AGM

Chair Jane Lee stepped down.
Pauline Allen proposed and Ann Hallett seconded Jon Nichol for the new chair and he was elected.
The other committee members are:
Pauline Allen: School liaison
Tom Reeves: Archivist
Monica Lang: Projects
Refreshments were kindly provided by the PTFA
Everyone brought in a raffle prize, and £25 was raised.
This website was projected onto the wall. Many thanks to James Lee for doing this.

Andrew Cadbury presented his research into the Starcross Businesses. The details will be published on this weblog.

Retired Traditional Boatbuilder,  Malcolm Fairweather, brought in the one-twelfth scale model of The Swan of the Exe which will take him a few more months to complete. Malcolm explained that he had been unable to locate the plans. The Swan of the Exe was built in Dixon's Yard, Exmouth. Malcolm only has a few drawings from which to work, so he has built this replica the way he believes that the original boat was built: as a Dory, which was a type of flat-bottomed, barge-like, working boat.
The group was delighted to be able to see the birth of such a beautifully crafted artecfact which will be a tangible reminder of a remarkable piece of Starcross History.

Jon Nichol asked everyone to discuss with their neighbours what they would like the history group to do, and what areas interested  them. Suggestions included:

•  a history trail which will be part of The Dawlish Walking Festival in 2021
• Oral History. 
• visits to other places 
• more visits to the Devon Heritage Centre in Sowton, which is accessible via the railway
•  to invite Peter Halmkin from  The Dawlish Stamp Club to talk about the Starcross postmarks

 Further  research into:

•  Devon violets, 
•  Starcross school, 
•  the docks and quayside,
• Buses
•  the railway

To follow up the Villages in Action Unearth project with work in the Devon Film Archive.

Many thanks to the Starcross Primary School for giving Starcross History such a warm welcome.

Suzanne Jones: The Dawlish Brewery

Stone jar. Ferris. Dawlish Brewery

Starcross History will meet at 7.30pm in the Starcross Primary School on Wednesday, 18th March, 2020.

 the speaker will be

Suzanne Jones

on

The Dawlish Brewery

Beer is nutritious. Everyone, including the children, used to drink beer. Dawlish had 21 pubs. The Dawlish Brewery building is still there today; behind High Street.

There is neither a fee to join the group, nor admission charge to the meets, but we will have a raffle so please bring a raffle prize. We will have a collection pot and we invite voluntary contributions to cover the cost of the room hire, and to raise money for our projects.

Dawlish through the ages by David Force

"My illustrated book on the history of Dawlish is now available to buy. Over 200 pages charting the story of the town from the time of the Saxons to the present day. Pick up from my office in Queen Street, the Dawlish Gazette or Presents. It will be available from Dawlish Museum when it opens in April. Also available on Ebay if you live away from the area. Only £9.95. All profits to Dawlish Museum..."

Here's the ebay link
Dawlish Through the Ages - The Story of a Seaside Town. An illustrated history. 

Dawlish History Day

Dawlish Museum and Dawlish Local History Group invite you to Dawlish History Day, The Strand Centre, Saturday, 10th September from 10:30 to 4:30

World War 1 project for Holcombe, Dawlish and Cofton

The Dawlish World War 1 project
is a programme to commemorate those named on the war memorials at Holcombe, Dawlish and Cofton.

The project co-ordinators are keen to liaise with Starcross, so if you have a connection with any of these World War 1 heros, please get in touch

The Dawlish Gazette has published supportive articles which include:

• Soldier’s memorial service marks centenary of death in first world war Wednesday, 25 February 2015  
•  Manor article sparks memory. Wednesday 5 May 2015 
• Armistice Day in Dawlish Wednesday, 11 November 2015 

Here's the list of the seven Starcross heros, in month order of the day they died. Perhaps we should celebrate their lives in a similar fashion? or perhaps we already do so?

Many thanks to http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Devon/Starcross.html
for the information

• Reginald Homeyard. 12th April 1916
• Ernest William Sizer. 24th April 1918
• Richard Venvil Bowerman. 29th April 1918
• George James Baker. 20th August 1916
• Arthur James Grant. 2nd September 1918
• Ernest Walter Goss. 7th November 1918
• Walter Harry Boult. 19th November 1917

Starcross War Memorial

The Starcross War Memorial photographed from the railway station footbridge.

 http://www.geograph.org.uk/stamp.php?id=4731108

Thankyou JohnC for this image

Dawlish History Day

Dawlish History Day on Saturday 31st October at the Strand Centre.

What do you know about the Dawlish story, and would you like to pass it on to others, or learn a bit more?

Volunteers needed in Dawlish Community Art and Craft Centre

Can you spare an hour or two to help The Dawlish Community Art and Craft Centre? Their organiser, former Dawlish librarian Jo Bickel, has kindly offered to sell our booklets about The Atmospheric Railway, (by the man who stopped it being demolished - Richard Forrester), for £3 each. Their shop is run entirely by volunteers, so Starcross History would like to reciprocate Jo's generosity by finding some helpers for her

Jo also gave us some white net for the maquette of Vicky Jocher's Swan of the Exe.


 The Dawlish  Community Art and Craft Centre is a "Community Interest Company"

A community interest company (CIC) is a new type of company introduced by the United Kingdom government in 2005 under the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good.
Community interest company - Wikipedia, the free ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_interest_company

The centre operates from a shop called Butterfly in Queen St., Dawlish.

All the helpers are volunteers. The centre also runs FREE craft workshops and FREE classes. It has facilitated a Chronic Pain Support Group.
Art&crafts workshops are reasonably priced.

