Market Drayton

RAF Tern Hill and St Joseph's College

From 1946 till 1951 we lived at RAF Tern Hill and every day my brother and I travelled by bus (Butters Bus Company as I remember!). We were dropped off near the lovely ivy-covered hotel in the square, and walked down the hill past the swimming pool then uphill to St Joseph's College. We were always impressed by the thought of Clive of India climbing that church tower - we looked at it once but decided not to try it. Tern Hill airfield was a paradise for adventurous little boys, and I never forgot the rasping sound of the engines of the Harvard trainers.
The college in Pell Wall Hall was also wonderful, with the ground filled with beech trees and ...read more here
Contributed by kevin kelly

Granny

My Granny - Annie Norris - used to work at Adderley Hall. I do not know the dates. As a child I used to visit the ruins
Contributed by Bridget Sears

Betton in the 1940s-50s

I remember Ramsdons living at Betton House in the 1940s - 50s.  I myself lived at Moss Lane Farm, Betton from 1939 to 1959.  My fathers name was Arthur Holland.  I also remember delivering the newspapers to Betton House and that there were several small yapping dogs.  I think after that Tellwrights lived at Betton House.  Brenda Bailey nee Holland.
Contributed by First Name Last Name

betton hall

I was looking at the photo of Betton Hall and I think my aunty used to live there, Joyce Allen.
Contributed by linda moss

Mid-1948 to Mid-August 1949

In mid-1948 my RAF posting was to Buntingsdale Hall. Our quarters were one of two occupied Nissen huts where RAF 22 Group communications flight was housed. At first our aircraft occupied a hanger on the Stoke side of the airfield. When a maintenace unit required that hanger we relocated to the Tern Hill side of the airfield, home to the flying training school equiped with Harvard aircraft.
The communications flight was used by Air Marshalls (and associated ranks) to ferry them to RAF 22 group locations, usually in Great Britain and Northern Island.
Buntingsdale Hall was used by us for meals, where a Warrant Officer was in charge.
At Buntigsdale Hall the commanding officer was a Flight lieutenant, nicknamed Tojo.
read more here
Contributed by Les Winn

Buntingsdale Hall and Farcroft.

My first posting as as an L.A.C. Chef in the R.A.F. was to 22 Group H.Q. at the hall in May 1953. I was eighteen at the time and was to become chef to A.V.M. Merton in his residence, Farcroft in Market Drayton.
I reported to the guardroom and was then whisked up to meet the A.V.M. by his P.A. F/Lt. Jan Badini who I was told was a Polish Count. I think he must have been as he later told us about hunting wolves on his estate in Poland before the war.
I was later to live in Farcroft cooking for the A.V.M., his wife known to us as 'Agie' (behind her back), Cpl Davis, Pete Redcar and another batman ...read more here
Contributed by Jamie Smith

National Service at Buntingdale Hall

Having had basic training at RAF Hednesford I was then posted to Buntingsdale Hall Headquarters Technical Training Command to spend the remainder of my two years National Service in the signals section. I recall that the commissioned ranks outnumbered the non-commissioned ranks at that time. This was an idylic location with an 18th-century baronial hall complete with lake etc.
When it was learned that I had some ability at piano playing, I was regularly asked to provide background music on the officer's 'dining in nights' and my reward comprised a very enjoyable supper.
Flight Lieutenant 'Count' Badini, ADC to the Air Chief Marshall (Air Officer Commanding), was also officer i/c Signals and he, when aware that I could draw, commissioned ...read more here
Contributed by Lawrence Law

RAF Buntingsdale Hall

I was posted to Buntingsdale Hall after passing out as a WOP/TOP in February 1948.
We worked at the Teleprinter Switchboard Exchange but unfortunately, after a few weeks this closed down, presumably due to lack of demand.
We were then employed on a variety of duties, none of which needed any technical training - guardroom, emptying dustbins, etc. The job I enjoyed most was sweeping the long, winding drive! The first time I was doing this and saw an official car approaching, I toyed with the idea of 'presenting brush' but decided that the correct procedure was just to 'look busy'.
Our Flight Sergeant was hard pressed to find us things to do, so one hot sunny afternoon when he had ...read more here
Contributed by Douglas Holt

Lock keepers at Tyrley.

My great grandfather worked as a lock keeper at Tyrley at the time of my grandmother's birth in 1883.  My great grandfather named William Nixon married an Elizabeth Timmis whose father and brothers also worked as lock keepers at Tyrley and lived there.  My grandmother Eva Nixon married Henry Thacker and he too lived near Tyrley and worked as a 'lengthsman' on the canal.
Contributed by Mrs CA Hayes

Remembance day Nov 9

Shocked to see my own family name (Clifford) on this memorial...knowing my grandfather had connections with Market Drayton it may be a relative...more research needed here l think.

Freezing

My God, that swimming pool was never warm, when you jumped in, trust me, that was the only way to do it. If you stuck a toe in to test it, it would turn blue, so the best way was just to jump straight it, then you couldn't breathe for about a minute. After the initial shock it was ok as long as you stayed in the water, once you got out, hypothermia set in quite quickly, then walk to the pavilion, (I think it was green) for an icecream. I just remember everybody with towels around them with chattering teeth, happy days.
Contributed by ron scarratt