25 years ago

August 27, 1998

Dairy champion: Robert Philpott, showing on behalf of F Howard and Sons of Boyton, received a cup at Ashwater Show for the dairy championship from show president Mrs Dean Lewins. The judge was John Thorton and the show chairman Hector Newcombe.

Events started on Friday, August 7, for Pyworthy Sports Week, when the village hall audience witnessed sports committee members taking part in a ‘Mr and Mrs Quiz’. Lots of laughter and enjoyment got the week off to a good start. Gerry and Ray Gulliver ‘won’ the quiz with maximum points.

Competing with the lads, Sarah Sandercock from Lewannick was the only woman taking part in the sheep shearing competition at Ashwater Show.

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40 years ago

August 27, 1983

Members of Werrington Youth Club, which is affiliated to the Methodist Association of Youth Clubs, are all ready to leave on their first ever summer camp. The boys and girls were with their leaders, Mrs R Gribble and Mrs A Taplin, and the venue for their first expedition under canvas is the Treble B Camping site between Looe and Polperro.

Det-Inspt Tony Furzeland presented the cup to Sgt Colin Hawke and the ladies’ winner (Mrs Lorna Bullock) at the annual Police Produce Show. 

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50 years ago

August 25, 1973

Mr Ken Stone, who spent 30 years working in Eli Cook’s store, Launceston, and for the past eight years has been with the supermarket group of Ford and Lock, has retired after 50 years in the grocery industry.

Mrs Elizabeth Burley’s 20 month-old Devon-Hereford cross steer was overall champion at the Ashwater Show and Mrs Burley received the cup from the President’s wife Mrs T Dart.

Mr J A M Kent, of Delabole, and Preb E P James, of Pyworthy, were among the members of the new regional water authorities announced by The Secretary of State.

The electrical, radio and television business of W W Bailey, 6 Southgate Street, Launceston, is being disposed of to Messrs Orchard of Whitstone. Mr Bailey has been operating an electrical business in the town for 20 years, first in Westgate Street and since 1958 at the Southgate Street premises.

Junior Squadron Sergeant-Major Christopher Pascoe, of Trengilly, Jacobstow, was presented with the Squadron Leadership Prize at the summer passing-out parade of the Junior Leaders’ Regiment, Royal Engineers at Dover.

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60 years ago

August 31, 1963

Residents at Wadebridge are delighted, that after more than a quarter of a century’s agitation, the serious danger to pedestrians has at long last been removed by the completion of the widening of the 15th century stone bridge over the River Camel.

A tender of £27,807 15s — the lowest of four received — for clocks E and F of Northgate Street — Tower Street redevelopment scheme —was approved by Launceston Town Council, on Monday. The tender, submitted by Messrs R Worth and Son, of Race Hill, Launceston, comprised £3,033 4s, 5d for site work, £24,229 for the remaining work and £545 for contingencies. The period of contract is 12 months.

The post office stores at Widemouth Bay were broken into recently, but as far as can be ascertained nothing was taken.

The Delabole British Legion’s annual exhibition of flowers, vegetables, cookery and handicrafts, was held in the Primary School, on Saturday. Although the season has been a difficult one for growers, there were 544 entries and the judges were impressed by the high standard of entries.

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70 years ago

August 29, 1953

A plot of land leading off Windmill Hill, Launceston, of about 1,382 acres was auction at the White Hart Hotel and realised £350.

The possibility that Bude may have Sunday cinema shows was discussed by Bude-Stratton Urban Council. Members agreed a public meeting will be held to discuss it.

Communists have released Pte R G Petit, of Halwill, in Korea after being imprisoned since April 1951.

A Birmingham holiday-maker was carried for three miles on the backs of two other visitors after getting into difficulties while swimming at Welcombe Mouth. They took him to Hardisworthy Manor.

Unexpected interest was caused by the appearance of a giant American bomber over Launceston on August 16. It caused a confusing shower of comments on its identity.

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80 years ago

August 28, 1943

Died on service in North Africa: Bdr James Arthur Pickard, RA, of Brownsham Farm, Hartland. Wounded in action in Sicily: Tpr A W Hollands, Tan Corps, of King Street, Gunnislake. Prisoners of war: Gnr William Tilbury, of Jubilee Terrace, Delabole, and Gnr F Couch, of Bolventor.

Under the slogan “Hyde Park Comes to Cornwall” Dr Donald Soper and a party of Young Methodists from London are conducting open air forums in Launceston, Callington and district.

American troops, stationed in the district, entertained the children of Launceston to a party, presented them with candy and chewing gum and, by giving up their own rations for a fortnight, provided them with a peacetime luxury — ice cream.

A runaway horse, dragging a pair of shafts, which had broken from a wagon, galloped a mile through Whitstone, till stopped at Cherry Cross by Miss Lilian Westlake, a Land Army girl, and Mr Jerffery, of Bradworthy. Fortunately there was no traffic on the road at the time.

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90 years ago

September 2, 1933

Holsworthy will heartily welcome a week’s heavy rain in this dry summer. Water is so short that lorries with tanks have to tour the town two or three times daily with water from Tamarstone. Because of the shortage, the Council School, due to assemble on Monday, will not open.

King Arthur’s Castle Hotel was threatened by a gorse fire at Tintagel which lasted several days and in some places was a foot deep.

Why pay rent? Be your own landlord. £40 deposit makes you a houseowner. Houses from £400 freehold inclusive of land, fences and road charges — full particulars from North Cornwall Building Co Ltd, Tredydan Road, Launceston (advt).

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100 years ago

September 1, 1923

Bude’s lifeboat, the ‘Elisabeth More Garden’ drawn by seven horses, paraded through the town on Thursday week and put out to sea for the last time. She is being returned to the RNLI headquarters owing to little use in recent years. As she passed under Falcon Bridge, St Gennys Band playes ‘Auld Lang Syne’. The last Bude lifeboat crew is Capt H Barrett (coxswain), H Batten, F HEard, Jim and Jack Marshall, J and R Jewell, H Lane, T Golliver, H Bate, J Darch and N Penfounf. Since the lifeboat was first staged in Bude in 1950, 51 lives have been saved, the last in 1912. One crew member, J Maynard, was drowned.

The Camelford Cheese Factory is to be closed as soon as is practicable to the regret of local people.

Treknow, the village between Trebarwoth and Tintagel, is following the example of its neighbouring rival Trevena and has erected a men’s institute largely through the generosity of Mr and Mrs Glassock.