People

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.

9 January 1945

Lee – January 5th at the North Devon Infirmary, Barnstaple, to Freda (nee Dalling), wife of CPO W F Lee, DSM, RN, a son, Roderick William.

Ashton-Boswell – engagement announced between Edgar William, son of Mr and Mrs Ashton, Monkleigh, to Beryl Hazel, daughter of Mr and Mrs S Boswell, Bexley Heath, Kent.

Hill-Foster – December 26th 1944 at Woldensian Church, Taranto, Italy, by the Methodist Padre, Rev Simeon Jewkes, Albert Clause (Lieut, RA), son of Mr and Mrs A W Hill, Buckland Brewer, to Eileen (Sister, Military Hospital), daughter of Mr and Mrs Wm Stewart Foster, Belfast.
Johnson-Bull – January 1st 1945 at Milton Abbot, by the Rev C R Bull (bride’s father), assisted by the Rev E W Moore (Vicar of Kelly), Lieut Cecil Agar Johnson, DSC, RN, son of Capt CC Johnson, RN (retd), and Mrs Johnson, of Croft, Instow, to Mary Ravenscroft Bull, WRNS, daughter of the Rev C R and Mrs Bull, Vicarage, Milton Abbot, Tavistock.
Parkin-Staines – December 25th 1944 at St Mary’s Church, Appledore, AB Arthur Parkin, Chesterfield, to Miss Eileen Staines, of Appledore.

Christmas Brought Them Together – 63 Years Ago

Bideford Diamond Wedding

Christmas time has an extra special significance for Mr and Mrs F Thorne, 20 North Road, Bideford, who celebrated their diamond wedding last Saturday.
‘Christmas brought us together’ said 80 year old Mrs Thorne, recalling how 63 years ago, as a girl of 17, she was playing games at a Christmas party at Plympton on Boxing Day, and met a 23 year old docker from St-Giles-in-the-Wood, Mr Francis Thorne.
They were married three years later at Devonport, two days after Christmas.
When Mrs Thorne, then Miss Ellen Evans of Plymouth, met her future husband he was a docker at Devonport, in which employment he remained for 35 years. Before that he worked on the estate of the Hon Mark Rolle at Stevenstone, as a nurseryman for 11 years, after leaving St Giles-in-the-Wood school.
During the war Mr Thorne returned to North Devon with his wife to Alverdiscott. They had four children, three boys, one of whom died, and a daughter, Mrs V Hutchings, who came to live with them after she was widowed, and who looks after them now at their present address in Bideford where they have been residing for the past four years.
Their eldest son, Leslie, is living in Newcastle and is an overseer for the Admiralty, and their youngest son, Arthur, is a commercial traveller living at Leicester.
Mr and Mrs Thorne enjoy looking at TV and attending Bideford Town Mission, and having a quiet chat over tea with friends.
Among the many congratulation cards and telegrams received was a telegram from Canada from Mrs Thorne’s two sisters, and a letter from the Oddfellows Society, of which Mr Thorne was a trustee.
The Mayor and Mayoress of Bideford (Mr and Mrs A C Hooper), offering the good wishes of the townsfolk, were among callers.
The full Gazette article is dated 2 January 1959

Births, Engagements and Marriages

2 January 1945

Campbell – December 20 1944 at Sentry Corner, Bideford, to Creana, wife of Mr R J Campbell, twin daughters, Pamela and Jennifer

Champion – December 21 1944 at the Bristol Maternity Hospital, to Edna (nee Pearse), wife of L/Bdr John Thomas Champion, a son, Philip John

Keen – December 23 1944 at the Nursing Home, Beeston, to Joyce (nee Griffiths), wife of SQMS Dick Keen, a daughter, Janet (a cousin for Roger)

Sherborne – December 22 1944 at the King Street Nursing Home, Watford, to Doreen (nee Watkinson), wife of Victor Sherborne, a daughter, Dawn Jacqueline

Bennett-Gregory – engagement announced between Wenna Gregory, daughter of Mr and Mrs Gregory, 3 Retreat, Appledore, and Albert Bennett, Royal Marines, son of Mr and Mrs Bennett, Market Street
Hall-Fulford – engagement announced between Richard Orson, son of the late Mr and Mrs F Harold Hall, Holford, and Daisy Mary, daughter of Mr and Mrs Ambrose E Fulford, Southcott Barton, Bideford

Patt-Eastman – December 26 1944 at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, Frederick John Patt, Avon Road, to Florence Rose Eastman, 3 Hyfield

Shortridge-Griffiths – December 26 1944 at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, by the Rev T R Gibby, Sidney, son of Mr and Mrs J Shortridge, 32 Sentry Corner, to Frances Elizabeth, daughter of Mrs and the late Mr Griffiths, 4 Pitt Lane, Appledore

Branch-Braunton – January 3 1920, at St Mary’s Church, Bideford, Harry Branch to Lilian Ann Ford Braunton. Present address: Kilmorie, Instow

Hancock-Kelly – January 1 1920 at St Margaret’s Church, Northam, by Rev G Payne-Cook Herbert Thomas Hancock to Beatrice Kelly. Present address: Lennard Road, Northam