A Very New Broadway

A Memory of Plymstock.

In 1962 my parents and I (12 years old) moved from Bristol to open Victoria Wine (later to become the Wine Market before reverting back to Victoria Wine). There were still several empty units awaiting occupation. I can recall most of the shops that were open, starting at the fire station end was James & Rosewell hardware, a ladies hairdresser, Lloyds? Bank, newsagent, service road, Barclays Bank, ladies & childrenswear, coffee bar (bane of our lives with noisy motor bikes racing around every night), South Devon Textiles, Co-op, Midland? Bank, Sharp & Savage TV, our shop, Dingles foodshop. Mays florist, Millbay laundry, Widgers decorators, Dewhurst, Pearkes grocery, Lockharts hardware then lastly was Fine Fare which was one of the first supermarkets to open in the UK.
There was no development on the south side at this time. It was another 2 or 3 years before Woolworths, then another year or two before Co-op (Plym House?), Boots and Halfords appeared.
We had the pleasure of the sight of cows grazing in front of the orchard of Down Farm, all under the car park now.
The Broadway was a through road with unrestricted parking on both sides!! Oh, what happy days for the motorist then!!
Every Sunday, the Boys' Brigade would march through playing their bugles and drums. In all the years I lived there I never did know where they were going as they went towards Mountbatten Way. There were no road closures of police escor in those days with there being so little traffic.
It was sight to behold whenever the fire siren sounded and all the firement would come rushing down Dean Hill on foot or a motley collection of old bikes, often jumping off and leaving them to come crashing to a standstill while they went rushing into the station. They were alwasy in about 2 minutes of the siren sounding. Shows how much things have improved over time!
There was a concrete building at the corner of Dean Hill and Broadway; I seem to think it might have been car sales but my memory is vague on this. The site was later occupied by Vospers in a new building.
Opposite the fire station was a small motor garage run by a Mr Jacobie.
I seem to remember the library being where the police are now, alongside the fire station. The police in 1962 were in Oreston, the station where LIDL is was still a year or so away, as was the library opposite. No health centre, just small surgeries. The Milk Marketing Board were opposite the petrol station, but they, like everything else, have gone now.
There was a largeish underground bomb shelter where LIDL's car park is now. We kids never got into it, the entrance was blocked. I think it was filled in and bulldozed over when the police housing was built. It may still be there under the car park!
I went to Plymstock School before it expanded into a Comp. The headmaster was Coysh Busby. Teachers I remember are Jessie Lugg, Mr Cornish, Mr Colicott, Miss Couch, Rex Booth, Mr White, Mrs Budge, Mr Coleman, Mr Cornish and Mr Ellis or Elliot. I then went to Tech College and did a 2 year course on radio and TV.
We left the Broadway when my father retired in 1976.
If anyone has anything to add contact me. cpden@hotmail.com.uk