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May 3, 2011 by talkaboutbletchley
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read your thread on all the fun of the fair and Valentin,Ord & Nagle as I have found an ERF lorry that is ex Valentin and then went onto Scarrotts Funfair
Hopefully the above link works if not call me on 07714953447
Regards Dave Stretton
Hi 3robbie3. I have asked this question on another site but would like to ask it here as well. Does anyone know which is the very oldest building in Bletchley/Fenny. I am sure there is one but heaven knows which.
Also, I have asked about the old Army/RAF camp up the Buckingham Road which was opposite where Saint’s School is now. No one seems to know anything about it, but it was there in the early 50’s, the buildings had gone but the foundations were still visible. Does anyone have any ideas?
I can most certainly remember the site of the old Army camp on the Buckingham Road in the 50s, it was almost opposite the Saints School wasn’t it? Also, there was a much smaller camp in Church Green Road; this was located just past the old CofE School on the right hand side as you head towards Shenley Road. We have a request for a photograph or information regarding this so if you know where we can find anything please let me know.
As regards the oldest building in Bletchley/Fenny Stratford, I will ask my colleagues this one. As you know there are quite a few old dwellings locally so that’s an interesting question – will come back to you.
I’ve just started looking at the site and have made one comment. I’m registered with Word Press as well as on Facebook. Can’t see how to add a picture so would appreciate some help as a newbie. Many thanks.
Oh dear, I feel a bit foolish now! I’ve seen how to post and that I can add photos – how much more obvious could it be? Apologies!
Scratching my head again! I left a couple of posts by clicking on the button at the top of the page – but they don’t appear on this site, only on my WordPress blog. Does anyone know either what I am doing wrong or what is happening? I don’t know if it makes any difference whether I log on with my FB account or with this WordPress one? Trying both. Many thanks.
Yes, I left a post just after my brother Mike Green a few weeks ago that did not appear here, but another comment I made did?
Hi Nick, I’m sorry that your valued blog has not appeared on our site, also it appears that Jean has also had problems. I have passed this on to our site Manager for his comments.
No problem, I wrote quite a long post about my early years in Bletchley & my dad`s shop. He sadly died on Octiober 15th; John Green. He was posted to Bletchley Park during the war & in the 50`s, after we came back from Cyprus, he came back to Bletchley & started a business. Our house was 11 Selbourne Ave. I went to school at Bletchley Road Junior School & Bletchley Grammar. I still talk to one of my ex teachers, Phil Pilcher who is now 80 & still lives in Newton Longville. My brother is Mike Green who has written a couple of posts here. I`ll post a few more little stories about life in Bletchley as kids. I certainly had some lovely memories.
Hi – I can see how to leave a comment, but how do I enter a new post and upload images?
I am logged in via my WordPress account.
Nick – I’ve found three comments from you on two different posts: two on the Tin Shops story and one on the ‘Mod’ or Rocker’? piece. All were on 26 October. Michael also has a comment on ‘Mod or ‘Rocker’?
Should there be any others? I look forward to reading more ‘little stories’ from you.
Hi. Yes many thanks for the Links I think every thing I posted is there! Finger trouble by me I am afraid! Although in my defence that was a very difficult period for us with losing Dad. I am certain we will both write some more little stories very soon. It`s wonderful what the brain can recall once it gets going! Thanks again.
Response to qsfe8
In order to submit posts you have to be registered on this blog. You’d have to send your email details to me at bchi.info@gmail.com and I could then set the process in motion. Would you want to add things on a frequent basis or just now and then?
Herb
Hi
I’ve got an old photo of my mum, Maria, sitting outside Mokaris on her break. Not sure where to post it, but I wanted to share it with you all. Here’s a direct link to the photo: http://www.c64endings.freeolamail.com/files/scan_of_mum.jpg
Like the picture Vince 🙂
Please can we have the ‘recently posted’ widget back at the top of the home page? It’s the only way I know that someone has posted a new comment or thread. Much appreciated 🙂
I do get new comments on threads I’m following by email, Vince, ticking the box below – but not for new threads. Be good to see the widget back for those! 🙂
Have forwarded your comments on to our site manager Vince.
