Nostalgic memories of Chippenham's local history
Share your own memories of Chippenham and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 14 in total
Final year at school and spent most of may and June at the pool while waiting for our results. Cycled from Christian malford to get there.
I fondly recall my days as a late 1950's pupil at the Grammar School on its hill. A bus
service was used to ferry pupils like me from the more distant parts of the county. We had a mixed attendance and the headmaster was still Sidney Farrar. I recall a number of the teachers well... namely Frank Harrison (English/rugby master); Mr Hinds (maths - not surprisingly nicknamed "Alfie" from a certain well-known ...see more
I was in the first intake of the newly built Chippenham Grammar School. When we arrived for our first day there were no chairs, as war had just been declared and all transport had been commandeered for the movement of troops. So we spent our day perched uncomfortably on the desks and were then told to go home until further notice.
I remember spending time sheltering from air raids in the cellar of ...see more
Chippenham Grammar School in wartime, way up on the Malmesbury Road, was a great place to be, despite inevitable privations. Textbooks were in short supply, exercise books were rationed, and some of the teachers were away in the armed forces, but it was a happy place, with 400 pupils and a splendid Head, Sidney Farrar, supported by an excellent staff, some of whom were university teachers on loan. One, ...see more
Chippenham Folk Festival is about to celebrate its 40th year in 2011 and I have been attending as a musician with the Whitethorn Morris Band many times going back to my first visit around 1980. Although it has seen many changes since its beginnings in Lacock all those years ago, it still retains its 'village' atmosphere, providing three days of song, dance, workshops and dance displays. Over 200 ...see more
I remember many happy days at Monkton Park Swimming Pool, with my parents and friends. We would take a picnic and spend the day there. The sun always seemed to be shining on those days and people came from miles around to use the pool.
I was strolling around the pool with my friends one day when Mervyn called out "Hello Blondie! ". We were married for 44 years until he passed away in April 2010. We shared many ...see more
For many years morris sides have danced in the streets and pub gardens around Chippenham during the annual folk festival. Its a popular venue in any morris dancer's calendar. Whitethorn Morris and their Whitethorn Band made a trip from their home town of Harrow to join in the Folk Festval fun. Most years we have encountered poor weather and any rain soon dampens the ...see more
We used to do our fishing further down the Avon, behind the old Oxo factory where the workers used to throw lumps of Oxo across the river to us to eat.
Favorite spot for fishing as a young boy was under the arches. We paddled out, risking cutting our feet on broken glass, which happened the odd time. Caught my biggest roach ever...but it got away! True story.
Sad day when the old mill was pulled down. When I was growing up the schools used to have class visits to the mill to explain how it all worked, imagine that.
