September 1959

Live stock, furnishings and effects are for sale from Lendon, Abbotsham.

Mr Hector Jewell, an Appledore butcher, has good reason to be proud of his grandchildren. When his daughter Jean married a Norwegian and became Mrs Hafslund, of Ski, Norway, the families promised that they would see as much as they could of each other and it was arranged that about once a year, Mrs Hafslund should come home for a holiday with her family. But this year, as she was expecting a third chid and her husband, a skipper of a cargo vessel was at sea, it seemed that Mr Jewell, of Odun Farm, Appledore, would not see his daughter or her family.

Did Randall Lamey, of 23 Meeting Street, and Leonard Harris, of the Bell Inn, Appledore, emigrate to New Zealand?

Council to ask for 5mph limit in Irsha Street, and is it one-way or not?

Throughout the peak period of summer traffic work has proceeded on a £15,000 scheme to put in a section of new main to boost the water supply to houses served by the high level reservoir near Handy Cross. Excavations have been made up Pitt Lane, High Street, Old Town, Clovelly Road and also in Honestone Street. Despite the possibilities of inconvenience, indicator control of traffic has kept a steady flow each way. The photograph shows progress at the top of Clovelly Road.

This is a special month for Miss Ruth Scott, only daughter of Mr and Mrs E J Scott, The Lodge, Kingsley Hospital, Bideford. Not only is she celebrating her 21st birthday but she is also sailing to USA in the Queen Elizabeth to spend a year doing post-graduate work at Kansas University. She won an exchange scholarship open annually to students at Exeter University, where she has gained a first-class honours BA degree. A Fullbright grant covers her travelling expenses. Miss Scott is an Old Girl of Edgehill College, Bideford.

Fellow Honorary Freemen and other civic representatives attended the funeral at the Higher Cemetery, Bideford, of Mr A Inkerman Rogers, of Inkerman Cottage, Clovelly Road. Mr Rogers, who was 92, was a distinguished personality of North Devon. He made notable researches in matters geological and historical, and was made an Hon. Freeman in recognition. Paster A J Hacker officiated at the service and Mrs K Hancock was the organist. Immediate mourners attending were: Mrs A W Mann, daughter; Mrs G A Ellis, friend. Mr Philip Rogers Mann, grandson, was unavoidably absent.

A feature of the patronal festival of St Mary, marking the beginning of the celebrations of the 700th anniversary of Bideford Parish Church, was the procession of public witness through the streets prior to evensong. Over 60 clergy and local and visiting choristers led the congregation in singing hymns as the procession was made from the Church, through Allhalland Street, High Street, and back along Bideford Quay, through the 1259 Norman tower into the Church. The Rector, Rev T Derwent Davies, was at the Church to receive gifts from 6am until 7pm, and one donor arrived before 6am! The oldest parishioner to call was an 88 year old man, the youngest, a girl of three.

A feature of the Port of Bideford Regatta will be the demonstration of water skiing by North Devon amateurs. Mr John Oliver is the organiser of the event. A year or two ago, he designed and built his own speedboat. Among others who may be taking part will be Bob and Hill Aston (niece of Mr C F Stephens, of the RND Golf Club), Bob Williams and T D Derrigan, and Christopher Slee (son of Mr Gerald Slee, former Regatta Committee chairman).

Torridge thrills at 30mph. Mr Terry Derrigan, of Bideford, enjoys moments on the water and leaves the sailing boat and Instow well in the background!

Ending the season with a splash…. Members of Bideford Reds under-18 fours crew send their cox into the river for the traditional ducking after their races at Bideford Regatta.

Many congratulations will be extended to a former Mayor and Mayoress of Bideford, Mr and Mrs William Henry Short, of 47 High Street, when they celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. For the occasion they hope to have with them, together for the first time in 20 years, all their family. They have five children. The eldest, Miss E Helen Short, lives in Cardiff; Mrs Gladys Fraser, at Pynes Estate, Bideford; Mrs Millicent Youings, in Barnstaple; Mr Leslie Short, in Sheffield; and Mrs Mavis Staple, in Taunton. There are eight grandchildren. Mr and Mrs Short were both born in High Street, Bideford, a few doors from each other.

