Growing Up

A Memory of Fernhurst.

added yesterday
my memories of growing up in Ferhurst go back to the 30's & 40's.
I was born in one of the small cottages on the edge of the green in 1932 My parents were Victor and Harriet Larbey & I had 2 sisters Pat & Joan both older than me. Next door to us was man with the name as Joshua Bicknell and next door to him was Mrs Selby. My memories of Mr Bicknel was one of beer consuming a fair amount at the Red Lion, I know this because at the age of 3 years I became his drinking partner sitting in the bar at dinner time with my little glass of beer no doubt listening to the local gossip. On the other hand Mrs Selby stayed home & from what I remember made copius amounts of bread which had the most wonderfull smell. My dad worked on a farm milking cows and selling the milk around the village. My mother cleaned for different people around the village including the church I loved beating the hassock and making clouds of dust.
At the age of four I started school I was four in the August and started school at the beginning of September which I remember cramped my style a little to say the least as there was not going to be any more trips to the Red Lion but on the plus side there would be less trips down Chapel Street to make endless visits to see what now seems to have been many aunts & uncles .
I didn't like school I remember hanging on to the railings & refusing to budge even when Mr Dumbrell appeared apparently it was his first day too . I didn't know this for years after when Mr Dumbrell reminded me of the whole episode he said he was as nervous about the situation as I was.
We left Fernhurst shortly after this untill 1940 when we returned the village seemed a compleatly different place . Even so I love the place . r