RECENT letters etc in your newspaper, brought to mind the above photograph which might be interesting to your readers!
This war memorial, at Newton Poppleford, near Sidmouth, was situated at a bus stop alongside the Exeter-Sidmouth road. The photo, taken some time during 1969, tells its own story.
B E Tope
23 Courtlands Road
Tavistock
THE controversy over the war memorial site rumbles on and I acknowledge the fact that there are many Tavistokians whose seniority and reactions to any change should be respected.
As a comparative newcomer (27 years), may I venture to suggest that it is the motor car that bedevils the argument. The war memorial, unveiled in 1921, seems to me to be in the right place in the Guildhall Square, although it might be better positioned nearer the Guildhall.
Yes, I am a car driver and I often tear my hair out looking for somewhere to park, but surely an easier solution would be to remove the six parking spaces on the south side, two from in front of the Guildhall and perhaps a few on the north side of the war memorial, centralise it in this railed off area and lay a Garden of Remembrance with paths to suit access to the war memorial and still allow pedestrians their right of way.
I have a book in which there is a photograph of the Abbey Buildings circa 1916 — no cars, no toilets and what appears to be grassed areas! No wonder the war memorial was placed there! Is it not time that we paid more respect to the dead and less to the car?
Patrick Cashell
Brook Cottage
Peter Tavy
IN all the discussion about re-siting the Tavistock war memorial I hope the park bench at the corner of the churchyard will not be overlooked.
It was presented to the town in April 1949 by the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society and has the commendable inscription: 'Rest and be neighbourly'.
G Kirkpatrick
Tavistock