The people of Axminster loved travelling on the Bluebell Line for a day on the beach at Lyme

I have just arrived at Axminster Railway station, where I left you with the opportunity of catching the Bluebell Line to Lyme Regis.

The Station Master was Graham Grayer who I remember well as a lovely neighbour, together with his wife Beryl (a primary school teacher) who lived next door to us for many years at Lea Combe.

I also seem to remember a Mr Shepherd working at the station, whose daughter Jane was at primary school and grammar school with me.

The Lyme Regis "Bluebell" line was a victim of "The Beeching cuts", a plan by Dr Richard Beeching to increase the efficiency of the nationalised railway system in Great Britain in 1963.

In the 1950s, it was a treat for many families in Axminster, particularly those who didn't have cars, to travel to Lyme Regis by train, spend a day on the beach – and then return to Axminster. The bugbear was coming home, covered in sand from the beach – and a real drag from the coast-line, all up-hill back to Lyme Regis Station, which seemed miles out of town.

Walking from Axminster Station and crossing the road, an emerging business at that time was Axe Vale Engineering, a successful Ironwork business run by Emrys (Sam) Pearce. (The site is now occupied by Axminster Tools). I am pleased that two former employees of Sam Pearce, Kevin and Peter, now run a similar business at Weycroft Avenue called "Axminster Ironwork".

As you approach the town centre, you would walk up Anchor Hill with the large factory of J H Shand on your left hand side. Shands were designers and manufacturers of machine tools for the print and office machinery industry (before the introduction of plastics).

The company employed several hundred local people in the 1950s and Roy Shand wanted to embark on the construction of a huge extension, which needed mass excavation works to be carried out.

My dear old friend, the late Ted Parsons, I believe, may have been working in the yard of builders merchants R J Luff & Son at that time and fancied buying a machine and venturing into the earth-moving industry. Mr Shand said to Ted: "Go ahead, buy your machine and I'll guarantee you a year's work at Shands on this extension". This started Ted off in the establishment of a successful earth-moving business which operated for several decades.

As a child in the 1950s I remember climbing on the "JHS" signs depicted in the wrought ironwork, which still remains on the side of the footway leading into town up Anchor Hill.

At the bottom of Anchor Hill, between Shands and Axe Vale Engineering, was the St John Ambulance Station, which John Jeffery tells me was put up by Shands.

On the opposite side of the road, on the site now occupied by "Pets at Home" and before the roundabout was built, was Websters "bottom" Garage. This was predominantly a car showroom and pump station. I seem to remember that Jack Webster ruled the roost over the showroom.

Further up Anchor Hill and on the same side as Websters "bottom" Garage was Stan Wakeley's "Blue Star" garage and showroom. I remember this showroom, as it needed a new pane of glass to the front showroom window – a massive sheet of glass. R Moulding & Sons had to fit this new pane of glass – which with the delivery arrangements and risk involved was quite an exercise!

However, "Blue Star" was just the frontage for Stan Wakeley's Coach business which operated on "The Shrubbery" from a large industrial building at the rear of what is now West Street Car Park, on the site of the Co-op building. Stan must have had anything up to 20 coaches, with regular trips offered around the West Country and further afield.

Opposite "Blue Star", Mr Barnard (father of Robbie Barnard) had a café, which I believe was called the "Devon Cafe". In this area, now the site of Minster Court, I can also remember an electrical shop and a small grocers, both tenants of Mr Barnard.

Beyond West Villa, we then come to the Plaza Cinema (now the Guildhall). In the 1950s, I remember the old black and white films being shown and for a child of my age, the charge was nine pence (less than 4p!). I believe the man who ran the Plaza was Pat McDevitt, together with his wife, Olga.

In the early sixties the cinema ceased to operate and the building was acquired for the town, through a scheme led by Frank Rowe (Lord of the Manor), Herbert Jeffery (Lord Jeff) and Donald Baker (chairman of the Axminster Rural District Council). They certainly left a fine legacy for the town.

