1950s - 1970's

Click on a picture to enlarge - latest update 20th February 2008

'Swinging' Exeter in the 60's - go to rock and pop in the Sixties below

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Floods 1960
On 27th October 1960 an area west of the river Exe from Exwick to Marsh Barton, including most of St Thomas suffered a massive flood. More than 1200 properties were damaged. The photo left shows the flood waters lapping the Exwick Stores and the fish and chip shop. The photo right is of Pikes Garage in Alphington Road. (Top left photo courtesy Mike Ewing, bottom courtesy of Aubone Braddon)

The House That Moved 1961
The House that Moved was moved to its present position in December 1961. Here, a winch and wire stretches down the street, dragging the house, mounted on a wooden cradle and temporary rails. Also see memories of the House that Moved. Photo courtesy Lita Saunders

The Postgraduate Medical School was established in 1962.

University Rag Day 1967 and 1968
As a university city, Exeter has had to enjoy, or endure, the students rag day for many years. Right is the rag day procession down Sidwell Street in 1967. The university boffins have invented a flying machine, two years before the first Jumbo jet - nice to know they were on the cutting edge.... still, it was for charity. It is interesting to note that the buildings behind were replaced by Tesco (now moved to the High Street), Force and Son and Poundstretcher. The photo, bottom right is from 1968, in London Inn Square and shows a rather more classical theme that year. Photo top Alan H Mazonowicz and bottom Jim Billsborough

The bonded warehouses on the quayside closed down in the 1960's and were converted into nightclubs. See also Quay clubs and memories of an Exeter mod

The Big Freeze of 1963 The bad winter started just after Christmas 1962. Over the next few weeks, Britain suffered blizzards, record low temperatures and travel havoc caused by snow. The Express and Echo reported on the freeze - here are some highlights. 
5 January 1963 - the temperature hit -7.9° Celsius.
A photo caption reads - "General Buller's statue in Exeter, looking more like Napoleons retreat from Moscow."
11 January 1963 - "Ice Blocks Exeter Canal" - it was reported that the canal had been blocked with 6 inches of ice since just after Christmas. Boats owners were advised to stay put.
19 January 1963 - "Exe Worst Freeze for 10 years".
21 January 1963 - "Power Overload Hits Exeter". Engineers work to replace blown fuses in substations in Beacon Heath, Polsloe, and St Thomas.
2 February 1963 - "More Blizzards, Road Conditions Worst of Winter".
6 February 1963 - "Flood Alert for Devon". Widespread flooding caused chaos.

Exeter in the Snow New
The snow of 1962/3 cut off many rural areas, requiring helicopters to drop supplies and feed for the animals. In Exeter, the snow was substantial and lasted for weeks.
Photos clockwise - Bystock Terrace and car park (photo Alan H Mazonowicz) Cowick Street gathering, Church Road, and the Prince Albert, now the Showman (photos John Garnsworthy)

The Development of Exeter in the 1960's

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High Street before Debenhams
A rather nice photo of the High Street probably in the late 1950's. There is no sign of Bobby's (Debenhams) at the end. It is busy with traffic, much of it holiday traffic passing through - from the 1961 guidebook. Photo courtesy of Exeter City Council

Christmas Lights 1966
Putting up the Christmas lights on 3rd November 1966. This was when the South Western Electricity Board (SWEB) did this task. The worker on the lift platform was Roger Mitchell, who provided the photo. Roger was a second year apprentice with SWEB, who had to pose for the photo. He was given the task every year because of his 2m height.
Photo courtesy of the Express & Echo

Exeter High Street in 1967
The High Street had not been pedestrianised at this time and was divided by a central flower bed. Work on building Bobby's - now Debenhams has finished, changing the corner of New London Inn Square beyond recognition. Photo courtesy of Exeter City Council

The rebuilding of Eastgate was completed in 1960 and Princesshay was completed in 1962.

The northern Exe Bridge was opened in 1969. The southern bridge in 1972. Construction of the flood prevention scheme commenced in September 1964. It was completed in 1979.

Head Weir Paper Mill 1967
The mill finally closed in 1967 - part was demolished in 1982 - the remainder became the 'The Mill on the Exe'. See also Mill on the Exe - Bonhay Road. Photo by Alan H Mazonowicz

Transport in Exeter in the 1960's

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Greenslades 1969
In 1969, Greenslades were taken over by Western National. These two adverts both date from 1967 - one from the City Guide and one from Kelly's Directory.

Pikes Garage 1961
Situated in Alphington Street, Pikes were established in 1914. By 1961 they are now selling the favourite, Austin Mini.

The bus station at Paris Street was built in 1963. It moved from the corner of Paul Street and Queens Street. By 1964 the lower parking area was full of long distance holiday coaches visiting Exeter.

