Thetford memories
Here are memories of Thetford and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Thetford or a Thetford photo.
Inspiration
We had a wonderful english teacher, Mr Troman, who installed in me a great love of the language and its literature. We nicknamed him HUDDY Because of his teaching. Forty years later I was inspired to write, and have printed a history of our family during the depression years.
Stump.
Row Boat
Many times I rowed my little row boat down the river past Haling Path on the way to the Staunches where we fished for hours or chased rabbits.
Chorister 1935 to 1938
As a choir boy I had many an annual treat at Great Yarmouth for the day. Had a wonderful vicar, Rev Cooling, commonly referred to as POP. He was a model train advocate and had a big lame Red Setter who bowled me over every time I went to the vicarage. Stump Hayward.
St.Cuthberts Church And Spring Walks And The Hailing Path
I was born in Thetford in 1953 and lived there until I was 19 .I have extremely fond memories of my time as a chorister at St.Cuthberts Church and used to love the river.I remember my grandparents Ethel and Bert Wiseman telling me that they first met on Hailing Path in site of the Town Bridge.I used to canoe along that stretch towards the Mill pond and the 'Iron Bridges'.There was also the time I spent working on the Spring Walks when I used to help with the hiring of the Rowing Boats and had a very happy two years helping people learn to row.
My Love of Thetford
When I moved to thetford I met loads of friends and I enjoyed my school years at Rosemary Musker High. I enjoyed working at the market and I loved going out to the old mill at the weekends. As I now live in Scotland, Thetford will always be a special place in my heart.
Memories of Norfolk
Reminders of my Youth
I remember being taken to the village when I was very young - I believe one of my great uncles ran the Pub - One of the ubquitous Jermy Family - I am coming to Norfolk to try and research my roots at the end of July this year - Seeing the photo rang a real bell - it must have been about 1955 when we came !
There was a farm yard behind the pub with pigs and chickens and the roads seemed dry and dusty. It was a hot summer and we had been taken to Great Yarmouth and I was sun burned ! - If memory serves the pub was called "The White Horse" It seemed dark and there was a lot of dark wood in the bar area ?
Ah well - look forward to coming for the first time since then - may be it will trigger other memories - and I might be able to find other family members
The Early Years...
I was born in Mundford in 1955 - when I was 18 months old my family moved to the nearby hamlet of West Tofts. We had a small wooden bungalow, one of a pair, that was directly opposite an army camp. My father worked for his father as a farm labourer at Lynford Home Farm, but following some sort of bust-up, my dad started working for the MOD on night shifts and during the day he gradually built up a smallholding, ending up with about 40 acres - we farmed barley and sugar beet, and kept pigs. Now I look back, I realise how hard Dad must have laboured to hold down a job a night and work the land during the day. He did have me as a (sometimes unwilling) labourer. Usually I would get up and feed the pigs before going to school at Mundford Primary. At that time, 1960 when I started, the 3 or 4 kids in West Tofts were picked up by a local taxi and taken... Read more
Boyhood
I was born in 1922 in Mundford where my Father was the village policeman. We had no motor car, indeed in those days there were not many people who could afford this luxury. The village was small, however it was self-contained and provided all the necessities of life, including a village doctor, blacksmith, carpenter and general store. When other needs arose we hired a taxi or cycled to Brandon where there was a train station that would enable us to get to Norwich or Kings Lynn. My Father policed the area for which he was responsible on foot or on his bicycle.
The social life was superior to that found in the suburbs today and in many respects I believe we were much happier. There was no TV and the radio was still in its infancy; it was not easy to get into town and we all had to make our own entertainment. Whist drives, various clubs and weekly meetings for tea, talk, knitting and sewing. Of course... Read more
An Old Man's Memories
I was born in 1922 in the village of Mundford. My Father was the village policeman. The village was then a self-contained society and provided all the necessities of life, including a doctor, blacksmith, carpenter and general store. When other needs arose we hired a taxi or cycled the ten miles or so to Brandon, where there was then a train station that enabled us to get to Norwich or Kings Lynn. My Father policed the area for which he was responsible on foot or on his bicycle.
The social life was so much superior to that today and in many respects I believe we were much happier. There was no TV and radio was still in its infancy; citizens had to make their own entertainment. A cricket club, soccer, and bowls in the summer provided sports at a very low cost. Pubs provided beer, conversation and the occasional game of darts. The village was surrounded by miles of open fields or woods. Generally we could walk where ever... Read more
Parkinsons Store
I have very fond memories of holidays spent with my Aunt Susan Parkinson and my cousins Jane and David Boggia and their daughters Mel and Bev. I helped out in the store one holiday and had my first romance with a lad from the village. We were always made very welcome. My dad used to live and work on Uncle Ben's farm and it was from there he joined the army. Dad's name was Bill Byatt.
I remember playing with the children from the village, we would walk to the little stream that ran under the bridge and paddle in the cold water, watching out for the very large Pike that was rumoured to live in the pond. I have not visited East Harling for many years now and I would love to know if it has changed much.
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