1922
It may technically be spring, but April in Parkham has come in very rough, with a mantle of snow covering the ground. The failure of last year’s root crop means that indoor food for cattle is not plentiful. Also owing to a heavy fall of snow, the football match between Torrington and South Molton at the former’s ground has been postponed. On a more positive note, in spite of the weather an outdoor gooseberry tree at Sheepwash already has a good crop of fair-sized berries.
Messrs Perkins and Son, seedsmen and florists of The Quay, Bideford, announce that in spite of the snow it is Spring Sowing Season. They have a two column advertisement for vegetable seeds and seed potatoes. Among the more usual varieties available they also offer melon seeds – does anyone remember melons being grown locally?
Stewart & Co have a spring show of drapery and millinery at the Cloak Room, The Garage, Clovelly.
With spring on its way, housewives are encouraged to clean and you can buy Puritan soap to help.
With Easter Sunday on 16 April 1922, parents are encouraged to buy treats for their kiddies from Tattersill's
Northam Urban District Council is pleased to announce that it is able to reduce the district rate by 1d from last year after a satisfactory financial year in 1921. This is in spite of doing as much as they could to alleviate the problem of unemployment.
Torrington has also been able to reduce its rate, but a meeting at Pillmouth, Landcross heard a heated discussion on the inequality of the rating system in the parish.
The Devon Congregational Union held its 41st Annual Assembly at Lavington Church in Bideford. For anyone with a Congregational heritage, this report – which covers one and a half pages and gives names of many delegates - is worth reading. It can be found in the paper for 4 April, pages 2 and 3.
The Bideford Wesleyan Rally, held in Bridge Street Assembly Hall over 2 days, raised over £400. This is the equivalent of more than £24,000 today. The full report is on page 2 of the paper for 11 April.
The Reverend Courtenay Burrough, Vicar of Woolsery, is selling a donkey; the animal is described as quiet and good in all work, and comes together with a harness and jingle. Does anyone know what a jingle was in this context? A type of cart? While we are on the subject of animals, at performances of “Dorothy” by the Bideford Amateur Operatic Society, hounds from the Stevenstone Hunt will appear in the second act.
Influenza is sadly still prevalent in Bradworthy, with many prominent parishioners confined to their beds.
Further to the report in March 1922, Albert Jeffery, 20 years old and a farm labourer, died after an accident at his place of work, Mr Allin’s farm at Stoke Barton, Hartland. Mr George Brown, the North Devon Coroner, presided over the inquest.
Two “Watch Guessing” competitions feature in April’s papers. One was held by the Bideford Bowling Club and the other by the Bideford Cricket Club. A watch is wound up, set to a certain time under supervision then sealed in a box. When the box is opened, the person who correctly guessed the time at which the watch stopped wins the prize.
The Little Shop on Wheels will be in Woolsery on 18 April, and at Hartland and district on 19, 20 and 21 April.
In shipping news, the Bideford ketch Nellie Mary, Captain Leslie being the master and owner, was under way loaded with limestone. She sent out distress signals at 11pm after grounding on the South Tail. The lifeboat towed her into Appledore Pool where she was safely anchored at 1.40am.
The new Appledore lifeboat which will replace the Jane Hannah McDonald should be in service next month. She will be powered by motor and sail, so will be easier to launch under all conditions. To accommodate the new boat the slip way and launch gear have been altered.
There is a report of the wedding in Northam church between Ruth Marples, daughter of Major and Mrs Marples of Quarry House, and Mr C H S Stephenson of Retford. The wedding took place on the Wednesday morning, and the reception was held the previous afternoon when the wedding presents were on display. The children from the local school were given a day’s holiday in honour of the event.
And to finish April 1922, you can buy 'odd knickers' from H F Elliott, 75 High Street, Bideford.
