Nostalgia: A history of change in Hele

Name & Setting

The name “Hele” is distinctively Devonian, derived from the Old English “healh”, meaning a nook or sheltered valley. This is a fitting description for Torquay’s Hele, which nestles in a fold between Barton and Watcombe, on the historic route leading up from the harbour to St Marychurch. The landscape’s natural protection shaped Hele’s development, giving rise to its character as a village apart from, yet linked to, the wider Torquay area.

Victorian Foundations (Mid–Late 1800s)

As Torquay flourished as a Victorian seaside resort, the neighbouring districts of St Marychurch and Watcombe were gradually absorbed into a growing “Greater Torquay.” Hele itself began as a ribbon of cottages and smallholdings, thickening into a recognisable roadside village along Hele Road. The area’s fortunes were closely tied to industry: the Watcombe Terracotta and Pottery works, established in the 1860s, exploited the local red clay and provided employment across north Torquay, including for Hele’s residents.

Pottery at Hele Cross (1870s–1930s)

By 1875, the Torquay Terra Cotta Works had been established at Hele Cross, often simply called “Hele Cross.” Specialising in terracotta and art pottery, it fuelled a lively network of pottery businesses across Torquay. While the Terra Cotta Works closed in 1905, a successor—Torquay Pottery—opened at Hele Cross around 1908 and operated well into the 20th century. Today, very little remains of these industrial buildings, but in their heyday, they were major local employers and contributed greatly to Hele’s identity.

Trams & Connections (1907–1934)

The arrival of electric trams via Torquay Tramways in 1907 brought Hele closer to the town centre, with the St Marychurch route running past the top of Hele Road and into town until the network’s closure in 1934. Hele thus became part of a busy northern corridor, making it easier for residents to commute and for visitors to access the area. The main tram depot was at Westhill/Plainmoor, but Hele enjoyed the increased connectivity and bustle brought by this modern transport link.

Between the Wars: A Proper Village High Street

By the 1920s and 1930s, Hele Road had developed the classic features of a village high street: the Co-operative store, butchers, fish shop, general stores, and a couple of well-frequented pubs and clubs. Oral histories consistently recall Hele Road as the hub for weekly shopping and community catch-ups, reflecting the tight-knit character of village life during this period.

Pubs & Clubs (Mid-1900s)

The Royal Standard on Hele Road stood out as the best-remembered village pub, though it has since disappeared. The RAOB “Buffs” Club (the local Buffaloes lodge) and the Hele Conservative Club made up a trio of much-loved social venues. These establishments were vital for the community’s social life, providing spaces for camaraderie, celebrations, and local events.

Post-War Housing & Prefabs (Late 1940s–1950s)

After the Second World War, Torquay’s housing drive saw the emergence of prefabricated streets in Hele, notably Shrewsbury Avenue, alongside larger council estates in the Barton and Hele areas. Photographs from this era, such as those depicting Christmas parties in the prefabs, offer a glimpse into a time of renewal and community spirit as Hele adapted to post-war challenges.

Churches & Community Halls

Hele Road Baptist Church has been a fixture in the district since the 19th century and remains active and community-focused to this day. For the wider parish, St Martin’s in Barton, established on its current site in 1927, continues to serve Hele, Barton, and the Willows, reinforcing the area’s strong tradition of religious and communal life.

Shops You’d Have Known (Late 1900s)

The Co-operative supermarket on Hele Road traded into the 2000s before the site transitioned to Farmfoods. Other fondly remembered retailers include Hele Fish Shop at 117 Hele Road (run by the Land family) and various small shops that contributed to the area’s bustling commercial strip. These businesses anchored Hele’s identity as a practical and sociable community.

What Remains of the Factory Era?

Almost nothing survives today of the Hele Cross pottery buildings—unlike long park’s preserved chimney, Hele Cross left scant physical traces. Nevertheless, its output—mottoware, terracotta, and decorated wares—still surfaces in local collections and at sales, keeping the memory of the factory era alive for collectors and historians.

Quick Timeline of Hele’s Development

• 1860s–90s: Resort boom; Watcombe Pottery thrives nearby; Hele expands along Hele Road.
• 1875–1905: Torquay Terra Cotta Works operates at Hele Cross.
• c.1908–1930s+: Torquay Pottery continues at Hele Cross.
• 1907–1934: Trams connect the St Marychurch/Hele corridor to town.
• 1940s–50s: Prefabs and council housing expand Hele; the high street flourishes.
• Late 20th century: The Buffs/Conservative clubs and Royal Standard remembered as the three “locals”; Co-op remains the anchor grocer.

Hele Road (Hele, Torquay) — starter shop/venue list (with addresses)

(Focus: things we can actually evidence today; years are indicative where sources allow.)

• Hele Road Baptist Church, 45 Hele Rd, TQ2 7PP — mid-19th-century foundation; active today.  
• Royal Standard (pub), 70 Hele Rd, TQ2 7PR — long-running village pub; now closed. 
• RAOB “Buffs” Club (Hele) — the village had an active Buffaloes lodge/club (alongside the Conservative Club and Royal Standard) Now Closed, turned into a house.
• Hele Conservative Club — remembered as one of Hele’s three locals.  
• Hele Fish & Chip Shop (historic “Hele Fried Fish Shop”), 117 Hele Rd, TQ2 7PX — trading by the 1930s–40s; linked with William Henry Land in local records; still a fish bar today.  
• Farm foods (ex-Co-op supermarket), 141–143 Hele Rd, TQ2 7PX — former Co-op; sold to Farm foods in 2006; still trading as Farm foods.  
• Parade of small shops (butcher, grocer, general stores) — Hele Road remembered locally as the village’s weekly shopping strip. (Good oral-history lead; invites photos.)  

Hele Cross & the pottery belt (what stood where)

• Torquay Terracotta Company (TTC) — founded 1875 at Hele Cross as a rival to Watcombe; fine terracotta, busts, urns; closed 1905.  
• Torquay Pottery (Hele Cross) — new pottery opened c.1908 on/near the TTC site; produced decorated ware & mottoware; by the 1920s parts of a wider Torquay pottery network. Little survives on the ground. 
• Where exactly? Contemporary notes place the works by Hele Cross / Barton Road & Audley Avenue with a showroom frontage.  
• Context: Nearby Watcombe Pottery (1860s onwards) helped seed the skills base that Hele drew on.  

Connections & housing (why Hele grew)

• Electric trams (1907–1934): St Marychurch depot and routes tied Hele/St Marychurch to town; route 5 ran St Marychurch ↔ Torre Station (via the northern corridor). 
• Post-war prefabs (late 1940s–60s): Shrewsbury Avenue, Hele — documented prefab estate & community events (photos from 1965–66).  
• Parish cover: St Martin’s, Barton was planned from 1926 to serve the growing Barton/Hele estates; foundation stone of the present church 1939.