English Riviera Magazine October/November 2022

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Julian Rees julian@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

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ISSN (Print) 2052-8515

ISSN (Online) 2052-8523

Next issue 25 November

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ENGLISH RIVIERA MAGAZINE 69 DAVIES AVENUE PAIGNTON TQ4 7AW

© 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner ’s risk and whilst every care is taken, Devon Magazine Company Ltd will not accept liability for loss or damage. Every e ort has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors or alterations or for the consequences of any reliance on these details; neither can they vouch for the accuracy of claims made by any advertiser. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Welcome

to the October and November issue...

is is our rst issue since the death of our much loved and amazingly long-serving Queen Elizabeth II. We’d like to pay tribute to her years of sterling service, ever-present reassurance and her wonderful sense of humour. We’ve been looking for ways to keep warm and have fun this autumn and we chat to Graham Kerr about the brandnew English Riviera Walking Festival, which has options for the gentle strollers through to the intrepid hikers among us. We also pop in to view Red House Mysteries’ Escape Rooms in Torquay, which has two devilishly puzzling games to crack in a fun hour of detective work. For the foodies, we take a look at England’s Seafood Feast and Dartmouth Food Festival, both deliciously worth checking out. ere’s a host of other activities including Halloween hijinks and picturesque pumpkins at Occombe Farm, gardening events to keep you warm, theatre performances, art exhibitions and lots more.

Heritage lovers can learn about Henry Forbes Julian who learned how to extract gold and silver from its ore, retired in Torquay and was then lost on the Titanic. Or read about Torre Abbey’s links to Richard the Lionheart and then nd out how Brixham sailing trawler Vigilance was saved from disaster.

sunday lunch is back on the menu

(so we’re putting on our Sunday best)

To mark the return of his much loved Sunday roasts, Chef Callum has introduced a new addition to our menu that he calls his ‘Sunday Best’.

Available for pre-order only, it offers extra choices such as gorgeous grass fed, 28 day aged ribs of Devon beef or plump crowns of local, free range chicken. Needless to say with all the trimmings.

So for a Sunday roast fit for a king, or family and friends, come to the Bay.

South Devon Choir Fundraiser

South Devon Choir has presented a cheque for £1,000 at Torbay Hospital, to thank the dedicated local health workers for their care and commitment during the Covid pandemic, and to support their work in the local community. The choir raised the money at a special day of song at Paignton Parish Church, with a workshop and evening performance of Fauré’s beautiful ‘Requiem’. The day was also dedicated as a memorial to those affected by and lost in the pandemic. The choir is already looking forward to its next performance, featuring Mozart’s ‘Coronation Mass’ and some of Handel’s most loved choruses and arias, in November. Liz Davenport, Chief Executive at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said, “I would like to thank the South Devon Choir and everyone who supported their ‘come and sing’ performance for their generosity and kindness.” Jill Stevens, the Choir Chairperson said, “I’d like to thank all those who took part, as singers or supporters.”

take place at 10.45am on a Tuesday and Wednesday in Torquay Museum’s lecture theatre. New members are always welcome to join the friendly, sociable Torquay Museum Society. For more details email: membership@ torquaymuseum.org, download an application form from the museum’s website, or telephone 01803 293975.  torquaymuseum.org

Torquay Museum Society Autumn Lecture Programme

Torquay Museum Society has a fascinating Autumn Lecture Programme, packed with eye opening talks on a myriad of topics by experts in their fields. There are 28 talks, running from 4th October 2022 until 31st January 2023, all free of charge to Torquay Museum Society Members, or £5 per talk to non-members, payable on the door. The talks range from The Physics of Piracy by Dr Jonty Depp, a lecturer in maritime engineering and thespian (who will deliver his talk dressed as a pirate academic), to Tropical Rainforests, in which naturalist Roger Hamilton explores these enormously important environments. A full list of the Spring Lecture Programme talks can be found on Torquay Museum’s website, or a leaflet is available from the museum. Talks

New! Torquay History

‘Torquay: A Social History’ by local author Kevin Dixon is now available to purchase. It’s a 10,000-year journey telling of how a collection of rural hamlets came together to become the richest town in England. From living in fear of unfamiliar ships in Torbay, the town would become the centre of an Empire’s elite at leisure. This is about the lives of locals and visitors, of smugglers and pirates, of suffragettes, occultists, radicals and rioters. Read about ordinary folk, their communities, and the way they saw their world. Often forgotten, they made Torquay the place it was, and the town it is today.

‘Torquay: A Social History’ is 179 pages long and is available for £10 from Artizan Gallery on Lucius Street in Torquay (Opens Tuesday to Saturday 11am - 5pm). To reserve a copy, please email: info@artizangallery.co.uk 

Queen of Spain Butter y - My Butter y Memories Spain Lecture 11 January 2023

RNLI Torbay Challenge

As part of a series of major fundraising events, RNLI Torbay crew have completed their epic 60-mile row across Scotland. In tribute to the crew’s RNLI forefathers, a team of novice rowers from Torbay RNLI lifeboat station, volunteered to travel to Scotland at their own expense, to row the entire 60-mile length of the Caledonian Canal, from Inverness to Fort William. Given their lack of rowing experience, this was a testing challenge. The team received some instruction and advice from Brixham Gig Rowing Club and were out twice per week training over the summer. On their final day in Scotland, Roger Good, team leader, led his crew up Ben Nevis. This will be good practice for their biggest fundraising challenge, to summit Kilimanjaro, which they are planning to do in February. The full team included: Stuart White, Richard Burden, Jack Hawketts, Ben Fowler, Gary Fletcher, Fred Farmer, Bruce Graham, Ron Campion, Gareth Phipps, and Roger Good. To donate please visit justgiving.com/fundraising/kilimanjaro23-row 

Torquay Pavilion Restoration

Work is underway to restore Torquay’s iconic Art Nouveau Pavilion as it celebrates its 110th birthday. First opened on Saturday 17 August 1912 the building, which was granted Grade II listed status in 1973, has undergone many changes during its history. It has been 10 years since the doors closed on the Pavilion, and the work now underway will determine its future. Specialist survey work to look at the inner core of the building has already taken place, with further intrusive survey work starting in the coming weeks. Upon completion of the survey work, a restoration plan will be finalised and considered prior to any final decisions on the future of the building being made. Cllr Darren Cowell, Deputy Leader of Torbay Council said, “We are currently in discussions to bring the Pavilion back under direct control of the council. If these discussions are successful, it will significantly move the restoration project forward – which we know the community are keen for us to do.” 

Oscar Ceremony

It was an Oscar ceremony with a difference as Dart Sailability launched a new boat funded by a generous donation from The Alan Goodenough Charitable Trust and Mr Goodenough. Kay Goodenough did the honours for ‘Oscar’ an R S Venture and poured some bubbly onto the bow of the boat. The boat enables carers, family and friends to sail with a disabled sailor and provides challenging sailing for those wanting an adrenaline boost. The ceremony at Dartside Quay also saw the naming of a boat in memory of former member, Mike Matthews, who tragically died during the Covid pandemic. Dart Sailability benefitted from a collection at Mike’s funeral, and the Hansa 303 dinghy has been named Chatty Mike. Dart Sailability’s Chairman of Trustees Neil Strevens says, “We are extremely grateful for the amazing support our charity has received since our relocation to Dartside Quay in 2021. These two boats will really increase the opportunities for our sailors, volunteers, friends and family.”

