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June 1922

June seems to be a popular time for Sunday School Anniversary services but they didn’t all go smoothly. The United Methodist Sunday School at Hartland celebrated its anniversary on 3 June; it is reported that while the scholars arrived early for the service, the choir was 10 minutes late.

June 1922 Hartland Methodist Sunday School

At Appledore, anniversary services in connection with the Congregational Sunday School were held on Whit-Sunday. The day was gloriously fine - and as everybody knows and looks forward to these gatherings there was consequently a large congregation at each service. Sermons wer preached morning and evening by Rev R J Tippett, of Torrington, and in the afternoon there was a Choral service at which the Misses Boyle and Meredith and Mr Roy Ellis, of Bideford, and Mrs Carter and Miss Cobbledick, of Appledore, took part. The scholars and friends who helped in the singing are to be congratulated on the excellent results brought about by the careful training of Mr T Parsons. The collections were over £17. It had been hoped to have had the interior of the church redecorated before the anniversary but that was found impossible. It will, however, be commenced forthwith. Mr J H Lang presided at the afternoon service and the Vicar, Rev H C Muller, also spoke a few words of cheer. Unfortunately the organist, Miss Beara, was taken ill a few days before the anniversary but her place was ably taken by Miss Hettie Batho.

Langtree held its first annual sports and school treat. Courtesy of Mr John Ford who loaned a field, the arrangements were carried out by Mr Westcott, Rev B Hallowes and Messrs W H Hackwill, W H Short, S W Cole, P B Jones and S J Sanders. Prizewinners included G Bond, T Bond, W H Hackwill, A Burrows, A Jones, and P Jones. 

June 1922 Langtree

Revd E P Groom has been appointed minister to the Frithelstock group of churches – does anyone know if this was an Anglican or Non-conformist appointment? Another appointment was Rev Lane, as the Bishop's domestic chaplain and spiritual guide to the Island of Lundy

June 1922 Lundy Rev Lane

Weddings taking place included one at St Andrew's Church in Alwington, between Mr George Hill and Miss Ada Daniel, and at Alverdiscott Church, with Mr William Hill marrying Miss Sophie Maria Joslin.

Alverdiscott Joslin Hill wedding June 1922

June 1922 Alwington Hill Daniel wedding

The Strand Collar Works factory in Bideford is to close on instruction from the owners, Frederick Cooper and Co. Ltd:

June 1922 Bideford Strand Collar Works to close

Following up on some of last month’s stories:

It is computed that Mr John Quick, postman at Langtree, has walked 170,000 miles during his 36 years of service. Mr Finch, the Stationmaster at Instow, is retiring at the end of the month and will be greatly missed by visitors:

Owing to a flaw in one of the wheels of the Motor Lifeboat trolley on the Appledore station, the trials due to be undertaken by the chief inspector of the RNLI have had to be abandoned. A replacement wheel is being sought and the presentation ceremony has been postponed until further notice. The lifeboat is to be named VCS - her name formed from the amalgamated initials of her benefactors: Mr. Vagg of London, Cecelia, the daughter of Mrs. Marshall of Sussex, and Mr. Sleemin of Plymouth.

The Minister of Transport has been informed by promoters of the Torrington to Halwill railway that the contract has been signed. Work will start immediately and when in full swing will employ 800 – 900 men. The Mayor, Mr H W Huxham and Alderman J M Metherell will be present at the cutting of the first sod.

June 1922 Torrington Halwill Railway

T.H.W expresses their delight at walking the old Bideford to Appledore railway line:

June 1922 Bideford to Appledore railway line

And on the transport theme, traffic through Instow is a problem and it's not thought a speed limit will be granted (unlike at Combe Martin):

June 1922 Instow traffic

Holiday stories are plentiful this month.

On Whit Monday a row of big charabancs was seen along Bideford Quay; they had brought touring parties from South, Mid and East Devon. Smaller cars then took people to Westward Ho! Bucks and Clovelly which were all crowded with visitors.

Also on Whit Monday, the potwallopers of Northam assisted in throwing back pebbles onto the ridge. It is reported that the ridge has considerably changed over recent years, beaten back well-defined distances and a good deal flatter than formerly. The story is told that a few years ago when the Crediton boot trade was flourishing, a day excursion was run to Westward Ho! On the return trip the train had difficulty pulling out of Bideford station. It seems that every one of the cobblers had picked up a pebble to take home to hammer the leather on!

