Bideford Syndicate of Four Wins £10,637 on Pool

Old girl of Edgehill College

3 January 1964

Peals of bells

1 March 1963

A competition winner

2 February 1968

No colour TV reception

5 January 1968

Message from a newspaper

14 February 1969

Mr Fred Piper

24 January 1969

And a bonny mother

18 August 1972

Six Devon people recognised

October 1973

Still gets nervous

March 1975

Sailed to Australia

April 1975

Honeymoon in London

October 1933

South Coast honeymoon

October 1933

To live in Margate

October 1933

Celebration

16 May 1969

Announced in the Gazette

March 1943

Announced in the Gazette

February 1943

Announced in the Gazette

19 May 1942

Bert uses a van

9 January 1959

Announced in the Gazette

10 November 1942

Announced in the Gazette

8 September 1942

Old girl of Edgehill College
3 January 1964

Miss Anne Hopper,

only daughter of Mr and Mrs W A Hopper, of Hammetts, Woolsery, left for Toronto, Canada, just after Christmas, to join her brother (who has an appointment with Toronto Dominion Bank) and to seek a job as a dental nurse and receptionist.

Her brother, Richard, who was formerly with Bideford branch of Lloyds Bank Ltd emigrated three years ago. About two years ago he experienced a bank hold-up in course of which three customers were shot, one fatally. He promptly flung himself on the alarm bell.

Miss Hopper, who has been employed by Bideford dentist, Mr J G Cross, was formerly with Bideford branch of the Midland Bank, and with the Gazette office.

An Old Girl of Edgehill College, 27 year old Miss Hopper told the Gazette she had been thinking of emigrating for some time, especially since her brother had gone to Toronto.

Gazette article dated 3 January 1964

Mr B P Hopkins and Miss J A Braund

Peals on the bells of St Mary’s Church, Bideford, where they had just been married, on Saturday greeted an Old Boy of Bideford Grammar School, Mr Brian Philip Hopkins, B.Sc, and his bride, Miss Juliet Anne Braund, SRN, an Old Girl of the Stella Maris Convent School.

The bridegroom, elder son of Mrs M Hopkins and the late Mr P H Hopkins, 52 Royston Road, Bideford, obtained his B.Sc in agriculture at Reading University and is now a consulting officer with the Milk Marketing Board in Hampshire where the couple are to make their home.

Only daughter of Mr and Mrs W Braund, ‘St Davids’, New Road, Bideford, the bride trained and obtained her State registration as a nurse at the Torbay Hospital, Torquay. She has recently been a staff nurse on the children’s ward at Bideford Hospital.

The Rector, Rev T Derwent Davies, officiated at the service. The chief bridesmaid was Miss Ann Dolton, the younger was Miss Patricia Law. The page was Ian Withecombe. Mr Norman

...

A Bideford plumber and electrician,

Mr W Grant, and his wife, photographed at a presentation dinner in London at which it was announced that Mr Grant was one of the 10 winners of an eight-day holiday by jet to Majorca in a competition sponsored by Nibco Ltd to promote their new all-copper range of capillary fittings.

Mr and Mrs Grant live at St Heliers, Meddon Street, Bideford.

None of the prizewinnes knew exactly which prize they had won until they were called on to the stage by the compere.

Gazette dated February 2, 1968

An entry 'on the spur of the moment'

in a competition with colour TV sets as prizes, sponsored by Marley Tile Co. Ltd. won for Mr and Mrs Eric Giddy a £279 cheque as one of the 10 principal winners in the country.

The Giddys took the cash option instead of the set as this area is not yet in the normal reception area for colour TV.

Presenting Mr Giddy with the cheque is Mr J B Hodgson, assistant sales manager, of the Marley retail division. On the right is Miss P Gammon, director of Rawle, Gammon and Baker Ltd. retail agents, in whose premises in Kingsley Road, Bideford, the presentation took place.

Gazette dated 5 January 1968

Mrs Annie McCubbine

“From one centenarian to another” read a telegram sent to Mrs Annie McCubbine, of Northam, last week when she celebrated her 100th birthday.

The telegram was from Mrs McCubbine’s home town newspaper The Croydon Advertiser which is also celebrating its centenary. Sitting in an armchair, as alert and witty as a woman years her junior, Mrs McCubbine chatted to a Bideford Gazette reporter and proudly displayed other telegrams from the Queen, Gracie Fields and Mr Richard Crossman, Secretary of State for Social Security. Congratulations also came from singer Cilla Black during her TV show last week. Earlier the same day the chairman of Northam Council, Mr George Northcott, and his wife paid a visit, bringing the congratulations and good wishes of the Urban District.

