Teignmouth Post and Gazette No 4897 Friday 26 December 1975

RAILWAY ANNIVERSARY

At the Royal Hotel in Exeter, Mr. Ernest Steel from Chilton Avenue, Teignmouth, gave a lecture to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on the “Narrow Gauge Railways of Great Britain”. It marked the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

He presented a fascinating collection of slides of 15’’ gauge estate raiiways and rolling stock, such as the Duke of Westminster’s railway at Eaton, near Chester, and Mr. C. Bartholemew’s at Blakeley, Northamptonshire, where guests could change at Blakeley station, for a train taking them to the house direct.

Among the slides of miniature railways in Devon since the last century, was an 8” gauge set in a garden Dartmouth, laid around 1875; the name of the engine was Prometheus; a 9” gauge was laid in the estate of General Sir Redvers Buller, for the benefit of his three nephews, and not forgetting his nieces.

GREATEST ACTOR

Described as “The greatest actor who ever spoke the English language” in a Westward Television documentary last week, Edmund Kean had special links with Teignmouth, when he was honoured with a plaque in Station Road.

“The Sun’s Bright Child”’s tale was told in this 80 minute story of the life of this greatest Shakespearean actor.His short wild life of drink and drama began in London in March 1788; left by his mother, he was taken in as a small-part player in Drury Lane at the age of eight, looked after by John Philip Kemble, brother of the famous Sarah Siddons.

His debut, in Station Road, was in ballet, as a little cherub in tights as Harlequin, and also acted as Shylock "in a surprising manner". Dr. Drury, of Harrow School, realised what a talent he had. Kean was booked to perform in Covent Garden (he was a talented male ballet dancer) and at Drury Lane, for great classical acting. It was to be the ultimate test of his career.

He took to drinking heavily, and later had to marry a young girl, six months pregnant.He was a sensation in the famous roles, Shylock, Othello, Macbeth, etc. In 1820, he toured America with great success (except for his Richard III in Boston) and had to pay £800 in a divorce action. Back in Drury Lane, in Othello, he caught a fever, and no amount of brandy could keep him on his feet, and he collapsed in Act III.

WRAPPING PAPER (from Woman’s World)

Having purchased all the presents, worried about their suitability, I’m left with the worst job of all - wrapping them in seasonal paper. Avoiding the problem of an uncle of mine of some years ago, who wrapped the gifts very efficiently - he was a computer programmer. He had a pile of parcels and a label for each, but not the slightest idea which label was for which parcel.

So he had to start again.My wrapped parcels are an untidy shambles, all sellotape and badly knotted string, and look as if they had been packed by an illiterate orang-utang. There should be an organisation “Rent-A-Parcel-Wrapper” for people like me. I envy the skill that wraps the perfect package, the way that sticky tape goes exactly where it should. I usually get the stuff stuck on my fingers or rolling back on itself, refusing to break from the rest of the roll.