Memories of Benson

My memories of Benson started in 1946/7 when we moved to Sunnyside, which in those days did not have the recreation field. Nor did the village have street lighting apart from a couple in the High Street, one of which was on the wall of Franklin's Farm. The shops in those days were Slaughters Stores, High Street & Chamberlains Stores, Castle Square. There were 2 butchers in High Street (Wm. Lee & the other I can't remember the name), Stan Blisset had the hairdressers next to Slaughters Stores.  Tom Shotton was the postmaster. Bill Aldridge ran the greengrocers shop, opposite Crown Hotel, and was later taken over by Wm Turner.  Gurneys Garage was a small unit in Chapel Lane. My stepfather, Stan Pether, was born in the house between the Post Office & the Crown Hotel, and was one of the local postmen for several years. I recall Mrs Wharton running the cake/sweetshopin High Street and Eva Small ran a sweetshop in Brook Street next door to the pub.  In those days I could tell you exactly who lived where, it was such a small community, and I got to know the people because of both the paper round and butcher rounds that I used to do for pocket money. Riverside cafe was owned & run by the Young family who also ran the small cafe on the riverside. I learnt to swim & dive in the river before it was turned into a boatyard. I have lots of happy memories of my years in Benson, seeing it grow, up to the time I left in 1974.