Victorian dreams, modern realities: The changing face of Palace Avenue

Palace Avenue was meant to be grand. Built in the 1880s and designed by architects Couldrey and Bridgeman, the centrepiece was to be the Palace Avenue Theatre, surrounded by a variety of Victorian houses for the people who had been drawn to Paignton following the coming of the railways in 1859. Although only yards away, it was very different from the much older Winner Street. A mediaeval cluster of buildings where people were crammed into much smaller and less impressive housing.

On either side of the theatre, looking towards Victoria Street, were the terraces of houses interspersed with grand buildings with a different purpose. The first of these was the new police station built to replace the previous station on Totnes Road, which had become too small for the increasing size of the town. The station housed a front desk, several offices, interview rooms, and prison cells. Attached to the station was the station sergeant's house. Unlike many stations today, this one was always manned, and the police in general were held in high regard by the local population. The station closed in 1970 when it was deemed too small and was sadly demolished to be replaced by a retail unit, currently a furniture shop. The police station moved to new premises on Southfield Road; unfortunately, this too was demolished in 2013 when the building was found to have concrete cancer. Paignton is now covered by Torquay Police Station.

Above: Paignton's former police station

Above: The furniture shop that replaced it

Further down Palace Avenue on the same side as the police station was the General Post Office. Although closed in 1973 when the Post Office moved to its current premises in Torquay Road, thankfully this building is still standing. Over the years since closing, it has been used as a community centre, a pub, and for housing. However, older Paigntonians will still remember when it was The Post Office where you would go to post letters and parcels, collect pensions and family allowance, and receive help and advice on the many services offered. Behind the post office stood the sorting office; letters posted were often delivered the next day, and of course, there were two deliveries a day.

Above: The former premises of Paignton's post office as it looks today

There were other buildings of note in Palace Avenue, among them Devon and Cornwall Banking Company (now Lloyds Bank), an impressive building at the junction with Victoria Street, and the much-missed Rossiters department store opposite. A great deal more could be said about Palace Avenue, but that’s for another time.

Many pictures, such as the ones shown here, will soon be available for the general public to see at our new Archive Centre opening shortly in Paignton Library. The Paignton Heritage Society’s archive is extensive, and there will be much to interest anyone who wants to learn more about the history of Paignton.

Paignton Heritage Society holds regular meetings on the third Thursday of the month. Held in Gerston Chapel, Torquay Road, Paignton, and starting at 7pm. There is always a speaker, and at our next meeting on 20th March, David Scott, the very well-known local expert on wartime Torbay, will be giving a talk entitled

What if Hitler had invaded South Devon? Sounds fascinating.

Everyone is welcome. Entry is £5 for non-members and £4 for members. Tea and coffee are provided.