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Chapelton memories

Here are memories of Chapelton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Chapelton or a Chapelton photo.

Eels

We lived at the bottom of Chapelton village, our house facing Chapelton station. When the elvers were due, Dad used to put a pillow case,at the end of a wooden clothes line post, and they swam up the river in columns, and Mother would fry them. You don't get many of them up here in the Midlands.

A memory of Chapelton, shared by Ramon Williams.

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Growing up in Chapelton

I was born in Chapelton in 1933, my auntie and uncle and their children lived at the top of the village, and my grandmother and grandfather lived on the main road, about a quarter of a mile away towards Barnstaple. They used to serve petrol in the early 1930s but I remember them selling teas from a wooden cabin.
When it was time to go to school, I had to go to Herner, but when the Taw flooded it was impassable,so they sent me to Harracott.
I did not do much schooling there! My father's mother and father, who lived in Lake, needed taking care of in their later years, so my mother spent a lot of time there, and it was thought best that I should go to Tawstock school, the headmistress was Mrs Maude.
And during the early war years, we used to make camoufladge netting, and I remember collecting rose hips from the hedges, towards the war effort.
We had to move back to Chapelton because we... Read more

A memory of Chapelton, shared by Ramon Williams.

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Holidays in Devon at Pulrew And Tanners

My dad, Claude Harper, went to school at Herner I think, our Aunt Emma and Uncle Perce and our cousins lived at Pulrew, in the late 1930s we spent our summer holidays there. Names that come to mind are Tanners where my grandparents lived when my dad was a child in the early 1900s. I remember catching eels in the river by Chapelton down stream from the railway station, anyone have memories of that time. Tony

A memory of Chapelton, shared by Tony Harper.

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Memories of Devon

Living in Hiscott Circa 1970s

My name is Jeremy Silwood and I stayed in Hiscott farm in the early 1970s with the family of Mr and Mrs Adair. I met Dianne Adair at a club one evening with my then friend Alistair Symons of Crawley in West Sussex and Dianne and I became boyfriend and girlfriend for 4 years. We intended to marry but her father was a very violent man and stopped the relationship by his jealousy of me and his daughter. I was in my early 20s and now am 58 and recall after losing my sales job in Brighton on Sussex it was suggested by Diane that we move to the farm of 8 acres and breed dogs in the family business. Dianne had two brothers, Glen and Sam, who I understand were very good boxers and moved form the house later and had a lot of police issues and trouble and I gather bought a restuarant. Dianne was my first real girlfriend and I don't know what happend to her after I... Read more

A memory of Hiscott, shared by Jeremy Silwood.

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Ashley Manor School

I was the very first pupil at Ashley Manor School, and hold some very fond memories of my time there. Atherington was a very important time of my life, I enjoyed the shop, park and the wonderful church, I got my jubilee cup at the village fete. I would love to visit the area again.

A memory of Atherington, shared by David Raggatt.

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Happy Days at Mill Bridge

Mill Cottages c1955
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Hi to anyone looking at this photo, I lived just up the road at Valley Cottages and used to play by the bridge, we all sat on the bridge wall and had our photograph taken. I am on the right with wellington boots on, and my sister Jean is on the far left. The girl beside her is Ursula Edwards and the boy beside me is Colin Hutchings. I remember a Mr Handcock living in the cottage on the right and a Miss or Mrs Day living in the cottage on the left.

I have a picture postcard of this photo which was posted to my auntie in Preston in Lancashire, which years later she gave back to my mum who then gave it to me. The postcard has a 3d stamp on it which is franked by the Post Office with date of 18th Sept 1958.

A memory of Bishops Tawton, shared by Mr. John Salisbury.

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In The Hills of North Devon

Shovelled off to Boarding School, aged 7 (just), small boy, shorts, huge trunk, sandwiches and standing on the platform in London shivering and not just from the cold. School train huffing and puffing heading for Barnstaple feeling frankly miserable. All is new, all is not good and others sharing the same fate. Eventually arrived at St Michaels through huge gates, facing huge buildings and hordes of boys, cars unloading, parents fussing, boys blubbing and others tearing about. Write postcard home saying 'have arrived safely', using pen and make sure the blotches noted as tears in feeble attempt to get parents to change their minds and escape home........ That was the start, it got better. Posted to Cingalese and right at the back the great hall at back of long line of desks. 1st night in Orange Dorm a bit strange, woke up wondering where I was. Matron, a star. Most of the masters as well once you got to know them. Couple of scary ones like 'Toad' &... Read more

A memory of Tawstock, shared by James Burgess.

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Schoolboy Memories

I was a boarder at St Michael's from late 1947 to 1953. The church was bordered by the Golden Valley on one side and woodlands on the other. I remember sketching Tawstock Church and getting a commendation for my efforts. We used to be taken to the church about once a month and added our treble voices to the congregation's praise. If one had to be away from home, the school did offer a different life; but only liveable to the full once one got over the sense of complete abandonment. I would love to hear from any of the local staff - such as Miss Waters or Miss Jenkins, or, Bridget Fitzpatrick who surely invested her whole life in those of others.

A memory of Tawstock, shared by Chris Perkins.

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