Durley, Wiltshire

A Respite, a Sanctuary on a Long Journey.

Savernake Forest is significant to me because this was the chosen halfway point on our family's mid 1950's journey from Hereford to Portsmouth for our annual summer holidays.

Here, my stepfather would pull the old Hillman off the road amongst this ancient, historic forest's huge oaks and take out the sandwiches and lemonade we had packed for the trip and wolf them down ( I was always hungry) followed by stretching our legs in the cool of the forest , before resuming our journey.

The Vicarage Boys

My two brothers, my sister and I were evacuated from London to Great Bedwyn at the begining of the Second World War.We were billeted in the vicarage opposite St Mary's Church, the vicar's name was Mr Phillips. My sister Joan was later billeted with Mrs Downton who lived next door to Police Sergeant Stokes. I have so many happy memories of life in the village. I worked for Farmer Kerr at harvest time, leading a huge Shire horse and cart to collect the threshed stooks of corn to where they were building a rick. My brother Christopher and I had our portraits painted by Mrs West, I would love to know if it still exists. Sadly Christopher died in 2008.

My Gt. Bedwyn Family.

The Eastman Family lived in Gt. Bedwyn from 1735. My Grandad lived in Brook Street then later at Railway Terrace, until his death in 1934. My Grandad had died several years before I was born, but I have vivid memories of my Grandma Carrie; she died in 1951. She was a tiny woman about 5ft 2ins - I was taller than her when I was 10 years old. She had very long hair which she put up in a bun on the top of her head. She took it out to brush it at night and I remember it was not that grey even when she was 80. I think she used to say she put soda in the water. She wore long lace-up black boots when she was going out, her best dresses had long sleeves and were quite long with lace collars and bibs. She always wore a starched long white apron over her dresses when she was at home. Both my Grandparents are buried in the "new" part of the churchyard; as could have been many others from the Eastman Family over the years. My Auntie Freda, her Husband, my Uncle Cliff and their Son Derek, my dear Cousin who died as a result of an accident aged 42, are all buried there, near to Grandad and Grandma. Grandma's Family came from Little Bedwyn they were the Goodman family. Grandad Oliver and Grandma Carrie had 11 children. The third born, a little girl named Laura May, died as a baby, that left them with 10 children to bring up. The oldest was my Uncle Jack, the only boy, all the rest were girls. They had five live children then a gap of 6 years then another 4 girls, of which my Mother was the eldest. It was only a two bedroomed house, so where they put everyone to sleep, I have no idea. Some of the older ones would probably have left home to work, by the time the younger ones were born. The next one, younger than my Mother, my Auntie Gwen is still alive and is 97 years old. My Grandad Oliver worked for the railways/waterways, my Mother told me she used to run along the canal or railway to take Grandad his dinner during her dinner break from school. She and all her family went to school at the little stone building in the village; I believe it is an Insurance Office or something now. It must have been a huge task to wash, dry and iron for all those children. I remember my Mum saying Grandma washed on Mondays and ironed on Tuesdays. When the children got home from school, they would fold the washing on Mondays and help with the ironing on Tuesdays. My Mother Edna and I very often went down to Gt. Bedwyn to see Grandma and Aunty Freda who lived with Grandma. In those days we travelled down on a steam train. We were so close to the railway line, I remember if it was raining we used to wait inside. Someone would watch for the signal to go down and turn green before we went down to the station to go back to Newbury. My memories of Gt. Bedwyn were walks along the canal, we used to go through the churchyard and visit the family graves on the way. My Cousins and I would sometimes go up to the copse on the hill to play. Staying on a farm near Gt. Bedwyn with Auntie Sylvia and my Cousin Hazel - somewhere along the Shalbourne Road. Going to the shop to get some things for the family and to buy some sweets. Going round to the Jug and Bottle at the back of the "The Crosskeys" to get Grandma's jug of brown ale. Picking dandelions for Grandma's wine making in the fields around there and mushrooms for those who liked them. There was a lovely garden at Grandma's; when Grandad was alive he grew all the fresh vegetables for his family. They had a lot of fruit trees there too. The Railways Terrace Houses were in sets of two together. There was a lane along the back of the houses and another smaller one along the front. I never remember the front door ever being opened. Grandma's friend further along the Terrace was Mrs. Fruen; I remember her so well. Grandma's neighbour adjoining them were the Bayley's. The next house along from Grandma, the Calloway's, had a traditional blue and white coup for their pigeons. My Cousin Hazel and I used to take the children for walks of a Family who owned the watercress beds; I have never tasted any as good since. Here are a few of my fond memories of happy times spent in Great Bedwyn.

my childhood days

My memories of Great Bedwyn are spending my holidays with my gran and grandad William and Beatrice Alderman in Castle Rd and my uncle Dennis.  My uncle and grandad were both signalmen at Great Bedwyn and I used to go down to take their tea. It was lovely to watch the steam trains go by. My gran took me on lovely walks up through the forest where we would sit and I would make daisy chains with my cousin Shirley. We would go to the man who made baskets and I can still remember my gran buying me a little basket with orange weaved around it.  I also loved going to the bakers where there was the lovely smell of bread and cakes especially the lardys which they still make. When I got older I used to spend nearly all my weekends there.  Sadly my gran and grandad and uncle are no longer alive but I still visit the church yard where they are buried along with my uncle Bill. I still have an auntie who lives in the village and also two cousins and I still enjoy visiting the village where my mother lived for many years.