Them Were The Days

Hello Pat,
I worked at Astwell Hall as a young student in the holidays from 1967 to early 1970. It was a great place as I met lots of Continental students who came to work there while studying English Cambridge certificate and I learned German and French from them. Indeed there were 2 Miss Cotton's, Mary (Manager) and Betty (Housekeeper). They both enjoyed smoking and secretly drinking G&T's in their private lounge! Ruled with a rod of iron. Ian Beaumont was entertainment manager and very well dressed...taught me how to tie a Windsor knot and read the Financial Times which helped me in good stead in later life!
Gerda Ackerman (German lady) was the accountant and used to set me to work registering the number of guest weeks and adding them up...was not good at maths. She took me to Germany in her mini and so I visited some of the ex student/workers in the Ruhr area and near Munster Westfalen (we still are in touch even today 2016!). Worked as Receptionist, Night Porter, Waiter, Dishwasher when required and the Irish chef used to feed me well!
Gertrud (Trudi) Muller was an older lady in charge of all the girls there and again I met her in Germany during her latter years near Stuttgart in 2005.
Gertrud Laring of Uddevala. Sweden...took her to see the Graduate when it first came to the cinema.
Birte Heyne of Hamburg.
I watched men land on the Moon on TV in the lounge there!
Rufus the hotel dog liked me because I used to take him for regular walks!
My room was a converted conservatory on legs attached to the ground floor overlooking Torbay, tremendous view.
At 19 yrs old decided hotel work was not for me and had better do something more 'concrete' so went into plastics..all the rage then before computers and IT hit the headlines. Spent 10 years with a Gloucester firm and emigrated to Cape Town, South Africa for 15 years, then Havana, Cuba for a further 15 years and now live in the Middle East.
Astwell Hall will always have good memories and the people who stayed there too such as permanent residents Mr Hayward (of Haywards Pickles fame), Mrs Richmond (wealthy widow and the first lady in red character).
In public I was the tall guy sometimes in a double breasted bespoke suit or waiter's jacket or even entertaining guests, rather shyly singing the pirate's song "If I was not in Astwell Hall, somewhere else I would like to be".......a sailor of course!...
Lots of the people I met are no more but one never knows in the age of Google who might still be around.
So they pulled it down, all the ghosts went with it too and there were many around those creaking floor boards at night!!!
As this message sits in Cyberspace, who knows who might be reading it and like Pat Piper have fond memories from the past.
Take care everyone.
Robin Walton

Dear Robin, can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading all your stories of Astwell Hall. It was nice to have a different perspective from someone who spent time behind the scenes so to speak. I am sure I would have seen you during your time there and would have been between 9 to 12 years old ! I remember Ian very well and in particular a boat trip he arranged for the guests. Before or since I have never ever seen anyone so sea sick that actually turned green!! Poor Ian 😂. Anyway Robin thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my story and sharing yours. Very best wishes Pat Piper Newport Gwent

Hello Robin,
I went to Astwell Hall in summer 1970 as a student for serving tea to the guests and replacing the housekeeper one day a week. I didn’t learn much English because I dated an Italian named Giancarlo who was the great love of my life. We were bonded for two years but he fell seriously ill and we could not continue an affair under these conditions, but I remained attached to him forever. I married in 1974 and had four children. He died in 2009 but I still see his sister who remains a dear friend. I remember two German girls, Ursula and Martina with whom I worked, and Anna-Maria an Austrian. There were obviously Mr Lane and Gerda, as well as Robin. My compatriot, Paule, also worked at the hotel. I shared his room which was in the "conservatory" with this marvelous view onto the bay.
I would be so pleased to listen something about this period of my life that has been so rich.
With my best wishes

Hello Patricia,
I went to Astwell Hall in summer 1970 as a student for serving tea to the guests and replacing the housekeeper one day a week. I didn’t learn much English because I dated an Italian named Giancarlo who was the great love of my life. We were bonded for two years but he fell seriously ill and we could not continue an affair under these conditions, but I remained attached to him forever. I married in 1974 and had four children. He died in 2009 but I still see his sister who remains a dear friend. I remember two German girls, Ursula and Martina with whom I worked, and Anna-Maria an Austrian. There were obviously Mr Lane and Gerda, as well as Robin. My compatriot, Paule, also worked at the hotel. I shared his room which was in the "conservatory" with this marvelous view onto the bay.
I would be so pleased to know somebody who knew and remember Giancarlo who was such a marvelous young man.
With my best wishes

Dear Robin I went to Astwell Hall right when you left, but I am glad knowing you.
Dominique Andrieu-Villemaine

Hello Robin,

I was quite excited to discover your article with memories of Astwell Hall, Torquay. I was there in 1963/64 as one of the foreign girls who stayed for a year to improve their English in an English environment. The students, apart from one Italian guy, were all girls then – Swedish, Norwegian, and German.
I am totally amazed that you knew Trudi – we were best friends while there and spent our days off together exploring the countryside and Exeter. She was 30 then, a few years older than most of us, but I cannot imagine her being ‘an older lady’ just yet when you met her! She was one of those people everyone immediately felt comfortable with; she knew just how to take people. I am quite surprised that she was there in 1970, as she had moved back to Germany before. Unfortunately we lost touch a couple of years later.

I shared one of the better ‘staff’ rooms on the lower ground floor - opposite Miss Betty Cotton’s linen room – with another German girl. The window was at a 45 degree angle to my top bunk bed, which meant that I had a glorious view of Torbay first thing when waking up.

Any new arrivals had to endure a stint in the Buffet, before they were able to choose whether to be waitress, chambermaid, or stay in the buffet. For the majority of the time I was a waitress. The stillroom, where we had to pick up the meals destined for the dining room was ruled by the two permanent local waiters – George, an elderly gentleman, and David, who was in his thirties. They were both gay, but not a couple, and were very open about it, which was amazing considering the times. George was pretty curmudgeonly, not too happy with all these foreigners, and it took some time to be accepted by him. I think I finally achieved that when I was able to carry 5 loaded dinner plates and one vegetable dish in one go! David was very interested in literature, films, classical music, and above all about everything connected with the theatre. His interest in English culture and his enjoyment to share this with us contributed much to make our time there inspiring and interesting. He had an actor’s voice, and loved to entertain us by reciting nursery rhymes, poetry, and Shakespeare. I think he was very happy to have found such a receptive audience in us. Gertrud and I especially became firm friends with him.

One of the pleasures as waiter/waitress was to be allowed to do a drum roll on the gong calling people to mealtimes. It required some skill and timing to catch the swinging drum just at the right moment, to make it reverberate through the building. You could always tell when it was George – he was the unchallenged master of the gong.

Mr Hayward enjoyed taking us girls out for afternoon cream teas in his car, and enjoyed buying us books for presents. He even once or twice allowed me to drive his car!

Everyone whose time it was to leave, was given a silver serviette ring with their first name initial engraved as a leaving present. I still use mine every day!

There was a deserted house further along Warren Road, with the name Hawthornden. The garden was a neglected overgrown paradise, the perfect hideaway for some sunbathing and quiet reading.

There were dances, a fancy dress parade, a Christmas pantomime with everyone being involved. I still have some amusing photos of those, with all the girls, and some support from Mr Hammett and Peter Cotton, a frequently returning guest.

Ines Vollmer-Day