Trevor BrantonRichard Blake

Clare LankesterAndrew Clayton

Baby Diana Monkey South Devon & Torbay Monopoly

Paignton Zoo has welcomed the arrival of a baby Diana monkey the first of the endangered species to be born at Paignton Zoo in over 10 years, making this arrival even more special. First-time mother Akea was born at Paignton Zoo in 2006 and can be seen at the Zoo’s Monkey Heights. Diana monkeys are Old World monkeys that can be found in forests in West Africa. They get their name from the shape of their brow, which is said to resemble the crescent on the bow of the Roman goddess Diana. Paignton Zoo’s Diana monkeys are part of a European breeding programme for the species, which is threatened by extensive deforestation for logging and charcoal production, as well as by poaching for their meat and skin. 

Rowcroft Hospice launched its brand-new MONOPOLY South Devon & Torbay edition at a reception at Kents Cavern. This new version of the much-loved MONOPOLY game was developed in partnership with Winning Moves, a subsidiary of Hasbro. You’ll find more than 40 South Devon locations, venues and businesses plus many local tourist attractions including Princess Theatre, Newton Abbot Racecourse, Woodlands, Pennywell Farm and Paignton Zoo. The game celebrates Rowcroft’s 40th anniversary and was sponsored by over 40 local businesses. Priced at £30, the new MONOPOLY game can be ordered from Rowcroft’s website and is available to purchase in Rowcroft’s shops across South Devon and at many of the attractions featured in the game. Two of the sets contain a Golden Ticket which gives the winner £1,500 worth of family entry vouchers to south Devon attractions. Rowcroft’s CEO Mark Hawkins said, “For us as a charity, the new income generated by the sales of the game is crucial through these financially challenging times.” 

One Torbay E-newsletter

Torbay Council’s weekly e-newsletter service now has over 9,000 subscribers. If you don’t receive it in your inbox every Friday then you can sign up by clicking on the ‘Sign up to email updates’ button on any of the council’s website pages. The e-newsletter keeps users up to date with local service bulletins, events, and opportunities for groups and individuals from right across the bay to have their say in local policy. It’s an ideal way of staying in touch without having to scroll endless social media feeds.  torbay.gov.uk

rowcrofthospice.org.uk/monopoly

Graham Kerr Walking the English Riviera

As it’s a very rainy day, I’m meeting Graham in the restaurant on the top oor of Hoopers in Torquay. He’s just nished one of his regular walking tours with a group of Bay visitors.

In fact, although his very rst job was working for Plymouth based Farley’s baby foods, Graham has spent most of his career running his own marketing agency. He sold the company in October 2019 with a vague idea of retirement, but a trip to London with wife Maria, who is Registrar at Plymouth College, changed everything.

Although the London tour itself wasn’t particularly memorable, Graham noticed that his guide had gathered a good 30 or 40 people in his group, a pretty impressive turnout. Not only that, but a little later he spotted the same guide with his next tour and a similar size group. A germ of an idea was sown and when he returned to Torquay, he discovered the town’s tour guide had recently retired.

During the rst lockdown, Graham took the opportunity to create a range of tours including: Beauty of the Bay, Best of Babbacombe, Torquay at War and Hidden Harbour. He approached the Visitor Information Centre in Torquay who recommended developing an Agatha Christie tour because a huge number of our visitors are interested in the Queen of Crime’s links to Torquay.

Many of us will know that Agatha Christie was born in Torquay and later bought Greenway in Galmpton as a holiday residence. ere’s a wealth of local links and intriguing anecdotes about the internationally bestselling crime author. e second lockdown provided the time for Graham to carry out the research and it became apparent that focussing on Agatha’s remarkable life was

the ‘sweet spot’, which would be interesting to her fans across the world.

Nowadays, Graham’s Agatha Christie Tours are by far his most popular and he runs these twice a day, every day during the summer. It’s a delightful two and a half hour guided walk, over at terrain, with a stop at Torre Abbey for scrumptious tea and cake.

Graham says, “It’s a massive privilege to be able to convey the extraordinary story of the world’s bestselling novelist and Torquay’s most famous resident (and yes she is more famous than Basil Fawlty!)”.

In just two and a half years, Graham has walked approximately 2 million steps or the equivalent of walking from Torquay to Edinburgh twice – whilst talking all the way! e majority of overseas guests are from America with other visitors from Luxembourg, Iceland, Dubai, South Africa, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Argentina and Algeria. e most recent is a famous crime writer from Panama, who has been inspired to write by reading Agatha Christie as a child and travelled especially to Torquay for the Agatha Christie Festival.

Now Graham is working with a wide range of tour guides in preparation for the forthcoming English Riviera Walking Festival, which takes place from 15 to 22 October. ere are 24 themed walks to suit all ages and abilities and it’s already proving very popular.

Organising the festival has made Graham re ect fondly on his experiences as a tour guide in Torbay. Memorable guests include: a psychic medium who pointed out ‘spirits’ along the route; a female Russian comedian who works the ‘adult circuit’; an inspirational blind couple with their guide dog; a ballet dancer from Taiwan and a Met Police O cer working on the Grenfell Tower enquiry. He’s loved meeting over 1,000 people on his tours to date. Nowadays most of his bookings come via Trip Advisor, Air BnB and his website and he’s justly proud of his perfect 5 star record for every guest review.

Graham has spent most of his life in Somerset and other parts of Devon. One day he ‘Googled’ beach cafés in the West Country and up popped Meadfoot Beach. He loved the area so much that he booked into the Osborne Hotel and started looking in estate agent windows. He returned home to Somerset, put their house on the market and moved to Torquay ve years ago.

Graham Kerr is the owner of English Riviera Walking Tours and is coordinating the exciting new English Riviera Walking Festival in October. Anita Newcombe meets him for a chat.

Since Maria and I moved here, our Somerset friends have joined us too, drawn in by the beauty of the bay

“

He says, “One of the best decisions we ever made! Since Maria and I moved here, our Somerset friends have joined us too, drawn in by the beauty of the bay.”

Graham and Maria have two children who both went to Wellington School in Somerset. It’s the very same school attended by David Suchet, the actor who famously played Agatha Christie’s legendary Hercule Poirot.

Graham is keen to pay tribute to the English Riviera BID Company, the driving force

behind the new English Riviera Walking Festival. He has bene tted from other local partnerships too including e 25 Boutique, Torquay Water Sports, Cary Arms, Devon & Moor Walking and Driving Tours and the South West Coast Path. Not to mention all the amazing walk leaders who will be leading exciting tours during the festival.

If you want to book a festival walk, do have a look at the following pages for all the details.  englishrivierawalkingtours.co.uk

Do you fancy a guided tour through the Bay’s most fascinating and beautiful places?

If so, the brand-new English Riviera Walking Festival will be right up your street.

There’s no shortage of spectacular walks along our beautiful coast and countryside, but there is always so much more to discover. Some really special guided tours are now available to book. How about Horticultural Odyssey; Hidden Wonders of Wellswood; Discovering Torquay’s involvement in both World Wars; or Twilight Bat Hunt?

Walks range from hilly routes along the South West Coast Path, to an easy meander by the beach, so there’s something suitable for walkers of all abilities and ages. There’s even a Wagging Tails Trail especially for dogs and their owners led by doglover and guide Nigel Makin.

This brand-new festival will open your eyes to a wealth of intriguing facts that may very well have passed you by. Paignton’s Hidden History Walk led by Karen Chapman will acquaint you with the fascinating tales of this town’s development on a circular walk that includes its wonderful historic buildings.

The Cockington Woodland Wander will take you from Occombe across open farmland to centuriesold Cockington Country Park to discover the historic

manor house, its quaint church and beautiful lakes.

Torquay’s Supernatural Tour, led by historian Dr Kevin Dixon, will focus on a light-hearted look at the many legends and ghosts associated with the town. Along with local author Matt Newbury, Kevin is also running a Magical Musical Tour, a walk to uncover the locations of songs that were written in, or inspired by Torbay.

