Around Kingswear Around Kingswear
LIVELY HISTORIANS The Kingswear Historians had their first
meeting of the season on 26th September and they rather hit the ground running, so to speak, with a very well-presented introduction to his book about Kingswear in WWII by Dr David Williams. David had taken great trouble to make us want
to buy the book which he has spent a little over three years writing, and which is a fine, thorough account of a community at war, a community very involved indeed in the War, with Americans, the Free French and many evacuated children all living in the village as well as its established residents. David’s angle is very much a human one so, although there are many interesting details in the book, the story is of the people and what happened to them and how they felt about it. In fact this all adds up to a piece of social history which will interest all who read it now but will absolutely fascinate future generations when those who actually remember the War are no longer with us to tell us their own stories. If you would like a copy of David’s book (and I urge you to buy one, it’s super) it is entitled ‘Kingswear at War’ (subtitled – Life in the Devon village between 1939 and 1945) and it is available from Kingswear village stores and Kingswear post office at £8. A snip! David asks me to let you know that he will be present at a book-signing at Torbay Bookshop, Torquay Rd., Paignton on Saturday October 29th from 10:30 onwards. Do go along to get your book signed by the author.
At the same meeting Mike Trevorrow gave an after-coffee talk on the coal-bunkering trade on the Dart between 1870 and its end during the 1960s. That sounds like a good cure for insomnia but I can assure readers that not one of the 60 historians fell asleep during the telling of that tale. Remarkable! Actually the coming of the coal handling trades played a very important role in Dartmouth’s prosperity, playing no small part in changing the appearance of the river and its environs for many years. Large hulks containing coal were strung out along the Kingswear side of the river, mainly from Britannia Halt area to the station in Kingswear. When a south-easterly blew there was one heck of a lot of coal dust blowing about. Apparently smart yacht owners were miffed when their snowy sails were besmirched by our grotty coal dust. Shame! I’ll bet that not many Dartmothians or Kingsweardoes know that one of the longest lasting industrial disputes of the twentieth century happened here on the Dart between management of the coal companies
by Mike Trevorrow
and the growing number of unionised lumpers (coal handlers) who were fighting for higher wages and better conditions. Management had the upper hand that time so not too much changes does it! The thriving Historians’ group meets for its next session on October 31st, All Hallows’ Eve, at the village hall, Kingswear, when the subject will be the introduction of yet
another splendid new publication by the Historians called ‘Kingswear’s Heroes’. This is a collection of stories about heroes of this area over a long period of time and is written by our very own Tessa Gibson and Trevor Miles. It should make for stimulating reading and make us feel good to belong to such a splendid part of the country. I don’t yet know its price but keep your eyes open for it at the post office and the village shop where it will appear very soon. After the book-launch Trevor is giving a talk on ‘‘An outline
history of the Brixham, Churston and Kingswear peninsula before 1840’. This should be essential knowledge for all who call themselves local or wish to feel so. The event starts at 7:30 and is free to members and £4 for non-members who are all very welcome indeed.
TICKETS PLEASE! Actually tickets were very nearly needed to attend a
meeting of the South Hams District Council Executive on October 13th. The meeting was to consider the situation of the ‘signal box’ building which is now almost completed on Kingswear Station. Around thirty residents attended to show their united opposition to the building and the way in which it was ‘allowed’. Clearly the executive was surprised by the strength of local opposition and quickly decided that much further information was needed before informed discussion could take place. Councillor John Baverstock was instructed to look into the project in more detail and to report back quickly. Some few minutes after having been seated in the very splendid surroundings at Follaton House the deputation was able to leave, but its message had been clear –“ legal scrutiny will be brought to bear in a thorough and accurate investigation into how this situation was allowed to develop in such an insidious manner without consultation to, or communication with, the residents of KIngswear”.
BUSY LADIES
The Kingswear WI held their Autumn Group meeting in the Village Hall on the 21st September. This is when the four local Women’s Institutes of Brixham, Stoke Gabriel, Churston/
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112