Following on from last month, Influenza is still very much on people’s minds in March. However, rates in the parish of Bradworthy are starting to decrease. With the exception of influenza colds passing through the parishes Dr L B Betts reported that the health of the district appeared to be satisfactory. Three cases of scarlet fever had been notified from Hartland - the patients were school children. Notification was received from the Ministry of Health that they had re-instated the fee for the notification of infections diseases at 2s 6d as from 31st August last in the place of the 1s to which it was reduced during the war. Mr J T Jewell: We shall have to use the Geddes' axe then. 

Unemployment also features again; 616 people from the Bideford region are registered unemployed this month, chiefly building trade and shipyard workers. This is a slight improvement on last month. There has also been a drop of around 3.5% on the national figures. Messrs Cock, Rendell, Baker, Cowell, Cleverdon and Martin, and Miss James and Mrs Durant are elected to the Bideford Area Local Employment Sub-Committee.

Torrington Rural Salaries - it was recommended that the Clerk, Mr G M Doe, should receive £80, whilst he thought it ought to be £90. A compromise of £85 was agreed. Mr Gomer also objected to his proposed new salary.

In the situations vacant column:

A reliable woman is required to nurse an old lady, whole time, at Rose Cottage, Weare Giffard.
H Tucker of Commons Farm, Northam, wants a lad for butchering and milking. (Sic)

Miss Rimmer, 36 years old and lodging with Miss Thorne, Newsagent, The Square, Northam, seeks a position as a lady help or nursery governess. She describes herself as “domesticated and fluent in French”.

A meeting of Bideford Rural District Council hears that there is a strong demand for council houses in Clovelly and Abbotsham with many people being turned away, but there is plenty of availability in Parkham.

Following the removal of Foot and Mouth restrictions from 6 March, cattle markets are preparing to restart livestock sales. Hartland Cattle Market will reopen on 11 March, and among the first people selling stock at Torrington market are - Mr W Tremeer of Higher Hutsford, Woolsery, who is retiring; Mr T Pennington, Crowbear, Torrington; Mr W H Lee, Hall Farm, Littleham, who is “quitting”; and Mr L Wickett at Cloister in Frithelstock - this must be a big event as it is announced that luncheon will be served at 1pm.

A property for sale - Mansfield, 21 Park Lane, Bideford

Household furniture, valuable oil and water colour paintings, etc. from Coombe Ridge, Raleigh, Bideford, and Woodside, Weare Giffard, are for sale; and purchasers of parts of the Stevenstone Estate are detailed - Burwood Farm, sold to Mr Thomas Hookway; Ley Farm, secured by the tenant Mr Thomas Tanton; small holding near Town Mills and fields sold to Mr Buckland of Torrington; North Healand Farm sold to Mr James Barrow; Burwood Meadow to Mr John Puddicombe; Great Meadow, Mr Alfred Burridge of Torrington; Barn Park, Mr John Millman of St Giles; Great Field to Mr W H Hookway, St Giles. 

An interesting item in the general sales column is a revolving wooden shelter; this is set on a circular iron rail, would be suitable for an invalid and is being disposed of by the Vicar of Woolsery. Lt-Col Gubbins, Rosslyn, Westward Ho! is selling surplus furniture, including carpenter’s tools and photographic equipment.

In the Lost and Found section, there is the following rather tetchy paragraph: “Will the person who by mistake took an UMBRELLA from St Mary’s Church porch on Sunday evening, kindly return it to Mr R F Sluman, 3 Church Walk.” Did he ever get it back?

With a General Election due late in 1922 and Local Rural and Council Elections taking place in late March, there is considerable coverage of nominations and results from all areas throughout the papers in the District News columns. The following have been elected; Bradworthy - Messrs Balsdon, Bryant, Cann, Cleave, Cory, Everson, Harding, Martin, Oke and Wickett; Frithelstock - Messrs Heard, Ball, Dunn, Marshall, Johns, Osborne and Ede; Parkham - Messrs Harding, Ley, Jacob, Dack, George, Heal, Hedden, George, Sanders and Beer; Shebbear - Messrs Pett, Earle, Griffin, Hocking, Leach, Vanstone, Gloin, Rouncefell and Quance.

A meeting of Northam Urban District Council saw a fractious exchange between Councillors P K Harris, Barnes and Braddick on the subject of election nominations.

