Nostalgic memories of Westbury Leigh's local history

Share your own memories of Westbury Leigh and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying all 7 Memories

My grandparents, aunts and uncles, plus my mum and dad used to live in Bowyers House down the lane from the Phipps Arms pub. My grandad, dad and uncles used to work in the Old Tanyard. I remember the smell from there, it was awful at times and used to drift across Westbury if the wind was in wrong direction. My aunt and uncle and my cousins lived in Bowyers House too for a while in the fifties and sixties until Oldfield Park was built in Westbury.
I lived in Warminster from 1940 till early the 1950s. My grandfather's family have lived in Warminster over 100 years. Went to Trowbridge Girls High. I remember the large house near where I lived that the Americans lived in Lupeans. Molly Butt's store, Mr. Syms store near the Cock pub, used to help him count food coupons, he has a son Ralph who taught me to ride my 2 wheeler. Very sorry to leave and return to London after the war. My friends still live there. R.
I too was evacuated to Westbury when I was about 7 years old, some time around 1940 to 1941. I lived on Warminster Road. We stayed with a family originally from Sydney, Australia. I remember when the street lights came back on, I was with my mother and we followed a man on his bike, lighting up the street gas lights. At that time it was as good as going to today's Disney World. I was so ...see more
I remember my first home in Westbury Leigh was with a family called Rowe, they seemed fairly old people to me (then a ten year old boy) but now I am eighty I don't suppose they were. One of the brothers, a Charles Rowe, owned two cinemas, the Vista in Westbury and the Palace in Warminster, and I was allowed as a treat to go to the Saturday morning children's show. The second family was Mr and Mrs Sampson, ...see more
I remember being in the choir at the church during the time of my evacuation to Westbury Leigh sometime during the 1939-45 war. I also pumped the organ which was at that time quite hard work for a young lad (but I think the pay was better). The fun was to watch the tell tale small lead weight that showed how much air there was left to play the organ, there was also a similar tell tale that the ...see more
On my previous comment I said that Sandy Hole lane was opposite the Bell pub, sorry this of course should have been the Phipps Arms pub. Bob Porter
The house shown in the foreground of this photograph was the home of my Uncle, Percy Drury. This was sometime around 1940/42, I do not know how long he resided there. I lived at 115 Westbury Leigh with my grandparents Percy & Annie Drury. My grandfather was a flower pot maker and worked at the local brickyard. Why my grandparents went to live in Westbury remains a mystery to ...see more