Births and celebrations: Margaret and Norman Stone, a son, Richard Anthony, a brother for Suzanne; Margaret and Clifford Bartlett, a son, John, brother for Kathryn; Jean and Roger Nicholls, a son, Lewis George; Queenie and Ivor Daw, a daughter, Amanda Jane; Beverley and David Gale, a son, Jason Patrick; Eddie and Ray Law, a daughter, Rebecca Ann, a sister for Christopher, Brenda, Janet and Peter; Pauline and Colin Priest at Venn Mills Farm, Buckland Brewer, a son, Phillip John; Jean and Michael Sanders, a son; Valerie and Danny Stapleton, a daughter, Tracie Jacqueline

A North Devon couple who twice emigrated to Canada but twice returned to their native country, celebrated their golden wedding. Mr James White and his wife, Elizabeth, who now live at 2 Riccardsdown, Abbotsham, first emigrated in 1914 with several members of the family. They remained for five years and married there. During this time, Mr White, a native of Bulkworthy, was a lumberjack and also worked in a paper mill. Their only son, Charles, lives in Silver Street, Bideford. Mrs White, who was born in Winkleigh, says that work has occupied most of her lift. Among the many presents was a mammoth bottle of whisky from relatives in Mississippi.

The Ministry of Defence (Navy Department) have ordered a further four Dog-class tugs from Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd. The latest order follows one for three tugs, the first of which – Deerhound - was launched last week. Described as ‘quite powerful craft’ they are 94ft long with 24ft beam, and are designed for harbour work.

With its centuries-old traditions associated with ships, shipbuilding and sailors it would indeed be fitting if Bideford was chosen to build the replica of Capt Cook’s historic vessel HMS Endeavour, which is to sail from Plyimouth in July 1968 to retrace the voyage leading to Capt Cook’s discovery of Australia almost 200 years ago. The yard in mind is that of W Wykeham and Co Ltd, at Bank End, operating as Bideford Shipyard Ltd. Plans for the building of the vessel are already in the Bideford office of the firm.

Customers will be able to drink for an extra half-hour in one Bideford pub over Easter, Whitsun and August Bank Holiday. Bideford justices granted extensions to 11.30pm for these dates to the Swan Inn, Mill Street. And they agreed that the Swan may also remain open on the afternoon of Bideford Regatta. Licensee Mr Mel Moore told the justices that a number of years ago Bideford public houses remained open until 11.30pm on Bank Holidays. Then the local Licensed Victuallers’ Association had decided this was wrong.

Back in 1938 a small group of men, meeting on a Manchester railway station, began to discuss the old-age pension. From that informal meeting the National Federation of Old-age Pensions Association began, said Miss B James, chairman of Bideford ‘Original’ branch of the OAPA speaking at a social in the Church Institute to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of a local branch. When it was decided to form the local branch the late Mr John Pope had volunteered to become hon. secretary and the enterprise had speedily flourished. Mr Harry Chubb, hon. Freeman of Bideford and former Mayor, was presented with a certificate in appreciation of his services and interest in the movement over the whole of the period.

Work on a new £10,000 centre for East-the-Water Community Association, which almost died from inertia a few months ago, may begin within a year. Miss P Arrundale, travelling officer of the National Federation of Community Associations, told the annual meeting of the local association: “If you are prepared to work and put more money in the kitty, it means that this year you may be able to apply for grand aid for sit cost, architectural fees and equipment.” A canvass held at East-the-Water to discover what activities would most interest the residents proved successful and it showed that a total of 67 activities were wanted. Easily top of the list was youth activities, including dancing.

Bideford boy Robert Ellis became a Sea Cadet national boxing champion. Seventeen year old Robert stopped T Arber in the third round. Last year, Robert, of 14 Buttgarden Street, was beaten in the final.

A long-held dream will be realised on March 19th when Bideford Scout Group’s £4,000 headquarters are officially opened. The ceremony will be performed by Lt-Commander W H Taylor, Field Commissioner, South-West Boy Scouts’ Association.

The funeral of Mr Leonard William Chubb, a wharf superintendent with the Elder Dempster Line at Lagos and Accra until his retirement to Bideford, took place at St Mary’s Church. An Old Boy of Bideford Grammar School, Mr Chubb, younger son of the late Mr and Mrs J Chubb, of 27 Mill Street, joined the Reardon Smith Shipping Company on leaving school and obtained his Master Mariner’s certificate. Mr Chubb leaves a married daughter, Gillian, now living with her husband and two children at Muscat, in the Persian Gulf.

