CD3

(52 mins)
 

3/1

CAFE / CAMPBELLS POST-WAR / LANDING AND EMBARKING / STEAMERS NOW

The village came to life, people coming in for accommodation. Down the cafe did about 50 breakfasts in a morning before started work; people travelling over night would drive and stop and have their breakfast.

Outside the cafe, TR was working for Campbell's. After the war, when Campbell's started again, he came back in the same mould, no trouble at all. Still the same steamers. Shifted thousands of people in the course of a year, more than before the war. Same people as pre-war, glad to get back on the boats. TR got quite a thrill at times landing and embarking; paddles didn't stop. Finished with Campbell's as cafe took up most of his time.

Steamers still run to Lynmouth now in the summer, not very frequently. When he started there were 13 boats plying in the channel, finished up with about 2. He didn't like the change at all, liked to see the boats coming in and out.

Before the flood, daughters had a rowing boat and TR had a motor boat for pleasure chiefly and fishing for sport, not finance, in the winter. Used to use brother's boat, bigger, for catching herrings. Caught pollack, bass, blower, conger eels, skate in his boat. Gave the fish away.

The cafe was only open in the summertime. When fed up with fishing brought the boat up on the hard and left it there until next spring. In winter, TR used to go painting and decorating, any job where he could give a hand. [Back to top]
 

3/2

CAFE / ICE CREAM KIOSK / CATERING / STAFF / FISH AND CHIPS / SON-IN-LAW / PRODUCE FROM COMBE MARTIN/ FISH SOURCES

At the cafe, TR did general work. Peg taught him the way to cook. Didn't wait on people. Served ice creams. Had a big front door. Built a kiosk where the door had been, had the freezers outside. Food came from Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Bristol, whichever was cheapest in delivery. Had 15 staff in those days, paid them, fed them, put them out to boarding. Staff came from Wales chiefly, went home in the winter. Turned cafe into fish and chips and finished up with 3 or 4 staff. Best thing they ever did. Did their own potatoes; as soon as chips came in cases, swapped right over. More profit with the fish and chips than catering.

Couldn't get local staff when it was a cafe. Married women would do a few hours a day but wanted someone there permanent. Usually had chefs, 1 of them was his son-in-law. He was head chef at Blenheim Palace for years. He got friendly with Bobby, went back to Lynmouth to get married and worked for TR for a while. When they finished in the cafe, he went as a lecturer in the college in Southampton. They settled down there.

Other vegetables came from Combe Martin and eggs, strawberries and cream, raspberries. Cafe had accommodation for 60 upstairs and about 40 down; needed 15 staff for several 100 a day. When it came to fish and chips, Peggy said they were the biggest cafe in Lynmouth; people would be eating fish and chips everywhere. Closed the top cafe, kept the bottom. That would be full. Knocked a 1d or 2d off for take-away. Used top as private residence. Fish came from Grimsby, Bristol, Ilfracombe, filleted cod in certain weights. TR could do the battering. [Back to top]
 

3/3

SELLING CAFE / PO FLAT / LOSING WIFE / MANOR HOUSE RH / BINOCULARS

Gave up the cafe about 1972. They sold out and lived in a flat above the post office. Then he lost Peggy. He lived there for a time. 60 stairs up to the flat. The doctor was a bit worried about his arthritis. He went over to Manor Residential Home in the Manor grounds looking out to sea, across to south Wales.  He used to sit in the flat above the PO with his binoculars and looked out to sea. [Back to top]
 

3/4

CHILDREN'S SCHOOLING / CHURCH / SUNDAY SCHOOL / MUSIC / CHURCH NOW / SOCIAL LIFE / FOOTBALL / MASONS

1 child went to grammar school at Barnstaple and the other went to catholic school. Went to Lynmouth School for a short time, didn't send them away too young. Jane was very educated girl really, but in those days, quite nervous, so sent to Catholic school in Barnstaple. They were not Catholic, but best school they could think of.

Used to go to church 3 times a day on Sundays, morning service, afternoon school and evening service. Got religious education at school each day. Father was in the choir as a comparatively young man. Expected of all the kids in the little village to go 3 times.

TR loves music. Peggy used to play piano for the Welsh Orchestra. If they were short at the town hall for a dance, they asked Peg to go up and play for them.

When he got to about the age of 17, didn't go to church 3 times. About 14, gradually disconnected. Goes occasionally now; funerals or special occasions.

