A Century of Change
Gradual change is inevitable and over the centuries King's Sutton has changed much as any other village. In 1901 the population was 1057, whilst the 1991 census shows a figure of 2082 and it is during this century that the greatest development has taken place. At the start the village was centred around the Church and the Square.
The first fifty years of the last century saw the village grow slowly, expanding first along
Richmond Street and then the Astrop Road area. With these changes came other developments, in the form of local employment, better communications and services.
In the second half of the 20th century the change was even greater and faster in terms of
housing, population, more control exerted from outside the village and
with it a greater dependency on those outside sources.
In this section villagers recall the past, their happy days and their sad times and memories of friends they knew. Some tell of the effect the village has had on their lives and we hope that they will give the reader some pleasure in bringing back memories or allowing others to learn more about the village and its people.
Photographic Memories
The following two photos have been provided by Mr J. Taylor and are of Will Twynham who lived on the South side of Wales Street and worked for his great-great Uncle Joseph Colegrove, Farmer and brewer, of what is now Studleigh Farmhouse and the old brewery.
This is a picture of Mr Taylors Great-grandmother with Selwyn Colegrove, the son of her brother John Frederick. The picture was taken in the yard at the back of Studleigh Farmhouse. Most of the background has now gone. Selwyn Colegrove grew up to become the Chairman of the Auckland Stock Exchange.
All of the following photos are by kind permission of Mr Brian Blackwell and represent various views of the village from times past. Brian says '' I was born in Birmingham, grandson of Kate Young (nee Reeves). She was born in Kings Sutton in 1875 and lived in Paradise.... and in the lane below the church in the house shown in the following two photos..''
Church of St Peter and St Paul Another view of the church, gates and wall
have been built.
Looking towards the church from the fields opposite View of Paradise before the houses were built.
the cemetary gates. ( Now known as Spinney Bank )
Sitting on the far Right is Brian's great grandmother Ann Reeves (nee Silver). Standing in the middle is his grandmother Kate Reeves (born 1875) and to her left is her brother George (born 1878). Sitting on the left is their sister Emily Cross(born 1868) and two of Emily's children..probably Daisy and Edward (the baby).
Written Memories
Olga Kevelos (Nov 1923 - Oct 2009)
( By kind permission of David Bridson )
Olga Valerie Kevelos was born on 6th November 1923, the first child of a wealthy Greek financier and the English widow of an Indian Army doctor who had died of wounds sustained in the 1st World War. Olga’s birth was followed two years later by the arrival of one brother, Victor, then in 1932 by another, Raymond. Growing up in the family home in Edgbaston, Birmingham, Olga attended the King Edward VI High School for Girls, an academic hot-house where she was more than capable to holding her own intellectually. After going on to study metallurgy, and with the country at war, Olga worked for a time in the laboratories of William Mills, manufacturer of the famous Mills Bomb.
Like many of her generation, Olga found liberation in the 2nd World War. Recalling her feelings many years later, Olga said: “...I give thanks for the war, otherwise I would never have escaped from home. Although I loved it, I wanted to live in the outside world.” Always passionate about astronomy, Olga was lured to London by the offer of a job at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. Unfortunately, enemy bombing forced the closure of the Observatory soon afterwards and Olga was evacuated along with other members of staff to the Admiralty at Bath. Her arrival at the Admiralty dismayed at least one of its senior managers, Donald Sadler, who later recalled in his memoirs that “Olga Kevelos... could not do arithmetic and terrified people by stalking around with a large knife in her belt...” He did concede, however, that “she seemed an interesting woman...” Olga wasn’t especially pleased to be working with Mr Sadler either. There was no star-gazing to be done, just endless piles of paperwork.
