Entertainment

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.

Appledore Regatta Excitements

Two hundred yards in the lead, and rounding the marker buoy for the last leg in the Dymond Cup 18-foot sailing boat race at Appledore and Instow Regatta on Saturday, Mr Bill Prust’s ‘Kathleen Gillian’ capsized, throwing the two-man crew into the estuary water. As the Kathleen Gillian rounded the marker the tipping line suddenly broke. Mr Jimmy Cox, sailing with Mr Prust, perched himself in the gunwale to try to manipulate the sail by hand but a sudden gust of wind, coming just at the wrong moment, put the craft right over. Messrs Tom Fishwick and Jack Eastman, in the Boy Tom, and Ned Fishwick and Philip Ford in Sonny Boy, the other two entries in the race, immediately went to the rescue. With help from a passing motor-boat, the Kathleen Gillian was towed to West Appledore and refloated. Her crew made a quick change and were little worse for their experience.

At home on their own river, the two Bideford men’s rowing clubs had a highly successful afternoon in the West of England out-rigger events, gaining between them four firsts, two second and two third places out of seven events, and Bideford and District Ladies came third in their race for the F Harris Cup. Unbeaten in their new craft, the Rosemary, Bideford Reds again outrowed all opposition to win the main event of the day, the senior fours.

Mr Joe Bennett, of New Street, Appledore, carried off three cups in the model yacht racing events, held during the morning.

In the evening the prizes were distributed by Mrs D S Valentine, wife of the President.

President, Dr D S Valentine; Rev A E Green; Mr A E Powe; Mr P W Ford; Mr B Newnham; Rear-Admiral H G C Franklin. Umpires: Messrs R J Backway, D Moyse, J Mitchell, A Hooper, Boat Marshal, Mr M Lee: Starters, Mr W Tanton and Mr R Down, Finishing gun, Mr J Bale. Committee: Rev R C Dixon, Messrs H Ford, A Lamey, C Bird. Under 18 fours (Friendship Cup): T Abraham, J Hayman, T Sharam, C Anstey, J Empsom; J Craner, S Blackmore, M Fisher, C Davis, D Powe; P Knapman, P Watkins, M Miller, R Boardman, A Roche, A T Jeffs, R C Benson, A E Moffat, J H Smith, R Godfrey, R Scoynes, J Jeffery, A Elliott, P Sharrock, G Moore; Cawsey, Simmons, Downing, Short, A Boy. Novice fours (Regatta Challenge Cup): A Holmes, J Bowden, D Prettyjohns, A Coaker, B Langworthy; C Poole, D Gregory, D Shute, D Curtis, B Colomy, D Budd, D J Teague, J Adams, D Hill. Junior fours (Reardon Smith Challenge Cup): J Schillers, J Uren, B Waters, P Powe, L Harris; B Olney, R Phillips, J Phare, R Thorn, E Hosking; M D Burridge, D Welsh, M Curtis, R S Pudner, B Sharpe. Ladies fours (F Harris Cup): J Rhodes, J Shapcott, S Ross, S Tabb, A Rodgman; G Sutart, J Knight, P Lipitch, C Mitchem, B Sharpe; J Harris, M Pilcher, P Marshall, S Peel, D Balsdon. Senior fours (Muller-Hinks Challenge Cup): F R Way, W Lee, L Bright, K Hearn, G Tithecott; R F Hill, A R Clode, J C Finch, J L Woolf, R Godfrey; T L Ellis, J R Pearson, P J K Smart, E J Searle, T Carr. Junior pairs: J Uren, J Schillers, L Harris; R Phillips, J Phare, E Hosking; R S Pudner, M D Burridge, B Sharpe. Senior pairs: A R Clode, J C Finch, R Godfrey; J R Pearson, P J K Smart, T Carr; E Giddy, M Griffiths, J Evans. Novice pairs: J Bowden, D Prettyjohns, B Langworthy; D Gregory, D Shute, B Colomy; R Lamey, B Powe, J Evans Dymond Cup – abandoned Chapman Cup – Mr W Prust, Mr T Fishwick North Devon Yacht Club race – Mr Guy Nash, Mr R G Tomlinson, Col Brown. Other events: Four-oared in-rigged mixed – D Waters’s crew; J Hocking’s crew; F Lamey’s crew. Four-oared in-rigged licensed salmon boats – F Powe, R Hocking, F Butler. Sculling over stern - T Berry, D Cox, T Schillers. Outboard motor race – Mrs Landolfii, Mr Phillips, Mr P Ford. Greasy pile – E Bignell, M Harris, A Powe, G Avery. Model yachts: J Bennett, B Lobbett, Master W Lamey, S Cox, J Fishwick.

Full Gazette article dated 5 August 1955

Happy time had by children

5.2.1960 Torrington Dairies childrens party

Some of the 123 children – the majority of them belonging to employees – who spent a happy time at a party on Saturday organised by the sports and social committee of Torridge Vale Dairies, Torrington.

Employees without children were each allowed to invite a small guest and, parents included, about 185 enjoyed a wonderful tea, always a highlight on such occasions, prepared by the canteen staff.

The company were welcomed by Mr R M Boyer, a director of the firm, who also said Grace. A film show aided digestion before a programme of party games was enjoyed. The young guests went away happily with an orange, sweets and a balloon, a couple of buses provided by the organisers taking them back into town.