The story of Bideford’s first policeman begins in 1835

after the passing of the Municipal Corporation Reform Act which both reformed many previously corrupt councils and also allowed the newly re-organised bodies to develop services not previously provided. In Bideford’s case this meant two things to start with – lighting the town and the hiring of a paid policeman. 

Up until that time Bideford, as in virtually every other town, had been policed under the parish constable system whereby a group of men were elected every year to fill the post of constable. This system, though cheap, was generally inefficient as

Westward Ho! Family

It was no surprise to Mr and Mrs J W Gray, of ‘Tidworth’, Atlantic Way, Westward Ho! when, one after another, their two sons and daughter found jobs that put them in uniform.

John, at 21 the ‘baby’ is a corporal in the RAF Police. He is now serving in the Overseas Command at Sharjah, in the Trucial Oman States, Persian Gulf.

After completing an apprenticeship at Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd, Robert, joined the Merchant Navy in 1967. Robert’s wife Marion and daughter, Sally Anne, also live at Tidworth.

Carole left Stella Maris School at the age of

Tribute to their work

When he recently visited North Devon to present medals and bars to members of the Special Constabulary in recognition of their services, the Chief Constable of Devon (Lieut-Col. R R M Bacon) paid tribute to their valued work and assured them that the Special Constabulary would continue to play a very substantial part in the police machine of the County.

This picture shows the Chief Constable addressing ‘Specials’ at Torrington.

Among those in the picture, on the left, are Messrs G B Blatchford , F R Hodge , J J Jenkins and A E Muncey .

Article dated 21

Police Inspector D T P Cowling and Sergeant R Honeywill ,

both of Bideford, who joined Devon Constabulary together on August 1st, 1937, are soon to retire – on the same day, July 31st.

They have been at Bideford since Inspector Cowling was appointed the town’s police chief in 1962 after having served as sergeant at Seaton for seven years. Previously he was at Newton Poppleford.

During the war he served in the RAF in the Middle East, having been one of the first batch of pilots to train in South Africa.

He is a member of the county police water polo

The Sex Discrimination Act may have brought its fair share of controversy and problems, but at Bideford at least it has one compensation – the town now has its first woman police officer.

But any locals who feel they might ‘get away’ with anything when faced with a slim 23 year old brunette instead of a burly six-fott ‘bobby’ are likely to be sadly disappointed.
For WPC Christine Short of Westward Ho! is an experienced officer, having served with the Bristol force for two and a half years and then at Barnstaple before moving to Bideford. “I arrested several while at

Two local police officers who risked their lives last November to rescue a 15 year old Bideford teenager from drowning have been awarded the Royal Humane Society’e testimonial on vellum.

They are PC Peter Murphy, who lives in Clifton Street, Bideford, and Motor Patrol Constable John Truelove who lives at Westward Ho!
The boy they rescued, Paul Reeve, of the Stores Café, Barnstaple Street, Bideford, had gone into the River Torridge to swim to his parents’ boat when he got into difficulties in the ice cold water.
A 999 call brought the two officers to the scene and between them

 Old Boy of Bideford GS

His many friends in the Bideford and Northam districts will be pleased to learn of the recent promotion to Sergeant in the Metropolitan Police of Mr Cecil Gutsell, only sone of Lieut. W F Gutsell RN (retd) and Mrs Gutsell, of Inglenook, Northam.

Sergeant Gutsell, who is 25, joined the Poice, after completing his National Service in a Royal Marine commando, in November 1949, and his promotion after a minimum of five years makes him one of the youngest Police Sergeants in the British Isles. He passed an open competitive promotion examination in February of

After nearly 27 years’ service in Devon Constabulary, PC Leonard Clarke, of Bideford, is to retire to take up the position of rent and rate collector to Bideford Rural Council.

During the nearly four years that he has been stationed in Bideford, in which he was born, PC Clarke has shown a keen interest in road safety and has been road safety organiser and instructor for local schools.
Another important responsibility was that for the administration of the Special Constabulary in the town.
He began his career in the Force at headquarters and his first station was Teignmouth. Subsequently he

Police Constables Len Clarke and Ron Fayter made an unusual arrest at the bottom of Bideford High Street at 1am on Wednesday.

The offender was a pony that was about to take off up the street. It was caught and put into a field. Yesterday morning it had not been claimed.
Gazette article dated 7 June 1963

Because of their road sense

Russell (6) finds his way home

Police were called in and Bideford streets searched this week when six years old Russell Yelland, staying on holiday with his grandparents at Westward Ho! became separated from his parents while they were shopping.

Just over an hour later the search was called off when Russell walked calmly into the Beach Road home of his surprised grandparents, Mr and Mrs Arthur Davies, and explained “They left me in town”.

During his three-mile walk from Bideford to Westward Ho! he had negotiated 11 busy road junctions but Russell told his