WHEN six generations of one family have lived in the same place for 120 years or more, they accumulate an awful lot of useful stuff.

Eventually something has to be done about it all and that job fell to Mrs Lyn Stanley after the death of her husband Mike two years ago.

They had lived at the family home on the edge of Bow near the railway station and where Mike had his garage and workshops.

All the contents were sold on Sunday, September 12, by Ottervale Auctions with almost 1,000 lots.

These included items such as cars, tyres, a ladies’ bicycle, household goods, magazines, books, boxes and boxes of tools from the workshop and garage and even a cat basket.

There were spark plugs, tax disc holders, motor cycle parts and spares, a Tilley lamp, hub caps, sharpening stones, boxes of old British copper coins and other coins, cigarette lighters and so much more fascinating stuff, commemorative china, glass bottles, a sewing machine,

The Stanleys had bought the land in 1901 from the railway company. It went right down to the railway from the road.

They would pick and send ferns from a bit further up the road where they grew on both sides of the road by train to London to, it is assumed, Billingsgate to wrap fish in to keep it fresh.

They also took in newspapers, again delivered by train, to be distributed to Bow, Spreyton and all around the surrounding villages and hamlets. Eventually the newspaper business took over, then that, too, petered out as mechanics and vehicles took over.

A part of one of the sheds is much older than the rest and is thought to be have been the stables the early days. When the family first went there, horses would have been the only form of transport.

It was the great great great grandfather of the present family that includes Mike and Lyn’s grandchildren who built the shed that became the garage. All the subsequent members of the family were born there.

Refreshments on Sunday were provided by members of 1st Crediton Scouts who ran a barbecue in the garden of the bungalow.