25 years ago

September 18, 1997

English heritage came under fire this week over the advice it gave to Launceston Town Council on making the Priory Ruins more attractive and accessible to visitors.

During the 15 minutes for the public to have their say at Monday’s council meeting, Mr Nigel Bowman, who operates the Launceston Steam Railway called the advice “a disaster.”

Among the changes recommended were scraping ivy off, which had revealed a concrete block wall, on which had now appeared “black magic signs plus drug culture images,” he said.

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40 years ago

September 16, 1982

Attendance at the annual meeting of South Petherwin Social and Carnival Committee on Tuesday week at the W.I Hall was very disappointing with fewer than 20 people present, eight of whom were committee members.

The meeting was chaired by Mr E Lane, who began a debate on the future of the committee. He outlined the disillusionment and frustration of previous committees who had always felt there was a distinct lack of support from the village community in general, which was borne out by the poor turnout at the meeting despite adequate advance publicity.

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50 years ago

September 9, 1972

Mrs Molly Bartlett, the creator of Sal Tregenna whose Cornish dialect stories appear regularly in ‘The Post’, received the Morris Cup for her English verse entry in the Cornish Gorsedd competition.

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60 years ago

September 15, 1962

For the first time in the history of Deanery of Trigg Major, a Sunday School festival is to be held at St. Mary Magdalene parish church, Launceston, next Sunday afternoon. The Lord Bishop of Truro, the Rt. Rev. Maurice Key, will be present to give the address.

One of the biggest single advantages in the history of Cornish education got under way on Wednesday, with the opening of Sir James Smith’s school at Camelford. Here, behind a glittering, breathtaking exterior of shining, plate-glass windows and bold walls of concrete and St. Breward granite, is a school of the future. It is bewildering in its capacity, exciting in its promise and novel in many of its approaches to learning.

When Camelford Rural Council met on Thursday week, members received a report from the offices and staffing committee in regard to progress made in the plans to transfer the council offices from the present site to the premises vacated by Sir James Smith’s grammar school.

The decision then has been made, Mr. Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport this week stated, that he is giving his approval to the proposal to close the Launceston-Tavistock-Plymouth railway line, on which Launceston’s first train ran 98 years ago.

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70 years ago

September 13, 1952

Altarnun’s carnival queen received her crown during a social evening at the clubroom on Wednesday week. She is Miss Sheila Neil and her attendants are Miss Dorothy Sleeman and Miss Christine Neil (her sister). The MC Mr H. Cavey introduced Mrs E. Dennis, who performed the ceremony. The fairy queen, Mill Marilyn Scott, was crowned by Mr T Pearce and her attendants were Miss Margaret Whale and Miss Sylvia Mullis.

No. 5, The Crescent, Bude, was offered for sale by public auction on Thursday week. Bidding commenced at £900 and it was eventually sold to Mr R Brendon, The Falcon Hotel, Bude, for £1,275.

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80 years ago

September 19, 1942

Prisoners of War: Dvr Clarence Sydney Collings, RASC, of Harrowbarrow; Pte Leslie Walsh, DCI.I, also of Harrowbarrow and Dvr Clifford Tregunna, RASC, of Wadebridge.

Canadian casualties in the Dieppe raid are announced as 3,350 dead, wounded and missing.

For having a false name on her identity card, a woman was fined £3 at Stratton Petty Sessions on Monday. It was stated that she was living with a man as his wife, but was not in face married to him. At Callington Sessions on Thursday, a farmer was fined £2 for using petrol supplied to him for agricultural purposes to drive his car to Launceston to fetch his 13 year old son.

Army pay is to go up, and privated will now get 21s a week instead of 17s 6d.

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90 years ago

September 24, 1932

Bude Football Club with liabilities of £323 and a mortgage of £400 on its ground, purchased some years ago by means of subscriptions, seems likely to be wound up. The annual meeting on Monday was adjourned for a fortnight to enable the position to be fully investigated. Our football correspondent, “Terry”, attributes the trouble to the introduction of professional players and says that Bude has been on the downgrade for several seasons.

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100 years ago

September 23, 1922

Launceston Town Council were told on Monday that the Ministry of Health have agreed that the council houses at Race Hill and St Stephens may be sold to tenants.

The two houses at Luffincott Shop, occupied by Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr and Mrs Prout, were totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday, and most of their furniture was burned.

Camelford Rural Council after objecting to motor speed trials on roads over Davidstow Moors, have been informed by the chief constable that there is no law to prevent these trials.