Childhood Memories Of The 50's And 60's

A Memory of Stretton under Fosse.

Sretton was wonderful place to grow up in during the 50's and 60's.
My parents, Winn and Mont Dowson arrived in the village in 1948 when Dad got a job at Coventry Tech, and they bought the row of 3 cottages at the bottom of Ann's Lane.
We lived in the end nearest the road, Mrs Timms was in the middle and the Parnells at the other end. Mr Parnell was a very keen vegetable grower. Dad prided himself on growing some fruit and veg but he was totally put to shame by Wilf Parnell. Peter Wallace told me recently that he was asked on one occasion not to put any entries in the Brinklow Show, because he always won everything and no-one else had a chance! The cherry tree on the lawn at 'The Cottage', as it is now known, was planted by Mum and Dad in 1951 to shade my pram. It was always far too small to do that, but it is now a very fine tree.
There were carthorses going up and down the road when I was young. They belonged to Tom Cockerill and the grey one was called Boxer and the black one Tommy Biter ( because he would give you a nip!). The road was quiet except for 10 minutes each morning and evening when the Armstrong Sidley coaches from Coventry came through, carrying the workers to the factory at the Cross in Hand.
Although I don't remember the Coronation Celebration myself, I do have a photo of me dressed as Andy Pandy holding a commemoration mug.
Mum and Dad knew everyone. Dad was secretary to the Parish Council for years and Mum worked at St Joseph's Convent, Monks Kirby as school secretary. It made it very safe - but a little tricky if we'd been up to some mischief!
I really started to enjoy village life when I was 7 or 8 and got friendly with Sheila Wauldby who lived opposite. Together, and with friends ( Theresa and Christopher O'Sullivan, Mary Alcock, Brian Cockerill, Stanley Emery and the twins Ronald and Robert who lived next door to Jean Bradford) we all had a wealth of things to do. We climbed trees, made dens, explored the grounds at St Pauls and fished with jam jars in the Smite Brook. Playing on Tom Cockerill's farm was my favourite occupation. He let us wander freely around all of the barns and animal pens and there were 6 or 7 old carts we could climb in, and we'd collect the hen's eggs for him. They laid them everywhere. Paddy Angrave at Home Farm didn't feel the same way, and we had to creep into his hay barns to make a den - and run like hell if he caught us!
I went to boarding school at the age of 11 and although I came home for holidays life was never quite the same.
Mum and Dad always wanted to retire to the New Forest but when the time came to leave they couldn't face selling up so the house was rented for a few years. It was eventually sold to Mr and Mrs Hall who live there now.