Bideford Bridge Trust - Early Preparations

From information in a Bridge Trust Ledger of 1688-1738, it appears that plans really began in March 1690 when the then Feoffees paid one Nathaniel Gascoyne £4.6.0 for 'drawing a design of the new street'. Payment was also made to a John Courtise and labourers for work done in 'digging down the hedges and clearing a way for the building to go on'. In the same year, 'Crangs house' was bought for demolition to provide a passage into the street. A year later, on March 25 1691, £134.14.15d was paid to buy 'house, orchard,

The Feoffees of the Long Bridge

The Feoffees of the Bridge were, and still are, a group of people responsible for the maintenance of the Long Bridge. When surplus money became available, land was purchased, in many areas of the country, chiefly in the South West. The land was rented out, sometimes for grazing and sometimes as in High Street, Mill Street and Bridgeland Street, for building purposes. There are no records left to show when the Bridge Trust first enfoeffed but it is believed that there were originally 24 men. By 1608 the number had been reduced to

The famous underwater escape of Houdina, the greatest escape artist of all time, is to be re-enacted in the river Torridge at Bideford next month.

As a feature of the water festival being organised by Bideford Round Table in aid of local charities, Karl Bartoni of Blackpool, will be locked in several pairs of police handcuffs, secured in ankle stocks and chains, put into a padlocked canvas mailbag and then into a weighted packing case before being lowered to the bottom of the river.
The stunt, which almost cost the life of the famous Houdini in the frozen Hudson River

Bideford Bridge Trust - The Leases

The Indentures, or leases, many of which date back to the early 1690s are made between the Mayor and Feoffees of the Bridge Trust and the lessee. The lease was for the land and invariably for a term of 99 years; determinable on the deaths of the lessee and usually two other 'lives'. Thus, as each person named as a 'life' in the lease dies, another lease for 99 years is drawn up. A fine or heriot, usually of 3/4d, has to be paid and a new name added within two years or the

Helped With Their Christmas Shopping - 3rd December 1971

Bideford Rotary Club on Wednesday morning organised a Christmas shopping visit by senior citizens of the homes at Fairlea, The Chalet, Abbeyfield and Lakenham to Messrs Chopes and Woolworths, High Street, Bideford.
Rotarians provided the transport and members of the associated women's organisation, the Inner Wheel, gave any help required by the party in the stores.

Gifts And Tributes To The Torridge Hospital - 11th August 1972

Bideford Torridge Hospital's new £4,500 sun lounge provided a much needed amenity and they were grateful to all those who had made it possible, said Mr J C Woolley, group secretary of the North Devon Hospital Management Committee, at the official opening of the lounge.
The capital cost of £4,500 had been met by the Regional Hospital Board, he said, and the Hartland fund had met the cost of the furnishings. Anonymous donors had also contributed an electric clock and tables.
Dr William Ruddock, opening the lounge, revealed that

£700 Legacy For The Chalet - 12th March 1965

A legacy of about £700 from the estate of the late Miss Masters, of Westward Ho! was reported at the annual meeting of Bideford and Distric Old People's Welfare Committee at the Rose of Torridge Cafe on Tuesday.
The meeting was told that in its 18 years' existence, The Chalet, the home for old people run by the committee at Westward Ho! had accommodated a total of 86 residents.
At present two residents are over 90.
Mr W J G Coad, committee chairman, referred to the resignation because of health of

Jill's Balloon Was The Winner - 12th September 1975

The winning balloon in a race organised by Bideford Lions Club last month from Bideford water carnival and the North Devon Agricultural Show was released by Mis Jill Cleverdon, of Hankford, Bulkworthy. It reached Edinburgh. The helium filled balloons were returned from many areas including Lundy, Wales, Tamworth and Southport. But one balloon only reached Mill Street, Bideford.

Churchill Fund Plans At Bideford - 19th February 1965

Plea That Appeal Should Not Drag "On And On"

While attendance at Monday's meeting called to plan Bideford's response to the Winston Churchill Memorial Appeal was exceptionally representative of organisations and individuals. and many ideas were put forward, there was a cautionary plea that the campaign should not be allowed to 'drag on and on'.
Capt Pat Brennan, who made the plea, explained to the Gazette on Wednesday; 'The point I was trying to make was that the Winston Churchill Appeal should not be extended beyond the period suggested, to avoid

Instow Poppy Day Collections - 23rd November 1948

Instow has contributed a total of £56 7s 8d to Earl Haig's Fund as a result of collections, sale of poppies, and wreaths in the parish. Details were;
Collecting boxes - Mrs Parkhouse, Sailing Club (per Mr Hugo), Mrs Sillman, Mrs Beer, Mrs Day, Miss E Symonds, Mrs Goodwin, Mrs Nancekivell.
Donations, £7 6s 6dl; car and cycle poppies, £4 17s; Instow Church collections £8 16s 4d; Westleigh Church collections £6; Wesleyan Chapel, Instow, £2 2s; wreaths £7 5s;
This shows an increase of £6 10s 2d over last year.
The Committee express their

Lundy Canoeists Help Cancer Patients 28.8.1981

Charities. A group of Torridge-side canoeists, including two policemen, a lighthouse keeper and a teacher plus 19 others raised £2000 for the Cancer and Leukemia in Childhood Trust. Chief Inspector Godfrey Matthews, Constable Jeff Blaydon, Frank Elson, Don Appleby, Mrs Pat Elson, Miss Samantha Elson, John Moore, Nick Walters

Dancing Benefits the Sick 19.6.1981

Charities. 6 years ago a group of farmers and their wives formed themselves into the Alwington Dance Club. Bideford and District Hospital benefit by some £4000. Mrs Pat Blight, Cyril Blight, John Barker

Andrew  bread distribution to end after 370 years - 27.12.1974

Local Government re-organisation has put an end to the distribution of bread to the aged and sick of Bideford under the will of a Bideford merchant, John Andrew, who died in 1605.

