Alison Gardiner Remembers
Title
Alison Gardiner Remembers
Description
Water lane in the 1930's was a very different hamlet from what it is today.
The central point was The Crown Inn, run by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hewer. It was a popular place with regular customers from the village itself and from outlying areas. It was not usual for food to be served in country Inns in those days, but potato crisps were always available, sold in packets from a large square tin. These were mostly consumed outside by children not allowed into the premises with their parents.
On fine evenings, customers could always be seen sitting on the wall in front of the Pub with their drinks lined up beside them, and often on a Saturday night, near neighbours would be treated to renderings of songs like "Nellie Dean" and a lot of laughter fading into the distance, after closing time, as far flung customers wended their way home.
Another interesting place in the village was The Forge, where my great uncle, Alfred Bucknell and his son Norman, carried out their blacksmithing and fine ornamental ironwork. As a child I loved to watch both men at work, each with their own forge at either end of the elongated shop with its leaded light windows extending the whole length of the building, and to see them operating the long—handled bellows to bring the fires to life.
The blacksmiths shop had its own particular aura with the smell of metal raspings which covered the floor, and the heat from the fires. There was the familiar sound of metal being hammered and tapped into shape on the anvils, and the hissing when the red hot metal was plunged into the water troughs to cool.
Alfred had been Foreman Blacksmith for the Gimson and Barnsley Partnership at Pinbury Park and Daneway House, following his earlier training in his father's Forge at Tunley.
Behind Alfred's Forge across the footpath, his Brother, Joseph, had a shed housing a bandsaw, used for sawing timbers, and the chug-chug as the engine started up, and the rasping sound as the timber hit the saw, was often heard in harmony with Alfred and Norman's hammering.
These enterprises, combined with my parents shop, petrol pump and smallholding/milk round, formed the background to our upbringing.
As was the case in many country districts, it was a secure environment for children, due to a large proportion of the village properties being owned and occupied by family members, and we were welcome to come and go at practically any time.
My constant companion was my cousin, Yvonne Bucknell, of similar age, and we spent many sunny Summer days playing in the brook below Watercombe, and in the woods surrounding the village.
We were occupied in this way for hours at a time, no one seemed to worry about us (times were safer then). Hunger usually brought us to heel eventually, or soaking clothes, having missed a footing in the stream. Happy days.
The central point was The Crown Inn, run by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hewer. It was a popular place with regular customers from the village itself and from outlying areas. It was not usual for food to be served in country Inns in those days, but potato crisps were always available, sold in packets from a large square tin. These were mostly consumed outside by children not allowed into the premises with their parents.
On fine evenings, customers could always be seen sitting on the wall in front of the Pub with their drinks lined up beside them, and often on a Saturday night, near neighbours would be treated to renderings of songs like "Nellie Dean" and a lot of laughter fading into the distance, after closing time, as far flung customers wended their way home.
Another interesting place in the village was The Forge, where my great uncle, Alfred Bucknell and his son Norman, carried out their blacksmithing and fine ornamental ironwork. As a child I loved to watch both men at work, each with their own forge at either end of the elongated shop with its leaded light windows extending the whole length of the building, and to see them operating the long—handled bellows to bring the fires to life.
The blacksmiths shop had its own particular aura with the smell of metal raspings which covered the floor, and the heat from the fires. There was the familiar sound of metal being hammered and tapped into shape on the anvils, and the hissing when the red hot metal was plunged into the water troughs to cool.
Alfred had been Foreman Blacksmith for the Gimson and Barnsley Partnership at Pinbury Park and Daneway House, following his earlier training in his father's Forge at Tunley.
Behind Alfred's Forge across the footpath, his Brother, Joseph, had a shed housing a bandsaw, used for sawing timbers, and the chug-chug as the engine started up, and the rasping sound as the timber hit the saw, was often heard in harmony with Alfred and Norman's hammering.
These enterprises, combined with my parents shop, petrol pump and smallholding/milk round, formed the background to our upbringing.
As was the case in many country districts, it was a secure environment for children, due to a large proportion of the village properties being owned and occupied by family members, and we were welcome to come and go at practically any time.
My constant companion was my cousin, Yvonne Bucknell, of similar age, and we spent many sunny Summer days playing in the brook below Watercombe, and in the woods surrounding the village.
We were occupied in this way for hours at a time, no one seemed to worry about us (times were safer then). Hunger usually brought us to heel eventually, or soaking clothes, having missed a footing in the stream. Happy days.
Creator
Alison Gardiner
Source
The Pat Carrick Collection
Files
Collection
Citation
Alison Gardiner, “Alison Gardiner Remembers,” Oakridge Archives, accessed April 28, 2024, https://oakridgearchives.omeka.net/items/show/472.