Chapter 5 Village services

An outing by coach and horses outside the Bradworthy Inn at the turn of the century.

69 Bradworthy has built up an admirable range of At one time Bradworthy had a visiting dentist once Postal Services and the Post Office services throughout this century. a week (Mr. Whateley, Mr. Deubler, and Mr. The Post Office has been on the same premises for Satchwell). well over a century, probably for about 140 years. Some of these, such as electricity, were initially developed by enterprising local businessmen. Sadly, On auction days three banks would set up shop in A branch of the Westaway family (including the in the interests of efficiency, some of these services the village (Barclays, National Provincial in Wade’s Brays) were associated with the Post Office for four have either disappeared or are under threat. Hotel, and Lloyds in Balsdon’s Store). generations. Roger Allin, however, was sub- postmaster in the early years, and William Westaway was post messenger. John Bray was sub- Bradworthy or Milton Damerel? a youth centre is in the offing. The monthly cattle and sheep and pig postmaster until 1933, when he was succeeded by - Further claims in Key Settle- BBC have paid us visits with sound market; three milk vendors; young ment controversy and television. We have no wish to farmers’ club; two builders. his son Thomas Westaway Bray. In 1946 the Post belittle Milton, but we feel that our Office was bought by Sam Bond who subsequently In a letter to the Editor, Mr. D.W. friends at the enquiry were trying Social activities include: Playing Slee, Clerk to Bradworthy Parish to put us in a back seat, as if we field with children’s corner; Memo- handed it over to his son Derek Bond. Council, writes from Higher Ter- were of no account and Bradworthy rial institute, with billiards, snooker, race, Bradworthy to say: was a dead community, which is far table tennis and skittles; Youth club; In 1993 it was bought in partnership by the Lindsay from the case. tennis club; Football club (two Dear Sir, - With reference to the teams); bingo weekly; Women’s and Meyler families. report published in your issue of th For a key settlement, Bradworthy Institute, who are very active and 26 June on the subject of Milton already has the basic qualifications, presented the village with a bus The first mail is said to have been brought here Damerel or Bradworthy as a key i.e. resident doctor and surgery; shelter and have been running a from Holsworthy by horse and cart, and a bugle settlement, I am instructed by my good social activity; mains water; meals on wheels service. council to answer Milton’s case mains electricity; and mains drain- was sounded to warn people of its arrival. House against Bradworthy with some un- age. We have a modern hall, where deliveries started after 1885. assailable facts, if you could kindly dances and receptions are held permit us space. May I give more qualifications for very frequently, and the Church Hall our claim to be made a key settle- where smaller functions are held. We all agree that Milton Damerel ment, besides the ones listed Bradworthy is also the possessor is partly on a main road, but once above; new sewerage scheme and of a very fine square, practically the off that road, all you have are nar- disposal plant; public conven- largest in Devon, where people can row by-roads. iences; street lighting; three well park their vehicles in comfort, with- As for Bradworthy being remote, we equipped garages; two hauliers; out lights up to midnight. children’s swimming pool; resident are quite close to the coast and Surely the businesses and ameni- seaside resorts, and have reason- veterinary surgeon; hotel and li- censed house; cafe; two modern ties I have listed weigh very heav- ably good roads to Bideford and ily against Milton’s claims. As for Holsworthy. Social activity has furnishing stores; bus shelter; drap- er’s shop; three grocers shops with being remote, nowadays nowhere been, and still is, great at is remote, only as much as you Bradworthy. patent medicines; post office; men’s and women’s hairdressers; make it, and my Council feel that The parish council is very active, billiard room; two plumbing and Bradworthy has, and will, live up to Church and Chapels continue to engineering firms; iron monger and its name as the most progressive flourish, our local football club had general merchandise; family village in the West and will be made a very successful season winning butcher; agricultural merchant; auc- a key settlement. In the 1910’s the white hut on the left, which was situated opposite the Chapel, was where the postman ate his lunch four cups, the primary school is to tioneers and valuation agent; Denis W. Slee (July 1965) have another classroom built, and before returning to Holsworthy. Notice the old oil lamp holder in the foreground.

