Freston, the Tower 1893

Buying a new drum for the Whitethorn Morris Band in Chelmondiston

In 2002 I had already been the band leader for the Whitethorn Band for more than twenty years and ithe musicians decided we needed a new drum. By chance we discovered Barry Askew in Chelmondiston who used his woodworking skills to hand make perfect drums suitable for morris musicians.

We commisioned a new drum and one fine Autumn day in 2002 four of our band drove for a day's outing to Suffolk where we met Barry Askew and tried his drums.

Having seen his workshop and completed our purchase we then had a splendid meal and dirnks in a river side pub at nearby Pin Mill.  It was a lovely outing in a beautiful part of the country and our drum continues to give the Whitethorn Band excellent service.

Thank you Barry Askew and thank you Chelmondiston for lovely memories!

Books

I loved going in the Ancient House as a child. Lots of stationary and books. I remember the floors squeaked.Shame it is no longer a book store.

I worked here

I worked at Bowhill Elliot and White shoe store at the top of The Walk in 1960  Every morning I walked through here to go to work. I still e-mail a friend who worked at Turners Photography also in The Walk.  We were like a family in The Walk, greeting each other every day, and going to lunch.

Shoe shop

The shoe shop at number 44 was Thomas Alderton and Son, shown on the 1871 census as the family living there, presumably above the shop, it was still there in 1985 with the original street frontage, is it there now?

St. Lawrence Street 1960s

Back in the 1960s there was a beautiful Magnolia tree oposite the church in front of a solicitor's office in St. Lawrence Street.
Forty years have passed and I live the other side of the world.
I wonder if that tree is still there.