Tour guide and festival organiser Graham Kerr is running a rather more strenuous walk entitled Beauty of the Bay that tours the grand architecture of the Lincombes, visits Meadfoot Beach and returns via a view of the London Bridge sea arch and the Imperial Hotel. Or you could try his hugely popular walk entitled Agatha Christie’s Extraordinary Life, recounting the story of Torquay’s best known resident, who has sold over 2 billion books.

Nick Powe, owner of Kents Cavern, will be leading a 4-mile walk around the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark. It takes in the SW Coast Path including the highly photogenic Thatcher Point, Hope’s Nose and Anstey’s Cove. He will also be

This brand-new festival will open your eyes to a wealth of intriguing facts that may very well have passed you by...

“ “

leading a special evening tour of the awe inspiring Kents Cavern.

Ali Marshall, Head Gardener at Torre Abbey, will be opening your eyes to the delights of the walled garden at Torre Abbey and through the grounds, examining rare and exciting plants in their collection. Her Horticultural Odyssey will see you stroll amongst the remains of a medieval monastery and the fascinating Potent Plants Garden, which was inspired by Agatha Christie’s love of poison.

Maritime Paignton, led by Karen Howes is a circular walk via Paignton Harbour and Fairy Cove to Roundham Head and through Young’s Park, giving an exciting insight into Torbay’s astonishing maritime history.

How about a short stroll foraging for plants around Torre Abbey’s beautiful walled garden to create your perfect cocktail? Simon Akeroyd, author and owner of Yarde Wild Winery is your guide. You’ll make and savour a Torre Abbey cocktail at the end of the tour, enhanced by Yarde of Cockington sparkling wild wine. This is an over 18s tour.

John Risdon, a heritage guide, will be leading the

Senior Strollers of Broadsands tour, which takes in the vivid geological structures and hidden shipwrecks of this impossibly beautiful beach with its pretty beach huts, majestic railway viaducts and iconic stream train.

Kevin Johns, guide and storyteller at Taleblazers will be leading Hidden Wonders of Wellswood, which takes in the natural and man-made beauty of this a uent area, with wonderful sea views, woodland walks and the stunning Regency architecture of Hesketh Crescent.

Every guide is local and there are over 22 miles of beautiful scenery, hidden tales and fascinating places to discover.

A full list of all the walks, booking details and more about the guides can be found on the festival website (rivierawalking.co.uk) . The cost for joining a walk is £9 per person for adults, £6 per person for under-18s and under-5s go free. There is also a selection of self-guided walks on the website to choose from.

English Riviera BID Company, as well as Torbay Council and Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust are key festival partners. 

A full list of all the walks, booking details and more about the guides can be found on the festival website rivierawalking.co.uk

For more information: rivierawalking.co.uk 07414 777606 or 01803 211211 or email enquiries@rivierawalking.co.uk

Ben Pering &Mark Nicholls Meeting...

Mark Nicholls

Both Ben Pering and Mark Nicholls became accustomed to elaborate treasure hunts while growing up, regularly ying round in family cars with their parents, and cracking complex riddles. e two friends met when they attended Torquay Boys Grammar School and found they shared a love of computer games, storytelling and solving clues.

While Ben developed a wealth of experience as a sound and lighting technician working seasonally in overseas hotels, Mark immersed himself in Art Deco and Film Noir. In fact he loves the style so much that his house is designed as a 1930s villa and he usually dresses in 1930s style clothing.

When the pair considered working together on a new business they rst thought of treasure hunts but this was fraught with risks – anyone could make o with clues they had laid out in a public space, leaving their customers adrift. So they explored the idea of Escape Rooms. ese immersive, practical, puzzle-solving games had rst appeared in Japan, with interest in the UK growing signi cantly in the last 10 years.

Ben and Mark decided they could create something

amazing so they set to work. ey gradually devised the plotlines, created the sets and nally launched their rst Escape Rooms in Exeter about seven years ago. In fact they were the joint rst ones to launch in the city. In 2019 they opened two further and completely di erent Escape Room experiences right in Torquay’s town centre.

Ben explains that it takes about three months of intensive work to plot out and build a new Escape Room; the attention to detail is astonishing. Ben devises the puzzles and arranges the sound track and lighting while Mark focuses on building, dressing and styling the sets.

e skill is to create a totally immersive experience, to the point that you temporarily believe that you are truly part of the unfolding story.

e Red House Mysteries Escape Rooms in Torquay has two di erent experiences to play and with each you have just an hour to crack the plot. Your time counts down as you and your team (anything from 2-6 people) put your heads together.

e rst game is e Strange Disappearance of Arthur Moon. e brie ng says, “He was just a geeky kid leading a humdrum life in 1980s Britain – until the day he

It takes about three months of intensive work to plot out and build a new Escape Room; the attention to detail is astonishing Ben devises the puzzles and arranges the sound track and lighting while Mark focuses on building, dressing and styling the sets “

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Henry Forbes Julian

A well-travelled expert in chemistry, metallurgy and physics, Henry Forbes Julian spent his later years at e Ness in Shaldon and then Redholme House in Torquay, before losing his life aboard the RMS Titanic. Ian Handford of Torbay Civic Society tells us more.

The ancestors of Henry Forbes Julian are traceable back to the Huguenots of France and include some very distinguished people like an island governor, a canon, a bishop and even a judge. Henry’s parents Dorinda and Henry produced ten children with the second son Henry Forbes born on May 9th May 1861. Having been educated in Cork, Henry moved with his family to Bolton in 1870.

Henry’s childhood gave little clue to the career he followed. In his teens he was certainly interested in science, mainly when working in his father’s home workshop. Yet he became a self-employed engineer securing employment in Africa where at the age of twenty- ve he was working in mine shafts at crushing mills and reduction plants. Eventually, this took him to Barberton in 1886 just before gold was accidently discovered in 1887, and the small population there expanded to ten thousand prospectors. ere was little sanitation or clean water at Barberton and malaria was rife. But Henry now discovered that a solution of cyanogen (cyanide) could extract gold and silver from its ore and by 1888 his process was achieving yields previously thought impossible. Now Edgar Smar wrote and published a paper explaining the process while in Scotland two rival scientists also came to the same conclusion, yet unlike Henry and Edgar they patented the concept. It was an early lesson as

the new process made both Scottish men very rich. Undeterred, in late 1889 Henry was again experimenting, this time with chlorine and cyanide and while using an electrical current and sodium amalgam he discovered that he could extract up to 99% of all metals from any ore. is time he patented the discovery and soon became world famous. He visited places as far a eld as Johannesburg, Kimberly and the Upper Zambesi, walking some three hundred miles with African natives and becoming one the rst white men to get to the Zambesi Falls. ree years later Henry had blown air on organic and inorganic oxidisers, a process he found greatly assisted dissolution; he then returned to Britain to lodge his second patent. Now he relaxed with his family in Lancashire until his yearning for travel returned.

In 1893 Henry became technical adviser of mining and metallurgical research at the Deutsche Gold and Silver Scheide Anstalt Institute at Frankfurt. Now he formulated improvements in the recovery of precious metal from ores and became a joint author of a publication entitled ‘Cyaniding Gold and Silver Ores’. He continued to travel widely and crossed the Atlantic at least thirteen times visiting America, Mexico, the West Indies and Canada.

His third patent, lodged in the Transvaal in 1894,

ey moved from e Ness after six years and came toRedholme House in Braddons Hill Road East, Torquay “

involved cathodes. By now recognised as expert in chemistry, metallurgy and physics, experts around the world applauded him. But having spent most of his career abroad, he now wished to come home as his health was failing. Christmas 1895 was spent with his family and although he wanted to return to Africa, on his London doctors’ advice he relented and nally gave up all professional work.