Behind the Plaza in the 1950s was a popular dance hall, which could accommodate 150 revellers, bopping away to the "swing" sound of that era. The band often playing at that time was the "Metronomes", playing the music of Glenn Miller, Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

My father Tim was pianist and loved playing with the "Metronomes". Ultimately, the dance hall became the Social Club for J H Shand, with Bill Carr as the popular steward. The building has now been renovated as the headquarters of Axminster Drama Club.

Just behind the Guildhall was West End Garage, which served as one of the taxi businesses for the town, as well as motor sales and services. The proprietor was Jack Newbery, another Axminster character, who was also part of the music scene, as a drummer with a number of bands. Mellowes Court now resides on the site of West End Garage.

Coming back towards West Street, behind Westminster House, were the premises of Alec Hayter, electrician, subsequently operated, until very recent times by Mike James.

Alec Hayter's son John was a good friend of mine, whose nick-name was "Jacques". Jacques was a mad car driver. The Hayter family lived at Gamberlake and John had an old car, which when he drove into town, around the bend at the bottom of King Edward Road, he always went around the bend on two wheels. From then until now, my compatriots and I all know that bend as "Jacques' Corner"!

The shop on the corner of Westminster House was Walker's Ironmongers, run by Derek Walker and his wife. Compared with Charlie Pengilly's treasure trove in South Street, Walker's ironmongers was really up-market, concentrating more on homeware and household goods.

I remember a green-grocers in West Street; then Clements outfitters (a smart shop, divided into ladies and gents clothing). The shop was later operated by Brian and Ronnie (Veronica) Witheridge. I believe their son Andrew is currently the proprietor and head chef of "The Salty Monk" at Sidford.

Next to Clements Outfitters was Tony Hollins' hairdressers which, with his son Michael, looked after hair-styling for the ladies of Axminster for many years. Tony was another musician, one of the first in the area to play an electronic organ.

I have to say that the one thing we Axminster residents sometimes take for granted is the vista as you come up Anchor Hill, where the road narrows at the top - and then opens up towards Trinity Square.

Axminster church on the Minster Green is the focal point of the town – and what a picture it is! The church wall and the grass of the Minster Green sets off the imposing strength of St Mary's Church as you enter the town centre. How lucky we are!

On the bend as the road opens up we find W G Potter & Son – furniture sales and funeral directors. The furniture and carpet sales business, included the furniture store at Market Place was run by Les North, a prominent figure in Axminster over many years. The funeral directors' right-hand man was Donald Thomas, who loved Axminster. Don was a keen historian and has written a number of "documentaries" on the town.

Also along West Street, Miss Parsons had her sweet shop. I remember Miss Parsons who appeared to me at the time to be very ancient, probably because she always wore a long coat, shawl and hat – whatever the weather!

As my father was a motorcyclist in the 1950s, e was a good friend of Harold Gray, who had a motorcycle and cycle shop in West Street. My father's Norton was serviced in Harold Gray's shop and I think they also talked fishing, as both my father and Mr Gray were keen anglers. I believe Ivor Chubb did his apprenticeship with Harold Gray and later started up his own cycle business in Castle Street.

Before we arrive at the walk-way through to Belle Vue, we had the Church Rooms (now Axminster Post Office). The Church Rooms were rented out for wedding receptions, whist drives, etc (no bingo in those days, although I remember an aunt going to bingo about that time in Kingston-upon-Thames – it took a while to take hold in the West Country).

I remember the Church Rooms as a teenager, organised by our vicar, the Reverend Noel Cary-Potter. We all used to arrive at the due time, the vicar gave us access to the record player and away we went.

A few romances were certainly spawned from the youth club at the church rooms, with Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brohers and Peggy Lee in the background. I often wondered whether the vicar REALLY realised what went on at the Church Rooms Youth Club!

Above the Church Rooms were the offices of Freddie Kett, a well-respected architect, who practised in Axminster for many years.

