I remember trying to go to Mill Copse along Mill Bank and Harry Jackman chasing us away. All we wanted to do was pick primroses and bluebells. Jean Maitland nee Levey b 1928
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Colin Smith: Free Time 1930s
Yarmouth marsh panorama with Mill and stream on right
We lived in the last house down Station Road just before the station, St Kilda it was called then, Mill Stream Cottage it’s called now. Beautiful views. I used to spend my time off over the marsh there, into the copses, Thorley Copse or Mill Copse. I don’t think you can get into Thorley Copse now, that was the one I particularly liked. We used to go birds nesting and things like that. Not that I should be proud of that now. Colin Smith b1921
Pat Burt: Free Time and Leisure
Aerial showing Yarmouth 1923 with tennis courts and green spaces
There were tennis courts where the 8 council houses are that were built in 1949. Before they were built, it was allotments during the war. I remember Mick’s aunt used to play. We used to play tennis didn’t we, on Mrs Hamilton’s courts where the Glen is, next to the Sports Club? The tennis court was Tennyson Road end and opposite her place, ( The Wight House) so she had to cross the road. Annette Haynes and Pat Burt b 1929
Annette Haynes: Free Time 1930s and 1940s
Yarmouth Station, Mill Stream and marsh from platform 2013
When we were kids and the marsh froze over, we used to go skating on it and if any of us fell in and got wet, we would go into the station. They always had a big fire going in the waiting room, so we used to be able to dry off. The stationmaster was Peter, and didn’t mind us drying off. I can see his face.
Annette Haynes nee Holloway b 1929
Alec Cokes: Free Time 1950s
Mill Copse beyond marsh and stream
When they used to dredge the stream they piled it all up with the reed and everything in, that’s why you’ve got high banks. Just after they dredged it, it was lovely and soft. You get down there, you dig yourself a hole, you build it all up round, plenty of reeds – you make a roof with the reeds – you’ve got a little hide. It only used to be about so deep, you used to crouch in there.
Nobody used to have candles much or anything but we used to get half an eggshell and a little stump of candle, put it in the eggshell; it would burn for ever. You had to keep changing the wicks. We used to play around like that a lot of the time. Sometimes other gangs would set the huts alight, they used to burn the roofs off. It didn’t matter, you just dug another one. Alec Cokes b 1945
Sue Russell: Free Time
As there were no holiday homes, the houses were all full of local people so we all knew each other, and you knew you could knock at any door if in trouble.
We used to run along the back of the houses in Mill Road to the Dump, which was where the car park is, by the school, then along by the old wall to the Quay trying not to get our feet wet.
Squeak and I spent a lot of time making camps in Mill Copse but regularly the boys used to find them and wreck them. Sue Russell nee Hayles b 1940
Phil Kelsey: Free Time and Leisure
Stone Pier with Bun Cotton, Eric Doe, Jim Ryall, George Kelsey and Jack Noyce
Before the Rec. was done, we used to go down and kick about in what now is all brambles, down the Mill. Old Harry Jackman had cows down there then , and he also used to have them out around the copse. Providing they weren’t there for milking, we used to go down there and kick about. It was cut a bit like a field, it was nothing much, it was very rough.
Other than that we used to get messing about in Mill Copse and Thorley Copse, we were always out there.
In those days you couldn’t go over the bridge because you had to pay so we always went towards Bouldnor. We used to try and scrabble along the front – Nicholson’s path – down by what is now Port La Salle. It’s still there now. To save having to come up and go right round there, we used to try and scrabble along there and keep out of sight of the gamekeeper with his dogs. It wasn’t too bad if the tide was out, we used to get by. We used to go right along then as far as the old Stone Pier usually. Of course that’s mostly disappeared, during the war most of it. It’s a pity really that went. Phil Kelsey b1920
Jean Maitland: Free Time
There was a liner used to leave Southampton in the late afternoon. When she came past Yarmouth we used to go down Fryers Lane and listen to the orchestra playing as she went by. Jean Maitland nee Levey b 1928
Yarmouth Common with hut and liner
Phil Kelsey: Early Days Mill Terrace
The Kelsey children c 1923 behind Mill Terrace.
I was born in 1, Alvina Cottage in Station Road, then we moved down to Mill Terrace. We were in the one where the passage way went through. At that time in Mill Terrace there was a lot of children. There was the Mussells; there were five or six of them, there was Joe – I think he was the youngest one, Ray, Ruby, another gal, and Perce, the eldest one, there was quite a few. And also there was a big family come to live there, Dicksons from Freshwater; there was about twelve of them kids. He used to ride about on a tricycle and do a few odd jobs. We used to try and pinch his tricycle if he left it up on the Common. Phil Kelsey b 1920
Barbara Dence: swimming 1920s, 1930s
From a letter to Yarmouth School
Looking back with pleasure over the years, it seems that school in summer revolved round the time of high tide. Our daily swimming lesson took up the latter part of the morning or afternoon. It was not often that we missed. Occasionally we went to the beach by the Pier, but most often it was down the turning up the High Street. We all undressed on the beach – very stony it was too – and we mastered the art of an exceedingly rapid change. There was a small raft beside a breakwater which good swimmers used.
We were encouraged to learn to swim. Mr Stanway would give 6d to anyone who learnt and to the one who taught the swimmer. Many people went on to do the mile and to learn life saving. For this we went to the harbour and were thrown out of a boat fully dressed.
Excerpt from School Log
We had to undress in the water – get ashore – and also “rescue” a drowning person – swim underwater and dive off the boat without capsizing it.
The highlight of the swimming season was the Cowes Regatta, and a great honour to be picked for the team, for which we received a medal. Also if you were good there was the chance of winning some pocket money at the various regattas.
Barbara Dence b 1920
Barbara Dence’s 1929 swimming certificate