Childhood in Norton Lindsey in the 1950s and 1960s

Looking at this site has recalled so many memories of my childhood. My name is Greg Gardiner and the family lived in Norton Lindsey for a number of years. We lived in a house known as Waylands on top of the hill opposite the Victoria sign post – my Dad , Sid, who worked for Roy Wyatt on the farm in the village (Norton Paddox), Mum did home help as it was known then in the village, my brother John who was 18 months older than me, and much later my sister Sarah who came along in 1969. Sadly my brother John passed away nearly five years ago.

Fantastic summers

I’m unsure when I was there with John, but do remember cycling to Hampton to the junior school, so I guess it was in the mid to late 1950s. We had some fantastic summers in the school holidays in the village, but also some very cruel cold winters with frost on the inside of the windows… We seemed to have some great fun in our early teens having being allowed air rifles (target and pest control), and occasionally getting into a spot of bother. Among our friends were Mick Parsons , Robert (Jiggler)Johnson, Linda Johnson, Jamie Taylor, and many more.

Then there was our attempt at being a music group. Robert Johnson, Jamie Taylor myself and one other who I forget at the moment, we used to practice in Mary Bingham’s garage in the village.

Holidays to the seaside were once a year prior to harvesting, always to Weston-super-Mare and only for one week. Don’t forget this would be pre motorways, and it was one heck of a journey on A and B roads in what would have been a small car, but it was just great to get away.

School

We were now attending Hugh Clopton School for boys in Stratford-upon-Avon. It was very scary, having come from a little village school to a very large 400 plus boys school with a similar amount of girls in the school next door. It was a very strict school, and an interesting bus journey or cycle ride of 7 miles to get there.

So other memories of mine: working at Watkins Roses in the school holidays, I was a paperboy delivering the Coventry Evening Telegraph, an odd job lad at Wigfield and Pluck timber store, and a milkman’s assistant (Mr Crompton)… and not forgetting helping my Dad on the farm.

Hope someone can relate to this article.