Torcross, the Sands 1896

Childhood and Marriage

I went to Sunday School here from 1949, and I sang in the church choir from 1950 until 1960 alongside my Nan.I was also allowed to learn to play the organ, the church has (had?) a wonderful organ, 2 keyboards and foot operated keyboard pedals, plus more stops than I could ever get used to. An uncle also sang in the choir, and he and my aunty ran the Church House Inn.
Uncle often used to sing 'Bless This House' in the pub and I used to play the piano for him.
I came home and got married in the church in January 1963, with full choir and bells. It was SO COLD, that was a really bad winter. The reception was at The Torcross Hotel and there was even ice at the edge of the sea.

Birthplace

My grandmother, Mary Honor Parsley, was born here in 'Ticket Wood in 1900, my mother Jacqueline Oldman too in 1925. Honor's mother was born Elizabeth Ford, sister to Philip the house owner I believe.
The big house is now gone and replaced with something much more contemporary!
Tackett Wood was/is the local Deb'n vernacular for the area.

Shopping in Fore Street, Kingsbridge

My memories relate to the 1950's when I spent school summer holidays with my grandmother, Lily Creber, and great aunt, Gladys Hill, at Windsor Road. There was an agricultural machinery repairer just around the corner, next to Church Street Post Office. Old machinery was stored in a yard at the bottom of Windsor Road, and being a pre-teen lad I used to explore the various items laying around! Grandmother owned the walled garden beyond the garages and I would walk through that garden to gain access to one of the alleyways that led up to the town. The one we used most was that which passed Lugger Brothers, Printers. We used to go to International Stores and buy sugar and prunes weighed out in blue paper bags! I also remember that Fore Street was two way traffic in those days! Western National buses on service 93 ground their way up the hill from after leaving the station yard with its black corrugated metal shelter. The Thurlestone bus was painted in GWR chocolate and cream, whilst the bus to Salcombe was a single decker, route 105. Fore Street to day would be impossible for two way traffic, mainly because people appear to insist on driving everywhere and parking as close as possible to where they want to go! Laziness? Probably!! I still visit Kingsbridge and love the town dearly. I will always have fond memories.

Kingsbridge Grammar School

I attended KGS from 1952 - 1959.
The Old Grammar School seen in this picture had long been replaced by a much larger building in Westville, Kingsbridge.
For the first couple of terms, I remember walking in file from Westville, past the railway station, to this building where we sat on long benches and ate our school dinners.
It is a handsome building and now houses the William Cookworthy Museum.