On the education front, attendance at the Old Town Boys’ School last month stood at 93.2%. A suggestion has been made that Bideford Girls’ School should amalgamate with the Church Girls’ School – it seems that the managers of each school are waiting for the other to respond first.

Work on altering the lifeboat house at Badstep, Appledore to accommodate the new Motor Lifeboat is now nearing completion. A dance organised by the United Services Club - Secretary, Mr T G Parsons - was held with the music supplied by Mr A W Dunn's Quadrille band. The Schools of Appledore enjoyed a holiday in honour of the marriage of Her Royal Highness Princess Mary to Viscount Lascelles. Through the kindness of Mr Hawkins, the takings at the Gaiety Cinema will be given to the United Services Club at Appledore (for discharged Soldiers and Sailors). The club, which has recently been opened is well patonized by the men of both services, but funds are greatly needed for defraying the necessary expenses. 

Some anxiety had been felt concerning the fate of certain Appledore men on vessels which owing to recent stormy weather, were reported as overdue. The reassuring news is now to hand that the coasting vessel Millom Castle on a voyage from Ireland (with the captain and one of the crew, hailing from the parish) has arrived safely at Bristol, though badly weather beaten and her decks swept. The Fernham, which has several Appledore men aboard, also made a belated appearance at Dublin.

In Hartland news - a Stoke man, Albert Jeffery, was injured when he fell on a pike necessitating Dr Kay to insert stitches. A Band Dance was organised by Misses W Pyne and L Burrow, under P Beer, Bandmaster, was held in the Palladium. A Social was held at Meddon promoted by Miss Bartlett and Messrs Hobbs and Newton, and the third social of the Men's Club was held. 

The Bijou Theatre in Lower Gunstone, Bideford, has been renamed Pierrotland, and is putting on a variety show called Pierrot Pie with the programme changing twice a week. The director is Roy Cowl.

Mr Henry Tucker of Commons Farm, Northam, is summoned and fined 6s.

In sports news, Abbotsham Football Club defeated Appledore 3-1; the referee was Mr Langdon and the goal scorers for Abbotsham were Cloutman, Moase, and “one goal accidentally scored by a visitor”. A well attended meeting of the Bideford Bowling and Tennis Club (Tennis Section) was held at the Town Hall, 45 members being present with Mr M J Durant in the chair. A most successful season is promised, 77 members having been nominated. A draft of proposed Rules was presented and adopted. Mr J R Ellis was elected Captain, Miss M Meredity, vice-captain, and Mr J H Short, secretary. A Management Committee of seven was also appointed. The Bideford Bowling and Tennis Club held a well attended and highly successful Whist Drive and Dance. 

At the adjourned Brewster Sessions, two licensees of Clovelly question whether a change in opening hours should apply to them.

The Chairman (Mr A G Duncan) presided over the monthly meeting of Bideford Board of Guardians at which there were also present Mr W H Rogers, Miss A E Bazeley, Messrs J E Pickard, J A George, J Bragg, J T Hockridge, T Bellew, E J Blight, J T Jewell, W Grigg, W Westaway, J Brimacombe, Jas Slade, E T Lott, J T Hancock, Jas Lang, J Steer, J Heywood, J M Metherell, T Pollard, T Goaman, and the Clerk (Mr M J Durant). It was reported there were 73 inmates of the House compared with 77 at the corresponding date last year, but 28 casuals had been relieved during the last week compared with three for the corresponding week. There had been out-relieved for teh past week 235 persons at a cost of £48 1s 7d, compared with 211 at a cost of £43 12s 5d. Indoor and outdoor cases at 308 shewed an increase of five compared with the previous weeks and an increase of 20 compared with the corresponding period last year. Torrington Union wrote suggesting that as there was little or no hope of casuals getting work on the Torrington and Halwill railway a notice to that effect should be placed on the casual ward at the Bideford Union. It was stated that the Casual wards at Bideford were nominally closed, although they were relieving cases but it was agreed to put up the notice. Mr W H Rogers thought casuals would still come, not only because they thought there might be work, but because there were pickings to be got. It was a curious thing, but idle people were always where work was. 

There will be no contests for nominations for Bideford Board of Guardians as only the necessary numbers were received. All the old members are re-elected with the exception of Mrs S Heywood and Rev G Scholey. Miss Brayley and Rev Hugh C A S Muller will fill the vacancies.

