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From Chris. Hartwright’s Reminiscences

My father John married Phyllis Hopkins who was the daughter of W H Hopkins, the proprietor of the Dairy and Baker’s shop in Broad Street, Worcester.  They went to live over the shop in Broad Street in a large three bedroomed flat and my younger brother Nigel and I were born while they lived there.  Incidentally Mother was Aunt to Sheila Scott the aviator.

As part of the “War Effort” my mother drove the bread delivery van and ran the catering side of the business.  My father was a salesman with R E Ratcliffe – Corn and Seed Merchants during the working day and a Special Constable and in the Home Guard at night.  He rode a bicycle and he rigged up a bicycle saddle with a stirrups, on the cross bar so that he could take me out with him.  I recollect riding to Gordon’s Farm, Tibberton, where my grandfather lived, very early in the morning to inspect rabbit wires with him and cooking bacon on a forked hawthorn stick over a fire we made by a shed, in a field now renamed Larkfield.

Gordons, Tibberton, Worcs.

He kept two pigs in a sty at the stonemasons in Lowesmoor, Worcester, feeding them scraps and feed allocated by the Government as part of “self sufficiency”.  One could keep two pigs, sell one and keep one for oneself.

In 1944 he took over the running of  the farm, although he still lived in Worcester.  Life was very hectic for my parents during the War and when Nigel was born I was sent to board at my school “Sunnyside” in Barbourne, Worcester.  That lasted about a year, after that we had nannies.  In 1944 when I was about seven used to ride on my bike from Broad Street to school.  Although it was along a main road it was not as dangerous as now………

Reminscences Index