Thorpe St Andrew, Thorpe Reach 1899

Photo ref: 44478

The house on the right of this picture was owned by the Parker family who lived there and ran a Post Office, drapery and grocery store next to the house from 1902 until the 1950s. Members of the Parker family continued to live there until the late 1990s. My father, Hugh Caley Parker moved there in 1942 at the invitation of his uncle who could no longer manage the business and I have many happy memories of growing up in the house with my parents and brother and sister.

Not so much a memory - more an update! Since Mrs Barkway sold the hotel business, the property was split into dwellings and 6 years ago my husband and I bought Swan House, the building on the far left with the flat roof. It now has a pitched roof and looks very different. In March 2012 we opened as a Bed and Breakfast called Swan House. Just one bedroom but very lovely and we welcome ...see more

Santa Lucia Hotel was owned and run by Marion Olive Barkway, better known as Miss Bee. Marion was my grandmother and we used to visit every Sunday afternoon to help out with evening meals. When I was small I remember standing on the sun terrace fishing and gazing out onto the river. As I grew, I got into canoeing and used to keep my canoe there climbing over the wall to get to the river. Marion had a succession ...see more

This gentleman is my grandfather Geoffrey John Hart. He owned and worked the business, Hearts Cruisers, with his two sons, Dick and Jack, and we spent many a happy hour there. In those days you could swim in the river as pollution was almost non-existent. Uncle Dick's many descendants are now mainly living in New Zealand but pay regular visits to the area to see where their family originally lived. Uncle ...see more