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Combwich

Combwich maps

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

Combwich photos

We have no photos of Combwich, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Cannington| Pawlett| Wembdon| West Huntspill| Puriton| Bridgwater| Nether Stowey| Over Stowey| Highbridge| Adscombe| Burnham-On-Sea| Woolavington| Aisholt| Chedzoy| Bason Bridge| Cossington| Brent Knoll| Westonzoyland| Bagborough| East Brent

Combwich area books

Displaying 1 of 11 books about Combwich and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of Combwich

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Somerset memories

A Memory of Coultings, nr Fiddington

In April 1963, my ex husband and I moved from Nottingham to Coultings, he to work on a farm owned by the Triggol family. We lived in a thick-walled cottage on the main road through Coultings, which had a Victorian letter box in the wall of one of the other houses. There weren't many residents of the hamlet, some farm workers and families and a few others. There was a phone box, and the travelling library came every couple of weeks, which was wonderful. The bus went through twice a week to Bridgewater which is where we shopped. The bakers van came a couple of times a week and the butcher also, and there was a converted ambulance that came through with groceries and fresh fish. Although that was a bit expensive for the humble wage that a farm worker earned back then. The cottage we lived in was fairly old, but did have a bathroom built on and a Rayburn in the kitchen, and a fireplace in... Read more

Memories of my Childhood

I was born in 1956, in Wiltshire, but my first memories are of Pawlett, where we moved, when I was very small. It was a smaller, quiter village than it is even now. I went to the village school, on the village green, next to the church. I believe it's now someone's home. My first memories there are of making paper lanterns, and the Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling, I don't know why. I had to walk there, via a long but very narrow lane, which led from the 'main' road, to the school door, locally called 'The Drain'. I recall our school meals having been cooked off site, being delivered to us, through the brick gateway, into the playground, in large metal churns. I also recall the toilet block at the bottom of the playground. When we were kids, we used to go down to the river Parrett, past Cooks farm, with no restrictions on where we could go, and sit on the riverbank, watching Dad fish for eels... Read more

Holidays in The Mid 1950s

The Village 1903
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I used to holiday with my grandparents in West Huntspill in the mid 1950s.For a time we used to stay with a Mrs King. Heading west from The Globe you took a right turn at the crossroads past the traction engine and she lived on the left. Then we stayed with a Mr and Mrs Hagget just over thre railway bridge in Withy Road. We used to go to The Globe pub in the evenings, I think Mr and Mrs Hayes were the owners and they had a daughter, Margaret or Mary. We used to visit Wells, Burnham, Cheddar, Weston, Glastonbury and when we did a tour Wem's coach used to pick us up at The Crossroads pub.

Shopping Memories.

My father was a greengrocer and his shop appears in this photograph on the left side going into the Rex Cinema arcade, a butchers shop was on the right side. During the war years and into the very early 1950s, he was the largest greengrocer in Bridgwater, having the Eastover shop and one in Taunton Road, my parents looking after one each. They also had a third shop which my sister ran for several years. That section of Eastover, including the Rex arcade, Mr Jeal the ironmonger and several other shops were demolished in the early 1960s to make way for the rather bland row of shops that now occupy the spot.

Holidays

The Town Bridge c1960
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We spent many a happy holiday in the Bridgwater area, sometimes staying on a farm just outside Bridgwater and in later years in a flat in the holiday village in nearby Burnham on Sea. Many wonderful memories of my dead parents and dogs!

Ford Dealership

St Mary's Street c1965
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It's not really a memory I have of this picture, but my 1956 Ford Popular was supplied by the Ford Dealership, A & S White of 37 St. Mary Street, seen on the right in this picture.  Now apparently a Weatherspoons Pub.

Broadway Lido.....My Home

Broadway Lido c1960
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Yes.....the Broadway Lidi was my home. I am Stuart Smith, my father Gordon Smith was the first manager (well, they called it superintendent then) at the Lido. We moved there when I was about 3 years old, and lived in a detached house adjacent to the Lido.  I recall doing the "Inaugural Plunge" in front of Princess Alexandra......who presented me with a new pair of trunks, for performing the feat.

The Vauxhall car, which you see in the photo (below Lido sign), belonged to Wilf Pine, my father's deputy. Our house was just out of shot, to the right. We often had rugby balls landing in our garden, from Bridgwater & Albion Rugby Club, who played in the adjoining field. My mother, Joan Smith, would often refuse to give the balls back to even the burliest rugby players!!

Originally there was a Main Pool & Teaching Pool, an Intermediate Pool was added later.  In the winter months the pools were drained almost empty, but ice formed readily at... Read more

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