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Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren photos
Displaying the first of 20 old photos of Dawlish Warren. View all Dawlish Warren photos
Dawlish Warren maps
Historic maps of Dawlish Warren and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Dawlish Warren maps
Dawlish Warren area books
Displaying 1 of 26 books about Dawlish Warren and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Dawlish Warren
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Childhood Holidays in The 1950's
I was born in 1942 and brought up in Walthamstow in NE London. We were a working class family and Dad always provided us with 2 week's holiday, if possible 'by the sea'. In 1951, Dad chose Dawlish Warren. I was 9 at the time and we probably travelled down by train from Paddington, changing at Exeter St Davids and getting a local train for Dawlish Warren but I have no recollection of that. The main thing I can recall about the holiday was that we stayed at a caravan site called the 'Welcome Stranger' and that our caravan was called 'Idaho'. I know now that it was a pre-war caravan and was very cramped. Although it had obviously seen better days it was clean. I remember that a fresh water standpipe was quite close and I used to fill up the water carrier and bring it back to the caravan. The emptying place for the 'grey' water was however quite a hike away. I also remember the communal wash-houses which had... Read more
A Summer Outing to Dawlish Warren
It seems to be a wet summer this year but at long last a day when it wasn't actuially raining at breakfast time! We set off from our home in Tiverton to give granddaughter Anna a day at the seaside.
The recent stormy weather and high tides have scoured away a tremendous amout of the sandy beach at Dawlish Warren but we still found a pleasant patch of shingle and sand to have our picnic. Anna and her Dad, David, flew Grandma's kite in the breeze - it wasn't exactly a hot day so we wore jackets and flew the kite instead of sunbathing. A little later it brightened up enough to think of traditional beach fun so Grandma and Anna went for a paddle and then Grandad and Anna played with her bucket and spade. Anna found a few shells to take back home.
Before setting off we all rambled through the sand dunes until we reached the visitor centre where Anna tried... Read more
Devon memories
A Picnic at Exmouth Cricket Club
Last week we had a really lovely day out with our granddaughter Anna Norfolk. It was a beautiful sunny July day and far too hot for staying at home so my wife and I went in search of a beach and a cooling sea breeze. We drove to Exmouth and when we arrived at the seafront we noticed that the Exmouth cricket grounds were open - a friendly gatekeeper invited us to drive in and park on their outfield for the day.
There was lovely clean short grass to spread our picnic. They even had a small cafe and loos available! We were very happy to pay our £3.50 for the day instead of paying the same for a crowded tarmac carpark run by the council! Anna enjoyed the picnic and running around on the grass as all two year-olds do.
It was brilliant and we were only a few feet away fron the beach. Then we wandered over to the beach and spent a... Read more
Imperial Hotel Fire 1971
Around this time a fire destroyed much of the Imperial Hotel which was, then, owned by Trust Houses. The previous year (1970 on the 6th of March) The Moorland Hotel, Haytor, was also much destroyed by fire. This started at midnight - a fact of which I am fully aware as I was the manager of the hotel – also owned by Trust Houses. It occurred during the police annual dinner which was taking place at the time. Local doctor, Jack Harrison was starting a speech wishing our local policeman a happy move to another station, when I had to interrupt him to announce that the fire had just started. It was a great surprise, then, for me to learn the following year that the Imperial Hotel had suffered a similar fate. Tragically, the wife of the then manager had ventured into the hotel in search of their cat and was overcome in some way and perished in the building. How much of the original building remained,... Read more
Boating With my Cousin
In the 1950's I lived in Exmouth and my cousin,Pauline, stayed with us in her summer holidays from boarding school. We are in this picture, in the boat nearest the side of the lake. I am facing the camera and I think I was eleven or twelve at the time. I remember it was extremely hard work turning the handles at the side to turn the paddle wheels. My name was Josephine Rowsell and I attended the Grammar School from 1953-7.
Vacation With My Parents & Family
Visited Exmouth with my parents brother & sister-in-law. Remember the beautiful beach. I was 10 years old at the time. I remember we stayed in a hotel not far from the beach, although I cannot remember the hotel name. We had a lovely week, the weather was beautiful and we met some people on vacation from Europe.
Exmouth Marina
The history of Exmouth Harbour and marina has altered beyond recognition in the last few years. In 1998 I went there as a complete novice deck hand and worked for the summer on the 55-foot trawler GY165 'Pacemaker'. We fished out in the channel and often landed our catch on the harbour, to the interest of the town's visitors. I lived on board the boat for the first 6 weeks which was quite an experience, you felt very odd being so much on view to passing tourists as you hung your smalls out to dry on deck. Luckily I then met a mad Australian, Aussie Mike Townsend, and he let me move into a room in his flat above the garage in Shelley Beach Road. It was great living there, and such a relief to get off the boat for a while and have a proper bed and bathroom. One of the best things was going for a pint in the Beach pub, nice people got in there and being... Read more
