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Seaside outings During 1946 mum and dad found out that a large number of the older residents, and none of the children had ever been out of the village, they didn't know anything about the seaside; and had never seen a train or the sea, apart from pictures in a book. 1947 saw them arrange, with help, an annual outing to the seaside during the school holidays for all the children and any adults who wanted to go.
The first outing was to Hunstanton in the Wash. They hired a coach which picked us up about 6.30 am. and got back about 11.00 pm. This continued until at least 1950 that I recall, the places we went to over the next three years in turn were; Lowestoft, Felixstowe and Clacton-on-Sea. Needless to say that by the time we got home just about everybody was sound asleep.
In the later part of 1947 dad had the water laid on to the bakery premises, as far as I know he was the first in the village. It took the villagers quite some time to realise the benefits of having water laid on and all you had to do was turn a tap. It is hard to realise today just how hard village life was 60 odd years ago, but it was a time I shall always cherish. There were no stresses of modern day living or trying to keep up with the Jones. Life went on at the same pace and you were only governed by the seasons.
Gas The gas main was brought through the village during the later part of 1947, just after the clean up had been completed from the installation of the water main. Things haven't changed as far as utility companies are concerned; first you get one come through and dig a trench and then barely twelve months later another company comes along and digs a trench almost next to the first one. Dad had the gas installed to the bakery in 1948.
Scouts The 1st Chelveston Scout and Cub group was formed during 1947; as far as I recall the vicar C. Ayton-Williams was the first Scout Leader and we met in the school. Just about all the boys in the village belonged to either one or the other depending on our age.
I will always remember our first scout camp, Alf Carr had picked us up in his lorry and taken us out along the Kimbolton Road, almost to Kimbolton as I recall and dropped us off in a field near a spinney. I don't know whether he owned it or not. We had barely got off the lorry and unloaded our gear when it started to rain, not much fun erecting a tent in the rain.
The camp was supposed to be for seven days to teach us map reading, how to start a fire with only one match, woodsman's and cooking skills. It had rained solid for three days when it was decided to go home because everything was saturated; our bedding, clothes, food etc. we looked like a lot of drowned rats when Alf Carr came to pick us up. It was still raining when we loaded all the gear, I don't recall his tarpaulin offering us much protection apart from the wind. The amazing thing was nobody caught a cold, which was a miracle. |
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Coaches, Gas & Scouts 1947 |
