Fewer words and more pictures this month, as I look at Luccombe on the front covers of the Country Life magazine
First appearing in 1897, Country Life has always been a prestigious, glossy publication, and since the mid-1940’s, its front cover usually contains a prominent photograph depicting a scene from the British countryside.
Luccombe has appeared at least four times on the front cover of Country Life. This must be approaching a record for a single village! Other nearby locations featured have included Bratton, Bossington and Lynmouth. In addition, the April 30th 1992 edition of the magazine carried an article about rural housing, with two large photographs of the then recently-completed “Staddons” development in Stoney Street.
August 9th 1956 – Summer Heat: Luccombe Somerset. By G.F. Allen. (Stoney Street. Goulds & Myrtle Cottages – when they were three dwellings, with Porch Cottage in the distance)
August 31st 1961 – Painter’s Corner: Luccombe Somerset. By Michael Reade. (Wychanger Cottage)
April 18th. 1952 – Village Street, Luccombe, Somerset. By G.F. Allen. (Looking towards The Square with a nice view of how “Iron Ore” used to look. The high spot just left of centre on the skyline was the traditional “bonfire” site)
October 6th. 1944 – Before The Leaves Fall: Luccombe Somerset By J.G Hubback. (Stoney Street showing Rose and Porch Cottages)
Check out all of our previous pictures of the month and read more about Luccombe’s history
John Gerard Hubback was my father. I have just two of his Country Life Cover photos. Now framed.
Knaresborough Revisited and Brecon Beacon
His landscape collection was given to local Camera Club on his death in 1958 and his Railway photos were published by John Hodge as a GWR collection.
I love to see any photos of his work so I occasionally research via google. Thankyou.
Patricia
Hello Patricia.
Thank you for the comments. It is always nice to know that people take an interest in my occasional contributions.
I had to do a little research myself on your father, as the credit on the cover was difficult to read. (It was from the internet- all of the others were from originals in my collection),, so I was aware of his book of railway images.
I have the one of Wychanger Cottage by Michael Reade framed on my wall, as I was born in, and still live there! All of the views have changed very little since they were originally taken- one of the benefits of Luccombe being predominantly a “National Trust” village.
Best Wishes,
Eric.
Thankyou Eric. My father was born in Cardiff in 1902 of English and Irish parentage. He moved to Barry Porthkerry where i was raised. He died too young in 1958. But his heart was in the West country and his great passion was landscape and steam railway photography. I adored him and miss him to this day and I am now in my 80’s. I have a few of his Country Life covers framed on my wall too. He was a true countryman and very talented.
It’s good to know that some villages have not changed. But the Beecham decimation of our railways broke his heart.