1972
Damage caused by Hell’s Angels for the second time in 9 months leaves its mark before they are escorted out of the area by police. One hundred Hell’s Angels from “Windsor MC Hell’s Angels” camped on Northam Burrows where they damaged greens, broke into the vehicle shed and took a tractor for a joy-ride. Eighty of them went to the Pebble Ridge Hotel where they threw pasties on the ceiling and beer on the floor, broke windows and every glass they could find. They snorted like pigs at 2 young policemen who were sent to the scene. The Malibu Restaurant, Westward Ho! and the Talbot Inn on the High Street in Bideford were also invaded and forced to close. Meanwhile, the police have announced plans to set up permanent task forces to deal with future incidents of this kind, and a police spokesman at Exeter headquarters told the Gazette: “We will be prepared for any emergencies next Bank Holiday.”
Cllr Jim Martin intends putting down a motion at the next meeting of Torrington Town Council censuring the Council for what he terms ‘undemocratic and unconstitutional action.’
Sixteen year old Jennifer Slade, a hairdresser of Cornmarket Street, sold the most tickets to become Torrington’s May Fair Carnival Queen. Unsuccessful contestants were Christine Weller of Dartington Field and Linda Jury, of 3 Moreland Terrace, though for their efforts they will each receive cheques for £5. Total receipts of £550 are believed to be a record.
Boys from Torrington who attend Bideford Grammar School will not automatically have May Fair day off and will require permission from the headmaster, Mr John Dare.
The dial-a-message Christian telephone ministry conducted by Mr Frank Holmes from his home at Pathfield, Torrington, has received its 10,000th call. In the 13½ months it has operated some have been made from as far away as London. Messages are given on two days a week by Rev Eric Cotton (Torrington Baptist Ministery) and Mr Eric Lemon of Barnstaple. On the other days Mr Holmes records the message.
The Elizabethan Club and Restaurant in Westward Ho! welcomes David Nixon.
A milestone of achievement in the history of the North Devon Yacht Club at Instow was reached when their new headquarters were officially opened by Mr Owen Aisher, President of the Royal Yacht Association. Also attending were Mr R. Day (Club Vice-Commodore), Mr Peter Phillips (Club Commodore), Mr P. Water and Mr G. Metcalf.
Did you attend Bideford Youth Centre’s dance?
Bideford police appealed for information to help solve the theft from the garage of Elliott and Sons Ltd on April 14th of a safe containing £100 cash. A car taken from the garage and used to remove the safe was later found in a local quarry with the safe forced and money missing. Police found clothing in the vehicle which did not belong either to the garage or the car owner and they would appreciate the public’s help in identifying it. The items were a nurse’s full-length cape, navy blue with red lining: a dark blue woollen blanked with a piece of gold coloured tape stitched in one corner with No. 4-N-37-17N42 stamped on it, St Michael brand; and a shortie riding mac with red shoulder lining, Moseley brand, with a George Boyle label on the inside.
A two million holiday complex is proposed for Westward Ho! on the seaward side of Golf Links Road by Sandymere Road. A bold and imaginative scheme which would bring a new image to the holiday resort is now before Northam Urban Council. Outline planning permission for the project includes a swimming pool, sauna, Turkish baths, a dolphinarium and multi-purpose theatre.
A Langtree farmer’s wife who told the Duke of Bedford in an interview that she likes to experiment with her cooking won a major cookery award in front of an audience of millions. Mrs Gwen Troake, of Thatton, Langtree, won the title ‘Cook of the Realm 1972’ and with it a cash prize of £1,000 plus another £1,000 in goods in a competition featured on BBC Nationwide. She beat 11 other regional finalists with a three-course menu of cheese layered pancakes, duckling with bramble sauce and pears with cream fluff.
Organised by St Margaret’s Fellowship and presented by ‘Room at the Top’, a fashion show was held at Northam Parish Hall. The models, including Mesdames Ferguson, Wooldridge, Andrews, Budd and Taggart, gracefully showed a range of budget priced clothes. Proceeds of a draw held during the evening, £10.60, went to the new Leisure Centre at Northam, whose committee chairman, Mr Bill Beadle, took the photograph.
1997
At Appledore, a third public monument to mark completion of the village’s flood defence scheme was unveiled by local ferryman Chris Ommaney.