June 1922 WHo Pebble pitching northam burrows

The Motor Boat “Ena” is now running on the Torridge and may be booked by private parties for harbour and river trips by applying to A J Budd, 6 River View Terrace. In an advert headed “Motoring-de-luxe”, E W Nicholson of Tanton’s Hotel says “You would greatly enjoy touring in the famous Buick Six, perfect comfort and attention guaranteed.”

If you fancy taking a picnic, Tattersill’s Stores, which at this time had 4 shops in Bideford, offers a wide selection of tinned delicacies including salmon, sardines, pilchards and smoked haddock. And you can buy holiday clothes from H F Elliott in the High Street.

June 1922 Holiday clothes Elliot

June 1922 Ensign cameras for sale

After buying your camera and film from R J Arnold in Allhalland Street, in a paragraph advert, Mr Friendship of Hillside, Northam, offers developing and printing services; films of 6 exposures cost 3d – 6d per spool.

The weather and its effects feature several times this month.

Bideford Council decided at its monthly meeting to conserve water supply by turning off the cocks at night. The weather continues to be dry and the levels are dropping. However, following a very hot day, there was a sharp frost on the morning of 5 June in the Bideford area. Late potatoes planted in Parkham are rotting and prospects for the crop is rather poor. (This sounds more as if the ground is wet?) The hay harvest at Langtree is in full swing but crops are light.

Ratepayers in Instow will be pleased that overseers have set the poor rate at 8d in the pound less than the last half year. It is calculated that 100 years ago (1822) there were 50 more houses in Little Torrington than there are today. Foxes have done “great havoc” among poultry on a farm near Torrington, 25 head having been lost in one morning.

Bideford Amateur Athletic Club’s new racing boat “Isobel” was christened and launched recently. Following the ceremony, the crew took to the river in a procession of boats to the bridge.

Something that is still pertinent to current times, it's proposed to make 'Summer Time' a permanent institution and the motion for rejection was defeated:

June 1922 Summer time

And finally – this advert seems a little familiar with today's advertising slogan "Should have gone to..." a certain optician's chain of shops!

June 1922 Eye sight glasses

 June 1972

Donkeys, once used regularly to carry goods up and down Clovelly's picturesque steep cobbled High Street, have not been much in the public eye in recent years. The Carnival provided these donkeys with the opportunity to show they are not just a picture postcard memory. 

June 1972 Clovelly donkeys

A tub race across the harbour proved one of the main attactions of Clovelly's Revel Week, especially as only one competitor managed to stay afloat for the whole of the course. The tubs, with old tyres and oil drums to stabilise them, were difficult to launch and all the competitors got a ducking before they even started to race. Two members of the lifeboat crew and Dr D Mackenzie, of Hartland, ended up swimming most of the course as their craft were difficult to right having once tipped over. First home was Jeremy Mugford, of Hartland, second was Bob Tanner of the Clovelly lifeboat, and third was another lifeboatman, David Tangey. The revel carnival queen was Dorothy Noad.

June 1972 Clovelly Revel

Hartland's bus service is halved.

June 1972 Hartland bus service

A fund has been launched at Hartland to raise money to provide a much needed wheelchair for use in the town and district. The first effort, a Don drive, was held at the Women's Institute room. Winners were Mrs B Jeffery and Mr J Colwill, Mrs J Measures and Mr H Shute, Mr and Mrs W Heard. Draw winners: Mrs S Richards, Mr J Walter and Mr H Shute. The drive was arranged by Mrs E Jeffery. Committee members are Dr Donald and Dr Rachel Mackenzie, Mesdames M Prouse, E Rowe, P Surgeon, F Short and W Shute.

Council house tenants in Northam urban district who have a dog will have to apply for permission if they wish to continue to keep it. And if they own more than one, they will have to get rid of the others 'within a reasonable period.' Northam Urban Council also decided that new tenants will have to seek permission to keep a dog and that it will be a condition of tenancy in future that dogs must be kept under control at all times. If any dog causes a nuisance then permission to keep it will be withdrawn. The Council have been told that a number of complaints had been received concerning 'uncontroleed dogs on the Morwenna Park estate fouling footpaths and spreading disease.' The Council also offer free 'rat and mouse control' for domestic and business premises. 

