Queen Elizabeth II
A Very Public Luncheon in 1911
22 May 1945
Old Boys29 May 1945
Jubilant atmosphere22 May 1945
Mr Screech22 May 1945
Tea parties22 May 1945
Unveiled and dedicated19 June 1945
Old and young19 June 1945
15 May 1945
Glove workers present Union Jack15 May 1945
And street teas for the children15 May 1945
15 May 1945
Large congregation15 May 1945
An injury to Mr Walters15 May 1945
Bells are rung for 2 hours15 May 1945
Mr Morrison15 May 1945
Nearly 2,00015 May 1945
Appledore knows how to celebrate15 May 1945
£20 to POWs12 June 1945
Queen Elizabeth II
Accession
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born 21 April 1926; acceded to the throne 6 February 1952; and died 8 September 2022. She was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms, and her reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch, the second-longest of any sovereign state, and the longest of any queen regnant in history.
In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of Kenya and on 6 February, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, after a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived of the death of Elizabeth's father. She retained Elizabeth as her regnal name.
8 February 1952
“The whole Nation and Empire was plunged into deep and sudden sorrow on Wednesday morning by the news of the passing of King George VI, who died peacefully in his sleep at Sandringham that morning.
Princess Elizabeth, who immediately became Queen, was informed on her father’s death while she was at the
...A Very Public Luncheon in 1911
The spirit of celebration
was very much in the air in Bideford during June 1911, on the occasion of the Coronation of His late Majesty King George V and memories of the jollifications on that occasion will no doubt be recalled to many Bidefordians by this photograph. It was one of several interesting old photographic plates kindly loaned for perusal by Mr R I Cock, of Bideford.
At the market a free luncheon was given to all residents over sixty years of age but a number of the younger generation decided to arrange their own festive and very public luncheon. Catering was provided by the Steam Packet Hotel on the Quay and the laden tables were erected on the river side of the Quay. Among the many faces in the photograph readers will recognise Messrs E Woodyatt, Charles Morris, S Parkhouse, R Prance , S Priscott and W Goodenough. For this special occasion a ‘one man band’ was present, on the right. Moored against the Quay is a Danish merchant ship, whose captain and mate were invited to take...
Old Boys29 May 1945
Six Bideford ‘Old Boys’ Welcomed Home
Geneva’s Great Greeting
Bideford Senior School Old Scholars’ Association had a special welcome for six Old Boys – J Bowden, H Eastman, J E Evans, F C Mower, S Raymont, and A W Smale – at their Club night on Tuesday, which was specially organised to do them honour and attended by the Mayor and Mayoress (Ald and Mrs J W Fulford). Mr C S F Harding (former headmaster and president of the Association), and Mr J E Down (present headmaster).
Prominent in the hall was a large banner, ‘Welcome Home from BSSOSA’ above a large Union Jack, and the party struck up a cheering note when they arrived and were officially welcomed by the Mayor, who said that was one of his most pleasurable duties.
The full Gazette article is dated 29 May 1945
Jubilant atmosphere22 May 1945
On Sunday, May 13th, the sixty ninth ‘Forces Show’ was given at the Strand Cinema, Bideford, and drew the usual weekly crowd of Forces, being the first show of the VE period and, following the thanksgiving parade, the atmosphere was particularly jubilant.
To mark the occasion the patients of the White House were once again the guests of the evening. Those who could walk reached the theatre in time to see the usual Sunday night queue. Transportation was provide to bring and return those who could not walk. The variety part of the programme was provide by COXE of Westward Ho! with their band ‘The Bunch of Keys’ vocalist members of the ATS and a number of sketches, and the first hour slipped by all too quickly.
It is the custom at all these shows for Mr A E Battrick, the organiser, to thank the artists at the end of the variety session, make known the following week’s programme and deal with any matters of interest to the Forces generally. On this occasion Captain Burton, Administration...
Mr Screech22 May 1945
Mentioned in dispatches
The man who actually sank the submarine U-68, which was Admiral Doenitz’s (Hitler’s successor as Fuehrer) first command, is Mr J A Screech, of 77 Dillwyn Road, Sketty, Swansea, son of Mrs Screech and the late Capt W Screech, of Vernons Lane, Appledore, who has been skipper of the famous Swansea pilot cutter ‘Roger Beck’ for more than 20 years.
Mr Screech served in the Royal Navy during the last war in several large ships including the battleship ‘Revenge’ and the armed merchant cruiser ‘Oceanic’. Later he was posted on defensively equipped merchant vessels and spent eighteen months plying between Salonika and Port Said. It was when he was serving in the Blue Funnel vessel ‘Myrmidon’, 6,278 tons gross, that the encounter with Doenitz occurred. The ‘Myrmidon’ was in convoy east of Malta when the U-boat attacked at 2am, sinking one of the vessels. At 6am she attacked again on the service. Mr Screech, who was in charge of a 12-pounder anti-submarine gun, opened fire on the...
