Nostalgic memories of Haytor Vale's local history
Share your own memories of Haytor Vale and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 14 in total
The person who remembered going to Pinchaford Farm in 1973 was there 20 years after the Lamb family's first visit to the Haytor area. This B&B guest house was owned by a single lady who had two daughters Panda and Pom and who would be in their eighties now if alive since I am all but 73. My father and mother and my brother John went for a fortnight's holiday from our then home in Yorkshire, with the ...see more
Hello. I see that Linda, daughter of Mac - our old Maître D - has posted a memory of the Moorland. So nice to hear from you Linda and to know that your memory has not failed you. It's so sad to hear that your dear father has now died, as I well remember him and all the splendid work he did for us in the running of the restaurant. He was such a very likable and loyal man and very professional in all ...see more
I also worked at the Moorland Hotel. My father, Mac, was the restaurant manager there until the hotel burnt down (he has since passed away). We both knew Freddie, Tom and Mr David Smith very well. I also remember Anna their nanny for their children; Wendy, Hayley, Beverley and Tracey. I loved the hotel very much. We had great times there. I also remember Heather, she worked at the Moorlands (as we use ...see more
We moved into Gorse Cottage, next door to the Rock Inn. Our cottage clearly shows on the left of the Rock Inn. The cottage was for sale for £500 but my mother, who was separated from my father, had no money. We watched the Coronation in the lounge of the Rock Inn. I was aged seven and had to sit still for hours, I was bored. My nanny was on holiday, and my mother wanted to ...see more
I was the manager of the Moorland Hotel from July 1967 until March, 6th 1970 when it burned down. The manager from whom I took over was called Brown and he before him was called Maurice Trew. The writer before me who said he worked there under Trew was quite correct and another writer was also correct in saying our chef was Freddy Davis. During my time there I felt we needed to complement the ...see more
Yes, I remember I holidayed there in I think 1969? I used to miss the fabulous afternoon cream teas to ride Mr Klinkenberg's horses from the stables beside the hotel to his farm in the vale for overnight grazing. Horses I remember Secret Sign, Venture, Proper Twerp and Cypher (with dreadful warts), these were his ex point to pointers, there were also others, Honey, Mohawk (one of the ride leader's horses) and a ...see more
This has been writen by my 90 year old mother Amber Lloyd who stayed several times at Pinchaford farm in the 1930-40s: I was at Pinchaford Farm in 1944 when it burnt down. We were having lunch when someone said "the thatch is on fire!" This was later blamed on an electrical fault in the roof.
Beacause of the strains of the Blitz, the London Fire Brigade was being sent to the country for respite and ...see more
I was born in Bovey at what is now the Old Library in East Street, but in 1937 was the Liberal Club. My Godfather Dick Smaridge lived just down the street at Number 14. After his son Eric was shot down in the War I mostly lived with him, as a sort of replacement son. He'd attended the old school at Edgemoor as a boy and had ridden there on a pony each day. We used to listen to Children's Hour on the BBC each day. He ...see more
It was the weekend of the Royal Wedding and on Sunday, the day before the May Bank Holiday, our friends in Grimspound Border Morris were in a party mood. Our own group of dancers and musicians from Heather and Gorse Clog Morris joined the party at the Teign House Inn which is a delightful country pub several miles north along the lanes from Christow. The jolly ...see more
We spent part of our honeymoon here in April 1968. I had a tummy bug and used to go down to dinner not daring to look at my husband's plate full of food. All I had was a cup of coffee. He had saved up for a long time to take me to a nice hotel where we could ride. We had met at a Trust House in Hertfordshire where I was receptionist. We did ride one day in the pouring rain. We went back many years later to ...see more