- Request for information about farms and the 1943 Evacuation from Ann Lidstone
It is believed that 180 farms were evacuated from the restricted area around Slapton in 1943, but there appears to be no Government or local authority list of where each was removed to. I plan to compile such a list, and ask anyone who hears a conversation recalling those times, or knows a farmer who may have been evacuated, to take note and let me know their details, or retain the name and leave a message for me so that I can get in touch. The intended list would include the places where the households stayed, with or without their animals and machinery, for the ten month period from November 1943 to September 1944.
It was an unusual opportunity for change: some did not return to their former farm, others may have taken early retirement, implemented a different way of farming, or even changed career. The reminiscences of some have been well-recorded in books written by Gladys Bradbeer and, more recently, by Robin Rose-Price and Jean Parnell. It is not intended to compete with those excellent works, but to pinpoint the actual locations where all the farms were transported to.
I heard recently that Charleton farmers removed their gates and labelled them, then stored them in one field outside the evacuated area and later collected them from there. Others left them in place and applied for damage compensation, in many cases getting larger replacement gates, as the newer and larger machinery demanded. One family was separated, father going with the cows to one farm, and mother and daughter to another with the fowls! When some sneaked back to harvest plums, they were so disturbed by the eerie silence that they turned tail and ran. These are things I had not previously heard and, before it is too late, would like to record them.
Farms in parts of the villages of Blackawton, East Allington, Stokenham, Slapton, Strete, Torcross and Chillington were evacuated. The list of them will not be a complete one, or necessarily correct, but it may serve to prompt memories.
Alston, Barnston, Blacklands, Bowden, Buckland, Bugford, Bunkers, Burlestone, Burley, Carlane, Cheat, Cliston, Clovelly, Colehanger, Coles Cross, Coombe, Coombe Park, Cornmill, Cotterbury Barton, Cross, Cuttery, Darnacombe, Dearswell, Dittiscombe, Dreyton, East Down, East Hartley, Eastergrounds, Fairfield, Fallapit, Flear, Forder, France, Fuge, Grimstone, Hansel, Harleston, Higher Abbotsleigh, Higher Coleridge, Higher Collaton, Higher Coltscombe, Higher Combe, Higher Cotterbury, Higher Frittiscombe, Higher Millcombe, Higher Norton, Higher Poole, Hillfield, Homefield, Horsewell, Hutcherleigh [1], Hutcherleigh [2], Hutcherleigh [3], Instart, Island, Kellaton, Keynedon, Keynedon Mill, Knighton, Laburnum, Larcombe, Little Pittaford, Little Wadstray, Lower Abbotsleigh, Lower Cliston, Lower Coleridge, Lower Collaton, Lower Coltscombe, Lower Combe, Lower Cotterbury, Lower Frittiscombe, Lower Millcombe, Lower Norton, Lower Poole, Loworthy, Mattiscombe, Merrifield, Middle Wadstray, Middlegrounds, Netherton, New House, Newton, Nutcombe, Oldstone [1], Oldstone [2], Pad[dle]lake, Pasture, Pitt, Pittaford, Pollardscombe, Poole, Pruston Barton, Quarry, Rimpston, Ritson [1], Ritson [2], Scarswell, Seccombe, Shepleigh Court, Sherford Down, Sloutts, Stancombe, Stokenham Barton, Stone, Stray Park, Sweetstone, Thorne, Torr, Town, Venn, Washwalk, West Down, West Hartley, Widdicombe, Widewell, Wood, Woodford.
If you can help in any way, please contact me either by e-mail: annlidstone@madasafish.com or by phone: 01548-852662
John Deem retires from Kingsbridge History Society
A Visit to Sunnydale Quarry at Beesands and Annual Lunch, November 2005
A Local History Jamboree, July 2005
Silver tribute for Anne's devoted service
Joan's gift in memory of Fergus
Well-earned tributes for loyal service
The young twitter