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Box People from the 1950s
Les Dancey October 2014 |
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Characters in the Village in My Time
Stan Brunt |
Stan Brunt
At Mill Lane railway halt, on the Box side of the line, there was a little ticket office and Stan Brunt was the part-time stationmaster. Stan used to live in Valens Terrace. (I could never understand how anyone managed to get planning permission to build a block of brick-constructed flats in Box, let alone in such a prominent position.) |
Stan was also the groundsman at the Rec. At one time, he was telling a few of us off for some reason but as he did so a pigeon flew overhead and dropped a message, which landed squarely in his face. We couldn't contain ourselves and ran off laughing.
Jerry Daley
Jerry Daley was an ex-boxer and Welsh middleweight title holder who also worked on the railways. He had fought people like the famous fighter Tommy Farr and, in his day, the contests used to go for fifteen rounds. I'm afraid to say that this left him with some brain damage and he was sometimes a little slow in his reactions.
His job was to blow a bugle to warn the guys working on the rail track that a train was approaching. Unfortunately, one day he was killed by an express train in the tunnel.
Tommy Best
When I was young, Box Mill was in operation and, indeed, my brother, Donald, worked there for a while. Across the river from there was Tommy Best's storage depot. His main shop was in Bath, where the New College was built, alongside Green Park Railway Station.
He dealt mainly in ex-military goods, so it was of great interest to us boys who used to climb over the back fence and play around in there. Field telephones and the like fascinated us. At one time we managed to borrow a raft and get it over the fence into the river. We didn't consider it stealing because we only wanted to play on it and use it as a diving platform, they could have it back any-time they chose. We never got caught anyway.
Jerry Daley
Jerry Daley was an ex-boxer and Welsh middleweight title holder who also worked on the railways. He had fought people like the famous fighter Tommy Farr and, in his day, the contests used to go for fifteen rounds. I'm afraid to say that this left him with some brain damage and he was sometimes a little slow in his reactions.
His job was to blow a bugle to warn the guys working on the rail track that a train was approaching. Unfortunately, one day he was killed by an express train in the tunnel.
Tommy Best
When I was young, Box Mill was in operation and, indeed, my brother, Donald, worked there for a while. Across the river from there was Tommy Best's storage depot. His main shop was in Bath, where the New College was built, alongside Green Park Railway Station.
He dealt mainly in ex-military goods, so it was of great interest to us boys who used to climb over the back fence and play around in there. Field telephones and the like fascinated us. At one time we managed to borrow a raft and get it over the fence into the river. We didn't consider it stealing because we only wanted to play on it and use it as a diving platform, they could have it back any-time they chose. We never got caught anyway.
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Mr Gerrish
I don't ever remember bunking off school but I seem to recall Mr Gerrish, the truant officer, trying to catch us one day. |
Mr Gerrish Box School |
I do remember that just after the war they had an open day at Colerne aerodrome with all the aeroplanes that flew during the war on display, including some captured German planes. They even had one of the little rocket jets there. We were able to go in and inspect Lancaster Bombers and the like. After the war they used the airfield for training purposes and we would often see Dakotas going in to land on one engine. At least one of them crashed and us boys raced up the hill on our bikes to view the wreckage.
Kruger Barnett
Like PC Bosley, I have fond memories of Kruger Barnett and I remember that he always had a bottle of cold tea which he said was good for rheumatism. I still propound his theory to one and all. He used to keep the village clean and tidy at all times.
Mr Wills
In Fogleigh House (the big house that lies in the woods to the left after you have passed The Bassetts travelling up Box Hill) lived one of the Wills brothers who had their factory in Bristol, making cigarettes, Wills Woodbines.
We used to play marbles up against the school wall during playtimes and flick cigarette cards and you won any that you landed on.
Miss Chappell
In Hatt House (a large house up towards the Jockey) lived Miss Chappell, the last surviving member of the music people. I remember her coming to Bence's shop to do her shopping in her Green Ford Popular 103e.
