Eales Dock

Please does anyone have any more information about Eales Dock? Here's the results from AI:

Eales Dock is a historical small tidal dock located near Dawlish Warren in Devon, England, originally built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel's South Devon Railway. [1]

History and Location

• • Origins: It was constructed by the South Devon Railway under the direction of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. [1]
  • The Landowner: It was built to satisfy local landowner Charles Eales, who wanted to maintain his private access to the sea across the railway line. Local folklore also suggests Eales used the secluded dock for smuggling. [1]
  • Current Status: Located near Shutterton Creek on the Exe Estuary, the dock area remains permitted for continued boat access by agreement, despite local wildlife conservation restrictions and voluntary exclusion zones protecting wintering birds (read more via the South East Devon Wildlife). Today, the site is also a well-known spot for railway photographers capturing trains running along the sea wall. [1

  
  

  The Smuggling Connection

  While the dock was ostensibly built for legitimate sea access and trade, historical local lore strongly indicates that much of Charles Eales' immense wealth actually came from using his highly secluded new dock for smuggling. [1]

  During the 18th and 19th centuries, Devon's rugged shoreline and hidden coves made it a hotspot for "free-traders". High taxes on European imports meant that smuggling goods like brandy, gin (Geneva), tea, and tobacco was incredibly lucrative. Having a private, secluded dock with access hidden beneath or alongside the railway line provided the perfect, inconspicuous landing point to move contraband inland without alerting revenue cutters. [1]

Here's a photo from flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2rNVp9n

If you have some information, please contact the Starcross History Society and 

Alan Humphries

Landline 01395901259

Mobile 07519551098

email : humphries.alan@ gmail.com

On Brunel in The Brunel Tower

Jon Nichol's talk on Brunel has been postponed until FRIDAY 30th OCTOBER. This is because David Force had already arranged a  talk about the railway on Friday 25th September, in The Shaftesbury Theatre, Dawlish. The Starcross History Society wishes  every success in fundraising for Assist Teignbridge and Dawlish Action for Youth 

David's presentation at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Dawlish, is

"180 Years of our Beautiful Dawlish Railway". 

and

his colleague Jimmy Hill will remember 

"The Good Old Days in Dawlish"

https://shaftesbury-dawlish.co.uk/box-office/

from The Shaftesbury Theatre website:

"

Local historians, David Force and Jimmy Hill, return to the Shaftesbury Theatre for another evening delving into the history of Dawlish.
As this is the 180th Anniversary of the opening of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s railway in 1846, David will be exploring the dramatic changes that came to Dawlish and Dawlish Warren thanks to the railway, as well as Brunel’s legacy, which is still being felt today.
As a true Dawlishian, Jimmy will be looking at the town in the 1950’s and 1960’s, before supermarkets, housing estates, traffic lights and potholes, as well as telling more amazing tales of his mis-spent youth!
We can promise you an evening with loads of laughs and interesting facts, as well as plenty of old prints and photos. If you’ve seen these likely lads before, you know you’re in for a great evening. If not, do come along and see why these shows are always a sell-out.
All proceeds will be shared between two brilliant local charities, Assist Teignbridge and Dawlish Action For Youth.

David Force & Jimmy Hill History Evening

Shaftesbury Theatre
Dawlish

Fri 25 Sep 2026, 7:00PM

"

Tickets cost £10 (if there's any left)

Amended date for next meeting

Friday,  October 30th 

 The Brunel Tower

The Strand

Starcross EX6 8 PR

 by kind permission of the Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club 

Jon Nichol 

will talk about 

Brunel 

Admission FREE 

To accommodate fire regulations, please ensure you sign on the sign-in sheet 

Please bring a RAFFLE PRIZE 

Many thanks to Steve Nosworthy for this photo of the Brunel Tower from the River Exe

Getting Going Again

Many thanks to The Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club. We'll hold our next meetings in The Brunel Tower, roughly every 2 months, Friday evenings at 8.00pm.

In October, Jon Nichol will talk about Brunel..

Sorry, exact date is undecided. Watch this space 

Refloating The Ship Inn

On Saturday, 12th July 2025, around 90 people went to a meeting in Cockwood Parish Room to try to save The Ship Inn.

Here's the joyful Facebook post:

From Babette: 

Anne, Martin and myself would like to say thank you to all who attended and/ or contributed to yesterdays meeting regarding The Ship. There were in excess of 90 people who overwhelmingly agreed to support further exploration of purchasing The Ship as a community pub&hub. The hard work now begins, starting with establishing a web site and a committee. Further details to follow - once again thank you for your huge support

Here's some pictures of it from January 2024.

In Autumn 2023, Storm Claran hit the cob-built pub. A side of it collapsed.

 Rumours are everywhere about why it hasn't been rebuilt. Perhaps the stipulations of Historic England were commercially impossible ? 