Wynne Olley is pleased to announce her staff have won the first three places in the National Hairdressing Federation Open Free Style Competition for Devon and Cornwall in Exeter. Miss Sandra Bennett was second.

Miss Jean Hannaford, sub-postmistress of East-the-Water Post Office, Barnstaple Street, Bideford, has been elected the first woman president of the North Devon branch of the Sub-Postmasters’ Federation.

A Bideford chemist and his three girl assistants will shortly be going to London with £570 to spend, a prize they won in a nationwide competition. The chemist is Mr Len Taylor, proprietor of Arnold’s Pharmacy in Allhalland Street. His assistants, Mrs Gwynneth Davey and Misses Sandra Johns and Joan Symons will be wined and dined in the capital.

Next month, Bideford-devised and made tricks will be on a big tour in America. A visitor to the Supreme Magic Company of High Street, Bideford, was a TV magician and personality Harold Taylor, who has appeared and delighted the children on the well-known BBC TV programme Crackerjack series for more than 40 weeks. He came to buy and learn many tricks and illusions for his forthcoming American tour. Messrs Edwin Hooper and Ian Adair, of the magic company, had plenty to show him. One of the latest tricks, in which a beanstalk apparently blooms visually into a giant 17-flowered plant, especially appealed to him and he intends to feature it during the
tour.

Offered the Royal Hotel, Bideford, for £37,500, the Town Council instructed the Borough Surveyor to view the property and report. Built in 1688, as a mansion, it became a hotel about 200 years later. It was here that Charles Kingsley worked on his novel, Westward Ho!

Live and dead farming stock from Braddons Farm, Buckland Brewer, are for sale – Mr and Mrs H W James are giving up farming.

At the request of seven local electors in the Clovelly lighting area (from the main car park to the bottom of High Street) a special public meeting of ratepayers in that area is being convened to discuss the proposed increase in the lighting rate.

Clovelly players won the first three women’s prizes at a Hartland Garden Society whist drive, and the first man’s. One of them also won the draw. Mr L Middle was MC. Fifteen tables were used and Mr H Cross was door steward. Refreshments were by women members of the committee – Mesdames D Bonford, Chinery, E Benwell and A Mugford. Winners – Mrs G Smith, Mrs A Burrow, Mrs Squires, Mrs R Wade, Mrs G Vanstone, Mrs H Prust, Mrs Peggy Lamey, Mr N Houchin, Mrs Colwill, Mr T Pillman, Mrs P Littlejohns, Mr Sam Johns.

The death of Mr Stanley Walter, of Pattard Water, Hartland, at the age of 65, is a big loss to local Methodism. Mr Walter, who had spent his life in Hartland, was first associated with the Edistone Church and later at Hartland, he was appointed society steward and a trustee. He was also a member of the choir. Keenly interested in the brass band movement, he was associated with the formation of Hartland Town Band. Mr Walter, who was a carpenter, leaves a widow, two sons and two daughters. The funeral is at Hartland Methodist Church.

Mr Len Middle was a winner at a whist drive held at the Women’s Institute Hall raising money for the Hartland Football Club Supporters’ Club.

The Vicar of Hartland, Rev Andrew T H Jones, was presented with a cheque and a framed photograph of St Nectan’s Church after matins as a farewell gift.

Thirteen people spoke in praise of Mr Tom Anstey’s services to the community in various spheres when presentations were made to him and his wife – their golden wedding anniversary. At a party at Instow, where Mr Anstey has spent the whole of his 78 years, a gold clock was presented by the president of Instow and District Agricultural Show, Mrs M Richards. Mr E J Lewis presented an automatic teamaker on behalf of Bideford Conservative Club.

Friday night is fish night at Cottesloe, Sandymere Road, Northam, the home of Mr Graham Braddick. People arrive from as far afield as Bude, Tiverton and Okehampton, to buy and to talk about tropical fish. It all started when Mr Braddick was a schoolboy and his father brought home a can of fish from a London store.

