25 years ago
March 18, 1999
Red Nose Day fever hit the streets of ‘Post’ country on Friday with people of all ages entering into the spirit of things to raise cash for Comic Relief. Kieran and Sophie Turner of Five Lanes, near Launceston, aged fie and nine respectively, raised £127 from a sponsored walk. On Friday, Dairy Crest threesome Tony Madge, Julia Bright and Nicky King spent five hours in the centre of Camelford, wearing the obligatory red noses, selling the limited edition red nose custard flavour milkshake, Comic Relief joke books and balloons. Jessica Ford, Samantha Crossland and Sarah Skinner from Holsworthy Primary School reported on the “really fun day where everybody dressed up as various things to make everyone laugh, even the teachers, helpers and dinner ladies.” While, pupils and staff at St Joseph’s School returned to the 60s — records from the decade were played in the foyer throughout the day and the whole school paid to wear 60s style clothes.
* * *
40 years ago
March 17, 1984
Trophies were proudly displayed at the Bude Methodist Circuit 18th annual Youth Eisteddford last Saturday, when entries were up by 50 and the standard was high.
Water from the River Jordan was used at a double family christening of two cousins at Coads Green Methodist Church last Sunday. The water used in the baptism had been brought back from the Holy Land by grandparents Mr and Mrs F Cornish, who spent a holiday there.
Last Wednesday, Launceston Ladies’ Circle held a fork supper and mystery auction at Launceston Golf Club. With Mr john Wakeham as auctioneer, the bidding was fast and furious for mystery lots which were anything from a bottle of whiskey to a sack of coal. These gifts had been donated to Freedom Fields Hospital towards the purchase of a weigh bed for use in the treatment of children with cancer and leukaemia.
Drakelands produce, a company which grows mushrooms commercially for retail in Plymouth and Cornwall, has taken over the buildings and site of the Verbena poultry farm at Windy Bridge, bear Chilsworthy (Gunnislake). The poultry farm closed down last year when the market for eggs dropped and the unit became unviable.
Karate instructor Roy Williams and some of his pupils demonstrated Kata — a sequence of moves to co-ordinate the mind and body — in their new ‘home’ at Launceston College.
* * *
50 years ago
March 16, 1974
Miss Marilyn Bickle, aged 19 of Trebartha Barton, North Hill, was the winner of Launceston Young Farmers’ Club Dairy Queen competition. The runners-up were Misses Sue Brodribb and Diane Chapman.
Timothy Martindale (King), Isobel Davison (Queen) and Joanne O’Keefe (Princess Dorothea) took principal parts in Bude Primary School’s performance of the opera ‘The Marquis of Carabus’.
An area of land on the Bude Marshes has been designated for a rugby pitch. A 28-year lease on the land was sealed by Bude-Stratton Urban Council on Friday.
* * *
60 years ago
March 24, 1964
A team of runners from the two Launceston youth clubs, Town and St Stephens, beat the trans-Cornwall relay race record by 20 minutes. Their time over the 83 miles from Lands End to the Devon border at Polson Bridge was eight hours two minutes five seconds.
Following an announcement last week that the Minister of Education had approved Cornwall Education Committee’s proposal to close Tresmeer county primary school, local parents took immediate steps to make their protest heard.
A crowd estimated at Between 1,600 and 1,700 gathered in the cattle market at Launceston on Friday to hear an address by the Prime Minister, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, who was on a whistle stop tour og the South West.
* * *
70 years ago
March 13, 1954
Rev Horace Townsend Boulthee, Rector of Lifton, died after a short illness in Tavistock Hospital on Saturday.
Tributes to the services of Mr G G Wilson, who is resigning after 25 years as Clerk to Lifton Justices, were paid at Lifton Magistrate Court on Thursday week when he made his last monthly appearance.
A public enquiry was held at the Guildhall yesterday into the application by Launceston Borough Council for permission for the erection of permanent homes on Land at Scarne Cross, Launceston.
Air Raid Wardens of Launceston, attending a Civil Defence lecture at the local police station on Monday night had a practical demonstration of fire fighting — but completely unrehearsed and not a scheduled part of the lecture. Part way through a head came round the door and the lecturer, Mr R R Haylen, surveyor to Camelford RDC was informed his car was on fire.
* * *
80 years ago
March 11, 1944
The cheese ration is to be reduced to 2oz a week but the milk ration is going up to two-and-a-half pints per person.
Speaking at the annual Sunday School conference of the Bude Methodist Circuit, held at Bradworthy, Mr Leighton Saunders suggested dropping the name ‘Sunday School’. As an alternative he suggested the title ‘Young People’s Service’.
With the idea of promoting a closer relationship between Church and Chapel, Rev W James, Rector of Minster and Forrabury, called a public meeting in the Mission Room, Boscastle, on Monday. He wants people to get together spiritually and socially.
Wing commander R B Pearse, formerly of Launceston, has been decorated by the King with the AFC. Before the war he was manager of Plymouth Airport.
* * *
90 years ago
March 17, 1934
A new rate for electricity, a considerable reduction, comes into force for Cornwall this quarter. The charge will now be one-and-a-quarter pence per unit for lighting, heating and power.
Holsworthy Urban Council new rate is 4s 6d ‚ a reduction of 3d on last year.
The long drought, with its consequent shortage of water, has at last broken.
Applications for off licences by six Bude grocers — Messrs bate, Barrett, H Prettjohn, Cook (2), and Underwoods Ltd — were made to Stratton magistrates on Monday. They were opposed by the Bude licensees, the Police and Rev W M Cann, Methodist minister, and were refused.
* * *
100 years ago
March 15, 1924
A letter from Mr W Coombe, secretary of the local Mercantile Association, was read at Holsworthy Urban District Council meeting complaining of unfair competition from ‘cheapjacks’.
The revival of the shipping trade at Wadebridge is very apparent. Last week three large steamers — SS Forester, SS Dunard and SS Emma Loose — were discharging cargoes at the quay at the same time.
Mr W Maddern, of Calstock has been appointed Relieving Officer for the Callington district, a whole time appointment with a salary of £80, plus registration and other fees.