Happy Holidays

A Memory of Sandford.

My memories of Sandford are many and full of love and happiness.
My family, Mum, Dad, brother Jim, Uncle Lol and Aunt Alice started a lifelong love affair with Devon. We stayed with Charlie and Win Perkins (Uncle Char and Aunt Win) at Mill Farm, our family stayed there every year afterwards and continued with Mum and Dad's grandchildren going there as well as other family members.
We became part of the Sandford scene with my Dad and Lol helping Aunt Win and Lil Tatlock on their hoop la stall at the Sandford Revel and me helping Uncle Char giving horse rides to the children. My first ever time on a horse was 1955. On the day we arrived Uncle Char introduced us to Ralph Tatlock, who was treated as their son. Ralph placed me in front of him on an unsaddled Argo Star, one of Char's horses. It seemed very high up to me and I was shocked when Ralph, Argo and I flew over one of the jumps Uncle Char had set up. Ralph was one of the best riders in Devon and won countless trophies and rosettes over the years. Char taught Jim and I to ride and gave us many happy hours riding Argo, Piebald, Sugar and old Jock, and helping him in breaking in his prized colt, "Mill Boy".
At the Rose and Crown, they had an area specially for youngsters called "Spuddlers Corner", we spent many happy hours there as we grew up, with plent of opportunity to meet the beautful Devon Maids.
We made plenty of lifelong friends (I called in to see Ralph only last year).
Sadly we have also lost friends, Roger Tatlock in a tragic accident, Rip Garnsworthy, Char and Win, Ralph's mum and dad Sam and Lil , Ralph's brother in law Stan and my Mum and Dad and Aunt Alice have all passed away.
We hail from Liverpool and Mum and Dad always said that they would end their days "in a bungalow in Devon", they did not manage it, however they did move to an area near Warrington in Cheshire called "Little Devon". They lived in Paignton Close, off Babbacombe Road near to Honiton Way.
We still reminisce a great deal about the magic holidays we had and remember the reception committe we had on the day we arrived.
The words of the song "Way Down in Devon, It's Just like Heaven" ring true for me and all of my family. I would love to hear from any of the gang we met when we were down there.

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