One word led to another

as local amateur gardeners spoke of the fruit and flowers they had grown this season, so Mr and Mrs G T Ward, licensees of the Kings Head Hotel, Northam, decided there was only one way to settle the friendly rivalry between their customers and the Hotel staged its first annual show on Friday.

Highlight of the show was a magnificent display of chrysanthemums while the pears exhibited by Mrs A A Smalley, of Instow, were described by Mr F G Pidler, Devon Horticultural adviser, who judged the show, as ‘the best and biggest pears I

Bank official's retirement

Mr Howard W Ellis, of 'Mill Lodge', Windmill Lane, Northam, for many years a member of the staff of Bideford branch of Lloyds Bank, and whose banking career included some year at the Helston branch, has recently retired.

In addition to golf his social interests have included horticulture, and he is a past president of Bideford and District Horticultural Society and a vice-presidnet of that society and of Northam Horticultural Society. He is also a past president of Bideford Grammar School Old Boys' Association and a former captain of Bideford Amateur Athletic Club of which he has

Women’s Inter-Service Rifle Competition - March 1968

2nd Lieutenant Judy Harman, 19 year old daughter of Northam’s sub-postmaster, Mr Alan Harman, is seen practising for the Women’s Inter-Service Rifle competition. Judy is based at Bordon, Hampshire and is Secretary of the Rifle Club.

Northam School - 10th March 1972

St Margaret's School

Winners of a new under 12 years old section of Northam urban district road safety quiz were St. Margaret's Scool, Notham, "A" team, seen here with the plaques they received to mark their success. Left to right - William Peacock, Kim Bernard, Carol Moorefield and Beverley Tutton.

Northam School Netball - 13th May 1977

These young pupils of St Margaret's School, Northam, have plenty to smile about.
Since the 11-year-olds formed a netball team last September they have played some 20 matches and they have won them all.
Their latest success came in Torridge District Schools football and netball rally at which they won the netball trophy with a 13-10 victory over East-the-Water School, Bideford in the final.
The team comprises: Lindsay Warmington, Alison Jarvis, Julie Chattey, Sandra Maxfield, Carolynne Moore, Suzanne Holder, Polly Hughes with Harriet Peacock and Cerys Parry as reserves.

Bid To Protect Memorial From Vandals - 13th January 1967

News that the flagstaff at Bonehill, Northam, is to be repaired was welcomed by Northam Urban Council.
The surveyor, Mr Clive Barber, reported that although £125 had been allowed in the estimates for such a repair, it would probably cost a good deal more. Mr A C Saunders hoped that not only the flagstaff but the whole memorial would be restored.
Most of the seats had borne brass plates indicating that they had been placed there to commemorate the golden jubilee in 1887 of Queen Victoria but several of them

Holder of the Black Belt for judo, and PT instructor of junior leaders at Dover, L/Cpl Edwin John Davies, of Northam, married at High Street Methodist Church, Bideford, Miss Pauline Susan Lane, of Bideford.

The bridegroom is the only son of Mr and Mrs E Davies of Littlecote, North Street, and the bride, who was employed in the office of Heard Brothers, Bideford, is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs H Lane, 19 North Road. The minister Rev J O Clutterbuck officiated. She was attended by her cousins, the Misses Beverley Turley and Jayne Denton, and as page, by

Marriage of Hyne and Hook

Marriage of Miss Valerie Ann Hyne, daughter of Mrs F Hyne of Northam was married to Mr Charles Richard Hook son of Mr and Mrs Charles Hook of Camberwell. Bridesmaid was Miss Gaylies Kelsall. The Vicar was Rev E B Bridger. Given away by her uncle Mr Reginald Hyne. Best Man was Mr Colin Powell

Northam Children Interview Berni Flint 1978

St. Margaret's school children interview Berni Flint for BBC radio programme while he was appearing at Kingsley Leisure at Westward Ho! Interviewees included Steven Lockyer of Appledore, Lewis Andrews of Northam, Gary Clarke of Westward Ho!,David Harris of Northam. Also Mandy Colwill, Hayley Holman, Susanna McKenna, Sacha Hall, and Lesley Cook.

Northam Bride

On Saturday at St Margaret’s Church, Northam, the wedding took place of Mr Donald Reginald Ellis and Miss Ann Staddon. The Vicar, Rev J M Lucas, officiated and Mr F J Hutchings being at the organ.
The bride was given in marriage by Mr Norman Hurford, her godfather, home for the occasion from Sydney, Australia. Bridesmaids were Misses Sheila Ellis and Wendy Sanders. Mr Martin Cooke as best man.
A reception was held at Northam Church Hall.

