One hundred years ago – February 1913.

Wealth Dream Shattered.
When Captain Geoffrey Newbold, formerly of the Royal Marines, and Commander Frank Worsley R.N.R., formerly Captain of ‘The Quest’, Shackleton’s Polar Ship, set sail in the ‘George Cochran’ from Appledore last summer with three Appledore men, Messrs Jewell, May and Fisher among the crew, for Georgian bay with prospects of a fortune to be gained by fishing in the Canadian waters, they failed to take into account the draft of their ship as compared with the depth of harbours on  the bay.   After an adventurous trip across the Atlantic, the party found that they could not get their ship out of the Parry Sound harbour, and thus their golden dreams were blown away.    The expedition cost the three involved many thousands of dollars. Newbold was stranded in Toronto,  while the other members of the party departed for England.
Bideford Gazette 22nd January 1924.
Thanks to Mike Davy and Bideford Archives for this and for the reader  (anonymous) who brought it to our attention.(ed)

Also
One Hundred years ago – February 1913.
Parkham
The school was closed and the Church concert postponed on account of the epidemic of measles.

Hartland
The first twenty five loads of stone for building the new United Methodist Church were hauled from Thorn Quarry on Monday.   The horses and carts were provided gratis by Mr T Heard of East  Tithen and Mr W Heard of Moor.

South Pole Disaster
Terrible news reached London that although Captain Scott, the well known Devonian explorer had reached the South Pole on January 18th last year the party was overwhelmed by a blizzard on the return journey.    Captain Scott and the entire  (land) party perished.
The ‘Nimrod’, in which Lt Shackleton made his famous trip in search of the South Pole, is still laid up outside the Richmond Dry Dock .   She is fitted for both steam and sailing. Many have come to look at her since the news of Capt.Scott’s disaster.* Photo “Nimrod’ departing for the South Pole, 1907.

*  In connection –
The next meeting of the Bideford Group of the Devon Family History Society will be on Sat 16th February at the Burton Art Museum, Bideford, 2pm-4pm.   Our speaker will be Marie Helvin with her story of Harry Pennell and the Scott Expedition 1910-1912. Meetings are free and open to everybody.   Any queries then please contact Len Collum at 01237 472883.

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