Rolle College in the 70's
Rolle College was familiar location for Killertonions and many of our number met their future partners there.
A trawl on Facebook revealed a page dedicated to Rolle students from the 1970's and include several photos and a few anecdotes that I have copied here:
At Killerton we were usually quite focussed on our own social calendar of events. We also had College social functions and those up the road at the University. What is probably less well known is that there were equally important events at other places in the Exeter area including Rolle, Seal Hayne, Bicton and Dartington.
These posters rescued by a kind ex-Rolle student give an insight to the activities:
Another Rolle person recalled seeing a number of bands that played Rolle, including Bob Marley, Wishbone Ash several times, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, Hawkwind, Osibisa, Glen Cornick’s ( of Jethro Tull) Wild Turkey.
A image that will evoke a few memories from those of us who frequented Exmouth is this one of The Deer Leap:
...now called The Bath House:
There are a couple of images from the Rolle College Rag parade, including this one that shows the Seacroft float and my fiance (the blonde sitting above the ampersand):
A slightly more amusing entry is the posting by Steve Chope and Wade Edwards
Steve relates:
Been digging through old photos. Early days for me. I am far right. Fledgling long hair and start of a beard, circa 1971 I think. We formed a rugby team and played St Lukes. Got totally annihilated, something like 100-0! Other folks of whom I can remember the names are, Bob Groves third from left, Pete Toland up top, Nick Mc Breen to the right of him and Pete Brinton kneeling to the left of me. Happy times
If you want to play rugby don't go to a predominantly Arts College. I arrived in 1969 and on my first night in the student bar someone came up to me and asked "Your Welsh aren't you, have you brought your boots?" As I answered yes I was told to be up at the sports field on Saturday. Now I assumed it was a trial for the College team. No it was a match and not against St Luke's but one of their houses, Killerton. So I trotted down to the pitch with 14 other Rolle students I had never met before. I was asked to kick off. Now remembering that I had just gone a whole season with Newport Youth unbeaten, I kicked the ball, Killerton got possession and scored a try. Converted. I then picked up the ball and walked to the half way line, kicked off again and watched them score again and basically that's what I did for the rest of the afternoon. We lost by over 90 points. I didn't know it was possible to score that many points in one game!
The Rolle Rugby team of 1979:
The Killerton team that they met is pictured HERE
Update:
Whilst surfing recently, I found this page related to Rolle College:
https://www.exmouthjournal.co.uk/news/memories-of-exmouth-7797310
And an article in the Exmouth News - I don't know how recent it is or whether the request for information is still current:
Rolle for Exmouth want to build up a picture of the college since it opened in 1949 for posterity before the information is lost for ever.
Campaigner Jenny Budden said: "We need to celebrate Rolle as a teacher training college for 60 years, as well as push for what it could become.
"Have you got any stories about Rolle - did you do your teacher training there? Did you work there? Did you go there as a child on the weekend? Did you live nearby?
"Did the students frequent your business? Do you have any photographs of Rolle in the previous century?
"We want to build up a social history of Rolle of how it was."
To send your recollections or scanned photographs please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can send them to c/o the Town Council, Exmouth Town Hall, St Andrews Street Exmouth EX8 1AW