Crop Prospects. The continued wet weather is causing considerable anxiety in North Devon. Owing to later sowing than usual a fine summer was more than ever necessary. Late corn has not suffered so much, but early wheat has been very badly beaten down by the rain and farmers in the local district view with apprehension the coming harvest. There is a doubt whether much can be cut by machine, and, because there are no men who can use a hook and few who can use a scythe the crop looks almost lost with modest yields at best. Hay has produced wonderful shears but a great deal remains to be cut. What was saved early was saved well but a great deal has been damaged and may be just useable. More farmers than usual have resorted to ensilage, and have found that this can be usefully done without the provision of expensive silos and mechanical pressing devices. Ricked in the open, the weight of the grass itself has been found sufficient for pressing. Prejudice prevents a good deal more being put into ensilage than otherwise be the case, but those who have tried it find most cattle suited with it. Potato disease appears late but is spreading rapidly and the apple crop is in many instances a total failure. Mangolds are not making progress, the ground being too wet.
East–Water–Water Factory & Allotments. At a Town council meeting it was reported that the Surplus Property Disposal Board in London has refused to consent to the further letting arrangements at the ETW site which is now lying derelict. It was felt that any tenure might prejudice the sale of the site. (We have published the sale details in a previous monthly edition).
Ex-Servicemen Furloughs. Those service men whose out of work donation expired last month are to be granted a further extension of eight weeks donation at 20s a week. The decision was announced in the House of Commons this month by Dr Macnamara who said that the number of ex-service men claiming out of work support was 153,059 and of this number 80,000 were men who had not completed the first year of demobilization.
Clovelly Sensation. A Motoring Extraordinary. A motor car under its own power and restrained only by its own brakes careered up and down the cobbled steps of the High Street in the presence of hundreds of excited and almost incredulous spectators. This is the first time a motor car has ever been below the Fountain which is where the metalled road gives place to cobbled. Some years ago about midnight one dark a car missed the way and drove down to the Fountain before realising its mistake. The salient facts of this current ride are briefly set out in the Visitors Book at the New Inn Hotel.” On the occasion of the first motor car to descend and ascend High St Clovelly. The car was a standard Maxwell Touring Model and was driven by Capt. Mayne of the manufacturers and passengers were from Heard Bros Bideford (See last month’s article for illustrations of this car) The entry in the book was signed by E A Mayner, A W Herd, Norman Heard, H Starmer Pathe Gazette, J H Cole Bideford Gazette, Edward Uren Western Morning News, W H Puddicombe and others.
Child Over Bideford Quay. William Rees, the five year old son of Mrs Blight of 7 Meddon Street fell over the Quay into the incoming tide while at play about ten o’clock yesterday morning and would undoubtedly been drowned had not the prompt help been forthcoming. Mr Reginald Jury from Plymouth was on the other side of the Quay in a motor car with friends about to set off for Clovelly when he heard cries for help. He ran across the road taking off his coat as he went and jumped into the river and rescued the child. The act was very smartly accomplished and the child, but for a bruise on the forehead did not seem much the worse. Mr Jury, who is a native of Bideford and was home on holiday, was a former member of Bideford Swimming Club and a competitor at some of its gala.
Property for Sale. R Blackmore & Sons have been instructed to Sell the old fashioned Detached Cottage residence Known as Marshford. On the road to Appledore and dating from 1619 now being used as two cottages it comprises 3 sitting rooms 6 bedrooms 2 bath rooms kitchen diary and stables and other buildings. Flower and large kitchen garden and 20 acres of grazing.
At Little Torrington overlooking the town of Gt Torrington Cross House Estate. The Rev. H G De Carteret Steven-Guille have instructed Callaway & Co to offer the following for Sale. A Georgian Manor House reconstructed in the 18th century, with magnificent staircase and other panelling by Grindling Gibbons, beautiful grounds a cottage and 82 acres of park, woodland arable pasture. Two farms “North Mole” and “Hill” and a further 25 lots of valuable small holdings woodland accommodation land in total 439 acres, 3 rood, 35 perches.
(photograph courtesy of Devon Haunted Houses)
At Appledore the fully Licensed Freehold Premises known as “Champion of Wales” containing: Bar with Jug & Bottle Department, Tap Room, Bar Parlour, and Kitchen. There is an Upstirs sitting room and 5 bedrooms. The property has been in the occupation of Mrs Oatway, the present quarterly tenant for many years and an excellent trade has been done.
North Devon Property Sales - Many tenants buy farms Mr R Ashton offered some 1,950 acres of freehold property, portions of the Walland Cary Estate, in the parishes of Woolfardisworthy and Parkham, for sale at Bideford on Tuesday, with a few exceptions the properties were sold in the majority of instances to the tenants.
Correll Farm – Mr R Boase, solicitor, Torrington; Hole Small Farm – Mr J C Bond; Higher Venn Farm – Mr Chidley; Lower Venn Farm – Mr R Kivell; Stroxworthy Moors – Mr J Stevens; Hutsford Moor Cottage – Mr Prouse; Four fields, part of Hutsford – Mr J Sanders; Clifford Farm – Mr Hamlyn; Lane Barton – Mr E Lott; Cranford Farm – Mr O Boundy; Cottage and garden at Cranford – Mr O Boundy; Four fields at Cranford – Mr Vanstone; Cranford Water West and quarry – Mr Moore; Four acre field at Cranford – Mr Fogaty; Two fields – Mr Boundy; South Bitworthy Farm – Mr T Westaway; Bucks Cross Tenement – Mr Ross; Watershute Farm – Mrs Heywood
Torrington-Halwill Railway Scheme. Several local councillors for districts the proposed line will pass through heard from a director of Meeth & North Devon Clay Co. The company have secured rights to the clay under 1,365 acres of land in the Hatherleigh & Meeth districts. The company, who also have works in Cornwall and Newton Abbott were being bombarded with demands for ball clay from all over the world. At present the Company transport the clay by steam tractors and motor lorries and the companies’ desire was to see the railway laid down so that the traffic might be taken off the roads.
Endangering the Public. The first summons for furious driving on the Bideford-Northam road came before the County Bench when a young man from Northam was summoned for driving a motor cycle in a manner dangerous to the public down the Raleigh hill leading to Bideford.
Rough Roads and Rear Lights. Albert Wilson, a motor engineer from Ilfracombe, who did not appear in court but sent a letter, was summoned for driving a motor char-a-banc without a rear light on Bideford Long Bridge at 11;35pm last July. When asked to account for this the defendant had said that the light was lit at Meeth but the rough roads between there and Bideford had cause the bulb to fail. Fined a Guinea.
John Andrews, a farmer from Abbotsham pleaded guilty to driving a horse and trap without a rear light. The defendant said that the candle burned out but that it was burning two miles back along the road. On leaving Beaford he put in new candles and at Landcross Chapel they were burning alright. In Meddon Street the rear light went out. Fined 3s.
Frederick Langmead, from Weare Giffard, was summoned for riding a bicycle without a rear light in New Road at 10:15pm. PC Broad, who stopped him, called the defendents attention to the fact that he had no rear light. There was no lamp at all! Fined 9s.