Category Archives: Family History

Jim and Elsie’s 1978 Tour – Day 41

Thursday, 11 May 1978

Cloudy but warming up

To large naval aerodrome “Seahawk” and viewing point. Drove towards Penzance and saw Mount St Michael Castle from the distance. Headed back to Goldsithney and the world of music at 10.30 (70p). A large working collection of mechanical musical instruments. Musical boxes, drum operated piano of 1820, 1860, players, drum operated organ, reed organ, pipe organ from York and funfare band. Very interesting.

Through Penzance – narrow streets to Lands End – some mist from the sea. Cut lunch in the car.

To St Just and followed a very narrow road along North Cornwall coast. Road twists between farm buildings to St Ives. Very narrow streets, blocked by a truck down to waterfront. Tide right out and boats just on the sand.

To Hayle and Redruth. Looked through Tolgus Tin Washing Mill that has been operating for 200 years. Large circular rotating drums wash the crushed ores.

To Newquay – mist coming in from sea. Large open streets crowded with hotels. Headed to Wadebridge and towards Bude but kept running into fog. Turned off at Trewassa and headed through Launceston along A30 to Okehampton. Found B&B at 9 o’clock – very nice couple – John & Barbara . Met an old English couple from Hereford – Peter & Betty Hoskins. Cuppa provided.

Jim and Elsie’s 1978 Tour – Day 40

Wednesday, 10 May 1978

Fine, hot

Torquay, Paignton, Totnes A385 to A38 to Plymouth (lunch at dock area).

Lawn bowls at the miniature village

Model village at Torquay in old quarry, well set out. Wombley, ferries, schools, towns, manor houses, cottages, roads, thatched house on fire.

Trouble finding Cockington – a thatched village. Shops set up in the cottages. large garden & grounds area to church and house.

A38 to Liskeard and Bodmin looking for Lanhydrock House, missed turn-off went to Lostwithiel and then back up.

Found Lanhydrock House at 4.20. Well kept gardens and house. 17th century house burnt out by fire but rebuilt in 1890s. Complete kitchen with bright copper pots. Large spit that would hold a beast. Very high roof. Rooms for dairy, meat, fish, bread – just like kitchens from Duchess of Duke Street. Rooms all set up with actual furnishings, clothes etc., lord’s open bath basin – formidable bath in bathroom. Many rooms and gallery with ceiling that dates back to 16th century. Oak panelling, teak staircases, oak staircase. Finished inspection at 5.40.

Lanhydrock House in Cornwall. Gatehouse 1651, gardens 1851 and house largely rebuit after fire in 1881.

A391 to St Austell.

A390 to Truro. Searched for a cafe. Had a meal in a Chinese Cafe.

Drove to Falmouth. Around Marine Drive and the beach. Rugged coastline.

On to Helston. Found a B&B at 9 o’clock – £3.50 [each]. Given a cuppa in the lounge.

Ordered 2 packed lunches (60p) each for tomorrow. No H&C but a large bathroom.

Jim and Elsie’s 1978 Tour – Day 39

Tuesday, 9 May 1978

Fine, clear

Through Bournemouth to Sandbanks. Caught 10.30 ferry to Brownsea Island – open boat. Large castle on island now let by National Trust to John Lewis who use it as a staff holiday and conference hotel.

A peacock at Brownsea Island

Small church. many peacocks strutting and calling and displaying tails. Walked to stone to mark the first campsite of BP [Baden-Powell].

Where “scouting” started

Crossed car ferry to Swanage. Through Corfe Castle where remains of the castle are high on the hill. beautiful well ordered countryside blocked by hedges on the sides of the road.

Wareham to Weymouth on dockside.

Walked up through the town plaza. Bought soap, hair cream and spencer at M&S [Marks & Spencers].

Along B3157 to Bridport to Lyme Regis, A3052, A376 to Exmouth. Trouble to find a cafe. Had KentuckyFried on the roadside seat. Found some jumper leads.

To Exeter 377, A380 to Newton Abbot to Kingskerswell 4 miles short of Torquay. Talkative B&B lady, very nice bungalow, beautiful gardens. Son in South Australia, CSIRO, checking wines.

Jim and Elsie’s 1978 Tour – Day 38

Monday, 8 May 1978

Up and away on our motor tour!

Picked [the] Marina (808 miles [on the clock]) up at Sidcup (£60 dep). Followed route numbers to Purley and Leatherhead. Elsie then found Maries parent’s address was in Surrey so we backtracked and after a couple of attempts found Rectory Lane, Long Ditton.

Woke Marie’s [teacher friend of Jims] brother Mick up out of bed – he was back from 3 month stint up in the Baltic. His parents weren’t home. He made us coffee and we had a yarn. We are to contact his parents some time.

Elsie discovered she had a cousin in Hampshire but could not decide whether she lived in Obelisk Rd, Hampshire or Southampton. We eventually sorted that out and then headed for Southampton. Found a cafe at the docks area. Looked for a phone, found a local map, looked for another phone – only one in the phone book. Rang her up and found we were only about a mile from her. We visited Roseanne and I met 3 of her 4 beautiful daughters. Left at 5.15 and headed for Bournemouth. Came down A35 instead of A31 through Lyndhurst towards Christchurch.

Stayed at White Gates Guest House at Somerford  – B&B £4.50. Very well set out room. Tea at a Little Chef. Drove around Christchurch and Bournemouth after tea, without too many wrong turnings.

Cup of tea in the lounge and spoke with a farmer and his wife from Coventry. Has been a misty week for them.

Jim and Elsie’s 1978 Tour – Day 37

Sunday, 7 May 1978

Misty, very warm

Up at 10 o’clock. Set off for Brighton. Clutch on car played up at Royal Tunbridge Wells – bled it and got going.

Lunched on the promenade at Brighton at 3 o’clock. Very warm – shed sweaters.

Commercial section of Vintage Rally to Brighton. Main section too crowded to park. Saw many of the old vehicles as we returned. Fire engines, double deckers, charabancs, trucks, steam rollers, steam trucks stoking up boilers and making dense smoke.

Some brave souls having a dip.

Big baked dinner. Elderberry wine, quince wine, hock and mixture. Strawberry trifle.

Many instructions of the route numbers to take on Monday.