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.

Here are some of the many personality items of general interest in a busy year (1958)

Mr R G Pomeroy, an Old Boy of Bideford Grammar School, became at 39 the youngest chairman in the history of the 10,000 strong Devon NFU; Sergeant R P Goad, of Bideford, was awarded the BEM for duties in Cyprus; Mr W A Chugg, of Bideford, returned from an American tour with greetings from Biddeford, Maine, USA; Mr F E Whiting retired from Bideford Town Council on which he had served for 31 years; Vice-Admiral Sir R Durnford-Slater of Instow, was appointed C-in-C, the Nore; Mrs M Seed retired after 22 years as headmistress of Bideford Church Infants’ School; a presentation was made to the Rev Father C Scanlan to mark his 25 years as RC parish priest at Bideford; Mr F C Backway, with over 50 years association with local government administration in Bideford, and Town Clerk since 1934, intimated he would be retiring in March for health reasons; Mr L B Galliford, Clerk to the Northam Urban Council, has been appointed to succeed Mr Backway; retirement gifts were made to Miss B Butterfield, principal for 34 years of the Kingsley Preparatory School at Westward Ho!; in May the island of Lundy welcomed the Queen Mother, who spent two hours on the island meeting its people and admiring its scenery; in autumn 700 members of Devon Federation of Women’s Institutes had their autumn rally at Westward Ho!; Mr E H Hopcraft retired after 60 years as hairdresser in Bideford; at Instow Show entries at over 1,200 were a record; international horsewoman Pat Smythe scored a double success at Bideford Horse Show.

During the year the death has occurred of a number of leading personalities in the district including: Rev G W Colborne, former Rector of Alwington; Capt C G C Sumner, Sea Cadet President and former Councillor; Mr J L Hinks, prominent churchman and Appledore boatbuilder; Mr R Boase, formerly for 21 years Town Clerk of Torrington; Mr E Lott, former member of Bideford Borough and Rural Councils; Ald W E Ellis, hon freeman of Bideford and for many years a leading member of the Town Council; Capt D V Doe of Abbotsham, leading members of the Home Guard; Miss M A Lemon, for over 65 years organist of Appledore Methodist Church; Mr J P Cork, of Weare Giffard, prominent farming personality; Sir Sven Hansen, former Bideford shipbuilder; Mr William Stacey, of Torrington, one of the founders of Torridge Vale Dairies (Devon) Ltd; and Lord and Lady Fortescue, of Filleigh, N Devon

Gazette article dated 2 January 1959

A Special Birthday Party At East-the-Water

Brother and sister are re-united after 44 years

There was a very special birthday party at East-the-Water on Saturday when a brother and sister were together in their native Bideford for the first time for 44 years.

The brother, whose 74th birthday it was, is Mr Frank Bennett McGowan, of Freshwater, Sydney, Australia, and the sister Mrs Mary Comer, 54 Sentry Corner, who is 68.

Their reunion was made possible because some years ago Mr Frank Bennett, as he is usually called, wrote to the Bideford Gazette inquiring about his sister with whom he had lost touch after many years in various places in Australia. Headed ‘Calling Mary Bennett’, the letter instantly evoked a response.

“We felt we had to come and say ‘thank you’ and let you know of the visit” they told the Gazette representative on Saturday. Admitting that he was ‘always getting into trouble’ as a boy locally, Mr Bennett said he and his brother Ernie were usually known as Big Tim and Little Tim.

The full Gazette article is dated 8 July 1960

Members of Young Conservatives’ Club Marry

On New Year’s Day

the wedding took place at Bridge Street Methodist Church, Bideford, of two members of Bideford Young Conservatives’ Club.

The bride was Miss Alwynne Muriel Bewes, only daughter of Mr and Mrs W H Bewes, of 16 Buttgarden Street, Bideford, who is a committee member of the Club and the bridegroom, Mr Reginald Leslie Charles Bennett, eldest son of Mr and Mrs C F Bennett, of 34 Coombe Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, who is the vice-chairman.

The wedding ceremony was conducted by the Rev Isaac Bond and Mr Baker was the organist.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a full length dress of white frilled lace and net. Her full length veil was held in place by a head dress of lilies and her only ornament was a pearl choker. She carried a bouquet of red roses, white heather and trailing fern.

She was attended by three bridesmaids, Misses Ruth Fishleigh, Barbara Senner, and Margaret Letcher.

Duties of best man were carried out by Mr Gerald Shapley, a friend of the bridegroom.

Following a reception at Mitchell’s Café, Bideford, Mr and Mrs R L C Bennett left for the Channel Islands where the honeymoon was spent in Jersey.

From their fellow members of the Young Conservatives’ Club, Mr and Mrs Bennett received a table lamp in the design of a ship.

Gazette article dated 14 January 1955