One day in 1943, though, fate intervened to change her life dramatically. Her eye was caught by an advertisement placed in the Times by the Department for War Transport inviting women to train for work on the canals. Olga spent the next two years with the all-female volunteer crews who manned barges carrying vital war materials along the Grand Union Canal between London and the Midlands. Olga and her fellow crew members were nicknamed the “Idle Women” after the initials IW on their badges. Officially, IW stood for Inland Waterways, but the traditional boat people alongside whom they worked called them idle women and the name was to stick. Interviewed by a journalist from the Independent newspaper almost 50 years on, Olga made it clear that life had been far from idle for these extraordinary women: “[It was] hard work with no respite at all... We worked an 18- to 20-hour day, and nobody ever stopped.” Nor did the Idle Women receive the extra rations enjoyed by the more celebrated Land Girls. “We subsisted on cocoa with condensed milk, national loaf and peanut butter,” Olga remembered. “I was always hungry, all the time.” (See Article from the Telegraph) and and item from
(The Waterways Trust)
After her momentous war, Olga was awarded a government grant to study French medieval history at the Cité University in Paris. She recalled having a “smashing time” during this period, bicycling all over Paris and travelling extensively in other parts of Europe as well. “I was one of the first backpackers,” she later quipped to a magazine journalist. Returning to Birmingham, Olga started her own travel agency on the back of her new-found knowledge of Europe. She also helped her father and other members of the family run the Cherry Orchard restaurant in the centre of town.
From there on, Olga’s life might well have returned to some semblance of normality if it hadn’t been for another twist of fate. A motorcycle racing boyfriend encouraged her to try her hand at the sport herself. Despite having received only a few basic lessons in riding, Olga soon impressed everyone with her natural aptitude and was immediately offered a bike and sponsorship by the James Motorcycle Company. The following year, she rode down to San Remo in Italy to take part in the International Six Day Trial. Once there, an accident left her with a broken wrist and a broken ankle. Undaunted, she rode back home with her wrist and ankle still in plaster.
Olga went on in 1949 to win the first of her two Gold medals, riding a 500cc Norton in the International Six Day Trials in Wales. She was to ride with varying degrees of success in every Scottish Six Day Trial until she finally retired from the sport in 1970 and in every International Six Day Trial until 1966. During that time, she won the backing of virtually every major British motorcycle manufacturer, and the Italian and Czech manufacturers Parilla and Jawa/CZ respectively. It was the imposition by the Czechs of a strict fitness regime lasting some six weeks, to which Olga later attributed her second gold medal in 1953. Her close links with Czechoslovakia led Olga 40-odd years later to be invited to a Foreign Office reception held to celebrate the Czech Republic’s accession to the European Union. The then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, apparently spent some time discussing with Olga her views on Ghengis Khan. “He probably wanted a few tips on how to invade other people’s countries successfully,” she commented afterwards.
During her days as a professional motorcycle racer, Olga turned her hand also to competition on four wheels. She regularly drove Kieft Formula III cars at Brands Hatch and Thruxton, and went on to race cars designed by her great friend, the legendary Irish engineer Rex McCandless.
(see also www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=48140 )
Her career as Britain’s leading lady motorcyclist was destined to turn Olga into something of a celebrity and like all such people, she attracted a great deal of press attention. During one of the Scottish six day trials, for example, Olga and one of the race officials, one Allan Jefferies, were reported to have found themselves banged up by the police in Fort William for general rowdiness around the town. They were apparently only released after dire threats that the six days event would be moved to a different part of Scotland if they weren’t let go. Then there was the time Olga drove her Italian Parilla motorcycle over a cliff during the International Six Day Trial at Lake Como in northern Italy. She lost two teeth as a result and also wrecked her bike. The headline in leading Italian daily newspaper, La Stampa, the following morning read: “Olga has lost her smile.”
In 1964, Olga risked the wrath of the East German authorities by handing out to local children some fruit they had expensively imported for her fellow competitors. Unbeknown to Olga, such luxuries were verboten as far as the local population were concerned and, in any case, these children didn’t have any idea how to unpeel a banana. Olga raced in several other countries behind the old Iron Curtain – including Poland, Czechoslovakia and Russia – and she retained a great deal of sympathy for the collective sufferings of their people for the rest of her life.
