At half-past-seven on Sunday evening

the choir and congregation of High Street Methodist Church, Bideford, will make the first broadcast from a place of worship in the town.

Great interest centres around the occasion and it is anticipated there will be a crowded congregation. High Street (United) Methodist have always made a feature of their choir and congregational singing, stretching back to the days of the old Silver Street Church from which a move was made in 1913. The late Mr Robert Blackmore, father of the present choir master, was largely responsible for building up the fine choral tradition with a choir numbering some forty to forty-five voices. It was always his endeavour to encourage congregational singing as much as possible. The traditions of the church and family have been maintained by his son Mr W Reed Blackmore, who will be the conductor at the broadcast. The organist will be Mr F J Hutchings.

The broadcast is in the series entitled ‘Carolare’, a time when all join in the singing of favourite hymns and sacred songs. Preceding the broadcast there will be a short evening service which will be conducted by Mr F A Wilshire who has been associated with many of the broadcasts in the series and who will give comments on the hymns and tunes.

Bideford High Street Methodist Choir rehearsing for the broadcast

Top Row – Messrs T Heale, C Brough, W T Webb, C Harris, F Fulford, F J Hutchings (organist), R B Blackmore, A Kingdom, H Andrew, F Lang, T J Martin, and E J Morrish

Second Row – Mrs A Kingdom, Miss C Parkhouse, Mrs R R Paddon, Miss I Headon, Miss L Bond, Miss L Seldon, Miss O Judd

Third Row – Mrs W R Blackmore, Miss J Ferrett, Miss B Hamlyn, Miss M Jennings, Mrs J Harris, Miss F V Headon, Miss D Shute, Miss P Edwards

Fourth Row – Mrs Lewis, Mrs Lucas, Mrs Kennard, and Miss L Goodman. Choirmaster: Mr W Reed Blackmore

Other members of the choir not included in the above group are: Miss Gwen Sanders, Mrs A Shute, Miss C M Hamlyn, Miss B Harvey, Miss R Babb, Miss M Morris, Mrs W J Couch, Miss L J Blackmore, Miss D M Tyson, Messrs S Kivell, E Wood, S Ferrett and S Morris