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.

5 June 1945

Cork – June 3 at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Beryl (nee Ellis), wife of W G Cork, a daughter
Hodgkins – May 32 at 1 Lenards Road, Northam, to Maud, wife of Sidney Hodgkins, a son, Anthony John
Pollard – June 2 at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Jean, wife of Geoffrey Pollard, a sister for Jennifer and Roger

Hooper-Evans – June 2 at St Mary’s Church, Appledore, William James Hooper, son of Capt Hooper and the late Mrs Hooper, 32 Market Street, Appledore, to Elsie Joyce Evans, daughter of Mr and Mrs John Evans, 25 Bude Street, Appledore

Huson-Dawson – May 28 in London, C M Huson, of Fourwinds, Westward Ho! to Dorothy Dawson, formerly of 4 The Grove, Westward Ho!

Marshall-Prouse – May 23 at Bridge Street Methodist Church, Cyril William, son of Mr and Mrs F F Marshall, Catsborough Cross, Monkleigh, and Ada Mary, daughter of Mr and Mrs W Prouse, Annery Kiln, Monkleigh

Preece-Martin – June 2 at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, by Rev T R Gibby, William Henry Preece, 45 Torrington Street, Bideford, to Eleanor E Martin, 3 Brookfield Terrace

Births, Engagement and Marriages

3 October 1969

Baglow – On September 28th 1969 at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Brian and Janet (nee Martin) a son, Gary Lee.
Carter – September 22nd at 2 Norman Terrace, Northam, to John and Rosemary (nee Galsworthy) a son, Neil, brother for Ian.
Horne – September 28th at Barnstaple Maternity Unit, to Tony and Jill, a daughter, Alison Victoria.
Ogilvie – October 1st t Penny and John Ogilvie, of Barton Cottages, Lundy, a daughter.

Delany-Westaway – The engagement is announced between Rosemary Elizabeth, only daughter of Mr and Mrs NT Westaway, Yeo Vale, Bideford, and Faolan Robert, son of Mr and Mrs J C Delany, of Montreal, Canada, formerly of Dublin.

Gilbert-Cork – On September 25th 1969 at St Helen’s Church, Abbotsham, John, elder son of Mr and Mrs W J Gilbert, to Diana, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J G Cork.
Langmead-Hammett - Saturday September 27th at St Peter’s Church, Bideford East, Mervyn, youngest son of Mr and Mrs N Langmead, to Gillian, only daughter of Mr and Mrs R Hammett.
Scott-Needs – September 27th at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, Richard, son of Mr and Mrs B F W Scott, of Burchetts Green, Berkshire, with Trudi Patricia, elder daughter of Mr and Mrs J W Needs, of Middleton, Northdown Road, Bideford.

Varied Interests

Here are some of the many personality items of general interest in a busy year (1958)

Mr R G Pomeroy, an Old Boy of Bideford Grammar School, became at 39 the youngest chairman in the history of the 10,000 strong Devon NFU; Sergeant R P Goad, of Bideford, was awarded the BEM for duties in Cyprus; Mr W A Chugg, of Bideford, returned from an American tour with greetings from Biddeford, Maine, USA; Mr F E Whiting retired from Bideford Town Council on which he had served for 31 years; Vice-Admiral Sir R Durnford-Slater of Instow, was appointed C-in-C, the Nore; Mrs M Seed retired after 22 years as headmistress of Bideford Church Infants’ School; a presentation was made to the Rev Father C Scanlan to mark his 25 years as RC parish priest at Bideford; Mr F C Backway, with over 50 years association with local government administration in Bideford, and Town Clerk since 1934, intimated he would be retiring in March for health reasons; Mr L B Galliford, Clerk to the Northam Urban Council, has been appointed to succeed Mr Backway; retirement gifts were made to Miss B Butterfield, principal for 34 years of the Kingsley Preparatory School at Westward Ho!; in May the island of Lundy welcomed the Queen Mother, who spent two hours on the island meeting its people and admiring its scenery; in autumn 700 members of Devon Federation of Women’s Institutes had their autumn rally at Westward Ho!; Mr E H Hopcraft retired after 60 years as hairdresser in Bideford; at Instow Show entries at over 1,200 were a record; international horsewoman Pat Smythe scored a double success at Bideford Horse Show.

During the year the death has occurred of a number of leading personalities in the district including: Rev G W Colborne, former Rector of Alwington; Capt C G C Sumner, Sea Cadet President and former Councillor; Mr J L Hinks, prominent churchman and Appledore boatbuilder; Mr R Boase, formerly for 21 years Town Clerk of Torrington; Mr E Lott, former member of Bideford Borough and Rural Councils; Ald W E Ellis, hon freeman of Bideford and for many years a leading member of the Town Council; Capt D V Doe of Abbotsham, leading members of the Home Guard; Miss M A Lemon, for over 65 years organist of Appledore Methodist Church; Mr J P Cork, of Weare Giffard, prominent farming personality; Sir Sven Hansen, former Bideford shipbuilder; Mr William Stacey, of Torrington, one of the founders of Torridge Vale Dairies (Devon) Ltd; and Lord and Lady Fortescue, of Filleigh, N Devon

Gazette article dated 2 January 1959