Many thanks 🙂
Can anyone help me please. Earlier in the year, when I was on line on this site, and I accessed a comment and wanted to come out and return to the full page again, I would click on a white arrow at the top left of the screen. This has now disappeared and so, when I read comments and want to return, I have to come out of the site completely and then log in again. How can I get the arrow back. Help. It’s so irritating.
Now for instance, after posting a comment, I will have to log out and then come back in again to continue looking at more threads. So time consuming.
Hi all
Has anyone else experienced this? If so, please let me know. If not – Sandra, have you installed new antivirus software on your machine? I have ‘Avira’ at home and it forces a web menu bar on me that sits on top of some of the controls for this site. Could it be something like that?
I don’t believe Sandra’s problem has anything to do with the Talk About Bletchley site. The arrows I believe Sandra mentions function not only on Talk About Bletchley, they function on any other other site you may have displayed, toggling the screen back and forward. I tend to agree with the anti-virus theory, quite often also if you have two anti-virus software programs installed they can conflict with each other and cause problems. Also, it might be an idea to reinstall the browser and hopefully the arrows on the menu should reappear.
I have a menu list on the right hand side of the comments page, so just go to that. I don’t recall seeing any white arrows at all! I do have the page back and page forward arrows on my Google tool bar (black in my case!). Are they what you mean? If not, I’m flummoxed! But they are definitely browser rather than site arrows.
PS I did enable tool bar view in the settings.
Just browsing this morning and had a thought. Was Bletchley Road Cinema purpose built, and when? When did it finally close it’s doors? And lastly, can anyone remember the very last film they saw there, and roughly when it was?
Was that the Studio you are talking about, Sandra? I ‘m pretty sure it was purpose built. Although my mum’s memory is very poor, she can sometimes retrieve old ones and I’ll ask if she can remember when she first went with my Aunt. (She lived in Bletchley from 1934 and holidayed there with my aunt and uncle before that.) We used to go to the other cinema, on the Watling Street, to Saturday Morning Pictures. No fears then about letting children go out on their own!
Just Googled the Studio on Bletchley Road – it was opened 5th October 1936, Sandra, showing “Mr Deeds Goes to Town!”
Thank you Jean. Just to let you know I am waiting for your book to arrive, I bought it from Amazon last night, I can’t wait to read it. By the way, the last film I saw at ‘The Studio’ was ET in 1985.
I do hope you enjoy the book, Sandra, and aren’t disappointed! ET? I’m sure I went to the Studio after we moved away from Bletchley, when I stayed there a bit longer in the school holidays if not on an ordinary weekend visit. But I really don’t remember now! The last time can’t have been later than about 1960… (By the way, the County Cinema was on the Watling Street.)
Hmmm… Your memory failing you there Sandy? ET was 1982. Could it have been Back to the Future? That was on at the Studio, I think, but we went to The Point to watch it, which was my first film there.
Last film I saw there was Bonnie & Clyde! I took my then girl friend Bev Cowley who was Luing Cowley’s daughter (Cowley & Wilson) Garage. He was a Magistrate so was always on best behaviour. We bought Ice Cream from the girls who used to walk round with trays that hung round heir necks & were lit by one light. Do you remember them?
Yes, I remember the County Cinema Jean, we moved here from Brighton in 1952, I wasn’t allowed to go there for some reason. I’m sure I will love your book, I have several about Bletchley. The book called ‘Bigger, Brighter, Better’ comes to mind as I am in it three times. It’s not that I loved the camera, in fact I hate having my photograph taken, it’s just that I must have been in the right place at the wrong time Lol.
You could be right there Vince, but, if it was late 82, and I saw it in early 83, that would only have only been three months later. Don’t forget, we were only a small town, and I’m sure we didn’t get the films as soon as they were released, as Milton Keynes does now. I only say this because I have 1983 indelibly imprinted on my mind. And we are talking over 30 years ago. It’s amazing when I think that I came here in April 1952 when I was almost 9 and in April this year, I had accrued 61 years of memories of the old place. Where has the time gone?
Where indeed, Sandra? The County was a bit shabby and downmarket from the Studio, so maybe that was why you weren’t allowed to go. (cinema opened in 1911 and was taken by County Cinemas in 1927.) Or maybe it was because things could get a bit raucous on a Saturday morning! The manager soon sorted that out each time, though.
