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Click on a picture to enlarge - last update 11th July 2008
Around the city in the 1950's
The shops between the
Kings Arms (The Kings) and the corner of Okehampton Street in Cowick
Street were in a bad condition by the 1950's. The photo on the
top left, shows the shops at the junction of Alphington Street and
Cowick
Street. They were demolished and the road widened, as shown in the
photo on the bottom left. Photos courtesy Exeter Parks Department.
Exeter
had a full programme of events during the Festival of Britain in 1951.
Rebuilding the war damage had started, and there was sense of better
things to come.
Events listed included: Seven-a-side rugby, Exhibitions of paintings by
Francis Hayman, Francis Towne and John White Abbot, Model Yacht Racing
at the Double Locks, Fireworks, an Air Display and more.
Exeter's first female police constable
- Phyllis Wooldridge was the city police force's first female PC, when
she joined the force in 1949, with the number PW1. Here she is pictured
at the front of a line of police officers on parade in the old bacon
factory, in Waterbeer Street. They are undergoing the annual inspection
by HMI Ian St Johnstone in 1954.
Police cars - also from 1954, these
four Wolseley 6/80 police cars and Commer Black Maria are parked up
behind St Pancras Church in Pancras Lane in front of a lean too garage
known as the 'Linney'. The valve radios in the cars would drain the
battery in a short time, requiring the vehicle to be attached to a
charger when parked up in the Linney. The corner tower of Exeter's
police station, in Waterbeer Street, is on the right of the photo. The
police officers from the left are: Eric Rainsbury, Tom Allder, Les
Bartlett, Jack Tarr, Sgt Bishop and Inspector Lightfoot.
A rather attractive photo of Mol's Coffee
House from 1952. Exeter was still recovering from the war,
and efforts were being made to promote the city for tourism.
New A nice colour photo
of a street celebration for the Coronation, on 2 June 1953. The
children of Cowick Hill are enjoying a spread fit for a Queen. After
the rationing of the war years, this was true profligacy, and yet,
compared with today, it was a very simple and modest affair. The two
girls in the foreground on the right of the table are Susan and
Gillian Pile; the two older girls on each side of the post, with
a crown, are Pamela Cowell and Sheila Scriven.
Photo
supplied by Penny Jarritt who is the little girl with a pill box hat to
the left of the central lady. Penny was born in the city and attended
St
Wilfrid's School.
Boots
with the ABC Cinema (right) on London
Inn Square. Demolished in 1986. The same area in 2005. Boots corner
is easily recognisable with the clock and in front Waterstones. Top
Photo John Watson Bottom photo David Cornforth
Exeter Cathedral
in the late 1950's - notice the cars parked in the front and St Mary Major Church
which was demolished in 1971, to reveal a Saxon church and beneath that
a Roman bath-house. Photo John Watson
A short film of Exeter Cathedral
in 1950. From BBC footage released under the Creative Archive scheme.
2.8MB WMV file.
By 1953, virtually the whole of the north side of the High Street had been rebuilt
Okehampton Place suffered a serious flood in 1954.
Transport in Exeter in the 1950's
Greenslades
Tours were established in 1912. This 1950 leaflet lists a full
range of tours from Exeter. A day trip to Bournemouth cost 12/9 (68
pence)and a half day tour of Haytor and Widecombe was 5/6 (28 pence).
They also stated that 46 of their drivers obtained the Diploma of the
Royal Society for the Prevention of accidents in 1949. They are still
trading under the Hookway-Greenslades name. See Tram and
Bus photo essay.
Exeter canal was still a working canal in the 1950's and small coasters would sail up to the basin, supplying coal, oil and timber. The Wolanda berthed at the Exeter canal in the late 1950's. This looks like a cargo of timber being unloaded. Photo bottom John Watson top Groninger Kustvaart
An advert for the Royal Blue Coach Company for long
distance services to London - from 1952. Exeter was an important hub
for Royal Blue, who had their head office in Queen Street. See Tram and
Bus photo essay.
In 1952 Exeter Airport Ltd attracted the first post-war civil airline, Jersey Airlines, who were followed by British Westpoint Airlines, Mayflower Air Services, South West Aviation, and Morton Air Services.
In 1956, three Spitfires of CAACU based at Exeter Airport, a civilian anti-aircraft training unit working for the MOD, were used in the filming of the British war movie, Reach for the Sky starring Kenneth More.
An advert from 1954 for Maclaines Travel. The advert makes
travel seem very special and the destination exotic. Almost 10 years
after the war, and some are becoming wealthy enough to travel.
The Inner By Pass from Belmont Road to Magdalen Street was originally designed to be a dual carriageway.
P Pike and
Co
survived the war and are still promoting a rather more modern
Austin in 1952. By 1958, the car was more modern but the style of the
advert stayed the same. Growing prosperity and the influence of
American car design is showing for the first time.
