The national rail strike
The rail strike was affecting people all over the country and on October 7th, the headline in the Gazette is “Men refuse offer of arbitration”. The following article states – “the men are demanding that a man who received 18 shillings a week before the War and now receives 18 shillings plus 33 shillings shall have a minimum of 60 shillings; the Government have offered a minimum of 40 shillings plus 11 shillings (residue of war wages) until December 31st and thereafter until the cost of living has appreciably and permanently fallen. Then the 11 shillings will be reduced only in proportion”.
Inflation at this time was running at over 14%.
The effects of the strike were being felt locally, as 400 men in the North Devon area were involved in the strike action. The Barnstaple Great Show has been postponed and mail services have been reorganised – all forms of road transport have been requisitioned and mail is also being moved by steamboat and seaplane. It is felt that a good mail service has been secured under the circumstances. Milk producers who normally send supplies daily from Bideford to Exeter are now allowed to turn their milk into butter and sell it without restraint, and there are no trains in steam in the whole of the North Devon area.
Surprisingly, on page 8 of the same paper, we find a short paragraph headlined “STRIKE SETTLED” – the minimum wage has been raised by 2 shillings and the present wages will remain fixed for twelve months.
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In other news….
Hanson’s Shipping Yard are taking on apprentices in association with Bideford Municipal Science, Art & Technical School, on a programme that has recently been devised. The course is set out in the paper in considerable detail and was intended to attract military men as well as boys over the age of 16.
The newly formed association football team at Appledore are making good practice (sic). At present they train on the Burrows but a field has been procured at the entrance to the town and it is hoped to soon be able to have visiting teams there.
At the New Inn Hotel, Bideford, Mr R I Ashton has auctioned 714 acres of land, being the outlying portions of the Pine Coffin estate situated between Bideford and Clovelly. In every instance the tenants had a further two years tenancy to run. Full details of the farms, names of tenants and the prices paid are given in the paper. It is reported that purchases by the tenants were loudly applauded by the large company present at the auction.
Clovelly fishermen have had exceptionally large catches of herrings which have been selling for 5 to 7 fish for a shilling in Bideford.
The water supply problems have re-emerged. Northam’s water is being cut off overnight every night, while Bideford is only being served four days a week, their water coming from the Northam reservoir. There was only 3” of rainfall in September, as against an expectation of 12”, and the reservoirs are now virtually empty.
Finally – there is a jam jar shortage. To ensure a regular supply of jam, the Combe Martin Jam Company asks customers to return all empty jam jars to their local grocers. Is this an early example of recycling?