Tag Archives: Eileen Smith

Eileen Smith, Charlie Lansdowne: Harbour, Lifeboat, 1920, 1930s

My father was signalman on the lifeboat – there was no radio, they had to rely on signals, semaphore and morse. His boots were kept just inside the door so if the maroon went he could be gone straight away. On one occasion when the lifeboat went out, I can remember my mother asking Mrs Cotton, the Coxswain’s wife where they’d gone, but they never knew, of course, when they’d be back. Walter Cotton, the Coxswain had come from Brighstone. My father said if Walter was moved, he’d go with him, he was such a good coxswain. Eileen Smith b 1921

Lifeboat crew 1920s

Back row from left: Harry White, Jim Hobbs, Charlie Lansdowne,( signalman) Harold Hayles. Capt. Cottrell,
Front row: Fred Wadham, Albert Hayward( engineer) , Walter Cotton ( coxswain), Stan Smith (2nd cox)

Services: Laundry 1930s ,1940s, 1950s

At the end of Heytesbury Road was the Solent Steam Laundry. A very loud whistle was sounded there to mark the start and end of work shifts at 8.00, 12 noon, 1.00pm and 4.30 Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

There were forty or fifty people who worked there, they were big employers. Alec
Cokes b 1945

My Mum used to send her sheets to the Laundry when she was first married. She didn’t have a washing machine. Ruth Mills nee Kelleway b 1945

My Grandad worked up the Laundry, and wanted me to go and work there but I didn’t fancy it. Brian Pomroy b 1937

Blanche Kennard, Phil Kelsey, Eileen Smith: Trains 1940s

To get from the ferry to the station, people had to walk through the town, but there were porters to push their luggage from the Pier to the station. It’s not very far really. (A) It is on a wet day!(P.) Annette Haynes and Pat Burt b 1929

It used to cost 6d to catch the train to Freshwater to go to the Pictures at The Palace, then we’d walk back afterwards. Blanche Kennard nee Dore,b 1923 stationed at The Pier Hotel ( now The George) as a WRN in WWII from 1942.

The station master used to live in the house next door here. I can remember a Mr Dennett, because his daughter was very friendly with my sister Kate. They used to get about a bit together. Of course he never used to do a lot down here at the station, he was always down the pier. Phil Kelsey b 1920

A porter from the Pier met the trains and collected luggage on a hand truck which he pushed to and from the Pier. Mr. Orchard had a big old fashioned car – open at the front where the chauffeur sat – and he used to meet the trains to drive people round to the ferry. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b1921

Eileen Smith: Shops, High Street, butchers, 1930s

The butcher had a horse and cart for his deliveries. One day when a group of us children were watching, the old horse dropped dead in his traces. It was horrible really but it made the day for us kids. What a thing to see.

Every Friday, the butcher Mr Fryer, would drive one of his steers from his field, which is where the Glen is now, down to his slaughter house down the lane behind the Pinings. That was fun to watch! Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Shops: Mr. Urry, the baker 1930s

Yarmouth had 2 bakehouses, Harry Mills and Urry’s.
Mr. Urry’s was right up at the end of the lane off Tennyson Road. His bread was the best brown bread in the West Wight. He used to deliver it himself – walk round with a big basket with a cloth over it. There were cockroaches in the bakehouse, but they were everywhere you had food, in those days. You sprinkled Keatings Powder on the floor every night, and there they were dead, next morning. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

We used to call it ‘beetle bread’.Jack Harwood b1918

I used to walk up from Mill Terrace past the allotments to Urry’s bakehouse. It was nice bread but Mr. Urry sometimes had a drip on the end of his nose. Effie Pitman b 1921

Mr.Harry Urry, of Belmont, Victoria Rd. baker. Photo : Patrick Hall, great grandson

He was a nice old chap, Mr Urry. You could always call in for a chat with him. Phil Kelsey b 1920

Eileen Smith: Shops, Mills 1930s

Mills’ staff c 1936

I started work in Mills two weeks after I left school. Mr. Mills himself taught me how to weigh out tea, sugar, raisins and currants, into paper bags, and then turn the top down. The weighing had to be done really accurately, with balance scales and weights, because you never knew when the Weights and Measures man would call in to check. Brown sugar was difficult because it used to dry out and the weight would change.

