Mickleover, Uttoxeter Road c1950

Mickleover Village 1955

In the photo of Mickleover Village 1955, things still hadn't changed by 1965 when my mum used to walk us to the village most days to buy food. I remember there was a shop keeper regularly standing in the doorway on the right of the photo. The shop to the left of that, with the bike outside was the Co op, which was the biggest food store in Mickleover back then - way before Hillards arrived (now Tesco's I think). Close by everyone will remember Oliver & Winspears Sweet Shop, where we all bought our milk chews, fruit salad chews and butterscotch after school.

Evacuee during the Second World War

Dear Mr Lord,

My sister Jean Marie Church and I, Marie Elizabeth Church, attended Findern School for four years plus during the Second World War. I was almost 7 years old, my sister almost 6 years old.

As I recall, Miss Cassandra Sanders was Head Teacher. She was my mentor, friend and companion. She took me under her wing and spent considerable time grooming me for the 11 Plus, though at the time I was not aware of this. Sadly, my parents for some reason I fail to understand, telegraphed that I was not to sit the examination. I was taken out of the class, sadly disappointed.

School was alwys so enjoyable that I cried when summer break came around.

At the time I visited Findern School, in 1999, Mrs Tully was Head Teacher.
Coincidentally, she was teaching her class about the evacuees, so my timing was great! She was most gracious!

Findern holds mixed memories, a few rather sad, but those of  Findern School will always be treasured.

If you have any photographs of the evacuees, I would be delighted to use them in my Memoirs, something I've been working on now for several years.

Thank you for the privilege of submitting my memories.

Respectfully,

Marie Elizabeth Church-Davidson

Derby's old West End

My father had a scrap-yard in Nuns Street. It was right next to the bridge over Markeaton Brook. I remember always asking to be picked up so I could look over the bridge - I don't know why! Markeaton Brook was filled with old bed-steads and all sorts of rubbish in those days - but it always fascinated me.  There was an old building opposite Dad's scrap-yard. I remember it as Bennet and Sayers - but know nothing else about it. Can anyone enlighten me?

A Schoolboy''s Memories of The Invincibles

In 1948 I was living in the Midland Hotel, owned by British Railways. My father was the manager. The highlight of that year was the triumphal tour of the Australian cricket team, The Invincibles, captained by Don Bradman. The team stayed at the hotel when they played Derbyshire and I met some of them. Of course, my father had the most contact and told some stories about their high jinks. At one private dinner, they de-trousered the Vice-Captain, Lindsey Hassett. They gave me tickets for the match, and I spent two days watching in the blazing hot sun of that memorable summer (it was about 93 degrees F). When leaving, they presented my father with a splendid loving cup made for the team by Crown Derby. There were very few made, just enough for the team and a few for presentations. Sadly, ours was broken years ago, but I saw one not long ago in the Bradman Museum in Bowral, NSW. At the end of the school holidays I returned to my boarding school with the usual regrets of freedom lost. But I had a great prize to show my friends: an official autograph sheet of every member of the team. I've still got it somewhere. If only I could find it!