My mother lived the majority of her life in Sambourne at 74 Sambourne Lane, where my father also lived for 43 years. My mother’s family had roots in Sambourne as her mother was an Arnold and lived in the half timbered house at the cross roads of Sambourne Lane, Perrymill Lane and Jill Lane – I am led to believe that the house was originally rented from the Throckmorton estate.
Harry Arnold, the youngest child of the family, did quite well for himself and eventually became works manager at Heath Springs, purchasing their house and living in it for the remainder of his days When my grandmother became of working age she was consigned by the sister or the wife of the local vicar (Cannon Eagles) to two sisters who lived in Shropshire; there she worked as a house maid but was treated appallingly and ran away She then went to live with relatives in Heathfield Rd, Redditch, where she produced fishing tackle. Family visits had to be away from the village of Sambourne as the family had to profess that she was a most wicked and wayward daughter. If they did not, thanks to the good offices of the Throckmorton Family and the local vicar, they risked losing their home.
Subsequently my grandmother married a policeman who came from Coventry. How they met I have no idea but the police theme is consistent as my father’s maternal grandfather was a police constable in the village of Feckenham in Worcestershire. My maternal grandfather was a Houghton and upon marriage was serving in Malvern Link.
Launching a crime wave
An interesting episode in this era was that my grandmother’s sister who lived in Perrymill Lane Sambourne had a wayward son who was despatched to Malvern where his uncle, it was hoped, would have a good influence on the lad. Unfortunately this did not go as planned as the lad in question launched a mini, petty crime wave on the community and was duly returned. One consequence of this period at Malvern was a firm friendship which developed between my grandfather and a local farming family the Prices. My grandfather was subsequently transferred to Stourbridge where my mother Phyllis was born in 1920, but many happy family holidays were shared with the Price family on their farm. This link was further strengthened in later years. My mother was the youngest of three sisters and her eldest sister Lilly married an Ernest Dyer. She unfortunately died during the birth of her first child, which also did not survive. Ernest remained a firm family friend and eventually married Pamela Price; together they ran the post office in Studley for many years.
Buying houses in Sambourne Lane
On retirement from the police my grandfather bought the property which incorporated 72, 73 and 74 Sambourne Lane. This was effectively two homes, namely 72 and 74. My mother and her parents moved into 74 (her surviving older sister Edna was by this time training as a nurse) and my grandmother’s sister and family moved from Perrymill Lane into 72. At this time my mother was attending Alcester Grammar School and the plan was for her to go to university and go on to become an accountant. However fate took a hand and as my grandfather was returning from a drink at the village pub (the Green Dragon) he was struck by a motorcyclist who lost control of his machine – he subsequently died of his injuries. As far as I am aware he is one of only two road fatalities that have ever occurred in Sambourne. With her father’s death his police pension ended, so consequently my mother had to leave school at 14, and found work at the post office in Redditch.
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