Conservation of buildings, but what about the people who

[robgil]

live in them?
Last summer i took Nev my neighbour out to finbows to pick up some bits and bobs. On the way he told me about the 5 pubs that the village once had and about the old boys who would go there after work for a pint and a pipe and to tell storys.He told me that most if not all of the old boys have since passed on and a lot of the old storys have passed on with them, this stuck with me.
Surely these storys should be documented for future generations to enjoy? The 'art' if thats what it is of story (or gossip) telling might have passed us by but if we dont document it it will be a very important part of our history that we are letting go of and it would be a shame to let these storys , jokes what ever die with the people who had them passed down from earlier generations and fade away into oblivion.
Are we letting one of the most important parts of local history die?
What do you think guys? Does your village or town have a history group? Should we be paying more attention to storys about the war etc etc? Should i stop drinking cider on a Thursday night?

 

[middi]

Rob, " death of old village life" and everything that went with it is well documented. Since the advent of radio, television and, nowdays, computers etc. it was the last nail in the coffin.
In some ways it is sad, it has pushed people to be more insular. As to some of the stories gossip etc, most of them are better off with the tellers, ie- in the grave. ( I base my assumption on the c*ap my loving and dear grandmother used to gossip about, worse still, they are now repeated by my father and he is 81)

I will give one or two examples if I am pushed into it

MIddi

 

[Flyfisher]

Don't we all gather around the PPUK 'bar' for the odd bit of off-topic chat and stories in between discussing conservation conundrums? Far more interesting, I think, than never leaving the village where we were born or, in extreme cases, even crossing the road.

Besides, all those old stories can now be recorded for posterity and not rely on fickle memories.

Times change.

 

[vicky whitworth]

We have an historical records society in our village. They collect historical records and file them. It's all terribly worthy but as dull as ditch water. I used to go to meetings and as a result I am the official keeper of the village postcards. I have four. This is village life for you - why do you think we drink a lot of cider :lol:

 

[jocelyn plummer]

We have a fantastic record of the Town www.aroundampthill.org
click on Ampthill Images.

Also 3 Authors who have written books about characters, houses and events in the Town.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

And you had Sir Albert Richardson. (A little bit bonkers, but where would we be without characters?).

 

[Penners]

the old boys who would go there after work for a pint and a pipe and to tell storys.

It's true that, if you wanted to experience elderly characters, the pub was always the place to find them. So here's a little story.

In my distant youth, I sang in a folk trio - we all lived in Ipswich. We'd been on a gig in Felixstowe, and on the way back to Ipswich we dropped into The Ship Inn in Levington. As we sipped our lemonades, a group of old fellahs (who'd been staring at our very beautiful female singer) asked us where we were from.

"Ipswich," I replied. "We've been playing at a concert in Felixstowe."

One old boy (flat cap, tweed jacket, patch over one eye!), harrumphed. "Ipsich," he said with curled lip, "went there once. Didn loike ut."

I asked him why the town had made such a bad impression on him. He explained, "A foo yares ago, Oi give the missus a buthdee treat - we took the bus to Ipsich to do a bit o' shawpun. The plice was a-heavin' with people! Moi missus bought a noo dress at the Coo-op and then she said, 'less goo an' get a cuppa tea.' We went in the caff an' Oi pide a bloody fortune for two teas! An' I'll tell yer what - that was the wusst bloody tea Oi ever tiestud! So we never bin back."

This was 6 miles from Ipswich.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Yes, Sir Albert indeed! His Grandson still lives in the house, and has written some of the books about the Town. Also the famous zoo, where ostriches, lamas and other oddities were kept, and ridden, yes, ridden, around the Town.!!! That house was demolished in 1950 and there are now 8 houses in the grounds.
It's hard to imagine now, living amongst the consumer driven centre where a well known supermarket reigns supreme! Sir Albert must be turning in his grave!