25 years ago

January 22, 1998

A 100-year-old firm lost its main depot in Launceston on Tuesday when a fire which started from a heater in a workshop gutted the premises. Six crews of firefighters tackled the blaze which enveloped the Hambleys Whitstone Ltd building at Priory Park within minutes.

A holiday report on Bude was shown on a BBC holiday programme on Tuesday for people all over the country to see. “I was very pleased with the turnout of the programme,” says Jacki Stephens, for the Bude Area Tourist Board. “To produce the programme was a great opportunity for us.”

Compass Contract Services staged the Compass Challenge inaugural swimming gala at the Dragon Leisure Centre, Bodmin on Saturday.

The old advertising slogan ‘It’s all at the Co-op now’ is being challenged by Camelford Town Council, and they were hoping to put their case to the Co-p’s area manager, David Ford, who, according to the agenda drawn up for Tuesday evening’s town council meeting in the Indian King Art Centre, was due to attend as a guest speaker.

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40 years ago

January 22, 1983

The children of Stratton Primary School gave a splendid performance of “A Christmas Carol” adapted and directed by Miss Deidre O’Connell to a packed to capacity St Andrew’s Church congregation.

North Cornwall MP Mr Gerry Neale cut the ribbon to open Launceston’s latest factory, wet-suit manufacturers Tornado Leisure. The fir, sited on Pennygillam Industrial Estate, was officially opened last Thursday.

Bude Central Methodist Youth Club pantomime this year is ‘Mother Goose’, which promises to be a cracking good show, maintaining their very high standard.

Bude-Stratton Town Council should put extreme pressure on North Cornwall District Council to bring down the cost of building plots on land they owned at Sand Lanes. It was stated at last Thursday’s meeting.

Central Methodist Church, Launceston, was filled to capacity on Sunday evening when 50 enthusiastic young people from the North Hill Circuit presented the musical ‘Spirit’ which they had previously performed at Coads Green to two crowded audiences.

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50 years ago

January 19, 1973

Mr J H Mathew, who ran the Launceston Launcry from 1946 until 1965 when he sold out to the Millbay Company, with whom he accepted a directorship, is now retiring from his executive activities with the company.

The Johns family, thought to be the oldest in the North Tamerton parish, has moved from Semersdon. The parish registers have records of the family dating back about 150 years. Mr Williams Johns is still living in the parish at Old Chaple, but Mr Dick Johns has moved to Stratton and Mr John Johns to Week St Mary. The new owners of Semersdon are Mr an Mrs Manifold from Sussex.

Mrs M Haylett, of Cheshut, Herts, has donated £100 to endow a prize for Sir James Smith’s School, Camelford. The prize will be known as the ‘Treweeks Prize’ in memory of her parents, Mr and Mrs W J Treweeks was an old boy and governor of the school.

Messrs Woolworth have decided to close their branch in Southgate Street, Launceston, it was confirmed at Monday’s meeting of Launceston Town Council. Ald S G Adams, chairman of the finance committee, said he felt sure that council members were greatly disturbed at the news.

Mr Denis Bannister, chairman of the Bude Canoe Club, said that schoolchildren should be warned of the dangers of surf canoeing among body swimmers. They are also to be told that they could be forbidden from canoeing at Summerleaze and Crooklets during the summer.

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60 years ago

January 19, 1963

Formerly vicar of Davidstow with Otterham and curate-in-charge of Lesnewth, Rev John Michael Gilbert, was last week instituted to the perpetual curacy of Port Leven, in St Bartholomew’s Church, by the Bishop of Truro, the Right Rev J M Key.

The clerk (Mr D E J Veale) reported to Holsworthy Rural Council on Wednesday that as a result of revaluation the rateable value of the district had increased 2.42 times against a county increase of 2.39.

The Lydford Primary School has been closed since Wednesday week because of the frozen water supply and will be re-opened as soon as conditions return to normal. Milk and bread deliveries have now been resumed, but during the severe conditions it was only available at a village store. After Friday’s hard frost, numerous houses and business premises at Launceston and elsewhere were without water, pipes having frozen underground in many instances.

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70 years ago

January 24, 1953

“We can now say that we are a strong political force in the town,” stated Mr E Smith (chairman) who was responding to the toast “Launceston Young Conservatives,” at the organisation’s first annual dinner held at the White Hart Hotel, Launceston, on Tuesday.

The morning train from Exeter which arrived at Launceston at 7.40am yesterday carried two lads who were found in an open truck. When questioned they said they had been playing at Exeter Central Station the previous evening and had got into the truck. Then the truck began to be shunted around and the boys said they were afraid to get out.

Mr Stanley Roose, of Callington, is retiring after being master for 19 years of the Spooner Harriers.

At an auction on Wednesday six Trafalgar Buildings, Callington, fetched £80.

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80 years ago

January 23, 1943

Died while prisoner-of-war in Italy: Pte George Gregory, of St Breward. Prisoner-of-war Sig William Alan Jordan, of 9, Woodvale Terrace, Launceston.

Good war news: Rommel is on the run in North Africa, with the 8th Army in close pursuit, and the Russians have raised the siege of Leningrad, and are gradually wiping out the German Army outside Stallingrad.

While most towns are lamenting that enrolments of Fire Guards are totally inadequate, Bude-Stratton numbers are increasing month by month, and the organiser (Mr A E Darby) reports that the total is now over 500.

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90 years ago

January 28, 1933

The total number of unemployed at Bude is 183, of whom seven are women.

Stratton carnival has been revived after a lapse of five years.

Holding their annual meeting at Launceston for the first time, the Devon Cattle Breeders’ Society had the biggest assembly of members they have ever had.

Guard Chilcott, of Launceston, fell in front of an engine at Camelford Station, on Wednesday, when shunting, but escaped with head injuries.

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100 years ago

January 27, 1923

In order to utilise the labour of the unemployed gainfully, a correspondent suggests the cutting of a new road from Bolventor to Camelford “for which there is urgent need”.

About 80 farmers — supporters of Wainhouse Corner Old Fair — were entertained to dinner in the hotel there on Friday, as guests of the auctioneers, Messrs Kivells and Sons, of Holsworthy.

The rival schemes for widening the approaches to Tintagel were further discussed at Camelford RDC meeting on Thursday. Expert advice is to be sought before the decision is made.