September 1921
Page two of the 6 September Gazette carries a long and detailed account of the Bideford Regatta which took place on 31 August. The event had the largest attendance ever witnessed with people coming from far and near. Vessels moored in the river were decked with flags and there was a fair at the entrance to Victoria Park. Results of all events, both on and off the water, are given.
Results are also given for the Bideford Amateur Swimming Club annual sports which took place one day after the Regatta. In all the reports, many local surnames are featured.
Among those who visited Bideford on Regatta Day were the choir and bell-ringers from Langtree. Their annual outing by motor char-a-banc saw them spend the morning at Westward Ho! before heading for the Regatta in the afternoon. The rector, Rev Bernard Hallowes, accompanied the party.
On the subject of bells and bell ringing, the first peal in the modern Scientific Method has been rung on Bideford church bells by a team from Oxford who are on a ringing holiday. The 5,040 changes were completed successfully in three hours and three minutes.
In motoring news Wartime regulations regarding the lighting of vehicles has come to an end. The Gazette carries comprehensive details of what is now expected of both motorists and cyclists.
Parking problems are not a new phenomenon in Westward Ho! Captain Angus Cameron was fined nine shillings for leaving a motor car unattended near Golden Bay Hotel for three and a half hours. Ernest Cross was fined the same amount for leaving his car outside Springfield Terrace for one and a half hours. It is reported that several other motors were severely obstructed while trying to pass.
The Bideford Borough Surveyor, Mrs R E L Hookway, invites tenders for painting the Municipal Buildings and the Town Hall, while the headmaster of Westward Ho! Junior School needs a regular supply of potatoes and milk.
When Miss Olive George of Cobbaton married Mr C F Butcher at Parkham, anvils were fired on the village green at intervals throughout the day.
Frederick Potter and Wilfred Blackmore have been fined nine shillings each for stealing apples from an orchard at Burrough House, Northam, on a Sunday afternoon, much to the annoyance of the owner Mr J Heywood. The residents of “Calumet”, Northam – situated just opposite Wooda Farm - are advertising their home made “Toffee and Cocoanut Ice”. Operating from the same address, E Tracey Archer offers private lessons in Pitman shorthand, book-keeping, memory training and other office skills.
Messrs Campbell’s steam boats have been welcomed at Bideford, providing most enjoyable marine trips. It is hoped that in future they will visit more frequently.
The Mayor of Bideford, Councillor J U Fulford, has proposed that the Town Council formally invites the Devon County Show to hold its 1923 event in the town.
Fishermen and boats from local ports are being warned to exercise the utmost caution after a drum of liquid mustard gas was recently dredged up in the Bristol Channel.
The sanitary condition of the bottom of Clovelly Village and harbour at low tides has been complained about by a visitor from London, and this prompted a discussion within the sanitary authority. It was agreed that a letter would be sent to the agent of the Clovelly estate.
The Public Hall in Appledore, recently purchased by a Mr Hawkins, has been converted into an up-to-date picture house to be known as the Gaiety Cinema. Electric light has been installed and the owner has also erected two large electric lights in Irsha Street to avoid any accidents to the public.
At a meeting in the Kingsley Room of the Royal Hotel, it was decided to form a Rugby Football team in Bideford as the general opinion is it was very desirable to resuscitate the grand old game of 'Rugger'. The officers and committee elected were Mr Blew-Jones, Mr W Lister, Mr Suckley, Rev O B Parsons, Col. O'Brien, Major Ascott, Messrs Grimes, Medcalf, Tupper, Powell, Morris, Andrew, Friendship, Davis, Hockley and Tucker. The following week, the team - Lister, Lee, Lawson, Garland, Farleigh, Westlake, Camming, Shute, Chapel, Powell, Hockley, Howard, Burchatt, Blankhaw and Gubb - played Barnstaple Reserves and lost 12-5. A link to the current Bideford Rugy Club website is HERE
Mr F Allday preached a most appropriate sermon at the Harvest Thanksgiving Service held at St Helen's Church on Lundy Island. A musical evening was held at The Sailors' Rest with songs sung by Messrs Davey, Lang and Tremary.
September 1971
Mr Gade, aged 81, retires as Lundy agent and plans to stay on the Island.
The annual all-day shoot staged on Sunday by Kenwith Castle Archers proved to be a bonanza day for the Slade family of Northam. Mr Eric Slade carried off the club men’s championship; his wife Doreen the club women’s title; and their 11 year old daughter Heidi the club junior championship. At present Kenwith Archers, who have their headquarters at Abbotsham, have about 15 members. They meet regularly on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
A ‘Mile of Money’ organised by Bideford St. John Ambulance men, women and cadets on Bideford Quay on Sunday raised £20 for Brigade funds. The event was organised by Supt. N J Davey who is in charge of the ambulance cadets. The local St John Brigade hope eventually to raise sufficient money for an ambulance of their own, as distinct from the County ambulances.
