The Village 1899, Woolacombe
The Village 1899, Woolacombe Ref: 43130
Memories of The Village 1899, Woolacombe
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Woolacombe & local memories
Read and share memories of Woolacombe and Devon inspired by Frith photos.
Childhood Holidays
My family started to have our annual holiday in Ilfracombe in 1964, and virtually every day we made the trip to Woolacombe to sit on the beach and have a go at surfing. After years of south coast beaches, Woolacombe was a revelation and everything was so clean. The beach was owned by Parkins Entertainments, and I believe it was Mr Moon who used to go round in a land rover, trying to re-unite lost children with their parents. There was one occasion in the late 60s when someone was taken ill on the beach and a surgeon who happened to be on holiday, performed some sort of operation with a pen knife before the helicopter arrived from Chivenor to take the person to the North Devon Infirmary (as it was then called). Many happy memories, and not a year has gone past since 1964 when I haven't visited again. Wonderful place!
First Camp Site
Does anyone remember the old camp site run by Mr and Mrs Dymond? It was roughly where Woolacombe Sands is now, near the riding stables. I can recall it was a steep field (no terracing then!) and we used to walk down to the old farmhouse kitchen every morning to get our milk. Mrs Dymond used to ladle the still warm milk into our jug. The facilities were basic - just a couple of toilets on the opposite side of the farm yard. How different it all is now with 'Elf and Safety'!
We had a small 4-berth caravan called Celia for some reason which my dad and my uncle built together.
When that site closed we moved Celia to Cleevewood (now the huge Golden Sands) which was the last place she resided until the 1970s when Dad was asked to move her as she wasn't what they wanted any more. So she came to rest after 20 years good service in... Read more
