Lyme Regis memories
Here are memories of Lyme Regis and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Lyme Regis or a Lyme Regis photo.
Though Tis Dorset, I Thought Twere Devon
When I was a child, I lived at Axminster. My favourite seaside resort was Lyme Regis, about 6 miles away from home. Even though I was told, on countless occasions, that Lyme lay in Dorset, I would not accept that fact and insisted it was a Devonshire resort. It was MY seaside town, and I lived in Devon - therefore Lyme Regis was in Devon - that's infant child logic for you. Before I could cycle, we used to travel to Lyme by 'Lyme Billy', a little steam engine that ran from Axminster to Lyme, then we had to walk down Broad Street before reaching the beach. Now, Broad Street would have been better named Steep Street. It was a long and very steep hill that led down from the station to the beach. It was the climb back up that made my little legs ache, but the trudge down that made many an elderly knee creak - so I'm told. That will not have changed, I'm sure. When I was old enough... Read more
St Albans
I worked at St Albans, first in 1968 with Mr and Mrs Barnes, and then with Mr and Mrs Appleby to 1971. I spent a lot of time in that pool and had no idea it was that old. St Albans was a great place to work and, to that day I'm still in touch with some of the people I met there. The memories of St Albans and Lyme Regis will always be with me .
St Gildas Convent
This building looks like it might have been quite a bit altered, to become St Gildas Convent School in Stile Lane possibly?
St Gildas Convent
I think this must have become St Gildas Convent in Stile Lane,but it was much altered.
Grandad's Shop
For many years Dunster's Library in Broad Street was owned and operated by my grandfather, Sydney Mould. The shop was over three storeys, and contained many sections. It was a bookshop and stationers, It sold seaside accessories, it sold shrimping nets, it sold postcards, it sold cameras, and if you wanted a professional set of photos of your children, my grandfather would oblige. He used a strange system called "Polyphoto." It took many photos of about 35mm negative size all on the same glass plate. Part of the kit was some toy which would be used to attract the young model's attention. That was why it worked well! One of the camers that were sold at the shop was a Kodak 127 Box, sold for 5/-, and backed up by Kodak's official advertising poster, which was a photo of a waterfall taken with the camera by Sidney Mould. He made the original poster himself, the Kodak Rep saw it and Kodak bought the rights to it. The shop had a back door,... Read more
Landslips
I remember the houses on the right as being very crooked! Presumably the land movement had shifted the foundations and cracked the walls, but both of them survived and were inhabited - the owners had repaired the damage without straightening the buildings, so they were really strange! As time passed the 'uphill' house was demolished, but the other one lasted longer.
Wartime Defences
The photo caption for this in the book states that there were girders and wires and mines on Lyme beach during the war. My father Gilbert Atterbury was Town Clerk from the mid thirties until the late fifties and fought the War Office to keep Lyme beach open as tourism was all it had. As far as I know it was the only Dorset beach without giant concrete block tank traps seen in Seaton etc.,
Fossil Depot
My Great Great Great Grandfather, William Moore lived here in 1861 with his wife Sarah, he also sold music, pianofortes and oak carvings.
High Spring Tide Lyme Regis Cobb 10th March 2008
I stood at the end of the Cobb on the day of the worst storm this winter and both saw and felt the sea spray as the waves hit the top of the sea wall. It was just as exciting as shown in this view of 1910 !
I was visiting for the day while sight-seeing with our friends Julian and Janice Dent who were staying with my wife Elizabeth and me in Tiverton. Julian took photos of the angry sea - it came almost to the top of the shingle bank where the fishing boats were laid up. We went on to the shingle and threw a few pebbles in the sea getting our socks and trousers wet in the process but it was fun and a lovely memory of a great day out!
Haunted House
my name is ray hallett and i lived here in 1969. our flat was on the first floor , on the left. I remember hearing an owl hooting in the large tree at night and was convinced that the place was haunted .The house was then owned by herbie hallett ,no relation. It was infested with mice , my mother once opened the oven door to see a mouse sitting there cleaning his whiskers .I think it is such a shame that it was not saved and only photos remain.
