sign in sign up
<<
Home , Alfington, Northleigh, Ottery St Mary

Price 50p

No. 40

Winter 2011 Journal of the Ottery St. Mary Heritage Society Including... FROM THE CHAIRMAN First may I thank everyone who sent town or at the Heritage Society’s kind messages and good wishes regular meetings. following my unfortunate accident in the town. The good news is that I am Annual Subscriptions recovering well and should be Thanks to everyone who renewed ‘fighting-fit’ in a week or two. their subs so promptly in September. Our Coleridge Anniversary Lunch at To the few defaulters who may have the Tumbling Weir, in October, was a overlooked the renewal date, our huge success – tickets were sold out membership secretary Wendy How the Cinema lit up Ottery p4 well before the event. We were joined Headeach will be on your tail, by members of the Coleridge family, sharpish! I doubt she’ll let you get several of whom were descendants of away that easily. the great man himself; they were Finally, as we approach the festive making the pilgrimage to take part in season, may I wish you all a Joyful Ottery’s first ‘Coleridge Literary Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful Weekend.’ New Year. We welcome their support – and I take this opportunity on behalf of ROBERT NEAL Society members to thank Phyllis Baxter and her team, who masterminded this highly successful AKE Dying well - Tudor Wills transcribed for literary event so expertly. a new Society publication. p3 The management and staff of the a note in Tumbling Weir were thanked for a your diary splendid meal and their usual for courteous hospitality. January’s members Guest speaker at the Lunch was our meeting! committee member, Chris Wakefield, on the who chose as his theme, an analysis of 10th. STC as a humourist and writer of the Betty witty repost. A reminder here that Williams Chris’s recently published a book will be ‘Coleridge Sauce’ contains a collection speaking about Thackeray. The of humorous snippets and witticisms illuminated capital here is one of of the great man. Published by the Thackeray’s own illustrations to an Competition for Ottery Carnival p8 Coleridge Memorial Project, copies 1850 edition of Pendennis can be purchased from outlets in the published in New York. www.otteryheritage.org.uk

1 Editorial Forthcoming Events Heritage & Change - 2 Unless otherwise noted, all the Society's meetings are Continuing a theme that began in my last editorial about held in the Institute, Yonder Street, Ottery St. Mary. the changes we are experiencing in the fabric of our town - what is absolutely unavoidable at the moment is the 2012 possibility of an enormous jump in the number of houses we have. This is a hot political issue at the moment so I • 10th January 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm shall tread with care through the next few paragraphs. Thackeray & Larkbeare There are some historical perspectives that are relevant here, and although they don’t offer a response to the Speaker: Betty Williams housing problems in Ottery (the Town Council is there to do that), they can at least set the scene for the debate as it • 21st February 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm rolls forward. An Insight into A La Ronde Towns were built to facilitate trade. That is why we have Speaker: Salli Carr-Griffin them - they don’t grow out of a human need for close company - they are only here because they make the whole business of exchange a great deal more efficient. • 20th March 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm Some towns were built out of nowhere in order that the Landscape and History local lord could make some money by leasing burgage plots or charging for stallholding at markets. , Speaker: Chris Wakefield and are local examples - there are dozens more all over the UK. Towns are fundamentally all • 17 April 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm about making money. History of Fields of For the last 600 years this meant shops springing up around the market place - then as the population grew, the shops Speaker: Trevor Roberts spilled out along the streets leading to the market. The economic activity in towns has always attracted people who • 15 May 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm want to make money - people with something to sell (food, goods, their labour), but also the poor, deserving or Breton Craftsmen in Tudor otherwise. They have always been hot spots for greater Speaker: Dr J Allan social activity whether economic, cultural or criminal. In general though, they are, in my opinion, hard on the human spirit. • 19 June 2012 - AGM (Tuesday) 7.30 pm So, there is the root of the dilemma we face. Trade is an The Humble Doorstep Delivery imperative, the bedrock of the life of a town. But as it Speaker: Peter Hayward grows, (and our current philosophy is that economic growth provides the greatest good for the greatest number) • 17 July 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm so do the social problems. Nobody knows how you grow successful and happy towns. Town Planners used to try to : An Amazing History work this out for us, but they’ve slipped from favour and are about to be bypassed almost completely by new Speaker: Michael Pash legislation. If just building houses was the solution, I’d be happy. But it isn’t, ... and I’m not. Programme change!!... Chris Wakefield • September 18th 2012 Heritage Society Trustees Turnpikes and Toll Houses Hon Chairman Robert Neal 813686 Speaker : Roy Clark Hon Secretary Chris Saunders 812962 Hon Treasurer Jim Woolley 812176 • 16 October 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm Hazel Abley Vaughan Glanville 812628 John Pilsworth 812737 Village Strife and Devon's Great War Chris Wakefield 815262 Betty Williams 814044 Memorials Oliver Wilson 813021 Speaker: Dr Todd Gray Co-opted members Membership Sec. Wendy Headeach 815415 • 20 November 2012 (Tuesday) 7.30 pm Meetings Secretary Sylvia Wainwright 813041 Articles or letters can be emailed to the Journal at Tracing Ancestors [email protected] www.otteryheritage.org.uk Speaker: John Mickelthwait