To celebrate her birthday Mrs McCubbine as entertained to dinner by 15 of her family at Yeoldon Hotel, Northam, where another present awaited her from Mr and Mrs Mansell of Yeolden. It was the first 100th

...

In the 30 years that he was employed at the Torridge Vale factory (now Unigate)

at Torrington, Mr Fred Piper drove lorries a million miles – more than twice the distance to the moon and back – and never had an accident. During that time, said Mr Allin Stacey, the factory manager, at a ceremony at which safe-driving awards were presented to the firm’s drivers, Mr Piper had carried eight million gallons of milk, mostly on the Hartland run. And to do it he had used only six wagons.

Mr Piper, who has now retired, and Mr William Harris, were both presented by Police Inspector C J Edwards with stars to add to their 20-year safe-driving brooches.

Awards were presented to: W Harris, F Piper, W Hearn, J Sheppard, K Smale, S Parker, A Ayre, K Gibbs, S Short, G Elston, R Parker, E Underhill, J Davies, E Lewis, E Cockwill, T Parkyn, A Braunton, W Clarke, I Goodman, C Johns, T Slade, O Stacey, H Harris, L Harris, A Hutchings, K Jury.

Diplomas were issued to: K Harrild, A Davey, B Couch, A Baker,

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The hair of the dog

Pub patrons the world over know the old saying about how helpful the hair of the dog can be – and at the Royal Mail Inn, Bridge Street, Bideford, they do not have to go far to find one.

Mr and Mrs Terry Sleigh, the licensees, boast not one dog, but three – and all St. Bernards. Not long ago there were even more for Shasta, a three-year-old weighing in at over 11 stone, produced 11 puppies. Unfortunately only five survived, and homes have now been found for three of them. One of the remainder, named Bass, is to stay, but a home is being sought for the other.

Shasta costs between £1 to £1.50 a week to keep. She is named after a mountain in northern California – what more appropriate name for a mountain of a dog!

Gazette article 18 August 1972

Six awards for bravery were announced this week

The George Medal has been awarded to Police Constable Bernard Aust, whose parents live at Clovelly, for the heroism he displayed in Australia in grappling with an armed terrorist, and the Queen’s Commendation has gone to three North Devon policemen who confronted a man armed with a double barrelled shotgun in a Bideford street earlier this year.

The three are Chief Superintendent Reginal Goldsworthy, of Barnstaple; Detective Constable Leslie Thornton, of Fordlands Crescent, Raleigh, Bideford; and PC Michael Kivell, of Northview Avenue, Bideford.

The Queen’s Commendation has also been awarded to Mr John Bowden, a shipwright employed by Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd, for his brave conduct at the shipyard in August 1972 after fire broke out in a compartment of a ship under construction.

And the action of a Northam woman - Mrs Shirley Griffey- in jumping fully clothed into a swirling, angry Dartmoor river swollen many times its normal

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…. and still going strong

Sixty years ago the name of Albert Kingdom first appeared on a list of local preachers. Today, at 88, he is still active in the Bideford circuit to which he moved from the Tiverton circuit in 1919. Even so, after all these years, “I’m always nervous when I’m preaching” he confesses. With a twinkle that is never far from his eyes he adds “Sometimes I think that is for the better.”

He averages three or four preaching appointments a quarter.

Mr Kingdom began local preaching during the First World War when country districts in particular were experiencing a shortage. He and two other men went around together taking services before, at a Bible Christian circuit meeting held at Petton Farm, near Bampton, they were formally received ‘on the plan’.

Singing has always given him great pleasure and for 55 years now he has sung in the choir of Bideford (High Street) Methodist Church. He also helped the Sunday School and choir of Bethel Free Church, East-the-Water, over...

Mrs Annie Thomas, 95, of East-the-Water has just had the thrill of her long life

She has met the son to whom she last waved goodbye when, as a boy of 15, he sailed for Australia. That was 47 years ago.

The son, Harry, has also met sisters and a brother who only vaguely remember him. They include Mrs Dorothy Streater, of Karen Close, with whom Mrs Thomas makes her home, and Mrs Kathleen Harris, of Dolton.

