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“Buzz” privacy policy & GDPR compliance.
Who we are. Our website address is: https://bidefordbuzz.org.uk Our editor’s contact email is [email protected] We are a non-profit, completely volunteer, online-only free community newsletter covering Bideford, Northam, Appledore, Westward Ho!, Instow, and villages west as far as Hartland. What … Continue reading
One hundred years ago – May 1918.
The Ministry of Food announces that it can release considerable additional supplies of frozen meat. Therefore from Sunday last until further notice 8 pence worth of uncooked meat may be purchased in respect of each 2 coupons in the ration … Continue reading
Bideford Art School: a brief history.
Bideford Art School (now Bideford Arts Centre), a listed building on the Pill, has an interesting history. It started life in 1896 as a technical college, a result of ‘self help’ Victorian values. Our photo above shows the plaque on … Continue reading
Posted in History, Local People
Tagged Bideford, Bideford Art School, Bideford Arts Centre, Harry Juniper, John Butller
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Buzz Byte – April.
If your computer or laptop/tablet is misbehaving, there’re a few things to try before going into panic mode and dashing off to your local PC repair centre. The most common recommendation is to simply turn it off and then on … Continue reading
Protheroe Smith (1809-89).
Protheroe Smith was born in 1809 in Bridgeland Street, Bideford, the son of a doctor, William Smith, and one of twenty children. He was educated at Bideford Grammar School and was destined for a military career, but injured his hip … Continue reading
Felicity’s traditional fish cookery; March.
Charles Kingsley wrote the ‘Water Babies’ in Victorian times. In the story Tom, the chimney sweep’s boy, meets the gentleman salmon and the nosey drift of trout when he jumps in the river to become clean and safe! He plays … Continue reading
Buzz Byte; March.
Have you ever heard of a software programme called Adblocker (sometimes referred to as Adblock or Poper blocker)? What is Adblocker? It’s exactly what it sounds like, ‘a piece of software designed to prevent advertisements from appearing on a web … Continue reading
Bideford’s Iron Bridge(s).
(“Bideford Gazette”, 17th June 1825). Mention the ‘Iron Bridge’ and every Bidefordian will know where you mean – but there were once two such bridges. The first and earliest was at Landcross on the Bideford-Torrington road and was a … Continue reading
One hundred years ago: February 1918.
During an air raid on London a Gotha bomber was brought down by Captain Hackwell of the Royal Flying Corps. He is the second son of Mr W H Hackwell of Sudden Farm Langtree Torrington and he worked in a … Continue reading
Felicity’s traditional fish cookery; February.
Salmon Netting in North Devon, 1988. (Photo courtesy of North Devon Museum Trust). Tradition and heritage of our local rivers, Bideford Bay, and beyond will be the subjects of my articles in 2018. I will include a traditional, local recipe … Continue reading
Posted in Food & Drink
Tagged Felicity's traditional fish cookery, fish cookery, salmon encroute
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Thomas Burton; 1875- 1959.
Everyone in Bideford knows where the Burton Art Gallery is, nicely situated in Victoria Park, adjacent to parking and Hockings’ Ice Cream van. But how many people know why it’s called the Burton Gallery? Was there someone called Burton? Well, … Continue reading
Freezing.
In this age of man-made global warming it is unlikely that we will see a repetition of what occurred in Bideford in 1894-5 and 1963. Simply put, this was the freezing over of the River Torridge around the Bridge. Both … Continue reading
Felicity’s sustainable fish cookery – December.
Many people have asked me about the different smoked versions of Clovelly Herring that are so plentiful in December. Traditionally the herring would be smoked to eat through the winter months, so I have added a very simple recipe … Continue reading
Posted in Food & Drink
Tagged bloaters, bucklings, fish cookery, herring, kippers, red herrings, sustainable fish
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Bideford’s ‘prefabs’.
During the Second World War huge numbers of houses were destroyed by enemy action, and as early as 1944 Winston Churchill announced an EFM (Emergency Factory Made) housing programme. In 1945 the new prime minister Clement Atlee began implementing the … Continue reading
Posted in History
Tagged Bideford, Bowden Green, EFM housing, Grenville estate, Peter Christie, Prefabs
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Felicity’s sustainable fish cookery – November.
Here is a Devon version of ‘Stargazey pasties’ made with Clovelly herrings. Devonshire Stargazey Pasty. Ingredients. 450g puff pastry. 225g potato (cubed). 4/6 Herrings – filleted and sliced. rashers of bacon. 1 onion. 50g butter . 1 tbsp. chives – … Continue reading