On this day in Wembury — 9 November 1920
A report in the Western Morning News ( 11th November 1920 ) reported on t a lively evening of music and entertainment at Wembury Recreation Hut, showing how village life was returning to colour and confidence just two years after the end of the First World War. The evening took place on Tuesday 9th November 1920
The concert was organised by the Binn-Bombs company and directed by Miss Florence Dupree. The hut was well filled, and the audience followed every item closely. Miss Gladys Edwell, a soprano of “remarkable power and range,” opened the evening, while Miss Peggy Osborne delighted listeners with her “merry laughter” and song.
Mr Cooper-Hicks provided comic relief with “I’ll Sing These Songs of Araby,” and Mr Dora Lethebridge added humour with a clever “sobrette” turn. One of the highlights was a ballet duet by Miss Iris Lethebridge and her sister, described as graceful and refined.
Instrumental music was supplied by Master Arthur Butler on the piano and Mr Gordon Treasure on the cornet, both praised for their skill. The dancing and concert numbers were said to be “especially good,” and Miss Butler’s accompaniment throughout was warmly commended.
The article reflects the importance of these local concerts in early twentieth-century Wembury. More than simple entertainment, they were social occasions that brought neighbours together, celebrated local talent, and helped restore a sense of normal life after years of hardship and loss.
Even a century later, the report captures the warmth and pride of a community finding joy again through music, laughter, and shared evenings at the village hut.
On This Day in Wembury – 9 November 1936
The Western Morning News listed new companies formed in Devon, including M. J. S. Sherwell Ltd., registered on 5 November with capital of £100. The company was set up to trade as builders, contractors, timber merchants, sawmill proprietors, joiners, and furniture makers. Among its first directors was Maurice J. S. Sherwell of Knighton Farm, Wembury, who combined his farming role with this new business venture.
Reflection
It is a reminder that farmers in interwar Devon often wore several hats, branching out into building, timber, or haulage as ways of diversifying their income. For Knighton Farm, this link with Sherwell shows how Wembury’s rural families were tied into wider commercial shifts across South Devon.
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.