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Riseley memories

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Memories of Bedfordshire

Happy Days

I was just Two when I moved to Souldrop with my parents in 1949,we lived at 18 High Street,just opposit the green and the large tree what in those days was a mere twig! we lived there for 5 years before moving on to Colworth estate. I was Barbara Smith then,Mr Prigmore still lives next door although sadley he could not remember me, those were such happy earthy days filled with the spirit of every one working together after war time and although hard it is my pleasure to have been part of it. Best Wishes to Souldrop and all who live there>

My Childhood in Souldrop

I was born at number 19 The Green, Souldrop and spent my first 17 years of my life in the village. We moved from number 19 to The School House when I was six. My early memories are playing on the green with all of the other children and learning to ride a bicycle around it.

The Village Policeman

My father was the village policeman in the late 30s. My first memories was the police house next door to the garage, and the sweet shop with a lot of steps, (is it still there) the bridge sticks in my mind. The time dad chopped his leg badly and we were shipped off to Grandma's and we had a car accident we made the papers that day (would love a copy of that). My first school teacher Miss Negus, and going to Sunday school and collecting my stamps for attending. I have an old photo of our policehouse taken by my brother on one of his vists.
I now reside in Australia but I still feel a touch of nostalgia for my home country.

Working Memories.

The Embankment 1921
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I was the main weekday driver of the launch photographed during the student holiday periods of 1955-1958.  When I drove it, the name was 'Silver Stream'.  It was the largest of a set of three electric launches which carried paying passengers for trips of about 40 minutes duration from the steps on the downstream, north side of the town bridge.  Typically this launch would carry about 40 passengers maximum.  Silver Stream was a magnificent launch to drive, giving a silent drive, almost no water disturbance up to the 6 knots maximum for the river, and had a tubular rudder form which surrounded the propeller.  This permitted a very tight turning such that most of us could turn round in places where the river was reduced in width to one and a half times the launches length.  The two sister launches were smaller.  Silver Spray was a shorter less sleek version of Silver Stream and had a single section canopy (possibly in the background of this photo coming downstream).  It would... Read more

SILVERY OUSE

The Embankment 1921
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I was a summer season driver of these boats during my college holidays in the early 1960s. We operated four boats, Silver Foam, Silver Stream, Silver Crest and my own boat, Silver Dawn, which I believe came from the Norfolk Broads.
The mornings were spent at Fenlake cleaning and polishing to the high standards demanded by Mr Smith (`The Guvnor`). We then came up through Bedford Lock for an afternoon of trips. We mostly ran to Newnham Bridge, but occasionally ventured to Queens Park, although the river was shallow here and I once hit a submerged log by the Britannia Ironworks. Some evenings we ran private hire work and I twice drove the regatta boat (mainly supplying crates of beer to the umpires!). My fellow driver, Stan, nicknamed me 'Dexterous Ted' after the well-known cricketer, Ted Dexter, either as a compliment or a joke.

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