Edwardian Idyll
My mother, Eileen Keith, was born in Farncombe in 1908 and her brother Ben in 1912. She often spoke with pleasure of her childhood there, and of her teachers (Miss Alexander and Miss Kate Gresham) and the vicar, Canon Bowring. She also used to speak of the beauty of the water meadows and the wild flowers, daffodils and bluebells , and of the River Wey, along which she and her mother Mary once walked from Guildford to Godalming.There was no electric light then and they used oil lamps.Two friends she used to mention were Keithie Gorringe and Ursula Attwater. The children with their mother (Mary Keith) used to go to London by train occasionally to visit Mary's sister Betty, and as few villagers ever went to London in those days Mary was known as "The Lady from London". They hated the electric lights of London, thinking them very harsh. In 1920 when my mother was 12 they emigrated to Australia but always used to talk of her longing to go "home". I'd love to hear from anyone who knew them or has any memories of that period.
Memories Links
See more memories of Farncombe
Add a Memory for another place
Tips & Ideas
How does Farncombe feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of Farncombe?
How has Farncombe changed over the years?
Share memories about your local community, its history and people.
Comments
1 comment has been shared so far in response to the memory "Edwardian Idyll".
Why not get involved and post your comments using the comment form below.
Comments
RE: RE: Edwardian Idyll
Hello Katherine, I find your story about Farncombe, Surrey, very interesting, particularly as I research the history of our village back to the Saxon period, although it has expanded to a large degree during the twentieth century. In the nineteen twenties my father reckoned he knew almost everybody in Farncombe in those days (living in George Road), but nowadays few people in my own street (Hare Lane) would speak to their neighbours, even though I've lived in this road for over forty years. I grew up in Furze Lane, the other side of the railway line and going to school in George Road, and then in then next to the church in St. John's Street, finally going to Meadrow. Now there is an even larger school at Broadwater, which was built in the 1950s, but for a few years it was just an annex to Meadrow, where I learnt carpentry and metalwork. Now its a separate school. Any further information on Farncombe would be lovely, but things have changed in the past hundred years, so looking back in time is very interesting. Thank you Katherine. Clive
Comment from Clive Downes on Sunday, 10th April 2011.