February 1923

Births – a son to Mr and Mrs T F Cole at 5 Elmscott Terrace, Bideford; at 9 Elmsleigh Terrace, Clovelly Road, Bideford, a son to Mr and Mrs D J Madge; at Glen Devon, Bideford, a daughter for Mr and Mrs T P Fulford; at Council Cottages, Littleham, to Mr and Mrs H J Moyse, a son.

Marriages – at the Congregational Church, Bideford, Frederick Andrew Tucker to Violet Mary Raffell of Quay House, Instow; at St Helen’s Church, Abbotsham, Arthur Henry Frayne to Mrs B Churchill; at Northam Church, Leopold Webber to Alethea Spry; at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, Frank Allin to Winifred Rose Pickard, of High Street Dairy.

Special features for all £1 Treasury notes.

Farm landlords and workers are needed in Canada. Later in the month, lectures were given on ‘Glimpses of Canada from Coast to Coast’ at Bideford Music Hall.

Northam Council held a long discussion on the proposal that buses carrying eight or more passengers between Bideford, Northam, Appledore and Westward Ho! must agree to run to a timetable before a license could be granted. Councillor P K Harris objected and described the proposal as “tyrannous” but when put to a vote it was passed by seven votes to four.

Question of employment of unskilled men – Torrington-Halwill Railway.

A man who threw up his job as a crane driver on the Halwill-Torrington railway because there was no better accommodation than huts for the workers appeared before Exeter magistrates. Named Albert King he was charged with travelling on the railway without having paid his fare.

John Sheppard is injured while engaged on Halwill-Torrington Railway and makes a claim against Messrs Anderson Ltd.

Divorce is becoming more common in this area. At the recent session of Devon Winter Assizes eighteen orders of Decree Nisi were granted, at least three of them being couples in the Northam and Bideford areas.

Mentioned in last month’s Years Ago, an article from ‘Home Feature’ on how to arrange a ‘little house’.

Abbotsham – Before a very full house a most successful concert was given by Mr W J Barry’s Rainbow Party, some of the best local talent took part. The peformers included Misses Langbridge, Barry, Hopson, Meredith, and Mrs Peters, Messrs Barry, Langdon, Ellis and Thomas. The Exhibition Dance given by Miss Langbridge and Mr Langdon deserves special mention while Mr Barry’s humorous recitations brought down the house.

Alverdiscott – The last dance of the season was held at the schoolroom on February 12th. During the interval the Rector called on Capt Channer, chairman of the dance committee, to present a silver rose bowl to Miss Rockey as a token of grateful thanks for presiding and acting as pianist on these occasions. Afterwards a pair of sleeve-links was presented to Mr W Newcombe, the energetic MC.

Alwington – Bideford Fire Brigade was summoned in the early hours to a fire at Natty Corner where, it was found that a large rick of oats, the property of Mr F D Gregory, of Bideford, was well alight. The rick valued at £160 was entirely destroyed. An adjoining and similar rick was saved by the Brigade. The services of the Bideford Fire Brigade in subduing the fire and saving the valuable adjoining rick were especially effective. It was 3.30am when the Brigade was called. The outbreak was about three miles away, on the Hartland Road, but the Brigade with the steam fire engine and Capt Morris in charge reached the scene just before 4am.

Chiddlecombe stock for sale. Later in the month, it was reported that the sale was ‘highly successful’.

Appledore – ‘Iron King’ and ‘Mary’ for sale.

Appledore danger spot after John Richard Berry succumbs to injuries after slipping near the lifeboat station.

On Sunday last at the close of School a very interesting function took place when Mr J N Tuplin (who has relinquished the office of Secretary after holding it for about 27 years) was presented with a silk umbrella, with initials suitably inscribed, as a small token of appreciation of faithful service rendered for so long a time. Rev J J Nelson in a very interesting address, made the presentation. Mr Tuplin suitably replied.

A casual vacancy has been announced for the Appledore ward of Northam Urban District Council. Nomination papers must be received at the offices of the Returning Officer Mr W J Barnes, 24 Bridgeland Street, Bideford, by 12 noon on 14 February.

A heavy ground sea.

On the occasion of the birth of a son to Her Royal Highness Princess Mary, the Vicar of Appledore wired the congratulations of ‘The seafaring and shipbuilding population and the children of Appledore’ to her Royal Highness, which has been graciously acknowledged by the Lady-in-Waiting. The Union Jack was flown on St Mary’s Church in honour of the happy and auspicious event.

Bideford – Buy a ‘City’ Shirt at 5/6 from W J Cording & Son.

