How romance played a part in naming part of Paignton

Former police superintendent officer Grahame Holloway has gone back in history to reveal how a part of Paignton got its name - thanks to a touch of romance.
Today the area near Little Blagdon Farm on the Totnes Road in Collaton St Mary is known as 'Ardene' - the name appears on the local bus stop. But 50 years ago the name did not exist - until Grahame became involved.
He explains: "In the early 1970’s the pair of semi-detached houses immediately before Little Blagdon Farm were owned by the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and their postal addresses were Number 1 Police House, and Number 2 Police House, Totnes Road, Collaton St. Mary. Post codes did not exist in those days. Number 1 was the residence of one of the Inspectors responsible for Paignton and Brixham whereas Number 2 was home to the Sub-divisional Chief Inspector."
In June, 1970, Number 1 Police House was taken up by one Inspector Grahame Holloway and his wife, Sheila, together with their two young sons, following his posting from Force HQ in Exeter.
He reveals it was not long before he felt that the address was too ‘official’ and lacked the personality that a name could give.
Here's where a bit of romanticism came in. In 1957 he had met Sheila at the matron’s Christmas Ball at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in Exeter where she was a young staff nurse. Romance flourished and they married the following September. Grahame thought 'why not call the house after that auspicious occasion, after all the hospital was known locally as the R.D and E which, phonetically, easily becomes ARDENE'.
Grahame had a name plate made and exhibited. Also all their future correspondence showed the address as ‘Ardene’, No.1 Police House, Totnes Road, Collaton St. Mary.
The house was relinquished by the police many years ago but, seemingly, Ardene has remained and, one could even say, grown.
He says there is at least one conflicting story of Ardene's origin. He explains: "Last year one of my sons, who was seven years old when we lived there, was in the area and decided to pay a nostalgic visit. It was then that we learnt about the bus stop. He also saw the present occupier who was interested in the origin of the name and had been told by a previous occupier that a one-time police officer had named it after the initials of his three children – R, D and E. How wrong."
Grahame and his family were only at Collaton for a short while.
"We were only there for 18 months during 1970/71 whilst I had a spell while I was the local Paignton sub-divisional Police Inspector, " says Grahame who retired after 33 years of service from the Force in 1986 as a superintendent.
After a lifetime in Devon - he was born in Exmouth - he and Sheila left the county ten years ago to be close to one of our their in South Gloucestershire. He says: "I am now 90 and my dear wife and I have just celebrated our 65th wedding anniversary."