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Crofton memories

Here are memories of Crofton and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Crofton or a Crofton photo.

Crofton Hall

Crofton Hall has wonderful memories for me, because that is where I started school.
The school was heated by a fire in the winter. We were allowed to play in the open spaces of the grounds, amongst the trees, and wild flowers. In the spring, I remember the ground at the front of the Hall covered by snowdrops and hyacinths.
Miss Banks was our infant and junior teacher (enough said) but she did teach the children to read write and spell. Mr. Fawcett taught the older children. The Hall was an imposing building, and we children were convinced it was haunted. I do remember climbing to the top of the roof - but don't think the grown ups ever found out!! It was also where I went to Sunday School, where Mr. Snowball taught the children. I have been been back to Crofton several times; but it is not the same without the Hall (I now... Read more

Memories of Cumbria

Great Orton

My father, Thomas James Armstrong, was living in Great Orton before he went to war in 1915 with the Border Regiment. He was awarded a gold Great Orton medal for his service. Does anyone know anymore information about him or his family or the story behind the medals? His father was James Armstrong, from Lanercost, & his mother Isabella Armstrong nee Storry/Story, from Thurstonfield.

Any information would be gratefully recieved.

I Have Fond Memories of Brookfield School, Wigton.

Friends School c1965
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I was a foreign exchange student at Brookfield School in 1984-85. Coming from Mexico I found the place to be a  completely different planet from what I was used to at home. I must say that year was one of the happiest and most exciting in my whole life. I am now 40.  I was there when the school was taken over by another administration.  Later I learned that it had disappeared due to a fire. I have to mention my good friend Mr Trevor Green the headmaster. He made me feel at home thousands of miles away from my home country. I will never forget Mrs Barbara Rowe (maths), Mr John Woodcock (PE), and Mrs Celia Howarth (French, Italian). To all of them my deepest gratitude for all I learned. We would walk to Wigton on dark rainy afternoons, to the sweet shop and back.  Friends meeting on Sundays was a new experience even though I was a Catholic.
I will never forget the time spent there, the memories... Read more

My Mum

Friends School c1965
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My Mum and Gran worked at Brookfeild Maden - Name Sally Hill, Grans Name Fanny Hill.

Early Years!

I lived in Wigton for the first 8 years of my life, so 1955 is a mid point!
I have happy memories of the town.  We lived in West Avenue when it was known as 'the avenue' - an unmade up road and for years I thought that if a road was called 'avenue' it was full of puddles when it rained and dry mud when it didn't. We played on that avenue all the time - 'dens', climbing trees, hooa hoop!  I remember being bitten by a dog on my way to Sunday School when I was about 4 - just missed my eye!  I remember a dentist opposite the church I think, where the smell of gas was always the first thing that registered - a lifelong fear of dentists has been with me since!  I remember a brilliant time at school - Wigton Infant school I think and a Miss Bird who was the teacher in the top class and a wonderful first day aged 4/5 when... Read more

Wigton Boy

I was born in wigton in 1951.  We lived at 19 Brackenlands, a friendly housing estate where everyone knew everyone.  My early years were spent at Saint Cuthberts school and at the age of eleven attended the secondary modern or affectionately called the whitewashed cow shed.  The school has been replaced by houses now.  On leaving school I went to work for Ike Wilkinson as an apprentice carpenter on Market Hill the business having been bought from Jack Hutton.  I later went to work at Banks Woodyard on station hill opposite the railway station.  On leaving there I went into the merchant navy.  My mother still lives in Wigton at The Crofts.  I can still remember collecting rose hips, brambles and mushrooms and selling them for a few coppers at Thorntons garage next to the Kings Arms public house.

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