The Square, with Bugle Hotel left.
Go in a pub before you was about 20? Blimey no! If they didn’t like the look of you, especially some of the old ones in the Bugle, they’d say, ‘What you doing in ‘ere?’
I suppose the Bugle was the one that was used most by just the local drinkers.
George Cleary’s father was there since the First World War. I don’t know whether young George was born there or where he was born. The old chap had it for years.
Phil Kelsey b 1920
Ommanney Road
There were some interesting people lived in Ommanney Road when I was growing up. Next door to me was old Bill Smith, the Foreman Ganger building the Railway down here; next door to him was Captain Chambers who was a Tea Clipper Captain. He was only a little old chap, lovely little old chap. Opposite was Mr Penny the postman, he was in the Home Guard. The times he tore out the house and then went back again because he had forgotten his rifle! Next door to him was a chap called Albert Fenton who used to sit on the front doorstep all day playing the penny whistle.
Have you heard of Alf Plumbley lived up at Yew Trees? He saved old Mr Higginbotham’s life in the First World War. Mr Higginbotham had his leg blown off and he was left for dead. Alf Plumbley found him, saw to him, and dragged him in, saved his life.
Nick Chandler b 1937