Sileby, the Entrance to Memorial Gardens c1960

Barn Croft.

The house in the middle is where I lived from 1972. The address is 62 Main Street and the house was called Barn Croft. The house on the right was a farm and the house that the middle house was built on was part of the farmyard. When the farm closed, one of the daughters had this built c1930. She lived there until she died c1970. Her name was Olive Clarke and was one of three girls I believe. The house had a barn at the bottom of the garden, converted in 1990 after my father sold the property in 1985. I have some belongings of Olive's like an autograph book and a booklet on cruises dated 1909.

Woodgate

I too was brought up in Rothley. I lived at 72, Woodgate. At the time it was the local telephone exchange, operated manually, my mother being the night operator. I remember George Hunt well, along with the Elkingtons, I used to get my sweets and collect Archie Andrews lollypop sticks! There was Mr Brewin who sold bicycles and all sorts of electrical things. At the bottom of the village opposite the Green there was Goodalls sores. Mum would send me down with her order book, then they would deliver, early days of shopping on line! It was full of wonderful smells. Bacon on the slicer, sugar would be weighed and put into blue paper bags, butter would be in pats. On the other side of the Green was Mr Ward who repaired boots and shoes, I can see him now with nails in his mouth, repairing them, I wondered if he nearly swallowed any. Coming back along Woodgate there was Mr and Mrs Chamberlin, who ran the village bakery. I can almost hear the ring of the bell now. The smell of bread, and biscuits in square tins, which you chose. Hymans garage, so many memories. I was taught to ride by Mrs Clark, she had a riding school where the Grange Dairy is shown. I had such good times with her riding ponies. It is something that has stayed with me, and I still ride today. My friend Mary Ward lived at Rothley Court, but it was a nursing home then, her mother being matron. We had wonderful grounds in which to play. Inside it was a little daunting, suits of armour were in some of the large rooms. But great places to play hide and seek. The fair came to Rothley every year, this was in Town Green Street, where the playground was. There were two other shops there, but I can't remember who. We used to catch Boyers bus into Leicester, and I think Allens and Kents seem to come to mind. When the new automated telephone exchange was built, across the road from no 72, the green fields were beginning to be developed, now known as Templar Way. It would be nice to hear from anyone else who remembers Rothley, and can fill in any gaps.

Growing up in Rothley

Rothley is and always will be my home no matter where in the world i live, It is 36 Years since i resided on Woodgate my father is George Hunt, he owned the Barbers shop at no 19 untill his retirement almost 25 years ago.
When i lived on Woodgate we had Betty Smith the chemist on one side of us and Dick Elkington and his wife on the other running the sweet shop, which later i believe became the Candy Store. and next to that was George Hutchins the Newsagent.
I especially used to love the time leading up to Christmas, when all the shop windows on Woodgate were decorated with Fairy lights and false snow, coming home from work in the dark and walking up Woodgate seeing all the beautiful christmas lights in the shop windows made me feel a sense of belonging, something i have never truly experienced since.
I remember going up tp my grandparents house in Town Green St, on my bicycle decked out in all my Leicester City Colours when city reached the F A Cup Final against our bogie team Manchester United, needless to say we lost i was so upset that i took everything off my bicycle so no one would recognise me!!!
My Grandparents and my Father lived in Rothley all their life, as i grew older during my teenage years i couldn't wait to leave and go to the Big Smoke ( whereever that is ) now i would give anything to beable to return, i don't think you appreciate anything untill you don't have it anymore.
I go on different websites pertaining to Rothley in the hope that faces and names might still be familiar but alas no.
All i can say is this, i am so grateful for the upbringing that i had with my parents, and to have lived in such a wonderful place i am most blessed, and one day i hope to visit with my husband, to beable to show him MY HOME!!!

Working on the boats.

The wooden boats in the picture belong to the riverside restaurant, out of shot to the right. As a teenager, in 1974, it was my job on a Sunday afternoon to hire these out. We did have a few people fall out of the boats, but no one complained. A warm brew and some towels was all it took to make things right.

the cottage on The Green

The cottage on the left of this photo was where my great grandfather and his ten children lived at the turn of the 20th century. He was a butcher. There was a slaughterhouse at the back of the property. They lived there from about 1895 to 1908.