Interesting Function

Those who were privileged to be present at the three hours’ proceedings in connection with the holding of Bideford Manor Court and the subsequent luncheon to which the Mayor entertained a very representative gathering, heard much suggestive matter on a variety of subjects of interest to Bidefordians old and new.

Sunday observance is a subject which has of late been exercising thoughtful people seriously, but it is no new question as far as the interest of Bidefordians is concerned, as is shown by an old petition to parliament which has come into the hands of Councillor H W Huxham and which he had kindly presented to the Lords of the Manor for preservation in the Museum. The Petition, on parchment, and with the original signatures, bears no date, but the name of its origin is sufficiently fixed by the signature of the late Mr W Tardrew as Mayor, for he was Chief Magistrate of the Borough in 1828 and again in 1833. Many will read the names of the other signatories with more than passing interest. What was the fate of the Petition was not stated. The document reads:

To the Honourable The Commons of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament.

The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Bideford in the County of Devon.

That your Petitioners are fully sensible of the natural as well as individual blessings attendant on a due observance of the Sabbath, and deeply lament that this sacred day should be so generally profaned throughout the Kingdom, and especially in our large and populous Cities and Towns, by buying and selling and other secular concerns. Your Petitioners therefore beg leave humbly to approach your Honourable House to request that such legislative measures may be adopted as may ensure a better observance of this holy day and prevent this great and increasing evil.

And your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray etc.

W Tardrew, Mayor; Rev Wm Walter, Rector; T Campbell Graham, Major, Dragoon Guards; F Scott, late Second Dragoon Guards; W Hatherley, Alderman; Charles A Cuddy, surgeon; Rev Henry Alford, Jno Jewell, Chas Smale (solicitor), George Isaacs Call (Capt. Regt. Foot), James Welsh (Col0, James Rooker (Solicitor), I Doidge, Francis Ash, T Ballhatchett, Edwin Lethbridge, John Whitlock, John Sweet, John Cochet (Vice-Admiral0, W A Harvie (Solicitor), Thomas Chope, James Bligh, Chris Pedlar, John Abbott, John Saunders, G S Pidler, W Davies, John Lee, W A Tucker, J Rendle, Walter Rendle, John Grant, Thomas Wickham, Edwin Facey, William J Mill, Philip Tardrew, William Tardrew, English Thorne, John Collins, John Parrish, W H Major, Robert Rook, George Nash, John Passmore, Richard Mosae, John Goodanew, William Passmore, Richard Harris, George Gidey, John Thorne, John Halls, Simon Droidge, Thomas Yeo, William Lee, Richard Clark, William Denbon, Thomas Hobbins, Denis Brown, Stephen Ridge, Emmanuel Stevens, John Moase, Nicholas Cumming, Thomas Spencer, John Saunders, George Glover, James Clark, John Harris, Thomas Dullam, Robert Dullam, John Lang, James Courtice, William Thore, Samuel Elliott, William Hobbs, Robert Cooper, John Boynes, William Elliot, senr, Samuel Elliot, jnr, William Cawsey, John Moase, John Boynes, jnr, Samuel Elliott, snr, James Haycroft, Thomas Evans, William Brook, William Nicholls, John Nicholls, jnr, Thomas Isaac, A Thomas Isaac, John Smeeth, William Major, William Frost, John Bishop, William Griffey, Thomas Major, William Monkley, John Stoneman, V H Hatherleigh (Lt-Col).

In former days, the Manor Court, with its Jury,

“You are to make strict enquiry of such cottages as are erected contrary to the law, a practice far too much in use, and found to be very mischievous in most places. Now the law is, that if any person shall set up a cottage without laying of four acres of land to it, or without the allowance of the Lord of the Soil and Justices of the Peace in open sessions he doth forfeit ten pounds for his so doing and forty shillings a month for the continuance of it.”

That, observed the Mayor, was a very healthy contribution to the settlement of the hosing problem of those days.

