Tag Archives: blacksmith’s

Eileen Smith, Mike Smith: Thorley, Blacksmith’s Lane

Blacksmith’s Lane, that was the original bridle path, went right through the copse   down by the side of the two cottages, across the stream.  Hec Stone’s – it must have been his grandfather – said he used to drive a coach and horses up through the copse.  The bridlepath was still up through the copse… you’ve still got the dip. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921
The bridleway went up through the copse and over across the railway line and right through to the other road.  Even when we were kids where they used to go across the stream, it was all hard gravel there.  You could always get across there because it was shallower. Mike Smith b 1951

Pauline Harwood: Harbour, old quay 1930s

old bullnosed quay with crane 1930s

old bullnosed quay with crane 1930s

I was left on the Quay with my Grandmother from London, – I wasn’t very old,- in a pram under the Spit and Lean. That was taken down when the coalyard was knocked into the Quay.  Blakes Coalyard was handy for the blacksmith’s shop across the road.

Round  the corner where the pigsties were and the steps used to go down to the sea my sister Audrey who was 7 years older than me used to take me and John down the steps and anybody dinghy that was there, we used to get in it and  row somewhere.  We used to do that then.

Pauline Harwood nee Hatch  b1930