Freddie phoned me up one day and asked if I could come around to his offices as he had some plans he wanted me to peruse before he would be asking R Moulding & Sons Limited to provide him, along with others, for a competitive estimate.

The scheme involved the construction of a first floor extension above a building which was single storey. Freddie had a stutter and asked wwwhat I thought of the ppplans. I had a quick look and replied. "Looks fine Mr Kett – but how do you get from the ground floor to the first floor?" "Wwwwhat" he said "No bbb ...... staircase!" - An easy mistake to make!

Belle Vue is an interesting building, one of the tallest in Axminster. In the 50s, the basement of Belle Vue was Axminster Library. Our family had a weekly visit to the library with my mother being an avid reader.

Also within the Belle Vue complex was Peter Peach's Gents Hairdressers, where my mother sent me for my regular haircuts. As a young teenager, I was perfectly happy to go along, as Peter always had a pile of pin-up magazines, which customers could glance through, whilst waiting for their trim. I well remember "Parade", "Blighty" and of course, "Playboy".

At this stage I should tell you an "interesting" story regarding my father and Peter Peach. As many will remember, my father was a lifelong lover of his pipe and his Gold Block tobacco. Peter Peach, the hairdresser was a cigarette smoker – almost a chain-smoker.

When you entered the hairdressers, there was often a smog of smoke. My father arrived one day for his regular hair cut – he had been going to Peter Peach for decades. He entered the door and Peter immediately stopped him: "Sorry Tim, you'll have to put out your pipe, I have decided to stop smoking and make my shop a smoke-free zone". My father did an about-turn and said "Sorry Peter, no ……. pipe, no ……. haircut!!" – and he never went in there again!

At the walk-way entrance to Belle Vue, there was Collard's the jewellers, a nicely presented shop, run by Vic Evershed, whose son Raymond and daughter Susan were at school with myself and my sister.

I next remember Lesley & Bulled, a ladies shop, selling nightwear, underwear and haberdashery, often frequented by the knitters and needlecraft experts in the town. I seem to remember windows neatly decorated with brightly coloured fabrics.

Then there was Bert Trivett's shop, a combination of TV and radio repairs on one side of the entrance-way and children's toys on the other side. I remember a vast selection of children's toys, although you had to hunt around for what you wanted, as they weren't always displayed in any specific order. However, rooting around for what you wanted was part of the fun.

The next shop was Eland's newsagents and printing firm, on the site now occupied by Bennett & Rogers opticians, with Axminster Printing Company behind. Eland's in Axminster was a branch of the Eland's newsagents business, based in Exeter since the 1850s. Peter Eland, the boss in Axminster, was a descendant of the original Eland family from Exeter.

I remember the newsagents well as this was where my mother worked for several years, helping with sales, managed by a lovely lady called Sheila Brown (later to be Sheila Pitman).

It was also where I was "employed" as a paper – boy for several years. The papers were put into delivery order by a man called Ralph (I can't remember his surname). If the paper-boys arrived too early and Ralph wasn't ready, he went into a total panic – and I don't think my paper-boy colleagues and myself helped too much.

I also remember Taylor's Estate Agents in this area. Chris Bolton will remember exactly where that was as his father was in charge? I am almost certain that this must be where the current "Fox & Sons" estate agents reside, although I seem to think that Axe Vale Creamery Dairy was on the corner of West Street and Phoenix Lane and may - or may not, have been on this site.

I recall that the dairy had the usual dairy produce on display - milk, cream, cheese, etc. However, in the 50s the bulk of the produce was stored behind the shop – I seem to remember the milk was actually in churns! Maybe the refrigeration wasn't so good in those times and as a child I recall a decided whiff of rancid milk coming from beyond!

I think I will leave you at this stage, with the smell of sour milk in your nostrils and complete my tour of the streets of Axminster in the next edition of "Moulding's Memories".

IN THE NEXT EDITION OF "Moulding's Memories", WE WILL WALK AROUND THE TOWN AND MAY FINISH UP WITH A PINT AT THE "NEW COMMERCIAL"