At the Holsworthy Parish Church, Miss Evelyn Soby married Mr William Henry Collacott; at the United Methodist Church in Bideford, Mr George Hill and Miss Lilian Annie Fulford were wed; and at Hartland, Mr Arthur Sanguin and Miss Lucy Colwill. Owing to recent family bereavements the wedding of Miss Prance, only daughter of Mr W Prance, bailiff at Berridon, to Mr Jack Bale, of Holnborough Farm, Morwenstone, was quietly celebrated. It took place in St John's Church, Bradworthy. The bride was led to the altar and given away by her father. She was prettily attired in an ivory georgette dress with veil to match. The only ornament she wore was her deceased mother's engagement ring. Her brother, Mr Lionel Prance, was the best man. The hymn, "The voice that breathed o'er Eden" was sung at the service, and the Wedding March was ably played by Mr Stanley Oke. In the afternoon the bride and bridegroom left by motor for South Devon for the honeymoon. The bride's going away dress was a black silk with hat to match. She also wore a black wrap. The happy couple will reside at a farm in Morwenstowe. 

The funerals of Mrs Brooks, wife of Mr Richard Brooks, of Goosegreen, Torrington and Mrs Elizabeth Barrow, took place. 

At Northam Churchyard the funeral took place of th elate Mrs Mary Huxtable, of Springfield Terrace, East-the-Water, Bideford. The service at the church and graveside was conducted by the Rev Guy H Bridges. Wreaths were sent by friends at Springfield Terrace, Mr and Mrs Routley, Mr Rowe and family, Mr and Mrs Williams and Mrs Roberts, and Mr and Mrs Bond. Mrs Huxtable was 81 years of age. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr A R Adams, of Bideford. 

The death has occured of Mrs Thomas Vanstone, widow of the late Thomas Vanstone, of Sexworthy, East Putford, who passed away March 18th at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Littleham.

The death of Mr Edward J Battett, previously a schoolmaster at Torrington, Bratton Clovelly and Northam, is announced.

The funeral of the late Miss Minnie R Hoyles, of Instow Farm, Instow took place. She was 19 and had the most loving and amiable disposition, and had a host of friends.

In more Instow news, Mr H Miles has been re-elected representative for Instow on Barnstaple Rural District Council. Mr G F Lefroy applied to the County Bench for a protection order for Ernest King in respect of the Marine Hotel, Instow. Supt R S Eddy, whilst offering no objection, protested against the shortness of the notice received. The application was granted. At the Parish Meeting held in the Vestry Room for the election of the Parish Council, Mr J P England presided. Only nine nominations were handed in for the nine seats, and these were old members, who were as follows - Thomas Anstey jnr, John Cann, William P M Dark, Ernest Joslin, Evan Martin, Harold Miles, Thomas Molland, Henry Turner, and William H Welch. The funeral of the late Mr Joseph Shackson mariner, of Torridge Cottage, Instow, has taken place. Deceased, who was 81 years of age and a native of Clovelly, leaves a widow, a son, and five daughters. The Rev W T L Jenkins officiated and the principal mourners were Mr Ernest Shackson, Miss Emily Shackson, Mr and Mrs J Dodwell, Miss B Shackson and Miss Evalina Shackson, Mr W Dark and Miss C Dark, Mrs J Pidler, Mr J Pidler, Mr Sydney Pidler, Mr J Dark, Mrs Fred Dark.

Bideford and District Electric Supply Company issues its prospectus. Local directors are Major William Ascott, OBE - Westbridge; Ernest William Smith Bartlett, Esq - Glenburnie; John Underhill Fulford, Esq - Southcott; Hugh Nicholas Granville Stucley, Esq - Moreton.

Mr Neil McLean asked the Minister of Labour in the House of Commons whether a sum of money had been granted by the Government in connection with the Torrington and Halwill Light Railway scheme; whether contracts had been entered into for the supply of materials, and at what date it was anticipated a start could be made. Mr Arthur Neall: The North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway Company has been informed that the Government are prepared, subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions, to contribute a sum not exceeding £125,000 towards the cost of construction. I understand that the company hopes to execute a contract for the works this month, and that the contractors will be able to start work on the railway immediately thereafter if the conditions have been complied with. Torrington District Council outlined the benefits, both direct and indirect, to the districts that the line would serve.

The Ministry of Transport is accused of delaying the winding up of the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway Co.

