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Heddington
Heddington maps
Historic maps of Heddington and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Heddington maps
Heddington photos
We have no photos of Heddington, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Bromham| Quemerford| Rowde| Calne| Devizes| Cherhill| Derry Hill| Compton Bassett| Bremhill| Seend| Lacock| Potterne| Melksham| All Cannings| Beckhampton| Chippenham| Steeple Ashton
Heddington area books
Displaying 1 of 12 books about Heddington and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Heddington
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Wiltshire memories
Coronation Day
My mother took short term housekeeping positions and in 1953 we lived in Westbrook House in Westbrook village, looking after Sir Edgar and Lady Ludlow Hewitt. He was a gentleman farmer and I sometimes drove around his land with him in his Landrover. I remember beautiful fields with so many wild flowers, I would come home with armfuls. Cowslips are still my favourite. They went to London for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, her Ladyship sat up for all of the night before they left so that her hair did not get ruined. I was allowed to see the long blue velvet gown that she was to wear. There was a cook (she made me the most delicious porridge which arrived at the house in hessian sacks), she lived in a small cottage opposite the pub, then called the New Inn, and a cowman who lived a few doors down from the pub. He would sometimes let me go with hin to fetch in the cows for milking,... Read more
The Brinkworths.
Recently I have been researching my family history. The Brinkworth family are my great grandmother's ancestors, going back further, they were from Lacock. The Brinkworths lived at Sandy Lane, and at the cabin, Chittoe. I have information on this family, but need more. Not sure of address as on census it only states Sandy Lane, Wiltshire.
The Roundway I Remember
In 1954 Roundway was the site of the Royal Army Pay Corps Training Centre. Nothing now remains of this except a plaque erected by the local council to commemorate the fact that thousands of young men conscripted for National Service were trained there. Most were only there for ten weeks and were then posted elsewhere to complete their 18 months (later increased to 2 years) service.
I arrived in nearby Devizes on 7th January,1954,and after my basic training spent the remainder of my 2 years there. The training was very hard but it turned boys into men (and soldiers). The camp was spread over a large area of Roundway and straddled the road to Devizes. During the day a Regimental Policeman was always on duty where the road divided the camp,the guardroom being close by. The camp was actually two units, the Training Centre and the Regimental Pay Office for the R.E.M.E. There were 2 drill squares, a sports field, dining halls and a large number of buildings... Read more
Puppet Show
We went to a puppet show inside the Town Hall - organised by Sharpe's Toffees I think. It has to be around 1955 - 58. My father worked at RAF Yatesbury and we lived in Curzon Street. I can remember this view of the Town Hall quite clearly as I think the Calne Junior Infants went to school to the right of the building so we walked this way back from the church. We walked a lot on our own as well and I believe that the library was opposite this building, but that may be a false memory!
Calne,
I worked in Harris's factory in the early 70's, first in the sausage room then in the pre-pack bacon, then into the tinned ham room. Not the best job I have had but it kept the wolf from the door. My! how Calne has changed since then!
White Hart Hotel, London Road Calne
I worked for Jo & George Thomas (George & the Dragon) at the White Hart in Calne in the 70s. I often had to run up and down between 3 bars to work them all, and sometimes helped in the hotel by cleaning. Jo would say there's only 4 or 6 sheets today Sheila so not worth putting the washing machine on so wash them in the kitchen sink. This was a huge Belfast sink in the outhouses at the back. They had 3 parrots out the back that were quite scary and you daren't put your fingers near them. Although Jo was a bit of a dragon I had some fun there. Sometimes working until 2 or 3 in the morning when they had a lock-in. I made friends with many people including Doug Brittain, Heather & Tony Beamish, Barry Bryant, Bill Pellow and many more too numerous to mention. Oh! to be young again.
Long Service
I remember as a child being taken to see my uncle Ewart who was employed at Calne Railway Station for 55 years. My cousin Jean (his daughter) told me that he also used to use a long pole to put out the gas street lamps when on his way home. As a lad he had worked for Angells greengrocers but had always wanted to go the railways. Sadly the station has now been demolished, probably the demise of the Harris bacon factory played its part. The Harris factory had been a major employer in the town and had made good use of the railway to move its products.
