Pidgeons's ProjectsA Selection of News Articles Related to Pidgeon's Projects

  • 1 Used by Max Factor

    Booklet produced by the Archive

  • 2 Saxon battles in North Devon

    Booklet produced by the Archive

  • 3 Within Northam's jurisdiction

    improve the lungs of Bideford

  • 4 Thomas Tedrake

    48 Mill Street

  • 5 Tithe Maps

  • 6 The Battle of the Somme 1916

  • 7 United Services Proprietary College 1874-1903

  • 8 Bridgeland Street, Bideford, Devon

  • 9 1918-2018

    Eliza Honey 'before her time'

  • 10 Bilbie Bells

    1770

  • 11 History of Bideford Grammar School

    17c-1930s

  • 12 World War 1

    1914-1918

  • 13 1914-1918

  • 14 7 Honestone Street

    by Malcolm Low

  • 15 1939-1945

  • 16 Chopes of Bideford

  • Used by Max Factor

    Booklet produced by the Archive

    The History of a Unique Local Industry

    Until its closure in 1969, Bideford Black, as it is most generally known, was a mining and manufacturing industry unique to North Devon and possibly in the world; utilising a local mineral deposit, a range of black colouring pigments was produced for use in such widely diversified end-uses as paints, paper, cement, rubber reinforcing and even cosmetics. The mineral in question was related to anthracite, known in Devon as culm, a form of coal which for centuries had been mined as a fuel. Most of the literature on the subject refers to this

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  • Saxon battles in North Devon

    Booklet produced by the Archive

    Introduction

    Northam lies in a quiet corner of the North Devon coast occupying a vantage point overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Taw and Torridge and protected from the wild Atlantic by Bideford Bay.

    Northam's neighbour Appledore originally known as Tawmutha in Old English, provides beach front anchorages suitable for shallow draught vessels to be hauled out of the channel.

    Can this little known village of Northam together with its neighbour, Appledore, have been pivotal in two battles: one securing the rebuilding of the power of Wessex and one signifying its end? 

    The two battles are firstly the defeat of

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  • Within Northam's jurisdiction

    improve the lungs of Bideford

    Commerating a Golden Jubilee

    Bideford's Park is a favourite spot for Bidefordians who are pleased to hear that visitors admire it. The flower beds are invariably a mass of bloom throughout the spring, summer and autumn season at at once catch the eye. But read on to find out how the Park came into existence.

    Victoria Park flowers  

    In September 1886 at a meeting of Bideford Town Council, the "first business was to receive the report of the Committee respecting the suggested purchase of the marshes adjoining the Pill. The report was to the effect that the Committee were of opinion that

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  • Thomas Tedrake

    48 Mill Street

    Thomas Tedrake

    Thomas Tedrake Bideford1

    Forty-eight Mill Street, Bideford, was home to Thomas Tedrake from 1863 to about 1908, as well as being his newspaper office with printing press. His wife also ran a shop there.
    He was a man with many interests: he opened a photographic studio in Bideford and also published a guidebook to the area as well as running his own newspaper for many years. He was active on the Town Council for decades and, if he needed a hobby, it must have been issuing and receiving court summons' of which there were many!

    Tedrake's original photographic business was started

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  • Tithe Maps

    And What it Can Tell Us

    The 1838 Tithe map and Tithe Apportionment Book for Northam, Appledore & Westward Ho!

    When researching family, property and community history we often turn to maps to show how things were. Early in the nineteenth century a series of maps covering the whole of England and Wales were produced and they can be used to find out who owned the land, who occupied it, what it was used for the size of the field and the rent payable. These maps were the Tithe Commutation Maps.

    What were Tithes?

    Tithes were a tax which had

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  • The Battle of the Somme 1916

    The Battle of the Somme – 1 July–18 November 1916

    At the outbreak of the First World War, the Devonshire Regiment had 6 battalions - 2 regular; 1 Special Reserve, and 3 Territorials. Combining with 2 Devon Yeomanry regiments, they eventually formed 24 battalions, and 1 single company. Ten battalions of the Devon Regiment fought on a number of fronts – North Russia, Italy, Egypt, Macedonia, Palestine, Salonika, Mesopotamia, Belgium and France. Records detail that more than 6,000 Regular and Territorial men were killed and approximately 18,000 injured. The Devonshire Regiment won sixty new battle honours, 2 Victoria Crosses and over 1,250 other

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  • United Services Proprietary College 1874-1903

    Westward Ho!

    Kipling Terrace

    The Foundation of the United Services College

    The founding of the United Services Proprietary College Limited, at Westward Ho! was a reflection on the strains and stresses of Victorian society of the time. Army officers were considered to be members of the upper crust yet their salaries did not stretch far enough to allow them to send their sons to the ‘Great’ Public Schools, unless of course, they possessed a private income to supplement their army pay. 

    The need for a school, where the sons of officers in both the forces could be given a thorough education at

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  • Bridgeland Street, Bideford, Devon

    Bridgeland Street is in the town of Bideford, measuring approximately 201 metres long

    There is only one street named Bridgeland Street making it unique in Great Britain.

    The following information is from Bideford Bridge Trust – its reports on the condition of the several properties in the street …. At a monthly meeting of the Trustees held in the Bridge Hall on June 25 1890.

    1 Bridgeland St

    1 Bridgeland Street

    Known as Garcignes Court in Lease Book, for many years used as the Custom House.

    Present leaseholders and occupier Mr T(Thomas) Martin on a lease for 99 years absolute granted February 4th 1888 at a

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  • 1918-2018

    Eliza Honey 'before her time'

    Why did women need the vote? Fight for emancipation

    1856 – Eliza Honey, a widow aged 25 and with a 5-month old baby, took on the running of ‘The Bideford Weekly Gazette and Devon and Cornwall Advertiser’.

