Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

Land Resettlement

My parents moved to Pottonin 1937 on the Land Resettlement Scheme from Sunderland. As I was only 18 months old at the time and we were not there long, my memories consist of photographs only and these are of members of my family working the land. Shortly before the Second World War broke out we moved to Bygrave in Hertfordshire. During... [more]

Lord Astor

I grew up in Wrestlingworth between 1966 and 1978. In the late sixties and early seventies we often used to see a rather distinguished gent driving a stately car, a Riley I think. He had silver hair and always waved in a benign manner to us youngsters. I got it into my mind that he was Lord Astor who lived at... [more]

My Dad, Dennis

Hello. My dad was born in Arlesey 1926 at 77 High Street, his name is Dennis James Saunderson. His mother was Ada Lillian Saunderson and his father was Arthur Taleyson Jones, they married in Biggleswade registry office December 24th 1924. My grandfather disappered after 1926, and his mother went back to her maiden name. I would be grateful if anyone out... [more]

Arlesey, Bedfordshire

When my dad was demobbed after the war in 1946, we had to move back to London because of his job. We had all our funiture put on a lorry, and the local publican, a Ted Bland, delivered us to a requestioned place over a shop in Hornsey Road, Holloway, Islington, London. This became the second phase in my wonderful childhood,... [more]

WONDERFUL CHILDHOOD IN ARLESEY HOUSE 19401946

I was born in Arlesey in 1940 in the large house next to St Peter's church, it was a lovely old place. My mother took my brother Ted and sister Marion to Arlesey when things started to get bad in Islington, London. I was born November 14th 1940, the night the Germans bombed Coventry. They said the bombers were flying over... [more]

The RAF and Cardington

As RAF children, all three of us were christened in the picturesque church in Cardington, which is the unofficial 'favourite' church for RAF personnel! I obviously don't remember my own christening and wasn't about when my older brother was held over the font, but I do remember my sister's christening because she's nine years younger than I, so the memory is... [more]

39 Mill Lane

The gable end of the house on the left is 39 Mill Lane and Back St starts at the junction over the hill and not visible here. My father built the house about 1935 when he was  21 years old. I grew up there until 1955 when it was sold and we moved from Clophill for a short time. We returned... [more]