Figheldean, View From The Bridge c.1955

Photo ref: F95005

I lived in Figheldean from about 1949 - 1953, my parents and I lived in the Red Bungalow near the Wheatsheaf pub. My best friend was Wendy Stanfield, sadly no longer with us. Her father owned Stanfield's garage situated in the village, what fun we had playing in their garden which because of the war had been neglected. The garden was large and full of old rusted cars, great for playing in. Wendy's mother Doreen ...see more

My grandmother Minnie or Minna Shepherd, was brought up at the Mill as part of quite a large family. She married a guy who also lived there for a while, by the name of William, James Nash. Does anyone have any further knowledge? I also have an old photograph of The Post Office, Durrington which I would like to know more about.

The River Avon dominated most of the kids' lives in the village! I remember swimming 'down the mill' and at Gunville where my Great Grandmother (Sarah Marks) lived. We used to scrounge used inner tyre tubes from Mr Stansfield (who owned the Tourist Coaches next door to the Workingmen's Club) and float down the river on them from the bridge. Also used to get the watercress from the bridge too! So much to do! ...see more

Being Con's older brother, my memories go back a bit further, having started school about the day war was declared, going to the village school, with Miss Burling(?) - rumour had it that she changed the spelling of her name from Berlin (for obvious reasons). There are a lot of hazy wartime memories as well which would occupy a lot more space. I have memories of winding the church clock, back in the ...see more