June 1972 Northam free pest services

Inspector ends an argument over inches! A Ministry of Environment inspector travelled to Northam and upheld an appeal by Mr M Richards against conditions imposed on the conversion of his supermarket in the Square there. The local planning authority had earlier ruled that the top of a new facia installed at the supermarket should be lowered by one foot to match the retained facia of the adjoining lock-up shop. The main points of Mr Richard's case, said the inspector, Mr J S Cheer, were that the depth of the facia was four inches less than that shown on the submitted plan; that the top of the facia corresponded with the top of the facia on the adjoining higher property to the south; that there was no regular depth of facia to existing properties in the Square; and that the facia provided a satisfactory design solution and the lowering of it by 12 inches would leave the first floor windows without a corresponding balance above. The local planning authority's case was the facia was shown on submitted plans as being 3ft 6in deep and 35ft long whereas the facia to the south was 2ft 6in by 25ft and that to the north was very small and formed part of the general framing around the windows.

The contents of Highways, Churchill Way, Appledore, are for sale:

June 1972 Appeldore Highways for sale

Farmers take advantage of Board's help. Of the 500 or so farmers in Devon and Cornwall who are currently taking advantage of the Milk Marketing Board's low cost production service for farm costings and farm management advice, 60 live in the Torridgeside area. And this number is expected to rise said the Board's consulting officer, Mr Brian Hopkins, who lives at Hoopers Water, Littleham. He is pictured with Abbotsham farmer Mr Michael Jackman. 'Farmers appreciate someone who knows and understands their farms and the farm systems calling regularly to discuss business and technical problems' said Mr Hopkins.

June 1972 Milk Marketing Board

June 1972 MMB1

A number of classes from Bideford Church Infants' School, looking ahead to when they transfer to a new home in Chanters Lane, staged 'The Wizard of Oz' to raise funds for a swimming pool. Parents and children from other schools were among those who enjoyed various performances. The picture show the principals with choir and orchestra.

June 1972 Bideford Church Infants School Wizard of Oz

 Audiences are invited to help date historic film of Torrington May Fair ceremonies as films are presesnted by Mr Leonard Jackson and Mr Brian Nash. 

June 1972 Torrington films May Fair

Three 'Regulars' Mrs M E Dart, the only woman member of Torrington Rural Council, was one of three councillors who returned 100 per cent attendances at Council meetings during the past 12 months. The others were Mr C R Arnold, the new chairman, and Mr A Q Vanstone, who is the 'father' of the Council. At the other end of the scale, Lord Clinton was able to attend only eight of the 57 full Council and committee meetings possible. In another article - Councillors were not really bothered about what was going on as far as the Road Safety Committee was concerned, complained Rev R A Wallington at Torrington Rural Council meeting. 'The whole thing is collapsing. We feel no one cares what happens.' Yet a lot of very good work was being carried out by the committee and it was national policy that they should haave these road safety committees. 'One day we may be taken over by the County Council and it may be a good thing for Torrington if they have something live to take over at Torrington and not something dead.'

Industrial site still awaits first factory. Provided complete with roads and services some 18 months ago at an estimated cost of £60,000, Torrington's 13 acre industrial estate at Hatchmoor Road still awaits its first factory.

June 1972 Torrington Hatchmoor estate 2

Bideford Fire Service spectacular held in the Sports Ground in aid of the fire service national benevolent fund drew a large crowd. Most successful event was a five-a-side football tournament for which there were 24 entries. Winners were Bideford Tool who beat Northam Lions in the final. An exciting tug-o' war contest resulted in a win for Yarnscombe and the push-ball event was won by Barnstaple Fire Service. There were various stalls and sideshows plus a baby show and children's fancy dress competition. The spectacular was opened by the Mayor of Bideford, Mr James Needs.