T L Hamlyn & Son (Gold & Silver Medallists), 15 Buttgarden Street, Bideford.

A difficult 1922 but hoping for a better 1923 - advert from H F Elliott of 75 High Street, Bideford.

The ‘Old Ring Of Bells’ is for sale.

Obtain the latest works at Harper’s Library, 11 High Street, Bideford, in conjunction with Harrods Library (London).

The base of the Kingsley statue in Bideford is being cleaned. At a meeting of Bideford Council, the question was raised as to whether the name plate, which simply says “Kingsley” should be amended to have a prefix of either “Charles” or “Canon”. The Town Clerk stated that the present simple inscription was decided on by the donors after considerable discussion and should therefore remain unaltered.

At Bideford Borough Licensing Sessions Supt Shutler reported that the number of licensed houses was 32, the same as last year. No licensed victualler had been proceeded against for offences against the Licensing Acts. Ten persons had been proceeded against for drunkenness, the same number as in the previous year, the convictions being ten against eight. Six licenses had been transferred compared with three in 1921. There are two licensed clubs and one grocer’s license in the borough. The population (1911) was 9078, giving one licensed house to every 283 persons of the population. The conduct of the license holders had been good and he had no objection to the renewal of any of the licenses.

On the letters page, RJ from Bideford writes as follows: “Recently a whist drive was held in this town at which all the cards used were absolutely new. At the conclusion of the drive, members of the committee discovered that four packs had been purloined. Such acts dishearten those who voluntarily strive to give pleasure and amusement. It is however quite open to those who strayed from the path of rectitude to make good by returning the cards without disclosing their identity. If the delinquents like this hint I am sure they will feel much more comfortable when next they attend a whist drive.”

Bradworthy –The funeral took place of Mrs W Walter of Vicarage Terrace who passed away rather suddenly on Monday afternoon last week. The Memorial Institute is being well patronised, over 60 members having already paid their membership fee to Lady-day.

Bucks Cross – The death of Mrs William Davey of West Bucks is announced. The funeral took place at St Anne’s Church, the Rev Guy Whittaker officiating and was very largely attended by people of Bucks and neighbouring parishes. The chief mourners were – Messrs Charles and Frank Davey, Mrs James Trott and Mrs T Davey, Mesdames C Braund and H Davey, C and F Davey, Mr and Mrs R Davey, Mr James Trott (Crediton), Mrs Reuben Braund, Messrs Walter and James Sussex (Gammaton) and Mr Charles Braund. The bearers were Messrs Thomas Crews, James Hockridge, Richard Moore, Reuben Braund, John Bond senr., and John Bond jnr.

Clovelly – Much sympathy has been expressed in the parish with Mr and Mrs John Foley, on the death of their eldest son, George. Of a quiet and obliging nature he was liked by all and he will be sadly missed in the village. The funeral took place at All Saints’ Church with Rev T L V Simkin officiating.

Following up a story from last month’s Years Ago article, an inquest has been held on an unrecognisable body washed up at Mortehoe. The Coroner in the case is Mr G W F Brown. From the clothing found on the body it is apparent that he was a French sailor of around 45-50 years of age and approximately 6’1” tall and there were no identifying marks on the clothing or the body. The presumption is that he was a crew member from the French schooner Perrosien which went aground with no-one on board on rocks off Bucks on 5 January. Photos were taken of another body which washed ashore at Lynmouth a week after the wreck. These were sent to the French Consul and the body has now been identified as Jean Francois Daniel, a cabin boy on the Perrosien; he was 16 years old. There is unlikely to be any explanation of the strange movements of the vessel before it wrecked.

Hartland – A qualifying drive in the St Dunstan’s National Whist Champtionship was held in the Palladium. Prizes were won by – Miss Elsie Heywood, Mrs Clay, Miss Annie Colwill (Clovelly), Mr Cyril Sanders, Mr W Bagilhole, Mr William Babb, Mr Leonard Middle.

Mr T O’Donnell has passed away at his at East Ballhill after a trying illness.

Instow – The wedding has taken place at the Congregational Church, Bideford, of interest to Instow people, the nuptials being those of Miss Violet Mary Raffell, second daughter of Mr and Mrs E Raffell, of Quay House, and Mr Frederick Andrew Tucker, son of Mr and Mrs W Tucker of Lamerton Place, Bideford.

Entertainment at the Rifle Hall, Instow, organised by Mrs E Joslin and Mr W H Yeo.

Northam – Improvements have been carried out at the Mission Church at Higher Cleavehouses which serves the Orchard Hill district of Northam Parish. Do you remember worshipping at this little Church?

