Visit to Plymouth 2024

Devonport Through Time
by Derek Tait

Introduction

My 2 x Great Grandmother, Ann Neville, married Henry Saunders in Portsmouth in May 1837.  

She was born in Devonport and was christened at Stoke Damerel Church, in Paradise Road, in April 1811 (parents Cornelius Neville & Iset Adamson).

Cornelius was a tailor in    1813 but unfortunately at present we do not know where in Devonport the family lived.

Visit to Plymouth

During our visit, I was able to buy this book in a hurry from the Information Centre, with just a quick check that there were some references to Stoke Damerel.

The interesting book mainly consists of a series of old photographs of Devonport, two to a page, with short commentaries.

The entries for Stoke Damerel may be found on pages 91/94 and 96.

The commentaraies are as follows:

Page 91

The Technical School in Paradise Road

The Technical College was built in 1897. Until 1936, it also housed the Devonport Municipal Secondary School for Girls. It became an annexe to the nearby College of Further Education but closed in 1990 before being developed into luxury apartments.

Page 92

Stoke Damerel Church

Situated in Paradise Riad, the earliest record of the church is in the taxation records of Pope Nicholas IV of 1288. During the removal of  graves in the 1950s, some of the headstones were laid flat to form a path. One of the headstones belonged to Cornelius Tripe, who was the the Mayor of Devonport between 1838-1839.

Page 93

A Funeral Procession Passing by Stoke Damerel Church

The funeral procession was for the crew of the A8 Submarine Boat Disaster which was lost in Plymouth Sound on Thursday 8 June 1905. Fifteen crew members died. The procession started at the dockyard on its way to its destination at Ford Parrk Cemetery. Tens of thousands of people lined the route to pay their respectrs.

Page 94

Stoke Church from Fellowes Place

The cobbled road has long since disappeared beneath tarmac and the view of Stoke Church and its Tower, from Fellowes Road, is now obscured by tall trees, although it can be seen clearly further along Paradise Road. The earlier photograph shows a very quiet scene in the days before modern traffic.

Page 96 (last page in book)

Sheep Grazing at Brickfields

It was once a common sight to see sheep grazing at Brickfields which is now na sports centre and recreation ground. Two tigers escaped from a circus here in 1930 and one was later spotted in Devonport Park. The latter view looks from Stonehouse Bridge towards the old technical school in Paradise Road.

I also obtained a modern day map of Plymouth (the City was heavily bombed in WWII)

Map of Plymouth

and was able to identify Stoke Damerel Church in Paradise Road.

In the book, there were photos of 2 nearby areas:

Devonport Park - Pages 25 and 77-90, and

Fore Street - Pages 32/38 and 40

It would be interesting to visit these areas should we return to Plymouth one day.

Colin Bower
31 March 2025

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