Rowde, Wiltshire

Coronation Day

My mother took short term housekeeping positions and in 1953 we lived in Westbrook House in Westbrook village, looking after Sir Edgar and Lady Ludlow Hewitt. He was a gentleman farmer and I sometimes drove around his land with him in his Landrover. I remember beautiful fields with so many wild flowers, I would come home with armfuls. Cowslips are... [more]

Prison Buildings by side of canal

Hello,

My name is John Ryan and I can remember Devizes when I was evacuated there in 1940 from Tilbury Essex. I was 11 years old.

I can remember where we all assembled in what I think was the Catholic school, which I believe was St Joseph's. There was about 40 of us and I happened to be the... [more]

Quaker's Walk

I was employed to fell the elm trees lining the walk during the Dutch Elm disease crisis that cleared so many beautiful trees from a lovely area. My only consolation was the glorious view up to Oliver's Castle which is now sadly blocked by housing estates.

Notes from the Frith files.

During WW2 the hut at the top of the building provided shelter from the weather for members of the Observer Corps later known as The Royal Observer Corps.

The Roundway I remember

In 1954 Roundway was the site of the Royal Army Pay Corps Training Centre. Nothing now remains of this except a plaque erected by the local council to commemorate the fact that thousands of young men conscripted for National Service were trained there. Most were only there for ten weeks and were then posted elsewhere to complete their 18 months (later... [more]

Personal Reflections

I was born in Sandleaze, Worton in 1957. I was brought up at 1 Mill Road near the Marston boundary. I remember many things about the village especially the Rose and Crown Pub and the Mill. I remember with pride the war memorial which stood outside the library hall proudly dispalying the name of my uncle Raymond Glen... [more]

The Brinkworths.

Recently I have been researching my family history. The Brinkworth family are my great grandmother's ancestors, going back further, they were from Lacock. The Brinkworths lived at Sandy Lane, and at the cabin, Chittoe. I have information on this family, but need more. Not sure of address as on census it only states Sandy Lane, Wiltshire.

Derry Hill, Wiltshire

I did not live in Derry Hill, but rented a cottage there, Primrose Cottage, in 1990. I was introduced to Wiltshire in the 1980s by my husband's mother who had been based near Pewsey in the Land Army during the Second World War. When I first visited Wiltshire it was to visit Avebury and later to stay at Chisenbury with people... [more]