He wanted to be near the sea in retirement and visited the Isle of Wight, North Wales and various areas before choosing Shaldon in Devon. He purchased a small beach house once the home of the late Lord Cli ord, and called simply ‘ e Ness’. With his father and sisters around him he slowly recovered his health and became interested in horses, dogs and shooting as well as the motor vehicle. He was a founding member of the Royal Automobile Club, a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and kept his interest in science very much alive. He even established a laboratory at the Ness.

In 1901 he met Hester Pengelly (daughter of William Pengelly) and they found they shared a great deal. Hester was a member of the Geologists’ Association, the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Dante Society and like Henry loved travel. After both su ered the loss of their parents in 1902 they were married at St Mary Magdalene in Torquay on October 30th. Meanwhile Henry joined all her local institutions while as a member of the British Association for the Advancement of Science they both found new friends in science.

ey moved from e Ness after six years and came to Redholme House in Braddons Hill Road East, Torquay.

ey enjoyed making trips to South Africa via Tenerife, Santa Cruz, and Los Palmas and even reached Capetown. is being an o cial visit meant they were widely entertained so visited many of Henry’s previous haunts. ey

joined the SS Durban Castle for Durban and went by train to Pietermaritzburg, the Capital of Natal. ere Henry addressed the British Association when delivering a speech to the Transvaal Technical Institute entitled ‘How Oxygen Assists and Retards the Dissolution of Gold in Cyanide Solutions’. Finally, they visited Pretoria, Vereeniging, the Orange Free State, Kimberley and the Zambesi before returning to Capetown and home.

With joint scienti c papers being par for the course, a cable came from America in 1907 taking them back to New York to learn about a ‘Patent Vacuum Filter’. en in 1908 Henry visited Mexico, the Californian gold elds and New York and nally together they went to Quebec, Vancouver, Virginia and Bermuda until that last voyage on Titanic loomed.

e RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage from Southampton was due to sail on April 10th 1912. With a coal strike threatening railway schedules, Hester suggested he put back embarkation until the 11th and sail with the Celtic of White Star line. Intuition maybe, but Henry left on the 9th and with four rail changes arrived to board the Titanic. He is known to have refused to go ahead of women and children on the fateful day 15th April 1912 as the Titanic sank and Henry was lost “presumed drowned”.

His friends placed a special memorial to him in St Mary Magdalene Church and on February 24th 1914 Hester was presented with a scroll of all subscribers. She would live another twenty years until February 11th 1834.

On October 30th 2020, during the Covid lockdown Torbay Civic Society at last unveiled a Blue Plaque honouring Henry Forbes Julian at Redholme House courtesy of its owners Mr & Mrs Brand.   torbaycivicsociety.co.uk

Riviera Heritage

Richard the Lionheart

Torquay had a fascinating role in the world’s most famous kidnapping and its greatest ransom demand. Kevin Dixon tells us more.

William

Brewer is believed to have founded Torre Abbey to give thanks for the return of his son, held hostage against a ransom demanded to free Richard the Lionheart from captivity in Europe.

Even though England’s King Richard; known as the Lionheart, lived most of his adult life in Aquitaine and spent very little time – possibly as little as six months –in England, he is now perceived as the quintessential English king. e statue of Richard Coeur de Lion was installed in Old Palace Yard outside the Houses of Parliament in 1860.

further o ended Leopold by casting down his standard from the walls of Acre.

the very substantial sum of 100,000 marks was handed over and Richard was released on 4 February 1194. “

Richard the Lionheart was the Christian commander during the ird Crusade, and achieved considerable victories against his Muslim counterpart, Saladin, although he didn’t actually retake Jerusalem.

It was on Richard’s long returning trek from the ird Crusade that our story begins. Richard’s ship was wrecked in Italy, forcing him into a dangerous land journey across central Europe. Shortly before Christmas 1192 Leopold of Austria, who accused Richard of arranging the murder of his cousin, captured our King near Vienna. Richard had

e detention of a crusader was, however, contrary to public law, and so the Pope excommunicated Duke Leopold. On 28 March 1193 Richard was handed over to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, who had already fallen out with the Plantagenets. In response, the Pope excommunicated Henry as well. Henry needed money to raise an army and assert his rights over southern Italy, and so he demanded a ransom of 150,000 marks (100,000 pounds of silver) before he would release King Richard. at was two or three times the annual income for the English Crown and a huge sum to nd.

Richard’s mother Eleanor worked hard to raise the ransom. Both clergy and laymen were taxed for a quarter of the value of their property. e gold and silver treasures of English churches were con scated, and money was further raised from other taxes. It still wasn’t enough, although the very substantial sum of 100,000 marks was handed over and Richard was released on 4 February 1194.

As a guarantee that the remainder of the ransom would be paid, 67 highborn hostages were handed over. is additional 50,000 marks would never be paid, but the hostages were nally released in April, and the excommunications were lifted.

e famous kidnapping’s links with Torre Abbey was through William Brewer, major landholder, administrator and judge in England during the reigns of Richard I, his brother King John, and John’s son Henry III.

By 1179 William had been appointed Sherri of Devon and was one of the justiciars appointed by King Richard to administer the kingdom while the he was on his Crusade. He wasn’t popular, however; at times the men of Cornwall, Somerset, and Dorset would pay money to the King for his removal.

William was present at Worms, Germany, in 1193 to assist in the negotiations for the ransom of King Richard. And, while not named, it has always been assumed that William’s young son, William Brewer the Younger, was one of those 67 highborn hostages left with the Emperor.

Every noble family had an interest in a monastic house and nearly a thousand religious houses were founded in England and Wales during the medieval period. Many were founded in con ict or in times of national or personal strife.

In all, William founded and endowed three monasteries: Mottisfort Abbey in Hampshire; Dunkeswell; and of course Torre Abbey. Torre Abbey’s foundation charter says it was built to pray for William’s own soul, for those of his predecessors and successors, and for the souls of Henry II and Richard I.

In fact, it’s believed that William Brewer established the Abbey partly to give thanks for the return of his hostage son. In 1196 six Premonstratensian canons from the Welbeck Abbey in Nottinghamshire founded the Abbey when, as lord of the manor of Torre, William gave them the land.

e other piece of evidence we have is that, when William Brewer the Younger died in 1233, he was buried in front of Torre Abbey’s high altar, and his grave is still there. 

The carved stone sarcophagus in which William Brewer the younger was laid to rest in 1233

VIGILANCE

Saved for Brixham

Vigilance

BM76, the classic Brixham sailing trawler, has been awarded an £820k grant from the Cultural Assets Fund, which is administered by the National Heritage Memorial Fund. e National Heritage Memorial Fund is administering the funding as part of its UK-wide COVID-19 Response Fund, to safeguard nationally important heritage at risk due to the pandemic. e grant will nance vital ‘below the waterline’ repairs.

Nigel Gooding, Finance Director of the charity, which owns and operates Vigilance says, “ is grant is a life saver, it’s a real turning point. It will now allow us to plan for the immediate future and means Vigilance’s red sails will be seen in Tor Bay for years to come.”

Brixham sailing trawlers were built as disposable boats, being worked almost to destruction and with an expected life of only 12 to 15 years. It is a testimony to the amazing e orts of the many volunteers over the years that she’s survived 96 years and will now celebrate her centenary in 2026 in ne style.

Vigilance is a ga -rigged ketch, 76 feet overall and weights 100 tons. Her main mast is 82 feet tall and her full suit of sails will drive her along at 12 knots (14 mph).

Vigilance will go into dry dock in Plymouth in September and the work is expected to last around 20 months. e initial task is massive and involves the replacement of the hull and supporting beams. is grant covers just Phase One of the repairs. Further funds are needed to complete the repairs and when Vigilance leaves the shipyard she will be as good as new.

Nigel Gooding warns,

“Our ght to keep Vigilance in Brixham has received a major boost but big obstacles and more fund raising lie ahead. I see this as a reward for our hard work but we cannot a ord to rest on our laurels.”