At Northam’s 1914-18 war memorial on Sunday afternoon an additional stone plaque in memory of those from the ecclesiastical parish of Northam who gave their lives in the 1939-45 war was unveiled by the Chairman of Northam Urban District Council, Mr H Ford, in the presence of men and women of the local branch of the British Legion, members of Northam Council and other parishioners.

It was a ceremony impressive in its reverent homage and simplicity against a symbolic setting of autumnal winds and rain, and leaves falling from the trees.
The British Legion, with their standards, marched down from

Mrs Mary Branch, who will be 90 in January, and is a resident at Fairlea home for the elderly at Northam won a colour TV set with a ticket she bought in a draw made at North Devon Liberal Association fete at Barnstaple.

Next day Mr Jeremy Thorpe, MP for North Devon and Liberal leader, presented the set to her at the home and in his capacity as chairman of the National Benevolent Fund for the Aged announced that he would personally arrange for the Fund to cover the cost of installing the special aerial required, and also the annual

Record request .... and their golden secret was out. A top ‘pop’ record ended a Northam couple’s thoughts of keeping their golden wedding a secret.

The record ‘Have I the right?’ a No. 1 hit by the Honeycombs group, was played on a Saturday morning request programme.
It had been requested by 16 year old Jean Maudling for her grandparents, Mr and Mr Arthur Pacey, 8 Bay View Road, Northam, who celebrated 50 years of married life on Monday week.
Commented a happy Mrs Pacey, aged 75: “We thought we would keep it quiet and not tell anyone, but Jean, bless her,

Memories of the old windmill at Northam

Memories of the old windmill which once stood off the road between Northam and Appledore, have been revived in the minds of older residents in the Northam district by the recent demolition of Chanter's Folly.

In 1922, the late Mr G H Cork of Watertown Farm, Appledore, on whose land the mill stood, contracted with Mr Jim Beer, of Appledore, for the tower to be taken down.  Mr George Cawsey had owned the field when an attempt had been made to blow up the tower and a portion had landed on the roof

Northam loses thatched cottage landmark 24th October 1958

A pile of rubble, about nine van loads of straw and some scrap iron are now all that remain of what was Northam Square's only thatched cottage.

Miss Muriel Moulton, owner stated that "we believe that it was one of the oldest cottages in the district."

The cottage was the home of Miss Moulton, her sister and aunt, until three years ago when the aunt died.  A new cottage will be erected on the site and when it is completed Mr K Moulton, will move in with his family.

Coronation year medallion added to Northam Chain 22.01.1954

To commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II a medallion to add to the chain of office worn by its Chairman, Mr John Heywood, was presented to Northam Urban District Council.  The presentation was made by Mrs M W Dark, chairman of the ladies' section of the committee.

Commending the gesture of the Northam Coronation Committee, Mr G W G Hutchings said they were following in the steps of the Northam and Westward Ho! Chamber of Commerce who had presented the original ribbon and medallion to the Council many years ago.

People

Northam's Main Street in 1870 11.01.1929

What changes nearly 60 years have wrought.  We are indebted to Mr Philip Andrews, of Northam, for this old photograph taken in 1875.

The house with the high chimney is the site of the present National Provincial Bank.  On the left of the picture stands Mr Tom Kelly, Miss Emma Williams, Mrs Susan Williams standing outside the old Kingsley Hotel.

The little shop below was a grocery business and was kept by Mr Abraham Barrett, father of Mr W S M Barrett.  Proprietor of KIng's Head is Mr John Penhorwood.  The man in the

Council buy farm for £25,750

Burrough Farm, Northam, was acquired yesterday by Northam Urban Council for £25,750. The farm comprising a five-bedroomed house, farm buildings and 64 acres stretching down to the river Torridge, was sold at a public auction at Tanton's Hotel, Bideford. Before it was put up for auction, the farm had been offered to the Council by one of its members, the owner, Mr C C Diwell, for a figure believed to be around the £20,000 mark. The auction was conducted by John Lewington and Company. Bidding began at £15,000. The final figure was £150 more than

Northam Methodists' Celebration Day 18th April 1957

Proposals first conceived nearly 20 years ago became reality at Northam Methodist Church when two vestries - one for use by the Minister and the other for use as a committee room were officially opened.

