July 1968

‘Pink’ rain in North Devon.

There was no likelihood of adverse effects of sonic booms being felt in the region of Lundy, Devon, from Concorde.

The newly completed maternity unit of the North Devon Hospital, Roborough Road, Barnstaple, was officially opened by the chairman of the South West Regional Hospital Board, Mr W J English. Built by Y J Lovell (Western) Ltd, the £415,000 project was designed by the Regional Architect to the Hospital Board, Mr H J Woods. In all, 48 beds are provided.

July 16th 1968 is going to be a memorable day for the Jones family of Appledore. Mr Norman Jones, only son of Warrant officer H R Jones RAF and Mrs Jones, of Hillview, Myrtle Street, Appledore, has obtained his Master of Laws degree. He had also passed his Bar finals. Mr Norman Jones was a pupil at Bideford Grammar School and subsequently at the North Devon Technical College, where he obtained four GCE A-level passes. He is now a pupil in Chambers in Leeds.

Every two years since 1964, Mrs Veronica Shaddick, an Appledore housewife, has been chosen as the local Regatta Queen. As Miss Veronica Squires she first won the title in 1964. Mrs Shaddick lives at 42 Bude Street. Two other Appledore girls – 13 year old Wendy Bennett of New Street, and Mary Fowler of South Road, were chosen as attendants.

The question of a branch surgery at Appledore was in the hands of the doctors – and there did not seem much hope, Mr Arthur Saunders, chairman of the Housing and Public Health Committee, told the Northam Urban Council. A branch surgery would, according to the doctors, present all sorts of difficulties, he added. This was something that had been imposed from above, but in one way they were fortunate to have a wonderful new health centre in Northam. It would provide very good facilities and there would be three surgeries daily except on Saturdays, when there would be one. There were three doctors, pointed out Mr Gerald Hutchings. Surely one could attend at an Appledore surgery. He knew many elderly people there and it was not just a question of them getting a bus to Northam and back. They should be considered even if only three or four surgeries a week could be held at Appledore.

Bideford magical dealers, Mr Edwin Hooper and Mr Ian Adair of the Supreme Magic Company had a successful trip to the United States and return to start work with Harry Corbett and Sooty, as well as Tommy Cooper.

Twenty year old Sandra Moyse, of 8 Lower Meddon Street, has become the first Bideford girl to gain her judo black belt and she has done so in what is believed to record time! Sandra, daughter of Mr and Mrs A J Moyse, is employed at Lloyd’s Bank, Bideford. She joined the North Devon Judo Academy in Torridge Hill in August 1966 and last Sunday obtained her black belt (1st Dan) status. In charge of the grading was Masutaro Otani (black belt, 7th Dan), national coach to the British Judo Council. Mr Mervyn Francis, chief coach at the Academy, commented “Sandra is the first person I have ever known to have got her black in such short time. She owes it to her personal hard work, rather than to the club.” Sandra is the second girl member of the North Devon Judo Academy to gain her black belt, the other being Marie Beal, of Torrington.

Household furniture from no. 46 Elm Grove, Bideford, is for sale.

‘Fifty gallons, please’ says Mr Brian Benntt, of Torrington, in the driving seat of the latest product of Nicholls Engineering and Development Ltd, Meddon Street, Bideford. The picture was taken as the £6,000 car, formerly the Lotus in which the late Jim Clarke won the American Grand Prix, set out for Silverstone where it reached 160mph down the back straight and equalled the lap record. At Bideford Mr Ken Nicholls and his team have made a complete new end to permit the car to take the 4.7 Ford engine. It has now been delivered to its London owner and although it will be based in this country it will race a good deal in the United States and, win or lose, bring home the dollars. It is seen as such a crowd puller that the owner will be paid merely for showing up at a meeting, with still more for starting. As a winner it would gain considerable sums. It will be flown backwards and forwards and race in this country under Formula Libre. There were just three of these cars. The first one adapted in Bideford went to a Formula Libre champion friend of Jim Clarke and is being raced in the North. The third, the ‘Indianapolis’ car is now getting full treatment at the Meddon Street factory. In fact this one was never fully assembled, but was ‘taken along as spares.’ It presents a much bigger challenge than the others in that the firm have completely to rebuild the rear end to take the new engine and the front end to take a symmetrical suspension. “Everything is now opposite for the banking and left-hand bends at Indianapolis” Mr Nicholls explains. A pure product of the factory, the Formula Ford, of which everything but the engine, gearbox and radiator is made in the Westcountry, is also helping to put Bideford on the map in the motor racing world. This model, owned by Mr Nicholls and raced by his brother-in-law, has already beaten a works Lotus, but engine modifications are still being made. In October Mr Nicholls is undertaking a sales drive in the United States, where the car is attracting a good deal of attention, and such is his faith in it that the firm are building half a dozen ‘on spec.’ This may mean more than doubling the labour force.

