Brandeston People
Eileen Heighley-Pollard
A former resident at Brandeston Hall, The Street and The Potash
Eileen Heighley-Pollard now lives in County Durham and made contact with the village through the email list. The article she sent me is the result of an exchange of several emails over the last couple of weeks or so.
The article outlines her association with Brandeston Hall and the Austins. From Eileen's emails, it turns out was brought up in Brandeston, living in half of the vicarage (in the days of the vicar Mr Davis) with her great grandmother, Mrs Meadows and then at The Potash. She mentioned how said she felt that that lovely old house was no longer her family home. She also mentioned that she was part of the Girling family.and that her grandparents lived at Vicarage Cottage; she thought that her great grandmother lived in 42 The Street.
Eileen is related to Mary and Hector Moore as Hector's mother and her grandmother were cousins. She well remembers a Jubilee Seat and wondered if it was still in existence. Could anyone shed some light on this? She remembers that the seat used to be the young villagers' meeting place but she was never allowed to "hang out " there. She was allowed to earn holiday spending money by picking blackcurrants at the Sterns farm but she was never allowed to go potato picking as that was just a shade too peasant-like in those days.
Eileen also remembers Ivan Leach well and said that the last time she visited Brandeston, she was taking photographs of cowslips on the roadside opposite his farm and they had quite a long chat. She thought that Eileen might remember her and that she would certainly remember her mother and her six sisters. She said that Eileen was noted for the beautiful knitting she used to do.
Could anyone who remembers Eileen or could add to this story please get in touch.
A former resident at Brandeston Hall, The Street and The Potash
Eileen Heighley-Pollard now lives in County Durham and made contact with the village through the email list. The article she sent me is the result of an exchange of several emails over the last couple of weeks or so.
The article outlines her association with Brandeston Hall and the Austins. From Eileen's emails, it turns out was brought up in Brandeston, living in half of the vicarage (in the days of the vicar Mr Davis) with her great grandmother, Mrs Meadows and then at The Potash. She mentioned how said she felt that that lovely old house was no longer her family home. She also mentioned that she was part of the Girling family.and that her grandparents lived at Vicarage Cottage; she thought that her great grandmother lived in 42 The Street.
Eileen is related to Mary and Hector Moore as Hector's mother and her grandmother were cousins. She well remembers a Jubilee Seat and wondered if it was still in existence. Could anyone shed some light on this? She remembers that the seat used to be the young villagers' meeting place but she was never allowed to "hang out " there. She was allowed to earn holiday spending money by picking blackcurrants at the Sterns farm but she was never allowed to go potato picking as that was just a shade too peasant-like in those days.
Eileen also remembers Ivan Leach well and said that the last time she visited Brandeston, she was taking photographs of cowslips on the roadside opposite his farm and they had quite a long chat. She thought that Eileen might remember her and that she would certainly remember her mother and her six sisters. She said that Eileen was noted for the beautiful knitting she used to do.
Could anyone who remembers Eileen or could add to this story please get in touch.
Eileen Heighley-Pollard
An Update
From David Risk: I read this article and it certainly rang a few bells. Not knowing the age of Eileen, she is either the daughter of someone I went to Kettleburgh school with in 1943-4 or the actual person and she lived at The Potash. Depending on which one she is, she has a Great Aunt or Aunt living in Fore Street Framlingham - Thelma Durrant (formerly Girling) - the last remaining of Old Tom and Eva Girling’s five girls and Young Tom family who kept the petrol pumps at Vicarage Cottage.
There were Meadows , Herbert and Edith, at 16 Low Street; Ellen (Mrs Zeb) at 42 The Street and Ben (gamekeeper) at 54 The Street. In 1954, the village was amazed when Mrs Zeb reached 100 years old and received her Royal Telegram! The house Rawlinson’s End was her garden and Ben reared Pheasants in there.
Eileen mentions a Jubilee seat - that is the one in the village bus shelter for George V’s silver Jubilee.
A Further Update From Eileen
Eileen doesn't remember Sue Thurlow (nee Murton) but does remember her sister Penny. Her mother used to babysit when the Murtons needed one. Some family photos are shown below together with Eileen's comments.
An Update
From David Risk: I read this article and it certainly rang a few bells. Not knowing the age of Eileen, she is either the daughter of someone I went to Kettleburgh school with in 1943-4 or the actual person and she lived at The Potash. Depending on which one she is, she has a Great Aunt or Aunt living in Fore Street Framlingham - Thelma Durrant (formerly Girling) - the last remaining of Old Tom and Eva Girling’s five girls and Young Tom family who kept the petrol pumps at Vicarage Cottage.
There were Meadows , Herbert and Edith, at 16 Low Street; Ellen (Mrs Zeb) at 42 The Street and Ben (gamekeeper) at 54 The Street. In 1954, the village was amazed when Mrs Zeb reached 100 years old and received her Royal Telegram! The house Rawlinson’s End was her garden and Ben reared Pheasants in there.
Eileen mentions a Jubilee seat - that is the one in the village bus shelter for George V’s silver Jubilee.
A Further Update From Eileen
Eileen doesn't remember Sue Thurlow (nee Murton) but does remember her sister Penny. Her mother used to babysit when the Murtons needed one. Some family photos are shown below together with Eileen's comments.
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Great grandfather Thomas Girling and his wife Jemima. She was Canadian and could neither read nor write but after great grandfather doied, she ran the Post Office in Kettleburgh. My grandmother used to visit her every weekend to do her paperwork. Apparently, Jemima could remember every transaction. I suppose in those days, a Post Office was just that a "Post" office.
Great grandparents Mahala and Henry (Zebby's parents). One of my aunts told me that Mahala was a lady who married beneath herself and was cut off by her family. When my brother was researching our family tree he got back to 1500 or something on the Girling side but came to a complete block at Mahala so who knows.
Eva Girling (nee Meadows) and my mother Ruby. |
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Great great grandparents Adam and Lucy Girling. Their gravestone is in Kettleburgh churchyard and it says "they were lovely and pleasant in life; in death they were not divided". They died within 24 hours of each other.
Grandfather Thomas Girling. He was Sergeant Farrier in the Royal Horse Artillery.
Brandeston Village School. My mother is on the extreme left in the second row. The teacher Miss Bradlaugh is on the right and she taught me from 1941 to 1947.
If anyone can name any of the other pupils in this photo, please let me know. |
John King Cotton, Riggle Street, 1840
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Lady Jane Turnbull
The Christmas Choir - November 2016
Sue Thurlow Wins Individual Award For Services To The Community - 15 September 2016
Les Cullen's Moment of Fame - 22 June 2016
New Village People Welcome Party - 10 December 2015
Lucy, Kevin and Florence Little