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Nether Heyford Wicksteed Playground Horse – Rescue, Repair and Restore project 2024

The Nether Heyford playground was created on the village green sometime in the 1950’s. The M1 motorway opened in 1959 and during construction of the motorway and junction 16 some of the earth extracted was brought down to the village to landscape a section of the village green to create an area for a playground.

By the 1970’s at least, Nether Heyford had a fully equipped playground consisting entirely of play equipment supplied locally from Wicksteed in Kettering. Two Wicksteed benches still remain along the edge of the village green.

Donate: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

Nether Heyford Playground

The Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw was once part of the Nether Heyford Playground on the village green from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. It was invented and built by a local British engineer, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is best known as a manufacturer of playground equipment and as the founder of Wicksteed Park.

Charles Wicksteed was the pioneer of the playground, the inventor of children’s play, created the first ever free play park for the people in 1921 with the biggest of public playgrounds. Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Charles Wicksteed

He sold his playground equipment all over the world, invented the water chute (now log flume) and made sure every playground had a proper good slide.

Nether Heyford Wicksteed Playground Horse

Once broken it was decommissioned from the green and ended up in the garden at The Olde Sun pub on middle street – half buried and used as a children’s seat for decades.

Sadly The Olde Sun pub came to a close late 2023 and an auction was announced to sell off the contents. It was then that a group of village residents who remembered the rocking horse all those years ago, decided to rescue it.

Here is the story so far and the updates below ……..

November 2023

The Olde Sun Pub in Nether Heyford closes and announces a grand auction of all the contents in the pub. The auction is to be held at the pub on Friday December 1st with viewing available Thursday November 30th. All the contents of the village pub will be sold, including ornaments, chairs, tables, vintage signs, catering equipment, skittles table etc. before keys are handed back the following Monday.

Wednesday 29th November 2023

The evening before auction viewing. Thanks to a very lucky conversations with Jakki, Frances and Pete just before midnight, permission was agreed to rescue the horse back for the village and raise some money for charity too. An online fundraiser was set up and the mission to rescue the horse from the pub garden before the auction and before the keys are given back at the weekend. “Help raise £100 to save the Nether Heyford Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw to keep in the village.”

I feel duty is calling…..I am going to have a go with some village friends to keep this in Nether Heyford. I might need a hand or two over the next 3 days as we are on a deadline and have some digging and shifting to do. It was made in England by Wicksteed (Kettering, Northamptonshire) and is the Rocking Horse See Saw. Many of us remember it.

Some friends and I are looking to rescue this from the pub garden before midday on Sunday (when the property exchanges hands following the auction of its contents on Friday following its closure) and relocate it within the village somewhere so it remains as a piece of local history rather than scrapped. We hope to reach £200 with £100 for Air Ambulance, £100 for The Pub. Anything over £200 will now go towards spare parts and renovation costs. Volunteer help would be appreciated along the way if you can help lend a hand.

Thursday 30th November 2023

Rescue Mission accomplished – From Pub to Youth Club.

The Wicksteed Rocking Horse See Saw has been saved for the village community.

Thank you to Jason Kelly, Micah Tharby, Jakki Cowley, Frances Yates & Pete, Alan Whitewright, Lesley Dilkes (Youth Club), Ian Jenner, a driver from K.G.Smith & Son, plus, or course, all those that contributed to the JustGiving fund raiser.

Following the successful rescue – 1st online fundraiser is closed at £265.

Thank you to all those that donated cash to the fundraiser: Marie Hanlon, Emma Foulkes, Amy Manfield, Jon Inwood, Ian Taylor, Emma Swingler, Cathy, Geraldine Causebrook, Annabel Manning, Sue & Kev Bridger, Lindsey, Lynda Eales, Charles Kiloh & 7 anonymous donors

£100 delivered to The Olde Sun Pub (Dec 23′) & £100 donated to The Air Ambulance (Feb 24′). Leaving £65 towards restoration & repairs.

