Torquay
From Freepedia
- See also Torquay, Victoria, in Australia
Image:Torquay - Devon dot.png Image:Torquay.devon.750pix.jpg Torquay [tɔː'ki] is a town on the south coast of England in the county of Devon which has extended along the coast of Torbay to the extent that it is now inextricably intermingled with the neighbouring town of Paignton. In the 19th century it became a fashionable seaside resort, renowned for its healthy climate.
Although it has been suggested that Torquay roughly signifies "Thor's Harbor" (cognate to Tórshavn, Faroe Islands and Þórshöfn, Iceland), a more likely root is the Devonian word Tor, a hill or outcrop, especially common in placenames on nearby Dartmoor.
Contents |
History of Torquay
Early Torquay
In 1196 Torre Abbey was founded as a Premonstratensian Monastery and flourished under the influence of the White Canons (monks). It remained that way until April 1539 when it suffered the same fate as all other monasteries – surrendering to the ministers of Henry VIII (Dissolution).
After the failed Spanish Armada of 1588, a part of Torre Abbey was used to house 300 Spanish prisioners, this building has now been named the "Spanish Barn" in reconigtion of this.
Exactly 100 years later, William III (also known as William of Orange) landed at Brixham in Torbay on 5 November 1688 before marching to London, on his way to gaining control of the country in the "Glorious Revolution".
Early 19th century
An early visitor to Torquay in 1794 is recorded as saying “Instead of the poor uncomfortable village we had expected, how great it was our surprise at seeing a pretty range of neat new buildings, fitted up for summer visitors, who may certainly here enjoy carriage rides, bathing, retirement and a most romantic situation.”
Torquay owes much to Napoleon. The Napoleonic wars meant that the rich elite could no longer visit abroad and looked for local destinations to visit instead.
Torbay, the large bay ringed by the three towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, is ideal as a large sheltered anchorage for ships. It was frequently used by the Channel Fleet which protected England against invasion by Napoleon. Wives and relatives of officers visited Torquay to be near their loved ones in the fleet.
After Napoleon was captured he was held on the warship "Bellerophon", nicknamed "Billy Ruffian", in Torbay for two days before being taken to Plymouth and then to St. Helena. Napoleon also helped the prosperity of Torquay in another way. Local smugglers did very good business 'importing' French brandy during the war with Napoleon. Since then smuggling of one kind or another has not completely stopped.
In later years Queen Victoria reviewed the entire British Fleet in the waters of Torbay.
The mild winter climate and good air in Torquay attracted many visitors who came for health reasons. During the whole of the 19th century Torquay was considered a health resort where the wealthy would come in winter to recover from illness.
By 1850 there were about 2000 bedrooms in the small hotels of Torquay. The population of Torquay grew rapidly from 838 in 1801 to 11,474 in 1851.
Later 19th century
In the 1840s railway mania hit Torquay. It is difficult for us now to imagine how important railways were to the 19th century. Perhaps the situation was best described by a noted English historian G.M. Trevelyan who wrote: "The railways were England's gift to the world." In fact, a large proportion of the world's trains still roll along tracks manufactured in the last century with the words "Made in Birmingham" stamped on them.
The people of Torquay knew that the railways would bring visitors and prosperity and they wanted the railway to come to their town. Finally, in 1848, the station in Torre (some distance from the sea) was opened and Torquay was connected to the world!
On a Saturday morning in 1852 a town meeting decided to continue the railway down to the sea, to the harbour. The people at the meeting imagined Torquay as an industrial town, importing raw materials through the harbour and transporting finished articles inland. This decision caused great controversy, and in the afternoon of the same day another meeting was held cancelling the decision of the morning and deciding to continue the railway to the sea but not to the harbour. As a result Torquay kept its character as a tourist town and became the place it is today.