Mr Thomas left England under an emigration scheme run by the Boy Scout movement in order to go farming in Australia. He was to serve in the Army for six years during World War II, but was never able to reach his family. The war over, he returned to Australia to work on the railways.

He was never really alone ‘down under’ for another sister had emigrated about the same time. She returned to this country on a visit 27 years ago and is now here again. Mrs Thomas, who is looking forward to seeing her again, has lived in Bideford for two years after moving here from St Blazey.

Mr Thomas will...

Leslie Kent-Smith and Dorothy Turner

A wedding of considerable North Devon interest took place at Abbotsham Church on Wednesday, between Mr Leslie William Kent-Smith, elder son of Mr and Mrs T W Smith, East Down, Barnstaple, and Miss Dorothy Madge Turner, second daughter of Mr and Mrs C T Turner, Pillmouth, Bideford. The Vicar of Abbotsham, the Rev E A Du Cane, officiated.

The bride, who was given away by her father, was daintily dressed in parchment stain, trimmed with orange blossom, and she wore a Brussels net lace veil, lent by Mrs H Oliver, with train of same, and carried a bouquet of Harissi lilies, and lilies of the valley and fern.

She was escorted by two bridesmaids, Miss Sylvia Turner and Miss Nancy Ridler. The best man was Mr R G Parminter and the ushers were Mr Harry Cock and Mr Wallace Turner.

The Church was crowded and over 60 guests were afterwards received at Pillmouth, the home of the bride. The bride gave the bridegroom a wireless set and the bridegroom gave the...

Evans-Tuplin, at Northam

The wedding of Miss Phyllis Elsa Tuplin, only daughter of Mr and Mrs E J Tuplin, of Eastbourne Lodge, Westward Ho! and Mr Cyril John Evans, only son of Mr and Mrs John Evans, of 27 Monk Street, Abergavenny, took place at Northam Parish Church, the Rev P D Fox, MA, officiating on Saturday, October 7th.

Special interest was attached to the ceremony, the bridegroom, who is a member of the Totnes staff of Lloyds Bank, having formerly served with the Bideford Branch and been prominent in sporting circles in Bideford and district. He played regularly for the Bideford Rugby Club and was the founder-secretary of the successfully resuscitated Bideford Cricket Club. The bride has many friends in Bideford, Northam and Westward Ho! and there was a large attendance at the wedding.

Miss Tuplin, who was given away by her father, looked very charming in a dress of Wong chiffon velvet ankle-length with train, heavily trimmed with white fur, with which she wore a small toque of

...

Hildyard Marris-Bushell

Seldom has the village of Clovelly been so gay and the parishioners so keenly interested and stirred with excitement as was the case on Tuesday last, the occasion of the marriage of Miss Ida Marie Bushell, the popular and only daughter of Mr and Mrs A E Bushell, proprietors of the New Inn Hotel, and Mr Edward Hildyard Marris, only son of Mr and Mrs Hildyard Marris, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

The High Street and the vicinity of the New Inn Hotel were gaily decorated with flags and bunting and presented quite a gala appearance. As an indication of the good wishes of the warm-hearted Clovelly folk, a huge silver horseshoe and two black cats were suspended in front of the hotel entrance.

The wedding ceremony took place at All Saints’ Church in the presence of an unusually large and smart congregation of relatives and friends. The officiating clergy were the Rector of Clovelly, Rev P J Somers Cocks, and the Rev Hugh C A S Muller, Vicar of Appledore.

The bride, who

...

When an invitation to dinner

from the 'Five and Fifty Club' dropped through the ltter box of their Bideford home, Mr and Mrs Albert Bedler were puzzled.

And to were those friends to whom they showed it. No one had every heard of the Club. But Mr and Mrs Bedler of Sentry Corner accepted and on Friday arrived at a Westward Ho! restaurant. The riddle was solved. Awaiting them were 36 members of their family. They had organised the party to celebrate Mr and Mrs Bedler's 55th wedding anniversary.

