War Years

A Memory of Great Dalby.

Although very young at the time, about three, I spent several years during the war in Great Oxendon, living at The Cot which was owned by a Mrs Bland, opposite the village school where my aunt, Miss M Pressley was one of the two school teachers. She was also the housekeeper to Mrs Bland, an elderly lady with two sons, one of whom was in the RAF. I went to school every day and was in the class for the young children, but sadly cannot remember the teacher's name nor for that matter the names of any of the other children. Winters were very cold with much snow as I recall. My mother, Mrs Creasy, and I stayed at The Cot but my father stayed in London as he was in the Auxilary Fire Service but he visited us as often as he could. My father made a sledge for me which I remember sharing with the other village children. We spent hours out in the snow up and down the road as there was no traffic in those days. In summer we went for long walks in the surrounding countryside. I recall one of the village lads finding a grass snake and trying to frighten me with it. In 1946, just before starting school in London at the age of 5 I returned for a few weeks again to stay at The Cot with my aunt whilst my mother was in hospital having my sister. Unfortunately I caught chicken pox and so wasn't able to go to school but was left to amuse myself. I recall that a young man called Cecil Swann kept an eye on me whilst my aunt was teaching. I do remember that the neighbours were a Mr & Mrs Strongman on one side and a Mrs York on the other but sadly that is the end of my memories of Great Oxendon. Perhaps someone in the village might remember my aunt or my mother or even me.

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