NEW fundraiser: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

February 2024

Permission is provisionally granted by the Parish Council to place the horse back at the playground as a non-rocking bench.

Saturday 9th March 2024

The horse leaves the village for the first time in over 50 years. Moving from the Village Youth Club to the Blacksmith, for shot blasting and metal work to make it structurally sound for placing back on the green as a static bench.

Thank you to all those that came to help get the horse in the van: Pip Juland, Alex Toseland, Jason Kelly, Ian Jenner & Son.

Saturday 16th March 2024

I had the pleasure of meeting up with our village blacksmith for a project meeting to decide next steps after a full assessment of the horse after some initial metalwork and disassemble for easier transportation for the next stages. Thank you to J.E.Matthews of Northampton for letting Ian Jenner our village blacksmith to use their historic foundry workshop established in 1883 which was very fitting given our metal horse design dates back to around 1920 in the next town Kettering.

Thanks to our village blacksmith Ian Jenner and J.E.Matthews & Son in Northampton

Following this short trip to town to the specialist, after over 50 years in the village, the horse is then returned the same day back to the village.

Sunday 17th March 2024

We have reached a stage where we understand the estimated costs of restoration options and placement on the playground. A new online fundraiser set up:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

Ongoing in March and April 2024

NEW – We also have space for about 15 Sponsor Plaques which will be embossed / engraved metal and attached to the final finished horse. All funds raised by these also go into the fundraising pot for restoration etc.

Available for local businesses, charities & individuals. Please contact me directly if you are interested in one.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you think you can assist us with the project, either hands on, time, materials, shot blasting, sign writing, painting, graffiti, woodwork etc or perhaps you know someone who would like to sponsor of a plaque on the side of the horse.

We are considering a design competition with Bliss School for a possible custom paint job.

We have some suggestions for a name for our Horse, more are welcome and we shall put it to the vote closer to the unveiling. So far: Heather Neighford / Sunny / Neddy Hayful / Magnus the Marvellous

All comments, suggestions, ideas, offers help are very welcome and much appreciated.

Please share with your friends. All donations are appreciated, now matter how small.

To send a donation online please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/netherheyfordplaygroundhorse

To donate off line or to discuss sponsorship opportunities please contact me via email / phone / social media.

Happy Days,

Jez Wilson 07761 672376

Last updated 07.04.2024

The ever growing project Thank You list:

Jakki Cowley, Frances Yates, Pete Yates, Jason Kelly, Micah Tharby, Alan Whitewright, Lesley Dilkes, Ian Jenner & Son, Marie Hanlon, Emma Foulkes, Amy Manfield, Jon Inwood, Ian Taylor, Emma Swingler, Cathy, Geraldine Causebrook, Annabel Manning, Sue & Kev Bridger, Lindsey, Lynda Eales, Charles Kiloh, Christian Finley, Gareth Arthurs, Darren Royle, Rick Lindon, Pip Juland, Alex Toseland, J E Matthews & Son (Northampton), Nether Heyford Parish Council, Nether Heyford Youth Club……..

Nether Heyford Classic & Vintage Vehicle Show

Saturday 8th June 2024 – 2pm

Classic Cars, Bikes and Trucks, Vintage Vehicles.

Bring along your classic vehicle and park up on our village green surrounding our village hall fete.

Fete opens at 2pm – Set up starts from 11:00am with last vehicles parked at 1:30pm

Following on from a successful 2 years in partnership with our local classic car club Long Buckby (and surrounding villages) Vintage and Classic Vehicle Meet, we continue again for another meet up for the Nether Heyford Village Hall Fete this year.

One of the largest village greens in England makes for the perfect display and day out

Slots are limited but only by the size of our village green. It’s the only time we allow any vehicles on our village green.

We hope you join us for a great day out.

If you have any questions or to book a slot then please contact:

Jez Wilson – Nether Heyford – 07761 672376 – nhvhevents@gmail.com

Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan Update – August 2023

The Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan referendum has now been announced.

