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Memories of Derbyshire

Wartime

I was evacuated to Hilton with my mother and grandmother at the outbreak of the WW2. My father was drafted into the army and was sent off to India and Burma when Japan entered the war. We lived in a terraced cottage in Eggington Road. The families next door were the Radleys and the Lands. Opposite the row of houses was the American army camp and my friends and I spent time waving and talking to the soldiers who gave us biscuits an chewing gum.
I started at Hilton school when I was five and stayed there until the end of the war in 1945. On both VE day and VJ day there were enormous bonfires lit in the road opposite the Talbot pub. There were so big that they melted the road.
During the time I spent in Hilton I remember going each morning to collect the milk from the farm . We also had to take the battery for the radio to... Read more

Ford Family in Hanbury 1700s on

We travelled from Sydney, Australia in 2006 to Hanbury, looking for traces of our Ford Family who had lived in the area around 1800.  Our particular ancestor was a convict, John Ford, "Alias Tonks", b. 1801. He was tried and sentenced to 7 years in the colony of NSW, and was never to return, his crime was that of pig stealing.

Armed with some prior research done for us by the Stafford Office, we were aware that John Ford "Alias" Tonks was born along with his 8 siblings  at "Foxholes Farm", they were all christened in the Parish of Hanbury. The marriage of their parents William Tonks Ford and Mary Ward took place in Marchington in 1797.  William Tonks Ford was named in the Parish record as "Will Bastard Son of Mary Tonks".  We found "Foxholes Farm", an old pig farm, which ceased to operate as such c1944, around the time of the Fauld Explosion. It was in Draycott-in-the-Clay, turning at the old drinking fountain, down Pipe Hay Lane... Read more

Summer Days

It was a happy childhood, I was born in Etwall in 1954 and our council house in Windmill Road is still our family home. Some of my fondest memories are the simple pleasures of life as a young lad in the 1950/60s.
Always keen to get home from Etwall Primary School (though teachers Miss Smith, Mrs Sanders, Mr Tomlin, Miss Cracksford were all so kind and friendly) we would run home in the hope we might be allowed 'up the rec' for a game of footie. At about the age of 10 or 11 (1965) we would be up the rec oggy, Anthony Rowland, Pete Thomas, Phil Gibbins, the twins Pat and Chris Baker were among the regulars. Those of us that had them would bring our younger brothers along to put as goalies. On a balmy summer's evening we could easily get ourselves 11 per side but often without one ball between us. We would knock on the door of Alice and Frank Wickham (school caretaker), and Mr Wickham... Read more

Evacuated

I remember being evacuated to Doveridge with my sister Brenda we stayed with a family called Lloyd the mother was Marie and the husband was Lou they had three daughters called Jean Joyce and Dawn if anybody remembers my sister and me or the family we stayed with I would love to hear from them We stayed in a small cottage next door to the school in the village about 500 yards from the church with the large so called robinhood tree hoping I get a reply leaving you in expectant mode yours faithfully J Bainbridge

Evacuee During The Second World War

Dear Mr Lord,

My sister Jean Marie Church and I, Marie Elizabeth Church, attended Findern School for four years plus during the Second World War. I was almost 7 years old, my sister almost 6 years old.

As I recall, Miss Cassandra Sanders was Head Teacher. She was my mentor, friend and companion. She took me under her wing and spent considerable time grooming me for the 11 Plus, though at the time I was not aware of this. Sadly, my parents for some reason I fail to understand, telegraphed that I was not to sit the examination. I was taken out of the class, sadly disappointed.

School was alwys so enjoyable that I cried when summer break came around.

At the time I visited Findern School, in 1999, Mrs Tully was Head Teacher.
Coincidentally, she was teaching her class about the evacuees, so my timing was great! She was most gracious!

Findern holds mixed memories, a few rather sad, but those of  Findern School... Read more

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