Residents Memories

Memories of Gooderstone - Residents and Former Residents

I was an evacuee at The Lodge in Gooderstone, I went there with seven others, I knew Mr & Mrs Mc Neil very well, also Mr & Mrs Smith, who had at that time a baby boy. We lived in the Gun Lodge, which was very comfortable I remember Mrs Smith bathing us all, and hot cocoa at bedtime, ha ha. What wonderful times we had, I was the eldest of the eight,& often had to look after the youngest who used to cry often. We skated on the little stream in Winter & collected walnuts in summer. I often wonder what happened to every one & would love to know more, I did not stay until the end as I won the 11 plus, and went to Guildford Technical College from there. I now live in Bognor Regis. What happened to that baby boy I would love to know? Who is in Lodge now?

8 May 2010 from Mrs Gladys Cannell nee Jones

Gooderstone was my first home. However the house has now gone - it was a small cottage in lots of land rented from the Dykes family (next door) - the Adcocks farm was opposite. It was the last house on the right going out of the village past Adcocks farm by the bridge over the stream. It was presumably bought by the Parkers from the Dykes because I was told they demolished it and built the property which now stands there (built for their parents I was told as a boy).

We were a young family of five children 'The Hartes' Jackie, Karen, Patricia, Declan (me) and Colleen. Mom and dad being John and Joan (Hannah). We left in 1970 - moved to Scole near Diss. We are now distributed around the country (and Ireland) but whenever we get together we love to reminisce on our idyllic childhood 'adventurous' times in Gooderstone. We have all been back from time to time (most recently Colleen who found this website last week).

Jackie (the eldest child) remembers fondly the time she visited during the 1980's when she was in her early 20's. She called at the house of the headteacher Mr Cowan. He answered his front door (then in retirement) and upon seeing her and before she could say anything he said - "I know, you are one of my ex-students coming back to say hello, yes?" He invited her in for tea and cakes of course and allowed her to reminisce to her hearts content!

We all recall the time Dads Army filmed in the village and Karen was held up in the arms of one of the actors (I think it was John Laurie who played Frazer).

Another fond memory is when we all picked Elderberries and made dad some wine from it - took a large chunk of the summer but was fabulous fun.

We had a black labrador called cesar - bought from behind the bar at the Swan pub one night by my dad - I recall the Parkers also had a labrador called Brutus (Roman names pervade!)

Fond regards to anyone still there who remembers us!

The Hartes.

4 May 2010 from Declan Harte