Theberton, Suffolk

My British Friends

My name is Alan Trageser and I was an American Airman living in Westleton from 1981 to 1985. My son was born at Ipswich hospital.

My greatest memories are of the wonderful people I met there like the older couple that befriended me, I called him Gramps and his wife Jess, and my friends like Adam (Gramps's grandson) and the wonderful family down the street from me and their son Vince, who would show me the best pubs in England. I was a wild 18-year-old boy living away from home for the first time with a wife and daughter named Brittaney. Many of the people not only put up with this wild American but learned to even love me! The street parties in front of the White Horse Pub were the best.
Thank you and may GOD bless England and the good people of Westleton!  

Eddie Friend, miller and millwright at Westleton

My great great uncle, Edward Charles Friend, was listed on the 1901 Census as miller and wheelwright at Westleton.  He was born at Wenhaston 10 April 1869, the ninth child and fifth son of Samuel and Sarah Friend (nee Driver) who married at Easton on 1 October 1849.  

Sizewell holiday.

As a kid I spent a couple of August weeks in Sizewell, staying in a timber-built bungalow just before the rise leading up to what is now the Power Station. The little bungalow was set back off the (dirt) road, and had no running water -  we went to a pump for water - and no electricm and my mum cooked on a paraffin stove. The bungalow was owned by my uncle, Ted Titlow, who had a newsagent's and hardware business in nearby Leiston. I believe this business is still in the family. Between bungalow and beach a pair of brothers, Fryer, kept a number of old motor cars which were just rotting away in the elements. These motors were generally vintage 1920 and, bless the Friars, they never minded us kids climbing over them and having a whale of a time. The sun always shone, and we often ate shrimps caught locally by Sid Booty who boiled them in his hut on the beach - we bought them by the pint!

Geese used to roam freely, quite a gaggle, and these belonged to a Mr Taylor who lived in the rather large house on the corner. Going north from the hamlet to the top of the small rise there was an imposing house in which lived Mrs Gunthorpe who rode around very upright on a sit-up-and-beg bike. The house is long gone (due to the nuclear power station) and I remember my father complaining that they had built it over the finest blackberries in all England!

I had a wonderful time there, with absolute freedom. I played with children who lived in the first coastguard cottage and we roamed the beach, the sand dunes and the common. We also spent many hours outside The Vulcan (Bert Allom?) eating Smith's crisps and supping Vimto whilst my dad had a drop of Adnam's, he has passed on his taste to me!
Mike Rutty, Somerset.

1969 - I Lived in Sizewell and grew up there

I lived in Coastguard Cottages and used to play in the village with Tim Carl Pryior. Jack Fryer, Noal Cattermole, Willie Free, Paul harrison were the local fishermen, we used to wait for them to arrive on the beach to help with the fish boxes. Frank Taylor was the car park attendant, we called him 'Peanuts' because he ate monkey nuts all day and shells laid everywhere. As kids we walked the beach to collect coal, wood and anything else the sea would bring. I can also remember the sweet shop in the Benthills, it was a great treat to go there. We used to walk to Sizewell Hall, Mr Wattison used to throw us 50 pence as a treat when he won on the horses, for sweets. We had many a great time as kids in the village and we still chat about it.