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Blaby
Blaby maps
Historic maps of Blaby and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Blaby maps
Blaby photos
We have no photos of Blaby, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Countesthorpe| South Wigston| Cosby| Wigston| West Knighton| Kilby| Knighton| Broughton Astley| Oadby| Leicester| Kirby Muxloe| Evington| New Parks| Sapcote| Glenfield| Fleckney| Saddington| Groby
Blaby area books
Displaying 1 of 9 books about Blaby and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Blaby
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Leicestershire memories
Memories of Being A Duckpaddler,
I was born in a little cottage in Whetstone in 1938, just across the road from the brook. When it rained it used to flood all the bottom end of the village, and when the buses went through the floods, the furniture in the houses would move with the ripples,. The bus drivers would stop across the road, and there would always be a cup of tea for them from the people in the cottages. In 1942 we moved up to Enderby Road, into a larger council house, and that is where we grew up. Anybody who was born at the bottom end of the village was known as a 'duckpaddler', due to it being flooded regularly.
Whetstone - Past
My father used to drive for the Midland Red Bus Company in the 1930s and 1940s and one of his areas was Hhetstone...His name was John (Jack) Whitworth. I used to live in Whetstone from 1973 on Bridgeway, opposite the old cinema, then moved to Curtis Close off Attfield Drive, I lived in Whetstone for about 30 years, loved it. I played table skittles and darts in Whetstone, The Kaffiar, and in Blaby, British Legion, Egyptian Queen and The George.
Countesthorpe
My name is Marlis Franz. I am German. In 1952, I was 15 years old, I visited my English penfriend in Countesthorpe together with my mother. We spent a wonderful time there. Going on holiday was not normal at this time and something special - particularly going to England.
My English girl-friend lived together with her parents in Countesthorpe, Station Road. When we visited her there was a post office in this house and a little shop. What a surprise when I saw the Countesthorpe photos and there was a photo "Countesthorpe, Station Road". I think it must be the house where the Fletcher family lived in when we visited them. I cannot forget the wonderful weeks we spent there and since then I like England and its people.
Best wishes
Marlis Franz
Above Shop Flats
1963: We were so desperate for somewhere to live when we got married that we almost signed up for one of the upstairs flats above the shops. The flats were brand new and looked very attractive back then. The the reality set in that we couldn't afford it and we ended up renting a flat off the Narborough Road in the Westcotes area. SLCS must be 'The South Leicester Co-op Society'
Happy Childhood Days
When I was about 6-7 years old we lived in Lansdowne Grove ( 1 mile approx) and Crow Mills was a favorite place to come and fish for minnows and frog spawn. The summers seemed endless and jam jars were a precious item to us as they were needed to bring home the results of the days exploits. I think the mill was still working then, I know the water wheel certainly was. All you needed was your jar of course a stick, some thin string or cotton, a few worms and a bent pin. We would spend hours there. Across the road were the 'Rally Banks' which was the railway embankment and bridges another favorite play ground; as there was lots of undergrowth to play Cowboys and Indians in. In the winter when it snowed they were used as mini sledge runs. Seasonal treats were bunches of 'pussy willow' in the spring and blackberry's in the late summer both of which could be guaranteed to pacify your Mum if... Read more
Blaby Road West End
This view is not much different from the forties. This photo has been taken from outside Rawlinsons butchers shop to the right and St Thomas's church to the left ( both out of shot). The first shop to the right is Eric Holmes Cycle shop. Eric Holmes Jnr was a school friend of mine and we both attended Basset Street Juniors(just round the corner). The road off to the right is Countesthorpe Road. The roof that appears to stick out of the line of roofs on the right is the 'Ritz' cinema (now a bingo hall)
South Wigston, Gloucester Crescent
I moved to South Wigston in 1978 as a newly wed, I lived on Marstown Avenue which then was a two way road, and very busy, and I remember using these shops all the time. I used to do my shopping in what is now called Jacksons and is a Sainsburys shop. I notice looking at the picture of the 1960s that not a lot has changed but the end shop on the left of the picture is now a fish and chip shop, all that keeps changing is the type of shop. I no longer live in South Wigston but do get to visit it still, and even now in 2008 things are very much the same.
