Teenage Years!

A Memory of Droitwich Spa.

Mum and Dad bought The Coach House and Walled Garden when the estate was split up after Lord Doverdale died - we were there 1952 - 61. As a lad I used to help furnish the show flats in the big house by moving the furniture from one to another as they were sold! For 2/6d. I seem to remember the gorgeous ballroom with a magnificent ceiling being split into 2 flats. The garden was full of every fruit & variety thereof you could name - we grew tomatoes/cucumbers in the 3000sq ft of glass & I sold some on the side of Ombersley Road week-ends. 1 acre had 6 gardeners in the old days, so it was hard work for us! But it was a great place to be a teenager - football in the farmer's field behind us with Ronnie Bunce, Church and Youth Club at Hampton Lovett with the Sykes girls, and cinema in town - the Salters? - with double seats at the back upstairs! My parents sold the house and garden for £3700 in 1961 - I have seen the house spl;it into 2 halves and being sold at asking prices of £500,000 + each at one stage - though I believe the latest prices are £100,000 less. The garden was being sold separately recently at £60,000! But it would be difficult to match the fun we had there.