A PENSIONER who spent the Second World War living at his grandmother’s house in Ross-on-Wye, now known as the Riverside Inn, is delighted that it is being saved for the future.

Peter Crocker, now aged 92, said he is delighted that a young couple are restoring it and bringing it back into use after it had been left to fall into disrepair for over a decade.

He said: “It was terrible how it was left to rot and decay for so long. I’m delighted that Charlie Baker and Rebecca Pickup have bought it and are now slowly bringing it back to life.

“It excites me to see that other people are prepared to save buildings such as this and make them viable for the 21st Century.”

Mr Crocker explains that his grandmother’s family, the Baynham’s owned Swan Villa, which is now the Riverside Inn and the property next door, Ivy Villa.

Old family pic
FAMILY HOME: The Baynham family pictured together at Swan Villa, (the Riverside Inn) with the house in the background. The photograph is believed to have been taken during the early part of 20th Century. (Submitted)

He said: “As a nine-year-old I recall my own family being bombed out of the house we had in Churchdown in Gloucester at the outset of the war.

“We, my two brothers and I, along with my parents, stayed at Granny Baynham’s home at Swan Villa in Ross.

“It was idyllic. Things we so different to that which I had experienced in Gloucester. In fact, I was so far removed from everything on a day-to-day basis, that I didn’t really know the war was on.

“While I didn’t go swimming in the river as I had never learnt to swim, we were always building rafts and other things to float on in the water.

“I can remember that the house had a big range cooker in the kitchen and that when we sat down to eat our meals, there was always about 10 people at the large table.

GV of pub
REDEVELOPMENT: The Riverside Inn in Ross is currently undergoing a transformation. (Tindle)

“I recall the building it had lots of bedrooms. My own room was at the front of the house facing the road. I never explored parts of the house as I was told not to go there.”

Mr Crocker explained that his mother was one of 13 children and during the early part of the 20th Century they all lived together in Swan Villa and the neighbouring building Ivy Villa. He said that the family had an assortment of maids and servants to help the family out.

Mr Crocker, who now lives in Wilton, said that he had visited the Riverside Inn following its conversion from being the family home, but said that this experience was not what he had hoped for and was disappointed by it.

He added: “However, I wish the new couple who’ve taken on the building all the success with their adventure into the future.”