Olga eventually gave up racing and settled down to help her younger brother Ray run his pub, the Three Tuns in Kings Sutton. The pair were to stay at the Tuns for some 26 years. During that time they ran an orderly, if somewhat unconventional, house. It was not uncommon, for example, to hear thirsty customers shouting and banging on the pub’s door at seven thirty in the evening, well after official opening time, trying to get a drink. In those days, before the arrival of late opening shops, the Tuns would also be invaded by children looking to buy chocolate from the pub’s “off licence”, a hatch to one side of the bar. Unsurprisingly, a lot of those same children later learnt how to hold their beer under Ray’s and Olga’s tutelage.
In 1978, Olga famously took part in one of the BBC’s most popular TV programmes, Mastermind, specialising in Ghengis Khan. She won her first round and progressed to the next, narrowly failing to go further. For the rest of her life, Olga continued to participate in assorted quizzes, achieving considerable success with her various teams, notably winning the Oxford Mail Trophy and the Northamptonshire Inter-Village quiz (twice). After she and Ray had to let the Tuns go, Olga became involved in local politics, working tirelessly on the Parish Council and helping to get the Kings Sutton Times out every month. “When you’ve run a village pub,” she said, “you know better than anybody what issues the community is most concerned about.”
Olga Kevelos could light up a room with the gleam in her eye, and leave people in convulsions of laughter with her mischievous sense of humour. She was a woman of firm convictions but never allowed seriousness to interfere with her sense of fun. She was open about what was by any standards a remarkable life but never boastful. It’s no exaggeration to describe her as a legend in her own lifetime and her passing leaves Kings Sutton a sadder and poorer place.
Jack Essex
I was born in 1922 and spent my early years in Wales Street or Station Road as it was then known. This was where most people lived and where we played and from where we went to school.
Happy Days! The pavements were covered in hopscotch pitches, we played football in the Greens, paddled in the river Cherwell, and played hide and seek in the streets. At night we knocked on someone's door then ran like blazes before they caught you or recognised you. (If they did they told your Dad and then you were for it!) Yes,good days, very little money
but, when you were as happy as we were, what did you want money for?
In 1928 there was a very severe winter and the lake at Astrop froze over completely. The house being empty after the death of Lady Brown, her son-in-law and daughter, Col. and Mrs Fisher, invited the villagers to take part in the skating. The lake was shaped like a figure eight so the
gentry skated on the top half whilst the village folk and their children either skated on the lower half or stood and watched the others try their fancy skating.
Then came the war. I remember standing under the lamp post at the top of Banbury Lane, about ten of us in number, all about 16 years old. It was just after the Prime Minister had announced on the wireless that England was at war with Germany.
The difference it was to make to our lives was only to be known years after. First came the soldiers, then the airmen, followed by the Americans but, before all of these, came the evacuees. Mostly from London, they lived in all homes, rich and poor, if you had a spare room then you took them in. A lot of people made their homes here and did not go back to live in
London again. My in-laws did just that. 
Mrs Edith Wyatt in Station Road
with Win (Blunt) and Ivy (Ingram)
circa 1930's
The war was responsible for some terrible things. One good thing it did was to bring the girl who married me all those years ago. We have four children, ten grandchildren and I am still
as happy as when I played hopscotch in Station Road, in 1930."
Frederick Kerby, of Charlton, born in King’s Sutton 3rd May 1889, written in the 1950's
My first recollections of King's Sutton are of playing in the ruins of the old paint factory, in the field still known as Factory Meadow, behind the railway station, and of gathering snowdrops around the remains of the old Monastery, adjoining St. Rumbolds Well at Astrop.
The children were invited to parade May garlands in procession at Mr. E Gregory's, Whittall Street, on May Day, when each one was presented with a penny and two gingerbreads Another occasion always looked forward to by children was the Annual Summer Treat, when all the school children were invited to Astrop Park by Sir William Brown and Lady Brown. Assembling at the school they marched in procession with flags and banners headed by the village brass band to Astrop House, where they sang National songs, followed by tea, sports, and boating on the lake. At the close every child received a gift.
