Houdini in Plymouth 1909

No photo has ever been discovered of Harry Houdini's jump from Ha'penny Bridge, Stonehouse on 17th August 1909. The reason is probably quite simple. All local newspapers at the time carried just news and no photos. Searching the archives, I found this photo taken just two months before Houdini's Plymouth jump. It comes from the Dundee Courier from Monday 21st June. Some newspapers from around the country challenged their readers to take the best 'snapshot' of Houdini that they could and cash prizes were offered. However, at the time, most people wouldn't have had cameras! As far as I know, this photo has never appeared anywhere since 21st June 1909 so here's an exclusive!

Westward Television's female presenters

 After my article about Westward Television appeared in the Shopper newspaper a few months ago, many people wrote to me to say how much they had enjoyed it and how it had brought back many happy memories for them. Graham Danton, who hosted the popular shows 'Date with Danton', 'Late with Danton' and 'Holiday Times' and was Westward's well-loved weatherman for many years, kindly wrote and suggested that I did a follow-up article featuring the female presenters at Westward. The first article had been male oriented so this seemed like a good idea. Graham's wife, Ann Taylor, presented Dancing Club, Zoo Time and Blue Peter for the BBC before becoming a Westward Diary reporter.

Many famous household names started their careers at Westward.

During 1969, Angela Rippon joined Westward after leaving BBC South West. She produced children's and women's programmes for the station including 'The Show Without a Title' during the summer of 1972 and in 1973, a show called 'Young Eyes' which was aimed at young people.

Jan Leeming was an announcer on Westward in 1965 before leaving to join Granada and HTV West. During the 1970s, she regularly presented 'Pebble Mill at One' and became one of the BBC's main newsreaders in the 1980s.
Judi Spiers joined Westward as an announcer in 1976 and became very popular with the viewers and fans of Gus Honeybun. Before appearing on tv, she had worked for the Coventry Theatre writing, producing and directing drama for schools in the city. She now has her own very popular show on Radio Devon.

Fern Britton joined Westward in 1979 and when the company lost its franchise, she joined BBC Southwest and later became a household name with appearances on Breakfast Time, GMTV, Ready, Steady, Cook and, later, This Morning.
Moyra Babington was the station's cookery expert and joined in 1962, fronting many cookery programmes as well as contributing to Westward Diary. Off-screen, she taught elocution at the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth.
Alison Holloway started her career at Westward, aged 17, as a continuity announcer and newsreader before leaving to join HTV West in Bristol.

Other female presenters on Westward included Jennifer Clulow who had formerly worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and had appeared in the West End, top tv shows and plays, Helen McDermott who joined Westward in the 1970s but left in 1979 to join Anglia Television and Penny Bowles who was a continuity announcer and programme presenter in the 1960s and early 1970s.
On Sunday mornings, there was a religious spot called 'Look and See' for the under-8's which was hosted by Norah Thomas, Jill Mapson, Pat Webber and Ann Davey.
There were many more well-loved female presenters on Westward Television and this article covers just a few of them. How many can you remember?

The St Budeaux Fox Hunt 1923

Probably, like me, fox hunting disgusts you. However, here's an interesting cutting from 1932 which shows members of the St Budeaux fox hunting club. The caption reads: 'The opening meet of St Budeaux foxhounds was held on Saturday at Shiplake, Buckland Monachorum, the residence of the new Master.'

Memorial Service, Plymouth Hoe 1932

This latest old newspaper cutting also comes from the Western Morning News and Daily Gazette of Monday November 7th, 1932. It shows a remembrance service on Plymouth Hoe. The caption reads: 'Huge crowds gathered at the Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe yesterday for the annual service. Navy, Army, Marine, Air Force and Territorial forces, with representatives of the British Legion,  St John Ambulance, Red Cross Society and other organisations were present.'

Aero Club 1932

Here's an interesting old newspaper cutting from the Western Morning News and Daily Gazette of Monday, November 7th, 1932. The caption reads: 'Plymouth Aero Club held their first instructional flight at Roborough yesterday. Our picture shows Mr Parkhouse, of the Teignmouth Aerodrome, explaining the working of the engine.'

Corporation Cafe on Plymouth Hoe

This latest rare photo comes from the Western Morning News of 15th July 1947 and shows the new corporation cafe on Plymouth Hoe.
The caption reads: 'Plymouth Corporation's new floral cafe, housed in a blister hangar by the bowling green on the Hoe, is to be opened tomorrow by the Lord Mayor. Accommodating about 200, it will run along cafeteria lines.'
I'm sure there are many Plymothians, like me, who have very fond memories of a day on the Hoe with their family and a cup of tea in this unusual cafe.

Saltash Passage in 1878

Here's a rare photo of Saltash Passage taken in 1878 showing the river and the few houses that were built in the area at the time. The land shown is now all built on and forms Little Ash Gardens and the area to the right including parts of Wolseley Road and Little Ash Road. It's certainly a scarce photo and won't have been seen on the internet before.