The opening ceremony was performed by Mrs L Heywood, of Bradford, who was introduced by the Minister of Northam Church (Rev C F Burdon Hunter) to the crowded congregation.  A solid silver key, which she will keep as a memento of the occasion, was handed to Mrs Heywood to unlock the vestries by the builder, Mr Cyril Cox, of

A Northam landmark. Victim of progress 28th July 1936

Probably dating back to the seventeenth century, when men of Northam joined with those of Bideford in making the North Devon port one of the most important in the kingdom.

Northam's old Vestry Room, a prominent structure, with its familiar flight of external stairs, has had to yield in the name of progress.  Workmen were engaged in removing the old flight of steps and putting in a new window with certain other alterations to the accommodation.  Mrs Prosser, of Westward Ho! the owner of the property, has stated that other than

Celebrating her 95th birthday on Sunday was Miss C M Davis, former sub postmistress of Northam.

Although her health does now permit her to venture beyond her home, The Cairns, Windmill Lane, Miss Davis continues her alert interest in local affairs. Five years ago she published a history of her native Northam.

In a letter to Bideford magistrates on Tuesday a 21 year olf Northam shipwright, Robert Sydney Stevens, of 6 Honey Street, asked why Princess Anne was let off with a caution for speeding instead of receiving the punishment he would probably receive.

'We may not be high-class or Royal Family, but that does not mean that she should not receive the same punishment as I and other citizens will probably get' he added.
The magistrate did not answer his question, but fined him £20 and endorsed his licence for exceeding the speed limit at Instow on his motorcycle.

Objectors may fight on ‘over a principle’

Although Durrant House Hotel at Northam has been refused permission to develop, people living in the locality who opposed the scheme to extend it are still to meet Mr Peter Mills, MP, today to discuss the matter.
Mr Peter Fletcher, who led the opposition, told the Gazette that the main point to be considered was the principle involved. ‘Many of us’, he said ‘are not happy, and we are going to try to press this matter that people can be affected by a planning decision and have no right to demand an inquiry.’

It is being recommended to Northam Urban Council Finance Committee that provision be made in the forthcoming estimates for additional seats in the Square as a memorial to the Rev Alfred Green, a long serving member and former chairman of the council.

It is also recommended that £3,000 should be allocated to widen North East Street.
Gazette article dated 2 February 1973

A tablecloth, measuring four and a half feet square, containing 156 signatures, is shortly to be sent to Melanesia, a group of Pacific islands north-east of Australia.

Responsible for this unusual gift is Miss Margaret Pollock, of Tor View, Lakenham, Northam. She thought of the idea about nine months ago and since then she has visited the majority of parish church members and her personal friends, who in turn inscribed their signatures on the tablecloth under the heading ‘Passenger list’. The signatures were then expertly embroidered by Miss Pollock, who is secretary of the Northam branch of the society.
Also

Service In Borneo - Meets fellow officer from Northam in Singapore

A 27 year old RAF officer from Northam, Flight-Lieut Peter Sands, has recently been serving with the British Far East Forces engaged fighting rebel troops in Borneo. 

Last week Flight-Lieut Sands, son of Mr and Mrs Reginald Sands, of Restharrow, Higher Clevelands, Northam, returned to Singapore where he was posted in Traffic Control 18 months ago, and where he was accompanied by his wife, When he returned from Brunei he found he was living in the same block of flats Flight-Lieut Henry Hopkins, son of Mr and Mrs Hopkins, 9

A 21 year old Northam girl, Miss Annie Glover, vowed that she would never marry anyone younger than herself. ‘Of course you won’t’ her ’21 year old’ boyfriend, Mr Ernest E Copp, a mason, assured her.

They were married within a short while, but Miss Glover did not realise until she signed the register at Northam Parish Church, on her wedding day, that her husband was, in fact, only 19. This happened 50 years ago ‘but I forgave him long ago’ Mrs Annie Copp, now aged 71, of 3 East View, Meddon Street, Bideford, told a Bideford Gazette reporter.
Bideford

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 had a 166-vote victory in Thursday week’s election over a fellow employee of Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd, Mr Philip Bale Waters.
Mr Need is the youngest member of Northam Burrows Committee and of the committee of Northam Residents’ Association. He is also a member of Appledore Preservation and Conservation Society. A joiner, he is social organiser of

Northam

At the King's Head, Northam, on Monday afternoon, Mr A W Cock FAI, sold by auction the dwelling house and garden, cottage and store at the corner of Lennard's Road, as advertised.

