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Stone memories

Here are memories of Stone and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Stone or a Stone photo.

Summer Days in Stone

We were very lucky to grow up in Stone at a time when we could hang out all day with our friends enjoying the joys of the river at Eythrope, sipping cool water from the Egyptian Springs, or swinging on a rope over the dip in Bluebell Woods, there was always someone to play with and just chat about nothing. Idyllic days!  

Memories of Buckinghamshire

Seven Stars Inn

I was born in the public house called Seven Stars Inn, Dinton. The date was the 5th November 1940. My godfather, then Doctor Ralph Gardiner, delivered me. He lived over the stile in the farm nearby. The pub was run by my nan and her second husband Harry. Her first husband ran a cattle business at the rear of the pub. Unfortunately he died after a truck door hit him in the back. My mother lived at the pub with nan (her mum) where, on arriving looking for digs, my father met her. The pub bar itself had two rooms, a small lounge in which I was born, and a large bar. Nan served from a small bar in the wall. Dominos was an almost nightly game and darts were played sometimes. The pub took in some refugees from London and I met a few of them. There was a strong touch of 'Cromwell' about the pub, it had very narrow stairs to the bedrooms, two small and one very... Read more

Kingsbury

The WWI tank was removed because little boys used to enter and use it as a toilet. It exploded when the welder went to work on it because there was still petrol in the fuel tank, not ammunition. The welder flew across Kingsbury and landed, dead, in front of Ivatt's shoe shop (the signs are still up on the wall). The Rockwell has reverted to its original name (thank heavens), why are pub names changing all the time? The Hen & Chicks became "Big Hand Moe's", look what happened to it!

Canal Bank Down From Park St. Bridge

I never saw this part of the canal as shown in this photo, the opposite bank was the site of Frith's, the builders' supply company. My father was a salesman for Frith's for many years. The location was called Hilda's Warf, and earlier in the 50's & the 40's supplies such as bathroom tiles were delivered by narrow boat. (Tiles are fragile & the canal was a smooth ride.) Of course Frith's is long gone, its now a row of townhouses.

Whiskin's Grocers

Cambridge Street c1955
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In the 1871 census records my Great, Great, Great Grandfather owned a grocery store in this street.  His name was Charles Whiskin and he lived here with his wife Susannah and Catherine, Edward and Ernest his children. Many other relatives lived here also along with a nurse maid and a chap called Henry Green who again worked in the shop.

My Home

High Street c1955
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The shop just to the right of W. H.Smith is The Mac Shop where my father was manager. This was my home from 1955 until university, 1974

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