Words on the image state "Ice cart - Slow methods of transport resulted in much of the ice melting and being wasted. and the wastage due to the ice melting soon caused this venture to melt away." For a very short time, ice making was a thriving industry on northern Dartmoor. Before fridges, ice was the only way of storing some foods. Many of the large estate houses had their own separate ice houses and many of the farms had their 'potato caves'. In 1874 a factory was started to collect naturally produced ice throughout the winter months by building special ponds. This place was near the railway station at Bridestowe and provided access to Plymouth and Exeter. Plymouth had a thriving fish market supplying the cities of London, Bath, Manchester and Bristol and it was this industry that used large quantities of ice to preserve the fish during transit. In addition there was the household market in both the Plymouth and Exeter areas. The venture had limited success due to a number of mild winters and a lot of money had been lost. In 1886 the ponds were filled in and the fences taken down and all the machinery sold off leaving just another landscape feature.

Boddy Collection