Prospect Place 'was usual route to and from school'

dave.tanner@archant.co.uk
02 December 2009

SIR - Perhaps those councillors on the Devon County Council Rights of Way Committee would like to stick their heads above the parapet and be identified.

Before my wife and I married in 1960 I lived, with my parents, in Orchard Road. I attended Barnstaple Boys' Grammar School from 1949 until 1953 when I left school to take up an apprenticeship at Taw Garages, Barnstaple.

Before I started at BBGS my eldest brother, Alan,who was also a pupil there left six years earlier. Over the years there were a number of other BBGS pupils living in Orchard Road and, guess what, we all used Prospect Place as our usual route to and from school.

At the Park Lane end of Prospect Place is a property which, in those days, had a large back garden.

The property was owned by Mr Carpenter who, at that time, was the manager of the Gaumont Cinema in Boutport Street, Barnstaple, and was better known to the boys and girls who attended the Saturday morning film shows at the Gaumont as Uncle Mac of the GB Club.

On one day in the year Mr Carpenter would open up his back garden when members of the public, on payment of a small entrance fee, the proceeds of which went to charity, could have a ride on Mr Carpenter's steam train layout which was set up on stilts around the garden. Nearly all of those people going to Mr Carpenter's home would access it via Prospect Place because most of them came from roads leading off Newport Road!

I can only conclude that those responsible for installing the barrier preventing the right of free passage to pedestrians through Prospect Place must have moved into the area and have no respect for our history and/or our heritage.

Robin Harman,

Barnstaple