August 2011 » People's Republic of South Devon

Torquay’s Other History: Larry Grayson

By Kevin Dixon, on Friday, August 19, 2011 |

Larry Grayson, who presented The Generation Game on the BBC with Isla St Clair and become one of the faces of 80s television, lived in Torquay for several years

Torquay’s Other History: The Soaps 3: Zak Dingle

By Kevin Dixon, on Thursday, August 18, 2011 |

Actor Steve Halliwell was in Torquay when he decided to embark on an acting career. Since then he’s become Emmerdale’s Zach Dingle

Torquay’s Other History: The Soaps 2: Brookside

By Kevin Dixon, on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 |

As a holiday break for four of the Brooksiders – Harry, Ralph, Julia and Madge – they all pop down to Torquay. Then, rather than being killed a footballer is sent to the South Coast

Torquay’s Other History: The Soaps 1: Elsie Tanner, Torquay housekeeper

By Kevin Dixon, on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 |

Torquay featured in The Soaps, and in Corrie Elsie Tanner was all set for a new life as a housekeeper in Torquay with Ron Mather, but in Soap land nothing is ever easy

Torquay’s Other History: the Torquay ‘Negro Minstrels’

By Kevin Dixon, on Monday, August 15, 2011 |

Minstrel groups had become popular in the 1830s, and by the 1880s Torquay had serveral troupes

Torquay’s Other History: George Eliot: critic of Torquay’s overdevelopment

By Kevin Dixon, on Sunday, August 14, 2011 |

George Elliot, or rather Mary Anne Evans, popped along to Torquay in 1868, to find the city ‘sadly spoiled by wealth and fashion’, and looking like the overdevelopment would see it become a London suburb