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.

At Tuesday’s meeting of Bideford Rural District Council, Mr I C Williams received congratulations

on his recent marriage together with their best wishes for his future success and, on behalf of the members and staff, Mr J C Hilton presented him with an inscribed chiming clock.

The presentation was made, said Mr W T Harris, to mark the occasion of Mr Williams’ marriage and also as a token of thanks for his services to the Council. Almost the whole of Mr Williams’ service had been under the chairmanship of Mr J C Hilton, and for that reason it was felt that Mr Hilton should make the presentation.

Inscription on the clock read: ‘Presented to Ivor C Williams on the occasion of his marriage and in recognition of services rendered as Surveyor from 1941-1950, by members and staff of Bideford RDC’.

The full Gazette article is dated 3 February 1950.

Northam Wants To Continue Pumping From River

Beside the infant river Torridge at Kismeldon Bridge

on the Bideford-Bradworthy road stands this small building, a pump house, from which water is sent from the river through the pipe up and down the roadside to augment, as required, Melbury reservoir, Parkham, from which Northam Urban District draws its supply.

It is a delightful setting with the Torridge emerging from a stream into a river as it flows past forestry plantations through tree-lined banks and trout rise to snap at flies dancing just above the surface of the water.

This system of augmenting the reservoir supply was introduced during the last war to meet the growing needs and now comes under review.

Yesterday at Northam Urban Council offices an engineering inspector of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government held a public local inquiry into the Council’s application for a water abstraction Order which will permit them to take water not exceeding a quarter of a million gallons in any one day from the river at Kismeldon Bridge by means of existing works, and into the Council’s application to borrow £10,000 to meet the cost of relaying and renewing the pipeline from the river intake to the Council’s reservoir at Melbury.

Article dated 1 June 1956

‘Noble Service’ Acknowledged

Presentations to Retiring Supt. and Matron of Torridge View Welfare Home

‘You have laboured here for over twenty years and shown a love for old people. We have come to know you and to the patients you are a father and mother.’

This tribute, voiced by the Chairman, Mr W H Copp, was among many paid at a special meeting of No. 5 area of the County Welfare Committee at Torridge View Welfare Home, Torrington, on Monday, when members said farewell to the Superintendent and Matron, Mr and Mrs Minhinnett, who are retiring.

The presentation to Mr and Mrs Minhinnett was made by the Mayor of Torrington, Miss F L Lake, who recalled that she had been a visitor to the home for some thirty years from the days of the Board of Guardians and the Public Assistance Committee. Mr and Mrs Minhinnett had first come to Torridge View as porter and cook and had later become Master and Matron.

Adding to his tribute, Col R Ward, Chairman of Devon County Welfare Committee, said “I have known these dear people for over twenty years and of all our institutions, speaking in past terms, and of our present homes none has a more efficient warden and matron than Torridge View.”

The thing that had struck her, said Miss F M Pugh, Vice-Chairman of the County Committee, was that she had found that Matron had devoted much of her spare time to embroidering nightdress cases for each one of the elderly women at Torridge View so that they would have something of their very own.

Other tributes were added to Mr G R Gay, Mr W H Chubb and Mr A E Fulford.

Mr and Mrs Minhinnett are to continue to live at Torrington during their retirement.

Full article dated 14 May 1956