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  4. Paignton, Redcliffe Towers 1894

Paignton, Redcliffe Towers 1894
Photo ref: 33645
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Photo ref: 33645
Photo of Paignton, Redcliffe Towers 1894
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More about this scene

We can see that twenty-six years after its completion, the sea wall is as good as ever. The tower was known locally as Smith's Folly. It was constructed in about 1854, the dream of an eccentric army Colonel, Robert Smith, a very skilled architect, artist and engineer, who had a long association with India. After losing his wife, he came to Paignton and bought the tower, one of many built in the early 1800s to repel possible French attack. After Colonel Smith's alterations and rebuilding, he was able to liken it to an Indian palace.

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A Selection of Memories from Paignton

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Paignton

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Witnessing The Last Throes Of Strict Bathing Segregation Laws
The caption in the Francis Frith book 'Paignton', by Peggy Parnell (p.46), reads: 'With his powerful business aptitude, Mr Dendy quickly installed the most important tourist commodity, bathing machines; those for the ladies were installed on Paignton beach, those for the gentlemen on Preston beach.' I found it interesting to read of the enactment of these strict, now quite ...see more
Paignton, Bathing Beach 1896
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Added 11 December 2017

Bewley's Beach Boats
I worked as a novice deckhand on this vessel in the school holidays in the early 1960s. This was the largest of Mr. Bewley's small fleet. He had two other launches that did bay trips and mackerel fishing. I remember I was paid £4 a week for a 12-hr, 7 day week! I loved every minute of it. I usually worked selling tickets at the beach kiosk and then went on one the smaller boats, but occasionally I was allowed to ...see more
Paignton, Sands c1965
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Added 04 May 2015

My Home Town
I was born in Paignton in 1935 in 1 Stafford Rd our house backed on to Queens Park. When I was 6 years old we moved into a flat in 26a Torbay Rd under The Devon General Bus Station. Dellers Cafe was on the opposite corner & I went to dance classes there run by Sybil Jones. i did a lot of concerts in The Palace Avenue Theatre, & entertained the troups during the war years in various venues. I was married in the ...see more
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Added 10 February 2015

Goodrington
I was born in 1948 in Wallasy Cheshire, now Merseyside. As my maternal grandparents lived in Plympton, we used to spend two or three weeks with them every year. A day out to Goodrington was very popular, travelling by train from Plympton with change at Newton Abbot, and later by car. Apart from the beach I particularly enjoyed fishing from from the promenade at Roundham Head and also a ride on the motor boats. I usually ...see more
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Added 22 July 2013

More about Image Optimisation

All our photos are printed as optimised versions of their originals, this process can take anything from 15 minutes to several hours. This ensures that the product you get shows the true quality that Frith photos are renowned for.

Example of image retouching:

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Genealogy & Research Images

Despite over 20 years’ work on the archive, these scans have still not been individually checked and may prove to be damaged, faded, or not of sufficient quality to ever be offered in our full product range. However, if you would particularly like to buy one of these please get in touch quoting the Frith negative number,(s) the town name and size of print you would like to buy. On receipt of your enquiry our archivist will check the scan and advise you if the quality is good enough.

What is an Album?

An album is a way to save a selection of Frith photos, maps and memories that are of interest to you.

Creating an Album enables you to make short lists and then make a final selection from the album. In particular it makes ordering things like calendars much easier - simply create an Album of the 12 photos you like and then use the Album when placng your order - our order process will give you this option.

You can create as many Albums as you want, so perhaps make one for your hometown, where you live now, where your parents live now etc.