Tag Archives: Robert May

Eileen Smith: Yarmouth School

Robert May’s School Certificate1884

My grandfather, Robert May, went to Yarmouth School, my mother and her two sisters, I did, and my three children.

The last year I was at Yarmouth C. of E. School, there were 126 pupils and four teachers; Mr. Stanway the headmaster, Miss Troman, Miss Ireland and Miss Chambers, with the Headmaster’s wife, Mrs Stanway, helping out sometimes.

We started school at five years, no matter what time of year, and left at 14. Some people went on to Newport if they passed the scholarship.

Miss Ella Chambers had the first class. She was lovely; everyone was fond of her. If you met her in the town years later she’d say ‘Hello Eileen, – one of my girls.’

Yarmouth School, 1929 Eileen , 2nd row from back,5th from right

Every day we had half an hour’s scripture, and prayers. We had to learn the hymns off by heart. Reverend Marshall came from Thorley once a year to test the senior students. He was a bit deaf and he mumbled so you couldn’t always understand his questions. When he gave the prize, I think he guessed who knew the most.

The boys had gardening and woodwork, the girls knitting and sewing and embroidery. There were cookery lessons at Ningwood Institute for the senior girls – we travelled there by bus. Someone came out from Newport to teach us. We had old oil stoves, with a hob and an oven. Every week there was a draw to see what chores you had to do. I always seemed to end up cleaning the stoves – they were filthy old things.
Eileen Smith b1921

Jean Smith marries Brian Saunders: Thorley May 1980

Jean Smith marries Brian Saunders, May, 1980: Photo Jean Saunders

When Jean and Brian were married at St. Swithin’s Church, Thorley, local village children came to watch. Jean invited them all to join the occasion and be included in the photo. This is the result – a true village celebration.
Front left: Louise Cowley, Anna Vinycombe,
Back row from left: Thomas Cowley, unknown, Kim Weston, ?Roberts, (Brian and Jean), ? Roberts, Mandy Bruce,Zoe Weston, Lee Weston.

Jean’s parents both looked after church and churchyard for many years, Ralph taking care of the churchyard and maintaining its wild flowers, Eileen looking after the church itself as verger.

Eileen’s grandfather, Jean’s great grandfather, Robert May, was verger at St. James Church Yarmouth for over 40 years.

Pete Smith: Funeral 1951

Funeral in snow from Dog Kennel Cottage 1950

I remember waiting with my Mum in the snow at the bus stop by Heal’s cart shed (on the corner of Broad Lane opposite Newclose Farm) and being very cold. No bus came along, but while we were waiting, a strange sight came into view; a tractor pulling a trailer with a coffin upon it preceded by my great grandfather Robert (Bob) May the undertaker, with his black funeral great coat and top hat. It was so cold that the tractor, from Tapnell Farm, had an old army coat thrown over the radiator to stop it freezing; a very strange sight indeed for a four year old lad to take in. The bus never did arrive due to the snow.

This was the funeral of Mrs Reader who lived at Dog Kennel Cottage up Broad Lane, on December 16^th 1950. Peter Smith b 1946

Alec Cokes: Ommaney Road, Boat Building 1970s

Boat Building in Ommanney Road

When I worked for Cecil Doe we built some boats in what had been Bob May’s undertaker’s place there as well. Amongst them was the harbour launch that was down the harbour for years, the big one.
All his bits and pieces from being an undertaker he put up the end of the shed on a load of shelves and he had some black curtains that covered them all up. We were happily building boats in there. Bob used to come in every day and say: ‘How are you getting on nipper?’

