Memories
Leon Bradford
My brother and I arrived at Woodford as evacuees in early 1941 from Dagenham London and we were eventually passed into the welcoming arms of Jim and Edith Ballard and under the watchful eye of "Mother" Gunn with whom we stayed until 1944 .
Our new home was a thatched cottage (destroyed by fire in late 40s) opposite a butchers shop (in Addington Road) and next door to a man named Frank Barringham who always returned home from work at the calli(y) banks at Thrapston covered in a peculiar yellow dust. My happiest times were weekends and holidays when I helped out on Bob Ward’s Home Farm (Daventry Farm near village green) along with two Italian POWs both named Mario and one had the surname Pittonetti. Bob Ward had two sons David and Michael and three daughters Mary, Monica and Gill; but only Michael, who was the same age as me helped on the farm.
My other memories include sitting in the (infant) school room and being fascinated by the workings of the school clock, helping out Carvel Bonsor in his workshop behind the pub by pumping the bellows of the forge, playing down in the Osier beds by the river or up in the "Rec" and the highlight of our week was to climb the windmill pump in the Rec (where the present school is located - no health and safety those days!!
I have no real recall of my time at the (Junior) bottom school but remember going to school in Thrapston by bus which was usually driven by Bill Waterman, son-in-law of Edith Ballard and who had a daughter Sylvia.
Another memory is of our twice monthly walk to Thrapston (Saturdays) and the pictures, two old pennies for the ticket, ditto for a bottle of "spruce" (lemonade) and tuppence for crisps. Walk back to Woodford via Alledge brook and a stop for a drink of spring water.
Sunday. Early morning trek to the bakehouse with the Sunday lunch-always beef - Reg Hawes the owner would sometimes give me a warm bread roll filled with beef or pork dripping.
The highlight of the year was Woodford Feast held on the green with old fashioned steam driven swing boats and penny arcades and the older men of the village would go to Buckby's pub (Coach and Horses) and the younger ones to the Reading room to play cribbage.
I remember when the Americans practised bridge building down by the river and the chewing gum and "Cookies" they gave us.
I have so many memories of those years, too many to include in this blog and some of them quite painful but at the age of 77 these memories have never left me and i shall never forget Woodford or the kindness shown to all we kids moved out from war torn London.
I now live only a couple of miles from Woodford and often drive through the village to relive old memories but one thing puzzles me, where do people now go to have their radio accumulators recharged now that Reg Essam's shop (was located where Victoria Court I now is) is closed!
Leon Bradford 17/8/33 - 1/8/2012
Written for and previously published on www.woodfordpc.co.uk
Roger Howlett
I was born in Woodford and so were my four siblings. We lived at 1 Leys Cottages until May 1948. We still maintain contact with Mrs. Roberts who still lives at number 3. My oldest brother Ray lives in Wellingborough and my sister, Mavis lives in Finedon. My father and mother, Ernest and Alice Howlett emigrated with me to the United States in 1948. My other sister, Beryl also lives in the United States (Ithaca, NY). She emigrated in 1945 as the wife of a U.S. Army soldier. (Frank Reeves)
I have many memories of Woodford even though I was only 8 when I came to the U.S. The top school, the bottom school, the Baptist Chapel and the Village Green on Mayday when we all danced around the Maypole. Going to the market in Kettering on Saturdays on the bus, taking in a film at the Odeon. Going to Pantomimes and fdv playing football and cricket with my best friend, Trevor Roberts in the field across from Leys Cottages (now the location of The Shrubberies Sheltered Housing) which is no longer there. Walking through the Shrubbery with my father on Sundays after chapel. Taking our gas masks with us when we went to school. These and many other memories fog my mind.
My wife and I have returned to Woodford countless times in the past forty years. We took both our sons when they turned 8 to experience the area in which I spent my early years. We have visited friends and family and always returned to the Leys to see (the late) Flo Roberts. We took my sons and their wives shortly after each of them were married. We have travelled extensively throughout England and Scotland. My grandparents lived in Woodford also. The Howletts lived in Priory House in Club Lane for many years. The Clipstons lived in a house on the Village Green along the road to Addington. I have many fond memories of going to their homes on holidays and other occasions. I also had an uncle and aunt that lived down Baker's Lane and an uncle and aunt that used to live on the corner of High Street and Mill Road at the "Chevin" my cousin and her husband live there now. I still have many cousins, nieces and nephews in and around Woodford.
Written 2005 - previously published on www.woodfordpc.co.uk