December 24, 1998

At the Boyton Busy Bee Playgroup party were Sarah Jackson, Hollie Edgecombe, Drew, Rev Andrew Prout, Hilary and Rhianna Cooper, Sue Moore, Joan Adams (supervisor), Maisie and Claire and Dan Lynch, Michelle Wallington and Elisha, Harry Walton, Emma Barriball, Henri, Julie and Georgia Duke, Bliss Ellaott, Alison and Annie, Sharron and Alex Duke, Vicki D’Eath (supervisor), George Gray, Anthony Swift, Zoe Martyn and Alison Barriball (supervisor).

December 24, 1983

The younger children of St Joseph’s Junior School, Launceston, created a Nativity tableau which climaxed their performance in the school’s recent Christmas concert.

Bude Surf Life Saving Club president Mr Peter Cloke, was presented with an illuminated testimonial by Bude-Stratton Town Council.

December 15, 1973

Mr William Stanbury, of Carey Barton, St Giles, the well known cattle breeder, has been invited to judge the Devon cattle classes at the Royal Sydney Show.

Mrs Mary Cobbledick, of Week St Mary, has received a certificate and special badge from the Royal British Legion for her services in selling poppies in the village for 30 years.

David Chidley was one of three Bude ans Stratton Lions Club members who were sold as ‘slaves’ at an auction. He was bought by Mrs Carol Brown, who said: “David is going to do my Christmas cooking”.

Mrs Davey was the winners of the Maid of Honour tarts contest at the monthly meeting of Delabole Women’s Institute. Mrs Dungey won the flower of the month competition with a fuschia.

Janet Sikorski and Gwendoline Paul will have an all expenses paid trip to London after winning the annual draw among female employees of Marathon (Launceston) Limited. Paul Ellacott won the male draw for a night out with the partner of his choice.

December 28, 1963

A journey to the United States of America which took him 12,000 miles in 27 days involving Atlantic crossings in the Queen Mary and The France, and flights in nine sorts of aircraft, was made by Mr B C Chudleigh, cattle dealer and farmer of Old Rectory Farm, Lawhitton, near Launceston. Mr Chudleigh who is chairman of Launceston Rural Council, and a director of Launceston Abattoir Company, made the journey in conjunction with a study tour arranged by a Suffolk firm.

In a second letter to St Germans Rural Council Mr Wilfred Morley, of Essex, explained more of his plan to establish a nudist camp at Clitters, Gunnislake, a secluded house surrounded by trees in the Tamar Valley.

Bude-Stratton Urban Council are to press for every effort to be made to expedite the building of the proposed bi-lateral school at Bude. It was reported that it was proposed to erect a bi-lateral school to replace the existing Bude Grammar School and Bude-Stratton Secondary School, but this was not likely until 1970. 

Water from the jets he was using froze on the slates while Fireman Fred Willcocks was on the roof of a high house in Tavistock Road. Callington, fighting a chimney fire. The ladder with which he had climbed the root reached eight feet short of the chimney pots and he crawled that distance over bare slates. The slates became so slippery during the 20 minutes he was at work that it was too dangerous to attempt crawling the eight feet back to the ladder. A rope was then thrown over the roof top and anchored, Mr Willcocks then slid down the rope to the ladder.

December 26, 1953

Mr Edwin Malindone, a London businessman has been recommended by the Divisional Executive as prospective Parliamentary Liberal candidate for North Cornwall. It is also recommended that Mr Dennis V Flacey, from Wells, Somerset, should be the successor to Mr F L Tyrell as Divisional agent.

John Gavin Lea, 16-year-old second son of Dr and Mrs J M Lea, formerly of Lifton, was drowned at Lime Regis last week when during a walk along the shore he fell from some rocks into a shallow pool.

Sir Harold Roper, Conservative MP for North Cornwall is off to Burma where he spent so many years before the war. But this time only for a short period as a member of the Parliamentary delegation which is visiting that country and also India and Pakistan.

Sir Douglas Marshall, Conservative MP for SE Cornwall was married on Saturday in a quiet ceremony at Stoke Climsland Parish Church to Mrs Susanne Penzer Symons, of Hatt House, Saltash. The first Mrs Marshall died in November of last year and the bride lost her first husband in 1951.

The Holsworthy Deanery magazine celebrated its diamond jubilee with its December issue — its 720th edition.

The Haye charity founded by James Haye who died 214 years ago was distributed at Callington over the Christmas period. The income comes from the rent of two fields in Liskeard Road known as ‘The Poor Ground’ and it provided for 9s to each of 42 beneficiaries. A further £15 was distributed under the will of George Hawke who died in 1928.

Basic scales of pay for teachers will be increased from next April going up to £450 a year for men and £405 for women.

Werrington Churchyard is to be extended, Corn Williams having generously given an adjoining piece of land.

December 24, 1943

Reported missing in the Middle East: Pte Penno, of 6, St Thomas Hill, Launceston.

It is hoped that in the net three months, everyone in Britain will get at least a 1lb of oranges. They are coming from Spain and Palestine.

Mrs Mary Emma Pengelly, aged 30, was killed on Sunday evening when walking with her husband and small son towards their home at Trebursye. She was knocked down by an American Army lorry.

Launceston Rural Council is having trouble building council houses because of the shortage of labour. Men are brought down from Bristol under the Essential Works Order, but costs are rising to steeply that members feel they will be unable to let the houses for the 12s 6d a week which is proposed. One member commented he thought it would be difficult to get tenants who would even pay that sum.

To a crowded audience of parents at the annal concert given by pupils of Headland College, the Principal, Mrs Normington, reported that numbers had increased every term since the school had evacuated to Gunnislake in 1941. In the past year, over 50 boarders had to be refused entry because of lack of room.

Mr Corbett, headmaster of Whitstone Council School, is being recalled to Croydon, and at an evening gathering on Friday he was presented by the youngest pupil, Winifred Sleep with a cheque from managers, parents, etc in recognition of all his work for the school and village.

December 30, 1933

Thousands of frozen lambs have been sent from Australia to England as Christmas presented to relatives and friends in the Old Country. Mrs B C Sloaman, Treroose, Laneast, has been one of the recipients, the gift being from her brother, Mr A B C Dinnis, of Melbourne.

Mr John Ernest Tiffin, of Arlesey, Beds, has been appointed divisional agent for the North Cornwall Conservative Association, in succession from Com Denton.

December 29, 1923

Rev G A George Davis has accepted an invitation to become pastor of the Congregational Church, Launceston.

Mr C E Lease, the headmaster, in his annual report presented at the prize distribution of Camelford Grammar School on Friday said the number of pupils now attend (39 boys and 28 girls) was a record.