The railways also had a great effect on the surrounding towns and countryside. Torquay grew in importance because it a had a railway station but not all towns were so fortunate. Many towns looked on desperately as the trains passed by them without stopping - taking their prosperity with them. These towns died economically. Even the road transport was reduced because so many goods were carried on the new trains.
Early 20th century
1902 saw the first advertising campaign to bring healthy visitors to Torquay - rather than people recovering from illnesses. Torquay changed in character from being a winter holiday resort to being a summer holiday resort. Rail traffic increased steadily until World War One. (During World War One soldiers were brought to Torquay to recover from their injuries.) After the Great War an effective advertising campaign by The Great Western Railway Company was responsible for making Torquay a major resort. The busiest day was on August Bank Holiday in 1938, just before the outbreak of World War Two, when 20,000 passengers arrived in Torquay station, followed by 50 trains the next day.
World War II to present
Devon (and by extension Torquay) was considered a safe place to send evacuees during World War Two. Stately homes were used as boarding schools for children from the London area. In urban areas they also housed American troops, with Torquay functioning under American martial law for much of the war, after the American entry.
Torquay was lightly bombed during the war, with most of the incidents caused by German pilots disposing of unused bombs from the raids on nearby Plymouth.
Torquay also played a large part in the D-Day invasion on France, many American troops and boats left for France, via newly built slipways in the town harbour. Currently the fate of these slipways is undecided, as they are beginning to show their age and could be a danger, but they have a huge historical significance to the town.
Since the war tourist patterns have changed considerably. Many more people have the money to travel abroad for their holidays and nearly everyone has a car. This means that fewer visit British holiday resorts but when they do they do usually travel by car. The British holiday has become a touring holiday with visitors staying only one or two days in each place. The visitor does not bother to book a hotel, but prefers to stay at one of the numerous cheap bed & breakfast establishments instead (b&b's). The Beatles song "Day Tripper" is about this form of holidaymaking.With its unrivalled Bay, the English Riviera has been famed for its watersports for many a year and in 1948 the watersports events of the Olympic Games were held here. The Olympic flame was brought from London and burned for the duration at Torre Abbey Gardens.
In recent years Torquay has become better known abroad and has received more foreign tourists who usually tour in cars like the British holidaymakers. It is also a major destination for foreign language students, who visit the town for the summer to learn English and see the sights of England.
Torquay is also hoping to be a part of the London 2012 games by being the official warm up venue for the sailing events. The actual events during the Olympics will be held in Weymouth unlike in 1948.
Geography
Torquay is situated on the South West coast of England, forming one third of Torbay, and is primarily on the western side of the bay. It has a mild microclimate, and cabbage trees (often erroneously dubbed "Torbay Palms") are a notable feature of the area. They were introduced into the area in 1820 from New Zealand and since then have flourished. There are currently thousands throughout the town.
Torquay is also set along a coastline renowed for its beaches, having no fewer than nine popular beaches. The high standards of water quality and beach facilities mean that many carry coveted awards, including no fewer than three European Blue Flags - more than any other resort in the UK. The nine main beaches of Torquay, a string of nine beautiful beaches and coves stretched out along the palm lined coast, are as follows:
- Maidencombe Beach
- Watcombe Beach
- Oddicombe Beach
- Babbacombe Beach
- Anstey's Cove
- Meadfoot Beach
- Torre Abbey Sands
- Corbyn Sands
Tourist attractions
The town was the birthplace of the crime novelist Agatha Christie, born in Torre in 1890.
