Reminiscences

50 Years in Helmdon

Judy Cairns: Thoughts about her life during her days in Helmdon which began 50 years ago.

A Lockdown Experience

Val Smith: What do you do when you are confronted by a line of waiters and told to forego your dinner and vacate the hotel immediately?

A Young Wives Tale

Sue Lidgley: The social history of the past fifty years against the backdrop of the Young Wives Club, which started in 1970.

An Extract from My Autobiography

Derek Ratledge: Extracts from Derek's autobiography, written for his grandchildren, which highlight his early years in the locality.

Cross Lane Reminiscences

Ken and Marjorie Watson: Marjorie and her husband, Ken, recall the houses on Cross Lane, Helmdon in the early 1900s.

From Hillingdon to Helmdon – and the Rest Is History

Audrey Forgham: Memories from someone who has delighted in researching and recording the history of Helmdon for thirty years

Gardening Club: Reminiscences juliaMcAuliffe

Happy Memories of Helmdon School

The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave: Linked from Niki Phillips' reminiscences of Helmdon School.

Helmdon 2020 (a poem)

Lee Alfandary: A poem about the 2020 pandemic, part of the Lockdown Lowdown project.

Helmdon Lockdown Lowdown

Helmdon Local History Group: The Lockdown Lowdown project page, gathering villagers' memories of the 2020 lockdowns.

Helmdon School in the 1940s

Margaret Watts: Margaret recalls memories, and draws on lesson notes written by her mother, Lucy Edden, who was a teacher at Helmdon School on the staff of the well remembered Miss Barnes in the…

Helmdon Young Husbands – The Early Years

Chris Gartside: The history of the Helmdon Young Husbands Organisation (HYHO), which started up in the mid (nineteen) eighties.

Helmdon: A Village in Lockdown – The First Devastating Weeks

Audrey Forgham: A lockdown diary. The first devastating weeks of the pandemic, written for posterity, from the point of view of an "oldie"

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Living and Working in Helmdon

Julie Crouch: Reminiscences of living in Helmdon and teaching at the school

Memories of Helmdon School

Viv Watson: Viv was at Helmdon School in the 1950s, remembering the warm milk at break time, the tapioca pudding with dollops of jam, not to mention the raps on the knuckle for wrong…

Memories of Jerry Gascoigne, Blacksmith

Derek Ratledge and Ronald Jeacock: A blacksmith in Helmdon in the 1900s whose forge was at Greystones on Church Street.

Memories of the Bell Inn

David Brookhouse: His memories of life at the pub in the 70s and 80s, and the dance hall and chicken farm.

Memories of Two World Wars

Alice Hearne: One of Helmdon's longest-lived residents, Alice remembers two World Wars, her evacuation to Helmdon and her return after retirement to see out her days here.

Millennium Parties in Cross Lane

Denise Powell: Who has opened her photo album to share photos of Cross Lane Celebrations, particularly of the Millennium

My Early Memories of Helmdon

Ann Smith: More from Ann about her early memories of married life in Helmdon and her farming years

My Happy Helmdon Days

Andrew Gulliver: Who still has affection for his childhood days at Helmdon School and the Baptist Chapel although he has not lived here since he was 11 years old

My Memories of Helmdon Primary School 1965–1972

Joanne Phillips (née Smith): Linked from Niki Phillips' reminiscences of Helmdon School.

Notes for Within Living Memory

Ann Smith: Notes for Within Living Memory including recollections from Noreen White, Alan Watson and Mrs Holloway.

Of Wine and Wild Flowers

Nancy Wheeler: Helmdon flora as recorded by a local amateur naturalist and homemade wine and spirits connoisseur.

Oral Reminiscences – Bob Wallis

Bob Wallis: Bob and his wife Gay moved to Helmdon from Somerset in 1979 and lived in the village before moving to Shropshire in 2001.

Oral Reminiscences – Christine Skinner

Christine Skinner (née Russell): A childhood growing up in Helmdon in the 1960s and 70s, with discos at the Reading Room and going to the Chapel youth club.

Oral Reminiscences – Cis Terrey

Cis Terrey: Born in 1919, Cis lived for 65 years at The Lilacs on Wappenham Road before moving to Church Street with her daughter, Celia.

Oral Reminiscences – Cora Russell

Cora Russell: Born in Helmdon in the 1920s, Cora recalls the rich farming heritage of Helmdon, including when Priory Farm was a bustling dairy.

Oral Reminiscences – Helmdon in the 1930s and 40s

Elizabeth Monck (née Kirwan): Memories of Helmdon in the 1930s and 40s when it was a hive of activity with several pubs and shops, and no fewer than two train stations!

Oral Reminiscences – Jean Spendlove

Jean Spendlove: The life and times of one of Helmdon's most fascinating residents, who has been the Parish Clerk, the churchwarden and lay reader.

Oral Reminiscences – Jim Watson

Jim Watson: There have been Watsons in the village since at least the beginning of the 19th century. This is the story of Helmdon's two great industries: farming and stone quarrying.

Recollections of “Field View” in Pre-war Days

Mary Turnham: Mary remembers Field View and Christmases working for her grandfather, the poultry dealer.

Recollections of Childhood at Grange Farm

Marjorie Watson: Life at The Grange, Helmdon when it a rambling farmhouse with no electricity and only lanterns outside to see to milk the cows.

Recollections of My Time as Vicar of Helmdon

John Roberts: The vicar of Helmdon from 1993 to 2005 recalls church life and ministry at St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon.

Reminiscences of Evacuation

Malcolm Care: The story of an eight year old boy, evacuated from Kent to Whitfield and then Helmdon during the Second World War.

Reminiscences of My Life in Helmdon

Cec Harrold: Involved in so much, achieving so much, Cec is a real asset to a village community.