I have a book called “Bletchley Voices,” to which some of the Blanes contributed. It has some interesting old pictures, too. I’ll have to look out for “Bigger, Better, Brighter!”
Oh, and of course I remember the ice cream girls – the usherettes.
Jean, do you remember the usherette at the studio, she was an older lady, always wore black, and had a very fierce temper. Why she got so angry and used to rush down the aisles flapping her arms about and shouting, was beyond me as we were all angels, sitting quietly in our seats, never making a sound – not.
Strangely enough – there was also a similar old lady usherette in black when I used to go to the Studio as a kid. Could it be the same lady? Was she actually a ghost?
I’ll check ‘Bletchley Voices’ tomorrow Jean. I think it’s the one that my husband was looking at a few months ago and suddenly realised he was on the back cover, a small boy, all dressed up to take part in a school play. I’ll let you know.
Hi Jean, I have had a look at ‘Bletchley Voices’ and it is as I thought. If you open the book with the cover upwards, there are some children dressed up, my husband is the little boy, second in from the left, with a black hat perched on the back of his head.
Bless him!
I don’t remember the usherette, Sandra – but I don’t think I went to the Studio as a young child so maybe I missed out on that performance! When we lived in Bletchley my mother and aunt used to go once a week, while the men babysat. With us living on Western Road and my aunt on Cambridge Street, they didn’t have far to go!
Jean, IT HAS ARRIVED, and I just can’t wait to start reading it. I am usually so impatient, but I am forcing myself to save it until I go to bed, I usually read for half an hour or so.
Oh, I do hope you enjoy it Sandra and I hope it brings back more of your own memories. Please let me know what you think – truthfully!
It’s a lovely book and a nice read. I’m of a different generation, but it still takes me back. I’ve got the book on my Kindle.
I certainly will Jean.
Thanks, Sandra – and thank you very much for the kind endorsement, Vince! 🙂
It took me until 1am to finish the book Jean, a very good read, it brought back memories to me that had been long forgotten. You are so lucky to have all those family photographs, I have none myself. Would you mind very much if I now donated the book to Bletchley Library, I’m sure there are people who would also love to read it. I am now looking forward to the next book with anticipation.
Thanks Sandra, glad you enjoyed it. I sent Bletchley Library a copy for their archive but of course I’d be glad for you to donate yours for lending. The more people who enjoy it, the happier it makes me. (If I’d written it for the money I should be VERY disappointed! lol)
The next book? I don’t know… I’ve started writing one that is just anecdotes from my later life but can’t seem to find the time to crack on with it at the moment. Just have to see how it goes. As I said in the book, letting grandchildren know what life was like for me as a child was my real motivation for writing this one.
I have written a book of verse that is free on Kindle from tonight through Sunday.
It is also in paper back, if you are interested.
Hi Jean, I’m just surfing some of the older posts and came across this one. Hope you are well and getting on with your next book.
Regards
Sandra Waite
Oops! Didn’t realise that the book cover would show up on both links… 😀
Hi Jean, two years later. just browsing this morning. How is the next book coming along?
Hi. This is Vinny (AKA Vince / Vincenzo) in Bletchley.
I was speaking to my daughter yesterday about postcodes for Bletchley, which got me on to thinking what the postcodes were BEFORE Milton Keynes came along. Does anyone know or remember?
Hi Vince, I seem to remember that in 1952, our address was
13 St Clements Drive
Saints Estate
Bletchley It could possibly have been Far Bletchley
Bucks.
I don’t seem to remember any sort of postcode,but I I have probably got it wrong.
Hi Sandy!
Hmmmm… so maybe there weren’t any Bletchley postcodes before MK?
Anyone else remember/know?
Does anyone know the story about the post box right next to Bletchley Station, it was something about it being the first one in Bletchley. Any ideas anyone?