Welcome, little donkey. An almost all-white baby donkey is among the latest additions to Bideford Zoo and likely to prove a particular favourite with visitors. ‘Kandy Floss’ is the name given to this new arrival. Mother is ‘Sally’ and father ‘Piggy’ which is said to convey some indication of his temperament! Holding ‘Sally’ is Richard Cowland, of Appledore, while Mrs Katherine Tottenham, founder of the zoo, keeps a watchful eye behind ‘Kandy Floss’ who was running free.

Mr and Mrs E C Redshaw, Restormel, Roystone Road, Bideford, celebrate their golden wedding day. They have two daughters – Mrs S Winnard, of First Raleigh, and Mrs W Conway, of Malvern. A Vartanian and G Beaumont were not available for the photograph.

In the photograph are six of the finest young riflemen – R Webb, C Cross, D Stone, N Leakey, D Benallick, D Haslam - in the country. To prove it they display a table covered with trophies. They are the Army Cadet Force shotting team from Grenville College, Bideford, trained by Sergeant Gerry Beer.

Presentations in appreciation of his services as a headmaster in Bideford for over 20 years have been made to Mr H V Lucas, who retired from Westcroft Junior School. Previously he was headmaster of East-the-Water Junior School. At a reception at the New Inn Hotel, attended by past and present members of the staffs Mr Lucas was presented with a tape recorder. A bouquet was presented to Mrs Lucas. At the end of term assembly at Westcroft School, he was presented with a garden umbrella by the children on whose behalf it was handed to him by Andrew Paterson and Linda Bragger.

A Friesian heifer belonging to Mr Allan Bray, Bucks Barton, Bucks Cross, was rescured by a Whirlwind helicopter despatched from RAF Chivenor.

A boat trip from Clovelly proved a very successful venture for Mr Jim Bissett, of 26 Bowden Green, Bideford. Legering mackerel strip from the boat, only 200 yards offshore, Mr Bissett, a member of Bideford and District Angling Club, landed two fine bass, one of 10lb 15oz and the other 11lb 10oz. Both bass easily qualify for a specimen fish plaque from the Club, the weight required being 8lb or over.

Mr R J (Nick) Kelly, of London Lodge, Higher Clovelly, found a different car in his garage.

A Grand Fete will be held at Hartland Abbey and opened by Mr Peter Mills, MP.

Mr and Mrs David Heard, of Troy House, Fore Street, Hartland, suffer after ‘golf ball’ hailstones fall in a freak storm.

The first performance was given at St Nectan’s Church, Stoke, Hartland, of the cantata ‘St Nectan’, the words and music of which were composed by Mr G H Loraine-White, organist there. Taking part were the choir of St Nectan’s Church with a section of Shebbear College choir, Jaqueline Hopper, Kenneth Lewis, Derek Whittington, and Michael Richardson.

Mr Titus James Goaman, of 113 West Street, Hartland, his niece Mrs E A Taylor, her son Anthony and his wife Joan and two daughters, are emigrating to Australia. Mrs Taylor is the daughter of Mr Jack Walter, and the late Mrs Walter, of Church Cottage, Stoke.

Mr Henry Ransford, of Warriors Lodge, Lymbridge, retires as a postman for Hartland and Welcombe parishes and is presented with a brief case and writing set by Mr R D Cooper, head Postmaster of Bideford.

Work begins on Northam’s new school. The chairman of Northam Urban Council, Mr George Northcott, who is also a manager of Northam School, of which he was a pupil over 60 years ago, lays the foundations stone of the long-awaited new school for Northam and Westward Ho! Costing £16,000, the new school, to be called St Margaret’s, after the parish church, will be sited in Seaview Road and will accommodate 320 children.

Did you find it convenient to call at Chico’s Restaurant in Northam Square?

Nineteen year old Jim Long, of Northam, who did not get into the Devon championship team at the recent meeting at Burnham has been selected for the South-West team to play the Midlands at Harborne, Birmingham. Jim, whose family took over the King’s Head, Northam, two years ago, is a member of the Royal North Devon Golf Club, and has been in outstanding form in recent weeks. His father said “He’s always had the ability but couldn’t get the putts to drop until recently.” He added that his son, a boy international, has entered the English amateur and youth championships.

Backway, Shebbear, has been sold in lots on behalf of the Rev H P Kingdon to Mr A I Bewes , Mr G D Andrew, and Messrs R Skinner and Son, of Aliacott.