A tragedy occurred in the early 1890's when 2 youths Jesse Harvey and Frank Harris were drowned in the river Cherwell, when gathering water lilies. During a gale in 1896 the larger pinnacle on the SE corner of the church tower at the base of the spire crashed through the roof, causing considerable damage. At this time the spire was found to be defective, and the top 20 feet or so was taken down and renewed: The work was carried out by Messrs, Cross & Sons of Smethwick.
Following the death of Mrs. Willes of the Manor House about this time, her son, Mr. W A. Willes left the village to reside at Bournemouth. This severed a connection with probably the oldest family in the village: They had been Lords of the Manor for generations, and many of their ancestors are commemorated by stained glass windows and plagues in the Church: The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (1900) was commemorated by a dinner for adults, tea for children, sports and general celebrations. This was provided for by public subscription.
Following the death of the last of the Parsons family about this time land belonging to them was sold for building purposes, This was adjoining 'The Knob', as the cart track leading from 'Yew Tree House', Dobbin Street round to the Astrop Road was known. Several new houses were built and 'The Knob’ was converted into a road, now known as Richmond Street. The present Recreation Ground, formerly allotments was let to the parish on a long lease for a nominal rent by Sir William Brown. To meet the unemployment in the district generally, Sir William Brown let the rights of excavating ironstone on a large portion of the Astrop Estate to Messrs, Alfred Hickman Ltd: of Wolverhampton. This was a great benefit to the surrounding district. Street lighting was installed in the village at the end of the last century, this was by oil lamps which had to be lighted and put out singly. During the Boer War the relief of Ladysmith, relief of Mafeking, and the entry into Pretoria were duly celebrated and 2 men from the village, Mr. T Matthews and Mr. W Cox were given a good reception on their return. The main annual holiday was on Whit Monday when the two village friendly societies, or sick clubs, held their yearly meetings. They had their headquarters at 'The Bell Inn' and 'The Three Tuns' respectively, and celebrated with a procession to a service in the Church, each club official wearing their badge of office, and each led by a brass band. This was followed by dinner and the Annual meeting. On this day the village green was fully occupied with roundabouts, swings, shooting galleries, coconut shies, and side shows appertaining to a village holiday. These celebrations were culminated when the National Insurance scheme came into operation. The club held at the Three Tuns was taken over by the Oddfellows and the one at the Bell Inn dissolved and the funds in hand distributed to the members.
A disastrous fire occurred at Twyford Field Barn buildings, when some animals perished, as they could not be rescued. There was a fire at Park Farm about 1901. This was probably the last time the King's Sutton fire engine; a manual pump on solid wooden wheels was used at a fire. This relic of the past is still in existence, and is housed in the Parish Council cottage near the station.
The church choir under their conductor, Mr. A Pamphett, won first prize on the two occasions there was a competition for this, held at Neithrop House, Banbury. The Coronation of King Edward VlI was celebrated in Astrop Park on the postponed date, owing to the illness of the King, in 1902. A new dial was added to the church clock on the eastern side of the tower, hitherto the only indication of the time was the striking of the clock. The surplus funds from the Coronation were devoted to this purpose.
The Churchyard was closed for burials and a Cemetery was obtained in 1903. This is on the King's Sutton-Aynho road, the first interment there was the infant daughter of the schoolmaster Mr. A H Tilbury. A handsome Lych Gate was erected at the cemetery by Sir William Brown in 1904.
There was a fire at Twyford flourmills in 1906 when a large quantity of grain and flour was destroyed, The first resident of the village to own a motor car was Mr. E Browne of Greycourt, Astrop, in 1906. There was a tragedy at the railway station this year when a youth, Arthur Jones, was killed by an express train on the first week of his employment there as a porter.
The C of E School was considered to be inefficient to accommodate the number of scholars, and a new school was built in Richmond Street, by the County Council in 1908. The contractors were Messrs, Hickman & Son of Market Harborough. The old school, now the church hall, is used for social gatherings.