Kruger Barnett
Like PC Bosley, I have fond memories of Kruger Barnett and I remember that he always had a bottle of cold tea which he said was good for rheumatism. I still propound his theory to one and all. He used to keep the village clean and tidy at all times.
Mr Wills
In Fogleigh House (the big house that lies in the woods to the left after you have passed The Bassetts travelling up Box Hill) lived one of the Wills brothers who had their factory in Bristol, making cigarettes, Wills Woodbines.
We used to play marbles up against the school wall during playtimes and flick cigarette cards and you won any that you landed on.
Miss Chappell
In Hatt House (a large house up towards the Jockey) lived Miss Chappell, the last surviving member of the music people. I remember her coming to Bence's shop to do her shopping in her Green Ford Popular 103e.
Bob a Job |
Mr & Mrs Shaw-Mellor
When in the scouts we went to Box House for a Bob-a-Job and they gave us the job of getting their sunken punt out of the lake. What a job and I think we only got a bob (one shilling, now 5p). |
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I was always doing something. At one time I did a paper round up Box Hill and ended up in The Mess at the air force camp where they gave me a cooked breakfast. Just below there was a house where they used to breed Great Danes. It had a high wire fence covering about quarter of an acre and the massive dogs used to jump about and bark as I cycled past and I was glad that I didn't have to deliver there.
Ben Drew
Before Ben Drew moved his business opposite The Bear Inn, he lived, and had his bakehouse, in the house where I was born at 7 The Market Place. The Bakehouse is still there. It was built of stone with a tin roof. As a boy I helped my father take the ovens out, phew, what a job, but it gave us a really good outhouse for our coal, storage and bikes.
I did a bread round for Ben Drew. He used to have a miniature cottage loaf, freshly baked, ready for me when I got back, which I would eat on the way to school every day. Terrible indigestion all morning but I didn't care, it was gorgeous.
Tony May (now sadly deceased)
As we grew into teenagers we would go into Bath to the cinema (the pictures) and often end up for a drink in The Royal York, at the junction of Broad St and George Street. The bar was in the basement and had a large cage in the middle that contained an awful screeching parrot.
I have never liked the taste of beer and so it was my job to get everyone home at the end of the evening. We would go by train and one particular night the others were pretty far gone. However, we eventually got back to Box and poor Tony May was in a particular bad way. We leant him up against his door and rang the bell and scarpered as his mum and dad used to be furious and it was us that got the blame every time he got drunk.
I remember that the usherette threatened to throw us out of the Odeon cinema during a film called Quatermass and the Pit. During a particularly creepy part of the film we had got our crisp packets blown up and all popped them at the same time. It ruined the suspense.
Ben Drew
Before Ben Drew moved his business opposite The Bear Inn, he lived, and had his bakehouse, in the house where I was born at 7 The Market Place. The Bakehouse is still there. It was built of stone with a tin roof. As a boy I helped my father take the ovens out, phew, what a job, but it gave us a really good outhouse for our coal, storage and bikes.
I did a bread round for Ben Drew. He used to have a miniature cottage loaf, freshly baked, ready for me when I got back, which I would eat on the way to school every day. Terrible indigestion all morning but I didn't care, it was gorgeous.
Tony May (now sadly deceased)
As we grew into teenagers we would go into Bath to the cinema (the pictures) and often end up for a drink in The Royal York, at the junction of Broad St and George Street. The bar was in the basement and had a large cage in the middle that contained an awful screeching parrot.
I have never liked the taste of beer and so it was my job to get everyone home at the end of the evening. We would go by train and one particular night the others were pretty far gone. However, we eventually got back to Box and poor Tony May was in a particular bad way. We leant him up against his door and rang the bell and scarpered as his mum and dad used to be furious and it was us that got the blame every time he got drunk.
I remember that the usherette threatened to throw us out of the Odeon cinema during a film called Quatermass and the Pit. During a particularly creepy part of the film we had got our crisp packets blown up and all popped them at the same time. It ruined the suspense.
