Living at The White Hall, Billesdon (c. 1972 - 1979)

We moved to the White Hall when I was 2, almost 3, and my sister was 5 weeks old!  It was a wonderful house to grow up in - lots and lots of space, inside and out, and were were fortunate enough to have ponies and dogs etc. .. an idyllic childhood!  I remember the huge walled vegetable garden - and the apple tree at the end where my sister and I used to climb up and hide while we ate peas fresh from their pods!

While we were living there our brother, Mark, was born and died 6 months later - I still feel a very strong tie to the beautiful church in the village, and visited there a few weeks before my wedding.  With the kind permission of the then vicar I took some evergreen foliage which went into my wedding bouquet - so I felt that my late brother was with us on our big day.  Our second brother was also born while we were living at the house.

I have such happy memories of Brownies, run by the wonderful Mrs. Quinlan!, her husband, the vicar while we were there, and Dr. Kirby.  Also Doris Geary (?sp) and the village shop - which didn't seem to have changed at all when I went back almost 7 years ago.  And I am still in touch with one former Brownie colleague all these years later!

We used to ride ponies or bikes to Skeffington and could cycle round the village in safety - with neighbours keeping an eye out on us all - wonderful, happy days!

The Pink Elephant Club up at the school in the summer holidays!

Billesdon is a very special place - sad to see how much the White Hall has changed, what with the houses on what used to be the tennis court, and I couldn't see how one could gain access to the fields or the aforementioned vegetable garden - they probably don't exist any more .. does anyone know?

I must go back again - with my children this time!