Unveiled and dedicated19 June 1945
‘Your Kindness and Hospitality’
On the village green at Woolsery, in front of the church, stands a handsome new oak seat. This seat is to be inscribed ‘This seat was given by the children evacuated from the blitzed areas to the people of Woolsery in appreciated of their kindness and hospitality 1940-45’
With the sunshine smiling down and in the presence of a delightful rural community gathering, the seat was unveiled and dedicated by the Dean Rural, Preb, I L Gregory (Vicar of Hartland).
‘This is a unique occasion for Woolsery’ said Mr C B Griffiths (headmaster of Woolsery School and Parish Billeting Officer), opening the proceedings after introductory prayers. He conveyed apologies for absence from Messrs J C Hilton, C T Braddick, and the Rev E L Lewis.
Looking back, he thought they had been very fortunate in the children they had had evacuated to them. It had been a great experience for each of them, and when the evacuees were young men and women it was hoped they would return to...
15 May 1945
Sir –
I was most interested in London-Bidefordian’s letter in your last issue suggesting that a hall would be a fitting war memorial for Bideford, and wonder whether this idea could be taken further so that we could have a Community Centre which would be a lasting tribute to the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for freedom and would be source of rest, recreation and interest to those who return, together with the community as a whole.
Nance Littlewood, Bridgeland Street, Bideford
The full Gazette article dated 15 May 1945
Glove workers present Union Jack15 May 1945
Non-stop flood-lit dancing, with the dance bands on a flood-lit wagon, and community singing, led by Mr B G Lampard-Vachell, were some of Torrington’s expressions of joy at the VE Day proclamation.
Torridge Vale Dairies Illuminations presented an especially pretty picture, and a hug bonfire was lit at St Giles on VE night by Sgt T Hocking, who only the day previous had returned from prisoner-of-war camp in Germany.
Torrington certainly made up for the disappointment caused by the inclement weather of May Fair. Streets, etc. were profusely decorated and various celebrations including floral and maypole dancing, which on VE Day-2 was all the more enjoyed by the addition of fancy dress, took place on both days. Local bands and others gave their talented services and there was no stinting of music and jollity.
A formal announcement of the cessation of the European War was made at noon on Tuesday in the Square to a large gathering of townspeople by the Mayor of Torrington (Ald L S...
And street teas for the children15 May 1945
A Grand Climax To Two Happy Days
Never was the River Torridge, in the full beauty of an evening tide and sunshine, seen to better advantage than on Wednesday evening, when, through the kind cooperation of Rear-Admiral H H C Franklin, a striking array of light naval craft came in formation up the river.
There were assault and landing craft of many kinds and they were explained, with some interesting references to the active service they had seen, by a naval officer at the microphone.
The review evoked very great enthusiasm among the large crowd assembled all along the Quayside and on the bridge and it was, indeed, an occasion that will long be remembered.
The May and Mayoress (Ald. And Mrs H W Fulford), with civic party, went aboard the Admiral’s vessel, which had arrived at the head of the miniature fleet and then sailed down between the larger craft which anchored on each side of the river while smaller craft came around them in formation.
‘A grand sight’ was the general verdict.
Shades...
Large congregation15 May 1945
At Northam, the story was just the same – streets and the Northam Urban District Council offices decorated, etc.
On VE Day 2 morning, a united service was held at St Margaret’s Church, conducted by the Rev Rev E Basil Bridger (Vicar), assisted by the Rev A E Green (Congregational) and the Rev F E Paod (Methodist), the service being relayed by loudspeaker to the Square. In the evening another thanksgiving service was held at the Congregational Church, conducted by the Pastor (Rev A E Green).
Dances and community singing were held in the square on the eve of VE Day and on VE night and the night after – a dance also taking place at the YMCA – while bonfires proclaimed the good news as in olden times.
The celebration for the children is to be held at some future date.
Members of Northam Urban District Council and staff were among the large and representative congregation attending on Sunday morning at a thanksgiving service at St Margaret’s Church, Northam. The Vicar (Rev E Basil...
An injury to Mr Walters15 May 1945
Merry peals were rung on the bells at the church throughout the day on Tuesday to celebrate the surrender of Germany.
Mr Charles Walters had the misfortune to break his leg owing to the bell rope breaking. Everyone wishes him a speedy recovery.
Thanksgiving services were held in the evening at both the church and chapel. In the evening a grand social was held in the Old Schoolroom where there was a large gathering and all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Mrs Barrows, Mrs Madge, Mrs Curtis and Miss Joan Moore supplied the music. Funds were in aid of Welcome Home to the Forces.