Vigilance’s Heather Keeling and Nigel Gooding with ITV’s Bob Cruwys reporting the good news

Once the repairs are complete Vigilance will once again take locals and visitors for trips around Tor Bay, along the English Riviera coast and beyond from her berth on the Heritage Pontoon in Brixham Harbour.

Vigilance was built in 1926, the last of the big trawlers built at the famous Upham’s Shipyard in Brixham and she marked the end of an era. She is now owned and operated by Friends of Vigilance, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and run entirely by local volunteers. e precise number of these classic boats built is unknown but thought to be around 400. ere are just a few left, so it is important to preserve these historic vessels.

Vigilance’s original crew would de nitely envy the people who enjoy her present-day accommodation. Although the ketch now only carries 9 passengers, there are 12 passenger berths in two forward cabins, leaving the saloon completely free for dining and social use. Day trips and whole boatcrewed charters to a destination of your choice are available to book. 

 vigilanceofbrixham.co.uk

Brixham would not be the world famous shing port it is today without boats like historic Vigilance. Now a £820K grant has saved this wonderful vessel from disaster.

England’s Seafood FEAST

30 September - 9 October

Brixham is renowned for its spectacular seafood, fresh from local waters, continuing a lively shing tradition that dates right back to the 14th century.

England’s Seafood FEAST is an exciting collection of events right across Brixham, Paignton and Torquay o ering seafood delights from 30 September – 9 October. is year you’ll be able to enjoy seafood in many ways from ne dining to street food, seafood celebration suppers, guest chef events and a range of di erent activities including Behind-the-Scenes Tours of the worldfamous Brixham Fish Market.

At the Guardhouse Café on Brixham’s spectacular Berry Head National Nature Reserve set high atop 200ft cli s with its stunning sea views and Napoleonic forts, daily seafood specials will be on o er. From the headland you’ll be able to see shing boats returning to Brixham Harbour with their delicious catch. ere’s also the Seabirds and Seafood Feast on 4 October. is includes a guided walk by bird expert Mike Langman plus a cooked seafood breakfast ordered on the day from England’s Seafood Feast special menu and a drink at the Guardhouse café.

At Torquay’s superb Brasserie at the Bay there will be a tantalising Seafood Tasting Menu created by awardwinning Head Chef Callum Tasker.

WeSup by the harbour in Torquay is o ering Small Sea Plates, a street food-inspired foodie experience. Scrumptious choices will include: ashed mackerel, chorizo, ginger, spring onion, lemon; Baked Brixham scallops; N’duja & blush tomato butter and paprika, chilli lemon & parsley butter and crispy salt & pepper sea bass bao buns, crunchy slaw, sriracha, coriander and lots more. e fabulous family-owned No.7 Fish Bistro, overlooking Torquay harbourside, will be o ering an amazing selection of perfectly prepared and cooked fresh sh and shell sh.

Family-run Cantina Kitchen & Bar in Paignton, close to beautiful Goodrington Beach will be serving daily seafood specials, marked up on their blackboards. It’s a great spot and family and dog friendly. ere will be an informal sea swim and talk at Cantina on 8 October. Sophie Pierce and Matt Newbury, the authors of the Wild Swimming Walks series of books will chat about their adventures. Tickets include a delicious bowl of chowder. Matt and Sophie will also be signing books following the talk.

Early morning tours of Brixham Fish Market will be on o er on selected dates. You’ll see the operational side of the daily sh auction, meet shing folk and view up to 40 di erent species of sh. e morning ends with a delicious sh breakfast at Mitch Tonks’ Rock sh restaurant, above the market with great views of the shing boats.

For the full selection of fabulous seafood-themed events check the website.

 englishriviera.co.uk

Dartmouth Food Festival will once again see a plethora of marquees and stalls groaning with food & drink and a big in ux of visitors keen to sample the region’s very best produce. e fun will extend all over Dartmouth from the South Embankment and the Boat Float area, through the heart of the Royal Avenue Gardens and along to the Old Market. You’ll nd a wide array of scrumptious wares, celebrity chef demos, tasting shacks and other fun activities.

With a huge variety of producers, largely from Devon - the festival o ers the chance to browse and buy direct from the growers, makers, bakers and brewers. Stands selling breads, cheeses, meats, drinks, wines, beers, chocolate, apjack, cake, chutneys, oils and even special ice cream for your doggy friends will be available from 10am each day.

Exciting stands will include favourites like: Cornish Cheese Co, Norsworthy Dairy Goats Cheese, Riverford Farm, Pipers Farm, Stanbury Wild Game, West Country Dim Sum, Olives n Stu , Glastonbury Cheese, Langleys Rocky Road, Kernow Forno Pizza, Gourmet Street Kitchen, Food of the Gods Chocolate, Flo & Frankie’s Chocolate, Cornish Meadow Preserves, Churtopia Churros, Ventons Cider, Bays Brewery, Sharpham Wine,

Tors Vodka and Salcombe Gin.

On the Chef Demo Stage you’ll see Romy Gill from Ready Steady Cook, Holly Jones of Manna from Devon Cookery School, Mitch Tonks, of Rock sh and e Seahorse, Mark Hix of e Oyster & Fish House, Nick Evans from Rick Stein’s Cookery School, Mark Tebbutt of Saturday Morning Kitchen and many more.

Astonishingly, this is primarily a free festival with everyone invited to come along and take part. ere are just a few bookable events with an entry fee and these include a series of wine seminars, special tasting events and cookery workshops.

Family fun is not forgotten and ursday 20 October sees a Children’s Tea Party hosted by Flavel Church where local producers will be providing tantalising tasters for youngsters. From Friday through to Sunday Café Al Fresco and Coast & Country Cottages will be hosting the Festival’s Family Area in Royal Avenue Gardens. ere’ll be lots of fun including face painting, biscuit decorating plus arts & crafts for children of all ages.

If you want to try some delicious recipes at home, the website has a selection of wonderful dishes to try, contributed by the Festival’s Chefs and Local Food Heroes.   dartmouthfoodfestival.com

From the top:

Ash Hamilton

Romy Gill MBE

Matt Tebbutt

Mark Hix

e beautiful riverside town of Dartmouth will be abuzz with foodies sampling the delights of this vibrant food festival from 21-23 October.

AROUND THE BAYWhat’s On

Please check before travelling as events are subject to change.

Totnes Raft Race

2 October

The Totnes Raft Race, known as ‘The River Dart Struggle ‘ takes place along the river Dart starting at Dart Bridge, Buckfastleigh, and on through a mixture of white water, fastflo ing eirs and ca m stretches, and makes its a do n to the nish in otnes, a distance of some 3 i ometres ee for competitors; free to spectate. Steamer Quay Road, Totnes TQ9 5UH totnesrotary.co.uk

Wedding Fair, Imperial Hotel

2 October

hether it s the erfect dress, flo ers, s it or entertainment for o r g ests o can nd it a here, s en o a com imentar e come drink oined o er 3 remi m local suppliers, it’s a great place to get lots of ideas. Time: am m free entr Parkhill Road, Torquay TQ1 2DG theimperialtorquay.co.uk

Brixham Fish Market Tours

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12 & 26 October ar risers on t ant to miss the o ort nit to get a fascinating insight into behind-the-scenes operations at England’s argest sh market o will witness the operational side of the dai sh a ction process and have the o ort nit to see to different s ecies of sh o nish off the morning, o i e erience a de icio s sh reakfast at itch onks ock sh resta rant, sit ated right ne t door reakfast consists of eggs, sca o , oca sh, smoked haddock, toast, acon, teas and coffee ickets £ , ooking essentia , time am

