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Northam memories

Here are memories of Northam and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Northam or a Northam photo.

Burrough House

Burrough House (home of Amyas Leigh) 1906
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My grandparents lived here from the 1960s until 1998, living in the flat. We used to spend our summer holidays here and had great fun!

Memories of Devon

Holidays

I lived in Bideford from 1944 till 1947 when we moved back to London, but I spent every Easter and summer holiday back in Bideford and nearly every day at the beach in Westood Ho!. Such happy times spent there.

Happy Days

My father was in the Home Guard during the Second World War, and we three children spent our school holidays with him at Westward Ho!. My sister says we travelled to Bideford and then by gas bus to Westward Ho!. Daddy had a flat in the old naval officers school. We spent glorious days on the beach, although you could only use part of it, because it was mined. Sometimes a siren went off, and we would have to run home and open the windows when they were exploding a mine, this was to prevent the windows shattering. There was a swimming pool built in the rocks, which is still there. The tide would go out for miles, and people often lost the clothes they left on the beach as the tide swept in so swifly and caught them unawares. A firework factory blew up one day, and the fire was horrendous with fireworkds going off and loud explosions. We stood on the balcony of our flat and watched for... Read more

Meeting Street

Meeting Street 1906
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I have a copy of the Meeting Street photo as the girl standing in the road (with the black sleeve) is my Grandmother SARAH POWE (nee Lesley). The family house was at 29 Meeting Street just out of view. Grandmother also ran the BELL INN in Appledore for a number of years and on retirement moved back into Number 29. Sarah and grandad BILL POWE had 2 daughters, Louise, my mother, and Ruby.
Sadly Sarah passed away in 1977 and my mother Louise in 1968. Ruby now lives in Bideford and I often visit them and take a trip to Appledore where some memories return. I remember  the 3 docks, the Quay, Hockings ice-cream, and the ships, in patricular the Kathleen and May and the Irene. I also remember the tug boat the ROMA which would often moor up off the Bell slipway by the lower dock. Many changes have taken place in Appledore so it's good to have access to some old photos etc, especially where there is one... Read more

Meeting Street

Meeting Street 1906
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looking at the picture of appledore my father in law was born in number 20 in 1907 his name was frederick cyril hobbs his father was fred hobbs and his mother was mabel (hooper) we visited last year what a lovely place our family has a lot of history in the town we carnt wait to return

The Postie

Meeting Street 1906
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The postman was our great grandad, don't know his first name (I'll find out), but he was of the Fisher family.
I believe the small girl is the mother of a friend of ours, Mary Rogers- will have to ask her maiden name.
Rachel Anstis

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