Numerous tourist attractions vie for a share of the resort's visitors including Britain's most important Stone Age site, Kents Cavern which was home to early man for some 700,000 years and where tourists can visit this subterranean wonderland. The floor is composed of several strata, with remains indicating the prehistoric coexistence there of humans and now-extinct animals. The Rev. J. McEnery explored (1825–29) the cave and put forth the coexistence theory. The cave was extensively explored from 1865 to 1880 by William Pengelly, who found proof to support McEnery's hypothesis. The Caves have attracted many famous people, among them Agatha Christie, Beatrix Potter, King George V of the United Kingdom and Haile Selassie who was so impressed with his visit that he gave his guide, Leslie Powe a gold sovereign.Living Coasts, another popular Torquay attraction, is built on Beacon Quay which has been in existence since 1680. In 1857 the Bath's Saloons complex was built on the promontory overlooking Beacon Cove. This included a ballroom, concert hall and sunlit conservatory and private bathing facilities with, underneath, a large public swimming bath open to the sea. The beautiful stone arches of this public bath can still be seen today and have been cleverly incorporated into the shop at Living Coasts.Development of the site, as a marine animal exhibit was first proposed in the early part of 1999. It was in response to a call from Torbay Borough Council for submissions from interested parties. The project, developed by Kay Elliott architects, included an exhibit to house marine birds, rather than fish, due to the need to avoid duplicating the exhibits at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth. The project was subsequently taken on by Paignton Zoo Environmental Park and named Living Coasts.
Another old favourite of tourists, is the Babbacombe Model Village. Opened in 1963 it has attracted children and adults of all ages for generations and is considered one of the best examples of a model village in England.
Paignton Zoo is situated in the nearby town of Paignton (inextricably intermingled with Torquay), this is a top tourist atrraction and one of the best zoos in the country currently. It has undergone extensive rebuilding in the past decade, marking a movement from the old way of caged animals to displaying animals in exhibits as close to their natural habitat as possible. This renovation has been made possible thanks to investment by the European Regional Development Fund and the zoo itself.
Professional Sports
Torquay is represented in the English Coca-Cola Football League Two by Torquay United F.C.. The team plays their home matches at Plainmoor and has spent it's entire history in the bottom two leagues of English football. Their most recent season (04/05) resulted in the team being relegated from League One to League Two, a reverse of their fortunes of the previous season.
Torquay in English culture
Torquay is the setting of Fawlty Towers, a famous sitcom made in the 1970s, although it is claimed that location filming for the show was actually done in Cambridge, Berkshire and Bedfordshire. However, in the episode "Gourmet Night", there is film footage of Basil in a shopping area where shopfronts show Torquay addresses and phone numbers.
Torquay is also the hometown of a few famous people such as crime novelist Agatha Christie and the co-presenter of popular Sky Sports One program "Soccer AM" Helen Chamberlain. The Singer family also maintained a presence in the area, owning Oldway mansion, midway between Torquay and Paignton.
Oscar Wilde is said to have written A Woman of No Importance while visiting the area.
Los Angeles radio personality Richard Blade is originally from Torquay.
Torquay is popular for self catering accommodation and English Riviera Holidays.
Demographics
Population (2001 census)
| Demographic | Number Of People |
|---|---|
| Males | 61,773 |
| Females | 67,933 |
| Aged 0 to 15 | 23,321 |
| Aged 16 to 74 | 90,852 |
| Aged 75 or over | 15,533 |
Marital status(2001 census)
| Marital Status | Number Of People |
|---|---|
| Single (Never Married) | 26,880 |
| Married or Re-Married | 53,327 |
| Separated or Divorced | 14,273 |
| Widowed | 11,905 |
Religion (2001 census)
| Religion | Number Of People |
|---|---|
| Christian | 98,820 |
| Buddhist | 196 |
| Hindu | 66 |
| Jewish | 159 |
| Muslim | 341 |
| Sikh | 50 |
| Other | 476 |
| No Religion | 19,345 |
| Religion Not Stated | 10,253 |
Employment status (2001 census)
| Employment Status | Number Of People |
|---|---|
| Employed | 51,830 |
| Umemployed | 3,763 |
| Long Term Unemployed | 945 |
| Student (Economically Active) | 1,937 |
| Retired | 16,321 |
| Student (Economically Inactive) | 2,372 |
| Looking After Home/Famiy | 5,664 |
| Permenantly sick/diasbled | 6,461 |
| Other inactive | 2,504 |
(all people aged 16-74)
All Demographics are for Torbay as a whole, not just Torquay and are taken from the 2001 British Census, information available Here
Social issues in Torquay
Politics
Torquay as one of the three main towns that Torbay consists of, is run by Torbay Council which has its town hall at the top of the Torquay highstreet. Currently Charles Kennedy's Liberal Democrats are the party in power, with Michael Howard's Conservative Party in a relatively close second place and Tony Blair's Labour Party a very distant third. From the 1920's until 1997 Torbay was a safe Tory' seat until Adrian Sanders overturned spy novel writer Rupert Allason's majority by just 12 votes, widened to 6,708 in 2001.