A Bidefordian, Mr Cecil M Arthur, was recently elected chairman of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, the highest honour which can be bestowed on any Parliamentary journalist. Mr Arthur is the only son of Mrs S A Hewett, of 3 Brickfield, Clovelly Road, Bideford, and of the late Mr A M Arthur, who was a founder-committee member of the old Bideford United AFC. He is stepson of Mr J Hewett, who was an officer in the Bideford Home Guard during the late war.

New Bideford appointment as over 250 applicants apply for headmastership. Mr H V Lucas is appointed headmaster of West Croft Junior School after 13 years at East-the-Water Primary School.

Bideford is to have another juke-box coffee bar. Mr John Bernard Frost has been granted a music licence for 62 High Street, Bideford. Mr Reg Bennett, who recently opened Bideford’s first coffee bar – The Cat’s Whisker - and was only granted a six-day music licence, will now apply to extend it. Later in the month, Kawa Lodi, - Polish for cream-coffee – was opened.

For the first time, a harvest service was held in the bar of the Ship-on-Launch Inn, at East-the-Water, Bideford. The bar was decorated with produce, including poultry and fruit, and 120 people attended the bar service at 8pm. The produce was given by customers of the inn. The Rev W T Brewster, of St Peter’s Church, conducted the service and Post Office employee, Mr Douglas Bliman, read the lesson. “The only criticism customers had to make was that the half-hour service was too short” said Mr A Bond, the licensee.

The Rev Gladys Smith, Bideford’s first woman minister, began her ministry at Lavington Congregational Church, when all services were well attended. Congregations included visitors from her former Church near Southampton, who had travelled up specially. There were nearly 60 communicants after the evening service.

Fellow employees at Messrs Goaman and Son, where he had been employed for 35 years, were bearers at the funeral of Mr Charles Arthur Waldon, of 28 Royston Road, Bideford, who died aged 65. Mr Waldon was the husband of Mrs Olive Waldon. The Rev R H Foster officiated at the funeral service. Immediate mourners attending included: the widow and son; Hazel and Hilda, daughters-in-law; Mr and Mrs A E Waldon, brother and sister-in-law; Mrs A Pearce and Mrs B Worth, sisters; Mr and Mrs J Jennings, Miss D Sing, Mr and Mrs R Sing, Mr W Eastman, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; Mr and Mrs S Waldon, Mrs J Backway, Mr R dyer, Mr and Mrs A Tricker, Mr E Mountjoy, Mr C Mountjoy, nephews and nieces. Mrs R Brown and Miss B Hockin were unavoidably absent. The bearers were Messrs Jennings, Pengelly, Trott, Pennington, Woolf and Taylor.

A smallholding, Whiteley Cross, at Bradworthy is for sale.

Stock is being sold at The Beeches, Buckland Brewer, on behalf of Mr William Coles.

Many friends attended the funeral service at All Saints’ Church, Clovelly, of Mr Daniel Cook, of 114 Sierra, Higher Clovelly. Born at Blegberry, Hartland, Mr Cook, who was 72, head lived at Clovelly for the past 45 years. For 35 years he worked for the Clovelly Estate Co Ltd. The Rector, Rev R O H Eppingstone, officiated at the funeral service. At the organ, Mr R Fisher accompanied the singing of hymns.

The possibility of the famous Hobby Drive, leading from the main Bideford-North Cornwall road to Clovelly, becoming a public right of way was discussed by Clovelly Parish Council.

A new Youth Club is being formed at Clovelly. The Rector wrote that he and Mr George Smith had offered themselves as leaders. If voluntary labour and funds were forthcoming he proposed to offer the basement of the Rectory as a Club Room. Mr J C Hilton was elected the Council’s representative on the management Committee.

Rolling the barrels at Clovelly.

Car abandoned by a former airman on the Council’s car park at Hartland is still providing Bideford Rural Council with a headache. At Tuesday’s meeting the Health and Housing Committee stated that the Clerk had reported on what he was proposing to di to have the car removed. A local member had said that an individual had told him that he would be prepared to pay for the parts of the vehicle as spares, but it also appeared that the car had not been fully paid for. Contrary to the views of the Clerk, the Committee stated, they recommended that offers for the car should be invited by means of an advertisement in the local paper. The Finance and General Purposes Committee recommended that the owner be informed that the Council were removing the car to the Philham refuse dump, Hartland, at his sole risk, and that they would claim the cost of so doing for him.

