November 26, 1998

Children, parents and friends of the Chilsworthy Methodist Sunday Club near Holsworthy have filled shoe boxes with goodies to be sent to under privileged children in Eastern European countries via the project ‘Operation Christmas Child’. The children getting involved were Lian and Adrian Todd, Verity Matthews, William Borsay, George Shepherd, Edward Matthews and William Shepherd, Aiden Wayborn, Jenny and Natasha Bourne, Sarah Ellender, Josie and Isabelle Alford, Bronte Matthews, Abigail Bourne and Jack Shepherd.

John Clerk has been awarded honorary life membership in recognition of his long successful time as curator of Lawrence House Museum, Launceston.

A cheque for £200 was presented to Mr Dave Lawton (Paramedic Supervisor, Cornwall Air Ambulance), on Friday, by the residents of Pendruccombe Residential Home, Launceston, the proceeds from their summer fete held in August.

December 3, 1998

Winners of the recent ‘Post’ keep all you catch fly fishing competition, run in conjunction with Sitcott Park Trout Fishery were Peter Jollif (friend of Ivor Thomas), Ivor Thomas (winner), Harry Lintel (winner), Mike Maynard (winner), Steven Woodward (the youngest winner), who hooked the biggest fish of the day weighing three and a half lbs, Andrew Dinner (owner of Sitcott Park Trout Fishery)...You can’t lose with the ‘Post’.

Hot shot Corporal Trevor Davey, from Launceston, has captained a team that travelled to the USA and struck gold in an international shooting competition. Trevor led gunners from Cornwall’s own Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment Squadron.

St Joseph’s School at Launceston has come third in Cornwall in the school examination league tables just published by the government.

November 26, 1983

Members of Launceston and District Farmers’ Club were presented with awards for the annual farm competition at their annual dinner-date at the White Hart Hotel. The presentations were made by the presidents’ wife, Mrs K J Trewin.

The mayor (Mrs Cynthia Buckingham) cut the cake at the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Launceston Girls’ Brigade.

Launceston Town Council would like to see natural growth with jobs for local people. District planners have been stressing the need for a further 900 jobs in the town, but it was learned that 600 of these would be for newcomers.

December 3, 1983

St Stephens Methodist Church set in train its centenary celebration with a highly successful Festival of Flowers, stage by members of Launceston Floral Art Group, in liaison with Mrs Winifred Insley. The three-day festival, was opened by former member and Sunday school teacher Mrs Elsie Maunder, and ended with a memorable carol service led by Rev Martin James. Attendances exceeded expectations and a total of £700 was raised towards refurbishment of the premises in readiness for centenary events during 1984.

Launceston Young Farmers’ Club president Mary Hawke demonstrated the art of logging to Debbie Smale and David Smale, Roger Parsons, Richard Parish, Simon Gill, Mike Smale and Andrew Kneebone. YFC members will be selling the logs at 50p a bag from door-to-door in Launceston from now until Christmas. The money raised will go towards the purchase of a variable height bed for St Mary’s Hospital.

After many weeks of practising on their bikes, ten children of Lifton School took the National Cycling Proficiency Test. Their training, in school and on the road, was supervised by Mr Jago, of Tavistock, and his assistant and Mrs B Seymour, of Lifton.

November 24, 1973

The presentation of the feudal dies to Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall, was held in the Castle Green, Launceston, on Monday. The ceremony was last seen in the town 37 years ago when it was carried out by the Prince’s grandfather, the late King George VI.

At the 21st anniversary celebrations of Holsworthy Royal British Legion Women’s Section, the cake was cut by Mrs M O Owen, founder secretary, who has held this office to the present.

A former chip’s surgeon, Dr Michael Ash, and his family have received a cheque for £1,000 ‘wreckers rights’ for the part they played in the salvage of 11-ton motor yacht Casketa at Crackington Haven.

A grey seal, nicknamed ‘Spitfire’, found badly hurt in Boscastle harbour was nursed back to health by RSPCA worker Mrs Maureen Edwards before being put in a boat skippered by Mr Michael Hancock and taken to Beeny Seal Rock.

A man known in the Stoke Climsland area as Uncle Tom was 100-year-old on Monday. He is Mr James Thomas Dymond, who has outlived two wives and puts his long life down to hard work and a good appetite. “Never return a plate without it’s empty” he told out reporter.

December 1, 1973

Mrs W Downes, of Wooldridge and Son, was adjudged the best shop assistant in a competition organised by the Launceston Chamber of Trade.

A collection at Callington for an elderly couple who lost all their possessions when fire raged through their home last week has realised £250. Mr and Mrs William Ralph were out when the fire started at their cottage, 1 , Chapel Street, and almost completely destroyed it.

There was an entry of 82 cows and heifers for the 20th annual show and sale of dairy cattle at Holsworthy market with the championship being awarded to a Friesian heifer owned by Mr R R Tucker of Woolmers, High Bickington.

Jon Perteww, known to many as television’s Dr Who, entertained a large crowd at the town hall with the event being arranged by Launceston area Conservatives under the direction of Messrs Graham Facks-Martin and Peter Hodgson.

Bude RFS Second XV, led by Peter Jenkins, beat visitors Launceston Castles 4pts to nil with the only score being a try touched down by Petherick after a good break by Poulton.

November 30, 1963

The mayor of Launceston, Mr W R Bennett, accompanied by the town clerk, Alderman and councillors, attended the Church of the English Martyrs on Wednesday for a memorial service to the late President John F Kennedy. Also present were the mayor’s chaplain, Rev G Brown, Canon W G Steer, vicar of St Mary’s, and Rev A L T Spear, vicar of St Stephen’s. Rev J D Byrne was the celebrant of the Requiem Mass which was sung by the choir girls of St Joseph’s Convent.