For centuries the distribution has been made on New Year's Day by the Mayor and since the early 1960s, butter has been added. But last year only 13 loaves were distributed, due, it was suggested, to the day having been changed because for the first time January 1 was a public holiday.

The clerk of the Town Council, Mr

Bideford Round Table is 30 years old 26.2.1982

Charities. Bideford Round Table celebrating their 30th anniversary next week. Bob Harding was one of the 11 founder members. Brian Cording, Roger Cording, Roger Day, Geoff Day, Bill Law, Arthur Bradley, Bob Anderson, David Willmott, Roland Oliver, Bill Milton, Tony Stephens, Roy Cory, Don Colwill, Jim Wickham, Bob Hopkins

Players' Help Speeds £10,000 Rugger H.Q. 22.11.1968

Sport.  Nearly £1,000 raised in under 12 months by a committee of players of Bideford Rugby Club.  Peter Adams

Bideford Rugby is a Family Affair 8.12.1972

Sport.  The Evans brothers lined up for Bideford Quins against Crediton 2nds. The Club has six sets of brothers currently in its teams.  Richard Evans, Steve Evans, Geoff Giddy, Richard Giddy, Mike Tucker, John Tucker, Ed George, John George, Stuart MacMillan, Ken Hulme, Andrew MacMillan, Rod Hulme, Roger Grigg, Michael Grigg, Mike Stevens, Brian Stevens, Geoff Heal, Tony Heal, Colin Heal, Norman Heal, Ray Bird, Mervyn Bird, Roy Bird, Edgar Slade, Ivor Slade, Ronnie Slade, Frank Withecombes, Bunty Withecombes, Bruce Withecombes, Colin Withecombes, Ray Sawtell, Micky Sawtell, Bob Colwill, Pete Colwill, Norman Trickey,

A club, which went out of existence 18 years ago, was officially reformed on Friday – the Bideford Inner Wheel.

A total of 13 Inner Wheel clubs from Devon and Cornwall were represented at a charter luncheon, held at Tantons Hotel, Bideford, when the charter was presented to Bideford club president, Mrs Charles Martin by the district chairman, Mrs L A Tapper, of Newton Abbot.
The Inner Wheel is the women’s counterpart of Rotary. Bideford had already provided two district chairmen – a unique achievement – one in 1947 and another, the late, Mrs Herbert Fulford, a few years later.
A bouquet was

Dating back to 1605 from a bequest made by a wealthy local merchant named John Andrew, 40 New Year loaves were distributed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Bideford (Mr and Mrs Pat Hughes) at the Town Hall on Monday morning.   

This year the oldest recipient attending was 91 year old Mr Tom Johns, of Barton Tors.
Those who were unable to attend in person had the gifts delivered to them by the Mayoress and her daughter Suzanne, as seen in the picture above.
Gazette article dated 7 January 1972

Work Begins on New H.Q. for Bideford R.F.C. 6.12.1968

Sport. Before the end of the present season Bideford Rugby Club will be enjoying the amenities of one of the finest rugby headquarters in the Westcountry. Work on their new £10,000 clubhouse began on Monday. Completion date is scheduled for March 14th.  Peter Adams, Messrs Reginald Gale and Jaquiss, R.Harris and Son Ltd

What may be described as a Christmas present from Bideford Bridge Trust to the town is provided by the special effort made to enable people to see samples of the new lighting by electricity of the 600 year old bridge over the holiday weekend.

For many years the bridge has been lit by gas, but earlier this year the Trustees decided to change to electricity. Special standards and lamps were designed to fit in with the architectural requirements of the bridge and approval obtained from the Ministry of Transport (as the bridge connects the trunk road) and the Ancient Monuments

After languishing at or near the bottom of the list for 16 years,

Bideford St John Ambulance Cadets have won the North Devon championship.

Not only was their victory in the inter-unit competition, staged at South Molton, a triumph for pertinacity, but it was an overdue award for Cadet Supt G B Clarke who has refused to be daunted by defeat or by odds that were often heavy.

In the competition, the team – Michael Hammett, Peter Jury, John Braund, Roger Birch, with Nigel Skinner reserve – well and truly toppled Barnstaple from top position.

To set the seal, their No. 2,

Fun For Good Cause - 14th July 1972

Two patrons of the Appledore Inn, Bideford, indulged in fun and raised £60 for a good cause.
Prompted by the landlady of the inn, Mrs Sheila Dinner, Mr Keith Eldridge dressed up and pushed his companion, Mr Tom Lobbett, who was disguised as a baby, through the streets of Bideford in a pram. 
Customers of the pub sponsored them and they kept going all day despite heavy rain.
The money will be used to take a party of local old-age pensioners on an outing in September.
Mrs Dinner is no stranger to

Rotary Club - 26th November 1971

As a result of a wine and cheese party staged by Bideford Rotary Club, work can now start on the provision of a hot water system, with individual wash basins in each room, at the Abbeyfield Home in Northam. The party, held at Tantons Hotel, raised £240 and this should enable the work to commence immediately, said the organiser, Mr Cyril Braund. Thanks were expressed to local traders and all others who had supported the project.