After the busy few months following the end of the war when businesses were trying to re-establish themselves and returning soldiers came to terms with life in a changed world, it is interesting to compare the classified advertisements that appear each week with their commercial equivalents.

We have reproduced the Situations Vacant & Wanted column which seems to hark back to an earlier age before the War when the wealthier people in society employed chambermaids, housekeepers, cooks and parlourmaids as a matter of course. It is common to see words like “strong girl” or “willing girl” wanted in relation to childcare or heavy domestic duties and housework.

In contrast, on the opposite page, Walter H Chope, 13 & 14 High Street Bideford, have an advert for JB Side-Spring corsets, illustrated by line drawings as reproduced alongside. This advertisement appears in every edition in April and we believe it is the first time that illustrations of this nature have appeared in the paper.It will be several more years before photographs appear.