The belfry in the church was removed in 1910. This aroused controversy at the time, but there were no reactions, The Coronation of King George V (1910) was celebrated in a similar manner to that of King Edward VII and the Diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria, but the proceedings were somewhat marred by a very heavy thunderstorm.
In 1914 fire destroyed the house, butchers shop and premises on the corner of Whittall Street -Bulls Lane. The First World War took its toll of the young men of the village; the names of the fallen are engraved on the War Memorial erected in the cemetery.
A new ironstone work was opened by Messrs. Alfred Hickman Ltd, at Sydenham on the King's Sutton-Adderbury railway.
A picturesque thatched cottage with 4 gables facing the green was burned down in 1919. The first council houses were erected in 1921 when the Brackley RDC built 18 houses and developed Astrop Gardens.
Miss Mary Lovell, (the last of the Lovells) whose ancestry goes back hundreds of years died in 1925. She was buried in the family vault in the churchyard, a faculty having been granted by the Bishop.
In the autumn of 1927 two young men of the village, J Berry and S Taylor, cycling home from work were in collision with a car at Souldern Gate and both received fatal injuries, and to add to the tragedy, the next morning thatched cottages at Paradise were burned down, and six families rendered homeless.
The ironstone works closed down about this time, but employment was provided by the new Aluminium works at Banbury and by building operations in the district.
A further tragedy occurred at Twyford Mill in 1933 when Mr. J Spokes got into difficulties while bathing in the pond. His father, Mr. A Spokes, dived in to save him, but both were drowned.
The Silver Jubilee of King George V was celebrated in 1935 in a less elaborate style.
The peal of 8 bells were taken down, one that was cracked was re-cast, and they were re-hung on steel girders, replacing the old timber framework. This work was carried out by Messrs. Taylor of Loughborough in 1936.
A further 8 council houses were built by the RDC (Rural District Council) in Richmond Street. A new Methodist Church was erected in 1938 by Messrs Hermon & Son. In this year the RDC developed the Newlands estate, building 40 new houses.
The top of the church spire was found to have moved, and was taken down and rebuilt in 1939. During the Second World War an enemy land mine was dropped near the village and damage was caused to houses near the green. The names of the fallen in the war were inscribed on the existing war memorial. Two old elm trees, land marks for generations, near the church gates were felled in 1946,as they were considered a source of danger. Further developments have been made by the erection of 40 houses in Orchard Way, and an extension to Newlands; about 100 new Traditional houses have been erected in 'Dairy Ground' estate. With the demolition of many old houses in the lower area, the village has greatly expanded in a northeasterly direction. Since the last war about 20 private houses have been built in the village.
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was commemorated by the provision of swings and amusements in the recreation ground for children, and the different districts catered for their separate entertainment. A copper beech tree was planted on the Green.
During the foregoing period the crafts which are now non-existent in King's Sutton include - the village tailor, saddler and harness maker, village blacksmith, wheelwright, boot & shoe repairer, hurdlemaker, hay-tier. The two daily carriers to Banbury with horse drawn vans were put out of business by bus service and increased motor traffic.
Vicars: Rev FJ Bullock, Rev HS Frost, Rev HS Beard, Rev WH Maxwell Rennie, Rev FJ Boss, Rev E Blaxland, Rev H Gibbons, Rev CT Kirtland, Rev AS Midgley,
Resident Baptist Ministers: Rev J Churchill: Rev H Firth-Guyton, Rev J Hunter, Rev E Nowell, Rev C Chipperfield, Rev WG Branch, Rev JW Mayo, Rev EH Terrell, Rev GD Moss, Rev FJ Hedyn.
Head schoolmasters: Mr E Good, Mr H Close, Mr A H Tilbury, Mr H E Easey,
Police constables; Packer, Smith, Crisp, Bates, Webb, Wheeler, Dowding, Neasham, Coles, Isham,
Edith G. Gillam, born in Kings Sutton 1875, written 25th February, 1958.
