On This Day in Wembury
25 October 1906 — Dr. Hogarth Clay’s Election Address
On this day the Western Morning News carried the election address of Dr. R. Hogarth Clay, M.D., of Wembury House, who was standing for the Plymstock Division of the Devon County Council. His candidacy followed the retirement of Mr. Bastard, who had served the district for many years. Dr. Clay declared himself independent of party politics, stating that he deprecated the intrusion of imperial issues into local government. Instead, he stressed his medical knowledge and experience in sanitary matters as qualifications to serve the community. He pledged careful oversight of public spending and an earnest commitment to the welfare of all residents in the division.
Reflection: Dr. Clay’s address highlights how early 20th-century local elections were grounded in practical concerns—public health, sanitation, and fiscal responsibility—rather than party politics. His residence at Wembury House underlined his social standing and connection to one of the parish’s principal estates, reinforcing his role as a community leader.
Source: Western Morning News, 25 October 1906.
25 October — 1924: Bovisand Sands and Pier Co., Ltd. registered
Western Morning News, 29 Oct 1924
A new company, almost certainly the Bovisand Sands and Pier Co., Ltd. (mis-OCR’d in some sources as “Vis and Sands”), was registered with £12,000 capital to develop the beaches and cliffs between Bovisand Bay and Andurn Point in Wembury parish. Plans announced included a pier, theatre or concert hall, pavilions, tramways, restaurants and other amenities.
In practice, by the mid-1920s Saunders Bros. & Co. (the same directors) turned Bovisand into a holiday resort with a pier, café, holiday bungalows and camping grounds. By 1927 there was a half-hourly boat service linking Plymouth to the pier in partnership with the Oreston & Turnchapel Steamboat Co.
The more ambitious ideas (tramways and theatre) were never realised, but the scheme marked a significant phase of commercial seaside development within Wembury parish.