Brian Slater
Above is a photograph
of the wedding of Norah (Molly) Browne and Frederick
Canham taken in front of Mill House, How Hill, I have
confirmed this with the present owner.
The bridesmaid
on the centre rear is Cissy Browne who later married
the tall man on her right James Thompson.
It is believed
that both girls worked at the Big House certainly
Cissy Thompson, maybe for the major part of her life.
Robert Platford
the gardener was guardian to the two girls whose
parents went to the US prior to WW1.
Bob Platford cutting the grass at How Hill
All my
cousins recall wonderful times spent in Ludham with
our Uncle Charlie and Aunty Violet Thompson at Wembley
Cottage. As well as being the Methodist Minister he
had a very successful small holding, he claimed to be
able to provide the finest and earliest tomatoes on
the Broads to boats at Womack Water, his green house
like a tropical forest inside. (Ludham Archive note
- He also gave the walnut trees which line the
church path from Norwich Road and lived to the age
of 99).
Once a week we
would help him to load up his trailer to be towed
behind his sturdy bicycle to Stalham Market. Produce,
livestock and nephews and nieces all in the same
trailer, once he let me bid for a radio at the
auction, I would be only 14 years old. I was so
excited but sadly my parents less so when we had to
fit it in the a small car for a long drive back to
Nottingham.
Only yesterday
my cousin, 10 years my junior recalled the same Uncle
Charlie stories as they are in the minds of his great
grandchildren, he was the family hero
Brian Slater
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