25 years ago

May 13, 1999

Members of Sutcombe Millenium Committee received a cheque for £601 from John Rowe and Ashley Starr who recently completed a sponsored bike ride from Sutcombe to Barcelona — 1,000 miles in just 12 days.

Popular group secretary of the Holsworthy NFU branch John Cleverdon is determined to complete a walk for charity on Sunday to champion the cause of Macmillan Cancer Relief which has helped him tremendously during his battle against cancer.

Fraud Squad detectives have cleared Launceston’s Lawrence House Museum and the Town Council of any financial irregularities. The squad was called in after an unnamed member of the council made a complaint about the accounts.

* * *

40 years ago

May 12, 1984

Holsworthy and Stratton Agricultural Association’s 89th annual show at Trewyn, Holsworthy, was graced with ideal weather and attracted a massive attendance. Entries overall were well ip on the 1983 total from 896 to 982.

Surrounded by their glittering array of trophies were some of the members of Westgate Inn’s men’s and women’s darts team, which have had such a successful season in the Launceston Darts League.

Launceston’s councillors called in to the old National School in St Thomas Road last Thursday to see how work is progressing on the plan to create a craft gallery and workshhops there. And it was a case of back to school for one of them — Mr Arthur Wills was a pupil at the national and last week’s visit was the first time he had been in the building since 1946.

* * *

50 years ago

May 11, 1974

Very high winds threatened the stability of marquees and tents at the 79th Holsworthy and Stratton Agricultural Show. This year’s president is Mr F J Priest, of Parkville, Thornbury.

Mrs Lindsay Courtenay, of Cedar Grove, Bude, a mother of three children, has been judged the new Miss West Britain in a contest organised by the National Body Building Association.

Jim Briggs, landlord is the King’s Arms, Launceston, has retired and he and his wife Tina are now living at Trebullett. The new landlord, Mr John Matthews, took over on Monday.

At Tintagel Parish Council Mr D Flower reported on the cliff fall that necessitated the closure of the island. It was doubtful if the island would be open this season as the work presented a series of difficulties and there was a shortage of money for the project.

Mr and Mrs Ford and Mr and Mrs Smeeth were the joint winners of the ‘Mr and Mrs’ competition at Jacobstow. The questionmaster was Mr S J Cory and Mrs J Cory acted as score keeper.

* * *

60 years ago

May 16, 1964

Opening a May fair at the Sir James Smith’s School, Camelford, on Saturday, in aid of the swimming pool project, Mr John Betjeman, the poet, ranged over a wide field of thought which included slate roofs, the ghostly influences of Cornwall, and the retention of characteristic architecture.

Mrs Beatrice Amelia Duance, aged 49, of Treveniel, North Hill, who lost the tip of her index finger when her hand jammed in the door of a telephone kiosk, brought an action for damages against the GPO at Cornwall Assizes at Bodmin on Friday.

When fire broke out in an agricultural store at Petrockstowe last week, more than 60 tons of feeding stuffs and a six-ton lorry were destroyed. It belonged to the West Devon and North Cornwall Farmers of Holsworthy.

* * *

70 years ago

May 15, 1954

At Friday’s quarterly meeting of the Cornwall River Board, reference was made to a long term scheme or the reinstatement and general improvement of 12 metres of tidal flood embankment and approximately 35 miles of tree clearance on the River Tamar. It was estimated that this work would cost in the region of £26,000.

As a result of the recent rain the Tamar is in excellent order and has fished well during the week. At least 16 salmon have been taken, ranging from 8 to 18lbs being in excellent condition.

When the Coronation Park swimming pool opened on Saturday, first person into the water was young “Bunny” Hodge, reports the Park Cafe proprietor and pool attendant, Mrs E Ransom. The weather, she says, was just perfect and it would seem that the “summer season” has started with a rush with good attendances of bathers (mostly youngsters) each day. The bathing pool has received its annual “face-lifting” and the changing huts, diving boards steps and accessories are resplendent in their fresh coat of paint. The depth of the water at various parts of the pool is indicated by figures painted on the wall of the bath, and there is one alteration which should be keenly noted by any last season regular who has not yet paid a visit — if he wishes to be saved embarrassment. The ladies’ changing cubicles are now where the men’s used to be and vice-versa.

* * *

80 years ago

May 13, 1944

Mentioned in despatches Cpl W Sutton, of Marshgate. Prisoner of war: Sgt Russell Collings, RAF, of Harrowbarrow.

A military road constructed by Royal Engineers in the Anzio beach head has been named Slades Stretch after Sgt Slade, MM, of Holsworthy, one of the NCOs who built it. Also serving in Anzio is Pte E Cruse, of Rose Cottage, Kelly Bray, who is with an infantry regiment.

For feeding some pigs with stale sandwiches, a Wadebridge lorry driver was fined 10s on Wednesday for wasting food. The prosecution was brought by the local Food Control Committee.

Holsworthy Urban Council plans to acquire land for the erection of 50 houses in their postwar building programme, in a scheme involving Rydon Road, Pins Park and Sanctuary Road. They also plan a better entrance to the town from the Bude direction, with a much easier gradient than Victoria Hill and avoiding the bottlenecks at Post Office corner and by the White Hart.

* * *

90 years ago

May 19, 1934

Mr Phillip Mattison Laing Oldham, Lord of the Manor and Borough of Hatherleigh, was buried at Hatherleigh Parish Church on saturday in a coffin made from an oak tree from his own estate. Aged 70, Mr Oldham, who lived at Strawbridge House, was a noted amateur organist.

The Kelly Players presented John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s progress” in the Tithe Barn last week. The annual production of a play there at Rogationtide stems from the schoolchildren’s presentation of a religious play 30 years ago, a custom that was taken up by Miss Mary Kelly in 1919, when she founded a local drama society.

* * *

100 years ago

May 17, 1924

The speech at Camelford on Friday by Mr Alfred Williams, of Werrington Park, attracted more than normal interest as he had just been invited to become Unionist candidate for the Launceston division.

Holsworthy Urban Council has fixed a general rate of 3s with a water rate of 6d. At their meeting on Tuesday, they decided to ask the police to take action regarding bad language and brawling by cheapjacks in the square.