Yoxford, The Village 1909

Photo ref: 62052

In 1960 I married Alan Balls who was the son of Cecil and Audrey Balls of Halesworth. Cecil was the brother of William Balls and his daughter Linda was our bridesmaid when we married in Southwold church in 1960. Together with my husband, I spent many happy hours in the company of Auntie Ruby and Uncle Billy at the Rookery. I went to school in Beccles , the Sir John Leman grammar, at the same time as Gerald Balls the father of Peter Balls.

My mother also worked at Rookery Park many years ago, but I do recollect the family name Balls. I believe one of the younger members of the familly (female) possibly called Linda worked with an aunt of mine in a hairdressers in Lieston. Members of the Botwright family worked at Rookery Park - Mary Thompson, her mother, was a Botwright (Mabel), dad was Fred Thomson, and they lived at Darsholm, Westlton Road. ...see more

My grandparents were William and Ruby Balls who worked at Rookery Park and lived there all their lives. The Hamblings were very good to them and they retired in peace through to the 1980s. As a kid I had many happy memories helping my grandad with the chickens and exploring the extensive grounds. Does anyone remember them?

When I was a child, my great-aunt, Mrs Judith Pheby, lived in Bank House, Yoxford, and was its caretaker. The bank only visited the village once a week, I think, and the rest of the time the bank was closed. The house is on the corner, immediately opposite the Jubilee Seat, and I remember visiting there as a child. In those days, there was just one cold tap in the back kitchen, and the stairs were in a kind of ...see more