70 After 16th July 1971 this was reduced Telephones Postal Progress - Donkey and going to Holsworthy in the morning Gig Days and returning at night, whilst the to one local postman, who handled The telegraph came to Bradworthy in 1895. The next move was the sending out the village delivery, with the mail for first telephone came to the village in 1929, when a The evening postal delivery at from Holsworthy in the morning, Bradworthy commenced last week. and returning the same evening. rural Bradworthy being delivered manual exchange was opened in the Lower Village. This will be another welcome facil- There was no delivery in those days from Holsworthy. The last delivery ity, especially for the business peo- This was operated by Mr. and Mrs. John Jewell, at all and people went to the office was made by George Elliott on 16th assisted by Miss Joyce Ham and Miss Pauline Slee. ple around the village. It is wonder- for their letters. Some of the big ful what an advance has been houses in the neighbourhood would May 1981, after which the village At the start there were about 20 phones in the made in this direction during the employ a boy to bring their letters delivery was handled from parish - Number 1 was the Post Office. In early 1938 past half-century or so. The oldest to them after school. During the last people here remember the days thirty or forty years there have been Holsworthy. when an old gentleman with a don- great changes, and today key and gig used to fetch the let- Bradworthy is very efficiently ters from Holsworthy. Then there served by the Post was a pony and trap for some time, Office Department. (January 1936)

Regular house deliveries appear to have started about 1895, and telegraph facilities in the same year.

In the early years of the century mail was delivered, on foot, only to the ‘prominent’ people of the village. By 1950 Bradworthy had six local postmen (Mr. W. Slade, Mrs. Annie Bryant was Brad- Mr. J. Prance, worthy’s only postwoman. For 27 Mr. E. Bryant, years, in fair weather and foul, she delivered His Majesty’s mails Mr. G. Elliot, around the farms and cottages of Mr. F. Slee, the east and south-east parts of the and Mr. H. parish, and during that time she walked over 45,000 miles. It was Harris) who not until she had passed 70 years delivered mail of age (in 1926) that she relin- quished her postal duties, and she to the village was then almost certainly the old- and the est delivery postwoman in England. surrounding (April 1939 - written on her 83rd birthday) rural area. Royal Mail delivery in about 1920. The postman is believed to be Titus Wickett.

71 Electricity Electricity was first brought to the village in 1928 by the late Mr. Herbert J. Wickett. This was a purely private enterprise, which was eventually taken over by the West Public Lighting at Bradworthy - Devon Electrical Board and Council Agree On Scheme Supply Company, Ltd. The South Western Electricity The South Western Board submitted terms for an Electricity Board came agreement to the Parish Council which would entail Council owner- with Nationalisation in ship of existing fittings, with gen- 1949 and proceeded, eral maintenance charged on a time and materials basis. under their Rural Development Scheme, The Council applied for an alterna- tive scheme, excluding purchase to bring electricity to and ownership of fittings, with main- the outlying farms and tenance to continue as before. This was accepted by the Board only on cottages of the parish. a yearly basis. (October 1954)

Village lighting At the turn of the century the village was lit by oil lamps. Mr. A. Ward (and later Mr. J. Ham) were the lamplighters, and they used to carry a ladder with them in order to reach the lamps. In February 1965 the Rev. Lingham-Lees and Derrick Bond (Postmaster) locked the postmen of Bradworthy (Harry Trewin, Fred Slee, George Elliot, Henry Harris, Roy Birch) in the stocks. A special meeting of the (At the Parish Council meeting) the Parish Council was held on 12 public lighting of the village was also dealt with, and it was unani- October 1911, when it was it was reported that ‘the work of laying the new automatic exchange was built on mously agreed to accept the terms agreed to try a voluntary telephone wires underground is now proceeding in the Mill Road. Bradworthy exchange of the lighting company which has recently taken over the district, and scheme to raise money for the village’. now covers the parish and parts of the also to install lamps to the number lighting the oil lamps. adjoining parishes of Sutcombe, of nine as before. A proposition was The phone kiosk was erected on the Square in Putford, and Woolfardisworthy. In 1968 also passed that members of the On 25 March 1927 Mr. H.J. 1946. Before that people had to go into the Post Council should make an appoint- the Post Office Authority installed a ment with an official of the com- Wickett was granted Office, where a small ‘telephone box’ was erected. kiosk at Tuckers Park, but this was later pany, for the purpose of selecting permission to fix posts in the The manual exchange was closed in 1949 when a the best and most advantageous Square for lighting it by removed as it wasn’t sufficiently used. positions for the lamps. (June 1939)