Thursday, 7 September 2023 between the hours of 7am and 10pm at Nether Heyford Baptist Church Rooms

A referendum will be held to decide on the question below:

“Do you want the West Northamptonshire Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Nether Heyford to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

This is really important for the village. After 7 years of work creating the Neighbourhood Plan, villagers now have the opportunity to vote on the plan.

The Neighbourhood Plan, supporting documents and the election notice are available to see across two websites:

West Northamptonshire Council:

https://www.southnorthants.gov.uk/info/47/neighbourhood-plans/35/nether-heyford-neighbourhood-plan

https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/electoral-services/election-notices-and-future-elections

Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan:

http://netherheyfordneighbourhoodplan.org.uk

These full details will be included in The Prattler September 2023 edition which is delivered to every house in the village.

Voting cards will be sent to everyone in Nether Heyford who are registered on the Electoral Role. To be despatched on 14th August.

Further details of deadlines in order to get registered or change the electoral role in order to be effective for this referendum are:

  1. If you are not already registered to vote then the deadline to apply to register is Monday 21 August by midnight. (If you are not already a local government elector apply online at register to vote)
     
  2. The deadline for new applications to vote by post or to change existing postal or postal proxy arrangements e.g. cancellation or re-direction etc. must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at the address shown below by 5pm on Monday, 22 August 2023 if they are to be effective for this election.
     
  3. New applications to vote by proxy must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday, 30 August 2023.
     
  4. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday, 30 August 2023. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate can be made online at voter authority certificate service
     
  5. Applications to vote by emergence proxy at this referendum must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on 7 September 2023.

Something new at the Village Hall

Many of you may recall seeing a large photographic display in the foyer of the village hall, created in April last year to support our entry into the ACRE Village Awards Scheme. The judge was so impressed she immediately took photographs, and we believe that this helped us to win one of our two Gold Awards. (The other one being for the creative use of our communal space by the allotments association)

The display was the result of Mick Parker going around the village and taking photographs of as many of our community and group activities as he could, and it received many compliments. When it was time for it to be dismantled, it was felt that it would be a great shame for all these pictures of our village life to disappear completely. So, Mick and Tom Dodd got together and selected one photograph from each set of group pictures. The remaining photographs were then passed to all the relevant groups for their own records.

Since then, Tom has created an amazing montage, which has just been installed in the village hall foyer underneath our Welcome Sign – as a permanent ‘snapshot’ of our village life in 2022. You are recommended to go and see if you can find yourselves and your group in action. We are pleased to say that the cost of this undertaking has been fully covered: first, with £100 awarded to us by ACRE as Gold Award winners; plus a grant of £100 from our parish council; and with the balance coming from proceeds of a sponsored skydive by the then, village hall chairman.

Like Mick, Tom most generously gave his time free. One of the many aspects of our village, which helped to win our Gold Award, was the evidence of so many gifted members in our community.

Tom and Mick – we salute you!

Alwyne Wilson

Opportunities down the Playing Fields

Volunteer Opportunities – Playing Fields Association Committee (Heyford Sports Club)

Down the playing fields, we’ve got a range of sports and activities that cater for just about everyone’s needs and are as good as anywhere in the county and maybe the country.

We recognise that the social area and changing rooms are now past their sell by date, fortunately we’ve got a small group of people who are focusing on getting new changing rooms in place, that will serve us for many years into the future.

What we are now looking for is some new people to come onto the playing fields committee and some additional volunteers who just want to ‘lend a hand’ on jobs like cutting the grass.

Getting involved does require some commitment, however in return you’ll get an enormous amount of satisfaction from seeing how the facilities are enjoyed by so many people from the village and the local community.

