Woolpit memories
Here are memories of Woolpit and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Woolpit or a Woolpit photo.
The Cottage Next to The Post Office
My late father-in-law's father used to live in the cottage next to the Post Office, until he died. My father-in-law inherited the cottage, and my husband and I spent glorious holidays there, and lots of long weekends with our children, from around 1965 until my father-in-law passed away in the 1980s. We remember the pub so well as my husband used to play his guitar and we had a lovely sing song in there. I remember that there used to be a well in the garden of the Post Office. We got very friendly with most people living there at the time, especially Steve Sadler, and also Myrtle who lived a few minutes away and used to look after the cottage for my father-in-law.
Cycling to The Mill
We used to cycle to this old mill in the late 1960s and early 1970s when I lived in Woolpit. My brother found a large ammonite fossil in the clay near this site. There were the gravel pits nearby and we always used to joke about falling into the quicksand if you went too far in the puddles of water. We used to catch tadpoles too - fond memories. I live in Australia now but the site of this old windmill still sticks in my mind as an icon of my childhood. Does anyone have a similar memory?
Harry Elmer
I'm sure I remember a Harry Elmer......did he have a shop in Elmswell or did he rent out motor cars or even caravans from Woolpit?
I was born in Elmswell in 1947 and the name certainly rings a very loud bell and was constantly mentioned in our household at the time.
Elmers Mill - Family History
Hi there. Harry Elmer (who I understand was my GGrandad's brother) owned and ran this Mill into the 1940s. The Muggeridge Collection has some wonderful images of him replendent in the very gentlemanly working clothes of a miller of his ilk, and still working in his 80's. Anecdotally Elmers Mill in Woolpit and Drinkstone Mill close by were dead ringers for each other, except they ran (i.e. their sails rotated) in the opposite direction to each other. This has recently been questioned on the Suffolk Mills site which has some memories posted about the structure of Elmers Woolpit Mill after it was tail-winded in 1963 and collapsed, saying it was built of "inferior materials" and therefore of much more recent (perhaps 19th century) construction than the recognised ancient (and still-standing) Drinkstone Mill. It's recognisably old design however would seem to counter this argument, and it's more likely I believe that the "inferior materials" found after it collpased may have been due to the need for successive and ongoing repairs, required... Read more
Memories of Suffolk
Melanie Gibson
I went to Elmswell primary and I would like to find a few friends from there, one in particular, Jessica.
The Hall
Don`t have any memories of the Hall but am searching for anyone who lived there when it was a Childrens Nursery which was run by London County Council. Have had some info on the place & know a Miss Yorath was Matron during my stay there. Is there anyone out there who can help my research?
Looking For A Lost Friend
Hello, I'm looking for a dear friend, his name was Robert Smith and he had a brother by the name of Peter Smith. I took Bob Smith to Australia in 1973, but I returned in 1975, leaving Bob out there. Later Bob's mum went out there to live with him, can anyone give me the address, or is it possible that someone can remember Bob's middle name as I need that to trace him, or any other information that might help me? Looking forward to hearing from someone. Eric Taylor
Family Connection to The Shoulder of Mutton
My great great grandfather was Richard Thurston and I believe that his family lived at the pub about 1845.
They had several children Deborah,John Palmer,Mary Jane,Richard and William Mumford (thurston) His wife was Susannah.
John Palmer Thurston was my great grandfather.
My grandfather William John Thurston emigrated to Australia in 1910 with his wife Agnes Alice Thurston(nee Stillwell) from Sussex.
Combs Fords Tragedy
In World War II I attended school in Stowmarket. My home was in the neighboring village of Needham down by the railway station, so I would catch the local bus at the Swan Public House and ride it to the Market Square in Stow. As the bus traveled north there were three other young children who joined the same bus, and on arrival we would walk to school together. (I was about eight years old at the time. One of the girls was about one year older as I remember)
After school we would stand in the Market Square to catch the bus back.
One day we stood waiting for our bus back home and it didn't come. No one seemed to know why. Eventually on our own initiative we decided to walk home to Needham. When we arrived at the edge of Combs Fords the road home was completely blocked. There had been a terrible... Read more
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