My grandfather used to come on a coal barge to the Gasworks and used to bring his daughter, my mother…. who met my father, Harry Holloway, who lived in Yarmouth, and so they were married. Harry was in the Navy in the Med for 2 years and I was named ‘Palma’ after the Palma in Majorca. Palma Ault nee Holloway b 1927
Bridge opening for coal boat
I started off life at Gasworks Cottage, down by the Mill.
There was a small gasworks. There was one small gasometer and one big one and that little one was only a back up. They had the big one alongside of that, but that’s all gone.
Yes, the bridge used to open for the coal barges to go up to the Gasworks, and my dad and his mate had so many hours to unload them so they could go back on the next tide. I used to go over there sometimes to see him and watch what was happening. Some of those barges belonged to an Isle of Wight firm, Coles of Cowes. I think they owned 2 coal barges. The barges were always coming up the river and getting stuck, never get up there on time to the gas works. They used to come through the bridge and have to make a sharp turn to the creek to the gasworks but couldn’t get there half the time. Not very deep there if the tide wasn’t right.
My Dad got electrocuted over there at the Gasworks across the river.
They was changing the lighting from gas to electric. He went to work one morning, I will always remember, the 6 – 2 shift, and he went in to get the lights on. There was two live wires in water and he picked it up thinking it was lights. After that we moved from Gasworks Cottage because they wanted us out, and then the Council found us a council house in Victoria Road.
Brian Pomroy b1938
Gasometer behind Sandhouse and Bridge ; photo Sue Russell
Yarmouth harbour from Sandhard, old bridge with toll house
Bridge Tolls originally displayed by Toll House on bridge
When we were kids, we would be met at church by our parents and then go to Sandhard for our Sunday Lunch, us and all of the Gatrells. Of course there was a toll on the bridge in them days so our dad and the Gatrells used to borrow a boat and row us over. We used to stay over there until about half past six. Jean Maitland nee Levey b 1928
Coming in to wooden stage at Sandhard to avoid toll
Bridge Tolls originally displayed by Toll House on bridge
We used to go to Sandhard to swim, rowing across like most families, because there was a toll to pay on the bridge. Joan Cokes nee Cooper b 1918
The lane leading to Loveshore
Our headteacher, Miss Martin she was then, would take us swimming at Love shore, the whole class. She had a roller towel to help you to learn to swim. You lay in the water through the towel, with it round your middle and she held you up while you paddled. It was a good method!
It was wonderful living in the High Street, just opposite the lane down to Loveshore. On a hot day, you’d change, then run over the road and down to Love Shore. If we went for a picnic tho’, we’d go over the bridge to Sandhard.
Pat Burt nee Adams 1929 Photo
My father was employed as a gardener and worked in several different places. He worked for The Pier Hotel (now the George Hotel), in the garden opposite the school. In Ommanney Road, there was a garden owned by the Bugle where he also worked. That was next to a vegetable garden for The Towers. He grew the vegetables for his own family in an allotment at the top of Victoria Road.
The bridge was a toll bridge and regular users got a weekly ticket. Dad worked for the Tophams over in Norton as a gardener, and so had a weekly ticket. We children used to sneak behind a charabanc to get over the bridge without paying.
I can remember getting winkles from Pier Shore and the Common up to Bouldnor as far as Stone Pier, and prawning off the Common – I remember seeing seahorses there.
Joan Cokes nee Cooper b1918