2 Local History Workshop Ottery’s Tudor Wills The second East Devon Local History Workshop was held on The Society’s second booklet November 14th in the offices of in the “People and Places in East Devon AONB in Honiton ” series will appear just in time to fill your Attendance was up on last year stockings this Christmas! with representatives from , , Colyton, Over two years of work by Chris Farringdon, , Honiton, Wakefield and Pam Baker-Clare , Ottery St Mary, Otter have finally made it into print Valley, Sid Vale and with the Society’s new booklet detailing nineteen Tudor Chris Wakefield and Vaughan period wills of Ottery folk - Glanville attended on behalf of The transcribed and (where Society. necessary) translated from the The meeting began at 10am, and originals in The National was addressed by Chris Woodruff Archive. These wills have (AONB) on the ways in which the never been previously group could bolster efforts to published and they develop a broader base for represent a major new resource information relating to the historic for Ottery family historians and landscape. anyone interested in Ottery’s history. are a long way from the modern Phil Planel then set out some concept of making a will. pointers to the work of his The book has a full introduction If you want to obtain a copy “Footsteps of Peter Orlando which guides the reader on the before Christmas, please contact Hutchinson” project, and outlined significance of wills and will Chris Saunders on 01404 812962 the valuable work already making in the early modern period (email [email protected]) undertaken on site clearance, field and also offers guidance notes on or ask in either the Curious Otter walking and other research. making sense of the individual wills. Bookshop or the TIC. Discussion also included outlines on the local work of each society There are over three hundred and how the group might develop names of people from Ottery St some joint working arrangements Mary who lived (and died) in the to benefit the region as a whole period 1495 to 1602. We can read and in particular make an attempt about the final wishes of members to engage with schools and of the ‘top’ Ottery Family’s - younger people. Sherman, Heydon, Trente, Hoone, and others, most of them with The meeting concluded it would commercial or professional interests favour some work on orchards but in the town and further afield; but no firm work programme was we find also some of the less agreed, and the project has been exalted Ottregians appearing in the left with Phil Planel and EDLHW list - master craftsmen and local chairman John Torrance to tradesmen. flesh out. The gender balance is firmly on Letters, articles or any other the male side but there are two submissions to the Journal can be women included in the list, and the Elizabethans were anxious to die a good death emailed to bequests made by all the testators with the appropriate religious ritual. From The Ars Moriendi (The art of dying) - a [email protected] popular text in pre Reformation

