Blue plaque honours family firm that built Torquay Pavilion

The stories behind Torbay's blue plaques by Ian Handford, chairman of Torbay Civic Society. This week: The Narracott family

One of the most important projects undertaken by the Narracott family - as builders rather than as today architects - was the contract to construct Torquay Pavilion, completed in 1912.

Today's blue plaque at the Pavilion was erected and unveiled in 1987 by our then chairman Sheila Hardway.

The plaque has been featured previously in this series although no mention of the Narracott family was made, even though they were prominent through the work of Mr R E Narracott.

As builders the Narracott family name goes back many generations mainly although not exclusively, in the South Devon area.

The family have been involved in a number of significant properties in Torbay including, Paignton Pier, The Carnegie funded Central Library in Torquay, Westhill School and even the General Accident Building at St Marychurch built prior to a second redevelopment which turned the site into today's small independent shops and a large food store.

Most of the earliest projects were under the control of Mr R E Narracott, although in later years Edward Narracott in partnership with Bryan J Tanner of Stoke Gabriel and John G Andre of Totnes and numerous associates were part of the company.

With the proposal for a Pavilion to be built on the site of built up, or reclaimed, land from the sea, a long struggle developed between the borough engineer of Torquay Mr H A Garrett - later Major Garrett, and the borough council until eventually councillors dropped their concept for a Pavilion and bandstand shelters, landing platform for local boats and some form of theatre or Pavilion being constructed on the pier.

Even the National Institute of British Architects were involved having offered a monetary prize of £50 for the best design received, which turned out to be from an Edward Richards.

Yet in 1903 the Mayor of Torquay, no less, intervened when calling a public meeting at the request of the chamber of commerce so that everyone could have an opportunity to air their views on the proposal for a new Pavilion.

Finally, the mayor announced: "It is absolutely necessary... that steps be taken to provide adequate musical and other attractions for visitors especially in the winter season."

Another speaker intervened stating Torquay 'just gets duller and duller year by year and high class property is depreciating'.

In the end, that debate came to nothing and the Richards designs were finally rejected.

Later, after numerous polls and meetings, a simple pier was built.

With more and more visitors flocking to Torquay, in preference to Eastbourne or Bournemouth - the resort's main competition - it still took six more seasons before our borough council finally agreed to Mr Garrett's ideas for an Esplanade Pavilion and found the initial funding required of £15,000.

The Pavilion contract was awarded to Mr R E Narracott and the official plans adopted were those drawn up originally by Mr E Richards.

During 1968, Narracott's (architect practice) acquired their premises at Montpellier Terrace, Torquay - originally a vicarage building of The Church of St John - and today, interestingly, this Georgian building is now being converted into a town centre house having been sold by Narracotts before they relocated to new offices at Harbour Point on Victoria Parade, Torquay.

Today, they trade as Edward Narracott Tanner and Andre and still have associates operating in Totnes.

Somewhere along this long history, another local Torquay building contractor - Mervyn Benney of MW Benney Building, which was established in 1910, and today has other offices throughout South Devon - was involved with and traded as Narrocotts.

That company were involved in the Torquay Library Contract during the 1940s and finally being a formal member of the Master Builders' Federation the company name reverted back to MW Benney Company in 1976.