A comment from Marion Brown

I remember Fred Wren as being the patriach of Summervale when it came to lighting the bonfire. No-one seemed to do anything until that point. Then as the fires burned low we put our potatoes at the base. Who remembers me jumping over the embers the day after Guy Fawkes night one year and burning my leg? Who else had to wait freezing at the top of sledging field whilst the dads 'tried' the sledges to make sure they were safe. Marion Cane nee Brown.

Fred Wren was the Tzar of Summervale and we all had to wait, and wait for him to appear and light the bonfire.
He worked with my Dad on the pumps and the two families lived together on a farm near Chard before moving to the bungalows.

Here is a photo of Fred, Tony, my uncle Steve and my Mum. There's a good few eggs in that there basket!

Here is a photo of Allen Dixon hauling the guy to the top of the fire.
What struck me about this photo is that all the kids look dressed up for school. No play clothes in those days - too poor I guess.


We used to build and rebuild that bonfire and it grew week by week as more and more was added. I have a vague memory of there being run-ins with the Winterhaye kids. To destroy the others fire was a feather in our caps. The boys may remember more of this. There certainly was a rivalry between the two areas.


I don't remember your accident Marion but you had the perfect parents to deal with it with their First Aid training.

The sledging field ! OMG, how dangerous was that. Would not be allowed in today's world.
I remember that there was a barbed wire fence across the bottom of the field and we played chicken as to who would jump off first. I'm not sure if anyone did go right through - I bet there was someone.

WELL ARE WE READY FOR JUNE? THERE ARE GOING TO BE SO MANY MEMORIES I'M SURE WE WILL BE UP MOST OF THE NIGHT.


JUST A REMINDER TO GET YOUR CHEQUE OFF TO PETER BY THE END OF THIS MONTH IF YOU CAN. HE HAS TOLD ME HOW DISAPPOINTED HE IS THAT SO MANY HAVE IGNORED HIS INVITATIONS.A REUNION  IS NOT EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA ( I NORMALLY AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE) BUT IT WOULD BE KIND TO AT LEAST REPLY. 
NEVER MIND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF US TO MAKE THE DAY A SUCCESS.
JJ

A post from Allen Day

This was posted in the comments way down on the blog but it deserves to be shown here.

AllenFeb 5, 2012 04:04 AM

I will keep writing these comments until I know at least one has gone thro!!! New fangled things sometimes takes a while to sort them out. It has been good to read the blog about Summervale. I used to live there with my mum and Ruth & Norman Day, in the same prefab as my cousins June,Joan,Cynthia and Lesley Wakeham, along with their mum and dad Rose and Bill.How we all lived in one prefab I really do not know!!!I remember many of the names on the list, so will try and get to the reunion. We now live in Summerlands, which was part of the old Summervale.Look forward to seeing many "old" faces Cheers Allen Day

As you can see Allen it has worked and thank you for taking the timer and effort to make contact.
I have also received your email and will reply direct. I remember you I'm sure as Joan and I were quite close as children.