Fond Memories Of Kirton Holme

A Memory of Kirton Holme.

My name is Brian Wilson, I was born in 1940 down Fen Drove now called Sykemouth Drove, Kirton Holme. Down this drove were farms, small holdings and houses 12 in total, today in 2016 only 4 remain. Ist farm on the left was Mr FA Smiths farm yard then on the right was Mr A Halls wooden bungalow, next farm on the corner was Mr Halls then Mr T C Silsons where my father worked. The next house down a lane on the left was Mr Mills, further down was Mr Millers and opposite on the right was our house at the end a row of horse chestnut trees that are still growing today.
Half way down the lane to the right was a farm yard belonging to Mr Tunnard and at the bottom near the river was his house and yard now called Rod Rest.
Two other farms on the river bank belonged to Mr L Pell and Mr Hunt. The last yard on the drove was called Lakins and farmed by Mr Pell.
I remember taking cows from Mr Millers to Lakins when I was about 6 years old for Mr Pell and having difficulty getting them past a grass field with a bull in it.
In 1947 we were snowed in for several weeks and the farm workers had to dig us out.
We left Kirton Holme in 1947 and went to live at Frampton fen in a cottage belonging to Mr J Ashton opposite his farm
In 1952 we went back to Kirton Holme and lived in a the end house of a row on Beck bank called chez-nous, the opposite end house was also the post office, opposite side of the road was the shop and public house .
We would tie string to a jam jar and lower it from the bridge near the post office and the flow of water took it over a concrete ledge that formed a small water fall and when it was pulled back up it would be full of sticklbacks, on a warm day it was black over with fish and some were pushed onto the bank for the local cats to have a tasty meal. No pollution in those days. I remember one Christmas about 1962/3 our father was very ill and had been off work for several weeks, the village residents collected food and treats to make up a hamper for us, this is something I will never forget and a very fond memory.

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