£50,000 sewerage schemes for Hartland – the surveyor, Mr L J Dunn, calls for more tenders.

Sir Dennis Stucley is to sue Bideford Rural Council, of which he is Chairman, for damages because he alleges that pollution from the Council’s drainage system at Hartland has ruined the trout fishing in Hartland Abbey stream. Sir Dennis estimates that the cost of re-stocking the stream with trout ‘on the lowest scale’ would be £50.

During the past few weeks North Devon Yacht Club has been concentrating on encouraging the Cadet members to sail, and the Vice-Commodore of the Club, Mr A A Smalley, has given a great deal of his time instructing them. The culmination of his efforts has been in the series of races this week in which 10 Cadets have been at the helm and another 10 have crewed. The winning helmsmen were Mrs G Thorburn (Instow); Christopher Bourne (Gribble Inn, Little Torrington); Michael Bill (grandson of Bishop Bill, of Instow). Prizes for the crew were awarded to Andrew Finlay Notman (Instow); Miss Judith Jester (Northam); and Miss Virginia Richards (Abbotsham). A special token prize was awarded to Mr Eric Bramwell, who piloted the winning cadet in four of the six heats. The Commodore, Mr P Faunthorpe, said the future of the Club was set clear, the only cloud on the horizon was the security and tenure of the Club premises, as the lease was due to expire in three years’ time.

Seen with the trophies and special certificates she has won at local shows this year is Mrs M E Harris, of Frost Meadow, Langtree. She has won over 100 prizes and five cups this season.

Bailey’s Farm, Langtree, is selling stock.

Members of Langtree County Primary School Bee-Keepers’ Club have every reason to be proud of their first year’s harvest, for well over 60lbs of honey and anumber of sections of comb honey were taken off the School hive. The hive and bees were loaned by the North Devon Bee Keeping Association to the School and the headmaster, Mr R A Yeo Jenn, who is chairman of the Association, has supervised the work of the Club.

Knights in glittering armour and damsels in distress – some of the young members of St George’s Church, Monkleigh, whose tableau ‘St George and the Dragon’ was a prize winner at Weare Giffard carnival.

Fellow members of Shell-Max and BP Ltd from Exeter, South Molton, Bideford and Launceston gathered round at the New Inn Hotel, to lunch and to show their personal appreciation of Mr J E Youatt, a Monkleigh man, who was retiring after 30 years with the Company. Important anniversaries coincided with the event for it was only last week that Mr Youatt celebrated his silver wedding.

Mr Edgar James Stoneman, of Church View, Parkham and his son, Allen Edgar Stoneman, of Melbury Farm, Parkham, plead guilty and are fined.

Hoops, Parkham, is selling stock.

Lower Dundridge Farm, Horns Cross, is for sale.

Miss Jeanette Cockwill, one of Torrington Football Club’s keenest supporters, was selected from 22 contestants, Torrington’s Football Queen. Judges were Mrs Ethel Vickery, Ilfracombe Bathing Belle, and her two attendants, Mrs Greta Moore and Miss Diana Rogers. The judges were presented with bouquets by last year’s Football Queen, Miss Shirley Stacey, who was thanked by the President, Mr W H Jenkins. Runners up to Miss Cockwill were Miss Barbara Squire, Miss Anne Savory, Miss Sheila Snell, Miss Valeries Avery and Miss Rosemary Thacker.

A detached freehold residence - South View, New Street, Torrington - is for sale.

Torrington unit of the County Fire Brigade was one of four that helped to fight one of North Devon’s biggest farm fires in recent years. Despite the efforts of firemen, neighbouring farmers and farm workers a range of outbuildings, three ricks of corn and a rick of baled straw at Abbot’s Marsh, near Portsmouth Arms, were destroyed. A big thatched farmhouse divided into two homes was extensively involved. Damage runs into several thousand pounds.