3 The CINEMA in OTTERY Jesu Street, to the south and east by Chris Saunders uncovers some Was it .... the property of Thomas George fascinating details about the Channon, and to the west by the place of Ottery’s Cinema in property of Henry Robert local cultural endeavours... Channon. These gentlemen are An article in The Times of 9th THE PALACE? believed to be both sons of William April 1913 contained the following Channon who acquired the house “Thirty years ago it was croquet, THE DEVONIA? in 1852 for £130, and was fifteen years ago it was cycling , ten described as a shopkeeper (trade years ago it was roller-skating….” It unknown). Upon his death in was referring to the new craze of THE SCALA? 1882, all his estate went to his wife cinema. Mary, and then his daughter Judith THE CINEMA? (spinster/vendor) who sold to The golden age of the cinema was The answer is YES!! to every Charles Lovell in 1910 for £380. a relatively brief one, encompassing question - the only cinema in The foregoing details are contained the four decades of the 1920’s to Ottery carried all these names in property conveyances made the 1950’s, and bridging the at various times in 40 years available to the author. Mr. Lovell Victorian/Edwardian era of home ran a successful bicycle sales and entertainment and Music Hall and Sidmouth could boast an even repair business. Only the present- the domination of television as the earlier picture-house with the day shop window indicates its main form of popular “Cinema Picture Palace” opening previous usage as a retail outlet or entertainment. The cinema in 1911. business, probably continuously reflected the sea-change of social since 1852. attitudes and aspirations following This story really starts on 24 June the First World War. It gave the 1919, the day on which Charles Edward Coleberd was a mass of people the opportunity for Lovell sold Number 6 Jesu Street businessman, entrepreneur and the first time to see real pictures to Edward Coleberd (described in benefactor who leased the Factory the conveyance as a gentleman of in Mill Street between 1898 and of life and other people from Ottery) for £600. The property, a the 1920s, with businesses around the world, as well as pleasant, but unassuming, cottage- including printing, a bottling plant, providing pure entertainment. style town house, was described as a pharmaceutical manufacturing The first few years of the 1920’s being bounded to the north by line, etc. He also installed Ottery’s saw a rapid rise in the number of first electrical street lighting in cinemas until, by 1939, there were Fig 1: Lovell’s Cycle Shop 1912, built Colbert Hall between no less than 75 in Devon. The in Ottery Mill Street and Hind Street in 1906 slogan “every town should have one” was espoused early on by Ottery where a cinema was in operation during 1919. By comparison, the Palace in Axminster has been reported as opening in 1914, whilst the Masonic Hall at was showing films from 1912. The Cinema at Honiton operated from some time in 1914 into the 1930s, when the later Devonia became the sole cinema in the town. According to the current manageress of the Radway cinema,

4 George Weekes in 1936 for £1,050 - the legal documents referring to No.6 Jesu Street partly as a cinema and partly as a printing works run by Edwin White. Kelly’s Directory of 1939 has an entry showing K.J. Mapledoram as the Proprietor of the Scala. The cinema had seating for nearly 200, of which a third were on a mezzanine balcony over the entrance door and ticket office; the balcony also housed the projection room. There were some double seats at the back of the cinema under the balcony for courting couples, and in “Orners Corner”. The origin of the name of this “area” remains a mystery, but Ottery resident Linda Gill has described it as “at the back of the cinema, on the other side” There was a step up and separate door to get into Orners Corner prior to entering the main double doors into the cinema). The balcony also had double seats at the back (also for courting couples!). The big event prior to WW2, remembered by Peter Venner and others who went to the cinema as Top - Fig 2: The Old Cinema at Bottom - Fig 3:The Auditorium, youngsters, was the arrival of “the #6 Jesu Street, 2005 external view Talkies” in 1934. Originally the first sound was supplied with the (better known as the Drill Hall), extension does not appear on the aid of gramophone records, with and published a weekly newspaper only known previous map of the first true sound system supplied between 1899 and 1903. He Ottery (the 2nd Edition of the by a company called Morrison. established Ottery’s first (and only) Ordnance Survey, published in The arrival of films with sound cinema - named the Palace - in 1905) so it is assumed that was heralded by the sketch shown 1919, according to a contemporary Coleberd had it built especially for below, and fliers were published to trades directory. He also built the his cinema. advertise the films to be shown Palace Cinema in Crewkerne; a during the forthcoming month. Trades Directories throughout the photograph (presumably from a 1920s describe Edward Coleberd as To the left of the entrance door local newspaper) shows his wife a cinema proprietor, but in 1932 he was a small, sound-proofed, room laying the foundation stone in assigned a lease of what was called which housed a 3-phase generator December 1921. in the legal documents the (made by the Newton Co. of The auditorium of the cinema in Devonia cinema to an Alan Pout of Taunton). This was required Ottery is only visible from private . He in turn leased the because of the electrical power gardens on the north side of cinema to the Honiton Cinema required by the carbon-arc lighting Longdogs Lane. It is built of brick, Company in 1935, when it was of the Type 7 film projectors; these and extends southwards from the called the Scala Cinema. Edward were made by KALEC (a company property on Jesu Street. This Coleberd finally sold the title to based in Yorkshire). The late Frank Down had a very clear recollection

