West Lulworth memories
Here are memories of West Lulworth and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of West Lulworth or a West Lulworth photo.
Silver Jubilee Parade 1935
I remember well the parade through the village on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee.
My mother and several other mothers dressed six of us young boys as toy soldiers and we had to march in the parade. However, the best thing in the parade that I can remember was a model of the Queen Mary. It was loaded over a car. You could not see the car, only the majestic liner floating through the village. It was a wonderful occasion for the children of the village for we had a party that evening in the Parish Hall and everyone was presented with a mug to commemorate the occasion.
At the time my family lived at 19 West Lulworth just opposite the War Memorial.
We were Church of England but my mother insisted on sending us to the Roman Catholic School in East Lulworth. She had heard the Miss Yarnitsky was the best teacher in Dorset and that was enough for her. On days that my sister and I missed... Read more
West Lulworth Church
I was a member of the choir. In the 1930's and throughout the war years the church would be packed for the morning service every Sunday.
As a child I used to look forward to the Magic Lantern shows put on by the vicar Mr Sharpe. These occurred after Evensong. The Catholics of the village came in after the sevice and were welcome to see the presentation. Mr Sharpe had been a missionary at some time in his life and must have been a keen photographer. Everyone must have enjoyed his presentations as there was always a good crowd in attendance.
Mrs Ironmonger played the organ and we choir boys took turns pumping the organ.
Some years ago when visiting from Canada I noticed that the vestry had been
vandalised and that the beautiful window over the alter had been smashed.
I believe that it has been repaired.
During the war years the army attended Sunday morning services and the military band played during the singing of the hymns. The... Read more
The Castle Inn
My aunt Dorothy Whitlock was a collector of seashells and black sand. When you enter the Castle Inn you may notice on your left hand side the mural created by her of shells and black sand. I myself now collect shells mainly from Sanibel Island in Florida and use them with a combination of calligraphy to create pictures.
Collecting Soft Fruit in The Retreat House Garden.
As a child I remember collecting loganberries, raspberries, strawberries and gooseberries in the garden at the back of the house. My mother used to make them into jam which would last throughout the winter months. We had 5 childrens ration books and one adult so my mother had plenty of sugar to make the jam. During the evacuation of the army from Dunkirk my mother would make cakes and jam tarts for the men who for some reason found themselves at Lulworth. Ironically, my father was a survivor of the troopship Lancastria which was the greatest loss of life ever suffered by the British Army.
New Years Day
I remember one New Year's Day just before the war. There was an annual football match between the Lobsters and the Shrimps. The Lobsters were the older fishermen and the Shrimps their sons and their friends. My father was the manager of the N.A.A.F.I at Lulworth Camp and had to do some work early in the morning. On the way home he happened to come to watch the football match. As soon as some of the older fishermen saw him they pressed him to play. Well, play he did. It was a very muddy pitch and I well remember how upset my mother was when she saw him when we returned home. The games were always played in a field at the bottom of Sunnyside, owned at the time by the Yates family.
Memories of Dorset
The Castle Inn at Lulworth
I worked as the kitchen porter at The Castle Inn, Lulworth in 1966. I was nineteen years old and thought it would be good to spend the summer by the coast. As I thought of myself as a bit of an artist I would have the Dorset countryside to inspire me. I wasn't a very good artist, but I looked the part with full beard, corduroy jacket and a guitar that I couldn't play. This was pre-hippie and post-beatnik days, so I probably just looked odd. All other youngsters were Mods or Rockers.
I must say in 1966 the pub looked very similar to the 1903 picture, little white fence and all. Like all pubs in those days they had a public and saloon bar with a small off-license in between, to keep the toffs and the yobs apart. In the public bar you got campers from Durdle Door caravan site and squaddies from the Army Camp from the other direction. In the saloon bar were holiday makers with... Read more
Holiday Memories
My memories as a child are walking over the army ranges from West Lulworth to Mewps (as a family group) after lunch on a Sunday to collect winkles for tea. I also remember beach combing on the shore of the bay and finding all manner of flotsam washed up - from timber to discarded cigarettes. The picture is Man'o'War rock looking east towards Ball Stone rock and St Oswald's Bay.
The Allotments
As a child I attended East Lulworth RC school. With my sister Mary and a girl named Nancy Hargreaves, who lived at Lulworth Camp we were the only Protestants in the school, although Miss Belfield who was one of the teachers was also a Protestant.
We went to the school because my mother had heard that Miss Yarnitsky was the best teacher in Dorset. She was a most talented teacher. Among other things, she played the piano like a professional, taught us how to recover a chair, make baskets and taught us dramatics (which came in handy at the school Christmas concerts). She taught the whole school how to swim and also taught us how to garden.
Every Wednesday she marched the whole school through the village to the allotments. We all had a plot of land. The oldest student taught the youngest.
We planted potatoes, parsnips, brussel sprouts, peas and spring onions together with lettuce and radishes. The way the gardens were arranged we had something to take... Read more
Dorothy Iris May Williams - My Mother - Walter Cornish - My Grandmother's Relative
Dorothy Iris May Williams was born in Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset in 1929 - her mother's maiden name was CORNISH. Winfrith Newburgh village church of St Christopher displays tributes to the Cornish family name. My mother was baptised in St Christopher's. My grandmother's relative (Walter Cornish) lived in Winfrith Newburgh until his cottage was sold. He was last known to be resident at a Council run home for the elderly in Wareham (before his cottage was sold!). When I last visited Winfrith I noticed that Walter's cottage had been renamed as 'Walter's Cottage' - a fitting tribute to the poor old man. If anyone knew the Cornishes of Winfrith I would be interested.
The Best Kept Secret Place in The UK
This year I visited Tyneham. I was absolutely overwhelmed at the beauty and charisma of the village. I could have stayed there soaking in the history, and surrounding countryside. I took many photos throughout the village, and then to the bay... what a treat, such a secluded place of scenic beauty.
I was told you will see a two-hundred-year-old village, without additions. The military are upgrading the old farm buildings. I feel the ponds and surrounding grass areas should be trimmed and kept as they would have been.
I was thrilled to read the notice boards in each house and took careful photos of all. I have shared my Tyneham visit with many Americans who cannot believe, till they see the photos, that such could happen to an English village. I believe the people should have been given back their homes. I loved the church and school house. It is surely one of the best kept secrets in all of England.
I believe there should be a group of... Read more
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