Northam

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.

Mr and Mrs Pacey celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in 1964

Record request .... and their golden secret was out. A top ‘pop’ record ended a Northam couple’s thoughts of keeping their golden wedding a secret.

The record ‘Have I the right?’ a No. 1 hit by the Honeycombs group, was played on a Saturday morning request programme.
It had been requested by 16 year old Jean Maudling for her grandparents, Mr and Mr Arthur Pacey, 8 Bay View Road, Northam, who celebrated 50 years of married life on Monday week.
Commented a happy Mrs Pacey, aged 75: “We thought we would keep it quiet and not tell anyone, but Jean, bless her, had other ideas.”
Bunches of flowers arrived, together with congratulatory telegrams and messages, and an informal gathering was held at a local guest house.
Jean, who lives with her grandparents, attends Edgehill College. Mr and Mrs Pacey came to live at Northam in 1948 on Mr Pacey’s retirement as assistant to the treasurer of what was then the Southern Railway, for whom he worked for 44 years. They came from Kingston-on-Thames where they were married in 1914. Mr Pacey, who is 76, is a keen amateur photographer, specialising in church architecture and curiosities to be found in churches, a subject on which he has lectured. He has studied most of the parish churches in Devon and Cornwall.
Mrs Pacey has been a member of the Mothers’ Union for 50 years. She is a daughter of the late Mr Charles Spearing, a former director of the Knapp, Drewett and Sons company, publishers of the Surrey Comet.
Both Mr and Mrs Pacey are members of the Devonshire Association, and Mr Pacey serves on the local committee. Both enjoy extremely good health.

Ann Staddon and Donald Ellis get married in 1964

Northam Bride

On Saturday at St Margaret’s Church, Northam, the wedding took place of Mr Donald Reginald Ellis and Miss Ann Staddon. The Vicar, Rev J M Lucas, officiated and Mr F J Hutchings being at the organ.
The bride was given in marriage by Mr Norman Hurford, her godfather, home for the occasion from Sydney, Australia. Bridesmaids were Misses Sheila Ellis and Wendy Sanders. Mr Martin Cooke as best man.
A reception was held at Northam Church Hall.

Northam Judo Expert's Bideford Bride

Holder of the Black Belt for judo, and PT instructor of junior leaders at Dover, L/Cpl Edwin John Davies, of Northam, married at High Street Methodist Church, Bideford, Miss Pauline Susan Lane, of Bideford.

The bridegroom is the only son of Mr and Mrs E Davies of Littlecote, North Street, and the bride, who was employed in the office of Heard Brothers, Bideford, is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs H Lane, 19 North Road. The minister Rev J O Clutterbuck officiated. She was attended by her cousins, the Misses Beverley Turley and Jayne Denton, and as page, by Trevor Lane. Mr Andrew Davies was best man.
Following a reception held at the Rose of Torridge Cafe, L/Cpl and Mrs Davies left for a touring honeymoon. They will live in Dover.