Gazette article dated 15 May 1945
Bells are rung for 2 hours15 May 1945
There were large congregations at the Methodist Sunday School anniversary services on May 6th.
The Rev A Evens Clarke conducted. Special and regular singing was good throughout, Mr Christmas being the organist. Norman Colwill and Arthur Beer read lessons and with other scholars made the collections.
Sports were held on the Tuesday following, the Rev A E Clarke and Messrs Ern Short and Arthur Thorne being in charge. Tea was served by Mesdames Colwill, Headon, E Heard, M Heard, Wesley Heard, H James, H Jeffery, Misses E Colwill, K Colwill, E Heywood, I Jeffery, Johnson, Ruby Rowe. Evening services, recitations, etc. were postponed a week.
VE Day 11am service at the Methodist Church was conducted by Rev A E Clarke. A large and appreciative congregation contributed over £4 to the Methodist Rebuilding Fund for the blitzed areas and Protestant churches on the Continent.
Hartland’s bells rang for two hours on the afternoon of VE Day. At 7pm the Home Guards, Cadets, Air Raid Precautions, Home...
Mr Morrison15 May 1945
Sir –
May I take up a little of your valuable space with a letter of thanks to the bakers in Bideford and district.
As Bread Officer it has been my duty to arrange the supply of bread. This could not have been done without the fine cooperation of all the bakers. As I am now leaving the district, I am taking this opportunity to place on record the difficult task these bakers have carried out. Labour has been scarce, yet with it all, I am proud to say, the public have had a good loaf of bread. I wonder how many people have realised how difficult it has been to carry on. To the bakers, masters and operatives, I say on behalf of the Ministry of Food, ‘Thank you. You have done a good job.’
James W Morrison, Bread Officer, Bideford and District
Gazette letter day 15 May 1945
Nearly 2,00015 May 1945
United Church Service Relayed To Chapel
Official Stand Down Of Civil Defence Units
Impressive indication of the general spirit of thanksgiving and of the combine war effort of the Fighting Services and Civil Defence units (for whom it was the official stand-down parade), was given at Bideford on Sunday when nearly 2,000 accompanied the Mayor (Ald H W Fulford) and Corporation to a united thanksgiving service held at the Parish Church and which was relayed to an overflow congregation at the Bridge Street Methodist Church.
The Rector of Bideford (Preb W N Manning) was assisted in the service by the Rev R E Clarke, the Mayor’s Chaplain, and Rev T R Gibby. Bideford Parish Church was filled to overflowing, and a portion of the parade, together with a large number of the public, filled the Methodist Chapel, while hundreds of people waited on the Quayside for the march past and parade after the service.
At the Parish Church Mr R Harper was at the organ and Mr W Westacott at the tympani.
The collection...
Appledore knows how to celebrate15 May 1945
Flags, flags, and still more flags!
That was one impression of Appledore on VE Day and the day after. With bunting from pre-war Regattas and with ships’ flags, Appledore presented a very gay scene. From Appledore Quay, the docks and shipping looked a mass of colour. Fairy lights were prominent and pictures of their Majesties and Mr Churchill were to be seen in many windows.
Celebrations at Appledore started on Monday evening, when fairy lights in Irsha Street set the pace and heralded singing, dancing and other frolic – with somebody’s piano out in the street – until 11.30, ending with Auld Lang Syne and the National Anthem.
On the Tuesday morning, a Victory peal of bells was rung by the St Mary’s Church bell-ringers. At 10am HM Forces attended a service at St Mary’s the Vicar of Appledore (Rev H C A S Muller) officiating and giving an address, supported by Rear-Admiral H G C Franklin and Comm. Ommaney, Lt Howe, RNVR, presided at the organ. At 11am the schoolchildren of St Mary’s Church...
£20 to POWs12 June 1945
Presentation At Torrington Ceremony in the Square
Presentation of £20 each coupled with expression of the town’s pleasure at seeing them back home and best wishes for the future, were made to returned prisoners-of-war from Torrington at the largely attended public gathering in the Square on Thursday May 31st. Torrington is thus continuing its gesture of presenting £20 to every repatriated prisoner-of-war from the town.
The money has been raised by the combined Social Committee of the Home Guard by means of various entertainments, the chairman of the committee being Capt F S Kelly and the hon. treasurer and secretary, Mr N L Lockton.
At the ceremony Capt Kelly introduced the Mayor (Ald L S Hutchings), who first took the opportunity of congratulating the Social Committee of the Home Guard for what they had done for various charities. It had been wonderful work raising £465, and his Worship knew it would be of interest to know how the amount had been distributed, which included the...