The Picture House.
How many people remember the picture shows which were held in a hut at the top of the hill. I was one of the London evacuees billeted at Minions, and some of us would walk to the pictures and back again - how far was that! We were at Upton Cross school and I can recall the class being told to bring a lunch to school one day as Mr Bartholomew, our teacher, was to take us up on the moors, I think towards Sharp Tor, to see a bomb crater. Relations of the elderly couple I lived with owned Addicroft Mill, they were George and Ethel Pike, and we loved going there. I believe the Mill was bought at one time by the author and artist Norman Thelwell, and I have his book, 'A Millstone Round My Neck', with his drawing of the Mill. I used to visit Cornwall most years and always came back to Minions, usually to have a pub lunch, and then drove down the hill to Upton X and on to Rilla Mill, it's now too far to drive sadly, but I was very pleased to find this web site. I was then Eileen Whatley, but doubt if there would be anyone who remembers me, and if there is and they would like to get in touch, I am in the book for Highcliffe, Dorset.
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RE: RE: The Picture House.
I remember with fondness the wooden hut at the top of Rilla Mill where the mobile cinema visited every Thursday evening, the price of admission was 9 old pence, what an evening out! I was an evacuee from London and was kindly taken in at a nearby farm which was a new world to me, my father and elder brother were both in the forces and when my mother came to visit me after she had been bombed out the farmer put her in touch with the owner of a cottage at Plush Bridge which she was able to rent and we stayed there until 1945 when we returned to London, sadly without without my father or my brother. Rilla Mill was the power base where we did our shopping and our fuel for our lamps. Also we could get the Western National bus there for a trip to Liskeard, a real treat. I've been back there a couple of times with my family to bore them with my memories, but it was a wonder time for me. Yes I do remember an Eileen Whatley, a girl with lovely long hair. P Bennett.
Comment from Peter Bennett on Tuesday, 17th June 2008.
RE: RE: The Picture House.
I remember with fondness the wooden hut at the top of Rilla Mill where the mobile cinema visited every Thursday evening, the price of admission was 9 old pence, what an evening out! I was an evacuee from London and and was kindly taken in at a nearby farm which was a new world to me, my father and elder brother were both in the forces and when my mother came to visit me after she had been bombed out the farmer put her in touch with the owner of a cottage at Plush Bridge which she was able to rent, and we stayed there until 1945 when we returned to London, sadly without my father or my brother. Rilla Mill was the power base where we did our shopping and and our fuel for our lamps. Also we could get the Western National bus there for a trip to Liskeard, a real treat. I've been back there a couple of times with my family to bore them with my memories, but it was a wonder time for me. Yes I do remember an Eileen Whatley, a girl with lovely long hair. P Bennett.
Comment from Peter Bennett on Tuesday, 17th June 2008.
RE: RE: The Picture House.
I can't believe Peter Bennett is replying to my memory tale, my very first boy friend. I too went back to Minions many times since the War years. At Upton Cross School I remember the Head master Mr Male but most of all our teacher, Mr. Bartholomew, who ruled us with a rod of iron, but also made lessons interesting. He even showed us how to use a public telephone which we Camberwell evacuees had never done before! I have a booklet produced by Linkinhorne Womens Institute about the school, but it has little about our time there.
Comment from Eileen Banks on Wednesday, 18th June 2008.
RE: RE: The Picture House.
Very pleased to read the memories of Eillen Banks (nee Whatley), it would appear that we share a lot of the same memories of our youger days. The years rolled back and I was there again going to the picture house and to Upton Cross school. I hope that she and her family are well and if she would care to e mail me at pbe6@aol.com, I would love to hear all her news.
Comment from Peter Bennett on Sunday, 20th July 2008.
RE: RE: The Picture House.
Very pleased to read the memories of Eillen Banks (nee Whatley), it would appear that we share a lot of the same memories of our youger days. The years rolled back and I was there again going to the picture house and to Upton Cross school. I hope that she and her family are well and if she would care to e mail me at pbe6@aol.com I would love to hear all her news. I have only just started to do any computering as until recently I had a grandson to do it all for me, but now he has moved on to foreign fields.
Comment from Peter Bennett on Sunday, 20th July 2008.