Droitwich memories
Here are memories of Droitwich and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Droitwich or a Droitwich photo.
My Home During School Holidays
York Jones is the correct spelling i.e. no 'e' on York! In 1955, I was ten years old and would work here during school holidays. My Great Uncle (my Grandmother's brother), was Frank York-Jones, the Managing Director. His son, Alan York-Jones, ran the factory with my father, Dick Sinfield, who was the Finance Director. In this picture, you can see the two brine tanks against the back wall in the background. The brine was cold and would freeze the ice-lolly liquid in the metal moulds. This is where I would stand for ages putting the sticks in the lollies, before they froze completely. Later on we had all this automated. On the right are two large tanks where the ice cream would be 'cooked'. This was my Uncle Alan York-Jones' job. Once cooked, it would be pumped through to the machine on the left of the picture (there were two of these). The ice cream would be like Mr Whippy's ice cream as it came out, slightly cold but soft... Read more
Originally it Was A Salt Factory, Owned by John Corbett.
This photo shows the back of the York Jones Ice Creamery. The factory was originally used by John Corbett, who built the Chateau Impney, to mine and package salt. The salt was pumped up from the well, just to the bottom left of the photo. This photo shows one of the York-Jones delivery vans which would supply ice cream to all the shops around the Midlands, but mostly Birmingham. The left hand side of the building would be for storage. The right hand side was used to house the steam room for cleaning all the equipment. The chimney shown in between the two buildings was above the furnace which supplied heat for cooking the ice cream and steam for cleaning.
York-Jones. Front Section/Choc Ice Machine Area
In this photo, you can see two machines for chopping ice cream into blocks. Some blocks were small for choc ices and wafer ices. Some were larger for making 'bricks'. In the background, on the left, is my father's (Dick Sinfield) office. On the right, the large door behind the two machines is the door to the large freezer, the 'locker', where the ice creams and lollies would be stored. On top of the freezer are several cardboard boxes containing ice cream packaging such as cups, rolls of paper for wrapping the choc ices, flat packed boxes for the bricks and for multiple plain ice creams or choc ices. Just off to the right, out of shot, would be the choc-ice line.
York-Jones. Ice Cream 'pasteurising' Machinery.
Here we have two holding tanks where the liquid ice cream would be pumped after being cooked in the vats down below. This is an area in the roof space where the liquid would be pumped over the hot sterilising pipes, seen here in the middle of the picture, hanging down from the roof.
Alans Factory
I used to work here when I was at school, in Droitwich - I used to scrub out the ice-cream tins. Then I used to work in the lido cafe making candy floss, Alan Jones owned the cafe. I would love to hear from anyone who worked there or remembers me, my name is Derek Haydon. I used to live at Packington Crossing. Alan Jones spent time drinking in the Worcestershire Vaults, also known as 'the tap', at the side of the Worcestershire Hotel. He used to drink with my mother May Haydon and my dad Jock Haydon, who looked after Droitwich Railway Station. The good old days...ah well, they have gone now.
York-Jones Ice Creamery. From Vines Lane. Main Entrance.
This is the York-Jones Ice Creamery viewed from Vines Lane. It shows the main entrance for personnel and vans.
York-Jones. Rear of The Factory From by The Salwarpe River.
This is another rear view of the York-Jones Ice Creamery. It looks as if it was taken from the bridge over the Salwarpe River/Stream. The Stream ran by the back of the Factory.
York-Jones Ice Creamery. Front Entrance.
This shows the main entrance to the factory. The machines in the foreground were used to cut the large blocks of ice cream into smaller blocks for processing on the choc ice machine or the wafer ice machine.
Where my Grandfather Grew Up!
If I am correct, this was the house my grandfather Henry Oliver grew up in. He lived here with his family until he was around 20 I believe, and it was sold for around £30,000! I think this would of probably been around 1950 when it was sold, however I am not sure of the facts. Such a big beautiful house, it's a shame such properties are not kept as one these days. There is also meant to be a ghost - a lady who walks the lake! Not sure how many people have heard of this.
Horace And Emma Everrett.
I have discovered that my great-grandfather was Horace Everrett who was a gamekeeper at Westwood Park around 1940. His wife may have been called Emma and their daughter, Emma, married Frederick William Gately on 28th April 1931 at St. Mary's church, Hampton Lovett. I believe they had a daughter in 1931/2 but don't know her name. Frederick left her in 1932 and later Emma met Edmund Henry Hill with whom she had my mother, Alice Gately, on 12th Aug. 1940. Sadly she had to be given up for adoption and now I am trying to trace the family tree. I have hit a brick wall and would love some help if anyone has some information on past or present relations.
Teenage Years!
Mum and Dad bought The Coach House and Walled Garden when the estate was split up after Lord Doverdale died - we were there 1952 - 61. As a lad I used to help furnish the show flats in the big house by moving the furniture from one to another as they were sold! For 2/6d. I seem to remember the gorgeous ballroom with a magnificent ceiling being split into 2 flats. The garden was full of every fruit & variety thereof you could name - we grew tomatoes/cucumbers in the 3000sq ft of glass & I sold some on the side of Ombersley Road week-ends. 1 acre had 6 gardeners in the old days, so it was hard work for us! But it was a great place to be a teenager - football in the farmer's field behind us with Ronnie Bunce, Church and Youth Club at Hampton Lovett with the Sykes girls, and cinema in town - the Salters? - with double seats... Read more
The Everett's of Droitwich
I do not know Westwood Park but am tracing my family tree - apparently my Great -grandparents lived there in 1940. They were Mr. & Mrs. Everett. Their daughter, Emma, married a Mr. Gately in 1931. My mother was born in 1940, named Alice Gately but sadly was given up for adoption. If anyone has any information about the family, present or past, I would be very grateful.
