Wednesday 19th October 2022
Iain Robert Ball, of Codford, died suddenly on Friday 7th October 2022, aged 49 years. The funeral has taken place. Donations, if desired, can be made to Help for Heroes and/or Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, c/o I. N. Newman Ltd., Griffin House, 55 Winchester Street, Salisbury, SP1 1HL. Telephone 01722 413136.
Thursday 18th March 2021
WALTER JAMES CONDUIT
(Deceased)
Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 any persons having a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the above named, late of Ashwood Care Centre, Gipsy Lane, Warminster, Wiltshire. BA12 9LR, previously of 61 Cherry Orchard, Codford, Near Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 0PW, who died or 25/01/2021, are required to send written particulars thereof to the undersigned on or before 19/05/2021, after which date the Estate will be distributed having regard only to the claims and interests of which they have had notice.
FARNFIELDS
37 High Street, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 9AJ.
Thursday 8th December 2016
The funeral of Daphne Spetch was held at Codford St. Mary on Thursday 8th December 2016.
Saturday 15th June 2013
Maurice Cole of Codford has been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2013, for his services to the local community.
Tuesday 29th January 2013
Laura Coward, who lives in Codford, is seeking compensation after an accident, in which she fell from a racehorse at the stables of Horses First Racing Ltd., at Deverill Road, Sutton Veny. Full story and photograph on the Wiltshire Times website, click here.
Thursday 11th October 2012
The Upper Wylye Parish News Committee has a new Chairman. Filling the considerable gap left by the death of Miss Cynthia James, of Sutton Veny, last May, is David Shaw from Codford St. Mary.
David spent 15 years in the British Army, retiring in 1998 after brigade command, when he then moved to Codford. In a second career he became the Director of Fundraising for the Army Benevolent Fund, the ABF, which is now known as The Soldiers’ Charity. This was a vocation he enjoyed for 12 years. He retired in 2010 but has remained active in pursuits closer to home. He is a writer and sports fan, and has been Secretary of the PCC at St. Mary’s, Codford, for 12 years. He is Lay Vice Chairman of the PCC and Chalice Assistant there. Recently he was a member of the Working Group that produced the Team Profile and advertisement for the appointment of a new Associate Priest to the Team. David is married to Diana and they have three grown-up children and five grandchildren.
Reverend John Tomlinson, of Sutton Veny, Rector of the Upper Wylye Valley Team, says:
“I am delighted to welcome David Shaw to the Parish News Committee. He brings a wealth of experience to the team that produces an important magazine and his knowledge and ideas will be an enormous help to us as we strive to continue to produce the best team magazine that our resources will allow.”
David Shaw has responded by saying:
I consider the Upper Wylye Parish News to be a vital link between the ten churches of the Upper Wylye Valley Team and those who live in the villages it serves. I am honoured to be invited to chair this devoted, dedicated and skilled group of volunteers, so that we can continue to produce an informative and interesting magazine. We rely on people to contribute to it, to distribute it and to spread the word. So this really is a team effort. Cynthia James’ shoes are large ones to fill and I look forward to the challenge of that too!”
From the book Swords And Ploughshares, Codford During The 20th Century, by Romy Wyeth, 2007:
The Oldest Living Commando – Stanley John Bissell
Stan’s thirst for life and passionate interest in everything and everyone around him never faltered. He cycled and taught tennis to the local youngsters. After the death of his wife Helen in 1988 he continued to support local activities, which included theatre visits, coach trips, gardening club outings, attending Evergreen Club meetings, and almost to the end of his life he went on day trips with a group of male friends usually Ron Sutton, Jim Hunter and the Reverend John Tipping, very much ‘Last of the Summer Wine.’
John Tipping explains “It all started at the Codford Evergreen Club in March 1994. Danny Howell the local historian had come to give a talk and spoke in glowing terms about the County Records Office in Trowbridge. He told us it would be well worth a visit. The outcome of this was to see Ron, Jim, Stan and myself all in Jim’s car going one March morning to Trowbridge where we spent a couple of hours in the Records Office, and a fascinating place it was. As we came away we were drawn to have lunch at the Lamb, which was very near the Office. As I recall there was a special offer for Old Age Pensioners – so we all had fish and chips – a menu that was to feature prominently on our subsequent outings. We enjoyed the meal and I was expecting that we would return home. The suggestion was made that we go for a ride – on we went I can’t remember exactly where, except that we ended up for tea in Lacock, with some lovely fruitcake in a cafe that had an affinity for cats – ornamental or real, I can’t remember. I do remember the village was rather crowded as a big funeral was taking place! Even after this we didn’t go home – I have recollections of going through Calne and Devizes. We got home about 4.50pm with a strong desire to do this sort of thing again – so was born the idea that reminded us of the TV programme ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ and even associated our different members with the TV personalities!”