Current views on local topics

The Mayor, Councillor Dr E J Toye, presided over Bideford Manor Court, held in the Town Hall, and at which the other Lords of the Manor (members of the Town Council) present were Aldermen J Cock, J M Metherell, W T Goaman and A R Adams, and Councillors H W Huxham, W Cole, J S Dymond, R Butler, T Burton, A H Hopson, G Rattenbury, F Percy Lee, and H W Fulford, and the Steward of the Manor (Town Clerk) Mr W B Seldon. Among others also attending in addition to the officials of the Council, were the Mayoress, Miss N Keene, the Vicar, Rev W N Manning, Rev H C A S Muller, Messrs T Goaman, JP, J H Davis, JP, Mr J H Farleigh and many others.

The following were empanelled as the Jury: Messrs F A Searle (elected foreman), T A Goaman, J Street, G W Vincent, W J Barnes, G Boyle, F Lee, William Ascott, O W Ward, A W Cock, W H Puddicombe, and H R Bazeley.

On the recommendation of the Jury the Court re-appointed Mahor W Ascott, OBE, as People’s Churchwarden, Mr Sydney Lake as Tything man, and Messrs Thomas Pridham and Sidney Braund as Waywardens.

In a further presentment the Jury expressed appreciation of the services of the Steward of the Manor in regard to the promotion of the new Harbour Bill, and satisfaction that it provided for the charging of dues upon the actual tonnage carried instead of upon the registered tonnage of vessels, which alteration, it was considered would considerably increase the revenue, and enable the Council to carry out necessary work to the Quay wall and the surface of the Quay inside the rails.

In stating that the Lords of the Manor would consider the presentment, the Mayor said he felt that the present satisfactory position of the Harbour Bill was largely due, if not entirely, to their Steward.

The Foreman said the Jury wished to associate themselves with that expression of opinion.

Old Time Records

The Mayor afterwards entertained his brother Lords of the Manor, the Jury, and a large gathering intimately associated with the municipal government and social life of the Borough at lunch at Tanton’s Hotel, where an excellent repast was expeditiously served, and an appropriate toast list duly honoured.

Proposing the toast of the Mayor, Alderman J Cock said his Worship was proving himself an excellent colleague on the Council and they were greatly indebted to him. During the 39 years that he (Alderman Cock) had been on the Council it had been his pleasure to sit under a large number of Mayors, all of them excellent men who had done well, but no man had succeeded in doing better than their present Mayor had done during the five months he had occupied that office.

The toast was received with musical honours.

His Worship, in acknowledging, referred with pleasure to the fact that in the Royal Automobile Club’s new Road Book, it was remarked that it was pretty safe to say that of the well-recognised touring grounds Devon and Cornwall, and the adjoining part of Somerset were an easy first. Devon could not have a better unsolicited testimonial, and it was up to them, as Bidefordians to see that as far as their district was concerned that statement was justified. That was a matter that was entirely in their own hands; they could make or mar the beauty of Bideford. In other words they could attract tourists or send them away, and he repeated his view that the prosperity and future of Bideford depended largely upon the visitors it attracted. It was up to them as citizens to see that their town was a pleasant place to live in and a pleasant place to visit, and in that connection he suggested that the residents could grow such a wealth of flowers on their windowsills and in their front gardens as to earn for Bideford the reputation of being the most beautiful town in England. What an advertisement that would be for them. The Mayor referred to two important forthcoming events of the year, the formal re-opening of the Bridge and the opening of the new Hospital, and after touching lightly on the amalgamation topic said it was the duty of every inhabitant of the town to do his little bit towards the government of it. They could not, of course, all sit on the Council, but they should take a keen interest in seeing that the best-qualified persons were elected to it, and could in many ways take an active part in promoting the town’s welfare.

Mr E W S Bartlett also responded and made some interesting references to the forthcoming Bridge opening ceremony and new Hospital, which were reported last week.