A bit of history of where I live here is Saltash Cornwall.

[FLYING BANANA]

Carkeel Roundabout

Saltash came into existence because of the Waterside which had developed around an important ferrying place on the Tamar. The Normans recognised the commercial opportunities of the ferry and established a borough at Saltash around 1175 which included the Waterside and extended up the hill to the lower half of our present Fore Street with a market where people from the surrounding area could trade where Alexandra Square is now.

The ferry continued right up until 1961 when the Tamar Road Bridge opened alongside the earlier Royal Albert Bridge which had brought the railway to Cornwall in 1859.

But I well remember when the “through” traffic used New Road and the holiday traffic hold ups around Burraton Cross. I also remember the Saltash by-pass and tunnel being built and opened in the late 1980s, which took the traffic away from the town, and how blissfully quiet New Road was for a while afterwards.

The past sixty-three years since the opening of the Road Bridge has seen Saltash grow considerably and more than it had in the preceding eight hundred years, and much of that I remember.

Many of you, like me, miss the Saltash of our youth. The characters who have gone before us and the countryside that we have seen built on.

Unfortunately, none of us can stand in the way of progress. But we should try to influence the planning authorities to do it in a way that, as much as possible, preserves the beauty and identity of our area along with its rich, history and culture.

Saltash is a very historic place. The home we love and a great place to live. It is still an important crossing place between Devon and Cornwall and always will be the “Gate Way To Cornwall” although today many travellers just pass by and don’t know what they have missed!

***Seen through the eyes of one our residents. Copied from the Saltash Community Page.

[trikey]

Nice write up Bob, I'm going to have to get my ar5e down there for a look soon.

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

[Rogue]

My sister lived there when i was based in Devonport so i know the area well

[FLYING BANANA]

Originally Posted by trikey

Nice write up Bob, I'm going to have to get my ar5e down there for a look soon.

Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk

Always welcome to the land of the pasty.

[wraymond]

We were fortunate to live in Saltash (Essa Road) for about 12 years. 100 yards from the main street and a lovely house. My job took me all over the area and we were also involved in the Lions club so became a supporter of local charities and events. A very happy time. I miss it!

[FLYING BANANA]

What famous people can you remember coming to Saltash. Wilfred Pickles broadcast his radio show from the Guildhall, Queen Mother opened bridge, Frankie Vaughan opened boys club and Richard & Judy the cross. Can you think of anyone else?

**** copied from the Saltash Community Page on Facebook

[Rev Jules]

Originally Posted by FLYING BANANA

What famous people can you remember coming to Saltash. Wilfred Pickles broadcast his radio show from the Guildhall, Queen Mother opened bridge, Frankie Vaughan opened boys club and Richard & Judy the cross. Can you think of anyone else?

**** copied from the Saltash Community Page on Facebook

Yes That famous star of Saltash radio, Mr Robert Burgess. YEAAAA !!!

Rev.

[FLYING BANANA]

Originally Posted by Rev Jules

Yes That famous star of Saltash radio, Mr Robert Burgess. YEAAAA !!!

Rev.

I’ll need an agent soon. How much do you charge for autographs?

[FLYING BANANA]

In addition to my opening story.

The last fare paying ferry to go across the Tamar was steered by a 6 year old boy. He was well known by the ferrymen as he lived in a house right next door to where the ferry docked on the St.Budeax side of the river. This lad’s Mum and Dad ran the Ferry Boat Inn, and naturally the ferry boat men drank there.

Now this lad was very an enterprising young man. The fare for passengers on the ferry was 1d, half a penny in these modern days. But this lad had other ideas, he hated school and would bunk off whenever he got the chance. If someone missed the ferry it would be a 40 minute wait till it came back. So the lad would offer to row the passengers across for 3d per passenger. He soon saved enough money to buy himself a bicycle. But the lure of the river would always drag him back.

In later years when our lad had grown up he often used to drink in Saltash and would often miss the last ferry across. If the tide on the river was running right our lad would “borrow” a rowing boat and get home that way. He might row the boat back in the morning or row back in the evening. If the tide was on the turn then our lad would walk across the river via the railway bridge. The trains would stop running by 21.00. Also his wife to be often used to walk across the bridge home after going to the cinema in St.Budaex. She lived in Burraton Combe and part of Saltash.

Our lad done his apprenticeship at Devonport as a welder, his father also a welder worked there. But the lure of the river was in our lads blood. His father had retired from the dockyard to look after his wife, who sadly passed away soon after. So now Dad had time on his hands. So our lad left his job, and with his saving and some of his Dad’s money they bought a 40’ fishing boat. They fished inshore. Very successful they were. They sold their catch at Plymouth Fish Market.
In Saltash there used to be a wet fish shop and the owner used to travel to the market to buy the fish for the shop. That person was going to fall in love with our lad and one day they would be married.

Our lad and his Dad finally decided to sell the boat as the competition was too strong for them to survive. So with the boat sold our lad, with his share of the money, bought another boat to rebuild. His Dad had met a very nice lady and they got wed. Our lad had already married the wet shop fish owner, so our lad had a job as well as a new wife.
The wet fish owner had been married before and had two children, one of each.
Her story is simply amazing but that can wait for another day.

What with supermarkets having wet fish counters spelt the end of the shop. So they sold up, it’s now The Fresh Fox cafeteria.
And our lad has totally rebuilt is beloved boat and will be going into the water this April.
The boats new name will be “Moonstone”, our lad had a Moonstone 75. He also had a Ski Blue 75 saloon. Sadly both 75’s have gone to make baked bean tins.
But our lad has a British Racing Green MG ZTT.

Our lad is none other than my good friend Allen Macavoy and his wife is Val. And Allen was know throughout his childhood as Ratty, as lived more on the riverbank than in his home, and that is his forum name.

Hope you have found the story interesting. I did.

[squire]

Great story Bob, who would believe it, thanks for sharing. You really have settled yourself well in a lovely part of the world.

Martyn