Normal Service will be Resumed – Eventually

Just a quick apology for my absence but we are in the midst of a house move  which, from start to finish is scheduled for under 6 weeks. Things are manic and the uncertainty of it all is not helping my stress levels.
We are due to move on 12th December and then we are off on holiday on 17th December.
Hopefully, the New Year will see me back to normal and having the time to spend on my computer and chatting to you all.
JJ

From Little Bobby Chambers

Hi Jean, really enjoying the blog, was it only yesterday? Apologies for lack of photos, more chance now the winter is upon us, and that my son, Seth, is home safe and sound from Afghan, phew. the reunion seems so far away, if anyone fancies a day out prior give me a call on ( deleted), just for a quick breeze to the old stomping grounds, a little taster say. hope you are well, best wishes LBC.

Deleted your number Bobby for safety reasons. Contact me instead or leave a message .J

Email from Graham Whiting

Hi Jean
I trust you are well? You asked if we were still in Torbay,Were
not, Carol moved initially to Isleworth then finally to Peterborough. I've told
her that I have made contact with you and when she gets herself sorted out she
will contact you.The problem is she recently moved and everything is all over
the place. I am living in Norfolk after moving first from Torbay and then to
London and finally to Kings Lynn.Ive been here over thirty years.I am still
working which is not necessarily a good thing but, I cant afford not at the
moment.Our parents eventually moved to Kings Lynn and both passed away here.I
was looking at the photos on your blog and can recognise Alan Dixon,David
Chambers and Barry Symons. I didn't really know the Westmacotts in Summervale. I
got to know them more in Foxhole Estate.When one of the boys(I cant remember
which) complained about my music being to loud.( I thought every one liked
Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran)
I was in Ilminster just a few weeks ago and had a wander around. Found
Summerlands as it is now called (The hill down to the prefabs didn't seem so
steep as when I was young)I got extremely nostalgic. Which is why I ended up
discovering your blog.I don't know what is that time in my life was very magical.
Silly Old Sod.I was very surprised to see photos of ourselves and others.Carol
and myself weren't around a lot during those days it seemed.Because when we were
six years of age they diagnosed that we were TB contacts and were sent off to
a Sanatorium for a year.Then we moved to Blackdown view. But I managed to keep
in contact with my friends i.e Malcolm Driver, Michael Jolly etc but I can
still remember things like the Coronation Celebrations,I think also we had the
BBC visit us in the rec. when Donald Gray was an announcer / commentator.(If
you remember he had only one arm)I have photos of both of those occasions
which I will copy to you. (Well I would if my scanner would do as it is told
so they may arrive later on their own)I also remember the STC Christmas Parties
and the wonderful presents we received.
A lot of water has flowed under that bridge hasn't it. And I wonder just what
near seventy year olds would have to discuss.I suppose we have photographs to
jog our memories.But it does seem such a very long tome ago now. Anyway I will
close now. Apologies for not replying sooner.
Best wishes
Graham

HERE IS A PHOTO WITH GRAHAM AS THE ONLY BOY AND GUESS WHO IS CUDDLING HIM?

I KNOW, I STARTED EARLY. CAROL SITTING IN FRONT OF ME.

THIS ONE HAS CAROL WITH HER CORONATION CROWN ON HER HEAD.

GRAHAM QUEUING FOR HIS CORONATION MUG.

More from our on the spot reporter– Peter W.

 

I think this was the house on High Street where I collected the papers for my Sunday morning round. I believe Mike Smith did a round from here too. Did anyone else?

Mr Britten's house in Brewery Lane. What rent did we pay him for our prefabs? Was it 5/- a week or 7/6d? Can anyone remember?

Me with my back to "The Green" - now full of houses. Our prefab was to the left of the picture. Is the road wider now that when we lived there?

A fairly empty Market Square. "Frame of Mind" was Mr. Bradburn's newsagents, where I had a morning and evening paper round. Part of "The George" now an upmarket restaurant.

I recall this Silver Street cafe as a milk bar, where we would enjoy our milkshakes on a Saturday morning. I'm fairly sure it had a juke box. Can anyone remember?

