Memories of Kingskerswell

Childhood Memories

Hi my name is Maria Brown (maiden name Zalmen). I lived in Kingskerswell up until 1967 when I was seven. We then moved to Australia. I have never forgotten this lovely place and in 2005 I decided to come back and relive my childhood memories. Back in the 1960s we lived at no.13 Bourne Road in a lovely little white house. I remember living next to a field where my rabbit used to escape to and where I use to roll down the hill inside a barrel. I remember pushing my mum up the hill to the milk bar because it was such a steep road - I don't remember which road, it might have been on the post office side of the main road. I also remember going to a coffee shop with a big red chair in front of a cuckoo clock. I used to have an orange juice and raisin toast when I was there. I can still smell the aroma of the coffee they served. I don't know where this was though. Maybe Newton Abbot? I used to go to the old Kingskerswell school, which is now a community centre. I am trying to get hold of the school magazine from the years 1965 to 1967. If anyone reads this and was in Kingskerswell around the same time as me it would be fantastic to hear from you on the memories page.

childhood days

I lived in Kingskerswell as a young child and emigrated to Australia in 1986. I was 10yrs.
I missed it dearly and have fond memories although I forget the names of streets etc. I went to the local Primary school both old and new. I played conkers with my friends where the trees were opposite the church on bonfire night. We had days off school when it snowed heavily and tobogganed down my street (Park Rd) on my mum's catering trays. We went for adventures up the Kerswell downs and the boys told us scary stories and ran away. We played hide and seek and kiss chasey at the playing fields with Justin Harrison (my first kiss). After school we often went to a little tuck shop down a little lane on the left just down from the old primary school or if I was lucky and Mum picked me up we would go to the bakery and I would have a jam tart or slush puppy from the post office. I appreciate any photos as I still hold Kerswell close to my heart and often dream of walking all over, following my old foot steps. I would love to hear more memories.

childhood days

My mum's family (Beer) owned the village shop in Fore Street, consequently my family spent many holidays in the village. I remember playing with cousins in the orchard in Yon Street where my Great Aunt Anne and Great Uncle Harry lived, playing pooh sticks in the stream by the church, getting fresh bread from the baker's in the morning (strange how there was no crust by the time I got it back!?), climbing the oak tree on the playing fields and no holiday was complete without feeding Starlight the donkey.
Funny how when I returned many years later I had failed to remember the thatched cottages and narrow lanes, obviously not very important at the age of nine!