With the arrival of Spring imminent, Farleigh’s Stores are encouraging spring cleaning with a special offer on brooms. Hair Brooms are priced from 3/2d – 4/6d, with Bass Brooms starting at 1/8d.

Finally, to prove that there is nothing new under the sun, the following advert appears multiple times on several pages of the paper:

 1972

Farewell New Street! Bulldozers move into New Street, Bideford, which has been made a clearance area. Despite its name, this narrow street of character, between High Street and Lower Gunstone, was one of the oldest parts of the town. It is said that John Strange, the hero of the plague visitation of Bideford in 1645-46, owned a property there.

Meddon Street is now open to 2-way traffic.

Preparing for their great day. The headmaster of the Blue Coat School, Mr R Barker, shows this year’s queen of Torrington May Fair, Jennifer Cramp, the crowner her sister Abigail, and the two heralds, the Gilbert twins Tony and Terry, pictures of last year’s preparation for this highlight of the town’s year.

Linking N Devon with the M5. Proposals for a new major road route from the M5 to Barnstaple have been announced by Mr Peter Walker, Secretary of State for the Environment. The route, known as the North Devon link, will run from the M5 near Sampford Peverell to the proposed Barnstaple by-pass via Tiverton and South Molton. The scheme will be included in the trunk road preparation pool, and preparation and planning will be put in hand at once. The effect of these proposals, together with existing schemes for the by-passing of Barnstaple and Bideford, will be to provide an improve direct connection all the way from the M5 to Barnstaple, Bideford and towards Clovelly and Hartland area. Draft details will be published later showing the recommended line. The link will be about 35 miles long and should provide relief from traffic to a number of small towns and villages on the existing main route A361. Later in the month, the following article was printed.

A plumber who is also a painter – Mr Joe Badcock, of 69 Barton Tors, Bideford. A plumber at Appledore shipyard, who paints for a hobby, he is seen here with his picture of the Kings Arms, on Bideford Quay, of which he is a customer. He painted it for the former licensee there, Mr Tom Pow, who lives near High Wycombe. Mr Badcock has been asked to do a similar one for the present licensee, Mr Charles Davis, who took over the inn last August. A native of Painswick in the Cotswolds, Mr Davis was formerly licensee of the Railway Hotel, Evesham.

The fortunes of Bideford’s ‘Ocean Queen’

A Judith Ackland memorial exhibition was held at the Beaford Centre. She was a pupil at the Bideford School of Art and President of the westward Ho! Arts Society and her work was displayed in London. Miss Stella Edwards, her companion, and neighbours, Mr and Mrs F. Sutton from Bucks Mills, admire one of her models.

Ship surgery at Appledore where the Richmond dock is now being used by Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd for the lengthening of ships. After the ‘patient’ has been cut in half, the bow section is floated out to enable a new centre section to be manoeuvred in next to the stern section. Then the bow section is brought back and all three pieces are joined.

Among the latest entry of Flight Cadets to be commissioned in the Royal Air Force is Pilot Officer Edward Andrew Ford who graduated from the RAF College Cranwell, Lincs and was commissioned in the Engineer Branch. Pilot Officer Ford, younger son of the Rev R A and Mrs Ford, of The Vicarage, Abbotsham, attended Dauntsey’s School, Wilts.

Women skittlers’ enthusiasm for the game is matched by skill, as reflected in this gathering at Buckland Brewer alley, the venue for special competitions recently. In the picture league players watch as Hermione Dennis, from Halsbury Cottages, sends a ball speeding.owards the pins.

Buckland Brewer Young Farmers’ Club held an open ‘any questions’ competition at Parkham. Seen prior to the start are members of two competing teams with Mr M C Bird, of Northam, chairman for the evening.

Members from six Women’s Institutes attended a fashion parade at Woolsery WI meeting. The event was staged by Devon Leisurewear of Hartland. Staff and models were presented with bouquets by Woolsery WI.

Winners of a new under-12 years old section of Northam urban district road safety quiz were St Margaret’s School, Northam, A team, seen here with plaques they received to mark their success. William Peacock, Kim Bernard, Carol Moorefield and Beverley Tutton. Teams from Stella Maris School, Bideford, scored a notable double at Bideford inter-school road safety quiz, winning both the senior and junior events. With their trophies are Elizabeth Hopes, Tonia Dawson, Kimberley Hall, Judith Fogarty, Caroline Kipling, Stephen Beer, Dermot Brown and Anne Hawke.

