Page 26 - link magazine

26
Swuidor Wide
Life and times at Lydiard Park 1951 to 1954
The park at various times has been home to prisoners of war, GIs and to Swindon residents in need of
v Supply & fitting of quality housing. Mrs Norah Malden, who lives in Purton, describes what it was like exclusively for The Link.
standard size joinery items
This story is about when couples army hospital in wartime
• One-off individual items handmade
by skilled craftsman at our workshc had to wait a very long time for a and ourcouncil had taken
house that was newly built and such about 100 huts over, and
v Flat packs assembled
a lot of couples about. halved them into two bun-
• Doors and windows, mouldings, Harry and I were married in 1947, galows so giving 200
cabinets, shelving and staircases not long after war finished, and we young people afirstplace
:• Fitted kitchens & bedrooms lived in two rooms with my mother to be on their own. There
Please ask for items not listed and young brother for four years. were concrete paths to
Surveyed quotations, not estimates We had our baby Shiela meanwhile, each bungalow and your
Unit 10, oaklands Industrial Estal and she was just two years old when own front door, and we
Bravdon, Nr Swindon SN5 OAN the council offered us a place to live were so surprised at the
for three years, and then we would space inside. There was
have a new house. a large living room, and
Well we were very pleased to go on one side there was a
and see. We soon realised the nice light colour stove
houses were three quarters of a mile where you could burn
from the main road and we had to logs and coal, and in the
J.F.K carry Sheila. In the distance were all corner nearby there was
these long huts and then we saw a large airing cupboard
BUILDING what had been done. which was so thoughtful
Apparently the Americans had an and useful in winter. Norah and Harry Malden with Sheila
SERVICES Through the
The visit by Bob Walker and his Co-op passage was a bath room on one year it snowed to the tops of the
Extensions, Alterations, travelling shop was always eagerly awaited the right with a large bath hedges and men had to dig some
Renovations and sink and also toiletwhich parts of the roads to cycle to work in
was new to us. Lots of the town. I worried a bit, but luckily
All aspects of garden houses still had toilets out- we stayed healthy. The children
construction including fencing side in the garden then. Af- around, including Sheila, only had
ter the war that was one measles and chicken pox which they
All general building work
thing changed for the good. soon got over. It was a case of
Tel: Mr J.F. Keenan The kitchen was quite survival and keeping warm.
(01793) 727824 large, an electric stove and My husband was on two weeks
a sink under the window, night work and two weeks days which
and a nice large pantry with wasn't very nice, but in those days
wide shelves and a stone or con- there was no thought of burglars and
crete floor to keep things cool and we used to pop to neighbours and
fresh, as lots of folk did not have not have to lock doors and windows.
freezers then. I was so delighted The fi rst week in April 1954 we got
with things. The two bedrooms were keys for a new house in Swindon,
one large and a small one where we and soon moved. The strange thing
used to store things. was the houses were there but no
Well we moved surface on roads,
C`>on6P,xaa,&w/6 in and soon made ._ = no pavement all just
acosy place to live earth. No lights, no
YOUR LOCAL PVC-U MANUFACTURER in. It was April, a shops, no buses to
lovely time in the speak of and of
Buy direct from countrywith snow- course no school.
drops and prim- Sheila had to start
our factory
roses and later on school in a couple
• We make it and bluebells. The of weeks. I had to
we fit it open space take her down to
around was all Pinehurstinapush-
• High security wired round so chair.
• 10 year guarantee you were private Bill Richardson digging his veg Of course, later
and could grow things got better but
• Lowest prices your own vegeta- plot in front of the huts as I had to walk back
bles which my husband did and it to school later in the day to fetch her
I had blisters on my feet, and wished
Why not let was good to eat. for the country fields a bit. However,
There was a coal bunker outside
us handle and so we stored wood and coal we survived and got a garden even-
through the summer. We went for tually, and now were really settled.
everything long walks with Sheila in a push- When we left Lydiard I brought a few
chair. bulbs of bluebells and we still have
from start to I never regretted the move and some. Every year they multiply and
think the council did a good job in I've given lots away, but they give a
finish? making the buildings into temporary splash of colour every Spring and
homes. There was a social club and think of Lydiard and the memories
Call today 01793 790944 the men had a darts team, my hus- we have of those days.
band was in that. Otherwise we made • The Lost Estate, an account of
or 07973 232435 (evenings and weekends) our own ideas for leisure time and life on Lydiard Park Estate during
were never bored. the 1950s is available at Lydiard
.l'he Marsh, Lower Wanborough. SN4 OAS
The worst time was the winter, House during opening times.