Residents of Calstock, recently alarmed by reports that they risk being poisoned by drinking water piped through lead, were last week given further assurances of safety. Wilfred L Broad told St Germans Rurla Council that in a letter from the county medical officer of health, it was stated that a further 12 samples of water from the parish, in addition to the first batch of 25, had now reached him. These had proved most reassuring, he wrote, since on no occasion was any significant amount of lead found in the water.

December 7, 1963

The Okehampton and District War Memorial Hospital was last week presented with a complete radio installation including two amplifiers to serve 18 beds equipped with control units and headphones. The cost of the installation and equipment (£220) has been met by the area amenities and fund committee of the Exeter and Western Counties Hospital Aid Society.

The joint action committee of the Tavistock Urban and Rural Councils and the St Germans Rural Council held their first meeting at Tavistock on Tuesday. It was decided to call for the support of the 22 local parish councils most affected by the Beeching proposals for the closure of the railways. They are working on the assumption that closure notices for the Plymouth-Okehampton and the Bere Alston branch lines might be issued at Exeter.

November 28, 1953

The body of Leslie William Gard, of 1, The Crescent, Bowling Green, Callington, who disappeared after leaving home on Friday week to deliver a parcel of tuff cakes to his mother-in-law’s home at Redman Road, Kelly Bray, was found in swamp land at Targer Bottoms on Sunday.

The Town Hall, Launceston, was transformed on riday into a beautiful garden of roses for the seventh annual police ball.

There were more than 1,000 entries at the Launceston Fanciers’ show on Tuesday — St Leonard’s Fair day.

December 5, 1953

An elderly farmer and his wife, Mr and Mrs Thomas Hooper, of Lord’s Waste, Bolventor (on mains Launceston-Bodmin road) lost their house, their furniture, their clothes and all their personal belongings when their cottage was destroyed by fire on Saturday afternoon. Mrs Hooper, who was in bed at the time, escaped in her night attire.

Members of Launceston Young Farmers’ Club make up 50 per cent of the Cornish YFC team to compete at Smithfield this year. They are Graham Jasper (pig judging), Edwin Stanbury and Vernon Daniel (sheep judging).

‘The Post and News’ learned from an authoritative source last night (Thursday) that deposits of uranium had been discovered at Altarnun. The discovery was made by a team of surveyors from the Geological Survey and Museum, South Kensington.

November 27, 1943

Died of wounds: Drvr William John Baker, RASC, of Trevia, Camelford, serving with the Central Mediterranean Force.

Bridgerule has long felt the need of a parish hall and the two Methodist Churches having amalgamated, the ex-Wesleyan church has been bought by the parish. A management committee has been appointed with Mr Curtis as chairman, Mr F C Lucas treasurer, and Messrs P P Pratt and W J Martin secretaries. With alterations, etc, the estimated cost is £500 and subscriptions of £120 have already come in.

Because of the Sunday Observance Act, Launceston Town Council has had to forbid Sunday concerts in the Town Hall as it was proposed to make a charge for admission.

Mrs Smith, of Torquay, has been appointed assistant mistress of North Hill Church of England School in place of Miss Northey (retired).

Mr Hugh Mackintosh Foot, assistant British resident in Transjordan, has been appointed colonial secretary Cyprus. Aged 36, he is second son of Mr Isaac Foot, of Pencreber, Callington.

December 4, 1943

CERA William Wensham, of Wuarry Cottage, Yeolmbridge, has been decorated by the King with the BEM for his work on Malta convots and the invasion of North Africa.

With Christmas coming and goods source in the shops, a new form of buying children’s toys has sprung up in Launceston at furniture sales.

December 2, 1933

1933 prices: Ekco all-mains radio sets, 13gns (from Hayman and Son, Church Street and Race Hill, Launceston); permanent waves 15s 6d whole head (Hardy’s Hairdressers, Southgate, Launceston); Hillman Minx motor cars, 10 hp saloons £159 (Glover and Uglow Ltd, Kelly Bray); raisins, sultanas, currents, all 6d a lb (Dunn Bros, East Cornwall Stores, Launceston); half bottles of brandy 6s 6d (Shuker and Reed Ltd, Launceston); photographs, 7s 6d, a dozen (R L Knight, Queen Street, Bude).

Len Harvey, the boxer who was born at Polhilsa and went to school at Stoke Climsland, last night beat Jack Peterson on points at the Albert Hall to win the heavyweight championship of Britain. He thus makes history having held the middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight championships all within one year.

December 5, 1933

The Rev J Shaw, Recttor of Callington and South Hill, was injured when, with Mrs Shaw, he was thrown out of their vehicle when the horse stumbled.

Mr T Petherick, the owner, entertained the workmen who had erected the Atlantic View Boarding Establishment at Tintagel.

Four Port Isaac fishermen — W C Callaway, John Mitchell, John Oaten and Walter Mitchell — were drowned when their boat went down on Wednesday. Charles Mitchell, who was unable to swim, was left to support himself by oars and was later rescued.

December 1, 1923

Mr George Hendy Sandercock a native of Launceston, a native of Launceston, has been elected Mayor of Tenby, Pembrokeshire. In his youth he was a message boy his apprenticeship with Messrs J H Stangar, of Holsworthy.

Tintael’s first carnival took place on Saturday and vast crowds withered a huge procession.

December 9, 1923

Twenty-one trucks, laden with castle, the meat van and guards van became detached during shunting at Halwill Station on Saturday and set off at a rapid rate down the incline on the North Cornwall line. The occurance was at once made known to officials at Ashwater and other stations by telegraph. Fortunately the line was clear and the loaded trucks, with their living freight, dashed through Ashwater Station within eight minutes of leaving Halwill. They were halted at Tillshow Wood about two miles below Ashwater.