New vicar for Dovercourt

Year: 1949

New vicar for Dovercourt

My father was inducted as the new vicar on 31st December 1949 at All Saints Church. I was just nine at the time but I retain some dim memories of a packed church! My dad stayed at Dovercourt until his retirement in 1976. I have many memories of Dovercourt for that period. I loved the West beach where I often used to take the dog on long muddy walks. Often as kids we would walk 'down town' to Woolworths or Candy Corner, usually in search of roughly the same things. Beach Stores though was the place where you could get something 'off coupons': a sort of Crunchy Bar without the chocolate. We were away at school and I was terrified of girls, but used to gaze soulfully at Jennifer in the choir in the hope she would notice me. She never did.
We had three cinemas in those days. I remember my dad taking us to The Quatermass Experiment, rated X, at the Regent, and telling them I was 16 when I was actually 15. Well done Dad!
Dovercourt was a lovely place to grow up in but, like many young people, I didn't really appreciate this at the time. Later when I took my own kids there years later I appreciated it more. Both my mum and my dad died in 1992 and are buried in All Saints churchyard.

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RE: New vicar for Dovercourt

So nice to hear about the arrival of your father in Dovercourt! He christened me at All Saints' Church in April 1962 and since my mother recently died I have uncovered some photos of the event, some of which I had never seen before. I remember him as a child and I know that he was a popular member of the community!

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RE: New vicar for Dovercourt

Further to the above - I remember Candy Corner with great affection but was terrified of the two huge alsatians who belonged to the Atkinsons who ran the shop. I used to choose my sweets quickly when they were behind the counter...