Memories Of My Childhood

A Memory of Pawlett.

I was born in 1956, in Wiltshire, but my first memories are of Pawlett, where we moved, when I was very small. It was a smaller, quiter village than it is even now. I went to the village school, on the village green, next to the church. I believe it's now someone's home. My first memories there are of making paper lanterns, and the Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling, I don't know why. I had to walk there, via a long but very narrow lane, which led from the 'main' road, to the school door, locally called 'The Drain'. I recall our school meals having been cooked off site, being delivered to us, through the brick gateway, into the playground, in large metal churns. I also recall the toilet block at the bottom of the playground.
When we were kids, we used to go down to the river Parrett, past Cooks farm, with no restrictions on where we could go, and sit on the riverbank, watching Dad fish for eels that he used to take home in an old Corona bottle! Sometimes we would wait to hear the rush of water, as the Severn Bore came through.
I remember living in Pound Road, next to a beautiful yellow cottage lived in by a wonderful couple who repaired and made grandfather clocks in their garage.
Our very long back garden was a haven for our childhood games, the photos I have confirm the fun we had there. Dad worked in Bridgewater, at the Cellophane factory, locally known as Smellophane! The eldest of five children, I later attended King Alfred's School, in Burnham on Sea, getting there by bus each day.
Bridgewater Fair was a must each year.
I recall the local post office, by the green, Also, the Co-op. And the three-legged race I ran as a child, on the village green, surrounded by the horse chestnut trees there.
I remember buying an old arm chair from the jumble sale on the village green, for my mum, and pushing it all the way home, up the street! I remember stilts Dad had made us, and trying to walk up the street in them.
We lived there for quite a few years, till I was around 12 i think, when we moved to the bright lights of the city - but I'll never forget Pawlett, with its fond memories for myself and my family.
My grandparents are buried in the village churchyard, in the church where my siblings were christened, so I go back now and then. It all seems so much smaller than I remember!
Ah, I am not seeing it through the perspective of a child i guess. I also remember the old ladu's cottage we used to visit, with geese running around, and her knarled hands, from tending her garden, with its red hot poker plants there. Her name was Miss Greed.
A safe haven for most of my childhood memories - thankyou Pawlett. I hope people living there all these years later love it and appreciate it as much as we did.

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