Joined in with any parties or shows. Played in Lynton and Lynmouth football team for about 2 years. Peg interfered with his football, so chucked football [laughs]. No other sport. Being attached to the sea, that was his first obligation. TR is a freemason. Quite a number in Lynton and Lynmouth. Became a freemason because wish to join a society of men. Had some wonderful social times. Has an air of secrecy, absolutely justified. Purpose is to uphold honour. Presented with a certificate, been a member for 50 years. Once you join, you are in it for life. Uphold honour by being a straightforward person. [Back to top]
 

3/5

MANOR HOUSE / ARTHRITIS / DAILY ROUTINE / NEWSPAPER

TR lived on his own, solitary confinement really, for about 7 years. Girls wanted him to go and live with them. Gave it due consideration. Visits them whenever he wishes. Doctor suggested he went to Manor House. Lived in Lynmouth for over 80 years and knew everybody in the village, so it wasn't like going away to a strange place. Furnished with his own furniture. Downstairs, big lounge and sitting room. Meals in the dining room. About 12 residents at present. Advised to go to Manor House because of his arthritis. Beryl, the landlady, let him choose his room.

They take round tea at 6 o'clock in the morning. TR doesn't want tea at that time. Gets up when he hears the lady next door opening and shutting her doors. Washes and shaves and goes down to breakfast at half past 8. Goes across to the PO to get his paper, the Sun is his daily paper. Young lady behind the counter calls it his 'Financial Times' [laughs]. [Back to top]
 

3/6

DINNER / TELEVISION / EVENING WALK

Dinner in the middle of the day is roast every day and a sweet and tea or coffee. Tea and biscuits at 3 o'clock. Tea at 5 o'clock. Tea or sandwiches at 7 o'clock. Plenty to eat.

Fine weather, he is always out. Bad weather, he stops in. Sometimes he goes down and mixes with the crowds. Very wide screen television in his room, brought up from the house. Watches anything that's going. In the summer, goes for a walk in the evenings as far as the cliff railway. Manor House has chairs outside, can sit and sunbathe. [Back to top]
 

3/7

CLIFF RAILWAY / REPLACING BOATS POST-FLOOD / TOURISM NOW / NATIONAL PARK / IDENTITY

Cliff railway used as a novelty really. Locals use their own cars to go to Lynton. Fairly expensive now, about £1 each way. When TR was younger, used it regularly. Means of transport. He worked for them when he retired; Bob Jones was the boss. Got a free pass to go up and down whenever he liked.

Replaced his boats when they got swept away in the flood. Government gave them so much back for each boat lost.

Tourism has changed; more people here than ever because of their own transport; busloads of them.

TR was delighted when it was suggested that Lynton and Lynmouth should become part of the national park in the early 50's. Before then he thought of himself as a Devon person. Now, Exmoor is his home, where the moorland meets the sea. Visitors expand your experience of life. [Back to top]
 

3/8

HUNTING / THE FUTURE / LYNMOUTH PEOPLE / HIGHLIGHTS / HOLIDAYS / ARTHRITIS / DITCHED PLANES

His daughter had 2 horses and went hunting. They used to follow them, but the kids enjoyed it more than they did, they loved it.

[question about the future] TR thinks with today's publicity, people will grow more fond of visiting the place. [additional question about changes in the wider world] He thinks they will grow with it, will blend in with it. He's rather old-fashioned, would rather use the telephone than email. No old Lynmouth people alive, all newcomers. From seafront up, no locals. Only about half a dozen true locals. Gets on very well with the in-comers.

Peg was the highlight of his life and the kids. He has grandchildren and great grandchildren. For holidays now, under the circumstances, he goes down to Falmouth, or Mawnan Smith, in Cornwall, where his daughter Jane is, and up to Southampton, or to London, where the grandchildren have got nice houses. 1 is a doctor. No holidays while he was at school, but when he met Peggy, started to branch out - Turkey, Canary Islands, all over Europe. Elder daughter married Gerhard. They go to Germany frequently to see his family.

Plenty of medicine for arthritis. Fantastic medical care over the years, from Dr Mold.

Several years ago, Peg received a message giving the location of a plane that had come down. Picked up the pilot about half a mile from the plane. He got drowned unfortunately. It was a government plane. TR has been out to several planes, engine trouble usually. They would circle round, helicopters and the big aircraft circle to see if they could find any bodies. TR would take bodies aboard until one of the RAF fast motor launches came. He went with them to the harbour where ambulance and doctor would be waiting.

[RECORDING ENDS] [Back to top]