Halesworth, Suffolk

Living in a train

My mother lived for a time in an old railway carriage close to the post office store - it later became used by a tailor for his business.
MY grandad Charles Webster in the 60's helped to forge and erect the old swings and seesaw which stood on the rise just beside the edge of Orchard Valley prefab housing towards the post office end. Close by was the old Rifle Hall where my grandparents ran the weekly Bingo. Nan worked as a cook for years at Unigate Dairies close by.
My cousin Grace and I used to wander over to the airfield in 60's then derelict and hide in the bunkers which were covered with wild strawberries.
Nan and Grandad are both laid to rest in the graveyard of Holton St Peter.
My best memory when visiting there as a child was the church and local hospital fetes. My dad was an amateur artist and he used to sit with me in a blanket of primulas in the church grounds and do pastel pictures of the tower.
The prefab houses of Orchard Valley which are now demolished were quite large with approx 120ft gardens, a wash house and outside toilet. They were draughty and cold in winter and the pipes used to freeze a lot. Nan lived at no 8 next door to a man with one leg and his dog called Jenny.
Dad took many photos of the village including the Blacksmith's forge and the red and white painted cottage where mum once lived as a child close to the Nelson pub.
In those days we were snuck in the back door to the back room of the pub where we were allowed to be with our parents.

The vicar

The vicar for many years was the Rev Jack Thickett. As well as his cleric duties he was a part-time farmer, he had a field in Sipton where he kept pigs and as two of his sons had a butchers shop in Peasenhall, he kept them supplied with meat. In fact they still have the shop today (2006). I lived in Church Road for many years and I can still remember waking one morning to find a flock of sheep grazing in the churchyard at the back of my house. A novel way for the vicar to combine both of his jobs. There was I think an article on him in the eadt. He also grew runner beans on his field in Sipton and he had a field next to Peasenhall Primary school which gave work to some of the women of the village, first in late spring to twist the growing up the supports and later thoughout the summer picking the beans. I used to help my mother do this in the school holidays. We were paid I think two shillings a 20 pound net, a fair bit in the late sixties. He used to claim to be able to heal people though prayer. He brought my brother-in-law back from the brink or so he claimed. I went to some of his prayer meetings but he never helped my health so who's to say. During the school holidays he organised sports days for the kids and also the village fete which I suppose was a fundraiser for the church so part of his job. He died some years ago now but his wife and others of his family still live in the village.