A collection of articles from the ‘Bideford Gazette’ during July 1925, kindly selected by Bideford Community Archive.
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Shopkeepers in the Gazette area are being warned to be on the alert as counterfeit £5 are in circulation in the region. R Dymond and Son are selling by auction a donkey, complete with jingle and harness.
There is relief that Royal Assent has finally been given to the Bideford Harbour Act.
Mr A G Bromley, of Bromley’s Cafes, Ltd, Barnstaple and Bideford, has been elected on the Council of the National Association of Master Bakers, Confectioners, and Caterers.
The many services which Mr F A Searle has rendered to the town and district during his 38 years’ residence in Bideford, his unfailing courtesy, and the invaluable help, his sound advice, encouragement and assistance have been to many members of the local business and professional community, were testified to with much sincerity at the Town Hall. Mr Searle had been Borough Treasurer for about 32 years. He had lived in Bideford about 38 years and had been Manager of Fox, Fowler & Co’s Bank (now Lloyds) for about 32 years. He had also been Treasurer for the Northam Urban District Council and Bideford Union, and Bideford Grammar School.
Engineer Lieut. Commander H W Ascott, the only son of Major W Ascott, OBE, of Buttgarden Street, Bideford, has been gazetted Engineer-Commander.
The story of an attack on the manager of the local Labour Exchange, by an out-of-work labourer, in a principal thoroughfare of the town was told at Bideford Borough Sessions when Mr W T Braddick, Queen Anne’s, summoned a man with common assault. The man had issued a cross-summons. After a retirement, the Bench found the first case was proved and the maximum penalty of £5 was imposed with a month allowed for payment.
At Bideford Borough Sessions before the Mayor and other magistrates, Messrs Bartlett, Bayliss and Co. Ltd, Bideford, timber merchants, were summoned by HM Inspector of Factories for a breach of the Factory and Workshops Regulations, 1922, in failing to fix a cylindrical cutter block to a planing machine. Mr T Oerton, junr, appeared for the defendants.
A collision took place on the blind bend at Westcombe Corner in Bideford, involving three vehicles. A 14 seater charabanc driven by John Henry Fry overtook Mr E Hocking’s car on the bend. The charabanc then found itself faced by a 20 seater charabanc owned by Hardy-Colwill and coming from Westward Ho! The resulting confusion took some time to resolve. Mr Fry was found responsible and fined £6-5-0 including costs.
Miss Hilda Pearse, of Allhalland Street, has been successful in obtaining the degree of Bachelor of Science in the recent examination of the University of London. Miss Pearse was a student at University College, Reading, and was formerly a pupil at Edgehilll College.
Leonard Claude Guillaume, of Bideford, is saved.
Bideford and District Hospital in Meddon Street is for sale. Nos 25 and 26 Bridgeland Street, Bideford, for sale.
Bideford Head Post Office will be open a half hour later each weekday, telegrams being received until 7.30pm. In the course of a few days an automatic stamp vending slot machine will be placed outside the Head Office which will enable persons to purchase stamps when the office is closed.
A chimney fire took place at 9.30 at night at 16 Burridge Court, Meddon Street, Bideford. The house is owned by Mr W Wood and occupied by Mrs Catherine M Middleton, 74. Large clots of burning soot fell into her room which quickly filled with smoke, so that she had to be helped out. The fire brigade and police quickly attended and the damage is estimated at £20.
About 200 parents and friends were present at the annual sports of West Bank Girl’s School, held at the cricket field, Westward Ho! under ideal weather conditions. Interest was taken in the competition for the school challenge cups which were eventually won by B Routley (senior0 and J Nixon (junior), and also in the contest for the house shield, which was secured by Grenville House. The prizes were presented by the Mayoress of Bideford, Miss Keene, an old pupil of the school, who was thanked by the principal, Miss Abbott.
There is a long report of Bideford Horse Show in the paper of 21 July, with all the results given over three tightly packed columns of newsprint. For the first time the show was held on a Wednesday instead of on August Bank Holiday and the experiment seems to have been justified through a much higher level of attendance and entries.
And finally, a smart “information for visitors” board will shortly be erected near Bideford Bridge End giving brief particulars of attractions such as the Long Bridge, the Free Library, Chudleigh Fort and Victoria Park.
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