Local Government

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.

The future of Clovelly’s picture postcard harbour

and the safety of its beachside cottages could be threatened unless action is taken quickly to repair the breakwater which protects the centuries old harbour wall, it was warned yesterday.
A repair scheme could cost upto £30,000 and the problem is who should pay the bill.

The harbour is owned by the Clovelly Estate Company and its managing director, Captain M W B Kerr, told the Gazette “We cannot afford to pay for the work”.

Up to now the Department of the Environment have refused to help financially but there were signs this week that Devon County Council may be trying to persuade them to change their minds.

The situation was highlighted on Wednesday when Mr Ted Pinney, chairman of the County Council’s Amenities and Countryside Committee, visited Clovelly to judge for himself the extent of the villagers’ concern.

The full Gazette article is dated 11 March 1977

Torrington Street Names Suggestion

The names Hooper, Hodge, Parkes and Quick

should be included among those of seven streets and roads on the new Burwood housing estate, Torrington Town Council are suggesting.

A letter from Torridge District Council had put forward Burwood Road, Parkes Road, Pathfields Way, Pathfields, Parkes Walk, Burwood Walk and Burwood Crescent.

Names of people who had done or were still doing great work for the town should be given to the streets, suggested Mr Jim Martin. This was an opportunity to honour people who had honoured the town and would be a permanent reminder of the town’s appreciation.

The Council’s choice of names followed a discussion in private after the monthly open meeting.

The late Mr Walter R Hooper, hon freeman of the borough, was the author of a history of Torrington and steward of the Town and Alms Lands; the late Mr Frederick W Hodge and a son, the late Mr F R (Reg) Hodge, were both honorary freemen and Mayors of the borough and served on the Borough Council and other local bodies, sometimes together, over a combined period of some 70 years; the late Mr Sam Parkes, another honorary freeman, served over 25 years as a Council official, mostly as Town Clerk, and was an official of other local bodies and for many years a churchwarden; and Mr Clifford Quick, also an honorary freeman, has now served for over 30 years on the former borough and present town councils and on many other organisations.

Gazette article dated 11 February 1977