72 electricity, which he produced in his garage. He steps and dipped up water. A door covered the in the parish were connected to the public continued to light the village until well. A pump was fitted in sewerage system. In 1989 a storm tank was 1938, when the West Down Electric 1935. installed. Co. took it over. The sinking of the well at the south end of the Square is now in North Devon Water Board took progress. The inadequate supply of Village policemen The installation of lighting in the drinking water in the village has over responsibility for the village and surrounds was not long been the subject of much con- supply of water in 1950. The original Police House stood in North Road and completed by the West Down Electric troversy. Although there are three Bradworthy was connected to was owned by Mr. Abraham Tribble. This was public wells here, a shortage often replaced in 1936 by the large house on the corner Co. until after the 1939-45 War occurs in the summer time, and this the national grid network in (during which period the village new undertaking by the Parish 1959. Prior to this water was at Littleford Cross. Council should be a great boon to remained unlit). They were lit for the the villagers. (June 1937) either pumped from wells or Bradworthy had its own local constable until 1970 first time in October 1946. supplied from a 72,000 gallon At a Parish Council meeting the when the responsibility for law enforcement was work of sinking the new well at the tank on the western side of the transferred to Holsworthy. Water, drainage and sewerage south end of the Square, was again moor which was referred to. The men carrying out There were several public wells in erected in 1946. the work have now reached a depth No Nudist Colony at Bradworthy asked: ‘Do you know of the exist- of thirty feet but there is apparently Bradworthy. In 1970 the ence of a nudist camp near Bude?’ very little water coming up to the From what I know, from many en- To this Inspector Cobbledick re- Prior to 1895 St. Peter’s Well was present. It is believed, however, North Devon quiries, neither in Bradworthy nor plied: ‘I have been told there is one that sufficient water will be found, in any of the adjoining parishes is open with clay sides, then it was dug Water Board on the Devon side, I believe at if the well is carried still deeper. there (nor has there ever been) a Bradworthy, but I am not sure’. to a depth of six feet, walled and (September 1937) planned to close nudist camp, and I want to get that Bradworthians were rather indig- down the two fact ‘home’ to readers who may nant when they read this report. fitted with a galvanised door. Water have seen a statement in which water pumps on They are aware that nudism is a was drawn by hand until 1909 when a pump was Police Inspector Cobbledick is re- recognised movement in this coun- fitted. the Square because of the poor ported to have said that he believed try. At the same time they hold that there was a nudist colony at quality of the water. The Parish such a statement as the above Bradworthy. The statement was made in such circumstances as it In 1897 the pump-house was built and the well Council objected, claiming that made, according to the report, at cleaned out to commemorate Queen Victoria’s was, may create a distorted impres- three or four old age pensioners still Stratton police court when a sum- sion with regard to a rural village. Diamond Jubilee. The gate was fitted in 1901. mons against a Bude newsagent (May 1938) relied on the pumps for drinking was dismissed. The question was Witheridge’s water. The Water Board agreed to Developments in the water supply Well was a hand over the pumps to the Council Bradworthy’s local constables were PC Patt, PC scheme for the village were re- very old well for a nominal fee of 1s. Chapple, PC Fater, PC Norman, PC Hannaford, PC viewed. Work in connection with the Water Supply Scheme is progress- that was dug In 1970 Bradworthy’s sewage treatment works was French, PC Mugridge (1929-1936), PC Horwood ing in the Waldon valley, and the deeper in (1936-1939), PC Hardwell (1939-1941), PC Lambell contract is to entail the provision of brought up to the standard of effluent discharge for a reservoir of 72,000 gallon capac- 1905. People 570 people, as laid down by the Royal Commission. (1941-1949), PC Brooks (1949-53), PC Gooding, PC ity, sited on the western side of had to Holland (1956-58), PC Chudleigh and finally PC Bradworthy Commons. (July 1946) Later new and larger tanks and filters were added. descend three In 1974 it was estimated that 40% of the properties Isles.

73 Doctors and the surgery Dr. John Betts eventually took on a partner, Dr. aid of the funds, and the finances appeared to be The first Bradworthy doctor was Eusebius Rouse David Waind, who on moving to another practice frequently low. In 1945 Nurse Courtnall’s report and he was succeeded by his nephew Ezekial in 1992 has been succeeded by Dr. Kandasamy. showed she had paid 1,924 visits during the year. Rouse. Dr. Edmund Emtage followed at Cleverdon Until 1956 the District Nurses continued to be House and on his premature death in 1908 Dr. Nursing Association based at Bradworthy after which they still visited Leonard Bowring Betts came. Bradworthy and District Nursing Association existed from Holsworthy and Woolfardisworthy for a time. from the early years of the century until the The District Nurses of Bradworthy were nurses introduction of the so called Welfare State. Garden Grork, Betts, Perkins, Bashford, Walker, Courtnell, parties and various Pitwood (unknown-Feb 1953) and Russell (Feb events were organised in 1953-Sept 1956).

