Tag Archives: Janet Hopkins

Carol Corbett: The Fair, 1950s

Each year the Fair would come to the Rec.  Very exciting.  Half a crown went a long way.  I can remember watching, not riding, the Wall of Death.  There was a man jumping through a hoop of fire into a water tank and my favourite was the flea circus – little fleas in a glass case with pink skirts on pushing prams and wheelbarrows along.  No, I hadn’t been drinking!   I thought it was wonderful – we had to pay extra to go in to watch it but I remember going in with my mother, and then I think my grandmother took me as well. Carol Corbett nee Cotton b 19

Fair 1950s

Fun Fair on the Rec. 1950s:In photo, Jean Maitland, Fay (Faith) Hopkins, photo: Janet Hopkins

 

 

 

Billy Doe: Harbour Master 1950s

Billy Doe, Harbour Master

Billy Doe in launch in harbour

Billy Doe rowing launch in harbour: photo, Janet Hopkins

 

The big effort was when they used to go across to Lymington, seagull egging.  When there was a marsh over there, there used to be trillions of the things, black headed gulls, and they used to sell them as plovers’ eggs – that’s what they called them.    The Harbour Master when I was small, was Billy Doe.  When he retired the Harbour Commissioners gave him a launch, about eighteen foot.
The Commissioners gave that to Billy so he didn’t have to row across to go egging, because he used to go across egging as well.  The launch had a little Lister diesel.
The season of the year to collect seagulls eggs was about April on.
I can remember going across with grandfather. All the marsh was separated by little streams and the old fellows all had their own little bit; they used to bang a stake in with their name on. They all had some agreement with all the old fellows from around there and the first thing they did – the first day you went over – was to break all the eggs.
You broke all the eggs you could see, and went back a couple of days later and they’d pretty much be fresh. Alec Cokes b 1945

Janet Hopkins: Early Days

Yarmouth harbour showing old bridge 1930s

Yarmouth harbour showing Bridge House on the old bridge 1930s

Doe family at Bridge House

Doe family at Bridge House

I can remember as a toddler going to visit my grandparents when they were living in Bridge House, and standing on a table to look up the river. The top storey burnt down when someone was doing some decorating and using a blow torch, then it was used as a Customs House, and later still the Sailing Club.

The Harbour Commissioners gave my grandfather, ‘Pop’ a nice present when he retired – a launch. When I was young I used to go out with him over to Key Haven collecting seagulls eggs. We used to bring them back and eat them, they were quite strong, but nice. We used to go out winkling and prawning, and cook and eat those. I used to go with him, pigeon shooting up the railway line.

I had my first dinghy at 8, before that I used to borrow Pop’s. I suppose it was a bit unusual, there were hardly any others moored up the river where I kept mine. I always enjoyed small boats. Janet Hopkins b 1947