At a ceremony at Torrington Town Council there was handed over to the town on behalf of British Rail the nameplate of the former steam locomotive ‘Torrington’. Mr George Willis, BR, marketing manager from Plymouth, who made the presentation to the Mayor, Cllr W S Hutchings, expressed hope that it would remind future generations of the halcyon days of British railways. Many people grieved at the passing of the steam locomotive. The Mayor invited Ald E A Holwill to voice acceptance of the nameplate. In doing so, Ald Holwill recalled how 18 years ago, when Mayor, he had performed the naming ceremony of the engine. He spoke of the pride that the engine had gone on to haul crack Southern Region expresses, including Atlantic Coast Express, which name, he said, was first suggested by the late Guard Rowlands, of Torrington. Probably the plate would be mounted on a wall in an ante-room of the Town Hall.

A Torrington produced ‘Dartington’ glass is on display in the Portmeirion Potteries. Mr Frank Thrower has been at the factory in Torrington working on new ideas.

Firemen from Bideford and Torrington called to the farm of Mr and Mrs W H Chamings, Little Weare, Weare Giffard, shortly after 3am found about 80 tons of hay in a dutch barn well alight. They were unable to leave until 15 hours later, and almost all of the hay, representing much of this season’s crop, was burned or badly damaged. There was also damage to the barn, which, fortunately, is isolated in the farmyard. Two appliances had to pump water 1,500 feet, but the firemen received substantial help from Mr and Mrs Chamings’ employees who moved a good deal of the hay with mechanical aids.

The North Devon Show will be held at West Living Farm, Westleigh.

Michael Reade, 20 year old son of Mrs and the late Mr Eric Reade, of Honeysuckle Cottage, Westleigh, left by sea for a new life in Australia. He is to live in Perth, with his uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs George Massey, who emigrated about seven years ago. Recently Michael changed his job and worked at Bideford paint mines at East-the-Water to gain some mining experience as he plans to work in an opal mine.

Hot performance on a hot day. A glorious 86, including 11 fours, by Mike Quick sealed victory for Bideford against Westleigh. The day was the hottest of the year in North Devon and it saw one of the Bideford club’s hottest performances of the season. They rushed to 158 for 5 before declaring and then dismissed Westleigh for 84, to win by 74. Mike Sparrey took 4 for 23, Duncan Short 3 for 15, and John Quick 2 for 15. Dart was top scorer for Westleigh with 28 before being caught and bowled by Sparrey.

Capt Ewen Tailyour, who is engaged to Miss Patricia Ker, only daughter of Maj J G S Ker, of the White Lodge, Westleigh, has been awarded the Medal of Gallantry of his Highness the Sultan of Oman.

Terry Cockell’s dance routine steals the show at the Westward Ho! Community Association’s summer show. Those taking part: Phyl Stevens, Doris Thisby, Muriel Eagle, Dorothy White, Judy Sherbourne, Marion Owen, Jacky Turner, Gill Ward, Rachael Pope, Caroline and Hilary Newell, Janet and Julia Daniel, Karen Cummings, Lynn and Julie Taylor, Leslie Flaxman, Margaret Laing, Julie Stewart, Teresa and Lynda Wills, Sharon Braddick, Salli’anne Wilson, Bill Thisby, Ray Wilson, Grenville Thisby, Roger Beal, David Eveleigh, Oliver Bettison; Doris Watts being the pianist.

A working model of the famous engine The Flying Scotsman has been built by a Bideford businessman, Mr Leslie Braddick, of Vicosa, Westward Ho! and a friend, Mr Fred Rowe. At the touch of a switch compressed air revolves the wheels on a cut-out section of rail. Mr Braddick and Mr Rowe put in 300 hours’ work, spread over two years, working on the construction of the engine from blueprints which helped to ensure the model’s accuracy in every detail. “I feel now as though I could drive a railway engine if I had to,” commented Mr Braddick. Mr Braddick uses a well-equipped workshop at his home for his work. Future model making activities may include the new Cunard liner and also the Nonsuch, the vessel which had associations with the formation of the Hudson Bay Company and a lifesize replica of which is now under construction at an Appledore boatyard.

‘Great work by the firemen!’ was the heartfelt comment by the owner of Higher Venn Farm, Woolsery, Mr Brian Crocker, after they managed to prevent an outbreak from damaging much of the actual farmhouse, which adjoined the barn and equipment store which was gutted. Just as the flames were beginning to get hold of the near bedroom’s roof the first fire appliance arrived, and soon the outbreak was under control. Firemen from Hartland, Bideford and Holsworthy were at the scene, plus a tender from Barnstaple. In the photograph Mr Brian Crocker supports his wife Bethe.