The nucleus of the group was Stan Bissell, John Tipping and Jim Hunter, with Ron’s place occasionally being taken by Ken from Warminster and once by Norman Bennett. The group’s adventures took them to the Cotswolds, the seaside and the Isle of Wight, they visited military museums, abbeys and railways. There was a thirst for new experience and an appetite for wholesome food.
Sunday 7th June 1992
Donald H. L. Meadows became the new Sub-Postmaster at Codford in January 1980.
Donald Meadows was born at Northampton in 1933. He graduated from Queen Mary’s College, London, having studied physics and chemistry. He was a teacher until 1979, being employed at Northampton Trinity High School, Hatfield School, Chard Independent School, and was finally at King Edward VI School in Lichfield, where he also umpired at cricket.
When King Edward VI School became a comprehensive, Don Meadows resigned, and he and his wife, Pat, began to look at post offices from Oxford to Teignmouth, Don having decided to make a career change from teacher to sub-postmaster. The decision to take Codford Sub-Post Office came after Don and Pat Meadows met and spoke to Jill McQueen, the head teacher of Codford School. She was painting the Pratten Hut at the time.
And so it was that the Meadows moved from Lichfield to Codford. At that time the local post round was still part of the duties for sub-postmasters in rural areas, and Don Meadows soon became a familiar sight on his pushbike delivering the mail in Codford. With hard work he soon built up the business side of Codford Post Office, as well as taking an active part in village life. He was, for a period, the Chairman of Codford Gardening Club. Gardening and classical music were his two great loves. He was a keen and inventive cook, and many fund-raising lunches at the Codford Club featured one of Don’s homemade soups on the menu. In his early years at Northampton he had belonged to the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and the Harpole Theatre Club. In Codford he took the ticket bookings and did “front of house” at the Woolstore Country Theatre. Although brought up a strict Baptist, Don Meadows changed over to the Church of England faith, and in Codford he served on the P.C.C. of St. Mary’s Church. Don’s wife, Pat, became a librarian at Andover. She and Don had married at Coventry Cathedral in 1964. Their sons, Philip Meadows and Timothy Meadows, were born in 1968 and 1975 respectively.
In October 1985, a letter by Don Meadows was published in the Wylye Valley Life magazine. Mr. Meadows wrote:
“To the Editor, Wylye Valley Life.
Dear Sir,
This letter is written on behalf of all local members of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters. We have recently seen the last of the emergency pension and allowance payments period and, hopefully, all local Sub-Post Offices are now back to normal. It seems an appropriate time, therefore, to thank all our customers for the patience and co-operation they have displayed during the last very difficult twelve months. Some delays were inevitable, due to the substantial increase in workload, but because of the friendly co-operation and understanding way in which our customers appreciated our problems, we were able to cope with even the greatest difficulties. The need for an emergency payment procedure was due directly to industrial action taken by computer operators at the Department of Health and Social Security’s central office. Their ability to disrupt the system clearly demonstrates the vulnerability of centralised computer controlled payments. It was thwarted only by the adaptability of the Sub-Post Office network. Sub-Postmasters are not electronic machines but are human beings genuinely interested and concerned about the welfare of their customers. They often go to great lengths to ensure that payments are made on time to customers.”
Mr. Meadows continued: “We now wish to alert customers to a campaign that will be mounted by the DHSS in the coming months. Their intention is to encourage pensioners and other beneficiaries to have their payments credited directly to bank accounts. They play down the fact that it would be monthly and in arrears. We seek public support by asking customers to continue to have their payments over Sub-Post Office counters. If they switched to Automatic Credit Transfer, they would be using a system which could be cut off by a few operators at the computer centre. If the public wish to maintain the services of Sub-Post Offices in this area, it is essential that they use them.
Yours sincerely,
D.H.L. Meadows, Committee Member for the Warminster and Wylye Valley.”
Unfortunately, Don Meadows succumbed to cancer and died in Salisbury General Infirmary on 23rd May 1992. His funeral was held at St. Mary’s Church, Codford, and among the mourners were six members of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters: Mr. J. Anderson, Mr. T. Broadwita, Mr. Ian Brown, Mr. N. Cowell, Mr. J. Lewis, Mr. L. Parfit, and Mr. G. Scott.
It was said: “Don Meadows will be sorely missed. He has carved a place for himself within the fabric of village life, and his contribution to Codford will be long remembered.”
Monday 1st May 1978
Among the winners of the
April 1978 Draw of the West Wilts Lottery is:
£25
Mrs. Jerrard, Codford.
(L431526)
Late 1920s/Early 1930s
Codford Tug-Of-War Team, pictured in the late 1920s / early 1930s. Among the ‘tuggers’ are: Harold Harvey, Percy Pickford, Bert Pickford, Percy Harvey, Mr. Jefferies, Bert Hart, Mr. Trim and Nobby Clarke.
