Dawlish Discussion

my 91 year old dad was evacuated to dawlish in 1939. Details are gradually coming back to him but he is needing a push! I know that he stayed at Aller Farm with the Sercombes(excuse spelling)  for a while then was moved to one of the avenues, a council house I believe, he said that the husband was at war so lived with the wife and her son? 

They were often round at the forge with the Penaligons and he also said that he remembers that one of them was a cycle repairer. Were they related? Would the wife or the husband have been a Penaligon? 

He also remembers going on the train to a school in newton abbott? Would anyone know what school this might have been. 

I would be really grateful if anyone can fill me in with any of the missing details please even though it  is years ago. 

also dad was a paper boy at Boons  newsagent in the strand. Could anyone accurately place it for me please in dawlish as it is today.

Many thanks for your help. 

Hi Lindaane.  It might be worth going to the Dawlish Museum facebook page and asking this query.  It's a bit before my time unfortunately.  People like David Force might be able to help.

Hi flo. Thanks for your help. We went to the museum and they could not help but I

did not realise that they had a Facebook page. I will give that a try x 

I remeber a Reg Penaligon from about 60years ago he used to repair bicycles, he had a workshop in Old Towm Street.

@Lindaanne56

F.P. Boone, newsagents, used to be where Ladbrokes betting office is now in the Strand, about half-way down. It was sold to Martins, newsagents, I think in the late 80's when Mr. & Mrs Boone retired and then became the betting office around 15 years ago. Mr. & Mrs Boone's daughter used to live in the town but sadly died some time ago. I believe another sister still lives here. The Bernard Chapman series of photos of old Dawlish have one of the shop which should be available to view in the collection in the Museum. I hope this helps your dad's memories. 

Ziggy do you know what number old town street this was? Cassandra thanks for pinpointing the shop and I will look up that album when we next visit dawlish museum x 

@Lindaanne Not sure what number it was but it was just past the Manor House next to the toilets (which are no longer there) and down the bottom of a pathway before the first house.

@Lindaanne56 have you had a look at the BBC site people's war? It has stories people submitted about the War a while ago. The site is archived now but you can still look through the stories https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categories/and evacuation stories here  https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/categories/c1162/. There are stories from others who were evacuated to Dawlish. As the site is archived searching is difficult but it you go to google and use the search term "site:https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar dawlish" that will search that site for the word Dawlish. You may find some references to the Newton Abbot school or other things of interest for you and your Dad.

Thanks S I have made a not3 if that and looked some up. Found a couple of things so far that might interest dad but will keep searching.

thanks ziggy. That is where I thought it was but was not too sure x