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Blagdon Barton

Blagdon Barton maps

Historic maps of Blagdon Barton and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Blagdon Barton maps

Blagdon Barton area books

Displaying 1 of 26 books about Blagdon Barton and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Blagdon Barton

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Devon memories

Marriage Between Ivy Alice Gillard to Robert Alexander Bent

St John's Church, Norman Door 1890
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This date Oct 6th, in 1945, while serving in the RCAF, I was married to Ivy Gillard in this olden church. It was a bright sunny day. Ivy came to Canada with our daughter Barbara in October of 1946. She loved Canada very much, and even though she returned to her homeland on a few occasions, she was truly a Canadian. Ivy was taken from us in 1979 at age 56. She was born with a defective heart. It will always ben the second most important date in my life. My birth was of course the first. I loved Paignton while there. God Bless you all.

Cream Tea Festival in Paignton

The Seafront 1912
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Saturday, April 19th was "Morris Day" on Paignton Green and a celebration of all things Morris. More than 150 Morris dancers from all over the country demonstrated this traditional and colourful form of folk dancing in a marquee on the Esplanade.

Among the many dancers were Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers from Combeinteignhead who performed half a dozen morris dances in the "North West" clog tradition for 20 minutes or so - accompanied by their band of melodeons, accordians and drums. Although it was very poor weather, a great many people crowded into the marquee to watch and listen to the performances - and also to enjoy the craft fair and beer tent!

Sadly it was just too wet and windy to venture outside to enjoy a walk on the sea front or along the pier. However, the lovely music and dancing made it a memorable day out.

Loyal Order of Moose

I would very much like to catch up with any members of the L O o M from the Paignton branch of that time, also any members of the Federation of Master Builders Torbay branch of which I was president in the mid 70s, in particular Joe Beaglehole, Ron Upham & Stan Archer and the many others that I knew.
Tony

Paignton Was my Crucible 1947

My mother gave life to me in Paignton hospital (now a hospice I believe) in July of this year (1947) and I spent much of my early years in and around this lovely little town. Not so lovely or little now but still grand to me. My memories of Paignton are too many and various to account for them all but one or two will do for now. We lived at various times in Conway Road, in Headland Park Road, Preston, in a house called Poldhu, and up at Marldon in a lovely detatched house called Hilcot. My sister and I were pupils at the Sacred Heart convent school in Cecil Road and as we often attended the church there, in later life I became for a while an altar boy, a duty for which I dont think I was well suited. My enduring memory of that school, apart that is from the 'orrible school meals, is writing an essay called "Lost in the Snow", which my teacher liked so much... Read more

A Village Entertainment at The Church House Inn

The Church House Inn 1918
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This is the spot where the dancers and musicians of Dartington Morris and their guests Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers performed in August 2008. The view shows some villge women sitting on a low terrace where a crowd had gathered for the dance performance just recently!

I recall there is now a plaque on the front wall of the Inn inviting people to try the village stocks although that doesn't appear in this Francis Frith view.

I brought my piano accordian along and played in the band for Heather and Gorse and also enjoyed a pint of lovely Flowers Best Bitter! There were probably a hundred folks gathered around the front of the Inn and also standing in the road enjoying the show! There was a family of three boys who we encouraged to join in the music making with our band.

Dartington Morris With Heather And Gorse Clog Dancers at The Church House Inn

The Church House Inn c1955
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This view is EXACTLY the spot where the dancers and musicians of Dartington Morris and their guests Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers performed in August 2008.

It was a lovely warm August evening and a crowd of villagers and holidaymakers gathered for the dance performance at 8pm. I recall there is now a plaque on the front wall of the Inn inviting people to try the village stocks but that doesn't appear in this photo.

I brought my piano accordian along and played in the band for Heather and Gorse and also enjoyed a pint of lovely Flowers Best Bitter! There were probably a hundred folks gathered around the front of the Inn and also standing in the road enjoying the show!

Singing in The Middle Bar!

The Victoria And Albert Inn c1965
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From early 1970 to 1975, when I left Brixham, we used to go on a very regular basis, winter times Friday/Saturday, Summer time every night (except Sundays) when I could make it, and sing along with my local friends from Paignton and Brixham with a fine lady on the piano, "Winnie" ,what great times we had!! When I have had a few drinks now I can even remember all the words! even now at 57! Is there anybody out there who also remembers those times?? Back in that time - yes! they had 3 bars open in the summer at busy times!! Times you never forget!!!

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