New Zealand butter came in large tins and had to be weighed out into blocks of 4oz. You had to be quick otherwise it went squidgy, ugh! We had marble counters to keep it cool.

Some customers would call in at quarter to eight, just before we shut, and want all their groceries delivered before we closed, even if they lived just opposite. Some of them had lists, others used to lean over the counter and whisper ‘2 oz of tea’ so no one knew they weren’t ordering much.

I learnt to drive the delivery van in 1940 – had to drive all round Cranmore Avenue and Hamstead. The first day I went out on my own, I had a puncture after I’d delivered up the lane at Lee Farm. By the time I’d changed the wheel, my hands were filthy and black, so I knocked on the door and asked Mrs. Stallard if I could wash my hands.
‘No you cant!’ she said, so I had to drive all the way back to Yarmouth to wash my hands.
Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Eileen Lansdowne, Pauline Hatch: Shops 1930s

Square with coaches and Town hall

In the Square, next to the Town Hall and a bit behind it, where Annette’s the hairdresser is now, there was a cobbler’s, Mr. Donovan. He had a wooden leg.
On the other side of the Town Hall, on the side towards the sea, was Kelsey’s, with Jimmy Gobini’s gents hairdressers in one side, and a tobacconist and confectioners on the other. Then there was a ‘bits and pieces’ shop. It was amazing what us children could buy for 2d. Mills Tea Rooms was on the corner. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b1921

I can remember Mr Donovan with a wooden leg, the shoemender. He used to swear like a trooper and I think he used to drink a bit. We used to have to take our shoes down there and he used to put great big thick rubber bits on to make them last. He had a very nice wife and a son called John who became a policeman. He was a fierce old man and it was a grotty old place tacked on to the Town Hall. Pauline Harwood nee Hatch b 1930

Eileen Smith: Yarmouth Carnival 1930s – 70s

The Yarmouth Carnivals were a highlight of the year, always held on a Thursday, early closing day. There were maybe 4 bands, proper bands. They were wonderful .

Jazz band 1930s with Curly Jupe on accordion and Megan Cook vocals

The fishing competition on the Pier used to draw over a hundred rods. My Grandfather, Robert May, supplied the Rod for first prize.My aunt was asked if she’d like to keep up the tradition after he died, but she said no, it was the end of an era, and Harwood’s took over giving the prize.

Robert May awards Carnival Fishing prize of rod

Robert May awards prize rod for Carnival Fishing competition off Pier

Robert May awards the prize rod for the fishing competition on the pier

During Carnival Week there were harbour sports, greasy pole and swimming races off the Common. All the families joined in and won prizes too. Yarmouth was a town of families, now it’s a town of holiday homes. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Eileen Smith: Free Time 1930s

Horse racing
Before the war, there used to be West Wight Point-to-Point races

Race card for Point to Point 1939 at Tapnell Farm, near Yarmouth

on the fields up Broad Lane. On the days it was on, Ralph and the chaps who worked at Mills used to cycle up in the lunch hour to watch, and hope they got back in time for the afternoon!
Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

1933 Douglas Biles competing at Tapnell

Eileen Smith: Trips and Treats in the lifeboat

During Cowes Week the families of the lifeboat crew used to have a wonderful treat.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during Cowes Week the Yarmouth lifeboat went to Cowes to take people out to see all the liners and naval boats visiting Cowes, anchored offshore, and all the grand yachts like the ‘Victoria and Albert’. The Bembridge boat did the other days. It raised money for the RNLI.
The families of the crew were allowed to travel in the lifeboat to Cowes, leaving Yarmouth at 9.30 and returning at 3.30. We used to have the first trip out to see all the grand boats. Then we children would paddle a bit and eat our sandwiches whilst sitting on the Green watching all the boats. Sometimes the sea was a bit choppy, but we didn’t mind. We loved our special week. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Yarmouth and Thorley Voices

Learn about the history of Yarmouth and Thorley from the people who have lived it