Continuing our tour of the pubs of Dawlish, we arrive at the:

1. Ferret and Radiator

The Ferret and Radiator (cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stephen Craven - geograph.org.uk/p/2542462)

This pub on Park Road opened in 1861 and the first mention of the house was 1893 with a George Stone as a beer retailer.

It had become the Devon Arms by 1902. The name was changed to the Ferret and Radiator near to the year 2000.

It took over the adjoining building Chapmans' Photographic Shop a bit later, but was closed in 2010.

2. Grand Hotel

The site of the former Grand Hotel today (Google Maps)

Located on Station Street, it was formerly the Royal Albert Hotel named sometime after the Prince Consort's death.

The name change happened in 1904. The licensees included Richard Ferris and Richard Brock Ferris, who ran a chain of tied houses and the Brewery on High Street until it was taken over by Heavitree Brewery in 1926.

Closing in 1975, it was boarded up in 1990 and demolished to make way for Brunel Court in 1993.

3. Gresham Hotel

The Gresham House Inn

This inn was located on Commercial Road, with the first licensee called Richard Tripe who sold liquor from 1865. He also farmed the smallholding at Tudor Cottages.

His grandson, also Richard Brock Tripe, was listed in the directories as a coal, ale and timber merchant and owner/occupier of the house until 1903.

Also known through its history as the Laffin Pig and the Dog House, the original name was restored in 2021.

4. Lansdowne Hotel

The Lansdowne, Park Road, Dawlish (Google Maps)

The Lansdowne probably started as a retail and spirit shop on Park Road.

In the 1872 listing, it was called Lansdowne Spirit Vaults. Richard Brock Ferris had added the house to his collection in 1902 with Heavitree Brewery taking over in 1926.

By 1947, they were advertising bed and breakfast.

Next time we start with the London Inn which shut in 1919.

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Ed: This article is part of local historian Ray Bickel's series on Dawlish history. Use the links below to read previous articles:

Part One: What were the origins of Dawlish?

Part Two: The origins of St Gregory's Church

Part Three: The history of Dawlish's churches

Part Four: The origins of the Lawn and Tuck's Plot

Part Five: Tuck's Plot, the Lawn and the swans at the turn of the century

Part Six: The origins of Brunel's railway

Part Seven: Blowing up cliffs and Brunel's Atmospheric Railway

Part Eight: The early days of the railway

Part Nine: The 2014 storm and plans for a Dawlish avoiding line

Part 10: Pubs of Dawlish, past and present