Hillman Imp Outside The Red Lion

A Memory of Debenham.

We moved to Debenham in 1964, when I was seven years old. Having come from Oxfordshire, where the houses were built of stone, I remember being amazed that many of Debenham's old houses were painted pink. 'Suffolk Pink' is the traditional colour of the limewash used on the timber-framed houses in this county. The Red Lion, the pub on the right of this photo, was one example.

The Hillman Imp parked outside the pub in this picture, belonged to my parents. They had just stopped to pop into the Post Office, which is next to the Lion. If you look very closely, you can just see the silhouettes of my brother and me, sitting in the back seat!

The Hillman Imp was new when this photo was taken. It was sky-blue, and we were excited to have such a modern car, with its folding back seat and rear window that opened. It was quite a departure from our previous car, a Morris 8.

Debenham High Street has changed very little since this picture was taken. While the buildings remain, many of the businesses that they housed have gone. The Red Lion is now a private house, as is the building on the left, which used to be Rose's Butchers. The Market Cross - the little white building at the top of the green - has seen many changes. When we first arrived in Debenham, it was a shop selling knitting wools. Since then it has sold in turn antiques, crafts, paintings, and is now an architect's office.