| Rick |
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When I was young I kept rabbits and if you were a member of the local association you could buy an allocation of bran from the Warehouse at the end of Station Road for your pets. I used to collect a small sack of bran and carry it home on my bike to feed my rabbits. I used to show my rabbits in the local show which used to be held in the Albert Hall in High Street behind the shop which is now Tescos. My dad used to help me take the rabbits to the Hall for the show and once one of the rabbits got out of the box we had him in and into the High Street. He was fairly tame and we managed to get him back in the box.
Editor's note: Thanks for that Rick - does anyone else remember the show for rabbits, birds etc? Or the warehouse in Station Road.The Albert Hall behind where Tesco now is - lots of parties held there - I think there was one for VE Day. Let us know what you remember - otherwise no one will ever know.
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| Chris |
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I don't remember the Rabbit/Bird shows, but I do remember a few us (High School girls 16 to 17) organising a party at the Albert Hall and inviting School boys, we played games like Hyde Park Corner and had a few dances. Absolutely no alcohol, never gave it a thought, it would seem a very tame affair to todays teenagers. We also had a couple of parties at the Tin Hut on Foundry Road
Remember the Warehouse on Station Road too, but didn't buy rabbit food from there (Until my own children had a rabbit) I had to get up each morning and go out collecting greenstuff and Mum used to mash up tea leaves and porridge oats, which 'Blackie' loved.
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| John Tyers |
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I think that would be Mr Proctor's warehouse in Station Road beyond Motors & Tractors, the Ford agents. I fed a rabbit of ours on bran Rick thinking it would be good for him but sadly too much bran was'nt right for his system and he demised! He looked like an old wild rabbit but was very tame; we were all upset when he went.
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| Patrick |
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I think the warehouse at the end of Station Road (backing on to the river) would have been Proctor Bros. grain and feed merchants.
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| betty |
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I too remember the Albert Hall as I attended Sunday School there when Mr. Williams was the Caretaker, it was attached to the Congregational Church. We had lovely Christmas Parties and we were taken to Wickstead Park in the Summer, you could only go if you attended Sunday School on a regular basis.
I too attended the dances at the Tin Hut when I was in my last year at the High School I think they cost us 2s 6d
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| Phil Rudkin |
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The gateway memories of breeding rabbits brought me back to the late 40s. At school and 12 years old, in 1948. I purchased a tame, female Dutch Rabbit. It was a Black/White form and was a great pet. A year later, I bought the 'Fur and Feather' magazine. I then got in touch with Mr. Munton, who lived in Drift Avenue. He was an expert, and he took me under his wing, and gave me instructions as to how to present my rabbit in the local shows. I loved entering the shows. My friend and next door neighbour, Christine Freear had a male Dutch Rabbit (can't remember its colour). However, we agreed to put them together, and as we were only children, were fascinated in their mating. Remember we did not have TV in those days, so we did not have the amazing programmes of the wild to study. We put in extra straw in the hutch (as instructed). Eventually. as I arrived home in Essex Road one teatime from school, I rushed down the garden to the hutch and stared at the large nest my female had built. Disappointed at first. Then, suddenly the straw moved, and I ran to the house to tell my Mum that we had youngsters. They became healthy and grew well. We had little money in those days, just after the war. So, I waited until dark (October, and the nights pulling in), I then got a sack, and walked down the end of Essex Road, down the long path by the side of the cemetry, then up to Little Casterton Road to Williamson Cliff farmyard. Finding the first hay stack, I managed to pull some straw away and fill up my sack. This I did for many nights. Very creepy for a 14 year old!
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