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.

Wedding of Mr Frank Bowes and Miss Hazel Stevens

Pictured above are the Waldon triplets Jackie, Donna and Tracey (Tracie), who were three of the six bridesmaids at the wedding of Mr Frank Bowes and Miss Hazel Stevens, at St Mary’s Church, Bideford.

The triplets are the daughters of Mr and Mrs Brian Waldon, 18 Barton Tors, Bideford. They were in apricot brocade dresses with matching apricot headdresses and carried baskets of yellow and white chrysanthemums.

Gazette article dated 4 November 1966

Hartland-Shebbear Wedding

Bride Sunday School Teacher

The wedding took place at the Hartland Methodist Church of Miss Greta Mary Slee, daughter of Mr and Mrs T N Slee, Highford, Higher Clovelly, and Mr Sercombe Mason Skinner, son of Mr and Mrs R Skinner, Allacott, Shebbear.

The bride is a Sunday School teacher at the Bradford Methodist Church and the bridegroom is a former hon. secretary of the Shebbear Young Farmers’ Club. The service was conducted by the Minister, the Rev D Crisp and Mr Wesley Heard was at the organ. The bridesmaids were: Miss Marlene Curtis, Miss Kathryn Bray and Miss Marguerite Smale. Master Peter May acted as page boy. The best man was Mr M Brown.

On leaving the church the bride received two lucky tokens from Master Ian Slee and Master Nigel Cox. A reception was held in the Church Hall, Hartland, after which the couple left for a touring honeymoon.

The full Gazette article is dated 3 October 1958

Popular Parkham Wedding

Mr H T Heywood and Miss Florence Velvin

A very pretty and popular wedding was solemnised at the Methodist Church, Parkham, on Thursday last, the contracting parties being Mr Herbert Thomas Heywood, elder son of Mrs Heywood, Broad, Parkham, and the late Mr James Heywood, and Miss Florence Mary Velvin, only daughter of Mr and Mrs George Velvin, Lynches, Parkham.

The Rev A Roebuck, Bideford, conducted the ceremony. As the wedding guests assembled suitable music was rendered on the organ by Miss G M Honey, who also accompanied the hymns.

The bride, who was given away by her father, looked charming in an ankle-length dress of ivory satin beaute and with veil and wreath of orange blossom. She carried a sheaf of Harrisi lilies, the gift of the bridegroom. There was one bridesmaid, Miss Louisa Heywood, sister of the bridegroom, who looked very smart in an ankle length dress of floral pink georgette, with headdress to match and carried a choice bouquet of pink tulips, the gift of the bridegroom, as was also the rope of pearls she wore.

Mr William Heywood, brother of the bridegroom, carried out the duties of best man.

After the ceremony a reception was held at Friendship’s café, Bideford, where a large number of relatives and friends assembled to congratulate the happy pair, and numerous presents were received, including an overmantel from friends and the choir of Parkham Methodist Church of which the bride was a member and the bridegroom was also a regular member of the congregation.

The bride’s mother was attired in a dress of navy marocain with hat and coat to match and the bridegroom’s mother wore a floral navy silk dress and grey coat and hat to match.

Later in the day the happy couple left for London where the honeymoon is being spent, the bride travelling in a petrol blue dress with hat and coat to match.

The bridegroom’s present to the bride was a satin walnut china cabinet, and the bride gave the bridegroom an arm chair.

The best wishes will go out to Mr and Mrs Herbert Heywood in their new home at Billsford, Buckland Brewer.

Gazette article dated 15 February 1938