I Remember Blisworth

 by Andy Newbery

Here are some things I remember of Blisworth as a boy;

Sunday mornings, which always seemed sunny and fresh, as I lay in bed would bring sounds of the following:

Kids playing along Connegar Leys
Three bells chiming at the Church for morning service
The screech of the ironstone quarry crane and the chuffing of the quarry engines
The chugging of loaded barges wending their way through the village along the canal.

Thruppenny "Lucky Bags" on Saturday afternoons from Russell Smith's grocery van.
The smell of bread along the High Street from Mr. Sturgess's bakery.

Taking school meal leftovers to "Pappy" (Joseph) Stewart's pigs with Clackers (Philip Clarke) after dinner at school.
The squeal of pigs from the old bacon factory and its smoking chimney.

Playing school football every Thursday with Mr. Piggott in Mr. Bonsor's field, among cowpats and thistles.
The sound of Mr. Piggott's "Marks, se.....t!  GO!" on Sports Day.

Berty the milkman and the smell of his pipe in the morning.
Mr. Sturgess and his bread basket at the door.
Mr. Baker, the fishmonger, Mr. Thoms' big fish and chip van every Friday night - after the Walls Ice Cream van had been round.

"Penny for the Guying" before bonfire night.
"Handball tennis" with "Tiggy" Whitlock and others in Connegar Leys on long summer evenings.

The smell of paint in the school cloakroom after holidays were over.
School assemblies with Miss Hare and hymns such as "Glad that I live am I" and "He who would valiant be".
The Bird and Tree competition at school.

The "Milk Race" through the village and the big turn out in the High Street.
Collecting car numbers, sitting under the old elm tree during school holidays.
Being taken by Mum to see the "Royal Scot" down the railway crossing and the smell of steam smoke from the massive engines.

"Running Cockerell one-two-three" played in the playground.
Mr. Johnson, the butcher in Stoke Road, and Norman Philips delivering the Mercury and Herald in his old Escort van every Thursday.
The school trip to London Zoo on the steam train with Mr. Piggott and Miss Hare and others.
"Must be Santa" sung with Mr. Piggott at Christmas Parties.
My Blisworth School blazer, short trousers and cap with badge.

The smell of the canal while fishing.  Loaded barges or "waivers" always ruining any of my bites.
Show-jumping in  Mr. Osborne's farm field.
Sledging in Mr. Bonsor's field on freezing snowy winter mornings.

Playing in the bales after harvest, making tunnels and throwing pulled-up stubble shoots at each other in mock battle.

Do any of these things ring any bells?

As Blisworth Kids, these are a few of the day-to-day things we shared.  This was the late 50s and early 60s, which have now virtually passed into history.  They were part of a boyhood in a beautiful village

The memories of which will last forever.

Andy Newbery, April 2011