Mr Joseph Henry (Bill) McCarthy, who was licensee of the Setting Sun Inn, Torrington, for nearly 33 years, died at his home in Kings Tamerton Road, Plymouth, aged 82. Mr McCarthy, before taking over the Setting Sun, served in the Royal Navy for 22 years, and then became a railway worker in the engine sheds at Laira for about two years. The funeral service at Torrington Cemetery was conducted by the Rev W J Tyrer, Minister of the Methodist Church. Principal mourners were: Mrs Betty Adams, Mrs Blanche Cross, Mr Jack Charles, Marie Adams, Elaine Adams, Alfred Adams, Irene Charles, grandchildren. Others present included: Messrs G Copp and K W Parsley (Newmarket Hotel), V I Ayre, S Kelly, U A Page, E Quick, J Dymond and Mrs P Jones.

The traditional keeping of geese on commons is still observed at Torrington. This photograph was taken on Mill Street Common, towards the bottom of Limers Hill, There is, at the other end of the town, an area called ‘Goosegreen’ though it has long ceased to be part of the Commons, to which its name seems to indicated it once belonged.

Agreement in principle to a pedestrian crossing in New Street near the junction with Halsdon Road, for the benefit of children leaving the primary school nearby, has been given by a County Council official. This was reported to the Torrington Town Council meeting by the Surveyor, Mr Peter Symons. Cllr L Short, however, said the Council would be lucky to a zebra crossing on an ‘A’ class road. The only one he had seen in Devon was in Crediton. “The children are starting school and I want to see this matter got on with” declared Cllr H H Wightman.

Pretty as a picture indeed…. Carnival Queen of Weare Giffard, Miss Wendy Smalldon, with her attendants, following her crowning by Lady Anne Palmer, Mayoress of Torrington.

First prize winner in the trade section at Weare Giffard carnival – Drinka pinta milka day – entered by Mr W H Chamings certainly suggested that milk makes for beauty and health. Briar, the cow seemed to enjoy the occasion as much as did the other participants.

Few men of Torridge district can claim a better sporting record this past season than 18 year old Jeremy Ker, elder son of Major and Mrs J G S Ker, of Westleigh, who has scored 1,700 runs in school and club cricket matches. For the past three years he has been in Shrewsbury School Cricket XI, and since August 21st, as an opening batsman, scored 102 not out for North Devon against Devon Dumplings, 108 n.o. against The Frogs. Playing for The Frogs, he scored 160 n.o. against Devon Dumplings and 134 against Somerset Stragglers. Next term he captains the School’s Association Football XI, of which he has been a member for the past three years. His father, who captained Oxford at hockey and has played cricket for Devon, was opening batsman with him against The Dumplings, but was soon out with a mere 18 runs scored!

Mr O W Ward presides over the annual general meeting of the Royal North Devon Golf Club, and Mr S G Sillen is elected President for 1960.

Head of the well-known Bideford drapery business bearing the family name and with which he had spent his life, Mr Edward Howard Trapnell, of Western View, Golf Links Road, Westward Ho! died at his home after a brief illness. Mr Trapnell who was 80, was managing director of Trapnells Ltd, in the running of which he had the active association of two of his sons, Messrs Peter and David Trapnell. He leaves a widow, Mrs Grace Trapnell, three sons and two daughters. Mr and Mrs Trapnell celebrated their golden wedding anniversary a year ago.

It was touch and go at Westward Ho! on Sunday afternoon, but, in fact, it did not make sufficient a splash. This was at the bathing pool in the rocks which is replenished from the sea. Owing to a series of neap tides, the pool had not been covered for some days and the water had gradually run out of it, which was probably a good thing, otherwise it might have become unpleasant. As Sunday afternoon’s high tide reached its peak youngsters around the edge of the empty pool raised a cheer as the water began to splash over. A tide an inch or two higher would have filled the pool in time for that day, but as it was it had to await the next tide for replenishment.

The 120-foot chimney stacks at Yelland Power Station are to be increased by 50 feet. The station superintendent at Yelland, Mr D McLeod, has explained that complaints from neighbouring residents that the soot and smoke were causing a nuisance had some bearing in bringing the matter to the notice of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. But the main reason for increasing the height was that the Clean Air Bill became an Act of Parliament last year, and raising the height of the chimneys would be in compliance with this Act. Work on the project will probably begin next April, when half the station will be closed down at a time until this work is completed.