Harvey Dene (Shell Cottage) Smite
When I was little I was taken to Harvey Dene Cottage in Smite by a friend of my mother's. I was enchanted with this incredible cottage garden constructed entirely of shells - the chap who owned it used to open it to the public at a small donation for charity. I remember it was amazing - he had made a cathedral of shells complete with a pipe organ, there was a boat, 2 ponds with lots of strange little manikins and the butterfly motif everywhere. Not forgetting the enormous cement flamingoes taking a sip from the many shell covered birdbaths and the ponds. It was one of my favourite places to visit as a child and I was very very sad when I rode past there on my bike in 1981 to see that the cottage was empty and the garden completely destroyed. All that was left was a bit of a cement column covered in butterflies and a rotting cement flamingo collapsed in the... Read more
I Remember That Jane And Amber
Our family lived in Droitwich until 1965 when we moved to Australia. My brother and I went to Rashwood School and I remember that hill. I used to play rounders on the grassed area near the vegetable patch. The school lunches I remember as pretty gross except for the deserts. Mr Pointer was the Headmaster when we left, I had just sat my 11+ exam, never did find out how I went.
We lived in The Ridgeway, we also used to go to Bluebell wood and catch newts.
My grandparents lived in Vines Lane below Dodder Hill, next to the canal. I think the houses that were there are all gone now.
Memories of Worcestershire
When I Lived in Salwarpe Court
Hi, I lived here in 1950s in the mews flat next to the big house. My mother and father worked there, my mother as cook and housekeeper and my father as a driver and butler. It was then owned by the Warmans, there were 4 children, Carol, Mark, Bill and Allen. I went to the school in Salwarpe where I was taught by a Mrs Killminster. I also sang in the choir at the church. Mrs Warman went on to marry someone called Bryn Thomas. I have a lot of memories of Salwarpe and the farm where I spent a lot of time with Roger Morgan whose father was the dairyman who was also called Roger, and his mother was called Dolly. It would be nice to hear from anyone who lived here at the time or anyone who attended the local school. I hope to hear from anyone regarding this time, by the way my mother's name was May Haydon and my father's was Jim Haydon. I am Derek... Read more
My Memories of Salwarpe
I lived in the first house opposite the church, before we moved to Australia in 1963. Next door lived Dr Adenbrook (I think), next to the church lived the Hoods in the now college, mum worked for a Brenda & Bryan Mullens who lived down the lane. Dad worked for the Davis's who have 3 sons (could be more). I remember Christopher (who drowned in an accident, he was in the Army), Roger and I think Tommy, they owned a farm. I went to Fernhill Heath and can remember being dropped off by bus at the end of the road and running so we could watch the steam train that went under the bridge every night. My parents names were Phyllis and Barry Potter. My name is Sheila, I have an older sister Marina and a younger brother named Martin. There is a lot more I remember, the canal, squirrels in the trees in winter, swans swimming on the canel behind the house...
Reminiscence
I moved to Chawson Crossing with my parents and sister Joan in 1935/36. My father was a railway worker and the house went with the job. The people next door were named Nicklin. I attended Salwarpe school with some of the Nicklin children. I remember a boy named Hinton, someone named Farr and a girl named Hadland, no relation, who lived at Ladywood. The headmaster at the time was Mr Frost who lived in one of the four cottages in Chawson. I sang in the church choir and remember helping to tune the hand pumped organ. My memory also tells me about the old mill behind the church and the culvert under the road that we used as a air raid shelter. I also recall a RAF training plane hitting a tree and crashing in the main road near the Copcut Elm pub. My sister did attend the school for a short time. We all moved to Worcester in 1943 and I finished my schooling at Stanley Road. These 80 + memories may stir... Read more
Rashwood School
I was at Rashwood School fron 1960 ish to 1967. My memory of the school was a very big entrance, we were allowed to take our roller skates to school and go from the top of the hill to the bottom, also the play bars had concrete underneath and we did acrobatics on them that would definely not be allowed today. My memory of the school is very happy. I remember one teacher had a farm, we had a fun day looking at the animals. Can you remember the milk? Solid in the winter and ugh! warm in the summer. I also remember the big open fields on the right of the school where the boys always played cricket. Sometimes I was alowed to join in as a fielder because I could catch. My uncle at one time was the headmaster, Michael Crowther. Please get in touch if you can remember these times.
Mrs Boffey
I was at Rashwood from approx. 1961 and my name was Sue Andrews. I well remember the teacher who had a farm as I also went there. Mrs Boffey was the teacher and I think the farm was called Cherry Trees and was at Tardebigge. I didn't know I remembered that! Mrs Boffey was Welsh and she taught us the Welsh National Anthem (now long gone from my memory). I remember some sort of competition to win a 'raggedy ann' doll ... I was devastated when I didn't win her! In reception,the teacher was Mrs Tudge and I loved her dearly. There was a big coal fire where wet coats etc used to dry. In the summer, we were able to buy bunches of spring onions that Mr Mitchell grew up in the corner of the grassed area. We have a photo of a Nativity play and the choir are standing with their arms folded. I think Tina Taylor was Mary and my brother George was one of the kings.... Read more
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