MEMORIES OF BEESTON
My memories start in 1951 at Swaffham Hill Dereham as I waited for a lorry with my Mother and sisters Julie, Delphine and Marilyn on board, it picked me up and then on to Scarning Dale to pick up the final member of the family, my sister Josie, and then it took us all to Beeston. The communal Site was our destination and we were all back together after quite a few years apart, and I found it very exciting.
I can remember the site had a watch tower, dug-out and nissan huts none of which any of us had seen before, and last but by no means least paintings of Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth on the walls of the huts.
I think I am correct in saying there were three other similar sites in Beeston, all had been occupied by American Airman during the war years.
We were surrounded by open fields and with plenty of spare land we lived quite well. My Mother kept chickens and grew fruit and veg in our very large garden which we acquired. Nearby was a Mr King's field which kept us supplied with mushrooms which we picked early in the morning. Also with apples and this brings back another memory that happened when I was about 11. My Granddad was staying with us at the time. My sister Josie and I decided to pick apples from Mr King's orchard. We had just climbed the tree when a bull appeared from nowhere and was pawing at the tree trunk. We were terrified and screamed for our Mother. Without any hesitation our Granddad ran across the field and helped us down and to safety (what a hero!). Needless to say we never tried that again.
I spent about 9 months at Beeston Primary School before going on to Litcham Secondary Modern School where I spent 4 years. Mr Bishop was Headmaster and his wife was our music teacher. Mr Petch the Deputy Head was a very nice, kind man. Mr Pendleton was the school heart throb, he was a gentle man and very kind to us all . Along with most of the girls in school I was in love with him! He was one of the handsomest men I have ever known.
As we lived more than three miles from Litcham school we were issued with bicycles and every few months we lined up in the playground with our bikes and Mr Petch checked them for damage and wear and tear. As there were 3 of us, at the school, of course we were all in the line up. We usually needed brake blocks, new tyres and tubes because when we arrived home our stepfather would remove anything new and replace them with used parts. He made up second hand bikes using the new parts from our school bikes. Poor Mr Petch we went through this procedure again every three months or so. I'm sure he knew what was happening but he kept a straight face and said nothing, as I said he was a very kind man.
I think everyone in the village went strawberry picking at Major Napier Wilson's my sisters and I certainly did. When I was 141 was offered a Saturday job at the Napier-Wilson's looking after Jane and Andrew and when I was 15 I was asked if I would like to live-in. It was then I saw how the `other half lived. I also saw my first TV programme 'Dixon of Dock Green' I found it all very exciting.
My family moved from Beeston when I was 16 and I moved soon after that. There are some happy and some very sad memories of Beeston. So many years have passed and such a lot has happened in my life. I now live in Lancashire and I have been married and widowed. Sadly my mother and sisters Julie and Delphine are no longer with us.
It is over 50 years since we drove to Communal Site on the back of that lorry, so much has happened but the memories of that day are still very clear and I remember how happy we all were to be together again after so long apart.
Denise Green (formerly Spaull)