Here's a link to the Devon Live story which includes an interview with the landlady, Heather Brown 

It's good news that so many folk bothered to turn up to support the idea of a Community Pub

VJ Day

Representatives of the Empire of Japan aboard USS Missouri at the surrender of Japan on September 2

AI Overview

On VJ Day, August 15, 1945, in the UK, the nation celebrated the end of World War II after Japan's surrender. Large crowds gathered to cheer the royal family and celebrate the final victory. The government declared a two-day public holiday, and King George VI broadcast to the nation. Here's a more detailed look at what happened:

• Celebrations:

  The news of Japan's surrender sparked widespread celebrations, similar to those on VE Day. People took to the streets, engaging in bonfires, dancing, and fireworks
• 
  
• 
  
• Royal Family's Role:
• King George VI and Queen Elizabeth traveled to Westminster for the opening of Parliament, where they were greeted by cheering crowds. King George VI also made a broadcast to the nation at 9 pm, commemorating the victory. 
• 
  
• Public Holiday:
• The government announced a two-day public holiday (August 15th and 16th) to allow people to celebrate the end of the war. 
• 
  
• 
  
• Official Declaration:
• While the formal surrender ceremony took place on September 2, 1945, the Allies celebrated the news of Japan's acceptance of surrender on August 15, making it VJ Day. 

NOW & THEN : COVID-19 and VICTORY IN EUROPE [VE] DAY 1945 & STARCROSS

[written in 1920 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day]

Now 

We are at war with a deadly enemy: Covid-19 aka Coronavirus.  When it is beaten celebrations will be on a monumental scale.  

Then 

Twice in Starcross’s history there have been two such celebrations: The end of World War 1, 11th November 1918 [news arrived in Starcross on the 15th] and the end of World War II from 7th-12th May 1945. How did Starcross celebrate in 1945 Victory in Europe [VE Day, 8th May] over the Nazi alliance? What stories can we tell about the Starcross celebrations? Who was involved?

Monday 7th May. The B.B.C. 8 o’clock evening news announced Germany had surrendered – the war in Europe was over. Ten minutes later the Union Jack was flying from the Atmospheric Pumping Station tower in Starcross. The wonderful news spread like wildfire through the village – almost immediately flags were displayed in most houses. 

Tuesday 8th May – VE Day School opened as usual; it was to close for two days following Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s speech later in the day. At 9 o’clock the school pupils and staff assembled:  the Union Jack was broken out and all sang the national anthem. The morning was spent decorating the school with flags and buntings, probably stored since Queen Victoria’s jubilee and the victory in World War I celebrations.

At lunchtime there was a celebratory school lunch for all children in the locality. The meal included specially bought buns and the emergency meat ration.  20 extra meals also arrived from Dawlish to feed additional children from the local area who came to the school, although presumably not Starcross pupils who were already provided for.

By 3 o’clock in the afternoon the children, staff and many villagers had assembled on the School House lawn to hear Churchill’s speech celebrating Victory in Europe – the school may well have had the only publicly available radio in Starcross.  

The children spent the rest of the day collecting all kinds of combustibles for a giant bonfire that that evening. On it the villagers burned two effigies of Hitler – one of him on the gallows, the other with him in a chair. There was also a well-attended evening thanksgiving service in St. Paul’s. Church

Wednesday, 9th May VE Day Plus One [first of two days of public holiday] 

In the afternoon about 30 children under 14 had a grand tea at Courtenay terrace. Coloured table clothes and vases of flowers contributed to the gay scene. They played all sorts of games of all sorts.  Later, baskets of surplus food were taken to the almshouse for the old folk there.

The day’s main event was a parade through the streets with a striking tableau on a horse drawn wagon of Britannia, America, Russia and Sailor Boys. At the parade’s head was the British Legion Banner and individual representatives of the police, the Home Guard, the Women’s Voluntary Service and the band of the Royal Western Counties. Following behind the tableau were members of the army, navy and airforce, including a repatriated prisoner of war who had arrived in Starcross the day before, a nurse, housewives, the Starcross Girl Guides and Brownies, the Youth Club, Red Cross, Home Guard and Civil Defence.

The parade stopped outside the railway station with almost the whole village present. The procession marched to St. Paul’s Church for a thanksgiving service. A street party began that lasted until midnight. That evening there was also a well-attended whist drive and dance in the Recreation Hall, Royal Western Counties Institution and a second celebratory bonfire.

Thursday, 10th May

Festivities continued on the 10th May.  The village gave all children under 16 another tea, see L.S. Lowry painting – page 2. The Vicar said that in singing the blessing they not only giving thanks to God for the food they were to receive but also for the blessing of peace in Europe.  Games took place with piano accompaniment. 

A high tea for the over 65s followed. Vera Raven, from Exeter, gave a recitation ‘entitled “Comfort”, her impression of a ‘Cockney girl at the cinema” and “A tribute to the National Fire Service,” written by herself.’

Saturday, 12th `May

A “Those were the Days” dance took place in the Reading Room Starcross in aid of the “Welcome Home Fund” ‘and it being Victory Week there was a record crowd.

Sources

Starcross Primary School log books, 1945

Oral testimony from those who remember VE day celebrations in Starcross

Local newspapers – accessed via British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

L.S. Lowry V.E. Day celebrations

Jon Nichol

Link to today's VE Day celebrations in Starcross Royal British Legion