Recent Memories

Reconnecting with our shared local history.

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.

A couple at a laptop

Add a Memory!

It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin

Tips & Ideas

Not sure what to write? It's easy - just think of a place that brings back a memory for you and write about:

  • How the location features in your personal history?
  • The memories this place inspires for you?
  • Stories about the community, its history and people?
  • People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
  • Has it changed over the years?
  • How does it feel, seeing these places again, as they used to look?

This week's Places

Here are some of the places people are talking about in our Share Your Memories community this week:

...and hundreds more!

Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.

Subscribe

Join the thousands who receive our regular doses of warming nostalgia! Have our latest blog posts and archive news delivered directly to your inbox. Absolutely free. Unsubscribe anytime.

Displaying Memories 28081 - 28160 of 36857 in total

I used to be taken by my mother to the White House for a picnic tea with my sister. Although we had a huge garden ourselves, we loved going there. Sadly a young woman was murdered there in the 1950s ( I think) by her boyfriend. However, the girl's mother forgave the young man as she felt her daughter had behaved badly. There were always lovely walks around here.
I lived in Astmoor with my grandparents. My grandma sold sweets, pop and cigarettes. I went to Halton School and walked down Astmoor Lane which we called Summer Lane. Grandad worked at Astmoor tannery. We lived next to Ivy House, it used to be a farm. I have pictures of Astmoor before Astmoor bridge was built, and of Astmoor tannery. Gran used to take me down a path to the ship canal and we used to watch the ...see more
My great-grandmother, Mrs Clara Burr, had the Supply Store in Halling Road for many years from the early 1900s. She had been widowed in 1903 when her two sons, my grandfather Rowland and his brother Norman, were babies. When Rowland married Nellie Dale of Snodland in 1925, the couple bought a block of land in North Halling and built a bungalow (single story home) on it for 425 pounds. They named the house 'Kalamara', ...see more
George Parkinson and his wife, Ann (nee Bowron) married:13.5.1845 at Rokeby Parish Church. After living and working at Balder Mill, just outside Cotherstone, the family moved to live at Desmesne Mill around 1853/4. The Mill has been renovated, but when The Parkinson family were there, they would have lived in the cottages. During their time at the Mill, another five children were born there, to add ...see more
The Young family lived at 6 Cemetery Cottages from 1922 until the mid 1930s. My grandparents, Walter and Hilda Young, were married in the Hope Street Methodist Chapel in 1921. Walter was living in 27 Grey Street, before he got married. His sister, Priscilla, lived in Gladstone Street. My mum, Edna, and her sisters, Jean, Sheila and Mary, lived in Crook until the family moved to Cambridgeshire, when ...see more
All my ancestors originate in Otley, and I have traced them back to 1718. The only recollection I have of Otley is that when I was six to seven years old the family used to visit my father's aunt, my great-aunt Emma who was in her 90s and bedridden, she lived in a small cottage on the road to Helmingham. Further along the road lived one of his cousins who was married to a Walter Goodwin who used to drive a ...see more
I lived in Seaton from the very early 1950s to the very early 1970s. My happy memories are: going down to the River Welland in Harringworth and fishing, going down to Seaton railway station and watching the trains go through. Seaton station in the 1950s and 1960s was a very important station, with trains running from Peterborough to Rugby, and single line tracks running to Uppingham and ...see more
I went to Fairfields in 1956 until 1961 and it was a Secondary Modern school then, and the infants were at the bottom end. I believe it was turned into a junior/infants school after that as most went to Charles Chute School which was brand new.
.
I was born in No 5 The Coastguards at Sizewell in 1950 (before they put another house on the end). My parents were teachers and I had two sisters and a brother. I played all along the front and in the big sand pit in front of the houses. The Morbys and the Warners lived in the houses. I have sat outside the Vulcan with a packet of crisps and a Vimto while Father had a pint. I now live in Aldeburgh and work at Sizewell A Power station.
My grandfather and his family lived at the Inn and he is shown in the census of 1901. In the 1923 directory he is shown as being at the Golden Lion Public House at Sharpstone with his name mis-spelt as 'Reid'. I believe he moved to Holt and died around 1930, which was 11 years before I was born so my knowledge is sketchy. His first wife Emma died and he married Ada Francis who lived at Park Corner. In there was a James ...see more
