School Holidays In Bale

A Memory of Bale.

I have many fond memories of my childhood in Bale. I lived in Fakenham and used to spend some time with Nan, Grandfather and Auntie Carole in Bale. I remember going up to what Grandfather called 'plantin', which was just next to the council houses where they lived. 'Plantin' was at that time full of lovely wild flowers and wildlife. I can also remember an old tramp that used to sleep there.... ofcourse us kids would be scared of him although as we grew older we knew that he was completely harmless. Carole and I would free wheel on our bikes down the hill towards Hindringham, I always remembered an old lady living in a house just a little way down the road. Nan said her name was 'san fanny', I've always remembered the way she used to call us into her cottage and show us a photograph of her 'boy Bob'. She would be upset and tell us he had been killed in the war. I wonder if anyone can remember Mrs Lake at the sweet shop? a nice lady! There was Blanche Cook from slade road and my Gt Grandfather George Ford and who we called Aunt Hilda. They kept pigs! There was Sam and Gerty Wright next door to Nan and the Williamsons the other side with 'Waxy' who used to tease and frighten us. The Bond family 'Oggie and Ivan, the twins and John Bond. Nan would give us a jam jar with a string handle and we would spend ages down the pond getting frogs spawn and tiddlers. It would be exciting if we heard a car come down the bottom road, almost unheard of in those days. Although I recall a very sad event when a poor girl named Mary Lake was killed on the 'top road',I remembered it was the talk of the village. Tradesmen would call round with all manner or things I remember Mr Gaskin, I think he brought parraffin for the oil lamps ( there was no electric in the early days) We had the old outdoor 'Privvy' and when we heard the rattle of the 'night cart, Nan would hussle us indoors!! I think it was the weekend when the chip van arrived, what a treat that was to have a threepenny bag of chips. Grandfather was known to be a bit of a poacher and taught me so much about the countryside, we would get mushrooms from the meadow and he knew just where to look for partridge and pheasant nests. I treasure my memories of a lovely little village and think about it and its lovely people I once knew.

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