Learning To Swim
A Memory of Dartmouth.
I moved to Dartmouth in 1948 with my mother, Joan and father, Joseph Gower. We lived in Southford Road and in the summer walked out to Castle Cove. There were still changing huts above the small pool, seen here below the Castle Battery. I will always remember the man who taught me and many others to swim, he had a tubular ring on a rope attached to a pole that we would be suspended in the water with. Later, when we got our confidence, we would swim from the Double Steps opposite the Boat Float getting better at it as the tide came in and the distance grew!
When I was in my teens my mother, Joan, became the first woman Custodian of Dartmouth Castle, something she was very proud of.
I now live in Cowes but Dartmouth will always be home.
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My family moved to Dartmouth in August 1952. Our new home was number 17 Southford Road. I think your family were just across the street. The road was so narrow we could have shook hands through the bedroom windows.
I remember the name Gower and my mother became friendly neighbours with your mother. I had a younger brother who would have been about two years of age at that time, his name was Kevin. Sadley he passed away last year (2015).
Other names I remember was Williams who was an ex wartime submariner then an engineer working on the river boats. Steam or diesel I know not. The Williams had two boys. I was 14 years of age at the time.
Another name I remember was boy named Atkins who lived further up the street and went to the grammar school up the hill.
I doubt whether you remember us as we only stayed about year when we relocated across the river in Kingswear.
I returned to my birthplace 7 Years later during the hot summer of 1959. I had a good life whilst living in both Dartmouth and Kingswear. Now it seems like another world and have to pinch myself when harking back.
It was all such a long time ago.
My name is Ian Giles.
Yes,what a long time ago.I wasn't sure because you said opposite No44 but I Google earthed No17 and the memories came flooding back,you were opposite my Auntie Maude Illman at No16,she had a son Charles younger than me who joined the RAF. No17 is now called 'Captain Jagos House' I always remember house it was one of the posh ones in the road because it had a front garden and seemed very secluded on it's high wall.In 1952 Mum was skipper of the Sea Rangers and verger of St Saviours when David Watkins was vicar, in those days Sunday was special. Robert {Bob] Cruise used to spend his summer holidays at his grandmothers next to you,Bob owned the River Dart Steamboat Co when he visited me in Cowes,sadly he passed away some time ago, next were the Tremlets who had a son at the Grammar school.I went onto Dartmouth Grammar then Churston when it was built, married into the RN,came to Cowes ,divorced and spent my time on various campaigns, and now have a web page www.further tales of the riverbank.com which I started with a friend David Ellison to get his TV series onto DVD so that another generation of children could enjoy it. David lived in Whippingham IW and it was many years before we realised that he knew Mum from when he had a diving boat moored at Kingswear in the 60's when Mum ran her water barge company Seamaid Yacht Services and she used to deliver water to David's boat, he also knew Captain Hampton who ran the diving school from his home in Warfleet Creek,.I often walk around Dartmouth on Google some things are still the same.
Best wishes,Elizabeth
I have just noticed your above reply, it is good of you to respond.
Although we lived at 17 Southford Road we spent a lot of time in Kingswear as this is where my dad had just bought a shop, just off the ferry slipway. I quite enjoyed my hundreds of ferry crossings in all types of craft.
There was no living accommodation at the shop itself, hence our house in Dartmouth. However within the year (1953) we had acquired a cottage in Kingswear near to the shop, which made it much easier by lessening the travelling too and fro across the river. We remained in Kingswear until 1959 when my parents decided to return to our former home in the Midlands.
So in fact, we only lived in Dartmouth for under a year, and what with spending most of my time in Kingswear was unable to keep abreast of things in Dartmouth.
Fast forward 25 years to the the 1980's with Dartmouth and Kingswear simply fading memories I developed an impulse to write about my times of the 1950's. I have written extensively of my doings when in Devon, once I had started chronicalling my thoughts I could hardly keep pace with the memories pouring from my head.
I don't wish to appear 'pushy' but if you are interested in learning more about my times in Dartmouth and Kingswear - just Google 'Reg Little's Memories of Kingswear'.
Once I start prodding the keyboard I don't know where it's going or when it will stop, so I'd better just say what a wonderful place I found myself during those years, thank you for your reply and information, it is what memories are made of and sustain us in our old age.
Kind Regards
Ian G.