Bring the past to the present
Standing at Uffculme
This picture of a steam train standing at Uffculme is undated.
The quality of the image makes it very difficult to find clues – unless of course you are an expert on the Culm Valley Railway.
Do you know anything about this train? If so, please tell us.
Commercial Road, Uffculme
The picture appears to be taken just before number 13, Commercial Road, Uffculme. This is just opposite Highland Terrace, which is on the left in this shot – heading towards Uffculme Square. The image in more recent times can be seen on Google Street View.
Can someone confirm this is correct? Perhaps you know (or know of) the family that used to live at No. 13?
Pollit and Wigzell engine plate dated 1910
Coldharbour Mill is a 200 year old spinning mill, built by Thomas Fox, to spin woollen and later worsted yarns. The Mill is a rare example of surviving Georgian architecture, industry and enterprise and is based in Uffculme, Devon.
Machinery at Coldharbour Mill
The Steam Engines are regularly started up and on display to the public.
Steam power made the mill one of the most successful in the country
The mill was famous for the production of putties, for the British Army.
Some of the engines are still in working order
Uffculme Jam and Cider Factory. 1974
On the corner of East Street, High Street and Ashley Road is the listed building that has been a brewery and general business building. In this 1974 picture, the building was being used as a Jam and Cider Factory.
It was originally built by William Furze, in 1858. The red brick construction sits on a stone plinth. The tower has a slate roof clevely concealed by parapet.
The polygonal building is four stories high and has a date stone set high which reads ‘Built W.A.D.F. 1858‘.
The Old Brewery is a prominent landmark in Uffculme.
Furze’s Probate of will and codicils lists simply him as, ‘Brewer‘. The documents (reference O/064/008) are available to the public, at the London Metropolitan Archives. The documents were drafted in 1845 and 1855.
View from the bridge, looking north-west with Denners Way on the right
Little has changed in this view of Bridge Street, Uffculme. Probably taken in the early 70s, as the railway lines have been removed, although the level crossing gates are still shown.
The Esso garage appears to have the name of the proprietor shown as Featherstone. Perhaps you can recall the Featherstone’s or are part of the family?
The Square & Shambles, Uffculme. Tiverton Industrial Co-op Society No. 2 branch (left).
The car and Co-op may give clues to the date of this picture which is unknown to us, at the time of publishing. The Co-op branch is Tiverton Industrial No. 2.
Picture of Uffculme Square c. 1970
The much later picture appears to have been taken sometime around 1970. Clicking on the image will show the Square, as it is today.
Click on this image to see its location
Uffculme Bowls Club members c. 1960
On 29 September 1911, forty people attended a meeting in the Old Sunday School, Uff
These two photos were taken at Uffculme School in 1912. The bottom left of the chalk boards being held, have the numbers 1 and 2 – the class numbers? The bottom right, it appears to be ‘BYO’ or ‘B70’.
Class 1, Uffculme School, 1912
The teacher on the left, in the following picture is Mrs Whittle. The teacher on the right is Miss Quant – later to become Mrs Leatt. Mr Leatt was the landlord of the Commercial Inn.
Class 2, Uffculme School, 1912
Front cover from “The Foxes of Wellington”
The Hemyock History and Archiving Association gave a warm welcome to local author, Dorothy Lomas, on February 10th. The guest speaker delighted the Church Rooms gathering with warm tales of her journey through the Fox Family research – the subject of her new book.
The Fox Family became one of the most successful commercial families in the South-West. Coldharbour Mill, in Uffculme, was home to their famous Khaki dye and infamous soldiers’ ‘friend’ – the Puttee. The mill was said to produce around 4.5 miles of cloth, each day.
At the end of the evening, Dorothy kindly signed a number of copies of her book The Foxes of Wellington – A Family in Business. Proceeds of the book are being donated to the Friends of Coldharbour Mill. More information is available from the Mill, on 01884 840960.
The evening ended with donations being taken for the up-keep of the Church Rooms. A total of