Pastor mourned at Northam. The congregation of Northam Congregational Church have, by the death of Pastor James Russell, lost their second minister in a comparatively short time. Pastor Russell, who succeeded the late Rev Alfred Green, had won the affection of many inside and outside his own Church. He died in the North Devon Infirmary at the age of 70. His home was 31 Windsor Road, Northam. The funeral service at Northam Congregational Church was followed by cremation at Barnstaple.

Thanks for long service on Girl Guides’ committee. Bideford Guides bestowed on a retiring committee member the highest honour they can bestow upon anyone outside the Guide movement. Mrs Hilda Fulford, who retired after 35 years on the committee, received the thanks badge from District Commissioner Mrs E Bowden. She was also presented with a bouquet by the secretary Mrs A Blackmore, on behalf of the president, Miss A E Lee, who was unable to attend the meeting. Two other committee members, Mrs R Featherstone and Mrs D Dymond, each retiring after 15 years’ service, received thanks letters from Mrs Bowden and posies from Guides. In the photograph are Mrs Dymond, Mrs Featherstone, Mrs Fulford and Mrs E Bowden. Speaking at the annual meeting the Mayor of Bideford, mr A P Hughes, noted the great amount of time, unrecognised by the general public, some people gave to the Guide movement. These people, however, must get immense rewards in seeing youngsters whom they had helped grow into first-class citizens, he added. Although new Guiders had joined them during the year they were again faced with the all-too-familiar position of having to appeal for people to give a few hours of their time helping with the various Companies or Packs in the area, said Mrs Bowden in her annual report. The waiting lists for both Brownies and Guides were rapidly reaching the stage where the lists would be larger than the Companies, she said.

Photographed after they had been admitted to the roll of Honorary Freemen of Bideford in recognition of their notable services: Dr I H Hewetson, Ald P J V Fulford, Col Sir Michael Ansell, Ald Lieut-Col R D D Birdwood and Mr Harold Blackmore.

1997

How many sausages could six firemen munch if six firemen munched steadily for 30 minutes? A prize awaited sponsors who came closest to answering the riddle at Bideford fire station. Firefighters tucked into a pile of hot-dog bangers to raise cash to send a local teenager suffering from muscular dystrophy on a holiday of a lifetime. Between them firemen Tony Lovell, Jeff Uttley, Jason Couch, Robert Slade, Andrew Blackwell and Andrew Curtis scoffed 152 hot-dog sausages and raised more than £200 for the cause. The firefighters were indebted to the help of Blackwell’s Pasty Shop for providing the sausages and Town and County Windows for providing the prize of a wall clock for the winning sponsor. Sponsor money is still coming in.

A house for sale in Woolsery.

Moreton Avenue, Bideford, has entered the Gazette’s “Good Neighbours” competition.

The royal court at Torrington May Fair with Mayor and Mayoress John and Maureen Kelly.

An idea born 12,000 miles away in Australia bore fruit in Bideford with the marking of an important piece of the town’s history. Bideford Rotary Club presented copies of a newly compiled history of the warship HMS Bideford, the last of five Royal Navy vessels to bear the town’s name, to both the town Mayor and the North Devon Maritime Museum. Its president, Tim Malone, also gave the museum a framed collection of photographs of the vessel. The idea for the presentation came from fellow Rotarian Martin Hulbert, of Queensland. A crewman on HMS Bideford during her wartime campaign, Mr Hulbert sent the local Rotarians his own potted history of the vessel and photographs taken during the war. Building on this information Bideford Rotary Club commissioned the production of a full history of the vessel from the time she was launched in 1931 to her de-commissioning in 1949. It has been lodged at the North Devon Maritime Museum at Appledore alongside a model of the vessel made by a former crewman from part of her stern, which was blown off when the ship took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. Displayed at the handing-over ceremony was the Loving Cup given to the ship by the town of Bideford when her keel was laid in 1931, and a silver salver given by the ship’s captain following her ‘adoption’ by the town. Another slice of history was created by the unfurling of HMS Bideford’s battle Ensign which was flown at Dunkirk. It is believed to be the first time it was publicly unfurled since being given to the town 50 years ago.

The Riversford Hotel in Limers Lane, Northam, has been in the hands of the Jarrad Family for 25 years and elder sons, Tony and Nigel, carry on the family tradition.