25 years ago

February 8, 2001

An eleventh hour bid has been made to keep the British Red Cross Society shop selling coffee at its charity shop in Bude. “I have got a petition here with over 100 names begging the shop to stay open,” said Councillor Mrs Ann Clay at Thursday’s Bude and Stratton Town Council meeting.

When out on a coastal road near his home recently, Ken Crocker was quite surprised to see Billy the kid trotting along. Ken, of Trevigue Farm — in between Boscastle and Crackington — found the Billy goat wandering along the coastal road and took him back to his farm.

Planners are to pay a visit to St Giles-on-the-Heath Post Office and Stores before deciding whether to give the thumbs-up for the first licensed premises in the village in living memory.

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40 years ago

February 8, 1986

Launceston’s old Tower Cinema is to be demolished to make way for a £1-million development scheme of flats, shops, offices and a car park.

The RSPCA is investigating the fate of four slaughtered pups found by schoolchildren in a field behind a Launceston housing estate. Five children who went to play in the field in Cross Lane, adjoining the Launceston housing estate, said later they found these dead pups and buried them nearby.

Campaign medals belonging to two brothers from Bradworthy, who were killed in the second world war, are finally assured of a permanent display place in their home village. The campaign medals of Captain Patrick Spread and Captain Basil Spread have been mounted in a mahogany showcase.

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50 years ago

February 7, 1976

Mr John D Campbell was elected president at the annual meeting of the Launceston Agricultural Association. He has been one of the honorary veterinary surgeons to the association for 20 years.

Mrs Byron Rowland presented to Mr C P Dennis-Jones, of Bradworthy, the silage trophy awarded to the winner of the Bude Grassland Society’s competition. The runner-up was Mr J Ward, of Flanders, Crackington.

Mr Bob Flower, of The Supermarket, Tintagel, is the organiser of the Rotary Club of Camelford’s scheme to compile a list of forthcoming events to stop some events clashing.

Miss Florence Morcom, of Lanoy House, Coads Green, will be invested as a Serving Sister of the Order of St John at a ceremony in London on February 26.

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60 years ago

February 12, 1966

A new seat for the use of local residents was presented to the Bude-Stratton Urban Council by Mrs Dendy on behalf of Stratton WI as part of its jubilee celebration.

The annual meeting of the Holsworthy branch of the Bee Keepers’ Association was held under the chairmanship of the secretary, Mr W E C Thorne.

At the annual meeting of Cornwall Friesian Breeders’ Club Mr Gilbert Drowne, or Tresmarrow, was elected vice-chairman, and MR W W Colwill, of Treburley, re-elected secretary.

At Crufts dog show in London, Mrs J Wonnacott, of Bude, won awards for special puppy dog and a special junior dog.

Mrs Colwill, of South Lane, Hartland, killed a 16in snake near her home as it was basking in the winter sunshine.

The chairman, Mr E G Smith, referred to the apparent need of new premises for use as a band room at the annual meeting of the Launceston Municipal Band.

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70 years ago

February 11, 1956

Launceston poet Charles Causley, is to appear on television for the first time at 10.15pm next Thursday in the BBC’s “Westward Ho!” magazine programme.

A bomb disposal expert rushed down from Plymouth to Collacombe Down, Launceston, on Friday to detonate an unexploded anti-aircraft shell which had been found in a hedge.

She investigated and found the room in flames, an oil heater having caught fire. Police and firemen were called to the scene but the blaze was extinguished before the arrival by an employee, Mr William Worth. The room contained 6,000 books, some of them rare and costly, which formed part of Mr Foot’s famed 40,000 volumes. Mr Foot was able to report that nothing of exceptional value had been among the 100 books destroyed.

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80 years ago

February 9, 1946

A Wadebridge schoolboy, Robert Moss, picked up a coin on his way to school and it turned out to be a Roman denarius of 283 AD. His headmaster, Mr T Oates, thinks that this may indicate the presence of a hoard nearby.

It was announced in the House of Commons, Tuesday, that the fats ration is to be reduced; that there will be a return to the darker war-time bread; no rice; less feeding stuffs for animals (and therefore shorter supplies of bacon, poultry and eggs); and a restriction on the serving of bread in restaurants.

A boat from Port Isaac rescued 12 men from a Glasgow ship, the Sphene, which foundered off the Moul Rock on Wednesday. The rescue boat was manned by Messrs Anthony Provis (harbourmaster), T Tabb, T Brown, W Billing, John Mills and H Oaten.

The Retreat House at Stratton was re-opened on Wednesday to fulfill the purpose for which it was intended. During the war years it has been a guest house; now it is open again will be used for Chapter meetings.

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90 years ago

February 8, 1936

The anglers dinner has been revived at Launceston after a lapse of 25 years. The president, Mr A Peter, said the Association now had 26 members.

Mr Henry Toy, chairman of Cornwall County Council, distributed the awards at Callington County School prize day on Tuesday. Among the items mentioned by the headmaster, Mr A J Freeman, in his annual report was the fact that the pupils had more than £2,000 invested in National Savings Certificates.

Camelford is a town without a church and another £350 is needed before building operations can start on the proposed church of St Thomas of Canterbury for the town. Altogether another £1,500 is wanted to cover furnishings etc.

Canon W H Rigg, the Vicar designate of St Mary Magdalene, Launceston, was welcomed to the parish at the annual parochial meeting on Friday. Tributes were paid to the work of Rev W Elwell, who has been priest-in-charge of St Mary’s for the past year.

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100 years ago

February 13, 1936

Okehampton Choral Society, under the leadership of Mr S J Janes, scored another great success with their interpretation of the “Rebel Maid”.

Writing to the Editor, Constance Gibbon, Windor Terrace, Bude, congratulates Stratton, having got together 25 young men to start a band, but the men of Bude have shown great ingratitude and discouragment to Mr Cooper so letting the scheme of the proposed band fall through.