My mother and father (Charles and Lilian) ran the Club from 1954-1957 approx. We lived in just one part with a large living room, a kitchen which led to the back area of stables and grass and 4 bedrooms. Most of the upstairs rooms in the rest of the Gorse were unused except for the Billiard room, but as an eleven year old, I spent many hours just wandering from room to room - I really don't ...see more
Reading the other memories I remembered a group of us watching - oh what was his name - an artistic painter, doing up the Chocolate Box opposite the Chamberlayne Arms on the corner of Blenheim Road and High Street, and we watched practically the whole day, fascinated by his art from chalk lines to fully paint shop name. Even when it was finished we failed to notice the spelling mistake. It was later explained to me ...see more
My name is Jimmy Campbell. I purchased Waygateshaw House around 1980 when it had been destroyed by fire, and over a period of 4/5years we rebuilt it in to what is is today. We had the 27 acres of land and the gatehouse which we lived in while we rebuilt the main house. I remember we purchased the central heating boiler which was used to heat the old Dalserf Primary School, it was a coal fired ...see more
Hi there all you Karters. Just sitting here in Queensland, Australia and thought I'd pass on a bit of history regarding The Dunkeswell Kart Club. The club started as an 'offshoot' of The Torbay Motor Club of which I was a member, as were Allan and Gordon, Jim, Tony and Paul. One evening over a beer at the 'local' the conversation got around to Kart Racing, and an approach was made to the T M C to see if we could come to ...see more
I would very much like to catch up with any members of the L O o M from the Paignton branch of that time, also any members of the Federation of Master Builders Torbay branch of which I was president in the mid 70s, in particular Joe Beaglehole, Ron Upham & Stan Archer and the many others that I knew. Tony
My dad, Claude Harper, went to school at Herner I think, our Aunt Emma and Uncle Perce and our cousins lived at Pulrew, in the late 1930s we spent our summer holidays there. Names that come to mind are Tanners where my grandparents lived when my dad was a child in the early 1900s. I remember catching eels in the river by Chapelton down stream from the railway station, anyone have memories of that time. Tony
Maerdy was the estate and residence owned by the Hughes family. John Hughes's will dated 18 June 1697 left it to his nephew William if his daughter Eliz should die without issue. Brother John left it to his 3 sons then Rev T Hughes's daughters, then on to Thomas Hughes of Tre Adam, coroner, who sold it to John Etherington Welch Rolls of the Hendre in 1840. Judy
Having walked up the hawthorn-lined path from Graburn Road to Church Road, I would turn towards the Embassy Cinema and The Grapes Hotel (pictured) and turn into Ryeground Lane on the way to St Peter's Infants School in Paradise Lane. In autumn I would shuffle through the almost knee-high drifts of tobacco-coloured chestnut and sycamore leaves from the arching overhead branches, blown aside by the ...see more
I was aged six when my family moved to Sproughton 1932 when some new houses and bungalows had been built in a cul-de-sac called Broomfield Common off Church Lane. All of my young years were spent in the village until I joined the army in 1944. I well remember Ned Ginger's very old blacksmith shop where he used to shoe all the farm horses - and there were many in those days - and he would also repair farming ...see more
Unless the school burned down twice, it definitely happened in half term of 1980. I was on the school pitch behind my house at the time. I was well-chuffed because I had reached the top class with Mr Thomas and was allowed to use a fountain pen. Then one day - so we heard - workmen in the school dropped a gas cannister. I can still remember standing there watching smoke pour out of the roof of the main ...see more
Finding this site has brought many wonderful memories back to me. I was born in St Mary's Hospital, Croydon. My maiden name was Chappell. I lived in Purley Road, South Croydon not far from the Red Deer until 1957. Every Saturday I travelled to Croydon with Mum or, when old enough, on my own or with friends. Usually Kennards was my first stop where I made for the Arcade to see the ponies and other animals etc. It ...see more
Does anyone remember the Sally Lunn Restaurant in the Cranbrook Road? It used to be next door to Russells Garden Nursery that later became the Prudential Offices, at the time one of Ilford's tallest buildings
Lived there for just one year.  Linda Crossley
My wife and I moved to Shrubland Park in 1950 after I had secured a job working in the glasshouses and market garden of this large estate. It was a wonderful place to live and enjoy the peace of the countryside. After a couple of years the head gardener left to become self employed. I was then given the chance to take charge of the market garden whilst the pleasure gardens were looked after by someone else. I had ...see more
