Opening the new footbridge 14th November 2010 on behalf of the National Trust. Cutting the ribbon the first time.
I had the honour to be asked to open the new footbridge over the Plym 14th November 2010 on behalf of the National Trust.
Talking about all the other wooden bridges that have been built over the years
When I was was a boy many years ago, that river flowed like milk there was so much clay in it.
My wife Marilyn, and I pose on the new bridge. The Trust did an excellent job.
Gus and I watch as the spactators try out the new bridge. By Gad it works!
Take your time, there's room enough for all of you.
Leading the way back. What an intrepid explorer!
Cutting the ribbon for the second time for the benefit of the press who turned up late.
The Rustic Bridge. My great grandfather Frederick Jeffery, who we were told helped to build the bridge, is the third man on the left with the white moustache and wearing a vest. Ros May.
The Rustic Bridge c.1926
This bridge wasn't there in my lifetime.
A closer look at the support from the Dewerstone side. (c.Graham Eagle)
A view up stream before the current footbridge was built. You can see the remains of the supports for a previous bridge or perhaps pipeline. (c.Graham Eagle)
Today there is a bridge over the river. When I was young we had to jump from rock to rock.
If you look closely you can see the corner of the old weighbridge in the bottom left of this picture.This is the view of the bridge from the entrance to the clay works.
As children we used to walk on the wall of the bridge. I dread to think what would have happened if we fallen off.
Yet another view of the Bridge
Shaugh Bridge in the snow c.Paul Rendell. Dartmoor News
Bottom of hill leading to Shaugh Prior. To the right is a road leading to the old mill. To the left is the entrance to the remains of the clay works. Now used as a car park.
All that remains of the old china clay works. This is at the bottom of the hill to the left.
Another view of the clay works. There used to be a slag heap to the left of the picture where we used to pick up coke.
Clearing the Kiln of undergrowth. c.Paul Rendell. Dartmoor News
The Crew c.Paul Rendell. Dartmoor News
Mrs Jeffreys meat safe 17th May 2009
The Kiln 17th May 2009
The outhouse The Kiln 17th May 2009
The clay works as it appeared in a newspaper in 1939
The clay works as it appears in Tom Greeves excellent book "Images of England-Dartmoor" Well worth gettin a copy (C. Tom Greeves)
I'd say this picture was taken in the late 1920's 0r early 1930's because the lorries appear to be Morris Commercial Dropside Lorries which were built in the 1920's . The cottage where the Jeffery's and later the Pundsack's lived is on the right hand end of this picture
A side view of the clay works. Redrawn by Chris Titchener from a sketch done by Jeffery Jones who lived in the cottage with his Grandparents.
A Plan of the clayworks. Redrawn by Chris Titchener from a sketch done by Jeffery Jones who lived in the cottage with his Grandparents.
Frank and Annie Jeffery in front of the cottage they lived in at the clay works taken 1932. They lived there with their six children from around 1900 to 1944.
Frank and Annie Jeffery 1939
Jeffery Jones and Aunt May? standing outside the cottage attached to the clay works October 1944. There is another photograph of Jeffrey in the school pictures 1940
Miss Winifred Jeffery, daughter of Fred & Annie Jeffery. She taught at Shaugh Prior Primary in the thirties.
A newspaper article about Horace Jeffery who lived at the clay works with his parents November 1933
Fred Jefferies with lorry outside the kiln loading bays
Kiln Cottage in the snow
A view of the Plym and the Meavy rivers meeting.
An old painting of the mill with the Dewerstone back left.
An old picture of the mill
The mill as it is today
The front of the mill
The mill in the distance taken by Brian Willis from "Endomoor" cottage. Taken early 1950's.
A view of "Endomoor". situated on the left of the road just above the old clay works.
A view of the Dewerstone through the gate of "Endomoor". The car is a Ford Anglia and belonged to Brian Willis's father. Taken in the early 1950's.
"Endomoor" as it is today.
My sister Justine and my ex-wife with our children. Taken early seventies.
Those of us left return in 2010
An old picture of the bridge from the Plym side.
Tony Foster and me. Tony was best man at my first wedding in 1966. This was taken in about 1963.
An old picture of the view from the Meavy side.
Postcard from 1908
This is the previous picture enlarged 1908.
How the bridge looks today.
Circa 1900 by the looks of the clothes the people on the bridge are wearing
Guess where this is? The current bridge was built in 1823.
A painting of what was probably the bridge prior to 1923. Note house on left no longer there but there were ruins when I was a boy
Painting looking upriver at the new Shaugh Bridge so must be after 1823. Note the house on left is still there at that time.
A print of Shaugh Bridge dated 1898
This must have been taken in winter because the river is so high.
Many people visited and brought their picnics and still do.
A recent picture of the meeting of the two rivers.
A picnic at the base of the Dewerstone. my sister Justine and I grew up at Shaugh. She eventually married Shaun and they had 2 daughters, Tracey and Sarah. They all still visit the area. This photograph was taken about 20 years ago.
There are a group of chalets hidden away in the woods at Shaugh. This was taken by Daniella Fry.
Can't tell you where they are on pain of death or worse! but there are at least eight chalets which date back to WW2. I never knew they were there. This is Dave the owner of this one.
The front of Dave's hut. Most were built by people from Plymouth to house their families during the blitz.
There are at least another 7 huts like this scattered around the area.
They are now used as holiday chalets. This one is owned by a chap called Alex.
It is very cosy inside with a wood burning stove
Alex shows us his solar panel which provides electricity for his radio and water pump.
What ingenuity! Alex built this hot tub for his children to play in. Water is pumped from the river into the big plastic canister, A copper pipe takes the water over a fire, as the water heats up it rises and is piped back into the cannister. Brilliant
Another cosy chalet used frequently.
Two well known residents of Shaugh in 1959 standing in front of another of the huts. (c. R & E Smerdon)
Wendy and Elaine in front of their hut in 1950. (c.E Smerdon)
Behind this gate was the Kiosk which sold sweets, tobacco and lemonade. I used to collect pop bottles for their deposits. It was first owned by Mrs Brown and then her daughter Mrs Kellaway. i went to school with her son Howard.
A very old photo because the road appears to be just a dirt track.
This signpost is now on the right hand corner of the road shown in the previous picture.
Behind the woods in the previous picture used to be a group of about 30 to 40 huts like this and the ones shown in the previous photographs. This is the only one left.
This is the spot where our hut ”Sanpam“ was. The huts were used by people during the war to escape the blitz of Plymouth.
The plan of our hut, just two rooms with no electricity, gas or running water. We lived there for 12 years.
This hut was owned by a family called Ayers. They lived there between 1941 and 1946.
The little boy smiling is Ron Ayers who is now in his 70's.
Map of Shaugh Bridge. Drawn by Chris Titchener.
From L to R. Shaun Elder, Paul Eastlake, David Fookes, John O'Brian, Glyn Jones,Marilyn Jones, Susan Walke, Wendy Chambers. Supplied by Shaun Elder a frequent visitor to Shaugh.
From L to R. Back, John O'Brian, Mervyn Jones, David Fookes, Shaun Elder, Dave Andrews. Paul Eastlake, Marilyn Jones, Wendy Chambers,Susan Walke,Penny Hughes, Glyn Jones. Supplied by Shaun Elder a frequent visitor to Shaugh
Susan Walke, Marilyn Jones, John O'Brian, Mervyn Jones, David Fookes, Shaun Elder, Dave Andrews, Paul Eastlake Crouching Glyn Jones. Supplied by Shaun Elder a frequent visitor to Shaugh.