June 1972 Bideford Fire Service

Ninety-three certificates for first aid, home-nursing and various proficiency subjects ranging from fire-fighting to cookery and nutrition were presented at the annual inspection of the Bideford St John Nursing Cadet Division at their local headquarters. The Mayor and Mayoress, Mr and Mrs J W Needs, attended the ceremony. The trophy for the best senior cadet went to Sgt J B Gordon, who also won the special service shield; the best junior cadet cup went to Cadet S Hood; and the uniform cup to Cpl W Smale. Mrs Needs, who received a bouquet from Cadet Julia Hooper, told the cadets of the division that they were impressed with the work they had done and the voluntary hours which were given. Cadet prayers were said after enrolment by Ref F Hewis. Those receiving certificates included: Sgt J B Gordon, Cpls L Bragger, L Joy, S Raymont, W Smale, Cadets S Campbell, S cawsey, P Ellis, J Evans, A Fishleigh, E Gordon, A Hearn, S Hockin, S Hood, W Hood, B Hooper, J Hooper, M Hooper, A Jones, J Kelly, H Lockwood, K Macpherson, S Marshall, P Melhuish, K Mills, J Moore, V Mugford, L Nicholson, R Pope, P Raymont, M Riley, S Stone, M Strong, D Taylor, G Thisby, C Violet, K Vound, M Vound, T Walker and K Wheeler. 

June 1972 Bideford nursing cadets

Property for sale in Woolsery - The Cottage, The Village:

The Cottage Woolsery for sale

June 1997

Helen Bligh, business girl, makes finals in the Young Enterprise examination. Helen’s answer to the production question was described as ‘excellent’ by Peter Westgarth, chief executive of the Oxford based Young Enterprise Scheme.

June 1997 Helen Bligh Young Enterprise

Sculptures ‘beheaded’ at Bideford Railway and John Butler appeals for their return.

John Butler sculptures Bideford Tarka Trail

‘They were carved with memories of my own childhood holidays when I waited for the train in mind’ said John. Walkers along the Tarka Trail are being asked to look out for the two heads, which are of a woman in a hat and of a man. The artist had to repair his sculpture some time ago after noses of figures had been chiselled off.

Inflatable flood barrier plan for Bideford town.

June 1997 Bideford flood barrier

June 1997 Bideford flood barrier1

The upstream section ending at the old bridge maintains much of the original proposals with a sloping quayside providing an extra four feet of height. It would be edged with a dwarf wall and removable handrails to facilitate the needs of working boats. Downstream from the public toilets to the rowing steps a level quayside would be retained, with flood defence provided by a metre-high wall at the back of the quay. This would maintain an outer working area. But the chamber of commerce members fear these proposals will still adversely affect the working of the port and will spoil quayside views. There was also concern that the proposals were inflexible, said chamber spokesman Jeremy Bell.

Celebration of music takes place in Bideford park by featuring Kingsize Blues, Up For Grabs, Double Vision, the Prairie Dogs, Parcels of Rogues, Rug, the Guy Fenton Jazz Band, the Stannery Jazz Band, and representatives of local youth groups.

June 1997 Bideford music

Continuing with the music theme, there’s a Jazz and Jive Party at Tapeley Park, Instow, with Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen, and Jive Aces. Find out more about Tapeley Park at their website - Tapeley Park - Christie Devon Estates

June 1997 Tapeley Park Instow

The Commodore Hotel, Instow, has just won the title of “Top Tea Place of the Year” and they were presented with a stained glass window and an award of excellence plaque. Staff celebrate their success with a cup of tea. The Hotel's website is The Commodore Hotel

June 1997 Instow Commodore Hotel

Marshford organic shop in Northam is still going strong and has the same telephone number - Marshford Organic Foods – Organic Fruits, Vegetables & Meat

              Fund raisers for the North Devon Cancer Care Centre are nominating as the meanest thieves of the year whoever stole items left by a well-wisher outside the charity’s shop. Black plastic bags filled with good were taken from outside the shop in Westward Ho! So, on another day, were gifts left outside in a box. “We’re pretty mad about it” said Cancer Care Trust founder Jennifer Bonetta. “We have a marvellous stock of inexpensive things for sale inside. Surely no one needs to steal things from outside?” The store in the main shopping street at Westward Ho! earns £300 plus a week for the community cancer charity. It is staffed by volunteers and open most weekdays.

The Shop still operates under the Over and Above Charity - Over and Above 

June 1997 WHo Jennifer Bonetta

June 1997 WHo Jennifer Bonetta1

Dave and Rosemary Kelly, of Torrington, are off to see the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

June 1997 Torrington Kelly Buckingham Palace

Toyota to market hybrid electric vehicle.

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