My parents moved to Twycross from London in the early 1960s. We lived on Sheepy Road next door to Mr Charlie Brooks and Louie Jones. On the opposite side were Stan and Ilma Jones and Len Gibbs and his daughter Joan. I remember there being a family whose surname was Talbot in the big house opposite us, but they moved away and a family called Turner moved in. We went to school in Congerstone, followed by ...see more
I was born in the house that lays back just out of view in this photo. The house was built in 1954 and our family were the only people to live there up until my father's death in 2008. I was born in the house, as were both my sisters. At that time the house was a tied cottage to the farm called Sharvels that was at the bottom of Cock Hill. In later years the farm was sold to Crown Properties and then later still ...see more
My family lived in Stanmore, Middlesex and on a hot summer evening (yes there were some!) my dad would pile mum and I into his little 1932 Austin 7 and off we would go to the 'swimming bath' at London Colney. I loved it, occasionally dad would swim with me but most of the time he and mum would sit and watch me having the most glorious time. I remember there were horses in the field behind the ...see more
My great-great-great-grandfather Rhodes Green was born in Burnham and lived and worked in Church Street. On the 1851 census he is listed as a shoemaker (master) and employing 2 men. His sons are shoemakers and his daughters are shoe binders. My friend Jean's ancester is John Tilbury and he is on the same census, he is also living in Church Street as a shoemaker (master).
Mr Purvis the butcher, whose shop stood on the corner of Talke and Audley Roads, was my Saturday morning employer. He always wore a striped apron and a straw boater hat and sported a rather slick moustache. His manner with the ladies was, as I perceived, rather suggestive? I was paid 7s and 6p for my morning's work. I followed parental advice and put 5s straight into my savings at Mrs Robinson's Post Office across ...see more
I was born in this year, but do not have much to remember from then. About 1974 and I remember playing with a few children in the village. The Lister children really I rember. The Twiggs lived in the Abbey. I spent endless happy days there with the horses. The ghosts, mainly monks from the abbey. I lived in 3 Station Cottages. The Scotts in the bid house on the A318. Mr Webb at the Priory with his lovely horses. Colin ...see more
I was just reading 'Formative years in Kirn'. Yes they were good. I used to fish off Kirn pier for cat fish for Mrs Drovandi's cat and in exchange she would give me an ice cube. I remember Reggie Brooks and the boats - We used to live in Borland Park. Then moved up to Argyle Terrace. I remember Edith McPhail, Jeanette Rankin, Dorcas Branches. Playing jump rope - playing ball on the nursery wall that was at the end of Argyle ...see more
I recall paying one shilling for a session of swimming, with the changing rooms either side of the pool. We used to keep one eye on our swimming and the other on our changing cubicle where our cloths were. I attended my first dance at the pool, which was covered over for all to dance. I saw my first live showbiz star - who was Lulu - also at the Rawmarsh baths hall. I recall a lot of friends that I ...see more
I was born in April 1938 at l Eardley Road off Mitcham Lane with the London to Brighton Railway running along the far end of our garden. Opposite was Aldrington Road which then housed St Albans Church which I attended every Sunday. I loved Streatham and every day I walked along Aldrington Road to catch the 49 bus to my primary school, St Anselm's, at Trinity Road, Tooting Bec, and then later we walked every ...see more
Our grandparents live in Chipping Campden. When we lived in Worcester we would drive through Pershore on the way there. As a young child I used to acknowledge the little flags which were hung on string in between the buildings on either side of the high street.
Our grandparents live in Chipping Campden. When we lived in Worcester we would always go through Evesham on the way to Chipping Campden. We always drove past Great Hampton churh for as long as I could remember. It always looked very nice - tucked in among the trees, with its blue clock face. How cleaned up the church has become since this photo. In time I became a bell ringer and rang my 4th peal at this ...see more
The Silver Lounge makes me remember summer holidays when my mum was working in Collins Cleaners near the traffic lights at Gravel Hill, and I was looked after by my elder brothers and sister. My sister and I would meet Mum outside the Silver Lounge in her lunch break and then we would be treated to spaghetti on toast and an ice-cream. The diner was all chrome and an American theme with knickerbocker glories. Mum ...see more
Born into a large family one of eventually, 8 children, I can remember helping to pick and shell peas in our very large rear garden, we grew a lot of vegetables then and I enjoyed swinging and climbing on our many apple trees; we kept pigeons and rabbits, and also one chicken called Sheila (named after my eldest brother's girlfriend). Eventually our garden was divided into two, ...see more
