25 years ago

July 2, 1998

A mystery house featured in a photograph belonging to a Launceston firm has been identified, thanks to an appeal through the Post’s pages. Ironically, the house, seen i the photograph shortly after it was built, was featured in the Post’s property pages the same week — on the market for £98,500! Diana Janicka from Oldstock Enterprise based in Launceston turned to the Post in a bid to gain more information on the posture — and has been informed that the house stands at Little Comfort, Launceston. Leonard Maddever from Treburley contacted Mrs Janicka to say he is the great nephew of the couple standing outside the house in the picture which is believed to have been taken in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

Martin’s Cash and Carry of Launceston is set to move to part of the former Abru factory at the town’s Pennygillam Industrial estate.

Farmers residing near the top part of the River Tamar have helped to pinpoint a range of agricultural practices that can lead to pollution during wet weather. The results of a two-year £50,000 study by the Environment Agency have just been published.

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40 years ago

July 2, 1983

Patricia Gregory (7), Sarah Parish (6) and Miriam Spettigue (5) won the most events in their classes at the recent sports evening of the Explorers Section of the 1st Launceston Girls’ Brigade.

Mrs Downing, of Lewdown, received her prize of a video recorder following the national “Sizzling Sounds” competition sponsored by Jess-Ford (UK) Ltd of Bristol.

The Green Inn Darts Club, Week St Mary, ladies’ team, who are the League champions. They were: Janet Ballis, Brenda Crocker-White, Wendy Horrell, Ivy Horrell, Barbara Harris, Mariene Ellis, Diane Hobbs, Linda Cobbledick, Joyce Pugh (capt), Margaret Johns.

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50 years ago

June 30, 1973

Mr F H Stanlake, deputy headmaster of Holsworthy County Secondary School for 20 years, having been on the staff since 1931, will be succeeded by Dr Denis Noel Kershaw. Miss Gillian Margaret Down of Uffculme, Cullompton will also take up a post at the school in September, in char ge of girls’ PE and games.

Mr Jim Ferrett, auxiliary volunteer in charge of Boscastle cliff rescue team, and his son Graham carried an anti-tank missile up the 600ft cliff path at Strangles after it had been washed up on the rocky foreshore. The missile was collected by Hartland Coastguards and dealt with by the bomb disposal unit from Plymouth.

Miss Alison Chapman, 13, of Five Lanes, is this year’s Altarnun Carnival Queen. Marilyn Emmett, five, of Higher Treween, was elected Altarnun Fairy Queen.

A block vote by three Stratton councillors helped to defeat a proposal that a grant of £150 should be given to St Michael’s Church, Bude, for the restoration of the church clock. One of the Stratton representatives, Mr Bryant Burrow, proposed that that the sum of 310 be donated, but an amendment by Mr Eric Trewin that a grant of £75 should be recommended was accepted by the Finance Committee of Bude-Stratton Urban Council.

A successful debut to the pony racing scene was made at Tintagel on Tuesday by nine-year-old Colin Heard, son of the one of the organisers, Brian Heard. Colin rode Silver Lining to a two length victory in the last race and was a close second on Trigger in the 7.30.

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60 years ago

July 6, 1963

The Cornwall county council proposals for the reorganisation of district councils within its area were revealed on Wednesday, with the presentation of the report prepared by the special sub committee set up to go into this matter. Mr F L Harris has been chairman of that committee, with Mr W E Miller as vice-chairman, and another local member has been Mr W E Miller as vice-chairman, and another local member has been Mr J H Hawken. The sub-committee presented its report to the Review of Boundaries Committee, and that body accepted it as a basis for further discussion and in turn approved the recommendations for submission to the full county council for approval at its meeting on July 23.

Cornwall Health Committee is to build a new home for 36 old people in the grounds of Horwell Grammar School, at Hendra, Launceston. Formal approval for the expenditure of £62,000 was given when the committee met at Truro, but members agreed to refer the question of building costs generally to its finance and general sub-committee for consideration.

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70 years ago

July 4, 1953

The only boys’ teams taking part in the English Folk Dance Festival at St Austell on Saturday were those from Bude and Carclaze. A great ovation greeted the Bude team for its interpretation of the “Riggs O’Marlow” performed with sticks and bells attached to their ankles and the “Flamborough Sword Dance”.

The thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday covered a wide area and there were reports of torrential downpours, lightning strikes, power failures, and the more customary incidents of such a storm. But the strangest story comes from North Hill where what appears to have been a whirlwind struck fields on two farms, and although no one was hurt, crops were damaged, and it is reported, rooks were killed in this unusual manifestation of the blind force of nature.

The ban on television development has been lifted by the government and the BBC can proceed “at once” with the building of a transmitter near Plymouth which will serve Devon and Cornwall.

PC Eric Webber, who was severely injured in a fall from a window at his home at Daw’s House, South Petherwin, died in a Plymouth hospital on Sunday.

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80 years ago

July 3, 1943

LAC W Hilda Gregory, WWAF, of Werrington, has been mentioned in Despatches, for devotion to duty.

Members of the Women’s Land Army, which celebrates its fourth anniversary this month, are to get a birthday present in the shape of improved pay; 22s 6d for a 48 hour week.

By a majority of three in a poll of 89, Devon County Council has turned down for the third time a proposal to pay the travelling expenses of its members.

Great Stursdon, Morwenstow, a farm of 98 acres owner-occupied by Mr William Walter, was sold at auction at the Crown and Sceptre, Holsworthy, on Wednesday, by Messrs Kivell and Sons, for £1,700 to Mr John L Martin, of Bradworthy.

Bude has beaten Launceston and Holsworthy in the three cornered “Wings for Victory Week” war savings challenge. They raised a total of £150,000 compared with Launceston’s £146,000 and Holsworthy’s £141,000. One of the features of the final day at Bude was a baseball match between American troops which drew a crowd of hundreds.

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90 years ago

July 8, 1933

In glorious weather, a record crowd (including 100 schoolchildren) set off from Launceston Guildhall at 10am yesterday (Thursday), headed by the Mayor, Mr G E Trood, and the Town Clerk, Mr S L Peter, to beat the Borough Bounds. Police Sgt Cobbledick, who accompanied the party, was the subject of much sympathy because of his heavy uniform in the very hot conditions. Boys “beaten” or “bumped” included Leslie Frost, Phil Raddall and J Osborne. The Rev H W Hughes fell headlong into a patch of brambles, the Mayor gave up part way round, and only two of the “City Fathers” completed the 12-mile course, the Justice, Coun J Harvey, and Coun R Grigg. At the end the party was played back to the Square by the Launceston Municipal Band.

When Linda Jasper, daughter of Mr and Mrs Jasper, of Ruse’s Mill, Lezant, and a pupil of Trekenner Council School, was successful in passing the recent Secondary Education examination, at Launceston, she became the seventh of her family to do so, an almost unique achievement. All her five sisters and one brother had previously gained similar distinction, and three are now school teachers.

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100 years ago

July 7, 1923

Bude Picture House, built just over a year ago by Mr Booth, has been acquired during the past week by Mr W J Graver. Over 350 catholics gathered at Launceston on Saturday for the pilgrimage to the scene of the martyrdom of Cuthbery Mayne.

The stone-laying ceremony for a new Methodist Chapel at Poughill took place on Thursday. Rev G H Schofield, pastor, presided and Rev F H Burr, the vicar, gave an address.