Geoff Bence
I remember the time I nearly killed Geoff by accident when I shut him in the cold storage room. We lived opposite his shop and my mother worked there. I used to help out with various tasks from cutting the packs of butter into 4oz sections, which was the weekly ration at that time (just after the war), to helping to unload the delivery lorries as they arrived.
I used to particularly like to help the Hales Cake driver as he used to let me drive his van to his next delivery point which was the Swan Inn at Kingsdown, then I would run back to Box across the fields.
One day, whilst in the shop, I noticed that the freezer room door was open and, thinking that someone had forgotten to close it, I obliged. What I didn't know was that Geoff was still inside. Thank goodness someone else went to the room before he froze to death.
He is a lovely man and I also used to go with him on his delivery rounds to help out. I also had delivery rounds of my own, and had built a large box, with handles, set on a couple of pram wheels that I used to load up with groceries and wheel round for various customers. We didn't have freezers in those days.
I remember the time I nearly killed Geoff by accident when I shut him in the cold storage room. We lived opposite his shop and my mother worked there. I used to help out with various tasks from cutting the packs of butter into 4oz sections, which was the weekly ration at that time (just after the war), to helping to unload the delivery lorries as they arrived.
I used to particularly like to help the Hales Cake driver as he used to let me drive his van to his next delivery point which was the Swan Inn at Kingsdown, then I would run back to Box across the fields.
One day, whilst in the shop, I noticed that the freezer room door was open and, thinking that someone had forgotten to close it, I obliged. What I didn't know was that Geoff was still inside. Thank goodness someone else went to the room before he froze to death.
He is a lovely man and I also used to go with him on his delivery rounds to help out. I also had delivery rounds of my own, and had built a large box, with handles, set on a couple of pram wheels that I used to load up with groceries and wheel round for various customers. We didn't have freezers in those days.
Village Nurse |
Nurse Chalinor
We had the lovely Nurse Chalinor who worked tirelessly for the health of the village and used to regularly check us all out for nits at school. She lived in the cottages next to where the Bingham Hall used to be. |
Mr Vaughan
My peers and I helped to form the Box Boys Club under the guidance of, I think, a Mr Vaughan, who lived at Barn Piece. Several previous attempts had been made to form a club but they were unsuccessful.
My peers and I helped to form the Box Boys Club under the guidance of, I think, a Mr Vaughan, who lived at Barn Piece. Several previous attempts had been made to form a club but they were unsuccessful.
Bill (Jockey) Peters
One person who cannot be forgotten is Jockey Peters who kept a small riding school opposite the mill. He lived in the Market Place and would always be seen in his jodphurs and carrying at least a rein or two. Horses was his life and he thought of nothing else. His gait was such that he could well have had a horse under him as he walked. A very amiable man, short and slim and, as kids, we loved to give him a hand mucking out for the occasional ride which in turn exercised the horses.
One person who cannot be forgotten is Jockey Peters who kept a small riding school opposite the mill. He lived in the Market Place and would always be seen in his jodphurs and carrying at least a rein or two. Horses was his life and he thought of nothing else. His gait was such that he could well have had a horse under him as he walked. A very amiable man, short and slim and, as kids, we loved to give him a hand mucking out for the occasional ride which in turn exercised the horses.
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For a long time I used to help Bill Peters while I was still at Box School, mucking out, bringing in the horses and readying them for the rides. The best was when he allowed me take some horses to be shoed on the outskirts of Bath. There was a smithy there run by seven brothers all the same size as Bill Peters.
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Ken Rickson Recalls |
Ozzy Butt
The Council Chambers were originally Ozzy Butt's fish and chip shop. Ron Butt, who I think was Ozzy's son, built himself an open fishing boat in the yard there and it was very impressive.
The Council Chambers were originally Ozzy Butt's fish and chip shop. Ron Butt, who I think was Ozzy's son, built himself an open fishing boat in the yard there and it was very impressive.