The New Fish Quay, Brixham TQ5 8AW therockfish.co.uk/products/fish-market-tour

Torquay Museum Society Talks

Tuesdays andWednesdays

From 4 October – 31 January

A series of fascinating talks will take place throughout the a t mn and inter some s er g est s eakers rom ar s and eng ins to the h sics of irac these en o a e sessions i in igorate o r rain ce s and trans ort o to onders oth near and far ta ks are from am nti noon a ks are free to or a se m ociet em ers and £ to non mem ers, a a e on the door f ist of the ring ect re rogramme ta ks can e fo nd on or a se m s e site, or a eaflet is a ai a e from the m se m em ershi detai s from mem ershi tor a m se m org , do n oad a form ia the e site or ca 3 3 529 Babbacombe Road Torquay TQ1 1HG torquaymuseum.org

Hoopers Fashion Show

6 October or a ife oat ndraiser ime 3 to 3 m, tickets £ , a ai a e from ife oat ho ri ham or oo ers Hoopers, 5-6 The Strand, Torquay TQ1 2DF torbaylifeboat.co.uk

Geodiversity Day, Torre Abbey

8 October

oin a fami friend geo ogica to r of orre e to ce e rate eodi ersit a ring the fascinating isit, the e a s i e re ea ing their secrets and ith o er ears of histor , there s a ot to e nco ered ooka e to rs at am and m ickets £ ooking essentia

suitable for anyone over 6 years.

The King’s Drive, Torquay TQ2 5JE torre-abbey.org.uk

Geodiversity Day Rockpool Ramble

8 October

Learn how Torbay was formed and how the unique geodiversity of the Bay supports such a wide and interesting range of incredible species. Learn about the dolphins and whales that visit, to the tiny creatures living in our rockpools. Time: 10am-12 noon; cost: £3.50 per person; children must be accompanied by a paying adult, booking essential, not suitable for dogs.

Goodrington Sands (opposite Reach Outdoors), Paignton TQ4 6LN countryside-trust.org.uk

Dartmouth Farmers Markets

8 October & 12 November

Enjoy a local farmers market, selling fresh, local and seasonal produce and artisan food products. Dartmouth’s Old Market Square is an ancient, picturesque, cobbled pannier market. Time: 9.30am-3.30pm.

Old Market Square, Victoria Road, Dartmouth TQ6 9QD

Torbay Lifeboat Fundraisers Coffee Morning

12 October

Coffee morning tickets £3, raffle and homemade cakes available. Time: 10am-12 noon.

Old Market House, The Quay, Brixham TQ5 8AW torbaylifeboat.co.uk

Meet the Education Rangers, Occombe

15 October

A Torbay Coast & Countryside Members’ Event. Experience some of the activities and educational work the Trust offers, teaching local children about food, farming and the local environment. Time: 10am-11.30am, members-only, booking essential, membership details on website. Occombe Farm, Preston Down Road, Paignton TQ3 1RN countryside-trust.org.uk

Cockington Apple Day

16 October

Enjoy a fun, family day out with plenty of local cider, beer and delicious hot and cold food stalls plus live entertainment, crafts and activities. Time:

11am-4pm, free entry. Cockington Court, Cockington Lane, Torquay TQ2 6XA cockingtoncourt.org

Women of the RNLI Talk

19 October

A Torbay Lifeboat Fundraiser; time: 2.30-4pm, tickets: talk plus tea and biscuits £5.

Brixham Rugby Club, Astley Park, Rea Barn Road, Brixham TQ5 9ED torbaylifeboat.co.uk

St Marychurch WI Autumn Fayre

22 October

Enjoy lots of interesting stalls coffee/tea with homemade cakes. Time: 10am-2pm. Held by St Marychurch Women’s Institute.

Furrough Cross Church Hall, Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 3SB

A (Very) Batty Half Term, Kents Cavern

22-30 October

Take part in some fun Halloween activities this half term. After your tour around the prehistoric caves, discover a range of interactive activities, all included with the Cave Tour ticket. Halloween costumes and fancy dress encouraged for visiting children. Activities included In Cave Tour ticket. Ilsham Road, Torquay TQ1 2JF kents-cavern.co.uk

Halloween at Babbacombe Model Village

22-30 October

You will see some miniature Halloween themed characters and scenes spooking the miniature residents during the day. There are also evening illuminations on 25, 26 and 27 October. For full details see website or Facebook @ babbacombemv Hampton Avenue, Torquay TQ1 3LA model-village.co.uk

Cockington Ranger Nature Club

25 October

Explore nature with Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust in Cockington Country Park. Enjoy a Halloween activity and a hot chocolate to warm you up. Suitable for ages 5-10 years and families; cost: £3.50 per person; all children must be accompanied by a paying adult. Babies in arms go free;

booking essential; not suitable for dogs. Cockington Visitor Centre, The Linhay, Cockington Lane, Torquay TQ2 6XA countryside-trust.org.uk

Coffee Morning With A Difference!

28 October

Torbay Civic Society’s monthly coffee morning - catch up with local news and planning, mystery items, a quiz and a famo s e on g re ta k e come ime am, admission £ er erson on the door Palace Theatre, Palace Avenue, Paignton TQ3 3HF torbaycivicsociety.co.uk

dinner, tea, coffee and mints. Parkhill Road, Torquay TQ1 2DG theimperialtorquay.co.uk

Torbay Lifeboat Fundraisers Coffee Morning

9 November

Coffee morning tickets £3, raffle and homemade cakes a ai a e ime am to noon Churston Golf Club, Dartmouth Road, Brixham TQ5 0LA torbaylifeboat.co.uk

Cave Cinema, Kents Cavern

28-31 October

This pop-up underground cinema offers a unique experience like no other. Sit back, relax, and watch a movie in a deckchair in Britain’s oldest home. Plus, there’s a cave bar! i ms inc de Coco, he escent, eet e ice, he hining, oc s oc s and nna e e ickets £ , ooking essential.

Ilsham Road, Torquay TQ1 2JF kents-cavern.co.uk

Murder Mystery Night, Imperial Hotel

29 October

t is ri th , the night efore the itanic sets sai to merica and some of the more affl ent g ests of the ill fated liner are having dinner before their crossing begins the next day. This promises to be a fun night of mystery, dining and drinks. Can you guess whodunnit? These popular murder mystery evenings with the Candlelight Theatre Company see all guests turn into super s e ths ickets £ to inc de drinks rece tion, 3 co rse

Brixham Maritime Villains Talk

16 November

or a ife oat ndraiser time 3 m, tickets ta k s tea and isc its £ Brixham Rugby Club, Astley Park, Rea Barn Road, Brixham TQ5 9ED torbaylifeboat.co.uk

Concert – Abide with Me

19 November

aints Ch rch, ri ham ce e rates ears since enr rancis te, com oser of ide ith e rst ecame vicar of the church. The concert inc des m footage and a musical tribute by local historian ike o gate ime 3 m, admission free 01803 855329 peteranne. thorp@btinternet.com All Saints Church, Church Street Brixham TQ5 8HG

Winter Wonderland Grotto

19 & 20, 26 & 27 November eet anta the e es in his Christmas inter onder and grotto n o the s ark ing festi e, a ard inning, animated

Riviera

Local historian Mike Holgate

display. Booking essential. Volunteers who give their time to help raise funds for local Rotary charities run Santa’s Grotto. Gallery Level, Fleet Walk Shopping Centre, Torquay TQ2 5EA Face ook eet a k rotto

dinner tickets: £35 plus booking fee. The Riviera Centre, Chestnut Avenue, Torquay TQ2 5LZ ra n o a .or .uk

Lanterns, Lights & ‘luminations

26 November

Brixham celebrates its Christmas Lights Switch On. The e ent inc des a magica antern arade, a re ork dis a , live music, street entertainment, and a street market. Only battery powered lights are permitted.

The Quay, Brixham TQ5 8TA

Coffee Morning With A Difference!

