Nursery Lane Bridge

A Memory of Hopwas.

I think that the photograph was taken in 1965 as the photo shows me and my brother David Jones fishing from the bottom of the garden of 4 Nursery Lane.  I was born in 1955 in Tamworth and we moved to Hopwas in April of 1961 when I was just 8 years old and my brother 5 years old.  I think that I look about 12 in the photo?  The bungalow was built in part of the house next door's garden which was owned by Len Harper.  Mum was disabled and Dad, Leonard Jones, bought the land from the Harpers and had the shell of a bungalow built as she couldn't manage the stairs in our house in Tamworth.  His brothers Bob and Peter Jones and brothers in law Harry Harper and George Collins were responsible for the plumbing and the electrics.  My Aunt and Uncle, Myra and Harry Harper, lived at the end of the drive in 10 Nursery Lane and many a track was worn with the comings and goings between the two bungalows.  Many an afternoon was spent at the bottom of the garden fishing or watching the boats going along the canal.  Christmas was particularly exciting as the boats met up at Fradley to celebrate Christmas and the boats would be decorated with a Christmas tree and fairy lights.  In many ways our childhood in Hopwas was idyllic with wonderful walks in the woods or up Hints Lane to see the flamingos in the pond at Molly Badham's bungalow at the top of the lane.  The playing field was just at the back of the bungalow and we played football and tennis on the tennis court.  Thomas Barnes Primary School was a small village school with just two classes.  My brother started off in the infant class ruled by Miss Podmore who always wore her hair up on top of her head.  I started off in the junior class taught by the Headteacher Mr Hawkins, who I believe once played football for Bristol Rovers.  The day always started off with 10 mental maths questions on the black board and our science lessons often led to a walk along the tow path to Hopwas woods.  The toilets were outdoors in single brick building that were very cold in the winter and has given me a life-long fear of daddy long legs who seemed to frequent every dark nook.  I seem to remember that Father Christmas used to arrive by narrow boat and had a little present for every one of us.