Contact Us

If you are connected to this family, do please contact us...

Email The Family

If you know of a family member, email them a link.


 


Homes and Businesses Picture Gallery

angles
Torquay photos taken by Janice and Spencer together November 2003
London, Widecombe and Mansands photos taken by Janice
Please send in any more you may have of the original family properties

......................................................................................................................

It was lovely to drive around Torquay with my newly found cousins Spencer and Sue, we hadn't met up for over fifty years. They showed me all the family properties including the Hotel of their Grandfather Charles Childs.

Claire and I went to Mansands and recalled our childhood memories as we explored the outside of the cottages and surrounding area.

Equally exciting was the meeting with Thalia in London and our tour around Westminster visiting all the Bird and Goldsmilth haunts, it was like re - living our grandparents' history. Janice




Spencer with his camera the day we took the photos

Spencer with his camera the day we took the photos
Photo © Janice Carrera
More photos of homes appreciated from those in the family who live in the Torquay area

Electric Station Road Sleaford - Jessie Bird

Electric Station Road Sleaford - Jessie Bird

215VBR Harry Bird's Pastry and Confectionery shop
215 Vauxhall Bridge Road Westminster
In the 1902 Kelly's Directory he was described
as a Confectioner but he also sold tobacco and newspapers
Photo taken by Janice and Thalia on their family history walk around Westminster
click to view walk

Information from a son " He owned two newsagent/stationers shops. Gertie ran one and Dorothy worked in the other ( he alsways tried to keep the two women apart) "

1914 Telephone Directory

1914 Telephone Directory

stationers 'William' Bird Stationers & Newsagent
133 Praed Street Westminster in 1904
Harry was described as a
Master Stationer in Kelly's
as well as a Confectioner in Vauxhall Bridge Road
wbird
card

Praed Street today

Praed Street today
shop

Metheringham - birthplace Mary Ann Newton - Harry's grandmother

Metheringham - birthplace Mary Ann Newton - Harry's grandmother

Edwin Bird's home - Chatsworth Ave Merton

Edwin Bird's home - Chatsworth Ave Merton

grand
Adyar
Ad
Adtod Adyar today
Photo Janice

1931 Telephone Directory

1931 Telephone Directory
Harry appeared as the proprietor of Adyar in the BT phone book from 1931 when his youngest daughter was around seven, then all through the war years until 1945. From 1946 until 1950 (the year of his death) he appeared at
Little Meadow.

Esdaile
Ad1
I remember making toffee on a gas ring with Thalia, Iris and Joy in the empty conservatory by the front door of Esdaile and setting it in large cockle shells.
The large mirror in the other conservatory at the back fell on mother cutting the front of one ankle. She was left with a bad scar and mother said no doctor was called for as far as I remember. Thalia
Esdtod Esdaile today
Photo Janice

Maidencombe House Hotel

Maidencombe House Hotel
 
I am writing to you in connection with Portland Villa, one time home of I K & Mrs Brunel which became Maidencombe House Hotel. I have attached an image from the family business's Stove Record Book that shows that Mr I K Brunel, in March 1857 purchased a Stove from the family business of Garton & King, Exeter (see my website on the company ) which, by deduction, I reckon he had installed at Portland Villa (and from that moment on I presume cooking on the new stove became a joy, not a drudgery!!) I realise the Hotel has been demolished - I'm sure the stove was long gone before the Hotel Era but, if it is possible, might I have and use on the website pictures of the property (as far back as you can go ) - to give viewers some idea of the scale and look of the Villa as it originally might have looked - the idea is to make up a small page on the Stove and the connection with Brunel on the site, the customer and the property into which it was put etc. Richard Holladay

click for website

Does anyone in the family have any information for Richard - if so please contact us

The Bird family moved into Portland Villa in Feb 1946. Harry Bird bought it for his three sons. At this time it was just habitable but without any main services of gas or electricity. There was a process of producing a type of methane gas from ones own gas maker, this was used for lighting. The main kitchen at the rear of the building had a New World gas cooker /stove but this was put in by the Birds after they had mains gas and electricity brought into the building.
It is understood from family members that I K Brunel may have lived at Portland Villa for a time, he did not actually own the premises, and that his time there was as a tenant as he only rented the house .This was while he was setting up, purchasing and acquiring the land and layout of Brunel Manor , which was located just opposite. ( a Bird family member )

Isambard Kingdom Brunel born 1806 Portsmouth died Westminster 1859

Brunel established his design offices at 17–18 Duke Street, London, and he lived with his family in the rooms above.

On 5 July 1836, Brunel married Mary Elizabeth Horsley (b. 1813), the eldest daughter of composer and organist William Horsley, who came from an accomplished musical and artistic family.

Brunel first came to Torquay in the course of his work as the chief engineer of the Great Western Railway. He then decided to bring his wife here for a holiday and before long they were planning to make it their permanent home. He lived for a while at Watcombe Villa, and then moved to Portland Villa, (later called the Maidencombe House Hotel and since demolished).

WATCOMBE 1857 (from Billings Directory and Gazeteer of Devon 1857)

Brunel Isambard Kingdom, Esq., Portland Villa
Hodges James, Esq
Larpent Mrs
Whittell John Wylde. Esq., Belle Ville

stoves1

Brunel Bridge

Brunel Bridge
 
Originally planned as a miniature engineering project for Isombard Brunel's son, Henry Brunel. After his father's untimely death in September 1859, Henry was determined to complete the project, which he duly achieved from his father's preliminary sketches in 1861.
The seven foot wide bridge spanned the Teignmouth Road just below the site of the Maidencombe House Hotel opposite the Brunel Manor (then Watcombe Park) gate piers. The bridge endured until the turn of the twentieth century, a testament to the sturdiness of design.
The photo shows a pony and trap proceeding down the Teignmouth Road towards Watcombe and Torquay.


