More Memories Of Waterrow

A Memory of Waterrow.

Dear reader, I have received some lovely messages since writing a few memories I thought I would add a few more.

The Rock Inn
I use to stay with my great uncle/aunty's public house, namely the Rock Inn, in 1958- 1965. The Pub was split into three rooms, the Snug, the Lounge Bar and the restaurant. There (Jim and Florence Pyle) were the landlord of the the Rock. At the time we the Bishop Family lived in Sidcup Kent we would come down to the west country by steam train from Paddington down to Taunton then onto the Branch line changing from the main line to the branch line (Taunton to Barnstaple) and getting off at either Wiveliscombe or at Venn Cross near Waterrow. I used to spend a lot of my holidays at the Rock Inn.

Exmoor Hunt
The Hunt would regularly meet outside for a stirrup cup before they departed for their meet, this happened on Boxing day and early Spring. my great uncle drove a dark green Standard Vangard which was know as the Bettleback model Phase 1A.
I remember my uncle telling me about "the well" that was used at the pub, the water company at the time wanted make him use their water instead of the natural spring water. The inn had a creepy spiral staircase at one end of the pub. Inside there was a snug and lounge bar and a small restaurant used for coffee mornings.
Twice a week they would have coffee mornings for the holiday makers coming from Barnstaple to Somerset the coach companies, Berry's Walker Hardings coaches would stop off for coffees and afternoon teas. Behind the Rock Inn was a very step garden, my uncle Jim was a keen gardener. him and his trusty dog, a black labrador called Carlo, in fact all of his dogs were called Carlo. so my father told me...Many of the farming families would use this Inn as their local. the pub didn't have a skittle alley but it was a friendly inn that had table skittles, darts and an old fashioned Victorian Musical- jukebox called a polligon. There was a large glass  panel through which you could see the large flat silver colored disc scripted in Old English lettering that rotated slowly as the tune was played. On the side of the of tall oak cabinet was a handle to which you have to wind up the spring I would often have to stand on a chair to crank up the mechanism. (I was only 5 at the time) We would carefully close the glass door and putting the winding key back into it's hiding place my aunt would give an old penny to put into the slot and if by magic the tune would start to play.  The Rock Inn sold local ales and ciders Watney's Red Barrel but being a free hold my uncle had a good choice of liquors. It was not uncommon for me to ride upfront with the tradesmen in their various coloured Austin A55 A60 vans helping them with their deliveries.The bakery used to give me free doughtnuts my sugary fingers were licked clean by Carlo my uncle Jims labrador before going back for lunch.
Milk and Bread was delivered daily from Wiveliscombe Murdoch's the butcher came twice a week, the spirits came from County Stores at Wiveliscombe these came  once a week. the banking was done weekly at The Westminster Bank just off the square at Wiveliscombe. Sometime my uncle would buy me a Corgi car from Richards and Lanes or Monks at Wivey. Post was twice a day.

Community
I can remember several families that either worked or used to frequent the Inn. I have vivid memories of The Pearce's they owned a farm just outside of Waterrow past the caravan site. They kept sheep chickens, ducks and pigs. They owned two black cars from 1940's an Austin 10 and a early Morris 8.Their Farm house was demolished in the mid to late 60's. Shirley now live in Wellington Somerset. Alfred? and John would often drive down to Venn Cross to collect the young chicks from the station.
The railway line cut through the bottom of their field. we would often go to the bottom field and wave to the people on the train before in entered the tunnel at the far end of the field. My great uncle/aunt sold the Rock Inn in 1965 and moved to Milverton until he passed away in 1978 my great aunt passed away in 1988.

The Brices
The Topsy and Vic Brice, I was lucky enough to speak with their grand daughter Susan via this website From my memory she lived in a cottage near the pillars of the under the now ruins of the once beautiful Viaduct. There was a gentleman called Vic who would allow me to ride on the tank of his motorbike, he would gently drive down to the path of the cottage. I was only 5 or 6 at the time (I was born in 1956). There was lady called Mrs German she was a good friend of my great aunt's.

Blackmoor Family
There also the Blackmore family, Maureen worked in the kitchen at the Rock Inn along with a lady called Elizabeth, Shirley and Topsy.  
Ron Moody was another person I remember he had a son called Ben who I meet at Cannington Agricultural College. Mr National was a local solicitor who knew my aunt and uncle he went to school his nephew Nigel Nation at Kingsmead school late 60's early 70's

Photos
I have 4 large black and white photos of the Rock Inn 1958 and 1960 including a village scene, a gathering that watched the Exmoor Hunt depart.

My wish is to find some the families see old cine film or photos of the Rock Inn 1960- 1965 or just collate some shared stories of times past.

I now live in Chedzoy in Somerset just north of Bridgwater. I manage to trace the person that took a set of Photographs of the Rock Inn in 1958 A chap called Douglas Allen
(sadly now passed on) he let me have 6 photos 2 of them were used as postcards showing the Rock Inn from 1958- 1964. my aunt and uncle moved from the Rock Inn to Milverton. Our family (The Bishops) moved from Sidcup to Holbury in 1960 near the New Forest and to Wiveliscombe in 1967. I went to Kingsmead School at Wivey and then left there in 1972. In 1974 I worked in a few hotels before moving to the Somerset Farm Institute which changed it's name to Cannington College in the late  70's.
I trained as a chef at SCAT Taunton Tech and worked at the Castle hotel and Courtyard at Wivey. Since 1996 I have been a self employed film maker and run my own company called Video-Trax based on the Somerset Levels at Chedzoy.
I am a keen collector of local history I have been in contact a local historian at Waterrow via a website with a lady called Elizabeth she collates some of the stories about Waterrow and Chipstable.
Should you wish to have a chat some time my email address is videotraxjulian@tiscali.co.uk
To all those that have left kind messages please keep in touch.

Best wishes Julian Bishop now 55 but still young at heart.