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East Lulworth
East Lulworth photos
Displaying the first of 11 old photos of East Lulworth. View all East Lulworth photos
East Lulworth maps
Historic maps of East Lulworth and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all East Lulworth maps
East Lulworth area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about East Lulworth and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of East Lulworth
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of East Lulworth.
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The Allotments
As a child I attended East Lulworth RC school. With my sister Mary and a girl named Nancy Hargreaves, who lived at Lulworth Camp we were the only Protestants in the school, although Miss Belfield who was one of the teachers was also a Protestant.
We went to the school because my mother had heard that Miss Yarnitsky was the best teacher in Dorset. She was a most talented teacher. Among other things, she played the piano like a professional, taught us how to recover a chair, make baskets and taught us dramatics (which came in handy at the school Christmas concerts). She taught the whole school how to swim and also taught us how to garden.
Every Wednesday she marched the whole school through the village to the allotments. We all had a plot of land. The oldest student taught the youngest.
We planted potatoes, parsnips, brussel sprouts, peas and spring onions together with lettuce and radishes. The way the gardens were arranged we had something to take... Read more
Dorset memories
The Best Kept Secret Place in The UK
This year I visited Tyneham. I was absolutely overwhelmed at the beauty and charisma of the village. I could have stayed there soaking in the history, and surrounding countryside. I took many photos throughout the village, and then to the bay... what a treat, such a secluded place of scenic beauty.
I was told you will see a two-hundred-year-old village, without additions. The military are upgrading the old farm buildings. I feel the ponds and surrounding grass areas should be trimmed and kept as they would have been.
I was thrilled to read the notice boards in each house and took careful photos of all. I have shared my Tyneham visit with many Americans who cannot believe, till they see the photos, that such could happen to an English village. I believe the people should have been given back their homes. I loved the church and school house. It is surely one of the best kept secrets in all of England.
I believe there should be a group of... Read more
An Absolute Gem of A Village
Having lived in the general area for 67 years, today my wife and I visited the hidden village of Tyneham for the first time, and what a wonderful suprise. The village nestles between the hills above Worbarrow Bay and is so peaceful and beautiful. It was just like stepping back into bygone days, or straight into a Thomas Hardy novel, the entire experience was amazing. The pretty little church and the schoolhouse are all that remain intact, since the village was evacuated in 1943 and the villagers have not been allowed to return to live there since. The Army have carefully looked after the well-being of the village, whilst using the surrounding countryside for weapons training and visitors are only permitted on weekends and during the month of August. All in all, well worth a visit.
Silver Jubilee Parade 1935
I remember well the parade through the village on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee.
My mother and several other mothers dressed six of us young boys as toy soldiers and we had to march in the parade. However, the best thing in the parade that I can remember was a model of the Queen Mary. It was loaded over a car. You could not see the car, only the majestic liner floating through the village. It was a wonderful occasion for the children of the village for we had a party that evening in the Parish Hall and everyone was presented with a mug to commemorate the occasion.
At the time my family lived at 19 West Lulworth just opposite the War Memorial.
We were Church of England but my mother insisted on sending us to the Roman Catholic School in East Lulworth. She had heard the Miss Yarnitsky was the best teacher in Dorset and that was enough for her. On days that my sister and I missed... Read more
West Lulworth Church
I was a member of the choir. In the 1930's and throughout the war years the church would be packed for the morning service every Sunday.
As a child I used to look forward to the Magic Lantern shows put on by the vicar Mr Sharpe. These occurred after Evensong. The Catholics of the village came in after the sevice and were welcome to see the presentation. Mr Sharpe had been a missionary at some time in his life and must have been a keen photographer. Everyone must have enjoyed his presentations as there was always a good crowd in attendance.
Mrs Ironmonger played the organ and we choir boys took turns pumping the organ.
Some years ago when visiting from Canada I noticed that the vestry had been
vandalised and that the beautiful window over the alter had been smashed.
I believe that it has been repaired.
During the war years the army attended Sunday morning services and the military band played during the singing of the hymns. The... Read more
New Years Day
I remember one New Year's Day just before the war. There was an annual football match between the Lobsters and the Shrimps. The Lobsters were the older fishermen and the Shrimps their sons and their friends. My father was the manager of the N.A.A.F.I at Lulworth Camp and had to do some work early in the morning. On the way home he happened to come to watch the football match. As soon as some of the older fishermen saw him they pressed him to play. Well, play he did. It was a very muddy pitch and I well remember how upset my mother was when she saw him when we returned home. The games were always played in a field at the bottom of Sunnyside, owned at the time by the Yates family.
Collecting Soft Fruit in The Retreat House Garden.
As a child I remember collecting loganberries, raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries in the garden at the back of the house. My mother used to make them into jam which would last throughout the winter months. We had 5 childrens ration books and one adult so my mother had plenty of sugar to make the jam. During the evacuation of the army from Dunkirk my mother would make cakes and jam tarts for the men who for some reason found themselves at Lulworth. Ironically, my father was a survivor of the troopship Lancastria which was the greatest loss of life ever suffered by the British Army.