25 November

Torbay Civic Society’s monthly coffee morning - catch up with local news and planning, mystery items, a quiz and a famo s e on g re ta k All welcome. Time: 10.15am, admission: £4 per person on the door.

Palace Theatre, Palace Avenue, Paignton TQ3 3HF torbaycivicsociety.co.uk

The Rainbow Ball

26 November

Billed as Torquay’s most outrageous night of the year. Headline act is drag performer La Voix, ho as a na ist in Britain’s Got Talent and starred in Absolutely Fabulous The Movie. Alongside La Voix will be burlesque artist Trixi Tassels, award-winning band I Love Amp and local DJ Max Corderoy. Guests will enjoy a drinks reception, 3-course dinner, an a ction, raffle, i e entertainment and dancing thro gh until 2am. The event raises funds for LGBT+ causes and Rowcroft Hospice. Tickets: £65 plus booking fee. After

Winter Fest in the Barn, Torre Abbey 26-27 November

This annual gift and craft fair returns to the stunning setting of the Spanish Barn as part of Torre Abbey’s packed programme of Christmas events. Expect unique handmade Christmas gifts and all sorts of other festival treats including hot chocolate and mulled wine. Included with normal admission charge.

The King’s Drive, Torquay TQ2 5JE torre-abbey.org.uk

Email the details to: editorial@englishrivieramagazine.co.uk

Deadline for submissions is 11 November.

If you are holding an event in December or January let us know and we’ll list it here!

Scarecrows, Pumpkins &SpookySpecials

ere’s something big happening on the farm this October half term... the scarecrows are coming! ey’ll be arriving from all across Torbay, leaving their posts to hide all over Occombe Farm. Scarecrows will be stomping over from Cockington, from Berry Head and from the elds farmed by local conservation charity Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust. Each scarecrow has a story to tell and you have their special mystery to solve. e Big Occombe Scarecrow Trail is at Occombe Farm Park & Play, from Saturday 22nd to Monday 31st October. It’s an exciting trail of discovery. You’ll need to nd the clues, solve the puzzles, and enjoy some surprises along the way. ey can’t wait to spookily meet you. e event is suitable for all ages and no advance booking is required to join in.

Along the Scarecrow Trail you’ll nd a picturesque pumpkin patch, where you can select your very own.

e Occombe team will be on hand with lots of tips, ideas and tricks to help you sculpt a most bewitching pumpkin-style scarer. Everyone will be enchanted to see your nished creations so do tag Occombe Farm in your social media posts.

Occombe Farm Café is planning lots of delicious seasonal comfort food. ere will be warming soups and stews, pumpkin lattes, hot chocolates and spiced cakes. Occombe Farm Shop will be jam-packed with gruesomely brilliant things for your Halloween feast. ere will be giant marshmallows for toasting, speciality sausages for the best hot dogs, homemade relishes, chilli sauces and to ee apples. Find some great food and drink to take your

Halloween from great to spooktacular.

“Double, double toil and trouble; re burn and cauldron bubble”. Kids can head along and stir up a wicked witches brew on the special Occombe Halloween Cookery School. You’ll be making scarily delicious autumnal treats using seasonal ingredients with some picks from the farm garden.

Following the scarecrows, picking a pumpkin or simply visiting, shopping or eating at Occombe contributes towards the care and protection of Torbay’s most beautiful green spaces. Torbay has an outstanding natural environment and heritage that needs special care and attention. Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, a conservation charity, cares for these most important natural places for nature, wildlife, recreation and education. Places like Cockington Country Park, Berry Head National Nature Reserve and lots of wildlifefriendly woodlands, meadows, pathways and bridleways around Torbay.

Occombe Farm Park & Play is open 10am-6pm from April to October and 10am-4pm from November to March. Tickets can be purchased in advance or on arrival (Adults: £10.60, Child: 3-15 years £8, concessions (students & seniors) £9. Annual passes and saver tickets are also available. countryside-trust.org.uk cfd #occombefarm #torbaycountryside

e Occombe team will be on hand with lots of tips, ideas and tricks to help you sculpt a most bewitching pumpkin-style scarer. “

ROUND UP. Arts

Please check before travelling as events are subject to change.

Torquay’s Artizan Gallery & Café

Contemporary Now

6-22 October

Thursday-Saturday 11am-5pm (or by appointment)

An exhibition of contemporary works from selected artists will be featured across all three of Artizan’s gallery spaces. The exhibition will feature a wide range of mediums, sculptures, and ceramics. art-hub.co.uk/ex/oct22

day boats and trawlers. As a result, he has found himself naturally drawn to ‘shape, form and colour’ in his photographs, which are depicted in this exhibition. Launch event: 28 October 6-8pm. art-hub.co.uk/ex/brixham22

Glorious Glass

26 November-24 December

Tuesday-Saturday 11am-5pm

2022 is the Contemporary Glass Society’s 25th anniversary year. From humble beginnings, it has grown into the UK’s foremost organisation for supporting both established and ‘up-and-coming’ glass artists, and for promoting contemporary glass in the wider art world. 2022 is also the UN designated International Year

of Glass. This exhibition allows visitors to appreciate contemporary glass and enjoy its magical colours, textures, use of light and varied techniques and also discover their own local glass artists. Launch event: 25 November 6-8pm. art-hub.co.uk/ex/cgs22

Artizan Gallery & Café, 7 Lucius Street, Torquay, TQ2 5UW

Torquay’s Artizan Collective Gallery

Art of Photography

29 October-17 November

Tuesday-Saturday 11am-5pm

Join Artizan for an exhibition exploring photography as both a record and an art form. Launch event: 28 October 6-8pm. art-hub.co.uk/ex/photography22

Brixham Harbour Colours

29 October-17 November

Tuesday-Saturday 11am-5pm

n n a fish n commun ty t s d ficu t to a o d blocks of vibrant colour. To an extent it dictates the way Mark Murton views Brixham Harbour, particularly the deceptively simple graphic designs that adorn the

Above and Below – The Time & Tide Bell Project

On till to 16 October Wednesday-Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm In association with the Time and Tide Bell Project and in partnership with Prof Corinna Wagner (University of Exeter), Artizan brings you Above and Below. It’s an exhibition of curated works and artefacts that calls communities to action in a collective response to the threats facing our coastlines and wider environment. The UK Climate Resilience Programme and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) support the event. The venue also hosts three working studios and will run workshops throughout the event delivered by Double Elephant Print Studios. art-hub.co.uk/ex/time22

Susan Farquharson, Fruits de mer

Mark Murton

Roberta Ayre, Rose bowl

Caput Mortuum – After the Fire

22 October-6 November

Wednesday-Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm

Keith Frake presents works he has produced over the last two years. Primarily dark in tone, Keith uses bitumen paint as a base surface onto which he scratches and makes abrasions. Much of his work is completed over long periods of time involving inscribing, peeling, and sanding the surface. Others are constructed relatively spontaneously and quickly. Throughout his work there is a recurring theme that is presented in the form of images and objects, revealing a hidden narrati e in the na pieces. Launch event: 21 October 6-8pm. art-hub.co.uk/ex/frake22

English Riviera Winter Open

12 November-24 December

Wednesday-Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm

Artizan’s annual English Riviera Winter Open Exhibition returns for another year to round 2022 off in grand style as they welcome past and new artists to the venue in a mixed showcase of works. Launch event: 11 November 6-8pm. art-hub.co.uk/ex/erwo22

Artizan Collective Gallery

Unit 5 74 Fleet Street Torquay TQ2 5EB

For more information contact: juliebrandon@artizangallery.co.uk 07522 509642 artizan gallery.co.uk, also check out art-hub.co.uk

The GALLERY @Cockington Court

10.30am-4.30pm daily

Ongoing selling exhibition showing the region’s leading artists and makers. Items ranging from scarves, jewellery, ceramics, metalwork, artists cards, metalwork, collages, paintings and prints. The fabulous craft studios are a must-see too!

