SOUNDS of half a century ago transported the congregation at Fairplace Church, Okehampton, back to 1955, as they listened to a CD documentary of the jubilee celebrations at the East Street Methodist Church which stood on the site of the Chantry apartments in East Street until 1964. Excerpts from the whole day?s celebrations were heard, including the opening of a new vestry, luncheon speeches, the opening of the bazaar and the auction of livestock at Okehampton cattle market where Mr White?s ewe lamb was sold for £8! Many local voices from the past were heard, including Alderman Passmore, Tom Pike, Sam Wooldridge and the minister at the time, the Rev Alfred Wood. A youthful Derek Allin was the narrator of the original tape recordings made on August 3, 1955, by Leslie Bailey. The recordings which were refurbished and transferred to CD by John Holland, were played to the congregation on the evening of Sunday, August 28.