The Frog Street underpass, under New Bridge Street was completed in 1963.

Shopping and Commerce in the 1960's

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First Computer 1962
The Redcoats often tell the story of Exeter's first computer when taking visitors up South Street. It was called 'Cutie' (Commercial Union Totally Integrated Electronics) and installed in the £300,000 Concorde House in 1962. It must have seemed like science fiction to the locals, but within 5 years it was redundant. Now the building houses Mostyn's Curtain Shop. Photos courtesy of Alan H Mazonowicz

William Brock The old family firm of William Brock have been trading since 1826. There are examples of their adverts from previous decades. Here, the firm have adopted a figure as a logo.

Cornish and Co
This old Exeter clothes outfitter ceased trading in the late 1980's - they opened on the corner of North Street and Fore Street in 1905, and was the first building in Exeter to install a lift, sometime before 1923 - now there is a photo print shop on the corner and the first floor is part of B-Wise. The advert is circa 1962.

Thomas Moore
Two adverts for Thomas Moore - the first from 1962 and the second, 1967. One of only two old, established businesses in Fore Street to be still trading, Thomas Moore opened in 1907.

House Prices 1968
An advert for Andrew Redfern estate agent - the prices seem very cheap in comparison with today. People still struggled to buy a house at this time - 1968

Bobbys 1964
Bobbys is instantly recognisable as the old Debenhams that closed in 2007 - the store was constructed in 1964 on the bomb ravaged corner of Sidwell Street and Longbrook Street.

Colsons of Exeter, first opened in 1792 selling tea and silk - it was taken over by Harrods in 1969 and renamed Dingles and now the House of Fraser.

Entertainment and Leisure in the 1960's

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The Theatre Royal Pantomime 1961
The programme for the 1961 pantomime at the Theatre Royal. This was the last panto at the theatre as it closed in 1962, to be replaced by an office block.

Exeter Schools' Octocentenary Celebrations 1962 Those who went to school in Exeter in 1962 may have been involved in this celebrations. It was put on in May 1962 to celebrate 800 years of local government in Exeter. There were exhibitions, dramas, an historical pageant and a procession through Exeter, put on by pupils from all the schools. The cover for the programme translates as 'the seal of the city of Exeter'.

Northcott Theatre 1967
The replacement for the old Theatre Royal opened in 1967. It is situated on the campus of Exeter University and was purpose built. The theatre is due to be refurbished, and enlarged in early 2007. Photo courtesy - Northcott Theatre

The Northcott Theatre opened with a production of The Merchant of Venice on 2nd November 1967. Also see the History of theatre in Exeter and the great fire. Photo - Gordon Fitton

The Rolling Stones played on 26th August 1964 (2 shows at the ABC) and on the 2nd October 1964 (2 shows at the Odeon). The Odeon had just spent £6,000 on new dressing rooms and enlarging the stage. The rare photo of the Stones was taken backstage at the ABC 26th August show.
Poster courtesy of Tracks

The Alan Price Set played at St Georges Hall on 17th November 1967. For those too young to remember his 'Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Bear' Alan Price had been the keyboards player in the Newcastle band, the Animals. He found touring with the Animals difficult because he didn't like flying, so he formed his own band, the Alan Price Set.
Poster courtesy of Tracks

The Beatles played at the ABC on 28th March 1963 and 28th October 1964. The second show was sold out 8 weeks before. The photo shows the group at the ABC with supporting performers at the March 1963 show. See the link above for memories and a poster of the show. Poster courtesy of Tracks

Cliff Richard and the Shadows played at the ABC on 18th November 1964. The show unusually had the Johnny Hawkings Orchestra. The photo taken at the ABC that night is courtesy of Tracks
Other bands at Exeter during the 1960's include:
Led Zeppelin. Civic Hall Exeter 19th December 1968.
Cream. Exeter University 13th December 1966. The only performance in Exeter
The Who. Exeter University 17 March 1967.

The Beatles Interview 4.4 MB WMV BBC Creative Archive

The Maritime Museum opened in 1969. The museum was forced to close in 1997.

In 1961, Jimmy Edwards, the actor, visited the Prospect Inn on the quay to knock over a pile of pennies that had been collected for the Vranch House School.

Exeter Central Library re-opened on the 22nd October 1965 after the original library was destroyed in the blitz.

The Clock Tower Cafe is now an Indian Restaurant. It was used as a location for filming a Monty Python sketch in 1974 - see 1970's

This advert from 1962 promotes the Odeon's, Saturday Morning Pictures. Many, will remember the noise as a cinema full of kids let rip at the excitement of the story and the cliff-hanger serial. And what devilment could one get out of a top off a tub of ice cream. See the history of the Odeon Cinema

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