Kingskerswell memories
Here are memories of Kingskerswell and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Kingskerswell or a Kingskerswell photo.
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... Read more
Frances Best's Family, Princess Road, Kingskerswell, Devon
I was stationed at the Royal Signals camp at Denbury in 1952 and whilst there I met a wonderful young lady whose name was Frances Best. She lived in Kingskerswell and I fell in love with her and she felt the same about me. I was invited to her home and was made so very welcome by her family. I was demobbed from the Army at the end of 1952, I lived in Salford Lancashire and we kept in touch with each other by post. I went back to Kingskerswell in 1953 and stayed for a week at the home of Frances, it was great, I fully intended for our relationship to carry on and I was going to get a job in that area, however due to circumstances in my family (it is too long a story to go into) it did not work out that way. I have never forgotten Frances and the wonderful welcome I received from the family at Kingskerswell.
Ron.
South Devon
I lived in Kingskerswell from August 1963 to July 1974, first in Lyndhurst Avenue and then in Weavers Way.
THE DACCOMBE TREACLE MINE
On reading peoples of Daccombe I'm surprised no one has mentioned the famous Treacle Mine, probably a secret closely guarded by the villagers themselves. Maybe I've now let the cat out of the bag! Anyway in 1921/22 my Nan and family lived for a while in a cottage in the village owned by a Farmer Rowe. Although I personally have no connection with the village I well remember being taken for walks through the lanes past the farm houses and little well built into a wall and up a very steep and muddy narrow lane to Barton Cross. I haven't been back to the village for many, many years so I hope that modernisation hasn't taken too much of the peace and tranquility of the area. I also hope that some of the decendents of Farmer Rowe still farm the fields in the area. My mum is now 90 and still living in nearby Torquay but of course is now not mobile enough to go down into the valley... Read more
Reunion
Last weekend saw our Village Reunion and true to form "the People of Kingskerswell" never failed to amaze me. Families gathered from all around and they came from Kent, Nottingham, Dorset, Wiltshire, Bristol, London, Wales as well local We had over 150 people turn up and £350 was raised for Rowcroft Hospice....BRILLIANT Also like to say thanks to this web site who allowed us to use and advertise all these pages.
Thank You Thank You to you all
Our Wonderful Kingskerswell
Born and bred in Kerswell along with my 3 sisters and brother we were (are) the Nelson family of Carswells. Our mum Joan moved to Kerswell at the age of 3 months and was brought up in the bungalow of Resthaven on the Newton road behind Witpot Mill. She told us of the stories of the bombs hitting Newton and the troops in Torquay and Denbury camps from which she met her husband Gordon. They met in the Bradley pub in Newton Abbot, now the Jolly Farmer, and they would dance at the Courtney resturant, where Peacocks is now, as well as the 400 Club in Torquay. We first lived in Coles Lane next door but one to the Park Inn, ran by Des & Dot Hern and where cream cakes and fish & chips were served by their son Jimmy Hern. Other families from the estate were the Pughs and Blameys, Ray & Urines, the Howards & Giggs, the Giletts, Robbins, Williams and the Brays, the Moons and Evans,... Read more
When The Village Was A Village!
From 1971 to the present day I have lived in different parts of the village, and never want to move. I attended the old school (community centre), and living just a few yards away had to be late most mornings! I remember the van that would bring the school lunches in big metal-lidded dishes, the driver a lovely chap, his name I recall was Wally, he would always look over and wave. We would walk up to the Consititional Hall and sit at the long trellis tables that were laid with cutlery, large metal water jugs and plastic mugs that always looked dirty, teachers would sit on the stage to eat theirs, Mrs Rawlings, Matthews and Evans. I remember Snaky Lane with the donkey that everyone either stroked or fed as they walked past. Everybody knew everyone's buisness! But you felt safe as everyone looked out for one another, we would leave front doors open and pop in to each other when suited, actully my mum only had a lock... Read more
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... Read more
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!
Memories of Devon
A Great Childhood
I've got such fond memories of my mum pushing me up and down Daccombe in the pram and putting me on the horses at Henry Fogwell's farm where she kept her horse Danny. There were a lot of horses down there at one time and everyone knew everyone, it was great. Hiding out in the hay loft I used to get away with a lot down there. Scrumping from the orchard across from Manor Farm and paying the bus drivers with fruit to have a lift down from Monkeys Island (Barton Cross) to the shops as I lived in Falloway Close, Barton. Barton Stables was a place I hung out at a lot as well with Granny Grimble (Powel). I would love to have a photo of Henry as I haven't got one so if anyone reads this and can help that would be great . My mum's name was Shirley Hooper Bowden before she married. We go camping every year at Manor Farm as I just love the place... Read more
Daccombe Torquay
I have many good memories of Daccombe and still go down there to this day clearing the rabbits for the farmers. It to me has to be the best village going. The people are so friendly and it's lovely to see everyone doing there own thing down there, whether it be horse riding, ploughing the fields to gardening etc. On the Daccombe to Cofetherfinswell road is a remarkable lady called Judy and she grows her own food and livestock for the market. To me Judy is a true country lady and has a lot of knowlege about Daccombe. I like to go there all seasons as it's such a magical place to explore.
The Chudleigh Family
I am trying to research the Chudleigh Family. This is my mother's family. I would be grateful for any information.
Squire Brown's, Now Pontings.
The thirties were the very early days in my life. My mother would take us up to Greathill where we would sit and have a picnic, not a lot to eat but a chance to play in the fresh air. We were all very happy together. Sometimes we might see a skylark rising above us singing away. We used to try to find the nest but never did. My mother would tell me the skylark took off well away from its nest. Barton was also where Squire Brown's house was, a large place where we had an outing day from the church, it would be at Easter time and the helpers would hide chocolate eggs for us children to find. I remember that you had to have six stars for attendance on Sundays to be allowed on the trip.
The Greathill I talked about was the high part of Torquay, that was where we could look right over the fields to the sea, not many houses then to cloud our... Read more
Dornafield Midsummer Promenade
Totnes Rotary Club invited Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers to entertain at the Dornafield Midsummer Promenade along with other peformers. The weather was dry and cool for a mid-June evening and just right for some vigorous dancing!
Refreshments were available in the open air bar on this lovely caravan and camp site. A large crowd of holidaymakers and evening visitors made it a succesful charity fundraising event. The dancers rounded off their performance by inviting the audience to join in a massed processional dance which was great fun for the fifty or sixty who accepted the challenge!
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