'GENERALLY mild and equable. Bracing in summer and winter. Most healthy for the young and the older. Unsurpassed for convalescents' — that is how Okehampton's climate was described in a guide book to the town published half a century ago. How a town promotes itself to visitors can reveal a great deal about how the town sees itself, which is why a guide book to the town produced in the mid 1950s which was handed into the Times office recently gives a fascinating insight into the past. The Times asked local historian Mike Wreford — who himself later compiled a guide book for the town — to cast his eye over the book and provide some information about just how much the business life of the town has changed since that era. Mike said: 'The Guides were published every two to four years by the Okehampton and District Chamber of Trade which, for many years, was under the stewardship of Alan Twining as secretary, a legal executive with Burd Pearse Prickman and Brown Solicitors, now Stones. 'The text seemed to stay much the same with many of the Guides, with the Chamber just changing the covers, and, of course, the advertisers.' The guide in question was passed on to the Times by David Burke, from Gloucestershire, who has been a regular visitor to Okehampton for many years. Mike said: 'In this guide, it is sad to see that most of the advertisers have ceased trading. 'The Arcade was well represented with such important business names as Mary Ashley Ltd, Carrs (Motor Cycle Specialists), Worden (Oke) Ltd, Footwear Specialists and Chas B. Nash Ltd, with five shops and a Country Round. 'There were other large employers who are no longer with us, such as T Day & Son Ltd, with their workshop and garage complex in New Road, Blatchford Ash & Co Ltd Builders, and much else besides, with their extensive stores and workshops alongside the East Ockment and their comprehensive showrooms in Bridge House.' John Cornish Ltd and James Wright & Sons were both busy ironmongers, house furnishers and included plumbing divisions. 'Seth Harry & Co, The Ockment Hotel and Cafe, F J Glass & Co Ltd (Motor Engineers) were all adjacent properties in Fore Street, with the petrol pumps outside the latter causing some disruption to traffic,' said Mike. 'Seth Harry, long gone, has been refurbished with a succession of operators and now trades as More Newsagents. 'The Ockment and Glass & Co were both demolished and rebuilt, now trading as Kevin Cooper and Oxfam.' Other names which may be familiar to older readers but which have now disappeared are G U Fulford Ltd, in Market Street (and elsewhere); Okeridge Motor Services Ltd; J T Ruby and Son; Drew & Son Ltd; S P Gunn & Son (Coal) Ltd; Gunn's Mineral Waters Ltd; The Little Cherub; West End Cafe; L & K Watkins Ltd; Yorkshire Stores and S E Trant, the popular butcher in West Street. Buying or selling a house in the town fifty years ago may not have been as easy as it is today. Mike said: 'There were only two estate agents in the town at the town, H G Stanbury & Co in West Street and J Gordon Vick. 'Stanbury & Co closed some years ago and Vicks, latterly trading as Vicks & Partners, have been purchased by Kivells. 'W J Cornish and Stinchcombes, both in Fore Street, were competitors as watchmakers, jewellers and silversmiths in the town for many years. 'Although Stinchcombes closed some time ago, Cornish's was, up until recently, the longest serving family business in the town, and, reassuringly, it is still there, although under new ownership.' The Guide would have been sent to many potential holidaymakers and visitors at the time. The postage was only 6d (2 1/2p today) or available to purchase in local stationers at one shilling (5p). In the mid-sixties, Mike was elected honorary secretary and the honorarium was just £20 per annum, exactly the same as Alan Twining had enjoyed for many years. At the same time, there were two Guides for Okehampton, one almost pocket version was compiled by the Okehampton Rural District Council for the outlying area and the other by the Okehampton and District Chamber of Trade, with the support of the town council for the town itself. Mike approached both bodies a few years later and suggested produced one combined Guide, which he offered to write. Both councils agreed and the first Guide book for the combined Town and District, with some 120 pages, was produced. Assisted by wife Hilary, Mike included features on all the villages within the old Rural District boundary. The Guide was received with some acclaim and the National Chamber of Trade even wrote in 1972 describing the guide as a credit to the Chamber. 'Without fear of contradiction, it is one of the finest official Guides produced by any Chamber,' the letter stated. The Chamber was fortunate in those days to boast a membership of more than 100 and the executive committee contained such local businessmen as Stanley Wasil, Basil Brock, Ben Morgan, Percy Fletcher and Clem White, who all had tremendous experience in business and played an important role in the life of the town. Mike said Guides to the town had been produced for at least 100 years. Mike said: 'The first Guide we can trace was published by the United Devon Association in 1905, with the Right Honourable Lord Clifford as both President and Chairman.' An example of an advertisement from that Edwardian guide was The White Hart Hotel, which proudly boasted its 'PERFECT SANITARY CONDITIONS' in its facility details. Mike said The White Hart was also one of the first hotels in Devon to have electricity. Okehampton was lit up as early as 1888 and the White Hart was quick to avail itself of an electricity supply for the comfort of its guests. Mike and Hilary have a collection of around 17 Okehampton Guides from former years.