If you’d like to understand a bit more about what’s involved as a committee member or as a volunteer to ‘lend a hand’, with no obligation, please pick up the phone and call:

Chris Andrews 07880 996511

Jeff Buck 07808 705767

(Extract from The Prattler March 2023)

~

Heyford Sports Club (Nether Heyford Playing Fields Association) – est. 1986

Home to:

Heyford Cricket Club – est. 1897

Heyford Athletic Football Club – est. 1908

Heyford Tennis Club – est. 1986

Nether Heyford Bowls Club – est. 1997

Nether Heyford Netball Club – est. 2020

Friends of:

Nether Heyford Scouts – est. 1952

The Bliss Charity School – est. 1674

Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan Update – April 2022

NHNHPG_Logo

Update on our Neighbourhood Plan (2021-2029)

At the March Parish Council meeting the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group presented the details of the public consultation, and subsequent proposed amendments to the Draft Plan. As the qualifying body the Parish Council have to review and formally approve any changes to the Draft Plan. This is a statutory step prior to formal submission. In summary the changes approved related to strengthening some policies and making a number of technical changes as a result of feedback from the WNC Planning Team.

There was significant discussion around the allocation of the Bugbrooke Road site (SNC310), for primarily educational purposes. As a result of this discussion, it was agreed that this allocation was in the best long-term interest of the village. It was also recognised that this could take a number of years to bring to fruition given the funding requirements and the complexity of undertaking a school relocation.

Detailed responses to all the questions raised from the consultation, including from WNC and Persimmon Homes are now available on the NHP website, http://www.netherheyfordneighbourhoodplan.org.uk, as is the latest revision of the Draft Plan.

Subject to a further independent review of the Draft Plan and the completion of some associated formal documents, the Parish Council will make a formal submission to WNC. WNC will review the submission to ensure it meets all the statutory requirements prior to being sent to a planning inspector.

If the planning inspector approves the plan, then WNC will organise a simple yes/no referendum for the village, and assuming a simple ‘yes’ majority the plan becomes ‘made’. This in essence means it is legally enforceable and sits under the umbrella of the Local Development Plan for this area. As previously mentioned, the benefits of having a ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plan for our village are significant both in terms of future development and protecting and enhancing our current assets.

After 5 years or so of significant work, it is timely that our plan moves to its conclusion. With changes to our local councils, their inherited economic pressures and the fluctuations in national directives in how and where to build, it’s important that we are able show evidence of the needs and wishes of people who live in the parish, and to have a formal plan that protects those needs and wishes.

Tom Clewett. Tom Dodd, Tony Williams of the NHNHP group.

Published in the April 2022 Edition of The Prattler

For more information on Nether Heyford Neighbourhood Plan visit the website:

netherheyfordneighbourhoodplan.org.uk

The Story of Heyford (Extra): Dear Diary – December 1963

M was 21 this year. He didn’t do much celebrating because he broke his leg playing football for Express Lifts and was in plaster for 13 weeks, not that he planned to do much anyway. He couldn’t ride his scooter so he had one or two mates with cars who ran him to his darts matches and down the bookies, but he is planning on learning to drive himself when he can. His lessons are booked with Dennis Slinn, a local at The Castle Inn where he plays darts, at 17/6 a go instead of the guinea he usually charges.

I went on holiday with M and his parents to Clacton in a caravan in July. His brother came too so it was a bit squashed. I’m doing well at Tech and passed my Shorthand & Typing exams again this year. I enjoy my one afternoon a week there, it takes me out of the office and I’ve made more friends. M is also at College to learn Engineering during his apprenticeship, until he’s 22 at least.

My uncle got married in September this year and I was one of two bridesmaids. M was an Usher and the wedding was at St. James Church. This means we have one less living in our house but he was always out ‘courting’ or with his mates, so it’s not much different. I miss him though. He’s 10 years older than me but more like a brother. He moved in with us when his parents (my grandparents) died. Not quite true as we moved in with him really as their house was bigger than ours.

We’ve had a telephone installed. It came to a head when dad was ill recently and mum had to go across the road to the public telephone to call the doctor. It’ll come in handy to call her brother in Leeds and if I miss the bus home I can let her know. Dad can give me a ticking off over the phone rather than face to face then.