The late Mrs Emma Essery of Cross Street, Northam.

A protest meeting has been held at Northam concerning the appointment of an outside headmaster for the National School instead of appointing the assistant master Mr C Hill. John Heywood (Burrough Farm), William Ernest Babb, William James Hocking, Stephen Granville Kelly, Herbert Thomas Hancock, E J Littlejohns, W Littlejohns and W H Friendship are for ‘justice and fair play in Northam.

The Assistant Master at the National School, Northam, Mr C Hill, is appointed Headmaster for the Parkham Council School.

Parkham – The death of Mr Philip Honey of Oliver House is announced.

Mr A George of Cabbacott has met with a bad accident and was attended by Dr Petts.

Shebbear – Mr Isaac Buse and Miss Ada Lewis are married.

Torrington – The conduct of the 17 licensed houses during the year has been remarkably good.

At a meeting of the Torrington Board of Guardians it was reported that the vagrants for the past fortnight number 93, against 52 for the corresponding period of last year. The Master, Mr Harrison, said it was strange they got so many men on Fridays. The numbers on Fridays lately had been 16, 18, and 23 but on other days they averaged four or five.

A Torrington blaze – motor garage and valuable cars destroyed at Mr Heaman’s motor garage in High Street.

The staff at Torrington Station (L and SWR) presented Mr F Avery with a silver-mounted ebony walking stick, on the occasion of his leaving Torrington Station for a post at Exmouth. The Stationmaster made the presentation.

A car travelling from Winkleigh to Halwill attempted to run through flood water at Hatherleigh Bridge and left the road. Several horses had to be obtained to pull it out of the water and the occupants were in danger for some time due to the rushing water.

February 1973

Police Chief Supt A J Lobb talks with local area members of the Special Constabulary who received long service awards. In the picture with him are Messrs F Thomas (Bideford), R Bradford (Northam), J Pearce (Fremington), C Diwell (Westward Ho!) and E Webber (Alverdiscott).

Appledore – Rose Cottage in Myrtle Street is for sale by auction.

At the prizegiving of the building department of the North Devon Technical College of Further Education, David Allan Berry, son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Berry of 35 Western Avenue, Appledore, will receive the McKay Cup and replica as the best painter and decorator apprentice under 18. David is with Messrs Morse and Pitschmann, of Cross Street, Northam.

Northam Urban Council has its youngest member – at least for many years. He is Mr Joseph Thomas Need, aged 29, of 2 Darracotts Court, Appledore, who has been elected to fill the Appledore seat vacated by the former vicar, Rev Royston Dixon. Mr Need is the youngest member of Northam Burrows Committee and of the Northam Residents’ Association. He is also a member of Appledore Preservation and Conservation Society, A joiner, he is social organiser of the Shipyard Angling Club.

Did you see ‘The Great Fumble’ at the Aquarius Club?

Pursuit of Duke of Edinburgh gold awards will take a party of Bideford Grenville College boys to Iceland for a fortnight’s camping. But there will be no lazing in the sun. The campsite will be a lava field alongside a small icefield. And when Mr E J Watkins, one of the two experienced leaders of the expedition, was last there in 1970, the August temperature was minus three degrees Centigrade.

Bonus offer for men working at Bideford Shipyard Ltd.

£1,795 overhaul and silver plating for Bideford Town Band’s instruments.

A golden wedding day for Mr and Mrs James Henry Bedler, of 90 Pynes Lane, Bideford. Of their six surviving daughters, four live in Bideford. The other two live in Launceston and Lynton. There are 13 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. There was a family to mark the anniversary.

Seven boys from Bideford have been included in the squad named after two trials from which the North Devon Schools FA will select the area team to play West Cornwall at Penzance in the first round of the South Western Counties under-14s competition. They are – Denis Ford, David Dark, Brian Cox, Jimmy Jefferies, Steven Bromelow, Jeffery Brown and Barry Robinson.

Miss Brenda Brown, Buckland Brewer Young Farmers’ Club member has been awarded a national federation scholarship, which, in April, will take her to Canada. For four months she will live with families of the Four H Club, the Canadian equivalent of the YFC. Her parents, Mr and Mrs T H Brown, own the village store and she is an assistant at the Bideford branch of Holman, Ham and Co. the chemists.

Clovelly oaks at Deer Park to be felled.

Hartland Coastguards and Hartland Cliff Rescue Team are alerted and rescue a student from Leeds University.

Flt Lieut ‘Wally’ Walder leaves RAF Hartland Point.

