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Manningford Abbots
Manningford Abbots photos
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Manningford Abbots maps
Historic maps of Manningford Abbots and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Manningford Abbots maps
Manningford Abbots area books
Displaying 1 of 12 books about Manningford Abbots and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Manningford Abbots
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Wiltshire memories
Wilcot School
I went to Wilcot School from 1943 to 49. Miss Brooks taught little ones. Big boys had to fetch water from the well for each classroom. The crate of milk bottles stood next to the tortoise stove that heated the classroom but we had to drink every drop whether we liked it or not. In winter we went for nature walks along the canal, maybe we were running short of fuel for the stove. The worst memory I have is the school dentist coming to pull teeth. No electricity in the school so if he had to do a filling I suppose he had some primative means. G.I.s readying for D Day often passed by in jeeps and called out to us smiling and waving. I remember getting little tins of "emergency rations" from them containg gum, chocolate and malt tablets. I remember wonderful socials in the hut on the green when everyone had a good time. On Acension Day all us children had to walk... Read more
60 Years Ago
I used to live at no 1 as a child from 1942 till 1950. My name was Coles and my father Bill was in the army (RAMC). No 1 was at the far end in this photo. I was amazed to find a picture of Raffin Lane. I loved Pewsey and have many many happy memories. We left to move around with Dad who served till 1965. Happy days.
Family Connections to The Limes.
The house in the photograph is The Limes and has a family connection. A great uncle on my mother's side purchased this property. He was Alfred William Reynolds, who was an innkeeper in the White Hart pub opposite the house. He combined publican and greyhound coursing trainer for a period in the early 1900s. He is said to have purchased The Limes after training the winner of the Waterloo Cup in 1908. A photograph taken around this time shows outbuildings to the left and a thatched cottage.
The property is still in existence today and seems little changed. The White Hart is also still a pub and also little changed on the outside. Alfred's son, Alfred Louis Reynolds also trained greyhounds in coursing particularly in Odiham, Hants. After his wife's death Alfred William married again and one of his two sons by this marriage, Leslie Reynolds, trained track greyhounds mostly at Wembley Stadium. His greyhounds won the greyhound St Leger... Read more
Greyhound Racing
I used to work at Wembley Stadium for Leslie Reynolds.
A "Celebration of Flight " Held at RAF Upavon With Prince Philip HRH
Hello Everyone,
I think it was 1961/2 "A Celebration of Flight " was held at RAf Upavon , with Prince Philip as the Royal Visitor to open the event . The old Hangars at RAFUpavon, the oldest RAF Camp, held the brothers Wright flying machine, which sailed across the English Channel, 100yrs before. I was only a small child of 7yrs , so would welcome any additional comments! My Father, Squadron Leader Harry Guile , an RAF pilot from 1944 , organised much of the event, and I have colour slides of some of the exhibition, if anyone knows how to digitalise them, I will post them on the site.
It was a wonderful display of flying machines and the different roles they played in the History of Flight in UK.
Hilary Guile
Moonrakers Gliding Club
RAF Upavon first came to my attention while on my Air Radar Fitters course at RAF Yatesbury in 1961.
I was taken by a friend to the Gliding Club operating from Upavon and quickly got hooked on flying. The CFI at the time was John Williamson and a bunch of other very competent pilots. I have started a blog about my experiences there and hope this contributes just a little to the history of RAF Upavon.
World War II
This picture looks as if it is looking down the street with the church on the right hand side. The Post Office in 1940 was opposite the entrance to the churchyard.
Every Saturday morning I would run to the Post Office through the churchyard to receive my weekly packet of sweets and comics that my mother would send to me from London. I would then run back to the Severals and lie in the field opposite the houses to read and enjoy the sweets. I lived with the Tuckers, Louise the mother, a daughter Ivy, and sorry to say I'm not sure about Mr Tucker's name, but perhaps Bill. I think he had a brother called Dan. For a boy of twelve village life was much different from that of Walworth in London but I have carried the sweet memories of those days over the years with much nostalgia. The last time I saw Milton was in the early 70's and it was a delight to see my boyhood village... Read more