I remember the Meadow Vale Cafe just along the road from the church and opposite the Chemists.JJ

Formerly Mr Giles, the newsagent's shop in Silver Street, with the narrow Wharf Lane on the right. We spent many an hour in here pouring over his stamps. Sometimes he would drop hints for us to leave, if we didn't look like buying any stamps!

My Mum used to go Old Time Dancing with Mrs Giles & Mrs Hurlstone.from the bike shop. I just remember some beautiful dresses with layers of coloured  net. i learnt to dance before i could walk – almost.JJ

Bonners the butcher, formerly Britten the butcher. I recall going in here with my mother and,occasionally,on my own on an errand for her. She always said he was a very rich man!

Faggots and sawdust come to mind seeing this shop. My Mum always said that the faggots were made with sawdust.no she didn’t buy them.JJ

Now the town library in Ditton Street. Was it a library in the 50s? I never remember going in it.

Yes I remember it well.I was an avid reader in those days and loved The Famous Five books which i read at an early age. One of many buildings built of Ham stone from the nearby quarry. Mellow yellow gets better with age.JJ

Tesco gets everywhere! In Ditton Street looking towards Market Square, with Blackdown View at the top. I think I remember a shirt factory on the left beyond the second car. Was it called Days?

Looking towards the football "grandstand" at the Rec. We spent many a happy hour there, including hanging around in the stand, though we never sat in it on match days. We usually stood behind the goal at the Summervale end, having sneaked in for free!

The grandstand was where we often played games. We must have been small as we had to climb up the steps they were so deep.JJ

The stand looked a bit tatty when we visited. I suppose it's been there for over 60 years. I recall the extension to the main stand being built in the early 50s.

The grandstand was where we often played games. We must have been small as we had to climb up the steps they were so deep.JJ

 

Not sure where in the Rec this is ? JJ

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Peter. JJ

PETER’S VISIT TO ILMINSTER. Great photos and reminiscences.

Here are some photos which Peter has sent me of his recent visit

1. Top of Brewery Lane; no cars in the 50s or theatre! The theatre was a fruit and veg store in our day.

I remember them finding a tarantula in some bananas.(JJ)

2. Corner of New Rd. Was a cafe with juke box.

3. Me at top of Summervale; now blocked off to traffic.

4. .Looking down Brewery Lane. Our prefab was probably just past these modern garages on the right.

5. Looking up Summervale towards the blocked off road. Methodist church at top.

We steered many a home-made trolley down this road without any fear of cars hindering our descent!

6. I think "The Green" was on the right. My grandparents prefab would have been at the end

of this road on the left. Yours too Jean!

7. he International Stores used to stand here. I recall taking my mother's weekly grocery order

here for it to be delivered on a Friday. We always ate well on a Friday evening!

8. Ditton Street, fortunately clear of traffic. Now one-way only.

9. The old Plaza cinema on the left. Occasionally we would let kids into the cinema free by

opening the door on the left in this alleyway! It could also be the unofficial exit if you wanted

to leave the cinema quickly!

10.The old boys' grammar school, now a first school.

11. Wharf Lane, now completely blocked to traffic. It was two-way traffic in the 50s.

Looking at it now it makes you wonder how any vehicle could pass through it at all!

12.Boys' grammar school from Wharf Lane. High windows to prevent people from peering in

and the boys from being distracted from their Latin! Somewhere along there,

nearer the red door was an indoor pool. The water was always freezing and GREEN I remember (JJ).

 

13. Ditton Street Secondary Modern. We would enter through these gates on the right,

having walked through the Rec to get there.

14. Ditton Street primary school. I never went there but David and Paul did. Mr Wade was

the headmaster at the time.

15.The original kissing gate at the bottom of Brewery lane, with me looking a lot older that I did

in the 50s. On the right was an old earth bank and just below here we would nip over the hedge

to do some scrumping in Mr Britten's orchard. Naughty boys!

16. The Girls' Grammar School where you were educated Jean. Sorry about the scaffolding.

Who else went there? Wenda and Carol Richards I think. Did Carol Whiting attend?

NO. Carol Whiting went to Chard Convent with Gloria and Pat Laughton.(JJ).