Do you remember the ill-fated circus visit to Hartland in 1971? The circus people will not readily forget their visit to Hartland, but neither will Hartland people. The circus did not exactly resemble that of Monty Python except perhaps in one respect - there was something 'entirely different'. It was billed to open on Monday, but excited children who had dragged not always willing parents along to the Playing Field, learned that the performance had been postponed until Tuesday. Back they trooped them comfortably to fill the 'big top'. But before the performance got under way there was a crack and some of the benches at the rear collapsed, the occupants falling forward on to the people in front. The local doctor was on the spot and treated a number of cuts, bruises and a sprained ankle, before the show could carry on.
Members of Buckland Brewer Young Farmers’ Club celebrate harvest home, and the winning of a first prize, at Bideford Carnival.
Bideford FC pledged a young look to their North Devon League side this season as part of a general build-for-the future campaign, and already several members of the Bideford Reserves’ side have been quick to show they have the potential to make the regular first team grade. This picture was taken before the league match with Appledore and it includes teenagers Trevor Burnell and Gordon Williams, who were both in the premier side last night.
Appledore may be without public transport on Sundays this winter. And already a reduction in services by the Western National Bus Company means a 40-minute gap between buses on the Bideford to Appledore route on other days in the week. Discussions are to be held between the company and Northam Urban Council about the no-buses-on-Sundays proposal which has been announced.
Devon County Council have told Northam Urban Council that there does not appear to be a suitable bye-law which could be made by them to prohibit the sale of ice-cream from a street trading van on the Quay at Appledore.
The first step in the building of Drake's Golden Hinde will be taken at the Appledore yard of Messrs J Hinks and Son when the keel is laid of what will be an authentic replica of the famous ship in which Sir Francis sailed around the world. Already tremendously wide interest has been aroused by the news that the Golden Hind is to take shape in the yard that fashioned the Hudson's Bay replica Nonsuch. Among those who have expressed an interest is the Prince of Wales.
It would be vandalism if Northam Urban Council did not preserve Mrs Elizabeth Thorold's infants' school which was one of Northam's oldest and most conspicuous buildings. Do you know where this was?
Kivell & Sons is selling by auction the following property – Lime Kiln Cottage, Landcross, and there’s a highly important sale of accredited Friesians, Sheep and Bull at Southcott Barton, Bideford.
Bideford Swimming Club members are also part of the North Devon junior water polo team - they are Timothy Birkett, Alan Johns and Stephen Dymond. The Club has formed its own junior water polo team, trained by Mr Peter Griffey. At the Club's annual gala at the Patio Pool, Westward Ho! five new records were set including Peter Griffey achieving a new best in the senior plunge. Other participants were Stephen Dymond, Jackie Stephens, Stephen Smale and Joanne Rivers.
September 1996
Further to last month's story and a trip to London, residents of Torrington are being asked to display something yellow to show their anger at smells coming from a local rendering plant. Yellow ribbons, flags and even a pillow case are already beginning to sprout on buildings and signposts. Margaret Brown, chairman of the action group of Dartington Fields residents said that anyone within a three mile radius of the town who caught a whiff of the smell from Peninsula Proteins should ring Torridge District Council.
Training for emergencies - more than 200 Bideford primary schoolchildren are involved with the Police, Coastguard, Fire Service and St John Ambulance.
Culloden House in Westward Ho! has a name as a dining out venue since Steve and Catherine Pile take it over. Mushroom and apple soup anyone?
Pianist Gillian Allin and soprano Katherine Holder gave a concert at Northam Methodist Church which was well supported and raised money for a good cause. Katherine is a 13 year old pupil at Bideford College and is being taught singing by Mary Chant, and Gillian is a LRAM and has been teaching piano in the Bideford area for more than 12 years.
Young people are not so bad, say the Torrington Commons Conservators which has been sending out individual letters of thanks to a group from Great Torrington School and their teachers for giving up their time to repair an ailing bridge over the Common Lake. Teacher J Hayes noticed the problem and for two days, a ten-strong team helped C Lowe, P Hipkiss, and G Stacey to work on the bridge.
One of Jonathan Sainsbury's works, depicting three magpies on a wind-shaped tree on Northam Burrows, recently established him as a leading wildlife artist.
Do you remember these television programmes?