A few related facts, cobbled together post haste:
The first four houses in Bletchley Road were built in 1886 for John Hill, father of Edgar Hill, and the only post facility in Bletchley Road was a letter box cleared twice a day. Letters were delivered in the town three times a day from the central office at Bletchley station. This was later occupied by the Railway Servants’ Coffee Tavern. A sub post office was opened by a Mr. Alderman in premises later occupied by a Mr. Bushell at the corner of Bletchley Road and Oxford Street. In 1902 Hedley Clarke took over from him and opened the post office in his own premises at 41, Bletchley Road, the hours being 8am to 8pm. It later moved to a different location and the old shop became Ramsbotham’s florist shop. In 1947 Hedley Clarke received a certificate of thanks from the Postmaster General for 45 years service for Post Office.
How do you do it John? Amazing! Thank you.
I’ve given up women – so I need something to keep me occupied!
Will look up the register office info tomorrow.
Hi Sandra
Bletchley Register Office
This is a condensed extract from June 1978
Regarding the Queensway register office, the Labour candidate for North Bucks, John Fryer, said the ‘chaos’ they face if they choose a public wedding in the city is enough to make a bride and bridegroom weep. He urges the county council to provide a ‘decent and modern’ register office for Milton Keynes, and says the ‘utterly inferior and inadequate office in Queensway is the worst in the county. “Not only is it tatty and unimpressive, but there are no parking facilities whatsoever.” He added that on Saturday mornings with 7 or 8 weddings due to take place there is often “complete chaos.” The county council were apparently considering transferring the register office to Bracknell House – which “At least has a large car park.” “We have been waiting for long enough for a register office in which people can actually look forward to getting married.” A county council spokesman said “We accept that the conditions of the Queensway premises are very unsatisfactory, both from the point of view of the register office and also the accommodation occupied by the magistrates’ clerks.” He said earlier in the year they approved in principle the transfer of the register office to Bracknell House. Detailed plans were being prepared and when complete these would go to the county council for financial approval.
Also farcical (if not totally unexpected) was the experience at MK Central Library this morning to find the info! The machine that was supposed to be fixed wasn’t fixed, displaying the page horizontally instead of vertically! The new all singing all dancing modern machine wouldn’t focus, and the very nice lady apparently wasn’t very au fait with the technicalities! What a waste of a parking fee! Thankfully quite a number of hard copy newspaper archives are kept at Wolverton library, which I think from now on is the best bet.
Thank you John, One again you have come up trumps. Did you manage to find out which new building occupies the land where the dear old register office was once situated? All I can remember is that it was a red brick house which must once have been a private residence, and you walked round the side to the front door. It could have been a semi. Oh, now it becomes even more of a puzzle. I wonder when it was built and who lived there in the day?
Hi Sandra
The article carries a photo of the house – by the seems of it a former private residence. Only a frontal view which doesn’t show the neighbouring premises.
I’ll enlarge the photo onscreen and see if any identifying features are apparent.
You never fail to find answers. Thank you John.
Hi Sandra
I enlarged the photo (which wasn’t of great clarity!) on screen but little else is apparent – except a Ford Escort parked on the forecourt!
In the article it seemed the County Council were pontificating about the move to Bracknell House, so presumably this occurred the following year.
Will therefore have a delve in the news archive when I’m next at the library.
I’ve no idea how to ‘post’ photos on this site but if it might be of romantic reminiscence(!) I could send it as an ‘attachment’ if you have an email address.
Regards
John
I’m not sure if it is wise to put my email address on line, what do you think?
Perhaps not – with all this ‘social media’ stuff in the news!
You can always view the microfilm at MK Central Library, and perhaps take a copy.
I’ll see if there’s any follow up on my next visit – and perhaps find the address from one of the directories.
(Also, somewhere I have some pre register office stuff on Bracknell House if it’s of any interest!)
Thank you John, I would be most interested to learn more about Bracknell House. Isn’t it strange that before it became the Register Office, for some reason, I never noticed there was a building there at all.
Hi Sandra
Yes, so many of the local buildings have an interesting, but largely unknown, past.
Herewith a few details regarding Bracknell House, and, as mentioned, I’ll try to find out some more of the recent history.
Regards
John.