Gazette article dated 16 May 1969

Cause for celebration

Births – to Driver L J and Mrs Bryant, a daughter; at 5 Montague Place, to Lillian (nee Raymond), wife of Trooper A V Clarke (Middle East), Eleanor Shirley; to Gwenyth (nee Jeffery), wife of R E Reed, a son; at 30 Cross Street, Northam, to Mr and Mrs E Rutherford (nee Moyse), a daughter Judith Anne; to Mr and Mrs K J Stanbury, a son; to Mr and Mrs J T Harris, of Warmington, a daughter, a sister for the boys, Margaret Ann; at 45 Irsha Street, Appledore, to Margaret (nee Cann), wife of Bdr S W Poole, RA, a son; at 13 Glendale Terrace, to Dorothy (nee Burton) wife of BQMS J E A Cornish, RA, a daughter, sister for Richard and Diana; to Jacqueline, wife of Corporal Donald H Evans, RAF, West African Forces, a daughter, Madeline; to Anne (nee Somerset), wife of Captain Andrew Payne Cook, RA, FNAF, a son, John Andrew; at 3 Silver Street, to Gwen, wife of LAC Shaxton, RAF, now serving in India, a son, Cyril Albert; to Margaret Drummond (nee Lee) wife of S T Vanson, a

...

February 1943

Births – to Gunner and Mrs R J Campbell, a son, Brian Guy; to Corpl and Mrs G Hadley, a son, Gerald Victor; to Clarice (nee Nicholls) wife of Pte Richard Hopper, a daughter, Sylvia Mary; to Betty (nee Newcombe), wife of Sergt E Lloyd, a son, Terence John; to Mr and Mrs S Bennett, a daughter, Marilyn Joyce; a daughter for Mr and Mrs Bond; a son to Private Richard and Sarah Goss; to Mary Joan (nee Blackall, wife of 2^nd Lieut. J G Allen, a daughter, Susan Joan; to Phylis (nee Griffiths), wife of LAC Hotchkiss, a son; to Corpl H Matthews and Mrs Matthews (nee Bettess) a daughter; a son to Mr and Mrs J Moore; to L/Bombr and Mrs L H Niblett (nee Margaret Pat Marsh), a son; a son, Colin Lewis, for Mr and Mrs R C Rendle (nee Marjorie Lewis); to Phyllis (nee Batten), wife of T Ayre, a daughter, Wendy; to L/Cpl and Mrs Beames, a son; to Mrs Clarke (nee Lucy Ross) and late Sgt-Pilot N G Clarke, a daughter, Wendy Patricia; to Bdr G M Durant and Mrs Durant, a son, Peter William; to...

19 May 1942

Blackmore – May 15th at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Mr and Mrs Howard Blackmore, Macauley Road, Clapham Common, SW4, a son (Richard Howard.
Dark – May 14th to Isabel (nee Rowbottom), wife of Mr W J Dark, The Stores, Bucks Cross, a daughter.
Gates – May 14th at Haeremai, Westward Ho! to Hilda (nee Tucker), wife of L/Bmdr R G Gates, a son.
Harris – May 10th at 11 Newquay, Appledore, to Mr and Mrs Gordon Harris (nee Phyllis Shute), a son.
Hughes – May 18th to Gwen, wife of Capt Hughes, RAMC, a daughter.
Lawrence – May 17th to Mr and Mrs J Lawrence, of Clifton Street, Bideford, a son.
Mathews – May 13th to Mr and Mrs E Mathews, of 20 Mill Street, Bideford, a son.
Scriggons – May 17th to Mr and Mrs F Scriggons, of Uphill, Avon Lane, Westward Ho! a son.
Warner – May 14th to Violet, wife of Henry Warner, Hawkley, Hants, a son.
Wheeler – May 10th at Kingscott, St Giles, to Mr and Mrs G Wheeler (nee Phyllis Hearn), a son.

Carter-Wade – May 13th at St Mary’s Parish

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Champion Bert takes the mike

National Champion Town Crier Bert Waldron “cheated” in Torrington on Saturday morning. He jumped into a loudspeaker van and toured the streets, ringing his bell and making his announcements using a microphone. But Bert was “found out” when a Gazette cameraman and reporter stopped the van in Well Street for this picture to be taken. He had, however, a good excuse for although he has the country’s champion voice after retaining the national Town Crier’s title at Hastings, the gale-force wind in Torrington on Saturday morning made his task of a clear announcement difficult.

So he rang and called over the microphone in Mr Tom Squire’s loudspeaker van.

Said Mr Squires, “The wind is extra strong to-day and as I had to make an announcement over the ‘speakers’ as well, we agreed that Bert could cry over them, too.” Said Bert, with a lough, “Yes, I’m doing a little bit of cheating, but I want the announcement of sound clearer in this strong wind.”