RAF Hartland Point is to be maintained after the Tactical Weapons Unit is transferred from RAF Chivenor to Brawdy. This was announced in a letter to Mr Peter Mills, MP for the Torrington division, and the industrial civilian staff at Hartland Point were also informed.

Mr Tim Gale, of Marine Cottage, Instow, is the new president of the North Devon Manufacturers’ Association.

An individual building site in Langtree, with outline planning permission, offered at public auction on behalf of Mr and Mrs Sutton, fetched £3,300. Bidding had commenced at £2,500. The purchaser was Mr Dean, of Bradworthy.

Featured in an issue of a leading American magazine devoted to the art, is the work of Torridgeside potter Harry Juniper, who lives at Monkleigh. He first came to North Devon as a young schoolboy evacuee in the Second World War, chance taking him to a billet at Torrington which he afterwards discovered was the home of his second cousins. He has been here almost all the time since.

Bidding for Monkleigh Lodge, a three-bedroomed detached lodge, offered by public auction, opened at £6,000. The property was withdrawn at £8,750 but it was sold by the auctioneers at a better price by private treaty.

Monkleigh plans extension of village hall.

The support of local doctors and their medical officer is being sought by Northam Urban Council in their efforts to obtain visits to the district of the chest radiography service.

Bonehill Farm and lands in Northam is for sale.

Building plots for sale at Northam.

The Ridgeway, Orchard Hill, for sale.

Tammy Fashions is to open in Fore Street.

Many staff of the light engineering firm John Leete and Co. attended the funeral of Mr Tom Francis Lombard who lived at 17 Fairlea Crescent, Northam.

Torrington – It was a case of coats on at the meeting of Torrington Town Council’s general purposes committee for the central heating in the council chamber was not on. The only immediate warmth came from one electric fire. The Mayor, Councillor Harold Pollard, apologised for the lack of heating and promised to look into the matter.

Old Barn, Kingscott, Torrington, a thatched two-bedroomed cottage, with a let cottage adjoining it, and with outline planning permission for the erection of two dwellings in a block of land in the grounds, was offered by public auction. Bidding opened at £10,000 and was bought by a Mr Evans, of Birmingham, at £16,000.

The owner of the main part of land at Sandymere Road, Westward Ho! on which Northam Urban Council wish to establish a tented camping site being unprepared to sell, the Council are to make a compulsory purchase order for the whole site.

34 Beach Road, Westward Ho! for sale.

Flt Sgt Keith Munday (left in the picture), whose mother lives at Cairncross, Cleveland Terrace, Westward Ho! has helped rescue a youth who fell down a cliff in Hong Kong’s New Territories. He has been in the RAF for 15 years and his wife, Christine, and two children, Ian and Yvonne, are with him in Hong Kong.

Woolsery – Walnut Cottage with adjoining Old Smithy is for sale.

Building plots at Ferndown, Woolsery, for sale.

February 1998

Early 16th Century 4 bedroom detached resident at Alverdiscott for sale.

Appledore Town Band was hitting the high notes in celebration of its Lottery success and a royal performance to come! With the aid of a £37,000 Lottery grant, the band has been able to buy a complete new set of instruments. Since last autumn the new cornets, horns, baritones, basses, trombones and a full percussion set have been arriving at the bandroom. A glockenspiel, xylophone and two pedal timpanis which previously had to be hired have also been included. Musical director Geoff Abbot has written a special piece of music for the band and xylophone. And it is proudly looking forward to playing in front of the Princess Royal on March 27 when she performs a ship naming ceremony at Appledore Shipbuilders.

Young Devon student Anna Day has won a place at one of Britain’s top universities – a year ahead of her peers! She has been offered a place at St Hilda’s, Oxford, to read medicine. The Appledore teenager had to undergo a gruelling four-day interview before getting the good news that she had been accepted.

A period cottage in Appledore is available to buy. The property is situated just off the Quay and was probably connected with the old shipbuilding industry, possibly rope-making for sailing ships. It was converted at some time in the last 100 years to form a four-bedroomed cottage. A price guide in excess of £45k has been set.

Long service awards were presented to stalwarts of the Bideford and District Poppy Appeal who have between them given more than 150 years of service. At a ceremony at Bideford Royal British Legion Club the county coordinator, Keith Grout, handed certificates to Gerald and Phil Beer, Arthur Blame, Eris Gist, Alan Kerslake and Fernley Wade. There were brooches for Grace Bush, Mary George and Pat Hutt. In addition there was a certificate for Arthur Bailey, a brooch for Catherine Raffe and a merit badge for May Hearn, who were unable to attend the ceremony. Local poppy appeal organiser Peggy Ditton reported a record collection last year of £6,400.

