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1925 saw the establishment of both Girl Guides and Boy Scouts in Timsbury. The Guides were led by Miss L.F. Moodie of Norton House who acted as Captain supported by Lieutenants Miss Speakeman and Miss Emery. In July the group which grew rapidly put on a concert in the Church House with Rev. Meade-King acting as chairman. According to the report of the day, “all the items were nicely rendered and elicited hearty and well deserved applause”.
The Scouts were formed by Scoutmaster E.S. Smith with the assistant Master E. Cottle. There were some 20 members and they too put on a concert, this time in October.
Rev. Meade-King was presented with three handsomely bound large volumes of “The History of the Early Christian Church” to mark the 25th. year of his ordination. The rector had been in Timsbury for 14 years and Mr. J.F. Bridges, the People’s Warden who made the presentation spoke of the esteem in which the rector was held. The attendance of some 40 was treated to supper by Rev. Meade-King after which Rev. G. Foster, the vicar of Box, provided musical entertainment.
Mr. Frank Kite of Bloomfield was killed on a level crossing at Radford on the Hallatrow to Limpley Stoke branch line of the G.W.R. Mr. Kite had been trying to cross with his horse and cart but the horse refused to move and the cart was struck by the train. The cart was carried along the rails for some distance but the horse survived. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death but the coroner added a rider that with more powerful brakes on this kind of locomotive the accident might have been avoided.
A Timsbury youth George Henry Bowditch aged 18 of Rose Cottages, Rectory Lane was drowned while bathing in the lake of Hunstrete. There were three other village youths with him at the time including Frank Church of Baker’s Parade but none of them were apparently able to swim. There was a theory that he had got caught up in the weeds. The subsequent funeral service was held at the Congregational Church and was conducted by Rev. J.K. Bucknall.
A Timsbury resident, Herbert Traylen, was buried with full military honours at Devizes. The deceased who was 40 was a former member of the Wiltshire Regiment and served in the South African campaign and during the Great War was with the Expeditionary Force taking part in the great retirement from Mons. Before coming to Timsbury to live Mr. Traylen had run a tobacconist business in Bath.
Cycle racing was one of the thriving sports of the 1920s and in Sonny Coombs Timsbury could boast one of the most successful cycle track riders in the West Country. A member of Bath Cycling Club he won a clutch of prizes all over the country. In 1925 he was aged 39 but he still won the Somerset County Championship for 5 miles and the Bank Holiday Sports at Topsham in Devon. Well remembered by locals for his garage business in North Road Sonny had won some 31 cycling prizes in 17 meetings the previous year. It was interesting to note that in Peasedown in 1925 a game of motor cycle football was held in aid of the Bath and Paulton Hospitals. It was a game new to the area and saw engines racing at high speed with 6 players in each team.
Cycle racing was one of the big attractions at the annual athletic sports which took place on the Glebe Field. The event was extremely prestigious and was considered one of the best sporting events anywhere in the area. Many figures prominent in the national athletic scene took part and the occasion was always well supported by the public. Apart from running and cycling events there were a number of amusements including steam roundabouts, chairoplanes, coconut shies and other attractions supplied by Messrs. Coles who many will remember for the fairs they used to bring to the village.
It was a good year for Timsbury Athletic who had decided the previous season to drop down to a junior level of football. The first team won both the Bath and District League and the Bath Chronicle Cup. The league championship trophy was presented to captain Bill Hasell by league chairman W.A. Lovell after they had beaten Institute at Camerton. The reserves meanwhile finished third in the Chew Valley League.
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