Exeter Stories

Peter Hinchcliffe - smelly old Exeter

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Exe Island and Shilhay

At the start of the 20th Century most of the commercial activity was concentrated about the Exe Bridge, I suppose the close proximity of the water and the several leats cut from the river were the original attraction. The plain on the east bank was full of industry. Starting at the Head Weir was Pims Paper Mill in Bonhay Road, opposite at the bottom of Exe Street was another large factory building beside the leat, in 1960 it was occupied by a Tyre Company, where Powhay House now stands was an Ice factory.

In Tudor Street there was a great variety of industry. One company made electric motors, it was the site of the slaughterhouse, Parkins had their foundry and steel stockholding yards, there was a builders merchants, and several builders yards.

The Exe Island 'doss house'

Originally at the end of Tudor Street, more or less where the Queen Victoria pub still is, the was a triangular open space, which was known as Exe Island. Overlooking the Island was a common lodging house or “spike” which is now best described as a sleeping place for vagrants, run by Dave Dewar. There was another at 2 Haven Road run by the Council.

When I was a boy we wrongly believed these two places to be the workhouse, later when visiting them as a policeman, I discovered that they were probably not as hospitable as the workhouse would have been!

At the top of the building, in the attic, was the “rope”, allegedly this is where those men without the few pence fee to sleep on a bed could drape themselves over the rope for a nights rest. Some would argue that the expression “on the ropes” originated from this source, i.e. they had so little money that they could not afford the cheapest bed, they were obliged to sleep on the rope.

Strategically placed, next door to the “spike” was the City Council decontamination facility, where people and household goods, could be cleansed of whatever infested them.

From Frog Street to Commercial Road

Until the new Frog Street was built, Exe Island was always the site of the biggest bonfire on Guy Fawkes night. Under the old Frog Street Bridge where further business premises, the City brewery was on the right, and Taylors coach garage on the left, at the end of this street was the House that Moved.

In Edmund Street there was further industry, there was Tremletts Tannery and the mills in Cricklepit Street beside the Teignmouth Inn. At the junction of Edmund Street and Commercial Road, right on the river bank was a modern brick built edifice which housed Jourdans box factory. South along Commercial Road was J L Thomas who were rendering down offal, bones, and other waste, a little further along was a firm called Oppenheimer, who seemed to be in a competition with Thomas to see who could create the most offensive smell.

A days police duty on Exe Bridge beat on a sultry day with no wind, was not for the feint hearted. The stench of brewing mixed with tanning, flavoured by cooking offal, could put a weak man off his food.

To think there were houses in Commercial Road jammed in between Thomas’ and the Tannery!

Another treat for the citizens in that area happened every day but Sunday, shortly after 6am. The sewer system in Exe Island had not been designed for the use it was having. So every morning, Bert Fowler and his men, opened the sewers in Tudor Street and Frog Street. They had large metal cones which they pulled through the sections between the manholes. Imagine, if you can, the smell. The prevailing wind scented the whole of Fore Street and the bottom end of the town. The problem went with the new road lay out at Frog Street Bridge’

Hygiene

They say cleanliness is next to Godliness, over the centuries there has been plenty of Godliness in the city with countless churches. The City were also fairly generous with their provision of cleanliness. There was a wash house in King Street where people could take their clothes and household dirty linen to wash, almost in public. I do not know when this facility closed. The building was still there in the late 50s.

The council swimming baths at Heavitree Road, Pyramids,  used to offer “Slipper baths”, where the public could, for 15 minutes wallow in soap and water, in their own cubicle. I well remember the waiting queue of people on the balcony of the swimming pool, standing there with their towels and soap which had been supplied at the ticket office. Waiting for their turn to get clean.

A “wash and brush up” service was on offer every day of the year, yes, including Christmas day. From 6am to 10pm for both men and women, the council provided this service at the public lavatories in Catherine Street, Maddocks Row, in Paul Street, and at Exe Bridge, 6 men and 6 women were employed to run the service. The public could get a wash, shave, and clean up for a few pence, the council supplying the towel and soap. You could also borrow a razor of the attendant. The Exe Bridge service was popular with workmen.

There was one character who used this facility every day, a Coal Merchant called Jimmy Bee, long deceased, a lovely fellow with a physique that comes of carrying sacks of coal for a livelihood. Jim had a store for his lorry in Commercial Road. At the end of the day he would go for a strip wash, like a pit head bath for a coal miner, before getting changed from his soiled clothes and going home clean.

© 2007 Peter Hinchcliffe

 

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