Stratfield Saye

c1955
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The entrance on the left is to Mortimer Station and the house (red brick) just right of centre is the Old Post Office. The white house just left of centre is Street House. The building to  the right (and slightly closer to the foreground) is the old water pumping station.

Christening

St John's Church c1955
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Although I was living elsewhere, because of my husband's work, I came back to Mortimer to have my son christened. He was proud to be christened in St John's Church.

Wartime in Mortimer Common

St John's Church c1955
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I was born at Cyprus Lodge, a bungalow in Victoria Road, Mortimer Common, it has a pond and 2 large gates. My father was in the RAF at Burghfield. I was the only child in the village I am told, we left there in 1945. My parents used to cycle in the woods and the local garage made me a scooter since children's toys could not be bought. The family surname was Welsh. I was also told that the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina was evacuated to the area during the war.

My Time at Rapleys, Grazeley Green.

I was born and spent my early childhood at Rapleys, Grazeley Green. My father's farm, James Farm, was at the far end of the Green in James Lane. We had a herd around 120 friesians for milking as well as arable and woodland. My mother had a smaller farm at Goddards Green which had about 60 milking Jersey cows and a bull. My memories are a bit hazy but in those days I used to cycle to Burghfield or Mortimer to visit friends. It was much safer for children to cycle miles on the road then as there was much less traffic. I do remember the 10-ton trucks that used to hurtle by from the gravel pits. They were on piecework so speed limits went out of the window. There was the Old Bell pub run by Mr Gissing. I was much too young to know anything about pubs then; but it was the nearest neighbouring property. The cottages the length of the green were mostly occupied by... Read more

Life in Burghfield in The 1950s

The passageway led from Clayhill Road all the way through the village, and came out on the Reading Road, some 2 miles away, the passageway was used by us children daily as a short cut to school, and it went by the side of most people’s fields and the odd house.

Further down the passageway and at the top of a steep hill (looking down), was Mr Barker’s bungalow. My father told me once that one dark night during the Second World War, Mr Barker’s bungalow was hit by a stray bomb, apparently after a raid on London during the blitz in 1940, and on their way back to Germany, a plane jettisoned its remaining bombs in and around Burghfield. His house roof and walls were badly damaged, and although he had this repaired, you can still see the damage caused by the bomb and shrapnel.

I’m told you could see the distant lights and search lights high in the night sky that was used to strafe the... Read more

Mrs Blands School

We moved into School House in 1941 when my dad, Mr Halfpenny, took over as Headmaster. I was 3 and my sister Sheila 7. I loved living on the school premises and would creep into the infants class with my gas mask when the teacher, Mrs Carbine, wasn't looking so I could dive under a desk when they practised sheltering from an air raid. My younger sister, Christine, was born in School House in 1945 and brother, Keith, in 1948. I remember helping my mum to make huge bowls of jelly and blancmange for the school Christmas party every year. There  was great excitement one night when Gregsons shop opposite the school was broken into by some boys from the borstal, not something that happened very often in the 1950s!
I too, remember Terry Clark, he and Keith were great friends and are still in touch after all these years. My best friend who lived in the close was Jenny Mars and we spent many hours playing in the... Read more

Burghfield Common

I was 1 of 9 children, we were placed at 83 Hunters Hill. I went to Garlands Schhool. My friends were Sharon Mallem, Jackie Baily, Jackie Bruce, Connie Sharky. I remember others ie the Farmers, Beals, Kemps, Longs,and more. We got the news a 4 bed house at Purley, mum and dad were really upset but needed more space, we left Burghfield. The years went by, I really missed Mr Biddof and his Christian books and the Wellers Van. My name was Debbie Judges, I was number 8, the others called Terry, Beverly, Sharron, Cherelyn, Martin, Ronnie, Tommy and Sonia. 1984 me and my partner Ady Walker had our first daughter Kirsty, and then Cheryl 13 and a half months later. 1986 I think October time we were placed at 38 Hunters Hhill, July 1987 we got married in the Methodist church on Burghfield Road and partied after at the hall. I became Debbie Walker, although referred by all as Mrs Walker, it was complete and marriage certificate a treasure.... Read more