A Devon
General and an Exeter Corporation bus parked in the Paul Street
bus station circa 1959. Rougemont Hotel is behind. Harlequins and
Habitat now occupy the land. See Tram and Bus photo essay.
Leisure and entertainment in the 1950's
The
Theatre
Royal started the 1950's after the austere 40's with a high
standard of pantomime. These two colourful programmes are from 1950 and
1951. The Theatre Royal panto's were the high point of the winter for
many in Exeter and Devon.
A programme for
the summer of 1954 for the Theatre
Royal. The general variety
show called Royal Charter had dancing, singing and comedy routines. The
two flyers advertise a 3D film presentation and other attractions.
Honor Blackman visits the Falcons in 1953 - the young actress,
who later starred as Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (1964), presented
the Coronation Pairs trophy to Exeter's Goog Hoskin (middle) and Don
Hardy at the County Ground
track. This was a national competition with rounds staged at
various circuits around the country. It was sponsored by Corvette after
shave! Photo Tony Lethbridge
The
Imperial Hotel was built in 1810 as the private Elmfield House.
In 1950 the weekly tariff was 7 gns (£7 35p) It is no longer an
hotel, and is now part of the Wetherspoon's empire - from 1952.
See also Imperial Hotel
An advert from 1958 for the White
Hart Hotel - South Street The inn is one of the oldest in Exeter
and was founded by William Wynard. It was originally known as the Blue
Boar Inn.
Exeter's Swimming Baths 1953
before they were renamed the Pyramids.
Built in 1939, they were used as a water tank duing the blitz. It is
planned that they are to be replaced by a new pool at Clifton Hill in
2010.
In 1957, the Daily Sketch offered the Fountain Inn on the quay as a prize in a competition. Renamed the Prospect Inn , the prize-winners, Frank and Alma Ward from Hull went on, during their time running the place, to raise money for the Vranch House School and the Devon & Exeter Spastics Society.
Sun Street - in 1958, there was only one building in Sun Street before the area was rebuilt after the blitz. In the centre of the bomb site was a Nissen hut, used by Social Services. When John Portley started his jazz band, the Crescent City Stompers, they performed once a week in this small hut, which was always packed to about four times capacity! Later the band moved down to Buller Hall in Cowick Street and then to the Civic Hall as its popularity grew. Portley went on to open the Quay Club, now known as Tiffany's and Mambos.
Shops in the 1950's
Thomas Moore
A stylish advert for Thomas Moore in 1958. In 1952, Edward Walters and
Ralph Alford took over the business and purchased the credit traders,
Wonnacotts. They dropped Wonnacott from the name at the end of the
1950's.
Cummings
in Princesshay
The advert from Cummings dates from 1958 - they were one of the
original businesses in Princesshay. The colour photo was taken
just before they vacated the Princesshay premises in 2004, prior to the
redevelopment.
Cornish's
A favourite outfitters with Exonians in 1954 was Cornish's. This is two
adverts on opposite pages from the Theatre Royal programme. They still
promote school clothing, but have added scouts outfits and jeans to
their range. Adults can buy their riding breeches and jodhpurs from the
same store.
Stones Chemist
An advert for Stone's Rennet- from an era when housewives spent hours
preparing meals for their hungry families! Stone's started by making a
beeswax furniture cream - this advert is from 1952.
By 1958 the
supermarket has arrived in Exeter - Fearis' occupied the old
Co-op building near Eastgate. Remember the
speed of the check out girls' keying in the prices - no bar codes then.
Brock's
have survived two world wars and are still trading. Rationing was
coming to an end and utility furniture was being replaced by furniture
with (left) 'dignity and charm' - from 1952. Changes in furniture
fashion are shown in the illustration in the advert - from 1958 (right).
Education in the 1950's
St Luke's College advert
left, in 1958, had not yet been absorbed by the University. The old
19th century buildings had been badly damaged by the May 1942 blitz
(bottom circa 1950). Founded in 1839, the college offered Physical
Education, Mathematics and Science Diplomas. See Swansborough photo
essay for more photographs of bomb damaged St Luke's.
Exeter University received its Royal Charter in 1955. The Queen handed the charter over at a ceremony during her visit to the west country.
Heles Grammar School moved from its Heles Road site to Southam Farm, Quarry Lane in 1959. It later became St Peter's C of E High School.
In 1955, Cleve House was opened as a centre for the training of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Princess Alexandra was shown around the centre, given a display of guide dogs by their owners, and was presented with a golden labrador puppy.
Exeter College was established on the old Heles Grammar School site in 1959. Heles moved to Quarry Lane and became St Peter's C of E High School
In 1953, St Luke's College School moved from its old site at St Luke's College to a new site at Ringswell Avenue and was renamed the Vincent Thompson High School.
In May 1955, the First Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment paraded its colours through the streets of Exeter and were welcomed by the Mayor, Sheriff and the Colonel of the Regiment, L H M Westropp. The regiment had just returned from Kenya after a prolonged tour of duty. See Devon and Dorsets