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Recollection of past times
These reminiscences can be read separately by clicking on the name. They are all different in their content and sometimes an outsider’s view notices things that someone who lives here would take for granted. See what you think.
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Sadly now passed away, these recollections of someone who came to the village in 1942, vividly recall life as a school cook. Homemade food for the school children sounds much more appetising than that presented nowadays!
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Edward Gill is well known to many villagers, as one of the evacuees
who came to Norton in Hales at the outbreak of World War 2. He has already
published a book about his reminiscences of the time he spent in the
village over 60 years ago.
Edward (pictured here) now lives in South Wales but still keeps in regular
contact with the village all these years later. Most recently, Edward
has written some more of his memories of the time.
To read these latest memoirs, click Edward Gill for a PDF version (a small file). If you have not got Adobe Reader (free) to read a PDF file click http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
The Grand Project by Jamie Leech Jamie is the grandson of Edward. It may take 11 minutes to 'buffer' his video, but it is well worth it.
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Edward
Gill's return visit to Norton Saturday 27 November 2010
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Edward Gill at Bellaport Farm |
Edward with the Huntsman and assistant |
Edward in conversation with MFH Mrs Anne Hartley |
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Edward with Cynthia Lucas under the bedroom
window where the boys slept as evacuees |
The view from their bedroom window 71 years
on |
Sitting round the kitchen table with Philip
and Sarah Smith and family |
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Identifying farm characters from former times |
Edward with Mark and Nikki owners of the restored
Betton Church |
Outside Betton Church Residence |
Click on an image to see
an enlargement |
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Mary Keay has kindly provided the Norton website with a compilation of her memories of village life going back to the 1920s. She has a phenomenal memory, has obviously always been very observant, and, for her whole life, been a pillar of Norton social activity. To read these memoirs and to see a miscellany of items scanned from Mary's village scrapbook, click on Mary Keay
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John Rathbone was born in the village in 1904 and, via scholarships that he won, gained a Degree in Chemistry at Manchester University, rose to be Deputy Director of Education in Manchester and was awarded an OBE. Quite an achievement for the times!
His nephews, Bert and Roger, have compiled this tribute to him. Click
here to read
it.
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For a flavour of farm life in the last century, reading Dot’s
memoirs is a must!
Click on Dot Robinson to read all about the memories of this long-standing
local resident.
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Bill Ruston of Newcastle under Lyme has kindly added some wartime
memories of Norton. A schoolboy at the time, he came to Betton 
every
summer to help with the harvest and lived in a chicken hut! To read
his story, please click on William Ruston.
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Allan
Ebbrell - 1939 Evacuee to our village
1939 Evacuee to our village, Allan Ebbrell, who lives in West Yorkshire, has now sent us his most evocative and moving memoirs of his time spent in Norton-in-Hales from 1 September 1939, as approved by Edward Gill and we were, 70 years on, able to reunite them. To read his story, please click on Allan Ebbrell.
"Recently in conjunction with Edward Gill, I have placed a letter and two group photographs of the Norton in Hales evacuees in the "Memories" section of the Manchester Evening News in an attempt to identify any not already recognised.
I have attached a copy of my notes on the results of this publication and also of the identification photographs."
Allan Ebbrell - please click here to read full report
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