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Ashfield memories

Here are memories of Ashfield and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Ashfield or a Ashfield photo.

 

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Memories of Suffolk

Hillman Imp Outside The Red Lion

Market Green c1965
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We moved to Debenham in 1964, when I was seven years old. Having come from Oxfordshire, where the houses were built of stone, I remember being amazed that many of Debenham's old houses were painted pink. 'Suffolk Pink' is the traditional colour of the limewash used on the timber-framed houses in this county. The Red Lion, the pub on the right of this photo, was one example.

The Hillman Imp parked outside the pub in this picture, belonged to my parents. They had just stopped to pop into the Post Office, which is next to the Lion. If you look very closely, you can just see the silhouettes of my brother and me, sitting in the back seat!

The Hillman Imp was new when this photo was taken. It was sky-blue, and we were excited to have such a modern car, with its folding back seat and rear window that opened. It was quite a departure from our previous car, a Morris 8.

Debenham High Street... Read more

My Mother

My mother was born in Rishangles, 12th Sept 1919, her mother's (my nan) maiden name was Catchpole.

Moat Tea Room

Castle Street c1955
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My parents Angela and Leslie Jecks-Wright bought the house in the picture on the right and made a successful business called the Moat Tea Room of it!  Our house was at 64 Fore Street. We used to get coaches visiting the castle, and we were kept very busy when that happened. We used to let the college boys use the upstairs room as a sort of "clubhouse".  A lot of GIs used to visit and eat there. I currently live in California. Whilst in a line in the bank we all started talking to each other.  One man on hearing my accent told me he remembered the Tea Room and my Mother's wonderful cakes. He said to me, "If you can cook like your Mother, will you marry me?"  What a compliment from a stranger so many miles from Fram!!
Dad had a small vegetable patch in the back garden. I remember each year he would dig up something of historical interest. Once it was an arrow barb and point,... Read more

Earl Soham

Castle Street c1955
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Does anyone know if there is an abundance of Hall family members in Earl Soham?
My grandmother had 17 sons and two daughters so I'd expect there to be a few!

King Sweet Shop - Market Hill/ Maria Stannard (nee Creasey)

My aunt and uncle were Gladys and Ted King who had a little sweet shop on Market Hill in the 1950's & early 1960's. I spent many happy hours helping in the shop and remember the large shoe size boxes which held the sweets and the scales used for weighing them out. The chocolate buttons I remember with great fondness as my aunt told me I could sample some if I liked! What is the saying 'like a kid in a sweet shop'.

My uncle Ted was a clock and watch repairer and had a shop on Market Hill which my cousin Graham ran for many years after uncle Ted retired. I remember going with Graham to wind customers clocks in many of the surrounding villages.

A sadder memory of Framlingham I have is that my father's sister, Maria Stannard, (nee Creasey), and her two sons Leslie and Neville were killed by an incendiary bomb at their home in Albert Road in June 1942. My father Arthur Creasey... Read more

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