My parents came to live in King's Sutton in 1871, and my Father was one of the earliest employees of the Gt.Western Railway. I was born in this village in 1875. One of my earliest memories is of running out of the house to the station to see the trains, and of course my Father who worked in the Signal Box. I was only about 4 years old. I well remember starting to attend School (with 3d tied in the corner of my handkerchief) on Monday mornings, to pay each week for my education. This was a Church of England School (now known as the Old School House) in Astrop Rd. The School Master & Mistress, their two daughters, and an Assistant Master (who was also organist & Choir Master) comprised the staff. The boys were taught in the upstairs rooms and the girls downstairs. Mr. & Mrs. Good were very nice & well-respected people, & the school children were well taught and disciplined.
We have a very beautiful Parish Church and the spire is landmark for many miles around, it has a lovely peal of eight bells. There is also a Baptist Chapel & a Methodist Chapel. It used to be the custom for the Sexton of the Parish Church to ring the bell at 5am, 12 noon, and 8 pm winter and summer, and if there was a fire in the village, a big & a little bell were rung from the belfry. Places of worship were well attended. Men went to Church on Sunday mornings with their boots & leggings well polished, they sat on the left-hand side aisle, and the older ladies in plaid shawls & bonnets on the right side aisle. Sunday school children in the spare pews, and under the belfry, the main congregation sat in the centre aisles.
King's Sutton was quite a self-supporting village in the early days, the main industry as agriculture, there was also a paint works, an Ironstone works, and a pillow lace school, where some beautiful lace was made & most of the brides in the village had some of this lace on their wedding garments, and periodically a lady came from London to buy quantities of this lace to re-sell in her shop. There was only one resident Doctor in this village (now there isn't one). There were 2 Butcher's shops, 4 Bakers (now only 1) 6 Public Houses (now 4) 2 Shoemakers, who used to make the shoes for all my family, and a Saddler who did a good trade, 2 millers, as well as 3 grocery shops. Eggs in the summer were often 24 a shilling (5p), farmhouse butter a shilling per lb. Two carrier carts went into Banbury twice a week, & would take passengers; this was considered a treat to the younger people.
The Club Feast used to be held on Whit Monday, when the Club members paraded to Church at 11 a.m. with their band for a service, and the Vicar used to be paid £1 (a golden sovereign) to preach a sermon, & afterwards he was invited to dine with them at the Bell Inn. Following this the members with their brass band paraded the village playing outside various houses. The same day there were stalls, swings & all the attractions of a fair, held in the Square. Then there was a feast in July with the same attractions, but no Club Members or their Band.
There are two famous springs, one at St. Rumbold's Well at Astrop, & the Bogwater near the Station, both are reputed to have medicinal value. I remember fetching water from these springs for drinking purposes, & many folk would use nothing but bogwater for making their tea. In 1887-88 there was a lot of unemployment & distress in the village, and a Soup Kitchen was run by ladies (resident in the village) at the 'Reading Room" in Dobbin Street, now called Richmond Street, the old Blacksmith's Forge was also in this Street, hence the name "Dobbin Street”.
We had no street lighting when I was young) & the first outside lights were paraffin oil lamps which were put out at 9.30pm then followed gas lighting, and now its all electric outside lighting in the streets. Indoors the only means of cooking was on a fire, afterwards came gas, now also electricity. For household purposes we had to fetch water from the different wells situated in the village, & sanitary conditions were very primitive.
St. Peters Day, 20th June, the dedication Festival of the Church was a great day, the visiting Clergy & the Choir, all robed, walked in procession from the Vicarage to the Church singing as they went for evening service. There were several treats during the summer months for the school children, and always a Christmas tree at the School, (& tea) when presents and prizes were given.
The village has changed, where there were green fields & allotments, we now have a Council Housing estate & several privately built houses and bungalows. Most of the workingmen had allotments to grow vegetables for their families, and nearly every poor workingman kept a pig.
