Memories of Denham
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Shared Memories of Denham
 Denham, the Airfield c1965 (ref: D183015) |
Year: 1948
Growing up in Denham New Added 5 days ago
I was born in 1938 but came to live in Denham in 1948. My dad was then the local Police Sergeant, Sid Smith and my mum, Hilda, was a member of the Mothers' Union and Women's Institute. I remember going to school on Cheapside Lane - Headmaster Entwhistle after Captain Thompson, Jack Rudman, Miss Martin, Miss Richardson - students Neville Johnson, Ann Seymour, Maureen Dyson, David Campling - so long ago. Being in the choir at St Mary's Church, doing the paper route from Valerie Evans' newsagents in the village, delivering the meat on Saturday mornings from the village butcher, working summers at Denham Garage on the A40. When Neville, David and I went off to Slough Technical School we still lived in Denham. I left for the RAF in 1957, then moved on to Bermuda and since 1966 have lived in Canada but have very fond memories of Denham - my formative years. Travelled back last in 1996 to visit the graves of my mum and dad at St Mary's and found that little had changed in the village in all that time away. Being Air Force, I visited with the Air Training Corps fellows at Denham Airfield and relived some of my memories from there. In the 1950s our lives centred greatly around St Mary's in Denham and I think back on the Christmases when the church choir visited with Lord Vansittart, and we sang carols through the village. I encouraged my own sons to visit Denham and the eldest, Henrik, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Canadian Air Force, one day did visit with some of his buddies when he had some free time while he was on a NATO tour, and he stopped in at the Green Man for a brew and brought back some great photographs of the village as it was then (2003). Are any of my old compadres still around, I wonder? They were good times. They can reach me at w.m.smith@sympatico.ca if they care to. Denham village will always have a very fond place in my heart and one day, I hope, I'll visit you again. Thanks for the memories. My name, William (Bill) Michael Smith, Lt.Col - Air, Canadian Forces - now long since retired but continuing to travel the world. Write to me at w.m.smith@sympatico.ca Last edited: 18/11/2008 14:55 by First Name Last Name |
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 Denham, the Village c1965 (ref: D183019) |
Year: 1950
my favourite bridge
I remember this bridge from when I was little and living in Higher Denham. We often walked into the village this way, past the lovely brick wall and past the hut where we got free orange juice after the war. My grandmother ran the pub, THE PLOUGH, which was up the road straight ahead in the photo. My brother once fell in the river near this bridge. We were in the tiny newsagent's shop in the village, and he went out the back door and fell into the river. It wasn't deep and he was soon fished out, but we still tease him about it! I took my children back to Denham (from Canada) a few years ago, and the same lady was running that tiny newsagent's shop. She seemed old when I was a child and must have been well into her 80's by the time we went back. I had been telling my children about her before we entered, and how she always told us to "shut that door behind you" before we had got through it. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and heard that same voice tell me to "shut that door behind you!". How we all laughed when we left! Nothing much has changed in the village. Seeing this lovely photo reminds me of the wonderful times we spent in Denham as children. I went to school there, to Brownies with Miss Gilby as my brown-owl, to The Plough for nanny's chips and lemonade, and to our cousins' houses. I miss those days, but am so grateful Denham has been preserved, and we can always go back in time there. One of these days I will take my grandchildren................. Posted: 01/01/2008 13:53 by Jennifer Schinkel |
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Denham, the Airfield c1965 (ref: D183015) |
Year: 1953
Winch gliding with my father
My father, Edward Wyatt, spent every spare moment he could flying his glider at Denham airfield. We lived in Higher Denham and used to get taken to the airfield many a Sunday. I was 6 in 1953, and I recall the taste of the soup that was served in the canteen, and of course, the flights themselves. My brother, sister, and I were strapped into the back seat of the glider and off we would go, my father often insisting we take the controls. I remember the winch letting go as we would soar up to what seemed like the heavens. My dad also had a small plane, and would take us flying to high altitudes to help alleviate whooping cough (I think). We looped the loop and felt sure we would fall out of the open cockpit.....fond memories!!!! We are in Canada now, (since 1955), but my Dad passed away in 1983 and requested that he was to be buried back in Denham churchyard. This was where his heart was always, particularly the airfield.......... Jennifer Schinkel (nee Wyatt) Last edited: 09/08/2007 14:38 by Jennifer Schinkel |
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