Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Christmas Deliveries: If you placed an order on or before midday on Friday 19th December for Christmas delivery it was despatched before the Royal Mail or Parcel Force deadline and therefore should be received in time for Christmas. Orders placed after midday on Friday 19th December will be delivered in the New Year.

Please Note: Our offices and factory are now closed until Monday 5th January when we will be pleased to deal with any queries that have arisen during the holiday period.

During the holiday our Gift Cards may still be ordered for any last minute orders and will be sent automatically by email direct to your recipient - see here: Gift Cards

No 1 And No 9 Lanes End, Gastard

A Memory of Gastard.

I was born in Corsham in September 1949, and lived at Number 1 Lanes End, Gastard with my parents, sister and brother until my marriage in 1973. The cottage in the picture shows Number 3 Lanes End and around the corner is Number 9 Lanes End, where my grandparents lived throughout their married life.

Aunts, uncles and cousins all resided within the village, so there was never a shortage of family life.

My memories of the village as it was, when I was growing up, are very vivid, as both my grandfather and my father owned smallholdings in the village and much fun was had with friends collecting wild flowers in spring, haymaking in summer and harvest festival in the autumn.

As much as I would have loved to have brought my children up in village life, property prices escalated to beyond the pockets of village children (first time buyers). However, I still visit the sleepy old village regularly and will never forget my roots.

Nicola Wilkins

Contact Contributor

Added 24 January 2011

#230947

Comments & Feedback

We were living in Norwich when my father returned from War Service in the Royal Navy in 1946. He moved the family to 4, Monks Lane where he was born in 1908. In 1947 we moved to a new council house at No 5 The Close, Gastard where the rent was £1-1-3d per week. I attended the small school at Gastard where the head teacher was Mrs Williams. Living in Gastard will be something I will never forget and will always treasure. Both my parents have stones at the Gastard Church

I loved going to Chapel Knapp Farm where I was allowed to drive a tractor to feed the cows. The farm manager was Murial (Vie) Carpenter who was my father's sister.

I remember both Nicola and her sister Daphne as they were good friends of my sister Barbara. I have very fond memories of their parents, Don & Molly.

In 1957 I joined the Royal Navy for 9 years. I served as a Police Officer at Swindon but ended up as a career MOD Civil Servant where I moved about. My wife and I now live in Western Australia, but its not like English Country Life

By Michael Pearce on Tue Jul 27th 2021, at 1:28 pm

Contact User

Report