• Frank Farr

East Budleigh staged its own cattle market

Eighty-eight–year-old Frank Farr is a familiar face in East Budleigh. Apart from 1939-45, when he was in the army, he has lived and worked in the village all his life. Over the years, Frank has jotted down memories of what village life was like during the past century, and over the coming months he will be writing about his recollections for your Journal:

IN the late 1920s to the ’40s, the late Mrs Layman looked after the cassocks and surplices of the All Saints’ Church, mending and washing them.

East Budleigh cattle market was near Otterton Mill on Tuesdays. It was all cattle for slaughter.

On Friday, it was all cattle for growing on. The auctioneers were Messrs Husseys from Exeter.

Cattle were often driven from the market to cattle trucks in East Budleigh rail station. There would be an RSPCA officer to see that there was no cruelty to the animals.

When the Swindon rolling stock had their holidays, many came to the West Country. The railway company had camping coaches in many station sidings, from Exmouth to Sidmouth, where their workers could stay. Often there were two to four in each siding.

In those days you could buy a good house for £450-£600. Today, young people haven’t got a cat in hell’s chance of getting a home for themselves. Many could not raise the mortgage required.

There are too many holiday homes in all villages, driving young people out.

On the common, during the 1939-45 war, the Royal Marines had a very large camp with water, electricity, a bus service and telephones.

Ten or 20 acres out of this land, which is over 200,000 acres, would not be missed and could be used for affordable housing for the young.

I feel very sorry for the younger generation trying to get a home together to buy.
Let us remember, many of our MPs have more than one home. It is high time something is done for these young people.

It seems we can find homes for people coming into this country, but not our own people – it’s a poor show.

Have your say in the forums! >>

• Back to Devon history >>