Jo writes,

 I need help keeping the FB page and website up to date and to promote us on other social media sites. I need help in the shop with sorting stock, working on the till and cleaning. I need someone to help me write a training manual for volunteers and prepare tasks for them. I need someone to make craft kits to sell to raise funds or to use at kids events. etc, etc

We run free craft activities in the local care homes and are constantly looking out for "Needs" within the community, then matching them up with a solution, as with the ESOL classes and the "Bodgers" group. There are a few projects that I have in mind but don't have time to set up, like organising hydrotherapy at a local facility for people with chronic pain, etc. Id be happy to meet someone who can negotiate such projects.

Here's their programme for July and August 

Booking essential with deposit no later than 7 days prior to event.

JULY

Coffee & Craft for Carers

Monday 27 July 2.00 – 3.30

Take a little time out for yourself and try a new craft.

Free, but donation towards materials please.

In Stitches

Every Thursday 6.30 – 8.30

Knit, Crochet, Sew and socialise £2

Want to learn? Join us and we will teach you. £5 inc materials

 AUGUST

Art Class

Every Tuesday 5.30 – 7.30

Learn new techniques or simply socialise and create £6 

Bring own materials or purchase from Butterfly

In Stitches

Every Thursday 6.30 – 8.30 Knit, Crochet,

Sew and socialise £2

Want to learn? Join us and we will teach you. £5 inc materials

Coffee & Crafts

Monday 3 August 12.00 – 2.00    £2 inc tea/coffee

Bring whatever you are working on, bring your lunch and meet likeminded people

Make Do & Mend

Wednesday 5 August 3.30 - 5.00    £5 inc materials.

Bring an item with you and we will show you how to repair & alter your own clothes.

Dress making course

Wednesday 12 August 1.00 - 3.30  Learn to read a pattern £15

Wednesday 19 August 1.00 - 3.30  Learn to adapt a pattern to fit you exactly £15

Wednesday 19 August 1.00 - 3.30  Create your beautiful item £15

17 Queen Street, Dawlish

www.butterflydawlishcic.org.uk 

  Tel 07966393283

Our Swan of the Exe by Teignmouth Pier

Trail Recycled Art in the Landscape have allocated Starcross History a terrific spot on Teignmouth seafront for Vicky Jocher's sculpture of The Swan of the Exe. Plot number 12 is near the entrance to Teignmouth Grand Pier. The sculpture will be on display all summer.

The sculptures on T.R.A.I.L. have to be made from at least 75% of recycled materials. Materials used in our replica of Captain George Peacock's Victorian maritime folly include:

• a thrown-away plastic boat, donated by Teignbridge District Council, 
• a hand-made trawler net, which was found on Teignmouth beach, 
• white netting, donated by Butterfly Community Art and Craft Centre in Dawlish   
• plastic fishing-rod cases,
• white netting bags no longer needed since the Guide Dogs for the Blind stopped their collection of tinfoil, 
• some plastic beercan holders collected by Dawlish Bowls Club

and many white milkbottles which have been used to make feathers. The feathers have been made by members of Starcross History, and by Starcross residents. More feathers are to be made tomorrow in workshops given by Vicky Jocher and Monica Lang on behalf of Starcross History, at Starcross Primary School.

How is all this going to be put together? You'll have to wait and see! The maquette will be revealed at the Starcross History meeting on Wednesday.   

One thing we will tell you is that the swan's beak will be made from an orange plastic oar which was found on Teignmouth back beach several years ago. We'll have enough feathers, but more plastic marine debris is needed to complete the assemblage.  If you would collect some plastic marine debris, please get in touch.  Comment on here, or email starcross.history@gmail.com

The underlying message of T.R.A.I.L. is about the vast quantities of plastic which pollute our oceans.
Here's a few links about the problem, There are many more.
 Plastic Oceans
The Ocean Clean-up
Seeturtles
Natural Resources Defence Council
National Geographic
Ecowatch

The Swan will be installed on Monday, 13th July, and will remain by Teignmouth pier until around September 6th. If anyone has a site where this Swan of the Exe sculpture can be displayed after it has to be taken away in September, please get in touch. Comment on here, or email starcross.history@gmail.com

Here's a history of Teignmouth pier, from The National Piers Society's website:

Work began in 1865 and the 700 foot structure opened in 1867. Designed by J.W.Wilson, its construction incorporated cast-iron screw piles.

It was later purchased by Mr Arthur Ryde Denby who planned to relocate the pier in Paignton. However, because of structural difficulties, a new pier was built at Paignton and Teignmouth was restored, re-opening on July 24th 1876.

Improvements included a 260 foot pavilion at the shoreward end and development of the seaward end. Work on the Castle pavilion was completed in 1890. During the summer months, excursion steamers called on a daily basis.

In the early 1960s, a bridge connecting the landing stage to the rest of the structure was removed, reducing the pier's length by 75 feet.

New steel piling was inserted under all the pier buildings. A groyne scheme caused the undermining of many of the old wooden piles and additional work became necessary at the shoreward end to repair the damage.

The shoreward end pavilion housed shops and amusements, whilst the rebuilt deck had fairground rides and a go-kart track on the site of the old Castle pavilion, which had been destroyed by fire many years earlier.

In February 2014, the pier was closed after being badly damaged by huge waves and strong winds, with repairs estimated in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. The pier eventually reopened in July, with new retail units and new machines having been provided.

Teignmouth pier was in the news last month, when it was filmed in  the life story of Donald Crowhurst which starred Colin Firth

Here's a shot of Teignmouth pier and some of the old car 'film extras' which were parked around Teignmouth on June 4th

Dawlish Museum Trailer 2015