25 years ago

April 29, 1999

Students at St Stephens School celebrated Trevithick Day with a week of Cornish activities. With their folk instruments are Will Honeyman, Alex Whitfield, Faith Coles, Erin Coles, John Coles, Dennis Honson (school governor), Samantha Zacks, Jamie Lee Smith, Katie Lashbrook, Martin Easingwood, Daniel Lightfoot, Hannah Sillifant, all from Class 5.

Bude Central Methodist Church was the venue for a very enjoyable weekend reunion of people associated with youth activities at Central for more than 40 years.

About 30 people gathered outside at Basill Manor, St Clether, in wild, stormy weather to plant an apple tree in memory of Mary Wolstenholme (1911-98).

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40 years ago

April 21, 1984

Members of the Junior Church and young people’s choir presented a Passion play in St Mary Magdalene Parish Church on Palm Sunday entitled ‘Leaf of the Palm’ it was written especially for the occasion by Miss Mary Jones, who also produced it, with the assistance of Junior Church teachers.

A North Cornwall district councillor this week denied living in a bungalow. Mr Dick Willoughby insisted that his home, a converted workshop, was a cottage. Agnes Cottage, Higher Wharf, Bude, had no garden or central heating and was reached along al unmade track without pavements, and Mr Willoughby, chairman of the council’s planning committee, objected to a rating valuation for the property of £245.

The younger generation, all descendants of the late William and Emma Hones, of North Petherwin, posed together at a family reunion held at the White Hart Hotel, Launceston. Featured with them is Mr Percival Cory, of Dunheved Road, who compiled a family tree and arranged the reunion.

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50 years ago

April 27, 1974

Mrs Lucy Slater, aged 84, who has been playing the organ at Clawton Bridge Methodist Church for more than 50 years, was presented with an easy chair by the Rector, Rev Vicars W Bell, at a united service.

The former Town Clerk of Launceston, Mr Clifford W Parsons, has been co-opted as a member of the new Town Council.

After some 80 years Camelford has got its second mayor. It is again allowed to have a mayor under the recent re-organisation of parish authorities. Appointed to the office was Mr Evan Holman, of Shalimar, Camelford.

Mr Mike Babb was in goal for the 2nd Bude Scout and Cub Group penalty scoring competition to raise funds for their proposed new headquarters. Winner with five goals from ten shots was ten-year-old Nigel Cowling, of St Gennys.

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60 years ago

April 25, 1964

Launceston town council is to fight tooth and nail British Railway’s proposal to bring to an end livestock loading facilities at Launceston station.

Two 20-year-old Bude men, Stuart Rodgers and David Stevens, were rescued by a Padstow ferryman when the mast of their 14ft dinghy broke and the boat overturned in the Camel Estuary on Saturday.

Congregationalism in Bude will shortly be entering a new phase of activity under the leadership of Rev Lorna Stanfield, who will be inducted as minister of St Martin’s Congregational Church on Thursday, May 7.

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70 years ago

May 1, 1954

Miss Rita Martin, daughter of Mr and Mrs A Martin, of Dowerland Cottage, was chosen as Mary Tavy’s Carnival Queen on Monday. Miss Ann George, of Station Road, and Miss Valerie Rice, of Glebe Cottage, were chosen as attendants. The competitors sold 5,068 3d tickets.

The opening ceremony at the ambitious new extension to Holsworthy Urban District Council’s cattle market was performed on Wednesday by Mrs E M Evans, JP, chairman of the council, who also conducted the first sale ever to take place in the new premises, a shorthorn cow for 62 gns.

The former Army hut from the 1914-18 War which became Stoke Climsland’s Men’s INstitute was sold at auction for £46 on Wednesday for use on a farm.

There were 233 competitors in the Week St Mary Methodist Circuit Sunday School’s Festival between the ages of five and 16.

Cornwall Motor Racing Ltd, a joint committee of Cornwall Vintage Sports Car Club and Plymouth Motor Club, which promotes motor racing at Davidstow, will be spending £4,000 on the Whit Monday meeting.

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80 years ago

April 29, 1944

Killed in action in Burma: Sgt Henry Bennett, of Boscastle. Awarded the Military Medal: Sgt Edgar W Slade, RE, of Holsworthy.

Dissatisfaction with the country grant was expressed at the annual general meeting of the Launceston Nursing Association, and Mr J Treleaven suggested that things would be improved when the National Health Service comes into operation. It was reported that the nurse’s salary was now increased to £310 per year.

St Teath Parish Council has complained to the Post Office at the fact that the last post from Delabole now goes an hour earlier, pointing out that the mail can go later on the train from Delabole Station.

Mr William Hampton Pethybridge, who has died in Wales at the age of 78, was a native of Launceston who started his career in the family bank, in the town, but later became a solicitor in Cardiff and Lord Mayor of the city.

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90 years ago

May 5, 1934

May morning in Holsworthy was a gay one. In the early hours, a large number gathered at the Bodmin Street Methodist Schoolroom to go for a tumble before sitting down together for breakfast. At 6.30, headed by the town band, a large crowd danced the Fury Dance from the National School to the Square.

Vigorously denouncing the new Tithe Bill, Camelford farmers have formed branch of the Tithepayers’ Association. Stratton farmers have also passed a resolution of protest against the bill.

Launceston golf course has been improved by the removal of 400 yards of hedge. The newly appointed officers are President, Mr C L Gotto; captain, Mr S L Peter; vice-captain, Dr C G Gibson; hon sec, Mr P Saunders; treasurer, Mr A Y Oag; match secretary, Mr G Geake.

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100 years ago

May 3, 1924

Mr Sydney Simmons, Okehampton’s great benefactor — he gave the town Simmons Park, its almshouses, and the ruins of the castle — and a Freeman of the Borough, died on Monday. A native of Okehampton, he made his fortune by acquiring a carpet-sweeping invention when in the USA.

The pretty little church at Laneast has now a complete set of six bells, the sixth being the gift of Mr and Mrs E G Baron Lethbridge, of Tregeare. It was dedicated on Thursday week by Rev Dr Burr, vicar of Bude.

Reminding him of the promise that he should visit Bude on his next tour of Cornwall, Stratton and Bude UDC have written to the Prince of Wales asking him to open their new recreation ground.