Yes, I have seen changed in village life, on the whole living conditions have improved considerably. I have many happy memories of my young days, and after living away from the village for some years, I have returned to spend the remainder of my life in a cottage (from which as a very small child I used to spend my weekly pocket money (½d) then a small shop kept by a Mrs. Cooper.
Edith G. Gillam. 14 Red Lion St, King’s Sutton, Banbury
Piece written by Miss Lillian Ayriss after a visit of the Banbury Historical Society had shown how rich people lived. Here she describes the life of the poorer folk. Date unknown.
My ancestors belonged to the village many generations ago, particularly on my mother's side. Her mother is the only Grandparent that I can remember. She was born in 1835. That was long before the Education Act of compulsory school attendance. Wages were very low, only a few shillings and there was much poverty and even hunger. It was a time when child labour was used in the mines and factories and boys were used to clear chimneys. In those days this was just an agricultural area and boys would be employed on the farms 'crow-minding' and just for a copper or two would spend their time with wooden clappers scaring the birds off the cornfields. Where the Co-op now stands there was a building known as the Lace-making school, where the Buckinghamshire lace (commonly called pillow-lace) was taught. This was kept by a Mrs. Tibbetts and my Gran went there from the age of 6, starting at first to thread the needles. A book was passed round at times and somehow, without any tuition, shefound out how to read and used to say in after life, when she was old and housebound, that she wouldn't have known what she would have done without being able to read. She married quite young and lived for a time at the Ox-house. This stood in a field between Walton Ground and Aynho. At that time the dreaded scourge of smallpox became rife in the village and Red Lion Street was barricaded up. A smallpox house was set up in a house then known as Little Mill, where the sewage works now are in Mill Lane. My Grandfather, the eldest son and the baby fell ill with the disease. As their home was in the middle of a field they stopped there, but everyone else was afraid to have contact with them and what little money there was could not be accepted for food. News of their plight reached the village and it was agreed that they could not be left to starve. So an old woman who had had the smallpox was given food to take to them and this was left in a hedge some distance away. Grandmother's brother left his employment to help her. He had also had the illness some time before. His job was that of estate carpenter and the Bailiff gave him the sack because of the smallpox. This happened at a time when there was no such thing as dole, insurance or social security. To go back to the invalids - the baby died although it had been vaccinated, a grave was dug for it, lights were put round it and quick lime. My Great Uncle pushed it up to the village during a snowstorm in the middle of the night, one of my brother's, then only a boy, going with him. Grandmother did not see another woman for three months as no one would dare come near. The beds etc. had to be burnt and there wasn't any money to get new ones. One day my Great Uncle met his former employer and what passed was mentioned. Uncle put the question, “what would you have done if your sister was in such a plight?” Uncle was given his job back. The Crimean War was in 1854 and children of those days made up ditties about what was going on in the world. One such was, 'A thousand old women a going to enlist, won't they give the old Russians atwist? I can remember when the church verger, Mr John Taylor, used to ring the bells at 12 noon and the curfew at 8pm. If we were let loose from school as the noon bell started it was the custom for those of us who lived at this end of the village to race home to try to get there before the noon bell stopped. While, when the curfew bell rang we were under orders to come in from play and get ready for bed.
I understand that many years ago there was a bell rung at 5.30am calling men folk to work. They were early risers, but also early to bed. On Harvest time my Grandfather was working late. About 9pm. Grandmother went outside and looked to see if he was coming. An old lady, Rachel Holt, who had retired for the night looked out of her bedroom window and called, what is the time Mrs. Hayward? The answer was "9, o'clock: Rachel". Soon a bucket came out of the back door. (For some reason the old lady was in the habit of putting a bucket out of the door in the morning, so must have thought it was morning) Gran said, "I hope you understand, Rachel, that it is 9 o'clock at night, not morning'. "Oh is it? Well, I might as well have my breakfast now I'm up. I do not know whether she had another one the next morning. The longer I live I realise how hard life was for those in days gone by and how resourceful and courageous they needed to be.