During the 2005 general election, Tory leader Michael Howard visited the town to try and gain some support, in a region targeted by the Conservative Party as a key swing vote. However, as in 2001, this was not enough to oveturn the Liberal Democrat majority and well loved MP, Adrian Sanders retained the seat with 40.8% of the votes (19,317), it was a swing of 9.7% away from the Liberal Democrats, but the Conservatives did not benefit from it with only a 0.1% swing towards them. The Labour Party regained a 5.3% swing towards them (mainly tactical votes for the Lib Dems from 97 and 01 moving back to their natural place) and with UKIP bigwig Graham Booth improving on his deposit losing 2001 performance with a 4.7% swing towards them.
Education
Torquay is host to many primary and secondary schools of all variations, including private and Catholic based schools.
There are four main secondary schools in the town. One is Torquay Community College, previously know as Audley Park. This school has had its troubles in the past and has in the past two years come out of governmental special measures. Its 2004 exam results are available Here
The other mainstream secondary school in Torquay is Westlands Secondary School and Technology College. This is a combined secondary college and 6th form that takes students of all variations and has recently moved to a brand new modern building. Its 2004 exam results are available Here
The other three state secondary schools of Torquay are more selective than the previous two. They are St Cuthbert Mayne School, a secondary school exclusively available to followers of Roman Catholic and Church of England faiths, and Torquay Boys' and Girls' Grammar schools which are available only to those that pass the 11+ intelligence test and the schools' own standardised test. The 2004 results for St Cuthbert Mayne school are available here, the Boys' Grammar School results here and finally the Girls' Grammar School [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/04/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/880_4114.stm here. There are also a number of private schools in the area including Studley Knowle School and the Abbey School.
For further education, students can either go to one of the sixth forms at the previous mentioned Westlands, St Cuthbert's Mayne or Grammar schools, or they can go to South Devon College which is based in the Torre area of Torquay. However, plans are underway to move the College to a new campus on the outskirts of Paignton in time for the 2005/2006 school year.
Should students pass through college and wish to continue in their education at university, they will have to leave Torquay and go to either Exeter or Plymouth universities, each roughly an hour train journey from Torquay train station.
Crime
| Offences | Total | Rate per 1,000 population | Average rate per 1,000 population in England & Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violence Against The Person | 1,408 | 11.2 | 10.9 |
| Sexual Offences | 104 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Robbery Offences | 72 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| Burglary Dwelling Offences | 1,014 | 8.0 | 6.5 |
| Theft Of Motor Vehicle | 293 | 2.3 | 5.0 |
| Theft From Vehicle | 1,352 | 10.7 | 10.9 |
Information taken from 2001/2002 crime figures in Torbay, available Here
Healthcare
Torquay's healthcare needs are seen to by NHS-run Torbay hospital which is situated on the main road out of Torquay and the private, non-emergency Mount Stuart on St Vincents Road.
External links
Government and Eduational Links
- Torbay Council
- General Election 2005 Results
- Westlands Secondary School and Technology College
- Torquay Community College
- South Devon College
Historical Links
Tourist Attractions
Sports Links
General Information
