St Marychurch memories
Here are memories of St Marychurch and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of St Marychurch or a St Marychurch photo.
St Marychurch's "Party in The Precinct"
I was really surprised at how busy and popular this community event was. I went along with my wife, Elizabeth, who is a dancer with the Heather and Gorse Clog Morris Dancers. The team had been invited to perform outside the Dolphin pub half way along St Marychurch precinct.
We were booked to dance at 3 o'clock and the organisers of the event were ready for us and "coned off" a square of pavement so the dancers had space. I took along my accordian and helped with the music up on the nearby stage. The dancers looked splendid in their blue and white kit plus shiney black clogs. We provided a medley of jigs and polka tunes for more than half an hour finishing up with an audience paprticipation dance which went down well with the watching crowds!
This was a really well organised event and I hope it will be repeated as it was fun.
Clog Morris Dancing at The Babbacombe Festival
A week long programme of events for the Babbacombe Festival included a display of clog morris by the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers from nearby Combeinteignhead, accompanied by a large band of four squeezeboxes and percussion.
The dancers performed in the evening at the Precinct close to the Dolphin pub. It didn't take long before a crowd gathered to watch including drinkers from the pub who brought their beers outside to sit on the benches and watch. There was an hour long display of dancing which the onlookers regularly applauded!
Great fun, nice people and lovely weather for dancing - not too hot, just a gentle fresh breeze to keep both dancers and musicians cool on this summer evening. A lovely memory!
Longing to Hear From The St Marychurch Ghosts
Where are you... all my friends... people I knew... people who knew me... MRS ROOK... Roy Chick's family... I have actually spoken to only one person... MISS HOCKIN from the sweet shop in Fore Street... but where are all the ghosts... all the great people who lived in and around Fore Street in the 1940s... young BROWN from Ellacombe (Royal Navy)... friends and congregation from the Catholic Church in Fore Street... and from St Marychurch (Church)... (the bombing.. I lost so many school friends)... HILDA CORIO... are you still alive and well and living in Torquay.. I have so many memories to share with anyone but no one is answering... so come on all you ghosts... think of me living down the lane at HAMPTON FARM COTTAGE in the 1940s... dig into your memory... try and remember me and post a message here if you can... I will answer you and hopefully share those memories...
St Mary Chuch
I live in the USA, but my home was St Marychurch, a special place run by Catholic nuns during World War 2. I was barely two years old, and I was brought there with my five-year-old sister by my aunt, because my father was killed in action in a Lancaster bomber plane when returning back to England after a raid on Germany. My mother could not take care of us as she had a breakdown. We spent ten years at Marychurch with the refugees and even though I did not know the full consequence of war I can remember the siren and being lifted out of my bed by women in black and white hoods - the nuns. These Catholic nuns fed me, dressed me, and comforted me when I cried. I think of their caring hands when I was sick.
When I was old enough to attend the Catholic school with children that came from outside they called us "Indoor kids" and we called them "Day kids". I return... Read more
Heather And Gorse Clog Dancers in Teignmouth Triangle
There is a beautiful wide paved area at Teignmouth Triangle which is a natural focal point to meet people and maybe sit and chat on one of the many benches nearby. This was the venue chosen by the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers to put on a display of clog morris dancing along with their band of accordians and melodeons.
The dancers kit of blue dresses black waistcoats and dancing clogs attracted the attention of passers by and there was soon a gathering of interested spectators. This was my very first opportunity to play my accordian for Heather and Gorse and it was a magical morning as dancers, musicians and spectators all seemed so friendly - even the sun shone warmly on this November day and I was able to play my accordian in just shirt sleeves!
THE HOME THAT NEVER WAS
A St Marychurch lad I lived in Hampton Farm Cottage, Hampton Farm, Hampton Lane, St Marychurch, Torquay, Devon. I had been away from Torquay for several years - Army Service, etc....... but did eventually return to find that a BY PASS had been cut through the Farm area and there it was in front of me... the road by passing St Marychurch.... but no Farm and no House... not a trace... except for perhaps an end piece of old timber in the wall at the back of the MODEL VILLAGE (where the allotments used to be)... so... if you remember the building of this By Pass and witnessed the destruction of the House and Farm or perhaps even knew me, I would welcome your comments....... thank you for your kindness... Freddie.