I was nursing at the hospital from December 1952, and the photo that is shown is of the old Nurses' Home, which you went into in your second year, or when on night duty in the part of the building at a right angle on the left. This meant that you had a single room instead of sharing. All the sisters also had rooms in this building as did Matron. The posts in the foreground are around the tennis courts, indicating that the ...see more
I was born in 1940 and lived at 27? (it might be another number) Hobmoor Croft. We lived next door to the Lewis family and the other side was the Bessie family. We lived there between 1940 and 1945 when we moved to Erdington. As I was so very young I don't have many memories of the place except that there was some sort of space at the back where they had huge tank shelters and where we kids used to play ...see more
Alan Newick owned a butcher shop and my father worked for him.
Doreen Goodchild my grandmother worked here as a nurse sometime between 1960-1975, before moving on to work at Chailey Heritage Hospital. I would be interested to hear from anyone who might know more about Cuckfield hospital and its history or if anyone remembers my grandmother Doreen Goodchild working there. Also my half sister Rachel was born at Cuckfield Hospital on 18th April 1973.
We lived in Salfords from about 1948-1952, at the top of Honeycrock lane. Yes Angela, you did pay in the cubicle in the butcher's and the baker's shop was Cakebread's - very appropriate. I went to the old school, Mr Mackay taught us in the top class but he left and Mr Hutchinson took over. I remember them reading Tom Sawyer to us - I can almost hear it now. We each had a drawing of a man with 10 ...see more
My great grandmother, Elizabeth Allaban (born around 1864) was a servant at Elton Villas in Spalding. Do you know where this would have been in Spalding? I am currently tracing my family tree so would be pleased to hear from anyone with that name. Elizabeth Allaban married Joseph Preddy in March 1891 at Spalding. Regards Jane Mitchell
It was about 1957 and before, when the Willows was a place to picnic on a Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It was a very popular place, with the Shuggy boats and the river to play in, and there were houseboats galore tied up on the bank side. Rumour has it that there was a brothel on one of these boats. In years gone by there were ice games on the pond there, but I can't recall this, but what I do ...see more
I used to live in 'The Close' at Portskewett. My grandmother, Ethel Davies (nee Hicks) used to own the village shop. My grandfather, Arthur Davies had large greenhouses behind the shop. He was also head gardener at Caldicot Castle for quite a few years. I would be interested to hear from anyone who remembers us.
My grandfather, Arthur Davies, was the head gardener at Caldicot Castle for many years. He was living there when he got married in 1925. At one point they lived in the gatehouse. Mr Cobb gave my grandfather a book relating to the castle which he gave to his nephew, Gordon Davies. I was born and lived in Portskewett until 1967.
Having been born and brought up in Buckhusrt Hill in the 1960s and 1970s and 1980s and now living in Kent, it reminds me what a unique place it once was. My immediate memories are of Lords Bushes and living in Forest Edge, I was lucky enough to live opposite this lovely part of Epping Forest. I also remember attending Buckhurst Hill County Primary School in Princes Road and being part of its centenary ...see more
I was 6 years old and we lived close to Gladstone Park where we children would  play the year round. I remember the pond, the swimming pool and the tennis courts. Then there was the scary steep hill where we played hide and seek. Our neighbours to one side were Andrew and David Robertson and an old couple on the other side who didn't like children very much and we were three, two sisters and a ...see more
I have been looking up the old photos of places I have visited and came across Busk Crescent, Cove, Farnborough. Somebody wrote about the crescent. I knew John Mcbryde and his family who lived at no 27 in the 6190s. I visited John for a weekend when the Farnborough Airshow was on. I met John when I was at Butlins with my friends, what happy days. I have never been back to Farnborough but we often pass it on our journeys up the motorway, and I should go back and explore the town.
I well remember Bryn Gearge ,when we were younger he lived across the back lane from our house. He raced pigeons and often we had to go and look for my father at dinner time as he would be talking to Bryn about pigeon racing.
I know this house is where my great-great-grandfather Harvey Ayling was born (in 1834). The Aylings were in this house for many generations. I have a picture of this same house from the late 1800s with 2 horse wagons parked out front. Still, even today, the same house has the same Ayling family decendents living there. I even have a record of my g-g-g-g-grandpa John Ayling being a resident in Houghton dated from 1778. It could go back even more years than that.
