Morcombelake, Dorset

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... [more]

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... [more]

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... [more]

Same family.

My dad was Cyril Henry Sprake, I have memories of travelling to Eype to see my gran, she was Day then. As grandad and uncle Robert died during the war, I am interested in knowing which of the local Sprake families was grandad's.
I too think of the area as my spiritual home, I have said to my family that I... [more]

Eype Cottages

My Mum, Nesta Smith (nee Sprake) was born in No. 3 Eype Cottages and lived there up until she married my Dad (Ron Smith) in July 1949.  They met when he was stationed close by with the Royal Army Service Corp.  They used to do their courting by the old phone box apparently!  Dad proposed to Mum up at Golden Cap... [more]

Lambert's Castle

I remember going to Lamberts Castle fair as a small child sometime around 1955. The fair was run by the Herbert family but they stopped running it sometime in the mid 1950s because it was not financially viable. I understand at one time the fair included horse racing and existed because of a royal charter.