Adbury, Berkshire

Shops in the Broadway

I believe this picture is of the local post office/deli next door to the clock tower inn pub, affectionately known as the 'Clocky'. I grew up in this pub between 1956 and the early 1970s.

When I lived here the mayor of Newbury was Mr A W Luff and he owned the post office/deli next door. His son David... [more]

The Kennet.

The river is the Kennet and this view shows the junction of the Kennet river (from low level bridge on the right) and the Kennet and Avon Canal (towards the locks straight ahead). The tributary to the left is towards the West Mills flour mill (water powered). The view is upstream (West).

I lived in No 68 from 1983 to 1985

Of course they had been nicely re-furbished and with all mod cons like running water and electricity. It was a nice experience living in a thatched house and, believe me, they aren't full of spiders and not as much of a fire risk as you would think. We had a very big fireplace in a tiny sitting room and I am... [more]

I live here

I've lived in the two cottages on the right of the picture since 1994. Two cottages? They were knocked into one in 1973 when the entire row was sold to a developer and refurbished.

The Old Carved Mantlepiece

The name carved on the old oak mantlepiece is that of my great great great uncle Charles. It reads "C. Hyde Esq. 1799". He must have carved it when a teenager. The beam was offered to my father in 1961 as a momento by the then owner, Mr Pettit but because of its weight and size, we couldn't transport it home!... [more]

Mullins

This memory relates to the time I was at boarding school in Hyde End House just down the road.

We used to spend our pocket money in this village shop with its characteristic smell of bacon and tea.

Of course first we had to get permission to leave the school grounds to 'go up to Mullins'. Amongst... [more]

Hyde End House

I was at school (Lindfield) in this fine old Georgian building from 1947-1951 and spent many happy hours playing in the extensive grounds and old outbuildings and stables. One year our dormitory was above the stable block where the principal was raising day old chicks to supplement our austere post-war rations. The awful smell of the chickens remains a vivid memory![more]

Our first visit 1961

As far as I was concerned, at the tender age of eleven, I belonged to a Norfolk family having only known Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, my birthplace. The untitled photograph of Hyde End House that hung in my grandfather's hall was an enigma and so intrigued my mother that she had to find out its relevence and where it was. After giving... [more]