| Clem |
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Clem sent some memories of the Prefabs in a posting re Prisoner of War camp Empingham Road. I thought it would be good to have this as a topic in itself as lots of people must remember those Prefabs. They were there for years. They looked very nice but must have been a bit cold in the winter?
Clem:
"the site was on the old football ground bottom of the essex road & in front of kings road, Northfields area, the old Fane school & green lane was to the left of this site. At the time I lived in Tolethorpe Square, & would play in the partly built pre-fabs & trenches they were digging."
Kate: Anyone else have memories of the prefabs?
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| Joan Stafford |
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My husband Geoff said the land used for the prefabs, was the best football pitch in town - 50 a side football matches and no trouble. 2 coats for goal post, and a borrowed football. Heartbroken when the land was taken for building prefabs.
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| Clem Walden |
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Hi-Joan, my dad told me that the football ground where the pre-fabs were built was used by the Daniels & St Georges football teams he played for both in the 20s-30s I remember the American troops being on that field at the end of the war, perhaps others may recall that. I was looking at some old photos in the Town Hall 1910 & Kings Rd the old spinny, green lane, & the corner shop all looked the same, as I remember them in 1947 the only change to the area in that 37 years that I observed from the photos was the building of the Fane school & a water tower in the green lane, next time they have the open days at the Town Hall, which I think will be 27th of June & 4th July its worth a visit so many old photos & records of Stamford from the past, school photos, streets, events, shops, the old swimming pool, I found lots of Stamford people that I know on several of these photos. even found a photo with my wife & I on in the high street when the Queen came in the 60s. Very interesting day out worth a visit.
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| john freear |
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Hi Joan,
Remember me to Geoff. I haven't seen him for some time
regards john
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| Joan Stafford |
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Will try to get to the Town Hall open day, will be very interesting, Geoff couldn't remember the Americans on that field, but remembers British soldiers on the Rec. thinks they might have been getting ready for D Day. Of course to young boys it was all great fun.
Do enjoy these memories, keep up the good work.
Kate: Thanks for that Joan - so pleased you are enjoying the memories makes my part in it worthwhile to me.
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| Patrick |
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In the 1930s the King`s Road football field was the main ground for the Stamford Rovers. Some of the other town teams used it on Thursday afternoons (there were some Thursday teams then) and the Daniels practised there when their own ground was unfit or they didn`t want to chew it up before a big game. Stamford Rovers seemed to be mainly a Williamson Cliff team.. I expect Clem knew some of the regular players like the Masons and the Wades.
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| Clem Walden |
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Hi Patrick, do indeed remember several of those players not personally but from the stories my Dad would tell me, have a photograph dated 1927 of St Georges team on the photo is my Dad "Gunner Green" "? Middleton" "? Laughton" "Buster Gibson", Dad would tell me about the Masons & the Wades & others, just wish I could remember all the names? I do remember him talking about the "Rovers" he told me they were a good local side, but not as good as St Georges? well! what else would he say, seems Stamford had a lot of great teams & players back then.
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| Patrick |
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`Buster` Gibson - there`s a name from the past. `Buster` lost a leg in the 1939-45 War and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry. After the war, he kept `The Roebuck` in Broad Street for several years. A very likeable man and a great character.
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| Clem Walden |
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Hi-Patrick, likeable man indeed was "Buster Gibson" he must have kept the "Roebuck" before the "Moston's" if that's the correct spelling?
as a young man I would often see "Buster" & have a drink with him my Dad told me he won the "Military Medal for Gallantry" however
Buster never mentioned this to me personally, he never claimed such fame he was a great guy. One other publican in the Town "Alf Pricket" who ran the "Millstone Inn" at the time was also a war hero he saved the life of a Stamford man named "Billy Rippon" (not sure about the spelling) but "Billy" also lost a leg in the war, these guy's in general never spoke about what they went through in the war. neither did thousands of others. many today tell me the World has changed? has it? or is it just the People in it that have changed? thanks for reminding all about "Busters Gibsons" gallantry. hope others may remember "Alf Pricket" & "Billy Rippon" all great guy's
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| John Tyers |
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I think Billy Rippon lost his leg in WW1 as I remember him around town when I was a kid. It didn't stop him riding his bike - he would balance on his crutch, leg deftly over the saddle and smartly away! He was still working in the late fifties at Allis-Chalmers and must have been over retiring age then.
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| Patrick |
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I remember Billy Rippon and his father both lost a leg. His father in the first War and Billy in the second. I can`t remember his father`s first name but he was known, rather unkindly, as `Cloggy`.
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| Clem Walden |
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Correct John it was the 1WW "Alf Pricket" from the "millstone" was the guy who saved him, "Billy" did work at Allis Charmers so did I in the 50s he also went fishing with the old Stamford Welland Angling Club I spent many a time on fishing outings with him, along with several others like Sid Graham, Steve Smith, Ken Bone, Kite Kettle, Roy Pearce, Stan Graham, Don Graham, Ralf Bains, Sis Bains, Alf Frear, & many more who,s names escape me at the moment. Fond memories.
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| christine pattinson |
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In the 1940's I lived at 4 Tolethorpe square, our house backed on to the football field. My mother never paid for a chimney sweep, instead she poured parrafin over a sack, pushed it up the chimney then set fire to it,this burnt off all the soot. On one occasion a football match was abandoned when they could not see the ball for smoke.
Kate: I just love that! When people thought up their own solutions to problems.
I bet your mother was well pleased at teatime, with a good fire going when you got back from school. Seriously though, I would not recommend trying this!
BE SAFE AND GET IN THE CHIMNEY SWEEP.
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