In May 1856 a sale was held of furniture and effects at Bracknell House by direction of the Rev. Benjamin Bartlett, who was leaving the district. In the 1860s it housed Miss Elizabeth Bartlett’s seminary for young ladies, with Mr. Benjamin Bartlett of the same address. He died aged 75 in October 1878. It then seems to have been acquired by George Holdom (the brewer) and from him was rented in 1889 by Captain Verney, RN, MP, for six weeks, before the Captain’s return to Claydon House. Richard Selby Lowndes and his family stayed at Bracknell House while their future residence of Elmers (at Far Bletchley) was being built, and of his daughters (the ‘eight belles’) Eleanora Anna married John French (later Sir John French of WW1 note). Indeed it became their early home. (Eleanora is buried in St. Mary’s churchyard.) At least in 1907 the sizeable paddock attached to Bracknell House (with an entrance from Denmark Street) hosted the Hospital Sunday sports. In 1910 a Mrs. Beach advertised her need at the house for a ‘good general’ servant, ‘two in family,’ and from the end of September 1914 the house accommodated the surgery of Dr. Gurney Buxton. He died on military service at Gallipoli (a commemorative plaque is in St. Martin‘s Church) and in late 1915 the practice at the house was taken over by Dr. James Kelland, the sale of the effects of the late Dr. Buxton having ‘realised good prices.’ The following year Dr. Kelland fell foul of the wartime lighting regulations and was fined on two counts, one for having an unshaded gas lamp on the outside wall of his surgery. Following a later transgression he declared that he had been treated ‘most abominably.’ In September 1922 Bracknell House came up for auction and in 1930 it became the home of Thomas Orchard and his family, his wife advertising the need for ‘a superior help’ to take charge of three children. A maid was also kept. In April 1922 Mr. Orchard had been appointed as the northern surveyor to the county highways department, the division comprising the districts of Bletchley urban, Newport Pagnell urban and rural, and Winslow rural, and in 1939 he was also the area engineer for the ARP and Civil Defence. His daughter, Joan, married in 1949 and as Divisional Engineer Thomas retired in December 1951. He died the following year – in December. In 1958 Bracknell House was occupied by the local vet, Mr. J. Fraser, but in August of that year it would be purchased for £4,500 to accommodate the Bletchley offices of the County Council Divisional Engineer
I haven’t been on site for a few days and didn’t realise you had written this very informative post John. Another triumph. Where on earth do you get all this information? Here’s another poser. My husband and I had been chatting about the old lake with the little Island which was too far for him to swim to. On Monday, we were off to Costco. We drove down past Tesco on Watling street, round the roundabout and on towards the lake. I said, look, the little island is still there. I was referring to the lake we all used to go to, the one where the little boy drowned in the 50’s. My husband said that that definately wasn’t the one. (was it called Beacon Lake or The Gravel Pit or something like that?) I hope someone can settle this argument, but please make sure I’m right or I’ll never hear the end of it.
You mean the little lake in the middle of the roundabout? Ken Breedon (my neighbour) mentioned that to me a while back
No, it’s not in the middle of the roundabout. If you go down to where Tesco’s is, turn left and then around that system as if you are going to the old B&Q, go round to the right and you are heading towards the lake. There is a grassy island at the diatant end of the lake. OMG, this is so difficult to explain. Have I lost you? Did Ken Breedon go to Wilton when it first opened in the 50’s?
Hehehe… I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask him 🙂
Hi Sandra
Hope this isn’t trespassing on somebody’s site.
Re the lake, not too sure where you mean.
There was the Yard’s End gravel pit of Western Road, and the Denbigh gravel pits.
Herewith some info on the latter – of course the maps will give the actual location.
In 1858 trade for some no doubt came to benefit with the revival of the cattle market, held in Aylesbury Street, whilst for the Chequers, in the High Street, this welcomed a custom from local cricketers, who would adjourn there for dinner following matches at the aptly named Flannels Meadow. Chosen from being one of the flattest fields in the county, the location once hosted a match between the All England cricket team and the top hatted Gentleman of Bucks, but the site eventually became the Denbigh Road gravel pits.
