A Hot Summers Day.

A Memory of Davenham.

My name is Paul.D.Dean. I am the little boy in the photograph. I was eight years old at the time. The year was 1953, Coronation year. It was a hot day in the school summer holidays. My house can be seen in the background to the left of the School.
My mother had sent me to take down passing car numbers to keep me occupied and out of her way while she did her housework. No sense of danger in 1953. Little car traffic passed through the village in 1953 mostly cycles of I.C.I. workers going to work and home after work. I was sitting on the other side of the memorial (London Road) and when the photographer arrived he moved me to the place in the photograph - I suppose to add interest.
My father was the Headmaster of the Primary school. As regards the caption, I was not playing truant as is said in the caption, my father being the Headmaster would have severely punished me if I had played truant.
My mother bought a dozen cards from Frank Moore the newsagent. I still have six. I do have a copy taken 1910 without the war memorial from the same vantage point.
It is a memory of a quiet village and happy childhood when one could roam free without fear.