This is the "official history" written from old records, talks with the two Horton brothers and newspaper cuttings.
Some the pictures were scanned from these cuttings.
Through the village is a brook called the "Lillybrook". It is mentioned in records going back to the year 739 AD.
Mentioned in the "Domesday BOOK". One of the earliest charted rivers in the United Kingdom. It rises on "New House" farm and passes through Pathfinder Village, on to Oldbridge and Blackalder
Woods down the valley to join the rivers Ted, Culvery, Yeo, Creedy and on to the Exe and to the sea.
The Site proper (known a bit later as Pathfinders) was first set up by Tony Horton
on the 22nd February 1932 but only to hire out caravans for self towing.
The cars in those days had
stout "bumpers" or "fenders" as our American cousins called them and
bolting on a temporary tow bar was no problem.
He was joined by his
brother Gerry the next year, 1933. Then the site also became one where
people could hire a caravan and stay. 1934 saw the start of the village
proper but only for holidays etc., not for permanent residence. As a matter of
interest the two brothers were known as the "Wild Men of the woods".
A road was built called Heatherfield, hand packed by one labourer from
stone on the site at a cost of £400 and there was enough left over to start building the
restaurant/ dining room which was later named the "Red Indian" restaurant and later still
was changed to the "Log Cabin". This was
built entirely from materials on the site. In 1935 the size of the hire fleet was
increased. In 1936 the hire fleet was further increased but as business was
not always constant they cut and sold logs to tide them over. An old railway carriage was
added to the accommodation. A rough an ready collection of sheds were built. The "sort of"
Workshop was started in 1936 but in 1939 war broke out.
Tony volunteered for the RAF and Gerry was called up into the army. By a
remarkable coincidence both brothers were demobilised on the 10th June 1946.
Tony was awarded the DFC for his exploits as a pilot.
No business was possible during the war years. The Log Cabin was let for the duration.
Brookside area was sold off to Bernard Boutwood who became a partner from 1947 - until 1951.
Immediately after hostilities, if you built a house yourself with no employed labour, a license
to build was not required. A house was built behind the restaurant and occupied for some years
by the two brothers and their families. At this time there were only the two brothers, a
secretary and one man in the workshop, trying to do everything. Sell and hire out caravans,
forge towing brackets, make and serve meals in the restaurant. A very busy time needless to
say.
Due to a shortage of houses residential caravanning began, there were few
regulations and customers asked if they bought a caravan could they stay
on site. No services were offered, they were told that water could be got
from a well by the restaurant. They were also told where they could dump
their rubbish and empty chemical toilets. At this time the two brothers with
only a secretary and one man in the workshop were doing everything, a very
busy time. In 1947 Alan Moseley joined them later to become a director and Company
secretary, also John Barr and three more men in the workshops in 1948.
Due to "persuasion" by residents a little church was made available by converting the old mess building at the side of the restaurant. The exact date of the building (now demolished) is not known. There does not seem to be any record of preachers but was still in use until 1981 when a retired vicar Named Rev. William Causton
(Father Bill to many of us) was the "official" vicar. The new church was built here in the
Workhops in 1980 and used from 1981 onwards. After consecration by the Bishop of Crediton the "Church" appointed a locum vicar.
In 1954 it was realised that residential caravanning was here to stay so they set about
planning, providing and connecting all mod cons including central heating to all the caravans.
This was one of the very first Parks in the country to do so.
A 30 pitch touring caravan site was established at the opposite end of the
bowling green and opposite to the Village Hall. Pathfinder Company sold "up market" class
of caravans such as Carlight and Royales. The workshops by this time had 5 star status for
repairing touring caravans.
There was even a caravan accessory shop on site. Now the Log Cabin restaurant
is the present site office. The village later had its own shop and Sub-
Post Office, below is a sketch by local artist, (actually a commercial artist) the late Len
Kirley who was also a resident.The building opposite the shop on the other side of the road has now been converted to the Village unisex hairdressers.
Click here ** to get more detailed
picture.
("BACK" to get to this page
again).
Click here **for larger
picture.
("BACK" to get to this page
again).
The restaurant in its "hey day". (At the side of the Gipsy Caravan of course!)
It is not generally known that at one time the Horton brothers had a small number of
real log cabins for holiday hire, sleeping up to four people.
Mains water was now connected as up to this point water was pumped around the site from 6 wells, 5 of them actually dug by Gerry and Tony. 1956 saw the connection of mains electricity and until then a limited supply to each van was supplied by the site from three Lister Diesel generators complete with the smells of their diesel exhausts.
1957 saw
another milestone with the erection of the Village Hall. This was built mainly
due to the constant "nagging" of Mr.A.J. Coles, (Jan Stewer) the author and
playwright who was a resident at the time. Opposite the Village Hall was the
bowling green, this part of the site is now part of Six Acres.
Then in 1958 another milestone, the first TenWide, 32 feet by 10 feet built to
the brothers own design by Willerby's of Hull. This first true Mobile Home
caused quite a stir in the trade. Other manufacturers of large caravans were
used until in 1969, production was then started here in the village. The basic
unit was 50'x 10'4" and the largest almost double this size. (50 X 20)
From the very start all main services were included as was central heating.
The early ones were fitted with the "Lincoln" or its derivatives. These burnt
oil and were originally designed to be fitted to Canadian buses.
The system was that heated air was blown through ducts in the floor and
provided a very comfortable level of heating throughout the building. Later
the "Donair" system was used as it was a little more modern at the time and could
provide hot water. Some old units are still in use today. (2002). Later
models were fitted with ceiling heating but proved expensive in electricity
consumption and was not too popular with its "cold feet" syndrome, and
was soon replaced with "Economy 7". This involved fitting storage radiators
which were charged for 7 hours during the night at cheap rate electricity.
These give off heat slowly during the day. Current homes are fitted with liquid
gas fired central heating with radiators. All homes installed in the last few
years are double glazed and fitted with secure multi locking systems on doors
and windows as standard.
In 1965 Pathfinder Village came second in the National Britain in Bloom
competition. Quite an achievement for what was a comparatively "young"
village. In 1967/8 Pathfinder Village won the South West cup for towns and
villages with a population of less than 7000.
From this point on, constant
progress was made towards becoming a good quality housing estate.
In 1989 Ordnance Survey recognised Pathfinder as a Village in its own right
and has been included on their maps since.
The only Park Home Village in the UK to so be recognised.
Click here ** (then BACK).
The site office.
| Typical of the luxury homes now being installed. This one is on Six Acres. |
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There is no doubt Tony and his brother Gerry were responsible for uplifting the image of Mobile Homes in the United Kingdom.
| THE TOWN CRIER |
Pathfinder Village had for some years its very own Town Crier - the wonderful Grace Hall. Born in 1898 and passed away 1994 at the grand age of 96. In 1993 she had the great honour of being made a Life Member of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers. She won many competitions.
Grace it was claimed had the loudest voice of anyone in her time and held many records as a Town Crier.
At a test on a parade ground she "out shouted" the very famous Sergeant Major Britain. The man who it was claimed had the loudest voice in the British Army. At another test she was standing near "Concorde" and although its engines were only idling the noise was too great for anyone talk - except Grace who shouted out and was heard over the roar of the aeroplanes huge engines.
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Original design by ©Ron Wilson (DSV GRAPHICS) February 2001.