A building firm well known in the town was that of Mr. Tranfield, but on the death in 1936 of the founder, his widow and her unmarried daughter, May, moved from Buckingham Road to a newly built house in Cottingham Grove. Another building firm of local renown was that of Hubert Faulkner, who started the gravel works off Denbigh Road. This appropriately became known as the ‘gravel pits’, and employing his father for a while, Hubert’s company constructed many houses in the town between the wars including many in Water Eaton Road and Eaton Avenue. (The houses in Beechcroft Road were built in 1938.)
Hi John, I was in the middle of replying last night and I must have used my FN key which blocked my wireless connection, silly me. I wonder if Hubert Faulkner was the grandfather or father to Brian Faulkner. Brian became a policeman at Stony. We also shared the fact that we had both been vocalists with a local band ‘Unit Six’
Back to the Lake. I will try another way of explaining where it is. If you stand with your back to the main doors into TKMax and look to your right, just over the road is the lake. I’m just trying to find out if that is the lake everyone used to swim in (not me tho’) and out at the far end was a little Island. I wonder if it was called The Gravel Pit? It is a 5 minute walk from Denbigh Road. It is the one where a little boy drowned in the 50’s. I was there that day and remember it vividly. By the way, Tranfield built my house, then a bit further along the road, Drabble took over. I’m just going to contact David Walmsley in California, I’m sure he used to swim there as a boy before he emigrated.
Hi Sandra
Dictated by my usual state of finance, charity shops are often my source of clothing but for the purpose of this exercise I’ve voyaged in the imagination to the more upmarket TKMax and assume the ‘mystery’ lake is Mount Farm Lake, complete with island, and bordered by the aptly named Inn on the Lake.
It was originally the Denbigh gravel pits worked from the late 1920s until just before WW2, and then became water filled and a popular spot for swimming recreation. In 1973 it was revamped by the embryonic Milton Keynes Development Corporation as one of the first balancing lakes for the ‘City.’
Oh well, I’ve just been through to the dining room and explained that this is the lake with the island where he used to swim. I need not have bothered because now, we’ve both got it wrong. I’m giving up now. Thank you for the info, at least I now know that it is the lake I thought it was.
Hi Sandra
A family claim to local fame?
Seems the Bishop of Buckingham blessed the oak gate of St. Margaret’s Church (now demolished) in (?) Bletchley Road (Queensway) to the late Mrs. Kate Waite.
Thanks John, I’ll ask my husband if he knows the name..
Hi John. I have just asked my husband (Alan) and Kate was his Aunt. Now he is intrigued and wonders why the gates were blessed in her name?
Hi Sandra
The year was 1948. Assuming this was the same person, she lived for many years in Milton Keynes (the village of course) and the gate was given to her memory by her two sons, Robert and Edward. Afterwards the Bishop conducted the first (apparently) confirmation in the church.
Hi Sandra
Some more info of the Waites – from WW1
Following a telegram from Cairo, which stated that 22 year old Private William Waite, of the Royal Bucks Hussars, had been seriously wounded, his parents, Thomas and Kate Waite, of Milton Keynes, then received telegraphic news on Thursday morning that he had died on Monday, June 11th. Suffering from bomb injuries to both legs, his chest and shoulder, he had been admitted to No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, El Arish, Egypt, on June 1st. Being the second son, from working on his father’s farm he had voluntarily enlisted in November 1915, and whilst in training at Tidworth was appointed lance corporal. However, he relinquished the non commissioned rank, and further prospects of promotion, in order to join the fighting unit of the County Yeomanry in Egypt, to where he was subsequently sent in early 1916. In the desert fighting against the Senussi tribe he displayed remarkable courage, and was a most popular member of his regiment. A fine athlete, he won many prizes on the running track and in wrestling competitions, both whilst training in England and also in Egypt.
(A memorial service to Trooper Waite, who had lived at Newport Pagnell, would be held in Milton Keynes Parish Church on Sunday evening, June 23rd, with being present amongst the numerous congregation his parents and three brothers. He is buried in the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.)
Hello. I wonder if anyone knows of an A.H. Cook who lived in Bletchley in 1932. I am restoring a vintage MG car he used to own and trying to research any history. Of course I’d love to find a photo if any exist.
Does anyone remember the bakery, at the top of Park Street ?
Originally called The Wheatsheaf Bakery, then, in later times. The CO OP Bakery.