Thomas and Flo Fisher of Stanhope Terrace, Bideford, were married 50 years ago and will attend the Queen’s special garden party in July and a commemorative service at Exeter Cathedral in June. They are among the lucky ‘one in ten’ couples celebrating their golden wedding anniversary to be invited to join Her Majesty The Queen and Prince Philip’s own golden occasion. More than 40,000 couples nationwide applied. “We are very honoured to think that out of all that number we have been chosen,” said Flo. “We are very much looking forward to it.”
With thanks to a £300 grant from Bideford Bridge Trust, the younger members of Bideford Canoe Club will take to the water in a child-sized Kayak canoe when the new season opens in May. Caroline Parkinson, Andrew and Christopher Eastman, Hannah Toon and Helen Hydes, are in the picture with Doug Vickers, Bideford Bridge Trust.
John Biggs, Bideford antiques dealer, is to be on the first series 0f BBC 2 “Antiques Show”. John’s nickname is ‘Mr Bubble Wrap’; acquired in the trade because of his prolific selling at antique fairs. He is a third generation dealer based in Bideford High Street under the J Collins and Son name.
Matthew Jackson, the UK Independence Party’s PPC for Torridge and West Devon is holding public meetings.
Sands and rocks along North Devon’s coast are being hit by a tarry, black oil which is killing seabirds and seals and affecting bathers, surfers and beach users. What began as a minor case of pollution in a few places two weeks ago is now affecting the whole length of the shoreline from Bull Point round to Hartland Quay. It has become so bad that North Devon District Council met in an emergency session to decide on a plan of action and how it could be financed. The high spring tides are washing the glutinous substance inshore. It sticks to everything it touches. And it is toxic. One workman helping with the clean-up had his heavy gloves destroyed by the substance. And the RSPCA is warning dog owners to take any animal to the vet if it gets the gluey mess on its coat and licks it. “Volunteer helpers have picked up more than 20 seabirds – guillemots, gannets and gulls – covered in the stuff” said Diane Lewis, of the RSPCA. “Only one has survived.” Other wildlife victims to date are two dead seals. Surfers’ wetsuits and surfboards are being ruined. People walking on beaches find it sticking tenaciously to their shoes. Children playing in the sand have had their hands and feet covered in it. The pollution is thought most likely to have come from a ship in the Bristol Channel.
Dave Thomas and Becci Tanner of Woolsery, Adrian Drew of Hatherleigh and Roy Hooper of Bideford with their cubs on completion of their camp certificates.
A property on Atlantic Way in Westward Ho! is for sale.
Chosen by fellow pupils of their school to take the central role of Torrington's May Queen is 11 year old Rebecca Harding of Taddiport. Her crowner will be Fran Plows, of Torrington. They will be accompanied by boy heralds Tim Judson and Oliver Brown, and eight young attendants, Hannah Sussex, Denica Shute, Lucy Lovell, Amanda Edwards, Rachel Collingham, Tina Bettiss, Christine Sutton and Roxanne Adams. More royalty will lead the way in the form of Carnival Queen Leanne Groom of Langtree and her attendants Carrie Hoile of Weare Giffard and Vicky Franks of Torrington.
Chris Esau, 33 years old, of Bideford, aiming to be a World Champion stock car racer like his Uncle Jim. Just starting his second year of competitive racing, Chris is still a learner but he has made good progress – progressing from novice through Grade C to a British Stockcar Association Grade B or Formula 2 place this season. He is the only North Devon racer competing at this level. It is an expensive sport, which is why Chris is deeply indebted to his sponsors Esau Brothers, Colin Higman, A E Motors and Bowood Engineering for enabling him to stay in the race. Uncle Jim is one of the Esau brothers who run a Bideford vehicle breakers’ yard. It was his involvement in stock car racing which has had young Chris interested in the sport from early childhood. The hobby was continued with his wife Jacqui who has travelled with Chris all over the country as spectators before he finally got a car of his own.
Amy Dickinson, from Burrows, has been picked to be Northam’s Queen of May and she will be joined in the limelight by Lisa Pow and Luke Openshaw. The children will play starring roles during the crowning ceremony in the town square.
