Molly Coombe was born on 18th October 1929, the only child of Philip and Grace Coombe née Loud. The family lived at ‘Locarno’, which is probably one of the houses on Berry Hill in Bishopsteignton. Molly lived in the village all her life. The Coombe family have left an...
International Women’s Day 2022 Posters
For International Women’s Day 2022, Natalia Urry-MacKay collaborated with Bishopsteignton Heritage to create posters about 8 village women and their stories. Posters were put up at various locations around the village to highlight women’s contributions to the story of Bishopsteignton.
Sybil Atkinson (1909 – c.2004)
Sybil Atkinson lived in Bishopstegnton for a number of years, living on The Orchard in the 1970s. During her life Sybil made a big contribution to the village’s theatrical productions, both appearing on stage, such as in the Bishopsteignton Players’ 1980 production of...
Dot Perkins (1924 – 1996)
In 1958 Dot and her husband Mic took over the tenancy of the Commercial Inn on Clanage Street, and ran it for over 30 years. When Mic died in 1988, Dot continued to run the pub, with the help of managers, until 1994. Dot’s nephew Graham, recalls what good hosts Dot...
Lillian Green, née Payne (1921 – 2021)
Lillian was born in 1921 in Veracruz Mexico, to Henry and Annie Payne. The family returned to England in 1932, eventually settling in Exmouth. Without her parents’ permission, before she turned 21, Lillian joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS). She started at...
Dr. Rosaleen Cooper née Graves (1894 – 1989)
Rosaleen Graves was born in Wimbledon on 7 March 1894, the sister of the poet and writer Robert Graves. When she was young Rosaleen wanted to be a concert pianist and was awarded a Diploma from the Royal College of Music. However, when the First World War broke out...
Sheila Robbins née Skinner (1932 – 2021)
Sheila was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1932 to Sydney Parnell Skinner and Margery Mary Davey. When Sheila was very young the family moved back to her father’s birthplace of Bishopsteignton. The house on Fore Street that the family moved to became Sheila’s home...
Lilian Benson (1871 – 1958)
Lilian lived in Bishopsteignton in the 1930s and 40s, and for some of this time at least, she lived at Murley Grange. Lilian was elected the first president of the Bishopsteignton Women’s Institute (WI), from its inception on the 9th December 1938, until 1945....
Mary Overill, née Bovey
Mary was born in 1922 in Buckfastleigh, Devon, and spent her childhood there. By the age of 20, while Mary was working for an accountant in Totnes, she was called up and joined the WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force). Mary was posted to RAF Coastal Command St Eval,...