Every Saturday night we go dancing at The Salon in Jimmy’s End. They have some big bands there and it’s great to dress up and dance. The only problem is that M often gets a nosebleed during the evening and I sit out like a lemon waiting for him to recover.

On Sundays we alternate. One week I go to M’s house for tea and we go to St. James church then on to the working men’s club until my bus comes. He comes to Heyford (the terminus) on the bus with me, then goes back on the same bus, sometimes after sharing a pint with the conductor and driver, although on Sundays the pub shuts at 10:30. He’s not the only one who does this either. The following week he comes to my home for tea and mum buys a tin of meat and a Battenburg cake, we go to the village church then cross the buttercup field to The Old Sun until he takes the last bus home. It works well.

Christmas will soon be here. My Christmas list so far is hankies for dad because he gets through loads, and face powder for mum. My cousin will be with us along with my aunt and uncle but I’m not expected to buy them anything. I think I’ll get M a pen as he’s always looking for something to write with and I could get his mum and dad some fancy biscuits. We’ll play games like snakes & ladders and cards in the front room where dad will light a coal fire. Trouble is you sit round it and your front is warm but your back is cold. The living room is always warm because of the rayburn but it’s traditional at Christmas to use the front room. Other times of the year it’s a
waste of space.

I may not see M for Christmas day or Boxing Day as the buses don’t run much over the Christmas period but he’ll keep.

Polly

First published in The Prattler Edition No. 445 – December 2021/January 2022

The Story of Heyford (Extra): Dear Diary – October 1962

I had a disappointment recently. I was due to meet my new date under the clock in the Derngate bus station and he didn’t turn up. His excuse was that he must have been hidden behind a “green ‘un”, the sports paper, and didn’t see me. I’ll just call him M for now in case he doesn’t last long. Anyway all is forgiven. He’s an apprentice at Express Lifts, at the moment working with Tom Lawrence, who gets him to choose his horses for the bookie’s runner at the factory. He’s been to Heyford for tea with Tom and his wife in Furnace Lane. I’ve now met his parents and his brother. His mum gave him a ticking off for bringing me in through the back door. I don’t know what she’s worried about, we all have a coal hole and an outside lavatory.

M took me on a train from Northampton Castle Station to Wolverton last Saturday to visit his auntie, uncle and cousins. It passed through several small stations like Roade and Castlethorpe. His auntie spent the afternoon serving her extended family while his uncle rolled his fags for the week, both so laid back. He’s got his eye on a Zundap scooter so it won’t be long before we’re spinning along country lanes.

Some of us girls went to see Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the pictures last weekend, with Audrey Hepburn – lovely. There was a ‘B’ movie, then advertisements, cartoons and Pathe News, with a break for ice-creams before the big movie so we were there for hours, by which time the air was a bit thick with smoke.

I’ve got a French pen-friend who I regularly write to and I’m learning to paint and draw which I love. I’ve started going to the YMCA dancing by candlelight on Thursday evenings. I meet my friends in the Wimpy Bar for a burger, then we go up Cheyne Walk for dancing. It’s only a short walk at the end of the evening to the Derngate Bus Station and, if he’s there, M catches the bus with me and gets off at Jimmies’ End where he lives. He’s teaching me to Jive.

This year we have had work trips to the seaside and NME (New Musical Express) concerts; after all there are several office girls and apprentice boys to fill the buses. I went on holiday with my friend Janet, to Poole in Dorset in July. We stayed in a boarding house for a week. M went to Blackpool in a caravan with 4 other mates and wrote to me twice.

Saturday evenings are mostly spent in town. Regular double-decker buses are full going in at teatime, returning at the end of the evening, packed to the gunnels. If one of our regulars is late for the bus, the driver hangs on at the request of the rest of us. One of our most popular drivers is Ron who lives in the village. He knows us all, teases us if we are late, but looks out for us on the journey. Of course there is always a conductor on the bus to ring the bell, keep order and take the fares. If the bus breaks down he can walk to the nearest phone box to ring for a replacement bus. The driver has a separate cab at the front, not accessible from the bus itself.

