Seaton memories
Here are memories of Seaton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Seaton or a Seaton photo.
My Life in Seaton in The 1960s
With my family I moved to Cornwall in 1954, lived first in Hessenford then Seaton with my 2 brothers and 2 sisters, David, Tony, Lesley & Jane. My mother worked on the holiday camp. I went to Torpoint High School. I had a lot of friends in both villages such as Peter Eveleigh, Malcolm Stares, Alan Barrett, John Collins, Roger Roseavear, Nick Carthew, Andrew and Keith Waite, Ian Hendry, the Doneys, Marion Bird, Linda Wood, Teresa Stewart and many others. My mother died in 1967 so I moved to south Wales, Merthyr Tydfill, then to Cardiff. I have two sons by my late wife who passed away in 2003. My time in Cornwall was not always happy but I did love the place.
My Life in Seaton
1943! The year I was born, where I lived and was brought up at my grandparents' shop, 'S W Pearce & Son'. I went to school in Downderry and Antony, then later Liskeard Grammer. On leaving school, I worked in the family business, followed by 30 years in Plymouth. My parents retired in the mid 1980s, and moved to the Barbican, Looe, after selling the business. My father, Donald, died in 1990, my mother, Vera (91), and my brother, Mark (65) are still alive. I have been married for 45 years, to Kitty, and have two grown up daughters, Nicola and Joanne, and two grandaughters, Emily and Jessica. Seaton Beach Cafe' is still up and running, but not with the Doney family. Our local pub, 'The Smugglers Inn', was originally the farmhouse back in 1919, where my father was born. The Widesea Hotel was made into a Nursing Home, until 1991, then was demolished and made into luxury appartments. Billy Hocking is still fishing and crabbing, now well into his... Read more
Living in Seaton 1950s/1960s
My parents owned Mount Brioni in the late 1950s to early 1960s, I was just a baby, I had 5 sisters and 3 brothers who all lived there.
I remember the Doneys who owned the cafe on the beach and spent many happy days on our beach.
Memories of Cornwall
Fishing With Billy
Billy was a hero to we boys. In the daytime you could go crabbing with him; at night, out drifting. He drove an old open jeep and at times you would see five, six or even seven boys clinging to parts of this ex-US vehicle as it bounced its way up the slipway, or tore through the Cornish lanes on the way to Looe, where he kept his bigger boat, the "Ella".
A shake, or an alarm clock at 5.00am. Pull on my boots and a thick woollen jumper. It would be pitch dark, nothing stirred in the village. As I made my way the five hundred yards to the centre of the village, my heart would be in my mouth; every shadow a threat, every noise a danger. Then, through the night, the clumping of heavy sea boots: "That you D'Arcy?", the comforting sound of Billy.
As we launched the boat, using his jeep and a clever device that lifted and lowered his open boat into the... Read more
Holiday And Family Tree Research
I stayed at the Wide Sea Hotel in the mid to late 1950s when I was about 8. My grandparents were also staying at the hotel and probably they had stayed several times before. My grandfather came from Cornwall which is probably why he went holidaying there from Chingford in Essex/London.
Wide Sea Hotel, Downderry
I last stayed at the Wide Sea Hotel in 1966. Margaret Eliott the owner was to marry my father, Hilton Devitte in 1967. I wondered if the hotel still existed today, and what had happened to Margaret Devitte nee Eliott. We also had wonderful holidays at Whitsand Bay Hotel in the 1950s as a family and I was glad to see that it is still there, and hope to re-visit it one year. I live in Vancouver, Canada now. I hope someone can reply to this letter?
Downderry Coastguard
I first visited Downderry fifty years ago on my honeymoon. My husband's (Bill Polwin Baxter) father William Henry Polwin had been coastguard there towards the end of the 19th century - my mother-in-law was born at the coastguard house in St Mawes. It was a beautiful day and we swam in the sea at the bottom of the garden. I am a Shetlander used to colder waters and found it very surprising that the sand beneath the water was almost too hot to stand on.
I have two photographs I will look out of the 19th century Polwins at the house. I will look them out for here when I have more time.
Rosemary Baxter
Good Times
I used to live in the little cottage you can see there, It was a very beautiful place.
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 26,169 memories of 5,731 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Grantham, Lincolnshire
- Rockfield, Gwent
- Hadlow, Kent
- Ringwood, Hampshire
- Newhaven, East Sussex
- South Merstham, Surrey
- Crowborough, East Sussex
- Padgate, Cheshire
- Edlington, South Yorkshire
- Redhill, Surrey
- Kirkham Abbey, North Yorkshire
- Reigate, Surrey
- Perivale, Middlesex
- Burghfield, Berkshire
- Corringham, Essex
- Cippenham, Berkshire
- Berwick, East Sussex
- Ramsey St Marys, Cambridgeshire
- Grasmere, Cumbria
- Bromley, Kent
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