Robert May, carpenter and undertaker outside his workshop

We said: ‘Oh, we’re just doing so and so Mr May.’ And he’d say ‘ Ooh, look at that.’ Anyway, we built this one boat, it was what was called strip planning. It was built upside down and just sort of nailed together, and then we turned it the right way up. We did that one night because we had to cut braces that held the roof up so we had enough room to swing this thing round – put them all back in afterwards.
He came in the next day and he said: ‘ Where’s she gone?’ And we said, ‘Well this is her, she’s the other way up.’ ‘Well,’ he said,’ so she is.’
Once you’d done all this, you’ve got to clean the outside of the boat up. I sharpened up a load of planes and started work. I was down there underneath this boat and trying to reach up . When you’re laying on the floor trying to reach up, you need something to push under your head. I thought, I know, there’s those little stools that Bob used to put under the heads in the coffins, – perfect – they went from about two inches high to four inches high. I went along and opened the curtains and there they were – ah, just right. So I’m under there working away, and I hear the door open and in he came.
‘ Alec, are you there?’
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I’m underneath, Mr May, I’m just scarfing her off.’
That moustache came gradually down over this boat and he made this noise, and I thought he was having a heart attack. I said ‘Are you alright Mr May?’
I got out from underneath, and he was by this time, down on one knee, and – I don’t know how old he was – it was quite an event for him to get down that far, and he said to me, ‘Do you know what you got your head on, Alec?’
I said, ‘Yes, it’s one of your little coffin stools, Mr May.’ And he said, ‘Well as long as you know.’ Alec Cokes b 1945

Eileen Smith: Harbour, Storm 1930s

There was that September, a terrific gale. There was water over the Quay and almost up to the Square. Boats in the harbour were sending out distress calls and drifting their moorings. It was so rough, Walt Cotton wouldn’t let them launch the boarding boat to go across. There was water over Bridge Road so they floated her round, put her over the rails. Three men went out with ropes attached and brought the Lifeboat alongside.
There was one man drowned that night, in the harbour. That was a night!
Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Funeral of storm victim,September 1935

Revd. Stanley Woodin leading the procession, followed by Robert May, verger and undertaker. Lifeboat crew members Charlie Lansdowne front right in cap, Walter Cotton cox following

Peter Smith, Robert May: Services, Undertaker, 1950s

Robert May, carpenter, joiner and undertaker outside his workshop in Ommanney Road.

My great granddad Robert (Bob) May ran a carpenter’s and undertaker’s business from his large workshop alongside Fernside in Ommanney Road. His son-in-law, my uncle Ted, also worked there. In the school holidays my cousin David and I would be encouraged to make things in the workshop, and as there were always lots of off-cuts we invented all sorts of things. Mostly though we used some very nicely shaped triangular pieces about 18”long and 6”wide to make boats and built upper decks and funnels and gun turrets etc. It was some time before we realised where the triangular pieces had come from; they were off-cuts from the coffins that granddad and Uncle Ted made!

I’ve seen Uncle Ted on many occasions finishing off a coffin by heating a saucepan of pitch on the tortoise stove in the workshop and running the molten pitch all round the coffin corners by standing it up and moving it around to ensure all the joints were sealed. Peter Smith b 1946

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: Events, Coronation Elizabeth II

2, Mill Terrace decorated for coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953

Coronation Day June 3^rd 1953 The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

My grandad Robert May hired in a television, a little 12 inch one. Everyone in the family came to his house in Ommanney Road, with piles of sandwiches, and we watched the television all day. It’s what the children remember most – watching the little black and white television. They had a ticket for a free packet of chips from the little fish and chip shop in the bungalow on the corner of South Street opposite Sixpenny Corner. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Nick Chandler: Early Days in Ommanney Road

Ommanney Road

There were some interesting people lived in Ommanney Road when I was growing up. Next door to me was old Bill Smith, the Foreman Ganger building the Railway down here; next door to him was Captain Chambers who was a Tea Clipper Captain. He was only a little old chap, lovely little old chap. Opposite was Mr Penny the postman, he was in the Home Guard. The times he tore out the house and then went back again because he had forgotten his rifle! Next door to him was a chap called Albert Fenton who used to sit on the front doorstep all day playing the penny whistle.
Have you heard of Alf Plumbley lived up at Yew Trees? He saved old Mr Higginbotham’s life in the First World War. Mr Higginbotham had his leg blown off and he was left for dead. Alf Plumbley found him, saw to him, and dragged him in, saved his life.
Nick Chandler b 1937

Eileen Smith : St James Church 1920s

On Sundays we had to go to church 3 times, Matins, Sunday School and Evensong. My sister and I used to go up in the gallery, above where our Grandma sat wearing a hat with a wide brim. We’d take little pellets of paper in our pockets and flick them down into her hat brim.
Grandad was the verger and for a special treat he’d take us up the church tower. It was exciting going up, but I didn’t like going down. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

View from ChurchTower

Yarmouth and Thorley Voices

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