March

Ancestors From Upwell

Upwell Norfolf was the home of my husband's ancestor Charles Overland (1817-1908). We recently visited Upwell and saw the church and a tombstone of a George Overland but could find no more. Memories were passed down over the years and Charles Overland (1935-) named his very successful bus company Upwells Ltd here in Ontario, Canada. The George may have been a son.

Graham & Fishers

High Street c1900
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The building nearest the camera on the right is (was) Graham and Fishers - founded by my great-grandfather Tom. His sons Alg (my grandfather) and Spencer worked in the business all their lives, and my father Douglas worked there until 1966. His cousin Richard also spent some time in 'the Shop' before setting up his own business further along the High Street.
The scene in the photo is actually very much as I remember it in my early childhood in the fifties, but it changed a good deal in the next 10 or fifteen years.
My parents and I had some rooms in the building, courtesy of my gt grandmother, Isabel (Bel), about 1948 - 50, and the window over the front door was that to my bedroom.
Later we lived in the cottage at the bottom of the yard, on Railway Lane. The main building had originally been one of the town's two coaching inns, and our cottage was then the pub or tap for the ostlers etc. In... Read more

Changes

I grew up in Elm, as did my dad, in his days he had the tram, and canal, lots of fields and very few houses. In my days of growing up, we had plenty of apple orchards to play in and only 2 estates, within the past 10 years or so we now have an extra 2 estates. The village is becoming a popular place to live.

WW2 Halifax Crash, Near Welney

I am researching the crew of a RAF Halifax bomber that crashed opposite Colony farm, near Welney 25/4/44. My uncle Sgt N M Harrison was among the crew killed. I would very much like to hear from anyone who remember this, or has any further information.

Details of the crews last operation can be seen on the website below.

www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com/raf1944/dibbins.html

Many thanks,

Mike Harrison
Nottingham

Smedley's by P.A.

These memories actually date back to the summer of 1967 as well as that of 1968. Sometimes, there was no work in the fields, or I needed money because I was such a lazy fruit picker. So I left Leverington and applied to be hired at Smedley's in the evening after tea. It was marvellously quick and simple to get work, there were no formalities, no red tape at all. We seasonal workers just got a clocking card, and I am not even sure they knew our names. Two to three hours later, at about 8 or 8.30 pm, we gave back our card at a small cabin, and the accountant gave us the cash through the window. Most of that cash was spent without delay at the pub, either in Wisbech, or at the Rising Sun in Leverington. Very often my job was to sit next to a line of small rails on which freshly sealed tins of food rolled along flat stretches or long bends, or up and... Read more

Market Place c1965
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My family and I are convinced I am the man walking next to the man in the jacket and tie who appears to have his arm around a child. The Austin A40 pick up truck in the foreground behind the telephone box could be the one I owned at about that time.

English Brothers.

The Docks And Timber Yards c1955
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The opened sided storage sheds were owned by English Brothers.