Article archive :: Little Downham

Article archive

2008-05-04 14:11

Doodle bugs

Just as everything seemed to be going nicely for us, the Germans introduced the V weapons. The VI was a flying bomb, about a ton of high explosive, propelled by a rocked motor. Although aimed for London several of thse missiles came over Downham. I remember...

—————

2008-05-04 14:10

Food

Memories of this time come flooding back like the flavour from Tetley's tea! There was the pie scheme, a system arranged to augment the meagre rations of many manual workers. Pork pies were produced at the behest of the Ministry of Food and were locally distributed by Mrs "Tilly" Saberton. I...

—————

2008-05-04 14:09

Prisoners of war

As the war progressed captured prisoners both Italian and German became a daily sight. They were dressed in chocolate coloured uniformed, similar to normal British Ary battledress, but with large round patches on the back, in a contrasting and vivid colour like red or yellow. Our local...

—————

2008-05-04 14:08

Home Guard

When the war started in earnest in 1940 I was at the top school and at the sound of the siren heralding an airraid all the pupils were herded into the corridor which ran the length of the school behind the classrooms. Strategically placed along the corridor were banks of sandbags. The idea...

—————

2008-05-04 14:07

Evacuees

Evacuees I remember the first evacuees who suddenly descended on the village from the east end of London and the local do-gooders were given the job of billetting them. The formula was simple-if you had six rooms and housed...

—————

2008-05-04 14:06

The war

The war I was six when war was declared but was aware of rumblings of the forthcoming conflict. We were suddenly inundated with evacuees from London. Gas masks were issued, horrible rubbery gadgets, which seemed to suffocate you and were to be carried at all times in case of a sudden gas...

—————

2008-05-04 14:05

The coronation

I must wedge in the Coronation which took place on May 12th 1937. It was the day when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned. it followed a period of national unrest culminating in the abdication of King Edward VIII (eighth). All I remember of the...

—————

2008-05-04 14:04

Shops

There are not so many shops in Downham now as there were when I was young. the village was almost self-sufficient. We had three bakers for a start. There was Mrs EM Saberton in Townsend who baked bread and made wonderful cakes. Next to Chamber's Yard was the bakery owned by the Taylors, a...

—————

2008-05-04 14:03

Playing field

School Lane extended to the playing field, as it does now. In those days it was called Cook's field. Just inside the gate was a pond. Shaped like a shin bone with a bulge at each end it ran from the gate to the stile near the allotments. About a hundred yards long it offered skating...

—————

2008-05-04 14:02

Swimming

I have always been a strong advocate of teaching children to swim. Surrounded by water as we are in the fens, I am always amazed at the complacency of parents where swimming is concerned. I suppose it stemmed from the fact that the old generation never had the opportunity to learn and...

—————