Aunt Beatrice came to tea last Sunday. Mum panicked, we cleaned thoroughly, we made salmon sandwiches & a cake and got out the best china. This auntie is well off, lives in London and wanted to bring mum & dad a present of a really heavy vase which now takes pride of place on the piano. Mum embarrassed me by telling auntie that I have an office job, a shorthand/typing course at the Technical college and I’m courting a lovely boy who is doing an engineering apprenticeship. I was glad to escape to church for the 6 o’clock service.

There are now new homes off Watery Lane and talks are being had about a new estate at the end of Close Road on the field behind Furnace Lane. The builders are Wilson.

There’s a Jumble Sale in the church rooms on Saturday. I shall go along because you can get some good bargains, a cup of tea and biscuit and I like reading so I’ll head for the book stall.

Polly

First published in The Prattler Edition No. 444 – October/November 2021

The Story of Heyford (Extra): Dear Diary – August 1961

The past year has been a real change for me. I left school in July last year and started work at The Express Lift Company the following week. I chose there mainly because it’s on our bus route. Some of my other girlfriends chose hairdressing, nursing and dressmaking. I catch the No. 305 bus at 8:20 am, outside the Foresters Arms, sit upstairs with my cousin Ken and enjoy the ride through Bugbrooke and Kislingbury. You can only smoke upstairs.

The bus arrives in the village with “Lower Heyford” on the front, then, after it’s turned round outside the shop, the conductor changes it to “Northampton”. As Heyford is the terminus and I’m usually early, I can sit and watch people coming round the green at a leisurely pace, to catch the bus. One day the conductor will ring the bell and the bus will go off without them. If Mr. Faulkner is the driver, he knows everybody because he lives here. He sometimes teases them by starting up the engine.

Dad bought me a season bus ticket so that I can use it at weekends as well, plus it’s cheaper that way. I am working in the Personnel department which means I get to meet so many people, it’s great. I’ve started a part-time course at the Technical college for Shorthand & Typing, one afternoon and one evening which the company are paying for.

Mum bought me some new clothes to start work. Up to then I’d lived in socks and flat shoes, so she got me stockings, a suspender belt and some shoes with little heels, with two new skirts, two new blouses and a Duster coat, so I’m all set now until I start earning enough to buy my own.

I was very nervous on my first day at work. I had to report to the Commissionaire at the front gate and someone came to fetch me. The place was huge and quite frightening but now that I’ve been there a few months, I’m more familiar with the offices and the factory, but I still worry I’ll lose my way, especially after I’ve been to the canteen.

There’s a new programme called Coronation Street on TV. In it is a pub called The Rovers Return which is run by Annie Walker, a little corner shop run by Florrie Lindley, and a Mission Hall run by Ena Sharples. There’s a family called Barlow and a lady called Elsie Tanner who has a son just out of prison. It all happens in this lively Manchester ‘soap’. I like the adverts between the shows as well, “The Esso Sign means Happy Motoring” and “Put a Tiger in Your Tank”.

I’ve had two boyfriends since I started work. The first had a motorbike which I thought was great but mum was concerned because we didn’t wear crash helmets, well nobody does, do they? He’s gone. The second boy took me to see The Cobblers play one Saturday afternoon, went through the turnstile and left me to pay for myself. He’s gone as well.

I wish I hadn’t started smoking but when you sit on a bus to town upstairs and everybody else is doing it, you feel like joining in. I don’t indulge at home or at work, only when I’m out although I might as well, as the pubs smell of smoke. Even mum and dad smoke which means that the ceiling turns yellow and has to be painted every year.

Dad had us save all the Chronicle & Echo’s for him to cover furniture when he painted the kitchen at Easter. I like this daily paper because it’s all local news and the Situations Vacant pages are always full, giving details of jobs including hours of work and pay. Trouble is it’s so big and hard to handle.

