Beccles memories
Here are memories of Beccles and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Beccles or a Beccles photo.
Rhoos Hall (aka Roos Hall or Rose Hall)
Previously I had posted to My Memories, a much longer, "informative" post, but I learned from further research that a lot of what I had previously heard was not accurate in fact. My memories remain unchanged, regardless of the more accurate details so kindly provided to me. It had never before occured to me to go to the best source of more factual information, the Town of Beccles, of which Roos Hall is associated.
Upon contacting the Beccles Town Council by way of e-mail, just yesterday, with a myriad of questions, my request was turned over to a gentlemen (whose name I will not use, in respect of his privacy) who responded even before 8 hours had passed. Again, before another 8 hours had passed I received a 2nd e-mail. My husband (not the same one I visited England with) asked me what kind of town existed that people had that kind of time to make such a fast response, and what kind of people would go out of... Read more
First Day at School And Related Memories
One of my many memories of Beccles was my first day at school.
I attended Pedars Lane school where I had an older brother two years ahead of me but because his class finished later than mine and was responsible for walking home with me, I was allowed to sit in his class room whilst the teacher read the end of day chapter to his class. I really looked forward to those stories.
I also remember walking home from school to Gosford Road where I lived and enjoyed walking through an old grave yard at the end of Kilbrack which had a monkey puzzle tree which was a delight to climb into.
At school I fell in love with a lovely girl named Diana Bell and sat next to her in the class room. She had long pigtails and lived in Rose Cottage. We were both five years old at that time and held hands going into the air raid shelter for gas mask drill which was a frequent... Read more
LOUD AMEN SUNDAY at BECCLES CHURCH
Stafford W Brown was a boarder at Beccles College during WW1. The last three Sundays of every term each had a special feature.
First came One Button Sunday, when every boy undid the top button of his jacket for the day.
The second was Pinch Pudding Sunday. At lunch, after the main course, jam tart was served, and the custom was for boys to steal each others portion by stabbing with their fork and removing the tart to their own plate.
The favourite however was Loud Amen Sunday. This was the last Sunday of term, and as usual, the whole school attended evening service at the parish church. The boys sat on the left and the parishioners on the right. The last hymn was always "Jesus Shall Reign Where E're the Sun" the last line of which is "And earth repeat the Loud Amen". Tradition had it that the last two words were sung/shouted as loudly as possible. There was... Read more
A Ghost on Beccles Church Steps
My father, Stafford Brown, was a student at Beccles College during the First World War. He stayed with the Knights family of Puddingmoor. Mr Knights, who was a wherryman, told of a strange event that happened to him one evening. He had been returning home from the town, and took his usual short cut through the churchyard. When he arrived at the top of the steps, he encountered what he could only describe as an invisible barrier. Mr Knights pushed against it, tried to climb over, under or go around. It was impossible. So he retraced his steps and took the longer route home by the road. He said that he had not been in a public house! This only happened to him once, and nobody else ever reported a similar incident.
Maurice Dunn (Alberta, Canada)
Playing Cowboys and Indians, down the steps, and along the cliff, after coming out of the old Picture House on a Saturday afternoon, in the Second World War years.
Memories of Suffolk
Bungay And Woodton
Early years - Nurse Britton was a friend as she was to most I believe. I was too young to be exact with memories but my gran lived opposite Whitemans shop which got hit by a bomb in the Second World War. I remember the garage which sold Ford cars as the man said he would keep the car on display(Ford Prefect?) for me until I was old enough to drive, and just down the road towards Diss there was a school I think I went to for a very short time, but Woodton was where we lived when I was 3-4. Happy times, lovely people. I went back a few years ago and met I believe the Reads who owned the garden nurseries.
My Nan Emily Woolonough.
My nan was Emily Woolonough and was born somewhere near Bungay, my grandfather was Allen, they had a daughter called Irene Woolonough. Molly Knights and my mum Bernice Elsie Knights Woolonough and I think three other sisters too. Please help, I would love information from anyone who knew my nan, her life, photos, anything. She did work as a housekeeper but when they lived in Bungay they lived in Gas House Lane, Bungay which is now Rose Lane. Hope someone can help me, Linda Belham, Email: Davvlinn@aol.com
Bungay in The 60's
My father Ronnie Buck owned The Swan pub, then the wet fish shop near the market place in Bungay. The pet shop owned by Warnes was next door, to the left, and drapers the clothes shop to the right. Ivan Porter's fruit shop was opposite my fathers fish shop and Mrs Roe had a jewelrey shop next to the fruit shop. Also, I remember how we use to watch a procession through the town from the butter cross, and if I remember correctly, a fete was held near the castle grounds.
The Wherry Dyke
The 'Wherry Dyke', Somerleyton, was the home of 'Ripplecraft Co' which built and hired out the Broads Cruisers that the picture shows. It had been owned by Sir Francis Cockeral, inventer of the Hovercraft, who tested his original model on this water. The 'Dyke' was dug out to allow the wherry sailing craft to collect bricks from the local brickworks for transporting around Britain. Where the Wherry Dyke enters the River Waveney, on the left-hand side, Somerleyton had its very own swimming pool. It was a fenced area with a walkway on the riverside and a sandy bottom sloping upto the river bank. By the 1960s it had fallen into disrepair.
Holidays With my Grandparents in Somerleyton
My grandparents lived at 5 The Green until my grandad retired from working on the Estate farms. They then moved to 5 Widows Cottages. My grandma lived there after grandad died in 1951 until her death in 1959.
I have very happy memories of school holidays spent with them. My cousin and I used to walk everywhere, round the candlestick etc., with no worries. I remember the Co-op, which always smelled of cheese and bacon, the little off-licence and butcher's shop next to the Post Office. There was a garage run by Nee Woodcock, who was always on hand when our not so reliable car broke down.
My auntie and uncle lived at The Nook, on The Street, and he was Butler at the Hall.
My grandparents moved from Fritton to The Green in about 1925 and my father left home as a teenager to join Birmingham Police. He was a keen photographer and fortunately I have his albums which contain... Read more
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