http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk

Historic words that still guide the Gazette today WHEN 22-year-old Robert Were launched the first edition of the Tiverton Gazette in 1858, the front page, reproduced opposite, carried an explanation for his move and a pledge to his readers. Apart from the Victorian phrasing, his words could have been written yesterday. His plan was simple: to report on what was happening in the town and surrounding district, without insulting the public’s intelligence nor carrying “scurrilous abuse”. He was a principled man, stating: “We will venture to promise that truth, fairness and impartiality shall characterize its pages.” He pledged to report on court proceedings, meetings and events in the town, and to do a bit of digging behind the scenes when he could. He felt there was enough going on in the town for it to merit more than the occasional brief mentions it had been receiving in the national and regional press. It was time for Tiverton to have a paper of its own. He launched his newspaper with words as relevant now as then: “We may simply say to our friends, ‘Try us, judge for yourselves’.” Mr Were lived to see his paper become an established presence in the town, but died from tuberculosis just five years after its launch. He would surely have included news of Heathcoat’s factory, the town’s major employer. But Mr Were could hardly have foreseen that a few years into the 21st century, the Mid Devon Gazette would be reporting that Heathcoat-made hi-tech fabric was a crucial component on the Titan space probe, a landing craft which sailed gracefully through space to touch down on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. The paper, and Tiverton life, had travelled from front-page reports of Missionary Society meetings, and of a man fined under the Turnpike Act for playing “a certain game called hockey” in the street, to outer space. http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk In the 150 years since Robert Were’s bold move gave the town its own paper, the Gazette has had many editors, and generations of reporters have written for it. The paper has moved with the times: adverts disappeared from the front page, journalists no longer felt the need to report every ‘hear, hear’ voiced at a meeting, colour photographs were introduced, new editions gave Cullompton and Crediton their own papers, and eventually the paper adopted a tabloid format. In the 16 pages of this supplement readers will find a celebration of the past 150 years, with features on the two longest-serving editors: Alfred Gregory, who took over the paper in 1877, and Wilf Tonkin, who joined before the First World War, became a sub-editor after it, then served as editor until his retirement in 1979. Reporters who worked on the paper with him, and with later editors, tell their stories, with memories of Tiverton characters, big events and funny moments. We will have more on how readers can get involved in supporting our chosen charities Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Devon Air Ambulance. We will look forward to some major events planned for this 150th anniversary year, including a photographic exhibition at the Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life in June, which is due to be opened by TV wildlife star and Devon character Johnny Kingdom. Visitors will find some fascinating old photographs of Mid Devon life, some of which have rarely been seen before. In July the Gazette is sponsoring the main ring at the Mid Devon Show and will have a stand there, too. Drinkers will have a choice of appropriate tipples with which to toast the paper’s health - a Yearlstone Vineyard ‘Gazette’ wine and a special beer being made by the Exe Valley Brewery at Silverton. A fun day at Tiverton Town’s Ladysmead ground in July will feature family entertainments and a football match between a ‘Media All-stars’ team and one made up of veteran players from the legendary Tiverton Town side which won the FA Vase at Wembley in 1998. We will tell you more about the Gazette’s plans for an anniversary cup for the holder of the best allotment entered into the Tiverton in Bloom competition. This year is also the 750th anniversary of the granting of the charter to hold markets in Tiverton, so we have included a major feature on the Pannier Market and its history. The last big event is a gala dinner, which is being planned for October. http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.devcorenault.com http://www.devondiecast.com http://www.westerlyexetermini.co.uk http://www.trainsandtrack.co.uk http://www.westcars-tiverton.com http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk http://www.harrismotors.co.uk http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk http://www.vospers.com/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://motors.thisisdevon.co.uk/used-car-dealer/Robin-Edmond-Car-Sales/44902/?sort_order_F=p/ http://www.woodnhead.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/ http://www.thisismiddevon.co.uk/