Gara Bridge memories
Here are memories of Gara Bridge and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Gara Bridge or a Gara Bridge photo.
Gara as I Remember it
I came to live at Gara Bridge as a babe in arms in the early 1940s. We lived at 2 Hothole Cottages, and I remained there until I joined the forces in 1960. Our neighbours all that time were called Pullyblank, Phil, the elder, and wife lived in the house on the right, as you look at the cottages from the front. On the left lived Bill Pulleyblank and wife. Both these men were rabbit trappers We travelled to school at Kingsbridge each day, except for the last year, on the branch line train. The last year we had to ride on a bus that picked us up at the station yard gate and took us to school via Woodleigh and Loddiswell. Although it took longer we were dropped off at the school gates instead of walking from the station at Kingsbridge to the respective Junior or Senior schools. There were not many houses in the immediate area, the lodge at the entrance to the drive up to... Read more
Memories of Devon
Back to The Mid 1970's
1974-1975 I was a French assistant at Westlands School, Plainmoor in Torquay. I would often rent a cottage located in Woodleigh Road in Gara Bridge. This cottage belonged then to Mrs Wadstein who had a charming son named Charles. This family was extremely friendly and generous to me and I had a wonderful time at their place. I remember that a weekend cost 5 pounds! After living in Paris for 12 years and in Munich for 18 years, I am back in my home country the West of France, in a lovely town called Angoulême* famous for its Comic Strips Festival taking place each year in January. If anyone could give me news about the Wadstein family, I would be very pleased. Best regards from a friend of Britain Patrick Bouthinon * Isabelle of Angoulême was married to John Lackland and became queen of England.
Recent Visit to This Spot
Recently we took my Dad's Canadian cousin to this spot. John Pine (her father) was born here at New Mills, Loddiswell in 1889. William Henry Pine (my great grandfather) was miller and parish overseer. In our family photos we have an identical photograph and family lore is that they remembered the photograph being taken. After working at New Mills my great grandfather moved to Garden Mills, Kingsbridge.
Today the scene across the River Avon is little altered - although the mill is no longer in operation. The village of Loddiswell is up at the top of the hill.
Woodbine House Next to The Turks Head
My grandparents lived in the house nextdoor to the Turks Head from c1952 to c1961. The house was called Woodbine House in those days and all the windows faced the street. The garden was across the street and my grandfather kept chickens and grew vegetables and my grandmother tended the flower garden. I believe the the people who ran the Turks Head were called Mr and Mrs Cherry. My grandfather died in 1959 and my grandmother continued to live there for awhile before moving to the cottage nextdoor to her daughter who lived near Ugborough. I remember that there was a butchers shop, a couple of general stores and the post office in the village.
Loddiswell School Dinners
I was fortunate to be at Loddiswell Primary school in the last few years of the reign of Ms Christian Michell and Ms Margaret Common, in the late 60s. In these days the summers were always very hot, and winters very cold with plenty of snow to have fun in.
These ladies were formidable, and I still shudder a little thinking of them. There were other teachers I vaguely remember, but these two left an impression on me.
Ms Michell would love to tell us the same old joke about some foreigner who came to paint her house. Something about him being an "Artiste" not an "Artist". I still don't get it. I think she just wanted the walls painting.
One of the most odd things that sticks in my memory is that there were 4 sizes of school dinners. One had to book the size of the dinners for the week early on Monday morning, and it would be... Read more
Memories 1920 - 1951
My name is James Ryder, i was born on the 2nd January 1920 in Factory Road, the youngest of seven children, of William and Lucy. Started school [C of E] at the age of 3 and left at the age of 14., during which time I sang in the Village Choir untill my voice broke. In 1934 I started a 6 year Apprentiship with T Brooks of Totnes as a Builder and cycled daily to where ever I was directed. One period was to Holne Chase for several months (sixteen miles e/w!!). On my twentiith birthday I volunteered for service in the Army and was enlisted in the Royal Engineers on the 16th April 1940 and servied six and a half years in Iceland, North Africa and Italy. In June 1946 I returned to Harbertenford after being discharged. When I came home I lived with my mother in chapel cottages as she had now moved. This lasted until a new council house was built in riverdale where i moved in... Read more
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Places this week
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- Ewell, Surrey
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- Finchley, Greater London
- Ribbleton, Lancashire
- Greasbrough, South Yorkshire
- Forest Row, East Sussex
- Watford, Hertfordshire
- Bethesda, Gwynedd
- Wrexham, Clwyd
- Greystoke, Cumbria
- Boxley, Kent
- Tredington, Warwickshire
- Halton East, North Yorkshire
- Neath, West Glamorgan
- Ilfracombe, Devon
- Dulverton, Somerset
- Netherbury, Dorset
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Taunton, Somerset
- Winchmore Hill, Greater London
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