    1859 – 1st female doctor is registered

    When parliamentary reform was being debated in 1867, John Stuart Mill proposed an amendment that would have given the vote to women on the same terms as men but it was rejected by 194 votes to 73.

    1869 – women who pay property tax can vote in some elections
    1878 – London University allows women to graduate
    1881/82 – Married women

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  • Bilbie Bells

    1770

    Early days

    We believe that Northam Church had bells as early as the first half of the 16th century.

    In 1549 most of the bells in Devon and Cornwall were dismantled as a punishment after the Prayer Book Rebellion. However the bells were not taken away as a 1553 inventory lists four bells in the tower, probably without their clappers. West Country bells were allowed to ring again from 1553 when Mary became Queen.

    In 1562 an account was rendered “for the casting of our two bells”. It would seem that no attempt was made to rehang the original four bells

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  • History of Bideford Grammar School

    17c-1930s

    A HISTORY OF BIDEFORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL
    BY

    MORRIS MARPLES
    M.A.(OXON.), F.R.G.S.
    Headmaster of Bideford Grammar School 1931-37

    WARREN AND SON LIMITED
    THE WYKEHAM PRESS, WINCHESTER
    1937
    MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
    BY WARREN AND SON LIMITED
    HIGH STREET, WINCHESTER

    PREFACE

    THIS small volume is the outcome of five and a half years during which much of my thought and energy was devoted to the Bideford Grammar School of to-day. Inevitably I became curious about the Bideford Grammar School of yesterday; and yet it was very difficult to find out anything about the past. The standard histories of the town

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  • World War 1

    1914-1918

    World War 1:

    The Bideford & District Community Archive Centenary display will be at the following locations:

    FULL DISPLAY:
    St Margaret’s Church, Northam : Friday 26th October – Wednesday 7th November

    PART DISPLAY:
    Church, Westward Ho! : Wednesday 7th November – Sunday 11th November

    If you are unable to see the exhibition at either of these locations you are welcome to visit the Archive offices in Windmill Lane. Our opening times are: Monday – Wednesday; 9.30 am – 1.00pm

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    When thinking about, and planning for, the centenary exhibition I felt it needed to be approaching events by starting from the stories in our local paper, the

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  • 1914-1918

    Announcements in the Gazette of those who received commissions, were wounded or died, missing in action, and received medals

    If you would like a copy of the article, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    ABBOTT R. C. PTE; ADAMS THOMAS PTE R.N.D.H; ADAMS T PTE; ADAMS T. H. PTE DEVON REGIMENT; AERTON GERALD B. 1ST/6TH DEVON REGIMENT; ALEXANDER ALEC FORTESCUE; ALLIN HAROLD CORP LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS; ALLIN ARTHUR PTE; ALLIN WILLIAM PTE; ALLIN HAROLD 2ND LIEUT LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS; ALLIN A.R. LANC CORP; ANDREW HARRY WILTSHIRE REGIMENT; ARDEN-BOTT JOHN CAPTAIN ROYAL FUSILIERS; ARNOLD WILLIAM DRUMMER; ARNOLD W PTE 1ST/6TH DEVON REGIMENT; ARNOLD HERBERT PTE; ARTHUR E. PTE;  
    ARTHUR E. PTE DEVON REGIMENT; ARTHURS E PTE DEVON REGIMENT; ARTHURS E. DEVON REGIMENT; ASH RICHARD WORCESTER

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  • 7 Honestone Street

    by Malcolm Low

    The house where he lived

    by Malcolm Low

    7 Honestone Street

    Memories if a little clouded with time came flooding back as I walked up Honestone Street in Bideford where I grew up with my younger brother Gordon. The names and places mentioned in the following are from a memory which is fading. I apologise if I am incorrect in some instances, obviously there are other contemporaries and acquaintances from the dim and distant passed who are now practically forgotten by name, perhaps someone somewhere will help me to remember.

    Number 7 Honestone Street with Osborns Models shop. My memories of living here

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  • 1939-1945

    Announcements in the Gazette of those who received commissions, were wounded or died, missing in action, funeral reports or received medals

    If you would like a copy of the article, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    ADAMS LINFORD H. FLIGHT SERGT
    ADAMS HERBERT FLIGHT SERGT
    ALEXANDER ARTHUR GRENVILLE STOKER
    ALLEN A. G. SERGT
    AMBROSE HARRY FRANCIS LANC CORP
    ANDERSON DAVIS ANGUS SERGT
    ANSELL MICHAEL LIEUT COL
    ASH F. J. GUNNER
    ASH F. J. DRIVER
    ASHPLANT WILLIAM LEONARD SERGT OBS.
    ASHPLANT JACK D CORP
    ASHPLANT J. D. CORP
    BACKWAY WILLIAM SYDNEY SERGT GUNNER
    BACKWAY W. S. SERGT
    BACKWAY PERCY WILLIAM
    BAKER KENNETH CORP
    BALKWILL

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  • Chopes of Bideford

    Fifty years of Fashion - 1898 – 1948

    Years of Change 1948 – 1973

    3.8.1948

    Foreword

    This booklet records in brief the story of Chopes of Bideford, from the establishment of the firm in 1898 to its 75th Birthday in 1973. The first 50 years until 1948 are covered in the first sixteen pages under the title “Fifty Years of Fashion”, and this is an unaltered reprint of the booklet of that title, produced by A. K. Chope and N. H. Chope in 1948. The remaining pages entitled “Years of Change” bring the story up to date. Chopes has always been a “family business”,

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