Gazette article dated

...

10 November 1942

Acford – October 29th at the Woodside Nursing Home, Plymouth, to Elsie, wife of W H Acford, a daughter.
Babb – November 9th at the Grenville Nursing Home, to Peggy, wife of Cyril Babb, Rose Terrace, Buckland Brewer, a son.
Butler – November 5th to Irene, wife of George Butler, a daughter.
Cann – November 5th to Joan, wife of George Cann, Cosy Café, Bideford, a son, Roger John.
Furtado – November 4th to Clare (nee Young), wife of Capt G S Furtado, RASC, a son, Adrian.
Hider – November 6th to Rose, wife of John Hider, a son.
Quance – November 3rd at the Kenwyn Nursing Home, Crediton, to Dorothy (nee Bowden) wife of Mark Quance, of Medland Lodge, Cheriton Bishop, a daughter.
Vardigans – November 3rd to Mr and Mrs Glendenning Vardigans, a son.

Wakeley-Matthews – November 12th 1892 at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, by the Rev Jenkins, Samuel James Wakeley to Mary Matthews both of Bideford. Present address, 28 Geneva Place, Bideford.

Ford-Inson – November 4th at St Barnock’s

...

8 September 1942

Bedford – August 31st 1942 at Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, to Joan (nee Bassett), wife of John Ryland Bedford, a son.
Cox – August 31st at 95 Bellevue Road, Edinburgh, to Glenyth (nee Grey) wife of Stanley R Cox, a son, Brian.
Macaree – September 3rd at 4 Kenwith Terrace, to Phyllis (nee Waldron), wife of Howard Macaree, a daughter.
Mills – September 3rd to Mr and Mrs R Mills, Northam, a daughter.
Slade - September 2nd at the Grenville Nursing Home, Bideford, to Mr and Mrs E A Slade (nee Alice Squires) of Colyton, Devon, a daughter, Ann Margaret.

Kelland-Gilder – September 7th at Holy Trinity Church, Landcross, by Rev G K Walton, Thomas George Kelland, sonof Mr and the late Mrs G T Kelland, of Summerhill, Littleham, to Mrs Margaret Gilder, daughter of Mr and the late Mrs W F Courtnell, of 71 Knighton Road, St Judes, Plymouth.

Larkworthy-Sutton – August 26th at St Mary’s Church, Thomas Burnard Larkworthy, son of Mr and Mrs B Larkworthy, of Mount Pleasant, Milton

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Half-a-Crown Each ‘Perm’ Stake

Suddenly it was a sunshine week, despite the dull weather, for Bideford syndicate of four, three of whom are booking clerks at Bideford railway station, as confirmation came that they share a total of £10,637 won on Sherman’s treble chance football pool.

Youngest of the four, Mr Peter Colwill, 3 Lenards Road, Northam, was told his good fortune as he travelled to Bideford by bus. He is a booking clerk as are two other members of the syndicate, Mr Herbert Parkhouse, 12 Chudleigh Avenue, and Mr Charlie Davis, 25 Barton Tors. The fourth member is Mr Charles Davis, senior, and owns the Beehive Café, Torrington Street.

Mr Colwill is single, lives with his parents and has two brothers. Mr Davis Jnr is married with two daughters. Both men are members of Bideford Rugby Club. Mr Parkhouse is married and has one married daughter. His wife is the daughter of Alderman J H Sharley. Born in Torrington, he has been in Bideford since his early twenties. He has been secretary of Bideford Amateur Rowing Club, and is at present secretary of a Friendly Society.

The full Gazette article is dated 4 December 1959

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PeopleA Selection of News Articles Related to People

Miss Anne Hopper,

Mr B P Hopkins and Miss J A Braund

A Bideford plumber and electrician,

An entry 'on the spur of the moment'

Mrs Annie McCubbine

In the 30 years that he was employed at the Torridge Vale factory (now Unigate)

The hair of the dog

Six awards for bravery were announced this week

…. and still going strong

Mrs Annie Thomas, 95, of East-the-Water has just had the thrill of her long life

Leslie Kent-Smith and Dorothy Turner

Evans-Tuplin, at Northam

Hildyard Marris-Bushell

When an invitation to dinner

Cause for celebration

February 1943

19 May 1942

Champion Bert takes the mike

10 November 1942

8 September 1942

Half-a-Crown Each ‘Perm’ Stake