Featured Articles

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.

The Union Club, Westward Ho!

which was first built beyond Westbourne Terrace and was subsequently rebuilt in its present site, is to close after 80 years of existence.

As projected in 1875, the Club was originally intended to be the “Westward Ho” Gold Club House”, finished early in 1876 near the end of Westbourne Terrace as it then existed when the Pebble Ridge was much further West than it now is. The Club was probably flooded by a high tide in 1878 and was rebuilt in 1879 on its present site, much of the old Club building being salvaged and used again.

Today the Hon. Denys Scott is the “Father of the Club” having been a member since 1893 and Capt. H.J. Fletcher M.C. can remember being made a temporary member as long ago as 1894.

Gazette article 13 July 1956

The Majorettes provide an eye-catching spectacle at Torrington

Batons twirling, knees bending,

the sound of military music, and 16 little girls with a look of intense concentration on their faces. It all adds up to the Torridge Valley Majorettes on parade.

Some of the manoeuvres appeared quite complicated enough without having to twirl a baton in an equally complicated manner at the same time. But these little girls – the youngest is seven and the eldest 11 – performed it all without a hitch, with the only order from their trainer Mrs Joan Stacey being “Keep those batons up.”

The Torridge Valley Majorettes were formed a year ago and first appeared in public at Torrington Carnival last January. They have been renamed once already. They started life as the Torrington Minorettes to distinguish them from the 1st Company of Torrington Majorettes, but the names were too similar.

Mrs Stacey, whose daughter Sharon is a former leading majorette of the 1st Company explained why the second company had been formed. “The 1st Company seems to be mainly for older girls and we found there were a lot of smaller ones wanting to become majorettes. We started with 12 but now there are 30, with two boys as drum majors.”

The 1st Company of Torrington Majorettes are also just over a year old. Originally they were part of the Corps of Drums but then decided to go it alone. Last year there were 19 girls in the Company but 27 will be marching next year with ages ranging from 9 to 16. Three mothers, all with daughters in the company, undertake the training. Mrs Grayson makes the uniforms, Mrs Keen and Mrs Mary Taylor make it a combined effort.

The Torrington Majorettes are planning something new for next year’s May Fair – they hope to parade with their own corps of drums. Whilst the 12 boys in the troop are busy practising their marching, the parents are fund-raising to buy the instruments they will need.

Gazette article 1.12.78

Northam Golf Club’s Diamond Jubilee

Oldest club of its kind in the world,

Northam Golf Club celebrated its diamond jubilee with a golf meeting followed by a dinner in the evening.

Front row: William Puncher, Tom Geen, Ernest Cawsey, Richard Burch, Charlie Cook, Jesse Braund, Louis Chapple, and John Penhorwood

Middle row: Alfred Stevens, Sidney Dymond, E J Labbett, Jack Hutchings, Richard Davis, Charlie Cower, William Worth, William Pursey, George Cann, J H Taylor (holding three clubs), and T Metherell

Back row: William Hutchings, Harry Williams, William Davis, Ernest Way, Jack Rowe, William Hearn, William Fulford, Samuel Fulford

It has been truly said “Fine men and great golfers have come out of Northam by way of Westward Ho!” Perhaps the one most widely known is Mr J H Taylor. Who could be better chosen to relate the first beginnings of the Artisans’ Club than Mr Taylor, himself a founder member and now its president?

On the occasion of the Club’s golden jubilee he wrote “Golf had been played on the Burrows since 1864 by members of the Royal North Devon and West of England Golf Club, the second oldest club in the country, a stalwart pioneer that golfing history records with gratitude.”

The first secretary of the Club was Mr Louis Chapple who, with Capt William Beer (who lived at the old farm at Pimpley), Capt Brooks (of Sea View, Northam), Mr W Philpot (who later became professional at the Mitcham Golf Club) and Mr Samuel Fulford, formed a nucleus of the first Artisan Golf Club. Mr Philip Andrews, who will be long remembered as the Steward at the Royal North Devon Golf Club for some 56 years, carried on the duties of secretary for many years. Then followed Mr Charles Gibson, junr, Mr F Webber and Mr Tom Shutt, who still holds the office.

There has always been an annual match against the RNDGC and in the old days Mr J H Taylor played top man and was always placed to play against Mr Horace Hutchinson, the Royal North Devon’s greatest player. Mr Philip Andrews frequently played against the late Mr C S Carnegie, of Clevelands.

Publication of the photograph of golfing stalwarts of sixty years ago, together with their names, was made possible by the ever willing assistance of Mr Philip Andrews and other golfing friends on the occasion of the Club’s golden jubilee ten years ago. Those in the picture are:

Standing in the doorway at the rear is T Glover, and the peeping head on the right belongs to J W Fulford.

Article dated 1948