Bideford’s lady rugby players now have outfits to match their unbeaten status this season. They have just been sponsored with all new kit by Tanton’s Hotel. Although they have been going for a couple of years now the ladies have really started to get off the ground this season and have won all eight matches so far. The picture shows the team with coach Mike Blong and Geoff Boundy of Tanton’s Hotel.

Bideford Bridge will close to traffic for repairs to be carried out to coping stones on its parapets which are becoming dislodged and dangerous. The job could take up to 12 days and vehicular traffic will be diverted across the much more modern Torridge Bridge. Walkers and cyclists will be allowed to use the old bridge while the job is being carried out. It is costing £10k to re-bed the coping stones. The last time the bridge – built of stone in the late 1400s to replace a much older wooden one – had to be closed completely to traffic was 30 years ago when in January 1968 two of the 24 arches were found to be collapsing into the river below. The resulting chaos was described as ‘the greatest local calamity since the plague of 1646’.

Wallace and Gromit have fallen into ‘the wrong hands’ in Bideford. The famous pair are featured on charity enamelled badges being sold at Bideford Medical Centre in aid of the Grand Appeal to raise money for the Hospital for Sick Children in Bristol. “We are really cross that someone should have pinched them” said medical centre spokeswoman Susan Davis.

Drawing colourful attention to the forthcoming Torridgeside Schools Art Exhibition is a poster by Instow six-year-old Nichola Bellew. Her painting on the theme Winter Sunshine was the winner of a pre-exhibition poster competition at The Burton Art Gallery in Bideford and is now in use to promote the main event. It won Nichola, a first year pupil at Instow Primary School, a voucher to be spent at the gallery shop.

International umpire David Shepherd was on home ground when North Devon Cricket Club celebrated a big grant from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts. David was delighted to be on hand for the presentation as he started his cricketing career as a young man at the club at Instow. The award will go towards rethatching the club house roof which was severely damaged in the New Year storms. In the picture are David with club chairman Bryan Palmer and Danny Cullington.

The Old Barn, Stowford, Langtree, is for sale.

Tree Tops, situated off Durrant Lane, between Bideford and Northam, is for sale by public auction.

Beechwood, 17 Sandymere Road, Northam, is for sale by public auction.

Fish in many guises was on the menu when students at Great Torrington School took part in a competition as part of their CSE course work. Watched by head of food technology Anita Hardy, they had to cook a fresh dish using their own recipes. Their efforts were judged by Dan Garnett, of the Clovelly Fish shop. He chose Amanda Holloway as the winner and the runner-up was Vicky Cook.

Sounds of music fill the Withey family home at Torrington as Ashley gets in some practice on the keyboard. Or the trumpet. Or the sax. Or the cornet. Or the drums. Like as not, he will be joined by his brother Wesley – also a drummer – while sister Jessica tries out a tap routine. Music runs through the veins of most of the Withey’s family. One of their older sons, Andrew, is a drummer with the rock band Rug and daughter, Emma, teaches dancing.

All systems are now ‘go’ for Torrington’s £2 million Genesis Project. Planning permission has been granted for its centrepiece, the redevelopment of the former Castle Hill Hotel as a heritage centre tourist attraction. And the Government Office for the South West has approved the restoration of the Pannier Market to provide a new market hall and business opportunity units. Project chairman Steven Pearson said “We can now move ahead at full steam and look forward to completing both projects in 1999.” There was a live preview of the ‘Torrington 1646’ heritage centre when the town re-lived the most famous moment in its history, the Civil War Battle of Torrington. Roundheads and Cavaliers again marched the streets when the anniversary of the 1646 conflict was commemorated with a torchlight procession. The picture shows Dave Marker and Mike Palmer.

Torrington Grade II town house for sale.

It was party time at the Bideford Blind Club as clubmates joined with its senior member Clara Dipple to celebrate her 100th birthday. Bornin Aston, she left school at 14 and became a wages clerk. She and husband George moved to Bideford on retirement. For the past 15 years Mrs Dipple has been a resident at The Chalet residential home in Westward Ho! where she received a birthday bouquet from manager Valerie Pierce.

Nineteen people were arrested following a Valentine’s night drugs operation in Westward Ho! Police set up road blocks and stopped vehicles they believed to be en route to a ‘rave-type disco’ in the resort. Forty officers and police dogs were involved in the 3-hour operation during which £7k worth of drugs were seized. Five people have been charged with possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply and six with the possession of controlled drugs.