5 it was rented by Howard Scratchley, a gentleman’s hairdresser. As there are many Ottery residents who remember going to the cinema regularly, stories abound of ‘goings-on’ at the period. In particular, several remember the art of dodging payment by waiting until the cashier had left the box office after the start of the showing, and sneaking up onto the balcony. Only the presence of Violet Blackmore deterred such activities; she is remembered by many as an usherette who worked there for nearly 20 years. Linda Fig 4: The Coming of the Talkies Cinema to Ernest Flay of Gill, in particular, was aware of in 1934 for £1,700 in 1946. He gave it its what went on but would not dare fourth, very romantic, name of The join in - after all, Violet was her of the details of the projection Cinema - a reflection of the mother! Rose Candy was another equipment. dullness of life in post-war Britain? employee, who helped in the ticket office. Old films were bought - This name lasted for the rest of its sometimes in not very good life until final closure in 1959. The A number of projectionists worked condition - which led to frequent small room on the ground floor to there over the years, including breaks. This was usually a signal for the right of the main entrance Golly Ebdon, Dennis Rowland, an outbreak of good-natured (previously a printing works) Frank Down, Percy Franks and Ray hollering! Two projectionists were enjoyed yet another incarnation - Baker. All the locals that went to normally needed for reel changes, the pictures had their own seats - due to the difficulty in switching Fig 5: The Programme for not that they were booked - it was over film and sound connections April 1935 just taken for granted. One Ottery between the two projectors. Overheating of the projectors was a frequent problem, which once caused a fire which resulted in some damage to the roof. The cinema was closed at Christmas in 1942, not re-opening until March of the following year. This gave the opportunity to upgrade the sound quality with a ‘Parmeco’ system. The colour system was made by MGM, operating at 24 frames per second, and the flicker shutter was powered by a 1425 rpm half horsepower motor made by Crompton Parkinson. Blackout regulations meant that the namesign could not be illuminated anyway, so the name Scala was never seen again outside. After ten years of ownership, George Weekes sold the Scala

6 resident recalls “everybody just could be seen in use in the TV Accountancy firm Easterbrook & went to their own seats. The drama series “Emergency Ward Eaton. Today’s vacant premises give seating nearer the screen cost 1/2d, Ten”. Linda Gill appears on the no clues to the variety of uses to then there were the 1/9d’s and the scene once again - soon after which they have been put over the 2/4d’s rows. Another one, Kath leaving school she was the first last 160 years. One use, above all, Morman, said “One and six we local person to be employed in this will be remembered by many of paid, I remember. It was freezing! business McCabe Electronics was the more senior residents of Ottery We sat there with our coats on - a successful business, but tragically - the entertainment provided by they couldn’t afford to heat it! its founder died suddenly in 1962. Sometimes, there were only 6 or 8 The company was transferred to the silver screen over a period of in there.” the chapel building in Batts Lane, forty years. under the stewardship of his Eventually, the following appeared business colleague, Len Verhagen, in the Express and Echo newspaper with the new name of Hagen Acknowledgements: on July 10th 1959: Electronics. The author wi shes to thank the CINEMA MAY BE USED FOR This unfortunate chain of events following for their valued assistance in the LIGHT INDUSTRY provided the owner with the compilation of this short history of the OTTERY COUNCIL cinema in Ottery:- Tony Morris, the late FACILITATE CHANGE opportunity to sell #6 Jesu Street, and in 1962 Ernest Flay, now living Francis Down, Percy Franks, Sue Dymond, Peter Harris,Valerie Fielden, Ottery St. Mary’s only cinema, the in Colyton, sold to a well-known Ottery resident, Billy Westlake, Kevin McCabe, Linda Gill and Peter Scala, about 150 seats, has closed Venner. and will almost certainly be used described in the conveyance as a for a new light industry - the game and poultry dealer. Later that Illustrations: making of small radio receivers of a same year, he leased the property Figs.1 and 6 - Peter Harris; special inter-communication type. to Poil and Gibson of London, wholesale distributors of carpets Fig.5 - Peter Venner; all other pictures from the Author For some time audiences have and linoleum. been so small - even down to six References: Heritage Journal #15, Autumn or eight at a performance - that The same trade was continued 2003; the proprietor found he was losing under lease to the “Otter Carpet Private papers belonging to Tony Morris money, and last night Ottery St. and Furniture Warehouse Ltd.” in “Devon at the Cinema” by Gordon Mary Urban Council agreed to 1973, and then to Tony Morris in Chapman give their Planning Committee 1981, who bought the premises Express and Echo, thanks to Sue Dymond power to approve the change of outright in 1986. He ran a use. “We wish to bring new light successful concern until his industry to Ottery.” said the retirement in 2008, at which time Fig. 6: The McCabe Electronics chairman, Maj. G.R. Rutherford. he sold the property to the Workshop Mr. W.F. Bennett (clerk) said the local county planning officer was prepared to give a quick decision to enable negotiations between the cinema owner and the applicant, Mr. K.B. McCabe, of Yale House, , to be concluded. It was understood that Mr. McCabe would employ ten or 12 people at first, and a supervisor. The equipments made were early pager-type radios, specially made for working in sensitive areas such as hospital operating theatres and wards. Kevin McCabe’s wife proudly recalls that these radios