01803 607230

Facebook @cockingtoncourt

Nik Burns Exhibition, Cockington Court

On till 30 October

Nik creates unique works of art using a mix of metal and woodwork. His iconic

sc t res of anima s, sh and insects are often giant si ed and ha e an intrig ing science ction ink Torquay TQ2 6XA cockingtoncourt.org

Cockington Court Sculpture Trail

On till 31 October

Enjoy hunting for the 28 diverse sculptures dotted around the manor house and grounds. The trail leads around the grounds and into the Walled Art Garden and Kitchen Gallery. Collect a trail map from the Visitor Welcome Point. Torquay TQ2 6XA cockingtoncourt.org

The Silver Thread – Elizabeth Gowing

13 October

This Arts Society talk by Elizabeth Gowing describes intricate traditional igree designs developed over centuries by artisans in Kosovo, and their struggle to keep the tradition alive in the modern world. Time: 2.15pm, cost: nonmembers £8.00.

Talk followed by tea.

St Matthias Church Hall, Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 1HW 01803 526942 theartssocietytorbay.org.uk

Reading the English Country Church

– Dr Nicholas Henderson

10 November

Part 2 of an Arts Society Lecture. Dr Henderson describes the revolutionary changes brought about in newly Protestant England and the changes in style triggered by social changes in later periods. Time: 2.15pm, cost: non-members £8.00. Talk followed by tea.

St Matthias Church Hall, Babbacombe Road, Torquay TQ1 1HW 01803 526942 theartssocietytorbay.org.uk

CURTAINS UP! Theatre

Princess Theatre, Torquay

Box Office 0844 8717615

Editor’s pick

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK

1 November

Featuring an international cast of singers, musicians and dancers Fairytale of New York brings you all of your favourite Christmas songs including Driving Home for Christmas, White Christmas, Oh Holy Night, Winter’s Tale, Silent Night and of course The Fairytale of New York. This world class show also features some of the greatest Irish sing-a-long songs of all time including The Galway Girl, The Irish Rover, Wagon Wheel, Danny Boy, Dirty Old Town and The Black Velvet Band

Also worth seeing…

Mercury the Ultimate Queen Tribute – 21 October

Sir Ranulph Fiennes Living Dangerously – 9 November

to the nines and head off to the races s season production.

Also worth seeing…

The 39 Steps – 4-8 October A Perfect Likeness – 11 October

Little Theatre, Torquay

Box Office 01803 299330

LADIES DAY

15-19 November

ork, o e and ife are st one ong hard s og for fo r sh eting ies t their fort nes are set to change hen inda nds tickets to adies a , the ear o a scot was moved to York Racecourse. Off come the hairnets, overalls and wellies as the four friends doll themselves up

Babbacombe Theatre

Box Office 01803 328385

Editor’s pick

I LOVE CHRISTMAS

Wednesdays 26 October - 28 December plus Boxing Day & New Year’s Day

Celebrating the festive season Babbacombe Theatre’s all-new family show, I Love Christmas, promises a treasure chest of joyous entertainment and festive frolics. The production includes some of your favourite Disney characters and includes Babbacombe Theatre’s popular headliners.

Also worth seeing...

Seriously Collins, Phil Collins/Genesis Tribute – 15 Oct Milton Jones – 25 November

Palace Theatre, Paignton

Box Office 01803 665800

Editor’s pick

BLITHE SPIRIT 23-26 November adame rcati is a medi m, ho is in ited one e ening the Condomines to their house in Kent. Charles Condomine is a novelist who doesn’t believe in the supernatural but simply wishes to use the evening’s events as subject material for a new book. Events take an unexpected turn when the supposed charlatan really does summon a pres-

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ence from the other side. a funny, whimsical evening. A Bijou Theatre by Richard Bearne. Also worth

Calendar Girls – 18-22 October Beauty & the (Ballet Theatre - 30 November

Brixham Theatre

Box Office 01803

OLIVER!

26-29 October

In its centenary year, BOADS is proud to present Oliver! This award winning musical adaption of the classic Dickens’ novel springs to life some of the most memorable songs Food Glorious Consider Yourself, You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah As Long As He

Autumn in the Garden

As we all grapple with the need to stay warm this autumn and winter, we take a look at some cosy garden-related activities.

Autumn Flower, Vegetable and Craft Show Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October at Scala Hall Brixham Brixham Horticultural Society runs this annual indoor show. You do not have to be a member of the society to enter the Open Classes. Just bring along your entry (limited to two), on Thursday morning 20th October and there will be a member of the committee to assist you. A schedule and an entry form can be obtained from June Symes 01803 842121. If you would like to become a member, this long established group meets on the rst ednesda of the month e ce t an ar , at the Catholic Church Hall on New Road Brixham at 2 pm. Entry is £1 to include tea and biscuits. Annual membership is £7.00. New members are very welcome. brixhamhorticulturalsociety.co.uk

Oldway Gardens Volunteer Group

Joining the volunteers is guaranteed to keep you warm with activities like weeding, leaf sweeping, bench cleaning, pond tidying and lots more, plus the warmth of friendship and the fuzzy feel-good factor of helping to maintain the spectacular grounds of Oldway Mansion. Autumn colours will be spectacular and the wonderfully sheltered grotto and pond area will be ablaze with green and yellow colours and wonderful water lilies. The wooded area is alive with squirrels and you can enjoy the lovely covered walkways and sub tropical lower gardens. For children there’s an ‘Owl Trail’ running through October (weather permitting) with a trail sheet. The Tea Hut and Plant Stall will be open subject to weather and plant availability. For a cosy break head for the Friends of Oldway Tearooms open from 10am-4pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (Sundays are for private bookings only). oldwaygardens.co.uk FB@Friendsofoldway

The Glass Houses Torre Abbey

One of the most fascinating and delightful ways to keep toasty warm that I know, is a lengthy tour of The Palm House and The Arid House. What I love about Torre e s a m o se is its armth, h midit , co o r and tran i it it s de nite a therapeutic and super-warm place to visit. And it offers fabulous opportunity for the amateur photographer and the sketcher. Here bananas and pineapples jostle for s ace ith g orio s tro ica flo ers s ch as meria and assionflo er Specimen plants include the giant Bird of Paradise and a monstrous Swiss Cheese Plant. The Arid House is home to a fascinating collection of cacti and succulents. If you can tear yourself away, treat yourself to a visit to the abbey’s lovely café. The gardens and house are open Tuesday to Sunday and the café is open seven days a week torre-abbey.org.uk/gardens

Rowcroft Monopoly Launch

Headline game sponsors from Brixham Fish Market - Barry Young, Adam Mudge , Luke Netherton and Kevin Dale 

Rowcroft Hospice launched its very own South Devon Monopoly set at Kents Cavern. e set can be purchased from Rowcroft’s website, its shops throughout South Devon and many of the game sponsors.

Alison Upton, Rebecca Cogger and Rachel Bell (all Rowcroft Hospice) Sidney Voisey and Louise Cusack (both Visit South Devon)

Nick Powe (Ketns Cavern) and Mark Hawkins (Rowcroft Hospice)

Heather Sonderlind (Agatha Christie Festival), Anna Blackham (Devon’s Top Attractions), Sereny Damon (Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company) and Amy Greenman (Canonteign Falls) 

 Justine Geldard (Rowcroft Hospice) and Luke Comerford (Thurlestone Hotel)

Pick Up A Copy!

Our distribution teams deliver 12,000 copies of English Riviera Magazine to homes and businesses. If you don’t receive one in your area pick one up at one of the following outlets:

Artizan Gallery

Lucius Street, Torquay TQ2 5UW

Hoopers

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