Westleigh

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.

Westleigh County Primary School swimming pool,

opened by Mr Jeremy Thorpe, MP for North Devon, has virtually been paid for.

Yet the idea to provde a pool was mooted only in January. The total cost - including a filtration plant - exceeds £300. A grant of half that amount is made by the County Council. When Mr Thorpe opened the pool the parish had raised about £120 by various events. A fete that followed the opening ceremony raised nearly £50 towards the cost of the filtration plant.

The secret of the success achieved was revealed by the headmaster, Mr R D Robbins. "We have not so far spent a penny on labour. It has all been done voluntarily."

There are 29 pupils at the school, which is believed to be the smallest County Primary School in Devon to have acquired its own swimming pool. Some of the children, who will be taught to swim by the headmaster, defied the cold to take the plunge.

Mr Robbins thanked Mr Thorpe, and Susan Blight presented him with an inscribed pen and bookmark.

Miss Gladys Fulford, chairman of the School Managers, thanked those responsible for raising the money and particularly the swimming pool committee - Mr Alan Dark, Mr Robbins, Mrs I Braund, Mrs E Towl, Mrs Eastman and Mr John Honey.

Gazette article 20 May 1966

Mother and Child Escape in Nightclothes

Fire guts Westleigh farmhouse

After a young married Westleigh farmer had been awakened at 5am on Sunday by the crackle of flames and had found an adjacent bedroom ablaze, his wife and their three year old son escaped in their nightclothes. The farmer, Mr A N Wooldridge, had time to pull on only a pair of trousers. The thatched farmhouse, known at Ashridge West, was completely gutted.

Bideford firemen arrived to find that part of the roof had already collapsed.

Mrs Wooldridge and her son, Stewart, were provided with shelter at a nearby farm. Later they moved to stay with relatives. Mr Wooldridge, who is also employed in a local shipyard, is staying in the district so that he can care for the stock.

The full Gazette article is dated 6 February 1959

Westleigh En Fete To Aid Village Hall

Multi-coloured flags adorned the Village Hall field, Westleigh, on Saturday, in celebration of a fete, organised by the Village Hall Committee.

The target set was £200 to pay for a new roof to the Village Hall, and the result was approximately £160.
The secretary, Mr P Willey, explained that as soon as the debt was cleared, the building would be officially called the Village Hall.
Wishing the village every success in the future, the Mayoress of Barnstaple, Mrs M Huxtable, declared the fete open. She was presented with a bouquet by Miss Kathleen Willey.
Competition at a baby show, organised by Miss Gladys Fulford, was keen, there being about 50 entries. Judges were Dr T F Davidson and Miss M L Douglas, of Broomhayes Nursery. Results were: Leslie Squires, Michael and Kim Morgan, Rosemary Braund, Patricia Purcell, Julie Bowden, Michelle Jeffery, Heather Martin, Carol and Margaret Willey, Salliann Wilson.
Stall holders and in charge of competitions were: Mesdames W Dark, R Wilkinson, Miss W Dark, Mrs Bate, Miss M E Reed and helpers, Mesdames T Rose, A Oliver, Mr F Baltesz, Mesdames L Fowler, D Willcocks, Miss H Hearson, Mr and Mrs D Smith, Messrs R and G Tucker, Mrs I Ferguson, Misses Mary Steer and Joyce Prust, Mrs J Money, Mrs J Walters, Miss G Tanton, Mr R Poole, Mr H G Martin, Mr R Blight and helpers, Mr D Wilson, Mesdames K Prust, A Martin, M Ley, C Martin, L Poole, E Poole, J Sanders and M Huxtable.
Other prizewinners were: Mr C Shaxton, E Webber, C Shaxton junr, A Pickard, N Norman, G Pickard, A Johns, A Lee, F Huxtable, R Taylor, D Wilson, Miss Fulford, Rosemarie Braund, Mrs Huxtable, Mrs H Perry, Mrs A Braund, Mrs L Williams, Mrs James, D Tucker, A Shaxton, R Moule, Alan Money, Amanda Joy, John Armstrong, Caroline and Jeremy Ferguson, Mark Armstrong, Rosalind Burnett, Janet Burnett, Jennifer Gorvin.

1.7.1960 Westleigh Village Hall2