From The Waveney 1894, Beccles
From The Waveney 1894, Beccles Ref: 33333
Memories of From The Waveney 1894, Beccles
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Beccles & local memories
Read and share memories of Beccles and Suffolk inspired by Frith photos.
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.
