David Noel Tredwin & Delia Evans

Richard Nicholas Tredwin		Christopher Jeremy Tredwin

DAVID NOEL TREDWIN

Born at 94 Fore Street Exeter on Christmas Day 1931, the younger son of Leonard and Clarissa Nina Tredwin. Christened at St. Olave's Church Exeter in February 1932. His Godparents were Arthur Bennett, Leonard Tredwin and Winifred Turner. The Church stands right across the street from the property where David was born. He was to be called just David but Noel was added at the suggestion of Father Long who was the Parish Priest. The family pew, now removed, was at right angles to the Altar, close to the organ. David remembers the early years at Fore Street, watching from the upstairs window and before school days standing outside the shop, his grandfather (Arthur Bennett) framing at the back of the Samuels Gallery. Every week his father took him to the cattle market then situated the City side of Exe Bridge, and Saturdays with his mother going to the lower market, a vast granite structure with an adjoining Corn Exchange and below a Customs Bonded Warehouse. Lit by gaslight with a multitude of stalls. At the entrance a one legged first world war veteran selling book matches and boot laces from a small hand held tin, all for one penny.

David and older brother Peter

Following his brothers footsteps he went to Norwood School, Exeter when he was five sometimes catching the bus from Fore Street to Sidwell Street and alighting by York Road all for one penny return although usually walking Fore Street, High Street and Longbrook Street. This meant that the penny bus fare could be spent at Arthur Hunt, the baker, in Longbrook Street on a lovely cream bun. Homewards-through Northernhay Gardens to watch the trains at Central Station where there was always great activity.

He feels privileged to remember and been part of the old City before the Blitz of 1942. Among other buildings, now gone was Dellars Restaurant and he attended a big party there given by his grandmother. Brufords in the High Street with a large clock of Old Father Time outside and Mark Rowe, Furnishers, who had the first concave windows in Exeter. In Fore Street, Ackroyds the Drapers, and further down, Walter Otton, Ironmongers.

The family moved to South Street in 1938 and the car - BFJ 24 - a Morris eight tourer - was kept in a big garage in Milk Street. This had been his grandparent's car - their previous car a bull nose Morris, with a dickey seat and mounting step on the back mudguard. David remembers riding in this car. Stillmans the butcher was next door and meat was auctioned off on Saturday nights from 8 p.m. He enjoyed the move to Buckerell Avenue and in 1942 left Norwood and moved to Exeter School. The blitz of 1942 vastly changed the family fortunes and that period until the end of the war in 1945 was not a happy experience.

David on his 125cc Royal Enfield

In 1948 he left Exeter school and joined Barclays Bank in the old bombed building at the corner of Bedford Street. Salary £120 per annum. Early in 1949 his mother gave him his first motorcycle - 125cc Royal Enfield known as the 'flying flea'. It was the civilian version of the small airborne bike. Petrol was rationed - one and a half gallons per month. He graduated to a 250cc BSA before being called up for National Service in 1950. After basic training at Aldershot with the Royal Army Service Corps he volunteered for Overseas and soon found himself on the troopship Empire Test, bound from Liverpool to Port Said. A 13-day voyage by this old Coal Burner. Disembarking at Port Said was sent to Famagusta Cyprus and after 3 months returned to Egypt by Landing craft.

David in 1951

Moved to Tel-El-Kebir and took over Chief Clerk of 17 Company RASC (MT) with rank of Acting Sergeant. Subsequently moved to Suez with an East African Company and flew home for demobilisation from Fayid in 1952. Rejoined the Bank at Dorchester and joined Brigade Headquarters 130 BDE at Exeter as a Territorial. Served for nearly seven years eventually taking a Commission in the Devon Regiment (TA) after further moves with the Bank he arrived at Ilfracombe in 1958, married to Delia Evans who had been a Secretary in Lloyds Bank, Ilfracombe, in 1961. They moved to Honiton in 1963.

The Family

Richard Nicholas Tredwin their elder son was born there in 1968 and two weeks later David was appointed Branch Manager of Barclays Bank Torrington. Christopher Jeremy Tredwin was born in 1971 and in 1973 David moved to take over as Branch Manager of Bridport, Dorset. This was a happy posting and the family enjoyed living in a new Purbeck stone house at Uploders. In 1977 David was appointed Branch Manager of Bideford Branch and they moved to a newly built house at Instow. He became a member of The Chartered Institute of Bankers in 1949, an Associate of the Institute in 1968 and a Fellow of the Institute in 1981. Now a Senior Fellow and a member for over 50 years. He retired from Barclays Bank in 1988 on the completion of 40 years service, has now moved from Instow to a Penthouse overlooking the Torridge at Bideford and spends his time enjoying Victorian Watercolours and now travelling. His sons - Richard a Chartered Accountant and Company Director lives in Bath. Christopher a Dental Surgeon with a Practice in London lives close by his Practice. Delia his wife of 40 years has now also retired and is finding a new outlet with her computer.