In November 1954 Nurse C. Russell, district nurse at Brad- Rail links worthy, broadcast in ‘Women’s The railway came to Holsworthy in 1879, but it Hour’. Her talk was described in the was not until 1898 that it was extended to Radio Times as ‘a country midwife says her say’. Bude. About that time there was great enthusiasm for railways and in about 1902 preliminary plans were made to lay down tracks from Bideford, skirting Clovelly and Hartland before turning south - serving Bradworthy with a station somewhere near Berridon Road - continuing until it linked up with the Holsworthy-Bude line. A company was even formed, Dr. Emptage in 1906. but the railway never materialised.

He was followed by his son, Dr. Norman The Parish Council agreed that a protest be submitted from the Betts, and now a third generation, Dr. Council in respect of the proposed John Bowring Betts, is in the practice. closure of the railway passenger services from Okehampton to For over a century the surgery was at Bude. (June 1964) Cleverdon House. The Betts family acquired the former Walters shop in the Dr. Norman Betts in 1988. village, and this was opened as the new Dr. L.B. Betts in the 1930’s. surgery in 1983. Dr. John Betts in 1993.

74 Road links and developments Unfortunately on In the early decades of the century there were only the 16th August mud roads which were on the whole in a poor 1908 the vehicle condition. overturned on Sutcombe Mill hill Wades were the village carriers succeeding Cann, and a police Robins, Hugh Oke, Bill Hayman and perhaps others sergeant was killed. of the previous century. Willie Found started a motor bus John ‘Cycle’ Mr. Wade has been running his service in the Jennings is said to service for several years now and early years of have brought the charges 10/- to Holsworthy and 20/- to Bideford. He has a six seater the century first car here in Austin 16 car which he uses for his linking 1908. Horse drawn hire work. Mr. Bromell uses a Rolls Royce shooting brake which will Holsworthy, vehicles continued take 10 passengers and Mr. Sutcombe and for several years Wickett uses a Rover 16 and a Bradworthy. more, the Standard shooting brake, both 6 seaters. Mr. Wade travels to The bus was conveyances, Holsworthy Station nearly every day named brakes and to meet the trains and take people ‘Devonia’. wagonettes to and fro. (Ray Ham, aged 14 in In the early 1900’s Albert Wade, pictured with his wife and son Edmund, ran his carrier brake to Bideford. 1950) becoming more sophisticated. Edmund Jennings appears to have been in the carrier trade Bradworthy farmer fined after crossroads crash - Blagdon for a time, but a note in an old newspaper Moor Incident states that his son-in-law, Alfred Elliott, A road accident at Blagdon Moor bought off (again in 1908) Crossroads, involving a Bradworthy Albert Wade’s horses and farmer’s car and a one-ton pick-up Bradworthy Bus Will Be Earlier - truck was described at Holsworthy carriages and ‘he intends Council Informed Court on Friday. The defendant the carrier’s van to ply to At the Parish Council meeting a held an unblemished record of 30 years’ motoring. The defendant’s and fro as heretofore’. It was letter was read from the Southern National Omnibus Company, stat- solicitor suggested that the truck Alfred Elliott who made the ing that they were changing the driver was one of those drivers who, changes from horses to time of their service to Bideford on because he was on a major road, Saturdays. The bus would in future thought he need not give way. That motor transport. Later the be leaving the village in the morn- he said was a state of mind that led carriers were Charles Wade ing, instead of the afternoon. This to many accidents. (April 1965) (Albert’s brother) and was not generally considered to be an improvement. (April 1958) A pony & trap pictured outside Cleverdon House at the turn of the century. Arthur Oke. They ran their

