Bicker, Lincolnshire

Memories of High Street

This is a very significant picture to me although taken a good many years after we left high street for Mill Lane. My sister, Hilda and I were both born in one of the houses just beyond the white building, in our time that was the bakery, run by a Mr Wilson and family. (Hilda was born in 1918 and I in 1921.) The first house was Mr Arthur Burton's, then ours, Mr George White, after the archway was Mr Gideon Wilkinson. We moved to Mill Lane in 1936! On the opposite side of the road was the Primitive Methodist Church and the Manse. I remember Mr and Mrs Wacey when he was the Preacher then Mr Arthur and family took over. I was a close friend of Winnie Arthur and remained so up to her death almost three years ago.
Our Father was a bricklayer and worked for the Barnsdales for 40 years!
I have just returned to Alaska after a seven-week visit with family in Boston and area, made several Donington stops and looked sadly at High Street, especially at the Red Cow being boarded up. In our youth it was the stop for all the "charabangs" on their way to the coast for day trippers. Mrs Glassup was the proprieter. Across from the Red Cow was our butcher Mr Drinkhall and just down from there was Mr Picker, a well known slogan was "pick a Glass Up and Drinkall". This made Ripley's believe it or not, I wonder if any one remembers that? Mrs Dawson had a ladies shop on high Street and the Dawsons also had a car dealers and garage. Bob Dawson was my age. Then there was Ince Clarkes, the grocery store - what memories I have of going there with my Mother. Jim Clarke took over from his Father. Abel Goodacre had the jewelry Store and Edwin took over, this was next to the butchers, then there was Gas House Lane now known I believe as Goxhill Ave! - am I right? The footpath next to the old Police Station led to the playing fields. Mansfield House was the finest on the street and we often visited there when the Laverick's lived there. All of the White Family attended The Donington Grammar School including our father in the late 1800's early 1900's, then Charles (lost at sea during WW2) Maurice, Walter, Hilda and myself. I have a postcard taken in the mid thirties of the same scene with Betty Almond and myself standing outside our house, it was sold for many years!
Thank you for putting on such fine photographs.
Winnie Nowak, nee White.
Anchorage
Alaska. USA

Surfleet Reservoir

Lived in Surfleet Reservoir until joining he Royal Navy in 1949. Now writing a book and am seeking more information regarding the localle

Langrick

I was born at Church Corner, Langrick, in one of a pair of tied cottages. My godparents lived next door. My mother was Joyce May Cargill, and she was living with her parents, Eva Kate and George Herbert White at the time of my birth. my father was Joseph William Cargill. He was in the Army, fighting in the second World War.

My paternal grandparents were Mary and John Perry Cargll. They lived a short distance away, along Armtree Road. There is not a trace of the little cottae where they brought up their large family.

The house where I was born on March 21st 1943 has now been converted into single dwelling. the old apple tree is still in the garden. There is still mistletoe growing in it.

My parents were married at Langrick Church. This is where my father and some of his brothers and sisters were baptised. I was baptised here too.

On January 21st 2007 my husband Keith and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary. We married in Nottingham, but as we now live in Boston we were so happy to have our marriage blessed by Chris Keys in Langrick Church.

Both my maternal and paternal grandparents are buried in the churchyard. So are my parents.

In the churchyard there are two seats in memory of my parents. My mother's is near the church door, under a large tree. My father's is the other side of the churchyard, under a horsechestnut tree, right at the edge of the site, near the pit.

The churchyard is so beautiful in spring. The flowers and birds make it a spot of God's heaven in the quiet of the Lincolnshire countryside. I hope that it always remains so unspoiled.

Showler's of Dolphin Lane

What a lovely site this is. I didn't live in Boston but spent many happy years in the 60' and 70's staying with my Grandma, Doris Showler, who had owned the sweetshop 'Showler's' in Dolphin Lane since the 1930's and later carried on working in it when she sold it on and it became 'Cuthbert's'. It's the shop which is now the perfumerie. It seems that anyone who grew up in the area at that time visited the shop for their sweeties and, later, their ciggies! I'm currently writing a book about my past and would love to hear from anyone who has personal memories of the shop and my lovely gran. You can find me at www.hazelquinn.com - I would love to hear from you. Thanks!