Clare, Suffolk

My Grandparents stayed here in 1955

My Grandparents stayed here in 1955, they had emigrated to Canada in 1951 and come "home" on Holiday.

I have the original receipt for their stay!

Greetings from Canada eh!

First day at school

The only school in Haverhill was The Cangle. The new secondary modern, now known as Castle Manor, had not yet been finished. We arrived at school very bewildered being the first of the Londoners and feeling like aliens. I made a new friend in the short while I had been in Haverhill. His name was Michael Geagon, I didn't know at the time but his family was Irish, not that that meant anything. I was shown to my classroom and it turned out to be the same classroom as my older sister, they had got it wrong, I found out later that day. That upset me because now I was really on my own. First day in the playground Michael had told everybody I was from London and that I could beat anybody up, that was news to me, so he started picking fights with the locals for me to hit them. I had never hit anybody in my short life so far but I did just the once. I don't even know who he was, fortunately I got away with that but never did it again, it scared me senseless.
On the way to school we passed the local bakery, you could smell it miles away, the one and only Ellis's, serving lovely rolls, one roll would cost you one old penny and it was buttered with real butter.
I don't think I have many bad memories of my early days in Haverhill. When I think of any more I will tell all.  
p.s. Does anybody remember me from those days? Just to let anybody know who may read this memory of mine that Ellis the baker shut their doors for good in December 2008 (sad day).

first day

We moved excitedly from London in my dads old Austin 7 to a country village we had never heard haverhill. we couldnt even pronounce it as we found out it still is unpronounceable by many. Arrived at our new house 118 Burton End. a four bedroom HOUSE (not a flat) which is all we had been used to. we had never seen stairs inside a house before and also a front door and a back door which we ran round and round until mum told us to settle down or someone will get hurt and they did., my sister banged her head on a downstairs window, that one of my other sister's had opened up while saying this one opens outwards yippie. It was the best day of my life so far. Sitting outside the old Standard pub which was in Burton end drinking our cherryade and eating smiths crisps with the bag of salt inside and we was served by Mr and Mrs Mc. Cleane. Happy times! No locked doors, stay out all hours, play in the fields, going scrumping,Just to let you know I must love it as I still live here although all of my family have moved to Canada since. anyway that is my memory so far. Peter Willems.

Fishing as a boy

I started working at Brundon Farm when I was ten years old. Mr Norman was very kind to me and I helped out on the the farm for the next five years. I had a great time when I was a kid fishing at Brundon Mill mainly for pike. There were concrete tank traps that were left over from the Second World War which were pushed into the river by the bridge. People's spinners and plugs always caught on the iron bars of the tank traps, so in the summer I used to walk out and get them. There is also a ford there.