 
My memories of Ron and Ross are slight
I remember Ron in the Kitchen bathed in steam and cooking smells, I think in a chefs hat and other cooks gear. He always seemed so busy but always smiling and joking. I loved the grounds . They all seemed so busy running the hotel. Not much of a social life possible... Ron used to come and see us at 81, Teignmouth Road and Dad used to give him flowers for the hotel, Lilac I remember ..I think they played Snooker.
I remember a linen table cloth at Norman's funeral we all signed it and
Betty was going to embroider it. Ron and Ross offered Ian and I a very Grand Clock from Maidencombe House Hotel with bronze rearing horses But we were a bit on the move with all our teaching jobs so I did not take it...
The family seemed to drift apart... Ian and I had a pleasant visit with Ross and Betty after mum or dad's funeral discussing experiences of Heart Attacks, NHS and compared Treatments.
Had the vegetarian aspect gone by the time of Maidencombe?
I used to go riding in the lanes at a Riding stables near the hotel. I think they used to come to the Xmas parties at 81 Teignmouth Road But I was busy sulking in My bedroom for much of the time about being blanked on family history and denied an education.. I was not keen on Party Games . I wanted to talk about Family with us all togerther, a chance
missed/denied. Thalia

Spencer remembered singing to the Hotel guests on a Saturday evening with his guitar, unfortunately there do not appear to be any photographs of these events.

Ronald did his Chef's training at the famous cookery school in Lausanne. He never had any difficulty like other hotels in the area during the summer months employing satff as he used to arrange for the students to come over - they were pleased to have the practical experience.

Perhaps once during the holidays when I was staying at Little Meadow as a child we were taken to Maidencombe House and 'presented ' to Ron & Ross. Ron was always busy in the kitchen with his chef's hat on and Ross was always running around in reception dealing with guests. I saw very little of Betty and hardly anything of their two children Vicky and Lindsay, in fact I don't know them at all. Janice

At Christmas time we sometimes went down by car & stayed at Maidencombe House. This went on until about the age of 12 or 13. Mother said she never felt welcomed because of Alastair.

We remember our grandmother always went to stay at Maidencombe for a short while early in the New Year as it was so cold and damp at Little Meadow. Ronald had built himself a brand new house in the grounds with triple glazed windows especially ordered from Sweden - this was unheard of in those days. Rosslyn had bought some land adjacent to the hotel and over the years built three different houses on the plot. Janice & Alastair

Lynne can remember when she went down to Devon on holday Rosslyn allowed her to take her children to swim in the pool on summer days.




postcard

BT Telephone Directory

BT Telephone Directory

Maidencombe House today - Luxury Flats

Maidencombe House today - Luxury Flats
 
Maidencombe House is a prestigious Purpose Built Development of luxury APARTMENTS standing on the fringe of Torquay with beautiful communal gardens incorporating an ornamental pond and an outdoor heated swimming pool for all residents to enjoy.
( The swimming pool is the same as we remember when the Hotel was owned by our family )

Their last home was built in the grounds

Their last home was built in the grounds

 
JOHN CALLCOTT HORSLEY, best known as the designer of the first Christmas card. In 1857, lived at Orestone Lodge, he painted a portrait of his famous brother in law, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, which now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.
The card shows the feeding and clothing of the poor on each side, and in the centre there is a happy family having a drink and enjoying Christmas festivities.
The words printed on the card were 'A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year To You' - so not a lot has changed since!

The card went down so well , that in 1843, some 1,000 of the cards were produced for commercial sale at a shilling each - making it the first recorded mass production Christmas card.
However, not everyone approved. Puritans objected to the picture showing people raising a glass to Christmas. But their objections were swept aside and the rest, as they say, is history!


firstxmascard

102 102 Chatto Road
House rented by Harry Bird
for Thalia and Irving
Photo Spencer
I remember Thalia being brought to our house at big Ideen after the road accident on the way to Exeter airport and her stretched out on the deep blue chaise longue in our front room looking very pale and barely conscious . As far as I remember there was no doctor called.
I remember visits to Chatto Road.Irving was rarely there. Chatto Road always seems very temporary to me not many personal things, it did not feel like a home. Harry picked up the pieces after the death. Thalia


Mansands Coastguard Cottages

Mansands Coastguard Cottages
Mans1
A sailor Henry T Stephens on HMS Hercules at Greenock gives Mansands as his home in 1881.
Mans3

Harry's vegetable gardens

Harry's vegetable gardens

View of the Boathouse

View of the Boathouse

The view today

The view today

Ronald's homemade boat built in the boathouse

Ronald's homemade boat built in the boathouse

With Irving

With Irving
JIMan

Janice and Claire at Mansands

Janice and Claire at Mansands
Mans2

Byrd Business 1981

Byrd Business 1981
FW
b&b

Last Home

Last Home

Joseph Newton Bird's House Camps Bay

Joseph Newton Bird's House Camps Bay

Vera Bird's house 1930's Capetown

Vera Bird's house 1930's Capetown