Teignmouth Post and Gazette No 4884 Friday, 26 September, 1975

HOME TO SHALDON AFTER 83 YEARS

A ayoral reception for Mr. Dan Charles Train. When he was five, in 1892, his parents took him to start a new life in Portland, Maine. He was determined to come back home before he got too old to do so. This old “Devonshire Dumpling” is staying with his cousin, Mr. W. J. Train, of 19 Ashleigh Way.

He remembers his old home by the Bridge, now called “Sun N More” - The Sound of the Sea.In Portland, he was apprenticed to the lobster industry, and aged 14, he became captain of his own ship, the “Defender”, with seven men. He kept good discipline, and good catches, and skippered bigger sailing vessels. Storms of tremendous velocity were common.

He piloted his iced-up ship while lashed to the wheel for hours through blinding snowstorms. In the “Fanny Hayden”, he was caught up in a 100mph gale for four hours, with waves 80 to 100 ft high pounding the deck, but Mr. Train brought her safely back to port.

In that storm, 16 ships were lost with all hands. In his later motorised craft, he fished the Grand Banks for redfish, and harpooned swordfish, an exciting and dangerous occupation. On retirement, as his eyesight was failing, he returned to lobster fishing. In 52 years, he never lost a man or a boat.

THE COUNTY PLAN

It was criminal, in this day and age, to waste money on a County Structure Plan, Mr. Doel told the Town Council. It was just a question of finding something for people to do. Mr. W. Booth said some points were worth looking at, particularly industry and improved communications.

The impact of the M5 had been emphasised, but the linking factors had been neglected. They would all end up with increased congestion. There should also be the earliest consideration of a road through to the Quay for heavy traffic.

SCHOOLCHILDREN SAIL OFF TO THE SUN

More than 800 secondary schoolchildren from Devon will set sail for the Mediterranean sunshine on October 2. Coaches will take them from 35 schools to Falmouth, where they will join the "S.S. Uganda" for a fortnight’s educational cruise. There will be half-day excursions at Lisbon (Portugal), Palermo (Sicily) and Dubrovnik (Yugoslavia), and a full day excursion from Bizerta (Tunisia) to Carthage and Tunis. The “Uganda” is fully equipped with classrooms, and there will be thorough preparation on board before each port of call. They will return by air in two parties from Venice on October 16 - 17.

TOILETS FOR THE DISABLED

I remember, some three years ago, the old Rates Office in Brunswick Street was earmarked for this purpose, and costed, but never materialised. Now building costs have escalated, pricing it out of the estimates. The pupils of the Secondary Modern have been making a survey of the town. It is sadly lacking in this important item. There is never any shortage of good-hearted people to help lift a chair down the steps, but relatives cannot always lift the person out.

A WOMAN’S PLACE

Overheard on a bus - one man claiming that a woman’s place is in the home. On being asked why he was doing the shopping, he replied “She left me two months ago”.