Mr W Heaman became the purchaser at £242. Messrs Bazeley, Barnes and Bazeley were the solicitors for the vendor. 

Gazette article dated 4 May 1918

Gazette article published 7 February 1959

He drove 40,000 miles a year covering the South-West and had held a clean driving licence for 30 years and it was galling to be summoned for an offence at home, wrote Richard Colin Walters, of Glengarth, Durrant Lane, Northam when he pleaded ‘guilty’ by letter at Bideford Magistrates Court last week to parking a car on the highway without lights in Bideford on January 4th.
The Bench imposed a fine of £2.

The foundation stone of Northam’s new junior school, the starting date of which was brought forward to be included in the 1967/68 building programme following pressure about conditions at the existing school, was laid on Tuesday by Mr George Northcott, chairman of the Northam Urban Council, who was a pupil at Northam school over 60 years ago.

To be known as St Margaret’s and sited in Seaview Road, the new school is expected to be ready by next summer.
The new school will be an educational show piece when completed – “We are thrilled with it” said the headmaster, Mr George

Members of the indoor and outdoor staffs of Northam Urban Council have presented a gold travelling clock and premium bonds to Mr Michael Glover as joint farewell gifts.

Mr Glover, who has been employed in the surveyor’s department for the past 16 years, leaves at the end of this week and towards the end of the month will join the staff of the East Devon Water Board at Honiton as an accountancy assistant.
The gifts were handed to him by the Surveyor, Mr Howard Bishop, coupled with his good wishes for the future. Other speakers included Mr Reg Harris and

Mr Eric Withecombe, of Bone Hill Farm, Northam, and his prize winning Ayrshire which won the Fulford Challenge Cup for the best exhibit in the dairy cattle section at Instow Show on Saturday.

The trophy is being handed over by Mrs Gamble, wife of the President of the Show, Lieut-Col H Gamble.
Gazette article dated 10 August 1951

Brambleberry, Limers Lane, Northam, a 12 year old four bedroomed detached bungalow, was sold for £19,500 at an auction conducted by Messrs John C Webber and Son. It was bought by Mr H Marsh of Harrow.

Bidding for the bungalow, described as having delightful gardens overlooking the Torridge estuary, began at £15,000. The vendor was Miss J E Fulford.
Gazette article dated 12 May 1972

Baby Show

Nearly forty babies from a wide district around, their ages ranging from two month to two years eleven months, were entered in the baby show staged at Diddywell, Northam, by the Home Work Committee of Northam Parochial Church Council in aid of Church funds on Wednesday.
Miss C F M Spring had kindly placed the lovely grounds of Diddywell at the disposal of the Committee for the event and judging proceeded on the lawn until rain forced a retreat to the house.
The babies which came from Northam, Appledore, Westward Ho!, Bideford, Instow, Muddiford and from even as

Two Shetland ponies who are the pets of two Northam children may have to be given away if grazing cannot be found for them.

At the moment Muppet, a seven year old mare which stands 34 inches high, and Rupert, one year younger and eight inches shorter, graze in a field at Northam.

But the land is now needed for development purposes and so far attempts to find alternative local grazing have not been successful.

The ponies belong to Dominic, aged give, and his sister, Alexandra, aged four, the children of Mr and Mrs McKerchar, who live at 24 Fore

Mink farming at Northam 24th August 1956

One of the lesser-known but none the less interesting enterprises in the district is a mink farm tucked away in a field just off Northam Burrows.

The farm has been built up by Mr W J Pearce of Church Park, Fairy Cross, and Mr J Pitschmann (Jimmy), an ex German P.O.W. who has settled down happily in England and whose wife was formerly Miss Norah Bishop, of Northam, where they now live at 2 Tower Street.

Lenwood goes ahead - 1976

EMBARGO REPORT SOUGHT

£400,000 LENWOOD PLAN GOES AHEAD

Yesterday work started on connecting a £4000,000 holiday bungalow development at Lenwood Country Club, Northam, with the mains drainage system. Mr Harry Capper, site agent for the developers, J and R Rooff Ltd, of West Ham, who are replacing 17 former Service huts with 59 fully furnished bungalows told the Gazette "Obviously we have got the necessary permissions otherwise we would not be able to do the work." At Torridge District Council's Planning Sub-committee this week, Cllr Lieut Cdr Michael Sumner siad that to allow Lenwood to connect