifton Street, Bideford, to Eileen, daughter of Capt and Mrs T Morris, Johannesburg

Carol Party Romance Leads To Bideford Golden Wedding

When, about 54 years ago, two teenagers met on a carol singing party, little did they think that they were destined to spend the rest of their lives together.

But so it happened, and on Sunday, Mr and Mrs Charles Thomas Copp, Hendra, Ashley Terrace, Bideford, who are both 71, celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
On March 27th 1910 they were married at Bideford Bridge Street Methodist Church by the Rev J A Aldington.
Before her marriage, Mrs Copp was Miss Dora Annie Rendle, one of the six children of the late Mr and Mrs T Rendle, 11 Geneva Place.
Mr Copp, who has one sister, was born in Hartland but his family moved to Bideford when he was three. Until 1913 he was employed in the offices of Messrs I Baker and Sons, builders’ merchants, and by R Cock and Sons Ltd, shipbuilders, Appledore.
In 1913 Mr Copp and his wife left the district, returning in 1923, when after 3 years with Bartlett, Bayliss and Co. Ltd, Mr Copp became chief clerk of the Northern and Western Divisional Office of the County Roads Department at Barnstaple, retiring in 1954.
During the seasons 1923-25 Mr Copp was secretary of the original Bideford Association Football Club. For several years Mr Copp was a member of the Bideford Male Voice Choir.
Both Mr and Mrs Copp attended school in Bideford – Mr Copp at the school in Gunstone, Mrs Copp at a school which stood on the site of the present fire station.
Mrs Copp is the Savings Club treasurer of the Bridge Street Women’s Bright Hour.
They have a daughter, Miss Vera Copp, who is a Sunday School teacher at Bridge Street Church.
The full Gazette article is dated 25 March 1960