Being Con's older brother, my memories go back a bit further, having started school about the day war was declared, going to the village school, with Miss Burling(?) - rumour had it that she changed the spelling of her name from Berlin (for obvious reasons). There are a lot of hazy wartime memories as well which would occupy a lot more space. I have memories of winding the church clock, back in the early ...see more
John and Freda I remember Mr Bobbit and all the other teachers you mention. The most memorable thing about Mr Bobbit was the fact that if you upset him he would grab your sideboards between his fingers and twist then until you almost screamed. If only the teachers were allowed to do that today!
Attending the Senior School, my memories are of the dinner dances that where held in the school hall to raise money to pay for the church and school, many of the events where organised by the local church organisations and the priests, particularily Canon Brennan, father Condon and Father Bailey, each played their own UNselfish part in the running of the parish before the other churches where ...see more
My sister remembers cycling to Gaunts Common just after my great-grandfather died, my great-grandmother stayed at a house there, there was an old railway carraige in the garden which was used as a caravan, and my grandmother stayed there for a while. The owners were probably Steele-Bartlett-Sweatland or Chalk, all family names. Also there was a photo of my great-great-grandfather Edward (Ned) Steele, a ...see more
My earliest memory of Emsworth was a sweet shop called The Chocolate Box in the Square, Emsworth (now Heidi's). It was owned by my grandfather Bertie Holland from 1924. It was later taken over by his daughter and son-in-law, Jim and Blanche Greer. When Bertie retired from the shop (which sometimes had a queue of people outside for the hand-made ice cream) he, and my grandmother Connie, moved to a house at 3 (now ...see more
I wonder if anyone could be of help. I am in the process of tracing my family tree and have discovered my great grandmother, Elizabth Allaban (or Allabon) (married in Spalding to Joseph Preddy in March 1891) was a servant in Elton Villas, Spalding. Does anyone know where this is or do you know of anyone with the name Allaban? Joseph Preddy was born in Nettleton. I would love to hear from anyone as I have become seriously addicted to genealogy. Thanks Jane Mitchell
To the bottom right of the picture looks like a butcher's shop, I started my career in the meat trade in the same high street but a few shops up in 1975 as a boy! I think that shop with the two butchers outside later became Muffetts wet fish shop.
My family lived in a prefab in Ashburnham Road. Dad worked for the Home Office, Mum stayed at home. Looking back, they were happy days - long summer days, adventure trips over to Ham pits, being yelled at by Jimmy Edwards whilst playing Polo - we used to collect polo balls. At the end of Ashburnham Road there was  Secrets Farm. I fell into Ham pond many times, we used to go there fishing for tabpoles. I ...see more
I was a pupil at Marton from 1965 to 1967 and have many memories and some pictures. I was in Stevenson House, run by Truck Taylor and the Grey House, run by Billy Doyle. We were always under control so visits to the town were always to church. I'd like to know whatever became of the school, is it a housing development now?
I remember living at No 12 Kingwood Estate and spending many evenings after school playing cricket on the village pitch.
It was 1947 and I had just started school at Newburn infants, I was only four and a half, I can still remember me Ma crying when she left me, she should have been clapping her hands. There I was in a lovely knitted jumper - me Ma was a great knitter and my job was sitting in front of the coal fire holding a hank of wool, arms in rhythm with me Ma winding it into a ball. Bah, some of them hanks went on for ever. We also ...see more
Having lived in the general area for 67 years, today my wife and I visited the hidden village of Tyneham for the first time, and what a wonderful suprise. The village nestles between the hills above Worbarrow Bay and is so peaceful and beautiful. It was just like stepping back into bygone days, or straight into a Thomas Hardy novel, the entire experience was amazing. The pretty little church and the ...see more
Sadly, Langleybury School is no more. I had the good fortune to work for the school starting in 1989 and I continued until its closure many years later when it was merged with Francis Combe School in nearby Garston. My role was to provide careers guidance to students from the age of 14 upwards and this included tracking many of the youngsters as they had their first taste of employment on work experience in ...see more
The history of Exmouth Harbour and marina has altered beyond recognition in the last few years. In 1998 I went there as a complete novice deck hand and worked for the summer on the 55-foot trawler GY165 'Pacemaker'. We fished out in the channel and often landed our catch on the harbour, to the interest of the town's visitors. I lived on board the boat for the first 6 weeks which was quite an experience, you felt very ...see more
