Overseal, Derbyshire

EVACUATION

I was evacuated to The Old Hall, Netherseal with my sister June. We were taken to the Village Hall to be 'picked' by a family and were lucky enough to be taken in by the Manners at The Old Hall. Since then I have been back and found it quite a blow to find the graves of our hosts in the... [more]

Airplane Crash in Church Gresley

I was only a toddler when a light plane landed in the cricket field beyond the allotments at the bottom of Regent Street. Everybody around dashed down to see the spectacle. Few had seen an aeroplane actually on the ground. It was common to run outside to see one actually in the air. (This was before W.W. II, when it was... [more]

My First Hitch-hike

If my memory serves me correctly, this park was named "Eureka Park" and was situated by "Eureka Road". We would pass here when walking from Church Gresley to "Midway Grandma's " in Sandcliff Road. or further afield to "The Old Mill" on the road to Repton.
During the war myself and four other kids, walking back after a visit to... [more]

Rose Cottage

Bretby was 'discovered' by my dad who liked to vary his route in Ashby to work at Burton Girls' Grammar School. Bretby is not exactly the-land-that-time-forgot, but it is a delightfully unspoilt oasis, despite its proximity to Burton-on-Trent. Rose Cottage was a dilapidated house in the middle of the village, near the Green. The house was originally the blacksmith's house, and... [more]

Nursing at Bretby Hall

I was nursing at Bretby from about 1951 for a couple of years.  Does anyone have any news of Jim Ruddock and Marie?  I lost touch a long time ago.  I believe they went to Canada.

We used to have concerts in the Hall, we also had dances in one of the large rooms and there was a tennis court.... [more]

FRIENDS

I j oined the Navy in 1947 along with one Ginger Cooper,who came from Repton.
On visits to his home during leaves his family were very good to me,[ food and
things]. His Dad worked at the School.
Ginger claimed the Drum Major of the school band could toss the Mace over
the Arch and catch it on the... [more]

THE VILLAGE BOBBIES' CAR

My late father, Tom Jenkinson, was the village policeman in Repton from the early 50's until near his retirement in 1973. This photograph shows his car parked with others by the Arch. The old Ford Squire 60ARB.. I was very surprised to find it as I was working on the Frith jigsaw of this photograph!!

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... [more]