1949 Onwards At High Wycombe
A Memory of High Wycombe.
I was born in 1949 at home in West Wycombe Road and lived in the area until 1969. My family owned one of the two Corn & Seed Merchants businesses called Jones and Rivett Limited in Oxford Street and Dovecote Mill on the Dovecote Lane. I went to school at West Wycombe Primary and Wycombe Technical High School in Easton Street and then worked in my family business from 1965 until I left home to go my own way in the same industry for the rest of my life ending up managing the biggest Agricultural Merchants Business in Poland and also farming there until recently before I returned to the UK.
My memories of Wycombe are many and very good ones especially the watching of Wycombe Wanderers in their rise to fame. Most of us in those days were trainspotters and many days were spent watching passing trains on the way through the town and at West Wycombe.
This interest rebounded on me recently when Paul Atterbury from BBC Antiques Roadshow published a book called 'Along Lost Lines' and featured me as a 9 year old at West Wycombe station as the cover photo - quite a shock!!
I felt that it was a great place to grow up but alas I frown at what it has become. On my infrequent returns there it is such a great pity to see how it has been spoilt but this is what the UK now is. However it was my home for 20 years and in those days life was great especially The Town Hall gigs !!! In answer to one of the other Memory Writers I also remember The Shrubbery off Amersham Hill as my mother nursed there for a short time.
I would like to hear from anyone who remembers those times.
Great Memories - Gerald F. Rivett March 2007 gfrivett@scotag.com
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The group also did gigs all around Wycombe with Jimmy Mac and the Beatfinders, Bobby James and the Clippers and Billy and the Outlaws. Later (1970s) I had a band called Cold Sun, renamed Claw!!! then one called The Sam Spike Gang. I also worked with Chris Oldham from Amersham in the C. O Band and in a band called Earthborn. I am still playing in rock bands down here in Devon where we moved in 1996.
I was born in 1944 and spent my early years in Rowliffe Road Castlefield when no one owned a car!!! I married Lesley in 1963 and we have been married 51 years. She was a nurse at the Shrubbery and later a Sister at Wycombe General and then the Paddocks in Risboro.
Thank you again - Gerald
He and I used to spend hours in his bedroom miming to the Shadows on guitars and couldn’t and still can’t play a note.