Each day my journey either was via the cinder track (there was the old reservoir running alongside and the iron railway bridge stood in those days, the railway was still operating I think or in the stages of being dismantled) or we walked over a somewhat ricketty wooden bridge at the bottom of Castle Hill, there were a few hens scratting round just before the bridge. The hill was so steep when you ...see more
We came to Bolt Head in 1950, my father having joined the Coastguard service after being in the Royal Navy for 40 years. I found it quite a way to cycle to work, I worked in the post office in Malborough. I used to go rabbiting with ferrets and the dog with my brother-in-law, we got quite a few on the air field, that was before the RAF came back on the camp. My sisters and I went down to Soar Mill Cove to walk ...see more
Hi, I am writing to see if anyone remembers the history of 'Cows Lane', Little Sutton. Many years ago a land-owner called Benich owned the lane, it was originally called Benich Lane, does anyone have any memories of this or old maps confirming this? My uncle has contacted the local council to have the lane named correctly. The council has agreed if he can find any proof they will re-name it. Can anyone help or advise me on this? Many thanks, Linda.
My maternal grandmother and mother were both born in Lymington, my mother attending the grammar school in Brockenhurst (I remember as a small boy her pointing it out to me from the train) In 1944, when the V1 'doodlebugs' started falling, it was decided that my mother, my sister and I should leave our home in London to join my grandmother in Lymington. It was a turbulent time in southern England, ...see more
1969, I visited my great aunt Vi and great uncle Frank at the Smithy House. His anvil is in the center of town. Frank Topley, the last village blacksmith.
It was about 1956. John Sample had started to change with the times and bought himself a pick up truck, him, 'Auld Jimmy' and me went to the horse sales at Gateshead just over the bridge, and I cannot for the life of me remember if it was the High Level or the Redheugh. They went to buy a horse, which they did, and it was my job to bring him home, they bought this poor sad horse showing its bones and saddle sores, it had ...see more
My paternal grandparents, Wright and Bertha Veall, lived in Ewyas Harold for many years at their small farm named, 'Woodside' situated on a hill about a mile from the village centre and just off the road to Rowlstone. To reach it, you crossed the narrow bridge facing the Temple Bar Inn, passing the Spracklings' house on the right and the Dales' cottage on the left, the last in a small row of ...see more
My God! I remember the baker shop fondly as it was opposite the Ealing Studios, and we used to hang outside Ealing Studios loads of times as kids, hoping to see someone famous - and we did. I've said "Hello" to Hattie Jaques, she was so lovely and warm, I remember her just walking over to my sister to say hello and ask why were we there, we explained we lived in Northolt but our nan and grandad lived in ...see more
I was born in Hulton Street, Ordsal, and lived all my life in the same house my mother was born into, no. 56 on the corner of Oxford Street. We were 3 girls and 2 boys, I was the middle one. My dad Jack Neilan was an Irish man who worked on Salford docks for 45 years. Everyone knew my mother and father as her dad and brother also lived in Hulton Street. When I wasn't in school (St Joseph's) I was in the ...see more
We actually lived in Northolt Grange but our cousins, the Barltetts, lived in Stanhope Road, Greenford (does anyone remember them?). I worked from the age of 8 or 9 for Ron and Stella Valente who owned Toni Milk Bar (very near the police station end). What at fantastic couple they were, they named me 'Corporal', I was like their son (they had not children) and I was there till I left ...see more
When I was about 5 years old I remember my mum picking me up from Smallfield school on her bike, I was in the back on a little seat when a doodlebug roared overhead, and the engine switched off ... My mum panicked, and pushed me off the bike behind a wall, we heard the bang towards Gatwick airport. We then continued the journey home. My dad later said the doodlebug went over our farm - Triddles Farm - and it went over ...see more
I still hear all the tales of those days from my father,who spent his holidays at Number 37 with the Offer family and was sent there during the Second World War as a child, he also knew your father Reginald . As a child I spent my holidays in Compton Bassett, staying either on Barnetts Farm or the White Horse pub field in our caravan or in a tent at the back of 36 or in the orchard of 37, even in the 1970s and 1980s it was fun, there is something still special about the place now.
I was born in Westhoughton, I lived in 53 Townsfield Road when I was born, then moved to 8 Allenby Grove until I left at the age of 23 and came to Australia. In primary school I went to Sacred Heart School and then in high school I attended the Senior Girls' School on Park Road. I remember at Easter climbing Rivington Pike. I am married now with one daughter and two grandchildren and I have lived in ...see more