Memories of Devon
A KID'S HEAVEN AND HELL
A St Marychurch boy, I lived at Hampton Farm Cottage, St Marychurch... and I can still smell the tar and the salt from old fisher and other boats pulled up on Oddicombe beach... and I can still feel the beautiful shining pebbles.... Together with my friends Brian and Roy - just two of many wonderful pals - we would spend school holidays at the back of Hampton Farm, scrumping apples, making camp among the trees, eating wild strawberries and loganberries... and at various times of the year picking bluebells and mushrooms and trying to catch a rabbit (money for the skin)...collecting waste paper (pocket money again).. Oddicombe beach was my favourite... I could swim in rough water at the age of 4.. would I do it now... I don't think so. Would I try to hang on to the back of the cliff railway to get a lift down to the beach... I don't think so... and then the days of hell. I can still see us running like mad... Read more
Golden Holidays
From our home in Kent, we went every year on holiday to Babbacombe during the 1950's and early 1960's. We stayed with my 'Aunty Amy' and 'Uncle Matt' at their boarding house, 18 Perinville Road. It was the most magic time imaginable. I can't remember it ever raining! It must have done, of course, but it seems as if the sun was always shining. We would spend the morning on the beach - usually Redgate Beach (now sadly closed because of landfalls) or Oddicombe and have such fun, splashing about in the sea, exploring the rockpools, etc. We would then go back to the house for lunch, stopping off on the way at the Mason's Arms for a pre-lunch drink in their garden overlooking Wallshill Downs. The smell of cider still takes me back there every time! Then, after lunch, back to the beach again for the afternoon before high tea at about 6 p.m. Once - and only once - during each holiday we were allowed a knickerbocker glory... Read more
An Outing to Babbacombe Model Village
My wife Elizabeth and I went to Babbacombe on 1st April to give our granddaughter Anna a treat on her second birthday. We spent almost the whole day in Babbacombe Model Village which is close to the top of the cliff railway in this photo.
She loved to walk and run along the narrow paths between the model houses. She enjoyed gazing at the koi carp in the pond and kept going back to look at them. We took lots of photographs as we really enjoyed a happy day's outing.
There is a terrace at the top of the slope where we ate our picnic and looked down over the entire village. Its a beautiful place for young children to enjoy - and their grandparents too!
Dancing on The Downs in Front of Babbacombe Theatre
I spent a lovely sunny July evening with my morris dancing friends at Babbacombe providing a musical and dancing entertainment for the holidaymakers on the Downs.
The entertainers were the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers from nearby Combeinteignhead and we arranged to meet in front of The Buccaneer Pub at 8 o'clock to dance until sundown. We could look over the railings at the edge of the cliff and gaze down the zig-zag path and the view over the bay. Some of our dancers thought we could see as far as Sidmouth. The view is pretty much the same as that shown in this photograph.
A surprisingly large number of holidaymakers sat on the benches and the grass to be entertained with our Morris Dances - I played my piano accordian to provide the jigs and polkas the dancers needed. I was greatly amused to see some coaches pulling up nearby and the passengers waving at us! It was a lovely evening to remember.
Babbacombe in The 1950s-60s
I grew up in Babbacombe in the 1950s and 60s and it was such a friendly busy place with the local shops Stephens and Bowdens the two greengrocers, Canns the fishmongers, the butchers and of course the fish and chip shop in Princes Street - so much nicer than the present one even though it has won so many awards. Also in Reddenhill Road there was a small Nat West Bank and a Creamery and also Babbacombe Library which was at the back of a gift shop. In the summer the place would be heaving with visitors. My parents owned a gift shop here and we were so busy but now it is dead in the summer. I would love to hear anyone else's memories too.
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