The funeral of Mr Stanley Thomas Dack of Newhave, Parkham, took place at the Methodist Curch with the Rev D K Martin officiating and Mrs W Heywood accompanying hymns. Principal mourners were Mr and Mrs P Dack, Mr and Mrs W Dack, Mr and Mrs L dunn, Mr and Mrs R Dack, Mr and Mrs J Walters, Mr W Heywood, Mr H Slade snr, and Mr and Mrs Sutton. Bearers were Messrs T Pearce, A Dean, M Honey, P Ashton, F Wade and H Ley.

Cllr Gwilym Blair Williams, a Welshman who has lived in North Devon for 30 years, is to be Torrington’s next Mayor. Mr Williams, who is 73, was born in the Swansea Valley.

Winners of the Torridge Vale Dairy (Unigate) Sports and Social Club Stacey Shield for inter-departmental skittles – A Butler and W Brook, and D Stacey and K Westcott. This and other trophies was presented by vice-president Mr R M Boyer at the club annual dinner at Torrington Town Hall, when 120 members attended. Prize for the highest individual score in skittles went to W Stacey, with Colin Popham runner-up. Derek Stacey was snooker champion and Colin Popham runner-up.

A Torrington widow could be the first woman secretary to receive the gold medal of the Transport and General Workers’ Union – the highest honour it can award. This was revealed this week when Mrs Florence Mules was presented with a clock. Mrs Mules, who lives at Marwood Court, Calf Street, Torrington, has just retired after more than 30 years as secretary of Torrington branch No. 3/201 of the union.

Mr Frederick William Cornish of 1 West Terrace, New Street, Torrington, who died in the Cottage Hospital, had for long been a popular figure in the locality. He was a railway goods clerk at Torrington and on retirement he joined the clerical staff of Messrs P C Cobbledick and Co. In 1964 Mr Cornish and his wife Beatrice celebrated their golden wedding.

Porter at the Torrington Cottage Hospital for the past 26 years, Mr Bert Copp, of Crowbeare Cottages, has retired. In appreciation of his services presentation of a wrist watch was made to him, on behalf of the Matron and staff, doctors, and committee members, by Torrington’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr C F R Briggs. Mr and Mrs Copp returned from South Devon at the outbreak of the last war, and Mr Copp took up his duties with the Hospital. During the war he was also caretaker of two Torrington evacuee hostels, Corner House in Potacre Street, and Reno in New Street. Mr and Mrs Copp have two sons and a daughter, Peter, Maurice and Sheila.

The condemning of rooms as being unfit for human habitation at Westward Ho! by Northam Council’s new public health inspector, Mr Chris Utting, led to a row at last week’s Council meeting. The Council were recommended to put closing orders on nine kitchens and two bedrooms in the basements of Kipling Terrace houses. But Mr Ralph Evers charged member with not thinking logically or clearly. Poor ventilation and lack of natural light were not enough, and it was wrong in principle, morally, and, he thought, legally, to condemn them for it. He knew of many houses, including Council houses, where conditions were worse.

A dog is thought to have started a fire that caused £120 damage to the lounge at the home of County Councillor Mr Ralph Evers at Four Winds, Cornborough Road, Westward Ho! It is believed the dog knocked an electric heater against a settee. Fire engines from Bideford and Appledore went to the house, and firemen J Bowden and K Simmons wore breathing apparatus to get at the seat of the fire.

The Grasshoppers, a happy association of golfers from the Royal North Devon and Saunton clubs, held one of their memorable gatherings at Westward Ho! One of the rules of the association is that the Grasshoppers’ tie shall be worn or in default a drink must be bought for every member; there were no defaulters. Since the Association began, shortly after the war, it has been a tradition for each president to invite as guest of honour Mr Granville Kelly, of Northam, now 75 and retired, but who gave a lifetime of service as the popular steward of the RND Club. He is in the picture with Messrs Stephens and Isaac, Neave, Thornton and Major E D Wood.

Instead of being built on a site at Winkleigh, as originally intended, a new Swedish glass-making factory will now be at Torrington where the Town Council have agreed in principle to sell a 2½ site at Town Park for the purpose. Purchase price of the site has to be agreed with a district valuer. A month ago the Council agreed to supply six bungalows and a hostel for the firm, at an economic rent, when the Calvesford Road housing site is developed. The making of Swedish glass – a heavy, decorative type of glass – is a specialised industry, and skilled workers from Sweden will be coming to this country to form the nucleus of staff of the new factory and to teach English workers.