The Wakely Family
I was born in Lower Shillingford (Shillingford Abbot) in 1939. My grandparents Francis and Jane Wakely lived in Rectory Cottage, Higher Shillingford (Shillingford St George). My grandfather was gardener at the rectory. He was also the sexton at the church, gravedigger, bellringer and caretaker at the church.
At Christmas time we would walk from Lower Shillingford to Higher Shillingford a distance of about three miles to attend the midnight service at the church on Christmas Eve. My grandmother would not attend the service as she was stone deaf. She looked after my little brother instead while we were at the service. It was always bitterly cold and I remember starlit nights and chattering teeth. The church furnace was lit early in the day and it was warm and bright with the light of the many candles saved for this occasion .It was full of holly and ivy that my grandfather had collected to decorate the church. I loved this service and often think about it even now. After the service we walked home and by the time we got home we were very tired and slept very well. I think that my parents had an ulterior motive for we were never up early on Christmas morning
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RE: RE: The Wakely Family
Hello Rosemary, I have read your memory of Christmas on the Frith website. I am 99 percent sure that I remember you or more so your elder sister Diana who was my age - am I correct? Our fathers had something in common, I think they were both involved in football refereeing. I am Philip Miller, born in Alphington in 1935. We went to school in Alphington. We all used to play together and roam through Peamore woods. I recall birthday parties at your home in Lower Shillingford. I often think of those long off days - what freedom we had. You can read my childhood memories of growing up in Alphington by visiting the Living Here West of the Exe Website. www.livinghere.org.uk then click onto Neighbourhoods then Alphington, then scroll down to Memories of an Alphington Childhood. I hope you will respond, it would be wonderful to catch up on your family news after all these years. pasdmiller@btinternet.com Phil
Comment from Philip Miller on Monday, 8th February 2010.
RE: RE: The Wakely Family
I am that little brother who was looked after by the stone deaf grandmother. There was not much entertainment to be had in a cottage with no electricity or running water. Maybe there was a radio but that was not much use to Granny. Still, you could always listen to the ticking of the grandfather clock. Among grandad's many chores at the church was to form around 50% of the congregation. The villages very always called 'Lower and Higher Shillingford' at that time - gentrification came after the blacksmith's shop was demolished. David Wakely
Comment from David Wakely on Friday, 13th August 2010.