Holidays in Blackpill
by Sandra Haynes
This story comes from Sandra Hayes née Seager, who has lived in Australia since 1975, but who remembers with affection her holidays in Blackpill just after the war.
Paragona Cottage
We went on a holiday, far away
To a little place called Blackpill Bay.
Aunty's cottage Oh so sweet,
Lovely food, what a treat.
Up the lane a castle stood
Where lived the Admiral of the neighbourhood.
Playing on the sands
Happy all the day!
At a little bit of heaven
Called Blackpill Bay.
Sandra Seager, aged 12 years (1947)
When I first saw Blackpill, Oystermouth, Caswell Bay, Bracelet Bay and all the Gower coast, I was just eleven years old and enchanted with its beauty. I first visited my Aunty Flo and Uncle Will at Paragona Cottage, Blackpill in 1946 with my Mum and Cousin. Then in 1947/48 I came on my own when I travelled from my home in Sutton Coldfield, then on a Midland Red bus from Birmingham to Cheltenham, then onwards to Swansea where Aunty Flo met me.
I loved it at their cottage where I slept in one of their two little bedrooms up in the eaves and downstairs there was a lovely kitchen where Aunty served up delicious food-- her custard slices were a dream! Outside was their not-so-wonderful toilet, but at that age, who cares! Nearby was a market garden where their son Stan worked; along the front was a row of cottages, a police station and a shop and the railway ran all along the sea-front.
Their cottage was next door to the 'Castlellated' house just into Mill Lane and Uncle Will had a wonderful garden at the front, side and back, which was full of lovely flowers and veggies. He was one of the funniest and kindest men I have ever met-- always teasing and leg-pulling.
I remember going to Swansea shopping, which was magic just after the austerity of war and we would visit Aunty's sister, Clara in Oystermouth who seemed to live halfway up a mountain! There was ice-cream at Forte's Parlour and sandcastles on the little bays. That summer of 1947 was very hot and my legs got very burnt.
Will and Flo Smith
After having been bombed out twice at my home and living over a shop with no garden, this was heaven to a young girl.
Forte's Ice-cream Parlour