| Subject: |
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Memories of the Village before the byepass in th emid 1950's |
| Name: |
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Bruce Allen |
| Date Posted: |
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Sep 19, 07 - 8:05 PM |
| Email: |
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brucew.allen@btinternet.com |
| Message: |
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Although I have now lived in Burton On Trent for 40 years, the first 21 years of my life were spent as a resident of Stilton and I visited Stilton regularly throughout the intervening years to see my mother who continued to live in Stilton until shortly before her death just over a 18 months ago.
The changes that have occurred to the village since 1966 when I married and moved to pastures new appear to be legion.
Perhaps the residents of modern Stilton might like to have some insight into what Stilton was like before 1958 when the A1 byepass was built.
I am sure there are people residing in Stilton now who were residents when I lived there and between us perhaps we can create a true picture of those days. The village population in the mid 1950s was I believe around 700
Before the byepass and for a few years afterwards the village which consisted of the Main road, Church Street , Fen street, Fen Lane (now called Oak Road) and Ermine Crescent - to my recollection there were no other roads. Fen Street continued eastward to a point approximately where the current A1(M) service is and turned sharply right and connected with Fen Lane which continued on 'down the fens'.
It was in a wooden bungalow (now gone) about two miles down Fen Lane that I lived for the first 4 years of my life with my Mother and father, Grandmother, grandfather and Uncle.
In 1949, I think it was, my parents and I moved into our first home of our own in the newly built Ermine Crescent.
The first phase of Ermine Crescent was to consist of 11 pairs of semi detached houses.
In The early 1950's Stilton had three maybe four pubs, The Bell, The Talbot, The Cheese and I think Maybe The Plough. The Plough was I think right up the north end of the village and is today a house.
The village also had an Hotel/Restaurant (The Angel) , a Cafe, a Grocers - George Smiths now Browns, two bakeries. Known to us as Bottom Chapmans and Top Chapmans, a newsagents, a Fish and Chip shop with restaurant, and a second Fish and Chip shop. A proper village policeman - Mr Webster next door to a house which served as a bookies agent.
A post office run by Mr & Mrs Taylor- I think. A joiners and undertakers, still the same today I think and still in the same family. A coal merchant. A milkman - Joe Williams who lived down Fen Street. Joe delivered milk from a bicycle and trailer which contained his milk churn and from which milk was dispensed to your jug with his scoop.
We had a garage with petrol pumps run by Mr Boon which was between The Angel and Church Street.
We also had TRAFFIC because the Great North Road ran through the village. However by todays levels of traffic the amount experienced then was unbelievably light.
I hope that this post might stimulate further memories by older Stilton residents to those byegone days. It would be nice to compile a full history on the village at that time. |
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