Polly

First published in The Prattler Edition No. 443 – August/September 2021

The Story of Heyford (Extra): Dear Diary – Spring 1960

Fashions are changing rapidly. The mini skirt is in, thanks to Mary Quant, pillbox hats like Jackie Kennedy wears, beehive hairstyles like The Ronettes and false eyelashes. Hippies are wearing tie-dyed shirts and bell-bottoms. All great stuff. I had a Record Player last Christmas so I bought my first record by Elvis Presley, “It’s Now or Never”. Brilliant. I also had a Premium Bond from my auntie. They cost £1 and your number goes into a draw each month. They are known as ERNIE Bonds (that’s Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) and you can win prizes up to £1,000. Now, what would I do with all that money?

The first part of the M1 Motorway is now open and a new roundabout is in place at Upper Heyford. It isn’t lit and there is no speed limit at the moment but I bet that’ll change when more traffic gets on the roads.

Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in May in Westminster Abbey and it was shown on Television. Her brother-in-law, The Duke of Edinburgh, gave her away because her father, George VI, had died. The love of her life was Peter Townsend but he was divorced so thought not suitable.

The new Village Hall was officially opened in May as well, by Viscount Spencer. It’s been ongoing for months, built entirely by volunteers from the village, and social functions have been held regularly in the Foresters Arms to raise money to build it. What a great asset this will be for everyone. I look forward to enjoying many happy
events here in the future.

They’ve dismantled the old stone coach bridge crossing the river near the mill and replaced it with a concrete footbridge. It’s not as charming as the old one but we don’t have horse & carts any more so it makes sense I suppose. The old bridge was best for playing Pooh sticks though.

My cousin lives in Far Cotton and I go to stay with her sometimes. Sad to say they are closing one of our haunts there which is the Tivoli cinema, just down the road from her house. Still, the nearby Railway Club lives on. My uncle Jim is a train driver, like his dad before him, and used to live in the Railway Cottages up Furnace Lane. He said you get used to the noise of the trains.

I hear that we are to have seats around the edge of the green which will be handy for watching the football and cricket matches. There’s also to be a new Secondary school at Bugbrooke, that’ll be better for Heyford pupils but not me as this is my last year at school. I shall be 15 in July, the week before I leave.

The old gasworks along the Bugbrooke Road are being dismantled now natural gas is here. I hope they leave the poplar trees but get rid of the scrap by the old shed, it’s an eyesore.

A gun club is being formed and they are to use the shed at the gravel pits. I hope we can still go for walks there when they start as it’s beautiful in the Spring when the flowers are out.

The Methodist Church has closed and the building is to be used as a youth club. I wasn’t a member of this church but for a while some of us joined in a sing-song occasionally with Noel Stanton but I think he now just preaches in Bugbrooke.

When we went out to play on Saturday “old Peet” was on the prowl, that’s Mr. Peet, the local bobby. He lives in Bugbrooke but cycles to Heyford regularly. He keeps his eye on us but we know how to avoid him, so we went down the river to play on the island, out of his way. This island is only there when the water’s low and, if you dare, you can climb onto a pipe attached to the bridge and jump down, then you need to jump from the island onto the bank, great fun, just like The Famous Five. I love reading about The Famous Five, they have such fun.

My uncle and his family are visiting from Yorkshire at Easter and they have a car so we get to visit places like Banbury Cross, Leamington Spa and Everdon Stubbs. The family stay with my aunt and uncle up The Peak, but we have lots of visitors in our house over the time they are here because this was always the ‘family’ home.

I’m now looking for a job because I leave school in July when I shall be 15. The Careers Officer is coming to school to talk to each of us and give us some guidance on our future career. I think I’d like to learn shorthand and typing and I love English so maybe an office job. I’m ready for a new challenge.

Polly

First published in The Prattler Edition No. 442 – June/July 2021