75 charabancs regularly over the established came a change of faces – Jean Sinclair, The fine weather we have been his complaint regarding the roads. Holsworthy and Bideford routes and enjoying has brought several visi- Nearly all the roads by which one assisted by Joan Brock, replacing Roy Hutton. were also available for outings and tors to the village during the past enters Bradworthy are in an unsat- week. One of them was eloquent isfactory state of repair. And it is Joan can remember calling at Ruby Pomeroy’s at tours. The National Bus Company in the praise of our spacious square strange that one of the worst is our Dinworthy, then making their way along the lanes eventually bought them out. and the ‘fine, clean-looking houses’ main road to the sea at Bude. From which surround it. What he did not Trentworthy Cross down to the Cor- to East Youlstone, back to Mrs. Petherick’s at Jenn’s In 1950 there were three taxi praise however, was the roads that nish border, this road is in a deplor- Cross, and then down into Kimworthy. lead to Bradworthy. He had come able condition. We heard a good services at Bradworthy. from Hartland, and the road he had deal at one time about a sugges- Another favourite ‘round’ was around Tamar Lake traversed after he left the main road tion that this road should be reno- In the last half of the century there had been bad enough to break the vated and tarred, as it was a good calling at Mrs. Harris’ cottage - where a welcome has been much improvement in the springs of his car, he said. One was ‘short cut’ through from the Cornish cup of tea was provided for library staff and readers rural roads network, but they are still pleased to hear the visitor’s com- coast, to Bideford, via Bradworthy. alike – before moving on to Thurdon Cross and pliment to our village, but dis- We all hoped this excellent propo- of a low grade. Holsworthy, via pleased, though sympathetic, with sition would materialise. It has not Alfardisworthy. In the late 1960’s ‘our George’ Bradworthy, to Bideford is a grade 3 done so yet. (June 1937) (George Charlton) took over the driving road. What is known as a connector responsibilities. road runs from Kesmeldon to Meddon through the Travelling library Budget cutbacks in the 1980’s saw the introduction north of this parish, and a parish link road runs from In 1962 the ‘travelling library’, or ‘mobile library of single manning, and with George’s retirement in the Atworthy area to the village. For a number of service’, introduced a free borrowing service to the 1989, Jennifer Sillifant became the mobile library years the only regular public transport has been a village. A new library van, the second to assistant, doing both the bus to Bideford on Tuesdays, and to Holsworthy on be bought by Devon County Council, driving and the library work. Wednesdays. In 1994, with the aid of European Arch Dayman, watching at Little was based in Holsworthy and visited on Ford, saw the first car coming to- The service has expanded to Union funding, Jennings and Hookways run a bus Thursday mornings once a fortnight. The wards Bradworthy from the direc- offer spoken word and to Bideford 5 days a week (6 in the summer). van was staffed by two tion of Holsworthy. He dashed back into the village and exclaimed “It music cassettes, videos and people, a librarian and a ain’t an ’orse, an’ it ain’t a cart. It’s CDs for hire and large print Tandem Riders’ Narrow Escape top of the car and landed in the driver. goin’ like ’ell, an’ it’s smokin’.” from Death at Bradworthy road. books. Two London cyclists riding on a tan- Dr. N. Betts and P.C. Horwood were Raymond Kerslake was dem down Bradworthy Mill Hill had quickly on the scene, and the cy- appointed driver. Roy Hutton Refuse collection a narrow escape from serious in- clists were conveyed to Bideford jury when they were involved in a and District Hospital, where branch librarian of Holsworthy, with Collection of refuse around the village (by lorry) collision with a car. Moggridge was detained with a Grace Acland as his relief, looked started in July 1945 on a weekly basis. Prior to this knee injury. After treatment for su- after the books. rubbish was dumped at a disused quarry on The cyclists were Charles Sidney perficial cuts and bruises Nash was Moggridge, who was riding in front, allowed to leave. Bradworthy Moor. and William George Nash. The As news of the service spread, force of the impact hurled Damage to the car was confined to requests were received from around Moggridge through the windscreen; the radiator and windscreen, but Nash was somersaulted over the the tandem was wrecked. (April the parish for stops at outlying farms 1939) and cottages. With the service well

76 Communications Bradworthy is situated where four roads meet. There are eight bridges quite near the village. We haven’t a railway station at Bradworthy so we hire a taxi, from Mr. Wade, Mr. Wickett that owns the ga- rage in the higher village, and Mr. Bromell who owns the garage in the lower village. Mr. Bromell’s taxi is big and is used mostly to take bellringers and groups like that about. We have a bus service twice a week to Bideford, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. It leaves Bradworthy 9.17am. and gets back again 5.18pm. On Wednes- days there are two buses to Holsworthy besides the school bus that takes the children to school every day. The first bus for Holsworthy leaves the Square 11.06am. and returns to Bradworthy 5.58pm in the evening. Once a month a Jennings bus runs from Morwenstow to Exeter and Plymouth. There’s a bus that runs from Bradworthy to Bude to the pictures every Saturday night. Gwennyth Cheese, who was a young 13 year old school girl when she wrote this in 1949.

Devonia near the Bradworthy Inn in 1906.

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