Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire

My memories of living in Westbury Leigh 1940-1944

The house shown in the foreground of this photograph was the home of my Uncle, Percy Drury. This was sometime around 1940/42, I do not know how long he resided there. I lived at 115 Westbury Leigh with my grandparents Percy & Annie Drury. My grandfather was a flower pot maker and worked at the local brickyard. Why my grandparents went to live in Westbury remains a mystery to me, they originally came from Nottingham. I went to live with them just after the outbreak of the 2nd World War. I understand it was because my Father who was a regular in the Royal Navy and my Mother was engaged on War work it was felt I would be better looked after by my grandparents. I have wonderful memories of Westbury Leigh, Tanyard Lane, Sandhole Lane where it was reputed a horse & cart and the driver were buried in a fall of sand perhaps a local myth.

my nan and grandad

my nan and grandad both lived in the second house down in this picture next too the car, ron and jean elkins

Family History Related Memory

My 11th great grandfather, William Thomson [or Thompson] was Vicar at All Saint's Church from 1603 until his death in 1623. Don't know if this is the original church or not but wanted to post the 'memory' anyway.

His descendents moved to the "colonies" in 1635.

Race you to the water

I am ordering a copy of this picture to send to my dear childhood friend, Peta Fenner. Peta celebrates her 50th birthday soon and it is quite possible that both her and I are in the photo. We would spend many days of our summer holidays playing in the paddling pool. The big pool was always cold and swamped with older children and we would have to build up courage to venture there. Our childhood was filled with laughter. We would giggle at anything and everything. From peering through the holes in the wood partitions separating the cubicles at the end of the pool. To laughing at how courting teenagers behaved. I remember us nearly wetting ourselves laughing at dog ends and kinky boots. We once dared each other to wear our swimming hats through the town on our homeward journey from the park. Not a good idea as we both had long hair and removing the rubber hats later was very painful but oh so hilarious. Even now all these years later I think of Peta when I walk down Weymouth Street and I can still hear the noise coming through the hedge where the pool used to be. The pool has been turned into a sunken garden and is a delightful place to have a picnic surrounded by plants and waterfalls and so peaceful until you let your memories reappear. The paddling pool has been revamped and is surrounded by rubber matting and there is a huge blue dolphin that fills the pool. Children of my generation would queue up to sit astride the water jet that use to trickle into the pool. The bottom of the pool was concrete and worn in places so slipping over was a doddle and many bottoms got bruised sliding on the slabs surrounding the pool. We even had one of our friends fall from the top of the slide onto concrete. Thankfully she survived unharmed apart from a broken arm. The park had a resident park keeper with many full time staff back then. Flower borders were planted up twice or three time a year. On either side of the lake there were borders all beautifully kept. Not any more. Most have been grassed over which is a great shame.