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Wickham Skeith
Wickham Skeith maps
Historic maps of Wickham Skeith and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Wickham Skeith maps
Wickham Skeith photos
We have no photos of Wickham Skeith, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Gipping| Eye| Old Newton| Rickinghall| Botesdale| Walsham-Le-Willows| Stowupland| Debenham
Wickham Skeith area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Wickham Skeith and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Wickham Skeith
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Suffolk memories
Greengrocers in Gislingham
I was wondering if anybody can remember the greengrocers in gislingham by the name of Harry Southgate who was apparently a master grocer.
Greengrocers in Gislingham
I remember Southgate's shop, although as a general store rather than as a greengrocer. My grandparents (and great-grandparents before them) lived next door (Fred and Carrie Bridges) in Mill Street, and we used to visit every school holiday from when I was about 5 years old. Harry was dead by then, but his widow (Ivy) and daughter (June) were still there. The village pump was just outside the gate, and Fisk's coal and grain merchants were on the other side of my grandparents' cottage. My grandmother died in 1976, and I have been back only a couple of times since - very special childhood memories.
Greengrocers in Gislingham
I also remember Southgates shop, I was born in Potash Cottage and my grandparents lived in Chapel Cottage until about 1959 when my grandmother died and my grandfather moved across the road to Peartree Cottage which was only a couple of doors up from Southgates shop and Mr Fisk. Mr Fisk used to take us to Finningham railway station in his car which presumably he operated as a taxi. My aunt and uncle also lived in the village down Springfield lane and my Uncle Bob Moyes still lives in the village and has been active on the parish council over the years. I remember Mrs Scroggins, Sam Tuffs, Stefan Palmer who had a sort of scrap yard in the village, Charlie Kemp and others. I have really happy memories of long summers spent wandering around the fields outside the village. Nowadays I live in Western Australia, a long way from Gislingham, but I will be visiting again soon.
Childhood
Mendlesham Primary school was wonderful, it is still there but sadly, no longer a school, there is now a new Primary school. My favourite teacher was Miss File, she taught class'B'. Mr Hurrell was also a wonderful teacher. He had small glass files on the wall around the classroom with wild flowers in each one and he carefully had the names of the flowers written close by each one, so that we could learn them. Mr Hurrell's class was 'A' (this was the class before going on to High School, in Stowmarket, on Braybrooks school bus). Braybrook's buses were owned by Mr Braybrook, his secretary was Enid Lambert. Mr Braybrook converted the listed buildings in the Back Street, close to The Kings head pub. I think he wanted to do the same to the whole street, but sadly it didn't happen. I still hold a very dear place in my heart for Mendlesham. My childhood was very happy, I lived at no. 42, Front Street, before the houses were given... Read more
Eastwick Farm
I lived on the farm[Eastwick] from 1952-1963.My father was Fred Hillen & my mother was Nancy Hawes Hillen. It was a peaceful place to live. I hope to visit my old homeplace someday. It would be nice to go back to my childhood for just one day but all I have are my memories........Lori
New Beginnings
We visited Gipping in 2003 to try to get a sense of the place our ancestors left in 1859 to start a new life in New Zealand. The flatness of the area was a significant contrast to the rugged coastal lands they farmed on their arrival in Little Akaloa, Canterbury. William Henry Elliss and his wife Sophia Rebecca Davey were resident in Gipping in 1858 when they married at the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Stowmarket. Their parents were Frederick and Caroline Elliss (nee Bass) and William and Eliza Davey (nee Fox), husbandmen, whose families had been in Gipping and Mendlesham for some generations. When William and Sophia left for NZ on the Mary Ann, bound for Canterbury, April 1859 they had been living in Haughley, William was a dealer, and they had a 7 month old son who died on the voyage out. Their parents stayed and died in Gipping, and Old Newton, and indeed Frederick and Caroline have a headstone erected in their memory in St Mary's Old Newton... Read more
Family History
My ancestor was born there in 1793 and worked on the land. he then walked down to Barham where he met and married his wife. A couple of years ago I visited Occold and wandered the same streets he probably walked. At that time the Beacontrere Arms was still open and I enjoyed a meal there - there had been a pub there from 1600s so my ancestor didn't have to go thirsty!!
