My Familys Home

My name is Suzanne Jackson and I lived in Buckland Lodge,I think it was no. 2 (looking at the photo it was the one on the right hand side) I was 8 years old and lived there from 1947 until 1949 with my parents Bob and Joan Breakey and my brother Barry (who was 6 years old when we moved in) my younger brother Richard was born in the cottage on 1st Aug. 1948,my father worked on the Estate, I cannot remember the gentleman's name who owned the estate and both the cottages,the couple in no.1 had a 2 year old daughter.
We had no electric and had to use candles upstairs and there was a paraffin lamp downstairs, the toilet was behind the cottage (in the woods) a bucket toilet !! my father had to fetch the water from a well.
My brother and I had to walk through the woods up to the main road to get on the school bus into Ashburton, often we would come home and my mother would show me several salmon hanging in the larder that the fishermen had asked if they could leave in there until the end of the day.
Sometimes my mother was told to be very careful because a prisoner had escaped from jail and may be in the woods ( I think the prison was in Princetown)
My brother was always falling in the river Dart at the front of the cottages, he would try to go across on the stepping stones and then he would slip in, there were several whirl pools along the river.
My father had an allotment at the front of the cottage where he grew vegetables and he grew a lovely plant called Love Lies Bleeding which was in the front garden and hung down over the wall., mum used to put the baby in the front garden in his pram.
In 1949 we moved up into the village(Buckland in the Moor) and lived in Beacon Cottages, I think there were 6 cottages, they sat up quite high from the road,
My brother and I fetched the milk in cans from the farm in the village, my friend Pearl Pascoe lived in one of the very pretty cottages in the village (they were always being photographed and can often be found in local gift shops, Mr Oliver lived in another one of the pretty cottages he was a very good gardener .I had another friend in the village called John Stevens, we all went to school in Ashburton.
There was no bus service from Buckland in the Moor but twice a week the local cattle truck would take people in to Ashburton to do their shopping.
Sometimes the Dartmoor Ponies would come down into our gardens (at night) and eat the vegetables that were planted there.
I remember the pretty church with the clock that spelt My Dear Mother, what happy times we had there playing on the moors, no TV, no Phones etc.

Suzanne

Hi
I was very interested to read of your time in no:2
The houses are now owned by a lovely couple who I know would like to hear from you,
The houses have once again had a name change and are known as Lower Buckland Lodge,if you would like to make contact you can email me via haytorrock@hotmail.com . Or Posibly through this link
John

Hi john

I am taking a short break in Devon in May and was showing my friend the house we used to have great holidays at with my dad Gordon who was your uncle. what a lovely surprise to hear you still live in the area. Hope you are well. I always remember Tracey when she was a toddler and Agnes.

From Lou Freiter

Hi Lou
Mail me at haytorrock@hotmail.com so I can give you our contact details. We would love to make contact again.
John

Have added my own memories to the above, and waiting for it to be vetoed.