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Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

By coincidence work was taking place last weekend on the conversion of the former Head Post Office in High Street, Bideford, into shop premises and the conversion of a shop in Northam Square into a Post Office.

Particular attention was focused on the arrival at High Street on Sunday morning of two huge steel girders – each 43 feet long and weighing 2½ tons – for the main support across the new front of the premises.

They are believed to be the largest of their kind in North Devon.

Travelling overnight by lorry from Bristol, the girders were unloaded by a special team of men and hoisted to their parallel positions as the day progressed.

Work is proceeding apace on the conversion of the premises into a store for the North Devon Co-operative Retail Services. The aim is to open before Christmas.

Northam Post Office, which has always been situated in Cross Street, although not in the existing premises, is to be transferred to the Square in the New Year.

The Sub-Postmaster, Mr A S Harman, said he expected that Cross Street would become a one-way street, but, in fact, he had always had his eye on the new premises which he regards as the finest site in Northam. Work has already begun on the conversion and a modern front is to be installed.

The present Post Office building will revert to living accommodation and will still be occupied by Mr Harman and his family.

Gazette article dated 11 November 1960

'Mary, Mary Quite Contrary'

Bideford Carnival

Members of the staff of Bideford Dairies Ltd join 'Mary, Mary' in her garden at Bideford Carnival to gain first prize in the class for fancy trade tableaux.

Those taking part were Misses Beer, Glover, Pearson, Jenkins, Day and Lucy.

Gazette article dated 1 September 1950

Royal Pair Visit Lundy

The Duke and Duchess of Kent, who have been holidaying in North Devon near Putsborough, have made a private visit to Lundy Island.

They spent six hours on the island before returning to the North Devon mainland.

It was the first Royal visit to Lundy since the Queen Mother went there in May 1958 and the first visit by the Duke and Duchess. Lundy Puffin, owned by Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd, was used to take the Duke and Duchess, who were accompanied by their children, George and Helen, from Ilfracombe to Lundy and back.

Others in the party included Mr Jack Hayward, who gave the island to the National Trust, and Mrs Hayward, and Mr Jeremy Thorpe, the Liberal Party leader and MP for North Devon, who had with him his young son Rupert.

Mr John Starke, manager of the Durrant House Hotel, Northam, accompanied the party with his head waiter, Pepe Alvarez, and champagne and canapes were served before the Lundy Puffin, skippered by Mr Fred Hutchings, of Bideford, left Ilfracombe. On the island the party had lunch consisting of Lundy lobsters at Millcombe House before touring the island and meeting the residents. Tea was served on board.

The full Gazette article is dated 18 August 1972