I loved my childhood growing up in St Marychurch and have so many fond memories which I treasure to this day.  My family had long associations with St Marychurch, both Maternal and Paternal sides.  I lived at 6 Lummaton Place near what was then the Havelock Arms, now the Artful Dodger.  The Palk Arms was nearby on the Teignmouth Road and the Royal Albert ( known as the ‘Little House’) on Havelock Road.

We had an abundance of close proximity shops, Redvers Dawe at the old farm, Pavor, Mr Swift at the bottom of Hartop Road, Stockers excellent butchery/general store mid Hartop Road, Bluetts on Cambridge Road, Park Road PO next door to Waymouth’s garage, the fruit/veg shop next to the Newsagents on Park Road, the latter owned by Mr & Mrs Fair, the Coop Butchers & next door the Coop general stores where the overhead money/receipt pulley to the cashiers desk fascinated me!  Further down and for a short while was a junk come antiques shop where I sold my stuffed squirrel to support my brother’s financial coffers!  On the corner of Park Rd/Teignmouth Road was Mr Hassell’s general store, later taken over by a glamorous lady called Flo and where I used to work on Saturdays!  Across in Park Rd was the little china shop, whilst back on Teignmouth Rd was the good Fish & Chip shop where they would freely give you a bag of ‘squibbles!’ (broken off batter bits!)

Nearby was the Links Bakery, an excellent bakery owned by a Mother, Father and Son.  They produced HUGE trays of delicious pasties and the most wonderful jam doughnuts.  They made my beautiful three tier Horseshoe shaped Wedding cake.  Further along towards Watcombe Garage was Cis Easton’s alteration shop (later becoming La Petite Hairdressing Salon.  Cis was a lovely elderly lady who also organised Bank Holiday Day trips for the local community.  I went on several, leaving the Havelock Arms early morning and returning late evening.  We were transported by Grey Cars to such destinations as Bude, Clovelly and Westward Ho!  Swanage/Lulworth Cove, Tintagel and Boscastle, Looe and Polperrow, Mevagissey and other ‘far flung’ places.  My treat on the homeward journey was the customary stop off at a pub where I had a bottle of lemonade, complete with straw and a bag of Smith’s crisps with little blue salt bag!  Then back on the coach for the ‘sing song!’ ….. 10 green bottles etc! and old war songs with alternative lyrics!!

Below Havelock Arms stood Mr and Mrs Hooper’s general store on Teignmouth Rd.  They were a very friendly couple and Mr Hooper was a Methodist local preacher.  In such a small area we were well catered for by many shops.  Further up Park Rd was Ingrams wool/haberdashery shop where I worked for a while.  We also sold Ladies’ underwear including corselettes, roll ons, bras and also nightdresses/dressing gowns!  Mrs Campbell took over part of the shop to provide Ladies’ Hairdressing where Vera Britton and Eileen Rendle were the stylists.  A bakery shop was nearby and Dr Reggie Maliim and Dr Barbara Partridge, our GP’s practised out of Highfield.  I received piano tuition from Miss Margaret Hearn who lived on the lovely corner house at 44 Trumlands Road.  I still play to this day.

Cynthia Dunning nee Letori