7 We are all saddened to learn of Villages Burn the Guy the deaths of two of our members, John Norman and TALEFORD, COOMBE LAKE AND Joan Goddard. FAIRMILE COMBINE John Norman EVENT FOR VILLAGE HALL FUNDS John was born in Kenya. After a There are villages in East Devon (which was started by the chief spell in the Navy, he qualified as where the observance of Guy organiser’s little son) had barely a flight engineer, affectionately Fawkes Day has been allowed to singed the Guy’s coat-tails, the first known as a ‘flying plumber’ lapse and others where the carnival barrel was being rolled. Two small working in the States. By the has been revived or introduced for barrels for the boys were followed time he retired from the the first time. An “East Devon by several full-sized ones for the services he was a helicopter County Press” representative was grown-ups. pilot and maintenance test present at one of the latter on engineer. Saturday. In this case the carnival, NOTES As a civilian, cars were his which was somewhat along the The above was transcribed from an passion; he was keen on motor lines of the Ottery event, was undated cutting from the “East racing and worked on celebrating its first birthday. Devon County Press”. prototypes for Rootes Motors. The programme, which took place Frank Bastin, as a young teenager He and his wife Jan retired to within a couple of miles of Ottery, who lived in “Blackberry Thatch” West Hill and involved where the celebration is time- in Gosford Lane before WW2, themselves in local charity honoured, included a procession, remembers participating in the work, including active bonfire, firework display, tar barrels Carnival. He reckons this event membership of the Heritage and an impromptu dance. In spite took place in 1938, and was the Society. of wretched weather, and although second and last event of its kind the only written announcement of We send our deepest sympathy (obviously it could not have been to Jan and family on their sad the event was on a single slip of held in 1939). writing paper, there was a large loss. The burning barrels were carried crowd of visitors, including all the Joan Goddard villagers. (as they still are in Ottery) up and down the cart track on the south Joan was a founder member of WALKING PROCESSION side of Gosford Lane, opposite the Heritage Society. She was a Headed by the carnival band, the Keeper’s Court. The walking Red Cross Nurse in World War procession consisted mainly of procession proceeded eastwards II, facing the dangers of the walking characters; there were no along Gosford Lane as far as the London Blitz. As the war drew wagons or lorries, and no prizes to last houses, then returned past to an end, she was a member of be won. A number of the men Escot School and Taleford Farm to Countess Mountbatten’s Red donned women’s clothes, and so the orchard adjacent to the River Cross team who witnessed at complete were some of the Tale. The orchard was then owned first hand the horrors of the disguises that spectators were by Hiley Peek, the chief organiser concentration death camps. unable to identify their friends and of the carnival; today it has been Joan made Ottery her home, neighbours. The Guy, in a named “Boozey Orchard”. and was awarded the MBE for prominent position, was taken to services to the community. the organiser’s orchard and Chris Saunders perished at the top of a well-built We extend our deepest pyre. Letters, articles or any other sympathy to son James and submissions to the Journal can be family. There was no delay in the emailed to [email protected] programme, and before the fire Robert Neal

Articles or letters to the editor can be posted to Chris Wakefield, “Melbury” Longdogs Lane, Ottery St Mary EX11 1HX or emailed to [email protected]. Published by The Ottery St Mary Heritage Society. Printed by John Gaffney Design and Print, Ottery St. Mary tel 01404 815111

8