Greenhams, Broad Street
What a nice surprise to see your post, Charles Greenham was my Grandfather and I spent many a good holiday there in the 60s
Thanks
Greenham's The Butchers & Brewer's The Grocers
In 1954, as a 17 year old cashier bookkeeper, I started work for Mr Greenham, whose butcher's shop was near the top of Broad Street.
Some years later (in 1958), I went to work at Brewer's, the grocers, further down Broad Street. My boss there was a Mr Vaughn, who I think later returned to Torquay. I enjoyed my job at the grocers; at first I worked behind the counter, and when the cashier left I took over her job. I had been born just outside Lyme, and during my working days there, I met many nice people and had some happy times.
Childhood Memories.
I noticed with some surprise a photo of myself aged about 12 years. I am the girl on the left with the ponytail the year being about 1960. I don't recall the boys name but it looks as if we are standing by the machine that used to print letters of the alphabet. I think it cost one old penny for 20/25 letters. There was a metal dial with a brass pointer like the hour hand on a clock and when it was pointing to the letter you required you pulled down a lever on the side (a bit like a one armed bandit) and the letters were embossed on a strip of metal.
The Lynch And St Gildas Convent
The year I was born and lived at 1 Lymn Villas the Lynch until 1958. My father was Town Clerk since the mid 1930s and I was amazed to hear that Langmore Gardens slid into the sea but the Marine Theatre is still going and Google Earth shows the groyns removed for new sea defences! My dad's friend was Mrs Staples of Coram Towers, the Town Mill was derelict then, but Middle Mill still had its wheel. I remember the Woodmead Halls and the Monmouth Hotel and the Alexandra Hotel which I often see in films. I walked up Sherborne Lane every day to the Convent and Clappentail Lane was one of the first Roman Roads in England. I now live in Milford Haven but must return one day.
Memories of Dorset
Great Great Grandpa
I was delighted to find this photograph as the Edward Archer Vince who owned the shop shown and mentionned in the text was my Great Great Grandfather and my Great Grandfather Frederick Harold Vince grew up here.....
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
I was about 3 years old when the present Queen was crowned. Us children went up to the manor house where they held a party outside. I remember someone with a cine camera filming the event. I have always wondered what became of that film which almost certainly showed me enjoying the party. I lived at the village post office and general store and knew everyone in the village as I used to serve in the shop from the age of about six. The post office and shop have long since gone and the vilage school has closed. They still have the village club but they never had any pubs. However, researching the village's history I have found out that Knapp Farm was origially a coaching inn called The old Knapp Inn. That closed in 1910. I used to play in that farm house with the farmer's daughter Kay Huxter. I was alway's puzzled as to why they had two separate staircases in that house and a bay window which... Read more
The Love Family
My grandfather William Love was born at the cottage attached to the butcher and slaughterhouse at the foot of Love Lane. This Lane was named after his father (my great-grandfather). William Love worked at the Moore's bakery for 30 years. I have never lived in this area and would love to hear any memories anyone may have. My father was Howard John Love.
My Dad
My Dad
The church at Whitchurch is a lovely place to wander and muse. My father died out shooting at Mapperton when I was 11, and what a terrible shock it was.
What is nice for me now, 25 years later, is to still be able to walk down through the village past the 5 Bells pub, or over the lovely rolling fields, to the church yard where his grave lies amongst the rustling of the trees, birds chatting to each other, gentle sunshine making patterns on the grass as it peeks through the trees, and a general sense of timelessness and peace that I have found over recent years to be so soothing.
What a special place!!
My Grandparents And Visits to Them
My grandparents William and Amelia Love lived in Ryall. My grandmother purchased the cottage they lived in on her marriage. They had three sons Wilfred, Howard and Edward. My father Howard died in 2007. I don't think the village has changed that much since I used to visit as a child when I used to play with the children on a farm just down from my grandparents and cousins. I last visited Ryall in 1994 to pay my respects at the burial site of my grandparents in Whitchurch Canonicorum St Wyte cemetary.
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