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Lundy’s wartime farming problems.
In May 1940, Martin Coles Harman, the owner of Lundy, made the surprising decision to lease the island for a period of ten years to a Mr. Herbert A. Van Os. His reasons have never been fully understood, but … Continue reading
Memories of Bideford Shipyard.
Many thanks to Mr. Freddie Palmer, who provided these photos. We’re sure that they’ll be of interest to many people. “Buzz” is dating the photos of the trawler “Galatea” as 1975, since records show that as date of launch. Names … Continue reading
Posted in History, Local People, Shipping
Tagged Bideford, Bideford Shipyard, river Torridge, shipbuilding, shipyard, Torridge shipyards
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Christmas in Nineteenth-Century Bideford.
by Liz Shakespeare. Today, our local newspapers are full of advertisements for Christmas presents, Christmas events and Christmas meals, but when we look at the newspapers of the nineteenth century, it is apparent that the festival was a less commercial … Continue reading
Posted in History
Tagged Bideford, Bideford Gazette, Christmas, Liz Shakespeare, North Devon Journal
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Hungarians, not Bidefordians.
I was rather surprised to see the photograph (see above) on the first page of the July ‘Buzz’ labelled ‘An early Bideford Town Band’. The gentlemen shown went by the name of the ‘Hungarian Band’. They were a group of … Continue reading
‘The Book of Hartland’.
While Bideford Library has marched boldly into the 21st Century with its Wi-Fi and e-book service, we shouldn’t forget the wealth of historical material also kept here. We have a wonderful set of old photographs and also an impressive collection … Continue reading
Time capsules and the Port Memorial.
Saturday April 11th saw an interesting event on the Quay when the restored Port Memorial and Ornamental Gardens were re- opened by the Mayor following refurbishment. Councillor David Howell had also organised a ceremony with the Sea Scouts to bury … Continue reading
From Hungarian refugee to Glorious Devon bistro owner.
It’s funny how Facebook opens up all sorts of windows and lets us see inside other people’s lives. The latest “7 facts that you may not know about me” has resulted in this article. My mother, Julianna Ibolya Homolya, left … Continue reading
Training the Army Horse.
(Whilst turning out old cassette tapes recently, I came across a recording in Devonshire dialect, made by my father, Percy Reed (1907 – 2001) of Northam, in 1985. It told the tale of a childhood incident in which he was … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, History, Local People
Tagged Devon dialect, horses, warhorse, World War 1
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Freemasonry in Bideford.
‘Buzz’ has been very fortunate to receive various donations from Bideford’s Freemasons. They are well known for their charitable work and many local organisations have benefited from their fund-raising. I asked Peter Christie what he could tell us about the … Continue reading
A Nineteenth-Century Bideford Doctor.
William Henry Ackland was born in Bideford in 1825 and was the son of a doctor. His father, also William Ackland, had been apprenticed to a surgeon and apothecary in Bideford, but William Henry trained at University College Hospital in … Continue reading
Posted in Health, History
Tagged Bideford, Charles Kingsley, Dr. W. H. Ackland, Liz Shakespeare
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The Torridge Sealock.
Anyone who has been to the harbour at Bude will know the canal basin and sea lock where the Bude Canal meets the sea. Far fewer people are aware that just three miles up the Torridge from Bideford port is … Continue reading
‘A Little Port’.
As promised in last month’s Buzz here is the poem about Appledore written by George Douglas Warden (father of Audrey Jones of Bideford) , who was wounded and lost his sight in World War One. (Contributed by Audrey’s daughter-in-law, Eleanor … Continue reading
Bideford Home Guard, 1943.
Rear row – Ptes S Laird, P Cloke, WE Voden, CMS Gosling, Sgt. R Featherstone, Pte. TD Frayne, Cpl. GR Hill, Ptes FJ Clements, G Waldron, J Lock, Cpl. F Stacey, Pte R Raymont, Cpl. EJ Moyes. Third row – … Continue reading
Holiday snaps !
As the holiday season approaches many will consider buying a new camera. However, with the advent of the all encompassing mobile telephone is one necessary? A similarly priced camera readily captures snow scenes, beach scenes, portraits, the family cat or … Continue reading
Posted in History, Photography
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Bideford Races, May 1928.
This advertisement comes from the Bideford Gazette for 1928 currently housed at the Bideford Archive. The archive is run by volunteers, and you will find it is a mine of information on Torridge district; not just births, marriages and deaths, … Continue reading
Posted in History
Tagged Bideford archives, bideford buzz, northam, Shebbertown Racecourse
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