Memories Of My Holidays In Zeals

A Memory of Zeals.

I first went to Zeals at the age of about 4 months, my grandparents lived in the row of cottages on Tulse hill. My grandparents where Mr and Mrs Hicks, with them lived my aunt who still lives there to-day, Phillys Chislett, along with her husband Ken; my cousins Josie,Jackie, Kevin, Barbara and Sharon, all who still live around the area. My second cousins Roger and Trevor whose parents had the post office Bet and Seth Arnold, Uncle Mick Known as (Jack Hicks) worked delivering the groceries from Waltons, who had three shops one in Zeals, Bourton and Mere. When I was oder he used to take me out on his rounds. Summer holidays were brilliant. Nan and Gramfy used to go to Broadstairs and I was packed off to Zeals, how Aunt Phill used to cope I don't know. Another person I hung around with was David Burfitt, Harry Burfitt had the farm and his cows used to be in the field behind Nans house, an old army camp; David and I sometimes took the cows back for milking along past Queen Oak, where many of them stopped for a drink in the little pool there, cold water from the water cress beds. Harry kept two shires, Ruby and Blossom, gert big 'orses; but very gentle, harvest time would find these two attached to carts bringing in the hay. Christmas yet another holiday down at zeals,sledging down bobbies castle, watching the local hunt on boxing day. Often trips were made to Steer Copse, where legend has it a horse and cart disappeared into the swamp that was there. Just next door to nan lived Elsie Marley; complete with a bright red wig, next to her lived the Loves, old Joe, Joan and Charlie along with George, Joe kept bees, along with his nannies; they were in a patch below the lower road. Nan kept chickens and geese plus one pig, collecting eggs and help feeding the pig, whilst there I was able as a child to indulge in all the things I couldn't in a town. When my sisters got older and also came on holiday the girls would play in the back field among the remains of the army camp, down in the old air raid shelters, they would make pretend homes, things that girls do; whilst us boys would look for old cods bottles in the dump for marbles, or any left over WW2 ammunition, so we might take out the cordite, and burn it, jumping in soft cow pats; even now the smell of cow muck brings back memories; finding a dead cat and dropping it down the air raid ventilation shaft onto my unsuspecting sister and cousins. Going to Harry's with a milk pot and getting fresh milk from the cows, then walking back across the fields to nans house. I was christened at the Bourton Methodist Chapel, now a house I believe, My great Grandfather, Gramfy Suter lived along the main road and the front always looked like a railway station; he always reminded me of Mr Pastry. Aunt Rose Portnal lived in what is now Stag Cottage, she had a bellow that would put a Sgt Major to shame, many time my cousins and I have been on the receiving end along with a clout. How time have changed we have all grown up had our own families; but those memories will last until my dying day; the last time I was at Zeals was back in the 80s, time has just moved on a new road cut right through bobbies castle and steer copse, the back road to Harry's farm now just a dead end, the thunder of the tanks going along the 303 and the early morning rattle of milk churns being picked up now just a distant memory. Children to-day will never know the pleasure of roaming free out from about 8 in the morning coming in at 8 at night and asking is it dinner time. Out of all the memories that I have the ones from Zeals really are my Halcyon days.

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