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.

A Bideford plumber and electrician,

Mr W Grant, and his wife, photographed at a presentation dinner in London at which it was announced that Mr Grant was one of the 10 winners of an eight-day holiday by jet to Majorca in a competition sponsored by Nibco Ltd to promote their new all-copper range of capillary fittings.

Mr and Mrs Grant live at St Heliers, Meddon Street, Bideford.

None of the prizewinnes knew exactly which prize they had won until they were called on to the stage by the compere.

Gazette dated February 2, 1968

The Giddys are winners

An entry 'on the spur of the moment'

in a competition with colour TV sets as prizes, sponsored by Marley Tile Co. Ltd. won for Mr and Mrs Eric Giddy a £279 cheque as one of the 10 principal winners in the country.

The Giddys took the cash option instead of the set as this area is not yet in the normal reception area for colour TV.

Presenting Mr Giddy with the cheque is Mr J B Hodgson, assistant sales manager, of the Marley retail division. On the right is Miss P Gammon, director of Rawle, Gammon and Baker Ltd. retail agents, in whose premises in Kingsley Road, Bideford, the presentation took place.

Gazette dated 5 January 1968

From one centenarian to another

Mrs Annie McCubbine

“From one centenarian to another” read a telegram sent to Mrs Annie McCubbine, of Northam, last week when she celebrated her 100th birthday.

The telegram was from Mrs McCubbine’s home town newspaper The Croydon Advertiser which is also celebrating its centenary. Sitting in an armchair, as alert and witty as a woman years her junior, Mrs McCubbine chatted to a Bideford Gazette reporter and proudly displayed other telegrams from the Queen, Gracie Fields and Mr Richard Crossman, Secretary of State for Social Security. Congratulations also came from singer Cilla Black during her TV show last week. Earlier the same day the chairman of Northam Council, Mr George Northcott, and his wife paid a visit, bringing the congratulations and good wishes of the Urban District.

To celebrate her birthday Mrs McCubbine as entertained to dinner by 15 of her family at Yeoldon Hotel, Northam, where another present awaited her from Mr and Mrs Mansell of Yeolden. It was the first 100th birthday party at the hotel.

Of her six children, four survive – Frank, Lilian, Charles and Anne. There are six grandchildren – Sylvia, Malcolm, Janet, Delphine, Warwick and Julian; and eight great-grandchildren – Alison, Michael, Christine, Alan, Colin, Ian, Adrian and Delia. Delphine was expected to present her ninth great-grandchild any day. Mrs McCubbine lives with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr and Mrs L F West, with whom she lives at 29 Cleveland Park.

Gazette article dated 14 February 1969